THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA JOB MARKET: LOOKING FOR LIGHT : Resources : Here’s Who, Where and How Much

Aware Advisory

Services: vocational and educational counseling; not a placement service

Cost: $5 donation per visit, which may be waived for the unemployed; $15 fee for Strong Interest Inventory testing (includes counseling)

Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Address: Santa Monica YWCA, 2019 14th St., Santa Monica

Telephone: (310) 452-3833

Brady Jobnet

Serves primarily low-income individuals and families in East Los Angeles and surrounding areas, but all people are welcome.

Services: * employment readiness seminar, given on alternate weeks in English and Spanish every Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-noon * job search mentoring * help with resumes * interview practice * placement and follow-ups * referrals to employers

Cost: $3 charge for seminar materials

Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday 8 a.m.-noon

Address: 717 S. Brady Ave., Los Angeles

Telephone: (213) 722-4495

California Council for Veterans Affairs

Services: * employment assistance * job listings * computer matching of applicant qualifications to employer needs * educational resource library

Eligibility: must be a veteran

Cost: free

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; counseling 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Address: 3943 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles

Telephone: (213) 299-6330

California Registry of Professional Counselors

Service: referrals to career counselors

Cost: referrals, free; counseling services, variable fees

Address: 2555 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 201, Fullerton

Telephone: (714) 871-6460

Career Encores

Referral service for people 50 and older. Serves only Los Angeles County; networks with 50 other agencies countywide.

Services: * information on job training * job listings; also open to employers with jobs to fill * job search assistance

Job clubs: * Burbank: 2100 Magnolia Blvd. * Culver City: 3710 S. Robertson Blvd. * Harbor City: 24404 S. Vermont

Orientation on Fridays at 10 a.m.; call before visiting

Cost: free to job seekers and employers

Hot line hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Telephone for all sites: (213) 939-0391

EMPLOY Network

Computerized network of more than 50 nonprofit agencies that helps employers fill openings. Agencies in coalition assist job applicants who have disabilities and special needs.

Services to employers: * matches pre-screened applicants with job openings * educational workshops on disabilities and the Americans With Disabilities Act

Cost: free

Telephone: (800) 244-1JOB

Job Starts

Nonprofit, privately supported organization helps individuals and families in South Central Los Angeles attain economic stability through working.

Services: * employment readiness workshops * job placements, including 90-day follow-ups * training for job development programs

Cost: free

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Address: 3010 W. 48th St., Los Angeles

Telephone: (213) 291-2812; call for appointment

Korean Youth & Community Center

Nonprofit, community-based organization offers a variety of programs for recent immigrants, economically disadvantaged youngsters and their families.

Employment services: * pre-employment counseling * employment referrals and placement * on-the-job training * computer training * classes in English as a second language

Cost: free

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Address: 3470 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1110, Los Angeles

Telephone: (213) 365-7400

Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center

Provides essential human services and sponsors community activities.

Services: * employment and training referrals for job-seekers and employers, including job postings (contact Raul Parral, (213) 993-7480) * education department sponsors a speakers bureau serving businesses, schools and public libraries (contact Julie Baron, (213) 993-7438)

Los Angeles Urban League

Seeks opportunities for minorities through programs that include counseling, training, placement and community development

Services: * Employment Services Department assists applicants who are professional, skilled or semi-skilled and seeking employment or a career change. * Data Processing Center offers courses in computer programming, computer operations and automated office procedures * Pomona Valley T E C conducts specialized training in electronics, machine tool technology and word processing and data entry * Milken Family Literacy & Youth Training Center offers instruction in reading, writing, math and problem solving * Automotive Training Center * Entrepreneurial Training and Business Development Center * Financial Training Center

Cost: free

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Address: 3450 Mt. Vernon Drive, Los Angeles (call for addresses of other locations)

Telephone: (213) 299-9660

Mexican-American Opportunity Foundation

Services: * job listings * computer training in WordPerfect, dBase IV, Lotus 123 and DOS * on-the-job training with partial reimbursement to employers * work experience for preschool teacher’s aides * basic skills training in reading comprehension and math

Cost: free

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Address: 6252 Telegraph Road, City of Commerce

Telephone: (213) 722-7807

Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment

Services: * Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs of free training for a variety of positions for low-income residents of Los Angeles County * county refugee program offers vocational training and placement in clerical positions; program in English as a second language * program for persons ages 16 to 21 offers work experience and limited internships * counseling and referrals

Cost: free

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Address: 2525 W. 8th St., Los Angeles

Telephone: (213) 389-2373

Private Industry Councils--Job Training Programs

The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) of 1982 provides federal funds for locally managed employment and training programs. Private Industry Councils (PICs) within 52 service areas in California plan job training and employment programs to meet the needs of their local labor markets.

Services: * educational, vocational and on-the-job training * job search skills and placement * displaced workers program * older workers program (55 and up) * summer youth program

Eligibility: Applicants may qualify for one or more reasons, such as being laid off, long-term unemployment or extremely low income

Cost: free

Telephone: (800) FOR-A-JOB

Southern California Indian Center

Nonprofit organization provides employment assistance and vocational training to American Indians, native Alaskans and Hawaiians who are unemployed, underemployed or disadvantaged.

Services: * job fairs * resume and job application preparation * job search techniques * job listings and referrals * classroom vocational training * on-the-job training * educational workshops for parents

Locations: Garden Grove, Carson, Commerce, Los Angeles and Van Nuys; satellite locations in Lancaster, El Monte and San Juan Capistrano

Telephone: * Los Angeles County: (213) 387-5772 * Orange County: (714) 530-0221

Visionary Inner-City Partnership

Nonprofit organization (formerly Victory Outreach Los Angeles) assists members of the community; open but not limited to homeless people, gang members, addicts and ex-offenders.

Services: * job skills development * job creation through micro- businesses * job referrals * education referrals

Cost: free

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Address: 333 W. 22nd St., Los Angeles

Telephone: (213) 746-9852

Work Net Services

Nonprofit career development and job placement service.

Services: * job preparation seminars * one-on-one sessions with career developers * assistance in “survival” job placements and career development toward long-term employment stability

Cost: free

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Address: 1242 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite A, Pasadena

Telephone: (818) 793-5627; call for appointment