CEWS Expands Tech for Good Mission Through Bay Tech Career Initiative Partnership

Workforce Development Program Opens Tech Career Doors for Oakland Youth, Results in First Permanent Hire

OAKLAND, CA, UNITED STATES, November 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Corporate eWaste Solutions (CEWS), a leading provider of certified electronics recycling and IT asset disposition services (ITAD), is bringing its Tech for Good mission full circle through a new workforce development partnership with the Bay Tech Career Initiative (BTCI). The collaboration with Lao Family Community Development (LFCD), Empathway Designs, and the Oakland Workforce Development Board (OWDB) is creating meaningful career pathways in technology for young adults who face barriers to employment in Oakland and the East Bay.

The results speak for themselves: CEWS has successfully completed its first cohort with two interns who each gained 150 hours of hands-on training—and the company is now hiring one of them into a permanent technician position. It's proof that when you invest in people, everyone wins.

"We talk a lot about Tech for Good at CEWS—refurbishing computers for schools, keeping electronics out of landfills, doing right by our community," said Eric Chu, founder and CEO of CEWS. "This partnership takes that commitment to the next level. We're not just recycling technology; we're building careers and changing lives. These young people bring energy, curiosity, and fresh perspectives that make us better."
Learning by Doing

The interns didn't just observe—they rolled up their sleeves and became part of the team. Working alongside experienced technicians, they learned e-waste processing, technology refurbishment, and sustainable business operations in real time. More importantly, they discovered how their daily work connects to something bigger.

Both interns contributed directly to CEWS' Tech for Good program, refurbishing computers and equipment that will go to schools, job training programs, and nonprofits serving underserved communities. They got to see firsthand how the technology they saved from the waste stream would help someone else learn, work, or connect.

"What makes CEWS different is they're genuinely invested in these young people as future colleagues, not just temporary workers," said Kennan Scott, Co-Founder or Empathway Designs. "They offered meaningful work, real mentorship, and saw the potential for long-term employment from day one. That mindset transforms an internship into a launching pad."

CEWS has created an environment where our participants felt safe to ask questions, make mistakes, and grow. This kind of supportive workplace culture makes all the difference for young people finding their footing in a new career.

It Takes a Village
The partnership works because everyone brings something essential to the table. Lao Family Community Development recruits’ participants and provides case management support. The Oakland Workforce Development Board oversees the program and connects it to California's broader workforce system. Empathway Designs handles employer engagement and career coaching, matching participants with opportunities that fit their skills and aspirations. And CEWS provides the real-world training ground where theory meets practice.

CEWS isn't treating this as a one-time experiment. The company has committed to participating in future Bay Tech Career Initiative cohorts, recognizing that workforce development is both a business need and a community responsibility.

"Everyone starts somewhere," adds Chu. "These interns came in asking questions, learning the vocabulary, figuring out how things work. That curiosity is exactly what we need. We want to be a place where it's safe to ask 'why' and 'how'—because those questions drive innovation and make us all better at what we do."

The BTCI is funded by the California Workforce Development Board's Workforce Accelerator Fund 12.0 and serves individuals ages 18-30 enrolled in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program throughout the East Bay region. In the BTCI program, participants complete 12 weeks of technical IT skills training in one of three pathways before progressing to an internship. The program provides IT skills training followed by work-based learning experiences with employer partners committed to creating real opportunities.

For more information about CEWS' Tech for Good initiatives and workforce development partnerships, visit CEWS.com.

About Corporate eWaste Solutions
Founded in 2016, Corporate eWaste Solutions (CEWS) provides comprehensive electronics recycling, IT Asset Disposition (ITAD), and secure data destruction services. The company is R2v3 & ISO Certified, maintaining the highest industry standards for electronics recycling. Through its Tech for Good program, CEWS addresses digital equity while advancing environmental sustainability, proving that responsible business practices and community impact go hand in hand.

Stacia Kirby
Kirby Communications
+1 206-478-5841
stacia@kirbycomm.com
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