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Success Stories

Project Welcome graduates have gone on to work at New York City hotels and restaurants. Here are just a few of their stories.

When Kimberly started Project Welcome, she was working at The Gap as a part-time stockperson making $11/hour. She began her training in Hospitality Management, but almost dropped out when life’s circumstances became too much to bear: her father passed away, she was going through a difficult divorce, and her unemployment benefits were running out. Staff members of Project Welcome all encouraged her to stay, and with their support, she did. After graduation, she interviewed with various employers in the hotel industry. Her persistence and the skills she learned through the training paid off. She was offered a full-time position at the prestigious Beekman Hotel in Manhattan, where she works as a PBX operator at $16/hour.

Huichun emigrated from China in October 2006. When she applied for Project Welcome training in Hospitality Management, she was working part-time in a doctor’s office, earning $9/hour. Her English language proficiency was low, and after the first day of training, she considered dropping out because it was so difficult to follow along. Project Welcome Director Joohee Maeng provided Huichun with an instructor’s manual for the class, which allowed her to read material on her own and keep pace with the other students. She worked through unfamiliar vocabulary and new concepts, and earned 100% on the NRAEF Customer Service Certification exam. Following graduation, Huichun completed a 120-hour internship at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Even though her language skills still need improvement, the Crowne Plaza was so impressed with her enthusiasm, professional manner and her customer service skills, they offered her a job. She is now working as a full-time lobby greeter at $14/hour.

Sylvia, a graduate of the Food Service Operations training, has worked for many years at various restaurants. Due to lack of professional training and industry certifications, she was unable to earn more than minimum wage. At times she was forced to take second jobs that paid below minimum wage in order to support her family. Within one week of completing her Project Welcome training, she attended an open house conducted by Restaurant Associates and was hired as a cook. She now earns $16/hour with full benefits and has referred numerous friends and relatives to apply for Project Welcome.

Karen attended the Hospitality and Event Planning class. She entered the training in the summer of 2007 unemployed. Excelling in all of her assignments, Karen challenged herself in the Virtual Enterprise class by doing something she had never done-- working on Sales and Marketing for the virtual hotel, Magnolia Delux.

Following the successful completion of her classes and an internship at the Crowne Plaza Hotel LaGuardia Airport, she is now the Event Coordinator for Mercy College in Westchester County.

Ernesta attended the Hospitality and Event Planning class during summer 2007. She entered the program unemployed. Over the course of her Virtual Enterprise project, Ernesta took on the very important leadership role of Executive Vice President and then President of the virtual hotel Magnolia Delux.

Following the successful completion of her classes and earning her certifications, Ernesta, with the help of Project Welcome job developers, was hired as Tourism Manager for Best of Brooklyn, the non-profit organization started by borough President Marty Markowitz to promote the borough of Brooklyn. Ernesta calls this her “dream job.”

Winnifred attended the Hospitality and Event Planning class during the summer of 2007. Winnie excelled in her classes and is now be an Event Manager for the MAC and rotunda at Kingsborough Community College.