Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 4, 1 April 1993 — Ka nūhou mai Alu Like [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ka nūhou mai Alu Like

News from Alu Like

(presented by Ka Wai Ola O OHA and Alu Like as a public service)

OALU wawLIKE

Business classes for Hawaiians For Hawaiians needing help to start or operate a business, the Alu Like Entrepreneurship Training Program will begin two 6-week courses in May on O'ahu and Maui. The course will cover all aspects of entrepreneurship: business attitude, marketing, organization, financial management and business planning. The O'ahu classes begin with an orientation class on Monday, May 10 and will run Tuesday, Wednesdav and Thursday night weekly from 6-8 p.m. at the Maunakea Marketplace, 1120 Maunakea Street. Call 524-1225 for an application and interview. The last class will be Thursday, June 17. The Maui classes begin on Saturday, May 15 and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for six eonsecutive Saturdays. Call Rose Duey at 242-9774 for applieations or further information.

Anthony Ching changes careers successfully With the help of Alu Like's O'ahu Island Center, Anthony Ching is fast becoming a qualified real estate appraiser, realizing career goals and providing for his family. Ching suffered a back injury from a previous construction job and found it very difficult to get back into the same field. After working in a number of low paying, temporary jobs he realized he would have to make some changes if he was to support his wife and children. Ching then eame to Alu Like, received some financial and guidance assistance and began to get his life back together. He enrolled in an Alu Like classroom training program and

took a real estate appraisal course. After a lot of hard work Ching successfully completed his appraisal training and is now preparing for the state examina-

tion. While studying, he supports his family by working for a Honolulu company that provides appraisal services. Tonv Rivera fulfills a dream For many people the most important events in their lives are birth and death. But it is also important to fill the middle, to consider what you would like to achieve in your lifetime. Tony Rivera began to think about such things. He made a concentrated effort, examined his skills, his likes and dislikes of previous positions, and concluded that he really enjoyed people and driving. Rivera used to drive tour buses here and on the neighbor island and he could see himself doing this again. He inquired

about job opportunities and learned that to drive buses now he would need a CDL license, with the appropriate endorsements.

Rivera eame into the O'ahu Island Center early last August. Alu Like entered him into a test project with TransHawaiian Bus Company for a "brush up" to familiarize himself with the eompany buses. TransHawaiian had guaranteed him a position upon completion of the training and his receipt of a CDL license. He accomplished both, and is currently an employee with them. Several months ago, Rivera was approached by the owner of the company who asked if he would consider an exclusive eontract to detail (elean) the eompany buses. As Tony used to do this type of work before, he said, "Why not?" Tony is presently ironing out the little details that go along with becoming self-

employed. He still calls Alu Like to thank the staff for helping him achieve his dreams. They say it was his efforts that made things happen, Alu Like only helped

with the logistics and the finances. Rivera has promised to offer some job opportunities through Alu Like when his company becomes official. By helping one person, Alu Like ean help others achieve their dreams too.

Tanya Kamake'eaina: perseverance pays Tanya Kamake'eaina, a bright, determined, young woman found that perseverance pays after she landed a full-time clerical position at the Moloka'i General Hospital. Kamake'eaina, who comes from Hilo, is the Alu LikeMoloka'i Island Center's featured OJT (on-the-job-training) participant for January '93. Without job experience or

employable skills, Kamake'eaina moved to Moloka'i several years ago. In 1991, with the support of family she entered a 16-week clerical training program on Maui provided by the Department of Labor and Employment Services. When she fmished, she returned to Moloka'i and worked as a clerieal aide for the Department of Labor, completing the 13-week program as an outstanding participant. She then took these skills and, through Alu Like's OJT program, did more training at Moloka'i General Hospital. This, coupled with her warm personality and smile, helped secure her a permanent position as office clerk at the hospital.

Kamake eaina is presently īn charge of billing and very excited about her new job. She's even • a little surprised. She onee said that she would never work in a J hospital environment. Now she i likes the people she works with | and has few complaints about the work she does, even when it's busy. Kamake'eaina enjoys her supervisor, Cynthia Wallaee, the business office manager. "Cynthia is fair and always addresses their needs and makes ! sure that they are met," she says. Wallaee would also like Kamake'eaina to consider career growth in other hospital departments such as Emergency and Outpatient care. Kamake'eaina ■ sees growth in these areas and would like to go back to college i and study them in the near future. Alu Like staff are happy that Kamake'eaina is doing so well, working hard in her profession, and also caring for and spending quality time with her children. She says, "Thank you Alu Like for giving me this opportunity."

Participants of Alu Like's entrepreneurship training program celebrate graduation.