Employment Programs and Services
Goodwill Southern California’s (GSC) mission is to Transform Lives Through the Power of Work. We provide career education, training, work experience and job placement services.
Our century-old organization is widely recognized as a leader in workforce development and employment services. GSC serves job seekers across Los Angeles (N. of Rosecrans), Riverside & San Bernardino counties. We specialize in populations with barriers to employment, providing a wide range of programs and services. Critical to our work is our partnership with local government, employers, educators, and non-profit organizations. Below are some of the programs that we offer:
Participant Demographics
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BIPOC
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Unemployed
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Opportunity Youth
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Individuals Encountering Homelessness
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Individuals with a Disability
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Justice-Involved
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Veterans
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Dislocated Workers
America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC)
Under the guidance of the federal Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the AJCC provides eligible candidates with case management, job training and placement services to prepare people to enter or re-enter the workforce.
Youth Programs
Opportunity Youth—young people ages 16 to 24 who are not in school and not working—face unique challenges, including limited access to education, job training, and stable employment. Without targeted support, they risk long-term disconnection from the workforce and economic instability. Workforce development services are essential to help Opportunity Youth build skills, gain work experience, and access career pathways that lead to meaningful, sustainable employment. Investing in these young people not only transforms individual lives but also strengthens communities and the future workforce.
Veteran Employment Program
The veterans we work with often face significant challenges when transitioning from military to civilian life. While they bring strong leadership, technical skills, and a commitment to service, they often encounter barriers such as mental health challenges, service-related disabilities, and difficulty translating military experience into civilian roles. Additionally, many find that navigating unfamiliar systems to access housing, healthcare, and employment support can be daunting. Goodwill SoCal recognizes that without targeted programs that recognize and build on their strengths, veterans risk prolonged periods of unemployment or underemployment. Our dedicated Veterans team, staffed by former vets, provides a holistic array of employment and supportive services to help veterans regain their independence, dignity and pride while securing meaningful and sustainable employment.
Serving Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
Homelessness presents major obstacles to employment and stability, especially across our service area of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, where over 83,000 people are unhoused due to factors like rising housing costs, mental health issues, and systemic inequities. Goodwill SoCal addresses these challenges with a holistic, person-centered approach—bringing job training and transitional employment directly to where people are, while also connecting them to vital services like housing support, healthcare, and legal aid to promote long-term stability and self-sufficiency.
Serving the Reentry Population
In California, millions of individuals with criminal records face significant barriers as they work to rebuild their lives, including limited access to jobs, housing, and education. Goodwill SoCal helps address these challenges through our RISE program by offering reentry programs that combine paid transitional employment, skills training, and wraparound support like mental health care and legal aid. By focusing on employer partnerships and career pathways with growth potential, Goodwill empowers participants to move from unemployment to stable, long-term employment and greater economic independence.
Apprenticeship and Workforce Innovation (AWI) Intermediary
Working with our partners, Goodwill Southern California has made a significant impact in innovating workforce, educational, and economic development systems to meet the needs of individuals and employers in key industry sectors including health care, information technology, hospitality, construction trades, and manufacturing and logistics. We focus on creating systemic change by designing high growth career pathways, customizing employer apprenticeship programs, aligning existing pre-apprenticeship programs, and communicating real-time employer needs with workforce, education, and economic development leaders.
Individuals with Disabilities
Individuals with disabilities continue to face disproportionately high unemployment and underemployment rates. Barriers include inaccessible workplaces, lack of inclusive hiring practices, limited transportation, and insufficient accommodations or support. Many individuals with disabilities have valuable skills, strong work ethics, and untapped potential, but without targeted workforce programs and employer engagement, they remain sidelined from the labor market. At Goodwill Southern California, we believe that every individual deserves the opportunity to thrive in the workplace and live with dignity, purpose, and independence. That’s why we are dedicated to creating inclusive career pathways and supportive environments to advance equity and economic opportunity for this diverse and capable population.
Government and Commercial Services (GCS)
In addition to our retail operation, the Business Services program, also known as Government and Commercial Services (GSC), is another way Goodwill Southern California operates as a social enterprise, leveraging the power of business to create job opportunities for people and veterans with disabilities, and individuals facing barriers to employment in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernadino counties. GCS consists of contract commercial custodial cleaning with various commercial properties to include Class A & B office space, industrial, retail, campuses, and government entities at the federal, state, county, and city levels. GCS provides various professional services to a wide variety of clients. Those who choose to work with GCS help to create jobs, foster community growth, support sustainability, and improve the lives of impacted individuals. GCS activities include custodial services, grounds maintenance including landscaping, warehouse management, shelf stocking, mail room management, window washing/pressure washing and floor maintenance. GSC has been awarded contracts with federal, state, municipal, and commercial entities including the US Air Force, the US Coast Guard, the US Space Force, the Defense Commissary Agency, the IRS, the FAA, MEND (non-profit), and hotels.
