JobTrain

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.

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

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

• Vocational training
• Workforce development
• Career training
• Adult education
• Job placement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Menlo Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Casa Sanchez FoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial Partner that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
• Four Seasons Hotel and ResortsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial Partner that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
• MetaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial Partner that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
• City of South San FranciscominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial Partner that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
• LevyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial Partner hospitality company that provides field trip opportunities, expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
• San Mateo County Sheriff's DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique 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 ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner operating GED/High School Equivalency classes at JobTrain's Menlo Park location, offering free classes to prepare students for the GED exam.
• StreetCode AcademyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner providing free computer rentals for eligible community members through the Tech4Success program.
• Robert HalfminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecial Partner staffing firm that welcomes candidates to field trips, offers expert volunteers, and sponsors workshops and career fairs.
• San Mateo Adult & Career Education (SMACE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial 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

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jobtrainworks1320
• Facebookfacebook.com/JobTrain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jobtrain
• Instagraminstagram.com/jobtrain
• Xx.com/jobtrain

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JobTrain