A Morning Spent at Jefferson County Workforce Center

First, let’s get the PC stuff out of the way. The Jefferson County Workforce center is a lovely building providing amazing services to people like me, who’ve been laid off or are transitioning into a new field. It’s located in lovely Golden and has terrific views from its atrium. In other words, great place. Unfortunately, when you walk into the center itself, you may feel a little like you’ve been dropped off at the humane society. There’s definitely a tone, a scent of something and it’s not just fear, although that’s there, but of uncertainty and a hint of ambition. But not much. People are in there working, now they might be surfing the Web for deals on cars, but on the whole it seemed people were working on stuff and were there for a reason, like hoping for a new forever home.

I was there to find out about the WAI Program – work assistance something or other. Basically, if you qualify and two-step through their process, they’ll fund some education for you, which is mighty fine! I had to go to JeffCo, even though I live in Boulder, because Boulder County was out of money. I thought this was rather odd as it is Federal money and figured wire transfers work between the counties but it was nice of Jefferson County to share.

As we were walking up the staircase, I noticed a young family: mom, dad and two young kids right outside the building. The couple were outside the car talking, kids in the backseat, when the dad walked to the front of the car and popped the hood.  I thought to myself there can be few depressing events as being out of work and having your car break down but having to pop your hood outside the Workforce Center has to be an arrow straight to the soul.  It’s been almost a week since I was there and that family has stayed in mind. I hope they’re doing better.

I hadn’t watch the family for very long when we were being called into the classroom. It was a good group: lots of different types of people, of all ages, all obviously eager to find out more. You could tell. These people wanted to get ahead.  I had gone with a friend and after the meeting as we walked out of the building I said, “sometimes I feel like our nation under employs, under uses, under educates so many of us.” Lack of funds, wrong geography, etc sometimes stands in the way of people of realizing their potential and yes, you could argue that if they’re smart enough, work hard enough, blah, blah, they’ll get there or life isn’t fair. But it does seem a shame that some people have to work so hard to get to point that others take for granted. Like the kids in the back of their parent’s broken down car at Jefferson County -  how hard will they have to work, do they have the stamina the staying power to see it through. I have no idea and certainly no answers.