Free Child Care!!!

Now accepting Homeless Veteran Families !!!

Open All Year Round

7:00 am-11:00pm

31 Evening Care Spaces available TODAY 2.1.12 !- for children ages 6 weeks-5 years

Where: 128 M St., NW – Perry School

When: Now!

Contact: Tiffany Green, Outreach Worker

(202)-842 9090 ext: 110

*Bright Beginnings Inc. is a child development center for homeless children and families.  Families MUST reside in a homeless shelter, transitional living program or registered as homeless with the Virginia Williams Resource Center.  No voucher needed to apply. We also accept children with disabilities, homeless pregnant women and homeless veteran families*  

Tiffany Green, BA

Outreach Worker

Bright Beginnings, Inc.

202-842-9090 (ext. 110)

202-842-9095 (Fax)

tgreen@brightbeginningsinc.org

www.brightbeginningsinc.org    

Sunny Starts. Bright Futures. Where Homeless Children Grow.

Folks just like you are taking advanced technology classes. Take a look at our advanced curriculum reception photo album. Like us on facebook!

If you are interested in our advanced courses, give us a call 202.529.3395

MontgomeryWorks is pleased to announce they will host the Transportation Security Administration for an Information Session – Open House on:

Friday, Feb. 3 and Tuesday, Feb. 7

10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Last session begins at 12:30 p.m.)

Montgomery Works

11160 Veirs Mill Rd., Suite LLH-17

Wheaton, MD 20902

• If you are a job seeker, or a job developer this forum will give you pertinent information about how to apply for a position with TSA.
• Candidates must be at least 18 years of age to apply
• U.S. Citizenship Required

Attendees should dress professionally for an interview (no jeans, sneakers, snow boots, work boots, sagging pants, short skirts, low cut blouses, etc.) Remember, first impressions count with employers!

PEPCO is hiring for full time METER READERS. Here is the 411: Ms. Barnes is the point of contact with PEPCO: 301-313-0096, The address: 8505 Baltimore Ave, College Park, MD. Applications … accepted between: 9:30AM and 11:30AM or 1:30PM to 3:00PM. (The office is located across from Burger King.) …

Requirements: You must be a high school graduate. You must have access to a car. You must have a valid driver’s license. You must be able to pass a drug test. No felonies within the past 7 years. 

Do you need to know what classes are available? Click here

Do you need to know where all of our site locations are? Click here

Tutors will be available here at Byte Back on Thursday January 26th from 6:00-7:30 PM.  They can help you with writing/editing your resume, interview practice, material covered in class or anything else you need help with.

Please RSVP Robert Waisburd at rwaisburd@byteback.org or (202)525-3157.

This event will take place at 815 Monroe St, NE. Byte Back is located right across the street from the Brookland/CUA metro station.

Dear Byte Back Students,

Financial Literacy Class (Click link for flier)

The next Money Management 101 class starts Saturday, January 28, 2012.  

If you are interested in taking the course, please call Byte Back to reserve your seat: 202-529-3395 or email Karen Mohr, Registrar,  at kmohr@byteback.org. 

About Money Management 101: This course teaches you how to achieve wealth and financial independence, control spending and saving, take charge of your credit, and exercise your consumer and financial rights. If you struggle with finances or just would like to learn new strategies for building and/or enhancing your wealth, this course is for YOU! This thousand dollar course is prepaid by Byte Back, materials provided, just bring your pen. The class is taught by Capital Area Asset Builders. You will receive a certificate upon completion.

Course Schedule:

Saturdays, January 28, 2012 – March 3, 2012

Time: 12:30PM – 2:30PM

Location:

Byte Back

815 Monroe ST NE

Washington, DC 20017

On the corner across from Brookland Metro Station

Calling All Students Wanting A Quick Opportunity To Make Some Money!

