By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Dennis Thomassen counsels Ronald Garrison.

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Career center
an oasis of hope
for needy

It works on a tight budget
to help the downtrodden get back
on their feet

By Kimberly Fu
Star-Bulletin

IF good things come in small packages, it stands to reason that finding those packages is well worth the hunt.

Such is the case with the small, off-white Nakolea building ensconced at 1020 Isenberg St. in Moiliili, looking more like a small-town general store than a business. Possibly fooled by the worn exterior, few have ventured in to find the jewel that has introduce hope into so many lives.

The Island Career Center, a two-person agency funded by the state Department of Labor, offers free job- skills referrals, classes on interviewing, resume-writing, telephone etiquette and more, as well as job resources for those actively seeking work.

"This program is designed . . . to focus on the individual," said Dennis Thomassen, the program's director. "There is more to a person than his or her job."

Thomassen said the mission of his program is to help get people back on their feet when their lives take unexpected turns, to teach them that together with a sense of self worth, they can do anything.

From homeless men and women to college students, from prison inmates to those dealing with career and life changes, the career center's diverse clientele expressed only appreciation for services they received -- even when accepting those services was hard.

"When you're in need, you have to take advantage of whatever help you can get," said Brenda Ogata-Lopez, a local woman back in Hawaii after living 20 years abroad. "You can't let pride get in your way; you need a desire to get (ahead)."

Ogata-Lopez married at age 20 and moved to Mexico. But when her marriage abruptly ended recently, she returned to Hawaii and initially despaired over the rigors of starting over.

"I'm 41," she said. "What could I do?"

What Ogata-Lopez did was gain computer skills through a Work Hawaii class and take advantage of free resources at the Island Career Center, including phones, a fax machine and computers, and the support of the career center's two employees.

"My confidence grew," she said. "(Before), it was minimal. I'm more optimistic now."

Al Arriola, a summer school teacher at Kaimuki High School, said the career center's equipment saved him money and offered a load of support. "The (center) provides a workplace for me to look for a job. Coming here keeps me busy in the process of looking for a job. But then, I'm serious already."

Arriola said his lack of a master's degree hinders his chances of finding a full-time teaching job, but he is willing to try any job to help defray Hawaii's high cost of living.

The career center itself is also experiencing an economic crunch: its budget covers only the salaries of the program's two employees, most of the computers were built by Thomassen out of necessity, and all other supplies were paid for out-of-pocket. But the hardship is worth it, Thomassen said, because his program was just extended for another two years.

Thomassen said the program will continue to help clients by encouraging them to believe in and better themselves, which will be hard because many employers tend to judge potential employees on physical characteristics rather than a good attitude toward work and capability.

"The bottom line is: Are they nice? Are they intelligent? Are they capable? And can they get the job done? If so, what else is there?" he said.

A strong emphasis on power rather than aloha, or a sense of caring, is also a practice destroying people today, according to Thomassen, who blames society for teaching people to place more value on things other than themselves.

"It's power," he said. "Power ruins aloha. Power ruins ourselves."

To combat low self-esteem and the influence of power, Thomassen teaches the wonders of aloha, of adding "we" to an individual's vocabulary to replace the "looking out for No. 1" mentality that he said most people have.

"I've seen (aloha) work in people's lives. A sense of aloha changes your perspective on things," Thomassen said. "In my heart, I know 'aloha' will make the difference because people really want to like themselves. They want to succeed."

Although not rich monetarily, Thomassen said his program is rich in aloha and success. "We get a lot of letters from former (participants), telling us how well they're doing, what job they're in now. And we send a lot of people back to school," he said. Thomassen said he just hopes more people will take a chance and walk through the center's open doors, and make a firm commitment to change their lives.

For information call 946-9675.