JobTrain
JobTrain is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded over 50 years ago in Menlo Park, providing free vocational training in construction, healthcare, IT, and culinary fields to low-income Bay Area adults, with employer, correctional, and credentialing partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersMenlo Park, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What JobTrain does
JobTrain is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit workforce development organization founded over 50 years ago and headquartered in Menlo Park, California. It provides tuition-free vocational training to low-income adults in the San Francisco Bay Area across construction, healthcare, IT, and culinary tracks, with each program representing a stated per-student value of $6,000-$8,000 that is fully subsidized by donors, grants, and government funding. The organization operates six Economic Advancement Centers across the Bay Area and is currently building a 35,000-square-foot Center for Economic Mobility in East Palo Alto, with completion targeted for 2026 and a remaining capital campaign gap of $6.5M.
The core service model combines in-person vocational instruction with industry-recognized credentials, adult basic education, and reentry support. Programs are accredited by WASC, and the organization holds a Charity Navigator 4-star rating and GuideStar Platinum transparency designation. Specialized offerings include the Aspire Academy, which delivers vocational training inside San Mateo County correctional facilities in partnership with the Sheriff's Office (since 2011 and now expanding to Maguire Correctional Facility), and the new Tech4Success program targeted at entry-level digital and technology roles. Support services include career counseling, job placement, and wraparound supports addressing housing, transportation, and childcare barriers.
Revenue is not publicly disclosed, but the operating model relies on a mix of individual donations, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and government contracts. Major employer partners (operating as Special Partners) include Meta, Four Seasons, Robert Half, Varian, Patelco, Casa Sanchez Foods, and the City of South San Francisco, alongside credentialing partners such as the American Red Cross. The 2025-2027 strategic plan explicitly positions the organization around economic mobility for underrepresented populations and ongoing geographic expansion into East Palo Alto.
JobTrain firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- JobTrain
- Legal name
- JobTrain, Inc.
- Website
- https://jobtrainworks.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- JobTrain is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded over 50 years ago in Menlo Park, providing free vocational training in construction, healthcare, IT, and culinary fields to low-income Bay Area adults, with employer, correctional, and credentialing partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
JobTrain industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workforce Development / Vocational Training
- NAICS
- Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs (EDAAAOAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF), Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK), Nursing Assistant (CNA) & Patient Care Technician (PCT) (EDAOAJAB)
Keywords
Where JobTrain is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Menlo Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
JobTrain business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: JobTrain is a nonprofit organization (Tax ID#: 94-1712371) that operates primarily through charitable donations, foundation grants, and government funding. The organization mentions needing to raise $6.5 million to complete construction of the Center for Economic Mobility in East Palo Alto.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free vocational training programs for eligible Bay Area residents |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
JobTrain product offering
Product offeringCore offering
JobTrain is a Silicon Valley nonprofit that delivers free vocational training programs in construction trades (carpentry, building maintenance/HVAC), healthcare (CNA, medical assistant), IT support, and culinary arts, combined with academic instruction, essential skills development, job placement assistance, and wraparound supportive services. All programs are provided at no cost to eligible Bay Area residents, with instruction delivered at six Economic Advancement Centers and inside correctional facilities.
Product overview
JobTrain is a Silicon Valley-based nonprofit workforce development organization offering a comprehensive suite of free career training and support services. The organization operates a core Career Training program with five distinct pathways—Construction (Carpentry and Building Maintenance/HVAC), Healthcare (Certified Nursing Assistant and Medical Assistant), Technology (IT Support), and Culinary Arts—each combining vocational training, academics, and essential skills development. Beyond career training, JobTrain provides complementary services including GED/High School Equivalency instruction via Five Keys, Digital Literacy classes, the Aspire Academy correctional center program, and Tech4Success technology access resources. The organization also offers extensive supportive services (childcare, legal aid, benefits navigation) and operates Economic Advancement Centers throughout the Bay Area, all delivered at no cost to students.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Career Training Programs Vocational training programs providing instruction in construction trades, healthcare, IT support, and culinary arts, combined with academics and essential skills development to prepare students for employment in high-demand fields.