Position: Support Staff for VACO

Location – 801 Mt Vernon Place NW Washington, DC 20001

Duration – 3 days (Monday January 16th 2012 – Wednesday January 18th 2012)

Please keep in mind:

- You must be available for all three days; we are aware Monday is Martin Luther King Day, but you must be available.

- The rate is $14.00 per hour. Please know that we do not have any flexibility in the rate.

If you are interested, please call Jennifer Sullivan at 301-772-3370 or Email jennifers@abbtech.com

Job Description:

OBJECTIVE: Provide staff to support the VACO Hiring Event at the
Washington DC Convention Center. Resources will receive conference
support training in advance of the event, and then support the VACO
Hiring Event. Duties will include customer greeting, logistical
support, basic data entry, and conference materials distribution.

Up to 100 customer service staff will be needed to support this
high-profile conference. Sixteen hours of support time is estimated
for each resource, to include four hours of event preparation and
twelve hours of event support.

Qualified support personnel should have, basic computer and data entry
skills, customer service skills and be available to work a long shift
on the day of the conference.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:

DC Convention Center – Please know that there is 3000 free parking
spots within a 3 block radius around the convention center; also
taking the metro is a great option.

All

If you missed our December16, 2011 Graduation Ceremony, visit our YouTube page!

We have uploaded the entire ceremony, subscribe to us today! http://www.youtube.com/user/ByteBackDC?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase

Byte Back enjoys being a presence in the community. What we enjoy most is reaching others, sparking innovation and premier thought. We recieved this email and wanted to share it with everyone. We thank Ms. Jane and her class for their contribution to Byte Back.

(name has been changed to protect the privacy of the email sender)

Hey there!

I just wanted to tell you how my students and I stumbled upon your page, http://www.byteback.org/typing/resources.php,  while researching “keyboarding resources”. You have some great links. I’ve bookmarked your page for future reference.

Anyway, my students would like to share a resource they found, http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/laptopparts/keyboarding.asp. They thought it’d be an awesome addition to your page. My students also thought it’d be fun and beneficial to your web visitors. Would you mind adding it to your page?

They’d be so excited to know they contributed! Also, very excited because I told them I’d throw them a Friday pizza party! Yumm!

Hope to hear back soon,

Jane

Want to know what went on in December?

Take a look at our December Newsletter part 2!

Info-Bits: Byte Back’s Online Newsletter, December 2011 Part 2

Interested in taking a class? Take a look at our schedule.Schedule Lobby Flier 12.21

Interested in what we have been up to? Check out our December Newsletter

Click Here

Job Title: Entry-level Field Technician

Job Description:

-PC Hardware (laptops and desktops) break-fix service at various customer locations
-Installing, maintaining and servicing PCs at customer sites
-Drive 350-500 miles/week on average between customer locations

Required Skills:
-PC hardware support
-A+ Certified
-Strong customer service skills
-Must own a vehicle

Interested candidates should email resumes to rwaisburd@byteback.org.

Job Title: Senior IT Security Engineer

Find Job Description and Qualifications by clicking the link below:

Click Here

Please send resume in MS WORD format to jobs@korenti.com

Click Here to see our spring 2012 line up

*schedule is subject to change

All,

Patience is a virtue and we appreciate everyones interest in the spring line up of classes. Please CLICK HERE to download our spring class schedule.

(This schedule is subject to change)

Click on the link below to view the most recent course catalogue

20011-12 Course Catalogue

The 2011 Annual Report is now ready! Click below to view a copy

2011 Annual Report

Dear Friend,

give to the max (pdf version)

Friendly Reminder, today residents of the Greater Washington area will buzz with online giving to their favorite nonprofits. It is Give to the Max Day: Greater Washington.

Every donation and new donor that Byte Back gets will help us toward our goal of claiming the $25,000 grand prize.

This is going to be a big event, and everyone will be talking about who they’re supporting.  Just think: you can help Byte Back to gain enough support to train many more low-income residents for jobs that pay living wages.

