About Us
Central States SER, Jobs for Progress Inc., (SER) is a vibrant non-profit organization dedicated to designing and delivering services to improve the quality of people’s lives and advance economic stability and growth among youth, adults and businesses in communities across Illinois. Established in 1987, SER has enhanced the lives of over 12,000 people annually who walk through the doors of SER seeking assistance through education, training and employment.
SER is part of the Unified SER Family, a multi-state organization led by parent organization SER Metro Detroit, with sites in Texas and Michigan. This collective of organizations is ably led by a dynamic group of leaders, whose CEO & President,Eva Garza Dewaelsche, was recognized as a Champion of Change by President Obama for her leadership and the impact of the work done accomplished by the collective sites of the Unified SER Family.
"SER's accomplishments have been impressive, which can be seen in the work they do to help the Hispanic community in the Chicagoland area. They have empowered our future by providing our youth and young adults with on-the-job training and experience that will help them follow a professional career path."
Mission
SER’s mission is to promote economic self-sufficiency and upward mobility for low-income community residents through education and employment.
Vision
SER believes in the core values of respect, integrity, competency and innovation. SER is deeply ingrained in the communities it serves and believes in being part of the solution to the on-going challenges of economic and educational disparity facing families today. SER makes it a priority to meet the needs of the community by staying abreast of community and employment demands and changes in the population and in the local and broader economy.
Clelia Gomez
Co-Director for Central States SER/SERCO
Ms. Gomez brings over 16 years of dedicated service to SER/SERCO, and an even longer history of impactful work in Workforce Development programs, where she has overseen Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Services. As a bilingual professional with a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling, Ms. Gomez possesses a unique blend of expertise in both mental health and workforce development settings. Her extensive experience includes youth programming, staff management, program monitoring, and evaluation. Above all, it is her unwavering passion and commitment to empowering others and strengthening communities that truly set her apart. Ms. Gomez is driven by a vision to create positive change, making every community she serves a better place to live and work.
Hugo Avila
Co-Director for Central States SER/SERCO
Mr. Hugo Avila has over 12 years of experience in Workforce Development programs with SER, explicitly working with Chicagoland low-income and underserved communities. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Visual Design from the International Academy of Design and Technology and is certified by the National Board of Workforce Professionals. Previously, he was the Manager of Adult Programs and Coordinator of Business Services in Illinois.
