Workforce Development
The ECS Workforce Development and Social Enterprise program provides 300 individuals annually with job counseling, adult education, GED, culinary training, and other vocational programs to help them move into stable employment and better jobs.
Note: due to high levels of interest in the program, candidates for REACH may now join the wait-list. We encourage you to reach out, but be aware that the wait time can be several months to a year. Please contact workforce@ecs-sf.org to join the wait-list.
In 2025, ECS launched its new Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment. IPS, which is funded through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is a highly successfully and evidenced-based model of supported employment which promotes a “recovery through work” philosophy whereby individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and co-occurring disabilities achieve competitive, integrated employment through receiving ongoing support services. Below are ECS' other Workforce Development initiatives.
Conquering Homelessness through Employment in Food Services (CHEFS) is a culinary training program. Students will earn their Food Handlers Certification and spend 12 weeks in the kitchen learning their craft, station by station until they have mastered the skills to run the kitchen themselves. The final phase of the program is an Employment Audition with an external food service business or restaurant with the goal to secure permanent employment. The program offers opportunities to earn a weekly stipend while gaining skills.
Job search assistance, resume writing, mock interviews, and job retention services are offered to all CHEFS students while in the program and for a full year after job placement.
New classes start every 12 weeks. Fill out an interest form here.
Realizing Employment and Careers in Human Services (REACH)
REACH (Realizing Employment And Careers in Human services) is a program that trains individuals in the community and social services field, inviting those with lived experience of housing insecurity to leverage their expertise to give back to the community.
Class offerings include:
Workplace Proficiencies | Technology Skills | Verbal Crisis Intervention | Trauma-Informed Care | Job Readiness | Job Search | Placement Support | Employment Coaching Support
... and more
Students will be provided with a weekly stipend, a laptop, and placement assistance throughout and after the conclusion of this course. Must be available for three (3) weeks of on-site job shadowing and in-person training. Please contact workforce@ecs-sf.org for more information.
The ECS Job Center provides assistance with career skills and advancement, employment services, education, and more for our embedded programs. Specifically, the Job Center assists with:
Job Readiness | Workplace Technology
Job Search Assistance | Job Placement Services
Resume and Cover Letter Support | High School Attainment
For more information, email workforce@ecs-sf.org.