Please assist us with these three things:

1) Make a donation – whatever amount you can – click here

2) Spread the word!  Forward this email to your family and friends along with a personal note as to why you believe in our work, and why they should give on November 9th.

3) Follow us on Facebook click here and help build the buzz by commenting on our work.

Please be a Byte Back champion, and help unemployed District residents gain skills and jobs!

Sincerely,

Kelley Ellsworth

Executive Director

Give to the Max Day is a one-day fundraising event on November 9, 2011 that will unite local Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC communities to support nonprofits serving the area. Our goal is to get thousands of local residents to support their favorite regional charity, raising millions in donations and grants in just 24 hours! learn more about rules & prizes >>

Students,

Byte Back will be open next Friday 11-11-11 for a Job Hunt Boot Camp/tutoring event from 1-4pm. There will be about 12-14 volunteers coming in to help with resumes, conduct mock interviews, aid with job searches, and answer any other computer/job related questions. We’ll be using both labs so we need you guys to really push this one.

Students should RSVP to Eleanor at egrewal@byteback.org or call 202-529-3395

Byte Back is holding our first ever GALA fundraiser. The theme is “It’s Never Too Late,” in honor of our students who are courageously learning new skills and reaching for new opportunities. Will you join us? Please share this link with anyone you think might want to come! To purchase tickets online, paste this link into your browser: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/209571

It has been a privilege for me, as a second-year AmeriCorps, to gain my professional development, not only from teaching and watching students challenge themselves and grow, but also marketing computer training classes to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Recently, a deaf prospect, from Forestville, MD, was ultimately thrilled about registering for PC for Beginners and wrote to me, via email, “The last time I used a computer was 7 years ago! I look forward to getting myself tuned up!”

Reading this email sure did make my day, knowing my work makes a difference and may impact a student and their life in a positive way.

-Joseph Lewis, Volunteer Instructor

HTML Convio Developer

Sparks Staffing (a Byte Back Partner)

1825 K St. NW, Suite 725

Washington, DC 20006

www.sparkshr.com

IT Helpdesk Coordinator

Calibre

6354 Walker Lane

Metro Park

Alexandria, VA  22310-3252

www.calibresys.com

Information Technology Professional

Amalgamated Transit Union International Office

5025 Wisconsin Ave NW

Washington, DC 20016

Send resume & cover letter to: mgems@atu.org

No phone calls

Technology Support Specialist

Friendship Public Charter School

Washington, DC

https://careers-friendshipschools.icims.com/jobs/1505/job

Desktop Support Positions

SupreTech, Incorporated

Washington, DC

http://www.supretech.com/career_opportunities.html

Help Desk Analyst Positions

VISTRONIX, Inc.

Washington, DC

http://search6.smartsearchonline.com/Vistronix/jobs/process_jobsearch.asp

Deskside Support (at government facility in DC)

Centuria Corporation

1400 Independence Ave. SW

Washington, DC 20250

www.centuria.com

Database Administrator

RTTV America, Inc.

1325 G St. NW #250

Washington, DC 20005

www.rt.com

Sharepoint Developer (job in DC)

Integrity One Partners

1900 Campus Commons Dr. # 1

Suite 500

Reston, VA 20191

www.ionep.com

This week one student, JoAnne, had a breakthrough moment. When her Personal Computing for Beginners class had just learned about Cut, Copy, and Paste and students started practicing, JoAnne had a hard time. She asked for help but said was sure she wouldn’t be able to do it. She did fine copying and pasting when she was walked through it step-by-step. But when she went to do it on her own, again she was convinced she wouldn’t be able to do it. She took the first step nervously, highlighting text with her mouse, and using a written guide. Then she simply said the steps as she took them one at a time…Then Success!

