Workforce Development
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Welcome to the home page for Workforce Development (aka Vocational Service).
 
Mission Statement
 
To empower members of our community to find the work they want and the opportunity for a rewarding, challenging, and financially sustainable career”
 
WFD strives to provide opportunities for volunteering and engaging in efforts to fulfill the mission.  We welcome all to join our meetings, held on the fourth Wednesday of each month, from 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm.  We offer in person/hybrid meetings at Quinlan Center.
Contact Shyamoli Banerjee for more info and links to our meetings
shyamolib@hotmail.com
 
WFD also administers several scholarship and grant offerings to students at De Anza College, San Jose State University, and Fremont Union High School District.  The administration is done by WFD Champions.
 
Join us to hear more about our on going and developing projects! 
2023-2024 Chair, Shyamoli Banerjee and Co-Chair, Kalpana Aroda
 
Ongoing Projects:
 
Secondary Education
 
Shark Tank Entrepreneurial Competition:  A student  competition presented by the Monta Vista High School Future Business Leaders of America Club and supported by Cupertino Rotary.  Teams are challenged to develop a business plan for a socially conscious non profit organization.  The winning team is presented with $500 to implement their business plan.  Judges are from Cupertino Rotary and the community; in addition to judging, judges participate in a Q & A  with the budding entrepreneurs.
 
 
 
        
 

 
                         
Springboard:  Career Information and Vocational/Professional Skill Building (FUHSD Educational Options Program):  A new project for 2022 to offer Career Informational Discussions, Resume Review, and Mock Interview Experiences for students preparing for the next step after high school.  This project is implemented through visits by volunteers to high school classrooms, offering the opportunity for Rotarians to interact with students directly.
 
Post - Secondary Education
 
De Anza Workforce Scholarships:  We’re supporting students and Veterans interested in pursuing a Career Technical Education pathway by providing eight, $1500 scholarships that are awarded annually. These scholarships are funded in part through the generosity of the Its Ueneka scholarship fund.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Itsuo and Marian Uenaka Memorial Scholarship:  The Itsuo and Marian Uenaka Memorial Scholarship is a $40,000 scholarship awarded annually to a San Jose High School student who will be attending San Jose State University. This $40,000 scholarship will be awarded 25 times as part of the agreement with the Uenaka family.   WFD is excited to administer this new scholarship and participate in choosing a recipient each year.
 
De Anza Workforce Scholarships:  We’re supporting students and Veterans interested in pursuing a Career Technical Education pathway by providing eight, $1500 scholarships that are awarded annually.  These scholarships are funded in part through the generosity of the Its Ueneka scholarship fund.  Two of the eight scholarships are reserved for student veterans.
A few of the student thank you letters for these scholarships are posted after the project list.
 
De Anza – Jackson Family Education Scholarship: Two Scholarships for De Anza students who will be attending a 4-year school and enrolled in a program leading to a career in some form of education (i.e., teaching, counseling, administration etc.) is made possible through the generosity of the Jackson family.
 
Adult Education
 
Cross Cultural Partners Program:  Pairing De Anza College and Adult Education English Language Learning students with volunteer Rotarians to improve the ESL students' conversational English skills. 
 
Career Conversations Workshop: Career Informational Panels in different areas of student interest at the FUHSD Adult School for Secondary and Advanced ESL students to gain knowledge and insight into areas of career interest. Rotarians volunteer as panelists.
 
Community Involvement
 
Collaboration With De Anza Veterans Resource Center:  Ongoing collaboration with Veterans Resource Center of De Anza College and Cupertino Rotary in planning and implementing projects, including murals at Veterans Plaza to provide a gathering space and respite for Veterans and their service animals; organizing Zoom meetings with representatives of tech companies to provide career information for student Veterans.
 
Santa Clara County Re-Entry Resource Center: We provide individuals leaving incarceration with new backpacks, clothes, shoes etc. to give them back their dignity and make it easier for them to integrate into society. Projects may vary from year-to-year.
 
Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN): We support clients of FCSN by funding workshops that teach them job skills. Rotarians volunteer to assist instructors at workshops.
 
Thank you letters from recipients of De Anza Workforce Scholarships:
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
FUHSD Adult Ed Informational Interviewing Workshop: In 2019, we held our first informational interviewing workshop at the Adult School. The workshop provided an opportunity for students to gain useful career/work insights from Rotarians across a variety of occupations. 
Sponsors