The Light House recognizes that to end the cycle of homelessness, people need to have sustainable employment skills that will allow them to make a living wage so they can afford permanent housing. To reach that goal The Light House developed a 16 week employment curriculum, Building Employment Success Training (B.E.S.T.), a paid internship training program that includes soft skills training and  hands-on training in Culinary Arts and Facilities Maintenance and Landscaping. The program also includes a volunteer component. 

Employment Track Options  

Culinary Arts  which includes all aspects of food preparation, nutrition, actual meal preparation, and catering. Taught by Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Arts at the Light House, Linda Vogler.

Facilities Maintenance and Landscaping – general maintenance, facilities management and landscaping. Taught by Willis Day, Facilities Manager at The Light House.

 

Soft Skills Training 

  • Workforce Preparation Skills – attitude, work ethic, employer expectations, resume writing, interview preparation, dressing for success.
  • Communication Skills – listening essentials, body language, conflict resolution, networking
  • Interpersonal Skills – working as part of a team, developing and maintaining good working relationships, valuing and respecting differences, responding to feedback
  • Competencies/Challenges – time management, using good judgment, solving problems, making good decisions, sanitation/safety requirements. Culinary students attend ServSafe classes that are taught and tested on-site.
  • Participants receive job search assistance from case managers and a full time employment specialist, career closet consulting, and interview preparation while working at their internship. At the conclusion of each session, the students are recognized for their hard work with a graduation ceremony and certificate of completion in the BEST program.

 

Thank You To All Who Support the B.E.S.T. Program!

Thanks to our community employer partners, graduates of the BEST program have found employment at: Brio’s, Macaroni Grill, Shopper’s Food Warehouse, U.S. Naval Academy, Anne Arundel Medical Center, Anne Arundel County Schools, Target, and Cirque de Soleil.

We are grateful to our corporate and foundation partners, First Annapolis Consulting, Annapolis Rotary Club, Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County: Ladders to SUCCESS, Costco Wholesale, Nationwide Foundation, Walmart Foundation, Nordstrom, Inc, Phase Foundation, PNC Foundation, State Farm, Davidsonville Ruritan Foundation, Inc., City of Annapolis, Friends of The Light House, Hussman Foundation, Severn Savings Bank, Paul and Maxine Frohring Foundation, TD Bank, and Friends of the Light House for their support of the BEST program.