For a beginning computer student, copying and pasting can be a scary skill to learn. By trying even when she wasn’t sure of herself, JoAnne surprised herself. With practice, time and encouragement, she will surely continue expanding her knowledge and skills. – Griffin, Volunteer Instructor

“I’ve only been teaching for about three weeks now, but I feel I’ve been
learning just as much as the students I’m teaching.  Having some
experience with non-profit organizations, I understood I would have to be
flexible to changes and challenges as they arise.  Teaching, on the other
hand, is a new experience for me.  I didn’t realize how much patience and
preparation would go into it.  Yet despite some of the obstacles, it’s a
good feeling seeing a student accomplish a computer task they have no
prior knowledge of before taking a Byte Back class. A very good feeling.”
-Jarrel, Volunteer Instructor

There is this unique spark that occurs whenever a person just
‘gets’ a concept for the first time. Something in their eyes just
lights up and the very air seems to tingle. In the first few days of
classes, I have had the privilege to see this spark up-close with many
of our adult learners. I tell them “we are getting better all the
time.” And you know what? I truly believe it.

-Andrew Quilpa, Instructor

DESKTOP SUPPORT ASSISTANT
Looking for someone with 1+ years of desktop support/management experience in customer service. Needs to have a clean driving record, preferably live around Hyattsville, and has no corporate experience.

DATABASE MANAGER
Candidate with experience in Microsoft Access or Data Entry who can build and manage and query and write reports.

Please forward your resume to Robert Waisburd with the job position you’re interested in the subject box. Rwaisburd@byteback.org

BYTE BACK IS OFFERING CERTIFICATION CLASSES FOR

Low-Income DC Residents!

If you want to advance your career in IT, then get certified in Security+ Linux+ Net+ MCDST and MOS in

LESS THAN THREE MONTHS!

Don’t miss this opportunity!

Course descriptions:

All our CompTIA Programs, Security+ and Linux+, are designed based on CompTIA exam objectives

Byte Back Security+ Training Program: CompTIA Security+ is an international, vendor-neutral certification that demonstrates competency in:

Network security, Compliance and operational security, Threats and vulnerabilities, Application, data and host security, Access control and identity management, and Cryptography.

Class Start Date: September 20, 2011

Class Schedule: Tuesday: 6-9pm Saturday 9-12:00pm and Thursday for Lab. They will be lots of hands-on opportunities!

MCDST: Boost your IT support career with unmatched validation as a Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST). This certification proves your ability to successfully troubleshoot desktop environments that run on the Windows operating system. It also shows that you have the necessary soft skills to educate users and help them solve hardware and software operation and application problems on Windows.

Class Start Date: September 24, 2011

Class Schedule and Times: Saturday: 1:00pm-2:30pm for eight weeks only!

Linux+: CompTIA Linux+ Powered by LPI is a high-stakes, vendor-neutral certification that validates the fundamental knowledge and skills required of junior Linux administrators.

Class Start Date: September 19, 2011

Class Schedule and Times: Mon, Wed, Fri 2:30-5:30

MOS: Discover the only performance-based certification that validates the skills needed to get the most out of Microsoft Office. Whether you want to drive your career or increase your productivity on the job, earning the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification demonstrates the valuable expertise you need to succeed.

Class Start Date: September 19, 2011

Class Schedule and Times: Mon-Thurs, 6-8pm

For additional information about the programs

Contact: Carine Umuzayire (202) 529-3395 or cumuzayire@byteback.org

by Eleanor Grewal, Director of Volunteer Services

I feel very lucky to work at Byte Back. Every day I meet students who inspire me with their dedication. I’m not sure whether I’m more impressed by the A+ students, whose textbooks are four inches thick; or the PC beginners, many of whom are bravely working with computers for the first time; or the students in between, working their way up through our classes. Byte Back students arrive hours early to practice typing and stay late to perfect their resumes. Remember the first few times you tried to align bullet points or use Excel?  Our students are overcoming those challenges and still stopping for a friendly chat before they leave for the day.

