fww? Proteus Partners with the Nebraska Department of Labor Relationship results in better services to clients Tucked into a small town in the southeastern part of the state is Beatrice, Nebraska. It is here that a robust partnership has developed, in part, due to the great work of Nebraska Department of Labor Comprehensive One-Stop […]
During the winter months and off-school times, Proteus staff in Nebraska take advantage of having time to develop additional partnerships with agencies that not only work with our target population, but seek our expertise, too. One such situation occurred one year ago when a grower, Daniels Produce, asked Case Manager Anna Santos if she knew of a way that they could send some of their Spanish-speaking workers to a training class to learn how to apply pesticides–they wanted certified applicators.
Entering the Work One office was difficult for Edward. As a seasonal farmworker, he knew that the work was non-existent in the winter, but he never imagined that the farmer he worked for would simply not need as many workers this year. After years of low wages, inconsistent hours and odd jobs, Edward realized he needed something different for the sake of his family; with support from his wife, Katie, he asked for assistance. Thankfully, his Work One case manager referred him to Proteus.
National Farmworker Awareness Week March 24-31, 2017 National Farmworker Awareness Week (NFAW) is a week of action for students and community members to raise awareness about farmworker issues on our campuses and in our communities. In 2017 we celebrate the 18th Annual National Farmworker Awareness Week to raise awareness about farmworker conditions and to […]
National Farmworker Awareness Week (NFAW) is a week of action for students and community members to raise awareness about farmworker issues on our campuses and in our communities. In 2017 we celebrate the 18th Annual National Farmworker Awareness Week to raise awareness about farmworker conditions and to honor their important contributions to us every day!
Ryder Clark was a college student enrolled in the Heat Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Program at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, Iowa. As a full-time college student, his schedule wasn’t flexible enough to allow him to work enough part time hours to get by. As school expenses continued to add up, he continued to fall behind. He heard about the National Farmworker Jobs Program and Proteus from a family member who had been a Proteus participant.
Jared Kraetsch worked for ten years as a seasonal farmworker and was ready for a change. After looking at his options, he found a computer numerical control (CNC) certification course offered at Northern Iowa Community College in Cresco, Iowa. During the admissions process, he was referred to Proteus through the partnership we have there. Having spent so many years working as a seasonal employee, Jared was both excited for a career that provided year-round employment and nervous about getting through the required courses.
Juan Carlos Lopez was brought to the United States from Mexico by his parents at a very young age. As the years went by, Juan Carlos was able to become eligible and enroll in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program because of his immigration status. During high school, he worked hard to help support his family and to save money for his dream, to enroll in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning program at Northeast Community College (NECC) in Norfolk, Nebraska.
Sometimes it takes a leap of faith in order to pursue a better life for yourself. Working part-time for a manufacturing company, Bill Short wasn’t earning enough to make ends meet. In order to increase his income, he started doing seasonal work for a local farmer: baling hay and helping with harvest. Because he was able to get more hours as a seasonal farmworker, Bill left his manufacturing. It was during this time that he made the difficult decision to return to school in an effort to find a more stable career.
Proteus clients are no stranger to hard work. Working seasonal jobs can oftentimes lead to long days, and the stress of knowing the income they rely on is limited. Jonathan Pierce is an example of someone who has been able to turn his situation around and create a better and more stable life for himself.
| Des Moines, Iowa 3850 Merle Hay Road Suite 500 & 100 Des Moines, IA 50310 1-800-372-6031 |
Fort Dodge, Iowa 107 North 7th Street Fort Dodge, IA 50501 1-800-798-8225 |
Iowa City, Iowa 1548 South Gilbert Street Iowa City, IA 52240 1-800-397-9675 |
| Lincoln, Nebraska 3830 VerMaas Place Suite A Lincoln, NE 68502 1-855-458-3421 |
North Platte, Nebraska 306 East 6th Street North Platte, NE 69101 1-855-770-8387 |
Kokomo, Indiana 709 South Reed Road Kokomo, IN 46901 1-855-765-6687 |
by Flying Hippo