CityWorks DC Celebrates Largest-Ever CareerWise DC Graduating Class

On July 29, CityWorks DC hosted the 2026 CareerWise DC Apprentice Celebration, bringing together apprentices, employers, families, supporters, and community members for an evening of recognition at Busboys & Poets. The event honored 16 apprentices completing their CareerWise DC apprenticeships this summer, the largest graduating cohort in the program's history. CareerWise DC Career Coach Tyshonna Delaney delivered the evening's keynote remarks, celebrating the graduates' courage and resilience, and thanking employer partners for recognizing potential in young people early in their careers. Tyshonna brought a special perspective as a former supervisor of three youth apprentices prior to joining CityWorks and a certified youth well-being coach. At the celebration, she encouraged apprentices to see graduation as the start of careers built on integrity, service, and mentorship. 

Tyshonna Delaney's Keynote Remarks

As the graduates' coach and support system from their first day on the job through their final requirements, Tyshonna Delaney worked closely with each apprentice throughout their path to graduation. She described early mornings when exhaustion won the argument, long workdays followed by evening classes, certifications, exams, and responsibilities waiting at home.

"There were moments of self-doubt, setbacks, unexpected obstacles, and days when quitting probably felt easier than continuing," Delaney said. "But you kept showing up."

She traced the transformation she watched unfold over the course of the program: confidence replacing fear, strangers becoming family, young people discovering both a career and a purpose. "You showed up for your patients, your employers, your instructors and mentors, your families," she told the graduates, "but most importantly, you showed up for yourselves."

Delaney also turned her thanks to the employer partners in the room. "Thank you for seeing potential before experience," she said. "You didn't just offer jobs, you opened doors. You invested your time, your knowledge, and your belief in the next generation of leaders. Your commitment has created opportunities that will impact families for generations."

Closing her remarks, Delaney told apprentices to hold onto the moment and remember it was only the start. "One day, you will be the mentor who encourages someone else to keep going," she said. "One day, you'll realize this graduation wasn't the finish line. It was your starting line." She urged the Class of 2026 to lead with integrity, choose compassion, stay teachable, and keep sight of the person who once needed someone to believe in them.

"Everything the light touches is no longer just your opportunity; it is your responsibility," Delaney said, drawing on a line from The Lion King. "The knowledge you've gained isn't just for you; it's meant to be shared. One day, you'll become the mentor who helps someone else find their way. That's the circle of life, and that's the legacy you begin building today."

Congratulations to the CareerWise DC Class of 2026. Your story is just beginning, and what a beautiful beginning it is.