My coworkers are great, too. We have different work styles, but each of us cares deeply about our students.   There’s always a lot to do, but no one complains about the amount of work.

My favorite people, though, are our volunteers – and not just because it’s my job.  They teach at least twice per week, and they spend time lesson planning and e-mailing students throughout the week. Teaching requires infinite amounts of energy, patience and creativity; especially when working with a classroom full of people who don’t know how to use a mouse. Have you ever tried to help your grandmother with a basic task on the computer? Multiply that by 15. And you can’t yell at Byte Back students because they’re not your relatives!   My point is that teaching at Byte Back is no ordinary volunteer commitment.  It’s unusually demanding in terms of time and energy. Yet all of our classes are taught by volunteers – because volunteering with us is wonderfully rewarding.

If you don’t share my natural love for our volunteers, consider this: We couldn’t do it without them. Thanks to the number of dedicated volunteers we have, we are able to offer classes at more than 12 locations throughout the DC area.  So far this year, our volunteers have worked 8,943 hours for us, with a value of over $180,000.

Okay, I admit it. I am an idealistic sap. My favorite movie in the world is “Pay It Forward,” about a young troubled boy whose teacher challenges him to come up with an idea that will change the world. He develops the concept of “paying it forward,” in which an act of kindness is not paid back, but rather, is paid forward by doing good deeds for three other people. I love this idea!

Last week Byte Back was invited to an elegant reception at the new Arena Stage to kick off a new partnership called “Pay It Forward” between the Federal Communications Bar Association, One Economy and Byte Back, in which the FCBA’s members will share their time and talent with Byte Back and One Economy, volunteering to teach, mentor, tutor and support those learning new technology skills. This new partnership was the idea of FCBA President Bryan Tramont, who also picked the name of the initiative.

Ever since this kick-off event, as I have prepared for Thanksgiving weekend, I have been thinking anew about the concept of “paying it forward” as it relates to Byte Back. My conclusion? Paying it forward is what Byte Back has been about since the beginning.

A dozen years ago, when I first heard about Byte Back, what captured my attention was the design of the Internship program. Low-income students would receive free advanced classes in exchange for volunteering to teach beginning students. At the end of their studies, the advanced students would work with a mentor on an independent project, providing free IT services to nonprofits. What I loved about this was not only that the students would get hands-on experience, but also that they would start off their new IT careers by paying it forward to others.

Unfortunately, when I was hired as Byte Back’s Executive Director two years ago, the Internship program no longer existed. It had been eliminated due to financial constraints. This October we started a new kind of Internship program. Our Computer Repair/Recycle/Refurbish program is a partnership between Byte Back and two other nonprofits. Byte Back provides training in computer hardware leading to the A+ certification, as well as training in QuickBooks. Washington Area Community Investment Fund simultaneously teaches the students about how to start their own business. At the end of their classroom training, the students spend an entire month in an internship with First Time Computers, repairing and refurbishing computers for low-income families. At the end of their internship, they take the A+ exam and decide whether they want to start their own neighborhood-based computer repair shop or to work for someone else’s company as a computer support specialist. The teacher of the Byte Back computer classes is Michael Bradley, who is a recent graduate of our A+ program, attained his A+ certification and is running his own computer repair business!

There is something so exquisite about watching people pay it forward, and this is something I have the good fortune to witness every day at Byte Back. Last year, in the height of the recession, I met many individuals who had just been laid off, and decided to come volunteer at Byte Back while they searched for a new job. Thanks almost entirely to this phenomenon, Byte Back’s in-kind revenue increased 600% from FY08 to FY09, and another 33% from FY09 to FY10. One such person is Sheila, a graphic designer who created a new logo for us as well as redesigning our newsletter and annual report.

Over the past year we have had not one, but two individuals who were literally homeless and sleeping on park benches, who would spend their time teaching our classes. Both gentlemen have significant computer experience and had fallen on tough times, but their hardship did not prevent them from giving to others. I find this kind of giving spirit absolutely astonishing.

