Seattle-area job training program for formerly-homeless people graduates 1st class

Some of the homeless people who got swept from encampments along freeways are now making inroads into the job market with the help of a unique training program. Kamosh Joel Moreno was with the first group of graduates as they celebrated their turnaround. He's live with some of their stories. Joel? Mary, some of these people used to huddle in tents right here along the interstate, but they got swept when the governor ordered the right-of-ways cleared. Well, this property is owned by WSDOT, and they took it a step farther by giving a pathway to these folks for long-term stability. With applause ringing out in the room and emotional embraces alongside the stage, seven people celebrated their journey out of homelessness and into the workforce. My name is Raleigh Snyder, and before I came here, I was a wreck. I was a wreck. The participants had been living in encampments along freeways when the governor ordered the sites cleared and for the people to be connected to services. I came from alongside the freeway. I lived basically in a bush. I had a little shack that I built along the side of the freeway as part of one of the sweeps. After they left these squalid sites on property owned by the State Department of Transportation, WSDOT went a step farther and funded a job training program so those who were interested could find work in the construction industry. Our goal is to get people into the construction trades. We need people working on our transportation projects. They took part in a four-week course run by a group called ANEW that taught them all they need to earn an apprenticeship and more. It taught me more about myself, not just teaching me job skills, but teaching me life skills. Along with the job skills, they learned the importance of being punctual and accountable to be part of a team, including that drug and alcohol abuse don't fit into that future. If you plan to go anywhere afterwards, you've got to be clean. And with a lot of help and support, they are ready for a new start at life. I can actually say I'm proud of myself. I don't want to move them along. I want to bring them back into the community. That's the key to ending homelessness. The Transportation Secretary really summed it up there, essentially saying that there's got to be a place at the table for these people who, for various reasons, have become outcasts. Reporting live, Joel Marino, Como News. Joel, thank you. Stay with Como for continuing coverage on the homelessness and the addiction crisis through our Project Seattle reports. If you have a tip or story idea, call 206-404-4732. You can also email projectseattleatcomonews.com.