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Career Plus

Career & Life Development

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Are you ready for Change?

Your past doesn’t have to define your future. No matter what you’ve been through—prison, addiction, homelessness, or job loss—you can build a new life.
In our program, you’ll learn a trade that can help you provide for you and your family. But more than that, we offer life skills, mentoring, and long-term support to help you navigate barriers that may have tripped you up in the past.

What to Expect

We don’t want you to feel like you are just surviving. We want you to thrive! During the 8-week program, you will receive classroom teaching and hands-on practical training within your chosen career track: culinary, warehouse, or management. At the same time you are going through the career track, you will also receive the “plus” classroom instruction. This includes personal mentoring, financial literacy training, life skills instruction, trauma recovery support, job placement, and support. This is the added benefit that no other career training programs have—the “secret sauce” that will help you succeed in any career you pursue.

Culinary Arts

Warehouse Logistics

CUSTOMER SERVICE & RETAIL

Life Development

Culinary Arts

With Chef John’s 25 years of experience in some of Tucson’s finest restaurants & resorts, and his previous Tucson Iron Chef title, you’ll be learning from the best.

You will learn:

  • Culinary 101 –
    • Basic knife skills
    • Cooking techniques
    • Commercial kitchen equipment knowledge
    • Proper “Mise En Place”
    • Training and testing for ServeSafe certification, a nationally recognized health certification
  • Culinary 202 –
    • More expert culinary knowledge
    • Focus on becoming a leader at supervisory level and beyond
Our graduates go on to incredible careers in culinary arts at some of the best restaurants in Tucson like: Wildflower, Miraval, Sands Club at the U of A, Bisbee Breakfast Club, Charro Restaurants, and more!

Warehouse Logistics

Warehousing is the backbone of today’s economy, and skilled workers are in high demand. In our Warehouse track, you’ll train in GAP’s own 20,000 square foot Community Warehouse, which distributes over $6 million worth of food and basic needs products to low-income families in Pima County every year. While learning viable skills, you’ll be rewarded by seeing how your work benefits struggling families in our community.

You will learn:

  • 8 week training in logistics and warehouse work
  • Certification on a standard and reach forklift, and box truck driver training
  • Learning how to run an organized, efficient warehouse can help achieve a good paying career with benefits
  • OSHA training and certification
  • Learn sales, stocking, and customer service in a retail-like setting
These skills open doors to good-paying jobs with benefits in logistics, supply chain, and commercial warehousing. You’ll graduate ready to step into a role as a strong candidate where efficiency, safety, and reliability are valued.

CUSTOMER SERVICE 

& RETAIL

This track provides participants with practical, hands-on vocational training in a real retail environment. Participants develop customer service, sales, retail operations, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and workplace professionalism skills.

The program combines classroom instruction with hands-on training at the thrift store, allowing participants to immediately practice skills in an actual retail setting.

You will learn:

  • Understand what it means to work in a retail environment and how to succeed in the workplace
  • Develop the skills necessary to create a positive customer experience
  • Understand the importance of customer service
  • Learn skills that are necessary to keep a retail environment organized and functioning
  • Learn how to communicate professionally and respond appropriately when customer interactions become challenging
  • Learn how to work effectively as part of a team and how to problem solve 

Participants will also receive preparation for the NRF Foundation RISE Up Customer Service & Sales credential, providing an industry-recognized credential to complement their hands-on training and experience.

Life Development Training
& Support

The “Plus” life development component of the 8 week program supports the students with wrap-around case management, classroom teaching, resume writing and help with job placement.

Classroom instruction includes:

  • Goal Setting
  • Time Management
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Critical Thinking
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Character Development
  • Creative Problem Solving
  • Communication Strategies
  • Job Readiness

Ready to start the process?

Please fill out the application online:

Apply Online

Career Plus is a workforce program that provides not only crucial hard skills training, but also life development classes and wrap-around support to men and women before, during, and after they graduate. Miracle Center runs the case management and soft skills portion, and partners with GAP Ministries to run two of the three hard skills. Students can choose between one of three options. GAP Ministries offers Culinary or Warehouse Logistics. Miracle Center provides a Management track. In addition to certifications and skills that will give them a head start in their chosen field, students will learn the invaluable life skills that will help them thrive, successfully provide for their families, and break through the cycle of poverty.