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South Los Angeles Residents Build Workforce Re-entry Skills at Professional Development Workshop

Updated: Sep 17, 2021

South LA residents attended a workshop led by SoLa I CAN’s Senior Success Coach Laura Doxey and a team of HR and recruiting professionals on September 9, 2021 at The Beehive’s Technology and Entrepreneurship Center. The attendees were graduates of COVID-19 Retraining and Recovery Fund (CORE), a program launched to help community members severely financially affected by COVID-19 fundamentally change the trajectory of their professional lives. CORE provides financial and coaching support for South LA residents to retrain in new careers, emerging in stronger economic and professional positions than before.

Over 60 South LA residents have graduated from CORE since its launch last year, and over 40 have found new employment receiving an average 35% increase in salary. Coach Doxey and her team created this series of professional development workshops to help CORE graduates become competitive candidates in the hiring process and transition successfully into their new career field of choice.


The workshop addressed key elements of career searching, which included:

  1. Creating a lasting first impression

  2. Standing out in the candidate pool

  3. Effective job search strategies and resources

  4. Interview etiquette

  5. Advice from previously hired CORE Scholars

In addition, each CORE Scholar received complimentary professional headshots on-site, personalized feedback, and coaching to navigate their questions and concerns.

The workshop was a resounding success. Attendees valued the experience of having direct insight from current human resources and recruiting professionals, and found the “Resume Correcting” and “Mock Interview” sessions to be the most helpful parts of the workshop.

"I have been out of the workforce for five and a half years and there were several changes. All sections—from resume to post interview etiquette were extremely helpful."
CORE Scholar Karla

Senior Success Coach Doxey plans to return with a three-part series and looks forward to assisting future CORE Scholars reach their career potential.