Teaching Job Skills to Immigrants at the Spanish Catholic Center
IVC NCA member Thomas Jacob brings a lifetime of expertise to a role he loves: teaching construction mathematics at IVC partner agency the Spanish Catholic Center to Hispanic immigrants seeking employment. “Every time you teach you are impacting people and investing in opportunities,” says the retired PhD in statistics. “We are facilitating to get them a job. They also learn English, become familiar with digital literacy, and learn how to respond to email, among other skills.”
Immigrants from Central and South America who settle in the Washington, D.C. area often face obstacles in their adopted country. Among them: poverty, lack of affordable healthcare, limited access to housing, and in need of family support services. The Spanish Catholic Center, a Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington agency, provides programs to address these concerns, and does so for clients from all walks of life.
One initiative is the Center’s multi-faceted Pre-Apprenticeship Green Construction Program, a four-month class that empowers Hispanic immigrants by preparing them for careers in green building. Graduates are awarded a nationally accredited certificate in green construction, having completed coursework in such areas as construction drawing, material handling, and communication and employability skills. They also learn about safety techniques, the use of hand and power tools, and of course – construction mathematics!
Thomas recently completed his fourth year teaching the topic two days per week for the Center. Most of his students are from Central America and are between twenty- and fifty-years-old. Basic construction math helps them learn the American system of building and opens doors to help them later master on-the-job training. “I love it there. The environment and the people I work with are very nice,” he says. Graduates often keep in touch with him after they land a job, which reinforces his own commitment to the program.
Joining Thomas at the Center are IVC Service Corps members Tony Albrecht (in his 17th year!), who also teaches construction math, and Julie Panaro (in her 14th year!), who teaches other modules, including construction vocabulary. “They are three amazing instructors,” says Melida Chacon, the Center’s training specialist. “Without their help I don’t think we’d be here at this moment. IVC is a big support. Look at the lives we’ve been able to change over the years!”
A native of India, Thomas received his doctorate from American University and spent his career as a mathematical statistician with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). There, he developed statistical techniques for USDA scientists and frequently traveled to Eastern Europe and Haiti to encourage governments to do the same for their agricultural products. Thomas also served on the faculties at the University of Maryland and George Washington University.
Growing up in India in a Christian Orthodox family, he was familiar with and influenced by the Jesuits – an aunt was in a Catholic religious order of nuns. Later in his career when he learned about IVC from USDA colleague (and IVC member) Mary Anne Cummins, Thomas jumped at the opportunity to become a service corps member. He’s especially grateful for the spirituality and community components that are a part of IVC.
“My faith is renewed through IVC,” he says. His spiritual reflector is IVC member Jim David, whose use of the centering prayer helps bring the teachings of St. Ignatius to Thomas in a very personal way – seeing God in all people and all things. “IVC is a wonderful organization,” he adds. “And the community as well. It’s good to see everyone (at City Group meetings and days of reflection) and to listen to other service corps members. I appreciate this IVC component that makes the loop connect with the bigger picture of what we do.”