This year we have a total of eight AmeriCorps volunteers working at Byte Back. All are bright, talented, educated individuals who decided to spend the year living in poverty in order to serve our students. Many are literally living on Food Stamps while teaching our students. This act of kindness and generosity is amazing to me. Their talent, energy and enthusiasm have literally transformed Byte Back over the past few months.

Again and again I witness our students paying it forward as well. Last year a student came to class with twenty four small plants, whose roots and soil were carefully wrapped in aluminum foil. She brought these seedlings to share with her instructor and fellow students. Another student brought a gigantic bag filled with fresh baked loaves of bread to share with her class. Last winter, as we were finishing up with our first round of computer classes for senior citizens, almost a dozen seniors volunteered to immediately pay it forward by assisting to teach the next class. Last month, for our 13^th birthday, we wrote to our students and graduates asking if they might make a $13 donation to Byte Back. Dozens of students responded, sending checks and money orders for $13, $15, $25. Two students even went out and purchased birthday cards for us!

Chief among our graduates who pay it forward are Felicia Hawkins and Debony Heart. Felicia graduated from our Office Track class and was hired as Office Manager several years ago. She is 100% dedicated to our mission and our students, never for a moment forgetting the purpose of our work. A few months ago, after a particularly stressful period at Byte Back, I gave one of our refurbished laptops to Felicia as a reward. She turned it down, wanting to save it for our students. Debony Heart graduated from our Internship program years ago, was hired by Byte Back, and moved up the ranks to Director of Programs. Heart is the last line of defense for our students. Often the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave, Heart is the one who makes sure that no matter what, our students get what they came for. Yesterday, despite fighting a head cold, Heart spend the entire day teaching three classes back to back at Anacostia Library so that one of our AmeriCorps instructors could leave DC early to spend Thanksgiving and his birthday with family.

This morning I heard about a new book called “The 17 Second Miracle,” about how you can change someone’s life, and your own, by looking for opportunities to do something nice for someone else – helping someone carry their groceries, helping the proverbial old lady cross the street, allowing someone to go ahead of you in line at the grocery store. Miracles happen like this all the time at Byte Back, and I am deeply thankful that I am blessed to have the opportunity to witness them first hand.

What are your thoughts on paying it forward? If you enjoyed this blog, please share it with others.

Yesterday the Washington Area Women’s Foundation presented its new publication “2010 Portrait of Women & Girls in the Washington Metropolitan Area” at a community briefing at the Grand Hyatt Washington. This 105 page document includes citations from other research as well as original research and contains information on a myriad of topics affecting women and girls, from employment and earnings to health and safety to philanthropy, and provides a strong stimulus for thought and action.

 This study is significant to us at Byte Back since most (71%) of our students are female. What is particularly relevant to Byte Back and our students are the figures related to economics and demographics. The median income for female-headed households in the District in 2008 was $29,900, as compared to $41,454 for the Washington Metropolitan area as a whole. Women’s poverty rates in the District (19%) are twice that of women in the Metro area (8.4%). This is the reason why Byte Back continues to focus our efforts primarily on women in the District.

 The report cites analyses by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute finding that 27% of residents of Ward 7 & 8 were poor, as compared to 6% of Ward 3. This data is consistent with the unemployment rates we have been following over the course of the recession, in which women in Ward 8 are almost ten times as likely to be unemployed as women living in Ward 3. Poverty is a problem that is not shared equally by the different wards of our city, which is why Byte Back has established our partner sites in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in the District. Last year, we taught at the Woodridge Library in Ward 5 and at the Francis Gregory and Benning Libraries in Ward 7. This year, we are teaching at Southeast Ministry in Ward 8 and Mayfair Mansions in Ward 7.

