On August 13, 2025, Skills of Life hosted a milestone event at the SOL Café—our very first certificate ceremony honoring seven incredible interns who successfully completed nearly a year of hands-on job training. Over 80 family members, friends, and community supporters gathered in the warm summer air beside the Simpkins Family Swim Center to celebrate this inspiring achievement.

The evening was filled with joy, laughter, and the delicious aroma of tacos from our friends at 831 Tacos. Guests mingled in the outdoor café space in front of the café trailer, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere while cheering on the graduates who worked so hard to reach this moment.

Executive Director Molly Turner shared heartfelt and fun stories about each intern, highlighting how they have grown in confidence and skills. With dedication to pursuing their own personal growth goals, each intern excelled at improving their communication, time management, teamwork, and customer service. These young adults have proven that with dedication and support, they are more than ready to step into the workforce with the abilities they’ve gained. We are providing purpose and opportunities at Skills of Life to connect these amazing individuals to the community. We hope to inspire and motivate local businesses to partner with us and consider hiring our interns.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the completion of our first intern cohort at our job training cafe! Out of our seven amazing interns, nearly 60% are actively applying and interviewing for jobs on their own merit. This milestone reflects not only their hard work and dedication, but also the power of opportunity and purpose in action. As the program founder, I am beyond proud of this outcome! Congratulations to our first-year interns, and I look forward to your opportunities.”—Molly Turner, Executive Director, Skills of Life

The SOL Café is more than a café—it’s a place of growth, empowerment, and opportunity to bridge skills into employment in our community of Santa Cruz County. Through our job readiness program, neurodiverse teens and young adults with mild intellectual disabilities gain work experience, develop essential life skills, and discover their own sense of belonging in the community.

This first graduating class has set the bar high, and we couldn’t be prouder. These truly inspiring individuals could be your next great employee! Their success is just the beginning of many more stories of confidence, resilience, and meaningful employment to come. Session 2 kicked off in September with nine new interns! Contact Skills of Life if you are interested in our program or would like to hire our graduating interns.