TIJUANA.- Thirty-one students of an employment workshop named "Orientation for Employability" graduated with this week. The workshop is an ongoing effort of various local institutions such as Fronteras Unidas Pro Salud and other international organizations such as USAID and the Youth Foundation, which are commited to improving quality of life in Tijuana.

The workshops were held in community centers in the neighborhoods "El Niño" and Mariano Matamoros. For 140 hours, youth from disadvantaged areas developed various skills that will enable them to obtain employment or access higher education.

In addition to Fronteras Unidas Pro Salud, Youth Fundation and USAID, the Secretary of Employment for the State of Baja California, the Municipal Institute of Youth, the National Institute for Adult Education, CETYS University, and various other organizations and education centers participated in the workshop.

The program was developed in 2010 in Ciudad Juarez, where now more than 1781 students have graduated, 70% of which have now found jobs and are productive members of society. For Tijuana, this will be the first generation of students, which will be expanded to Tijuana and other areas in Baja California as well.

One of the most remarkable things about this program is that youth is being trained by youth. Seven young members of "Youth: Work Mexico" are in charge of recruiting, and administering the program, and act as facilitators, mentors, and adviros. Vulnerable youth are encouraged to continue with studies, or obtain technical degrees or find formal employment.

During the ceremony, which took place this weekend, many graduates shared their stories of how the program had changed their perspective toward life and how it had even positively changed their family environment.

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