Quantifiable outcome
- Programs combine vocational training, academics, and essential skills development to prepare students for successful, sustainable careers
Companies that use JobTrain
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
JobTrain technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
JobTrain partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Casa Sanchez FoodsminorSpecial Partner that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
- Four Seasons Hotel and ResortsminorSpecial Partner that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
- MetaminorSpecial Partner that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
- City of South San FranciscominorSpecial Partner that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
- LevyminorSpecial Partner hospitality company that provides field trip opportunities, expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
- San Mateo County Sheriff's DepartmentcoreUnique relationship providing vocational training inside Maple Street Correctional Center since 2011, with expansion to Maguire Correctional Center. Programs include culinary arts, hospitality, construction, and cognitive behavioral intervention for incarcerated adults.
- Five Keys Schools and ProgramscoreEducational partner operating GED/High School Equivalency classes at JobTrain's Menlo Park location, offering free classes to prepare students for the GED exam.
- StreetCode AcademyminorPartner providing free computer rentals for eligible community members through the Tech4Success program.
- Robert HalfminorSpecial Partner staffing firm that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
- San Mateo Adult & Career Education (SMACE)minorSpecial Partner in adult education that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
JobTrain competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Year Up: National nonprofit providing workforce training and job placement for young adults from low-income communities, with an employer-partner placement model very similar to JobTrain's Special Partners approach.
- Per Scholas: Nonprofit offering free tuition IT support and cyber training to adults from underrepresented communities, combining tuition-free training with employer hiring partnerships — a direct analog to JobTrain's IT Support pathway and wraparound services model.
- Jewish Vocational Service (JVS): Workforce development nonprofit offering vocational training, career coaching, and employer connections to underserved job seekers, with overlapping programs in healthcare, IT, and skilled trades.
- Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): Nonprofit providing employment services and transitional work for people returning from incarceration, structurally analogous to JobTrain's Aspire Academy correctional programs.
Broad incumbents
- Goodwill Industries International: Established nonprofit workforce development operator with mission-aligned job training, placement, and supportive services across the US, serving a much broader geography and population than JobTrain.
- Catholic Charities USA: Large national nonprofit network providing workforce development, supportive services, and social programs to low-income populations, with overlapping wraparound-services offerings.
Emerging players
- La Cocina: San Francisco-based nonprofit culinary incubator that supports low-income food entrepreneurs; shares JobTrain's Bay Area geography and culinary training pathway focus.
- Bitwise Industries: Workforce training nonprofit focused on tech/IT upskilling for underserved communities, with a similar tuition-free, employer-pipeline model as JobTrain's IT Support program.
Regional players
- Workforce Development Board of Santa Clara County: Public WIOA-funded workforce operator in Santa Clara County, directly overlapping JobTrain's primary service territory and acting as both a partner and a potential competitor for the same job-seeker pool.
- PeninsulaWorks / San Mateo County Workforce Development: Local workforce development entity serving San Mateo County — JobTrain's core geography — operating America's Job Centers and competing/coordinating for similar WIOA-funded job-seeker referrals.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
JobTrain social profiles
Digital presenceJobTrain compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
JobTrain financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
JobTrain leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
JobTrain funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
JobTrain M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about JobTrain
What does JobTrain do?
JobTrain is a Silicon Valley nonprofit that delivers free vocational training programs in construction trades (carpentry, building maintenance/HVAC), healthcare (CNA, medical assistant), IT support, and culinary arts, combined with academic instruction, essential skills development, job placement assistance, and wraparound supportive services. All programs are provided at no cost to eligible Bay Area residents, with instruction delivered at six Economic Advancement Centers and inside correctional facilities.
Is JobTrain a public or private company?
JobTrain is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was JobTrain founded?
JobTrain was founded in 1965. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is JobTrain based?
JobTrain is headquartered in Menlo Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does JobTrain make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are JobTrain's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Year Up, Per Scholas, Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) and Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO). Broad incumbents are Goodwill Industries International and Catholic Charities USA. Emerging players are La Cocina and Bitwise Industries. Regional players are Workforce Development Board of Santa Clara County and PeninsulaWorks / San Mateo County Workforce Development.
Does JobTrain have an API?
No public API is recorded for JobTrain.
What industry is JobTrain in?
JobTrain's product category is Workforce Development / Vocational Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAOAO, Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAJ, Employment & Job Readiness Support Services. Its NAICS code is 6115 and its SIC code is 8200.