JOB TRAINING PROGRAM

Roadrunner® Food Bank’s Job Training Program is a paid internship program that aims to provide job training to help individuals secure gainful employment. 

We believe employment is one important element to keep families out of poverty and give them the resources they need to thrive. We also believe the food bank is uniquely situated to provide this kind of job training for individuals who may have difficulty securing work without aid. By helping individuals find permanent employment in our community, we are helping to relieve hunger across New Mexico as well.

Who Qualifies to Participate in the Job Training Program?

We provide training for the following individuals, among others:

• non-violent justice involved community members leaving the judicial system
• veterans
• those who have been on long-term unemployment
• those with a disability

The paid internship helps build job skills for those who need additional training or have never had traditional employment, while also providing them an opportunity to build references through colleagues at the food bank.

All candidates go through a background check and interview process to determine their interest in and commitment to completing the internship. The food bank also helps the interns secure permanent employment either through positions available at the food bank or through partnerships through food rescue partners in the food industry and elsewhere.

How the Paid Internship Works

The paid internship training program has two tracks:

• Warehouse training – a four-month internship which teaches interns how to operate equipment used in a distribution center and how to run and work in a warehouse.
• Commercial drivers license (CDL) – a three-week in-class training session plus four weeks of behind-the-wheel training, including deliveries, pickups, customer service, and the operation of a large 18-wheel tractor with trailer and/or box truck. The CDL training program offers interns the option of on-the-job training for up to an additional eight weeks.

Funding for the Program from Federal and State Government Entities

Funding for the programs comes in part from federal legislation known as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). In New Mexico, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions handles the administrative functions. Some additional funding comes from the New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and other partners.