 In the District, 26% of black women and 21% of Latinas are living in poverty as compared to 7.4% of white women. The poverty rate for Latinas compared to white women is even more pronounced in nearby Prince Georges County (14% as compared to 4.5%) and in Montgomery County, where Latinas are four times as likely to be poor as white women (16% compared to 4%).  Fourteen percent of Byte Back students live in suburban Maryland. While the majority of Byte Back students are African American (85%), the need for computer training for Latinos must be addressed as well. While we have taught bilingual classes in the past, this fall we are launching an initiative to provide a more comprehensive program for Latino students. We have recently hired two full-time AmeriCorps volunteers who are fluent in Spanish: Luis Callejas and Kyle Johnson. Luis is creating a new curriculum, which is customized for Spanish-speaking students and we anticipate beginning instruction in November.

 Older women, age 75-84 in the District are more likely to be poor than others, with poverty rates of 20%, as compared to 16% for all District women – a 25% difference. According to the study, “the primary reason for high rates of poverty among elderly women in our region is low lifetime earnings arising from wage inequality, occupational segregation, and family care giving responsibilities.” Also, since women live longer than men, “women who are married often outlive their spouses and lose some or all of the spouse’s pension benefits as a result – and Social Security benefits are too low to make up the difference.” Last year Byte Back partnered with the DC Public Library to provide computer training to senior citizens. Fully 67% of these students were either working full-time or part-time or were looking for work. Sixty five percent of program graduates said their course helped them with their current job or with finding a job.

 At Byte Back, our strategy is to train our students for growth industries, including Healthcare, Technology, Education, and Business/Professional Services. Jobs such as Receptionists, Office Clerks and Executive Secretaries are expected to grow by 11-13% over the next six years. In addition, at Byte Back we encourage our students to continue their training in order to qualify for higher wage managerial jobs and technical positions including computer support specialist (expected to grow by 12%) and network administrator (slated to increase by 30%). Byte Back currently offers programs which prepare our students for internationally recognized certifications including Internet and Core Computing Certification (IC3), Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) and A+ certification. This week, we began a new program, in partnership with the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) and First Time Computers, to prepare students to open their own computer repair shop in their neighborhood.

 According to the study, Education and training are directly related to earning power for women in our region. Women with some post high school training earn 39% more than women with only a high school diploma and 114% more than women without a high school credential. As stated by the study, “for low-income women, education and training for high-quality jobs can provide a gateway to lasting self-sufficiency and serve as a powerful anti-poverty strategy.” According to the study, between 2008 and 2018, jobs requiring post secondary education and training will grow by 43,000 in the District and by 2018, will make up 72% of all jobs in the city.

 Many students come to Byte Back having had negative experiences with education. They have severe test anxiety and have little confidence in their ability to learn. Through our project-based curricula and our supportive environment, they grow to love learning and to embrace new technology. Many go on to take more classes at Byte Back, while others decide to pursue a college education.

 CALL TO ACTION:

The Washington Area Women’s Fund study has three recommendations about what you can do to improve the education and employment situation for women:

 Ÿ  “Advocate with policy makers so they enact and enforce laws that ensure pay equity for women, increase the minimum wage, and implement a living wage.”

You can contact:

• Mayor Fenty: click here
• DC Council Chair Vincent Gray: vgray@dccouncil.us
• Chair of the Committee on Economic Development Kwame Brown: kbrown@dccouncil.us
• Chair of the Committee on Housing and Workforce Development Michael Brown: mbrown@dccouncil.us

Ÿ   “Inquire in your own community about how well education and training programs are serving women and girls, and preparing them for jobs and careers with family-sustaining wages.”

•  Last year , 39% of unemployed Byte Back job training graduates found employment/
•  Of previously employed Office Track graduates, 83% retained their employment and 17% received a raise after their training.
• Of the Office Track graduates who are currently employed, the average wage is $11.80 per hour and 25% receive health insurance from their employer.

Ÿ  “Become a philanthropist who invests in education, training, and employment programs for women and girls.”

