MAOF expands program opportunities for the community

December 16, 2021 /

The Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF) is offering free booking and clerical training opportunities along with GED classes to those who need it.

During the summer, the MAOF received a grant of $1.3 million from the state at the request of Assemblymember Salas. Using these funds, MAOF is looking to expand their programs and will be loaning out laptops to those who live in rural areas. Additionally, MAOF is looking to start some evening and weekend classes. 

“Last year for bookkeeping 84% of our people got jobs and these jobs are a good beginning career pathway for many that are looking for a job that offers stable employment and benefits,” said Menendez.

The Employment Development Department (EDD), Labor Market Division, and Occupation Projections Report confirms that there are thousands of jobs in business services available in Kern County every year. 

Magda Menendez, administrator at MAOF, focuses on high demand jobs to work with community members. These jobs are a good beginning pathway for many folks who are looking to get a job.

“MAOF is a statewide organization. We have programs that begin in Salinas CA and they go all the way down to San Diego,” said Menendez. “In Kern County we have been here since 1978 and our focus here has always been employment training. We have always been with these two careers because they have always been high demand occupations, and we figured that’s the fastest way to get the most people into jobs.”

MAOF specializes in working with people from different backgrounds who are looking for a career that offers stable employment. MAOF has had training contracts working specifically with farm workers, high risk youth and the formerly incarcerated. 

Menendez explains that at times they run into people that they have helped before, and it is an excitement to see people that one has helped succeed.

Linda Guiterrez, Job coach at MAOF, explains that the programs are offered in a form of a 6 month hybrid class where folks go to class once a week and the rest of the week they work online. This program targets folks trying to learn job skills that will allow them to leave public assistance and become self-sufficient by transitioning into permanent employment.

MAOF suggests for folks to attend orientations that are held every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. To schedule and orientation call 661-336-6821.

Erica Murillo

Erica Murillo is a project coordinator and reporter at South Kern Sol. She was born in Bakersfield, California, and her origin is from Guanajuato, Mexico. She is a first-generation graduate from California State University, Bakersfield where she earned a degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in English. Murillo's first job was working in the fields picking grapes. She has been able to evolve and continue to grow within her career. She can be reached at erica@southkernsol.org.