Advent Ministries, Inc.
Industrial Work Training Program

Advent Ministries is a 501(c)3, non-profit religious organization, operating in Lorain County since 1979, and incorporated in the State of Ohio in 1980. Advent is governed by a local board of Trustees. Advent is recognized by the State of Ohio as a rehabilitation program.

Advent Industries began as a job training and rehabilitation program utilizing Christian principles and enrolling individuals with various needs and/or challenges who are either unable or not likely to be long-term, or gainfully employed. This includes people who have lacked job training or positive work experiences. Over the years, this has included men and women who have been incarcerated, those recovering from substance abuse or other negative life-styles which compound an already impaired situation. Along with this are those who lack proper education, those who have transportation or financial limitations, persons transitioning in their work (due to cut-backs, lay-off, plant closings, etc,) as well as the large number of single-parent mothers who have had to seek employment due to cutbacks in human services (many entering the job market having never held a job outside the home).

Advent Industries Job Training Programs
Training programs at Advent have always taken a holistic approach by focusing on the root causes of educational, social or economic disabilities. This has been done through trained staff as well as working with local churches and community organizations in a cooperative manner with an emphasis on basic work skills. Program employees are taught a marketable skill in one or more areas including assembly, clerical or service industries. Additionally, it has been our goal to equip individuals to face not only the challenges of their daily lives, but the challenges of an increasingly competitive job market, through training, education, resource management and practical application of Biblical principals.

Work
Advent has had as many as 80 people at a time enrolled in its work training programs in three locations and across two shifts. All employees receive minimum wage when they are hired and there are no fringe benefits. The standard program can run up to 12 months in duration. During this time, program “employees” work in graduating levels of responsibility, both on and off the job. As they successfully complete their introductory period and subsequent phases they are advanced and given an increase in wages. The work performed by those in the program is typically sub-contract work from local companies and manufacturers. This has included simple, labor-intensive assemblies and packaging as well as electrical assemblies produced under ISO, UL and CSA guidelines and certifications.

Education
Because many program employees have lacked basic skills and education, Advent helped to pioneer a cooperative program with the Lorain County Joint Vocational School (JVS), in which JVS instructors come to Advent for seven weeks at a time, to teach math, reading, GED preparation and English as a second language (to non-English speaking program employees). Those who complete these classes are given a certificate from the JVS school. All program employees are required to have either a High School diploma or to obtain a GED while at Advent, before graduating our program.

Social
Throughout the program, focus is placed on individual career goals, helping each person to achieve these by their program’s end. Our ongoing thrust is to foster and help build independence. It is during three separate phases after the introductory period that we do most of our work in a social context. Daily we are interacting with Human Services, the Adult Parole Authority, the mental health network, Children’s Services, and so forth. The last phase is called the “graduate phase”, in which employees are prepared for leaving Advent. In this phase, the program employees are taught how to properly fill out an application. We then build a resume together with them. Finally we conduct mock interviews, bringing in non-Advent staff to interview them as we critique the sessions. At the completion of this phase, graduates are steered towards gainful employment in the community. Each program employee gets their own job, with our staff “coaching’ from the sidelines. Advent has never been an employment agency.

Spiritual
As a holistic program, Advent has kept its focus on the spiritual needs of those entering the program. This is best scene in the 15 minute Bible study that we have every day. This has been on paid time and is an interactive teaching time used to show how the Bible is applicable to the everyday problems and challenges we face. Our focus is to present the teachings of Christ in a relaxed atmosphere, relevant to our day, in order to help, bring encouragement, foster hope, and build a positive social and work ethic.

Success
In its 20 years, Advent Industries has seen over 1000 people come through the work training programs. Today, most are gainfully employed and now contributing (by way of payroll taxes) into the very system that they were once drawing from (welfare, unemployment, corrections). We estimate that over 90% of those graduating our program are regularly employed. In the autumn of 1997 Advent Ministries, Inc. closed the doors on the existing job training program. This was done for several reasons. First, the strong economy and job market necessitated that the programs be modified to accommodate the current needs of those we were serving. Second, our Board of Trustees has believed that a new program should be developed which would have a focus on the ever-increasing segment of our society which are those incarcerated as well as a preventative program for at-risk 16-19 year-olds.

The Community
From the beginning, Advent has been involved in the community to both educate those seeking to enter or re-enter the workforce, as well as to provide spiritual teaching and guidance. Done mostly on a personal one-on-one level, we have also been involved in the local corrections systems and public speaking as well. Advent has taught job-readiness at the Lorain County Jail, including classes with practical job counseling and application preparation. In the late 1990’s, Advent was asked to work with the newly formed Lorain-Medina Community Based Corrections Facilities located at the Lorain County Jail complex. Today, Advent conducts twice-weekly Bible studies at the facilities for both the men’s and women’s residents, coordinating activities and volunteers from local churches to address the spiritual needs of those in the facility who choose to participate. Advent also coordinates one-on-one mentoring while they are in the CBCF, as well as provide Bibles and Christian literature to all residents who want or need them.

Advent Today
Advent is currently in the final stages of starting the job training once again. If you would like more information or would like to help, please contact us via email or at the phone number or address below.

Email us at: Info@AdventToday.com
Mail us at: Advent Ministries, Inc., P.O. Box 295, Elyria, Ohio 44036
Phone us at: (440) 365-8100