•  You can make a donation to Byte Back by clicking here or by visiting www.byteback.org .

 What are your thoughts about the economic situation for women in our region?

Last week we discovered that the Chamber of Commerce is spending millions of dollars, much of it provided by foreign businesses, to back the candidacies of those who would continue to support and perhaps increase support for the outsourcing of American jobs. This effort to shift jobs from the United States to areas where people earn less comes at a time when the National Unemployment rate remains at 9.6 percent, still among the highest unemployment rates in the history of the United States. Certain Wards of Washington D.C. are hit harder still. In Ward 8, the unemployment rate is 28.1 percent, while it is 11.8% for the District in its entirety.

 There are two types of IT jobs that are commonly outsourced – programmers and call assistance employees. So far, most of the jobs for which Byte Back trains students remain local. However, if foreign businesses have their way, that could change.

So, what does this mean for Byte Back students, and ultimately will it harm Byte Back’s mission and undermine some of our efforts?  We work to improve economic opportunity for low-income residents of the Washington D.C. area by providing computer training and employment readiness skills. That works best if there are jobs available when students graduate. What’s more we need an abundance of IT jobs. Let’s make sure that the jobs stay here.

 There are many ways to support Byte Back, one is by asking the Department of Justice to investigate the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s use of money from foreign corporations to influence our elections. You may sign the petition at:

 http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/coc_doj/

 Then, tell us what you think.

Certainly this is no time to celebrate. Unemployment is high in the District (11.9%) and the pain has not been shared evenly. In October, the unemployment rate in Ward 3 was 3.1%, but in Ward 8 it was 28.1%. While the job market looks bleak, for many Washingtonians, this is the time to take advantage of job training opportunities. As the market improves, they will be ready for a 21^st century job that pays a living wage with opportunities for advancement. Byte Back is working hard to meet the job training and technology needs of the community, and we are getting some help from a wide variety of partners.

This fall we began offering classes at three partner organizations: Catholic Charities in Chinatown (Ward 6), Academy of Hope in Edgewood Terrace and First Time Computers in Brookland (both in Ward 5). These organizations have opened up their classrooms to Byte Back instructors and students, enabling us to meet our where they live. D.C. Learns provided us with two full-time AmeriCorps volunteers, which enables Byte Back to greatly expand our daytime class offerings.

As a result of these partnerships we have been able to greatly expand our programming. By early December, almost halfway through our fiscal year, we have enrolled 144 students in our Office Track program, almost as many students as we had in the program for the entire year last year. We have enrolled 214 students in our computer literacy course, PC for Beginners.

Not only is enrollment on the rise, but we are expanding our programs as well. This fall we began offering courses to prepare for A+ and Microsoft Application Specialist (MOS) certifications. In January we will offer training for Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3) certification, and we are gearing up to offer Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS), Net +, Linux+, Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST), and Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) in Project 2007. These courses, and the certifications they lead to, will greatly enhance the ability of our students to secure gainful and rewarding employment.

We have established new partnerships with Booz Allen Hamilton and with Trinity University, which will both be providing a large number of volunteers to help with instruction, curriculum design, and other projects. This January we will begin partnering with the Perry School, located in the North Capitol Street neighborhood (Ward 6), to offer evening classes.

Byte Back will be partnering with the D.C. Public Library on a pilot project to provide computer literacy classes to 400 senior citizens beginning in January. Classes will take place at two library branches, the Woodridge Neighborhood Library at 1801 Hamlin St NE (Ward 5) and the Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library at 3660 Alabama Ave SE (Ward 7). Graduates of the program will receive a free refurbished computer thanks to First Time Computers, as well as two years of free internet service thanks to One Economy, Qualcomm, Cricket and Google. The D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer has applied for technology stimulus funds to expand this program.

We are so deeply grateful for these new friends and partners, and for the individual donors, foundations and corporations which have provided the funding for these new initiatives. Happy New Year to you all.