06/21/2026
After taking time to care for her young son, Lucia was ready to return to work—but finding the right opportunity wasn’t easy. That's when a friend told her about West Side Works.
Through the program, she gained hands‑on experience, built new skills, and found the flexibility she needed. Today, she’s working at a Beaverton preschool and building a career she’s proud of.
Lucia’s success is made possible by support from City of Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty, who is committed to expanding access to quality jobs and ensuring childcare is available and accessible for working families. With support from the Mayor, the United States Conference of Mayors paid for Lucia’s internship.
West Side Works is a collaboration between Worksystems, Washington County, Oregon, the Beaverton City Government, and Portland Community College. It creates opportunity on both sides of the workforce equation, placing low-income residents into paid internships in preschool centers, helping jobseekers launch meaningful careers and preschools address critical staffing shortages.
