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Centro de Prosperidad: Connecting Community to Opportunity
Centro de Prosperidad helps individuals and families thrive.
Through its Economic Empowerment Center in Hillsboro, Centro delivers workforce development services that support career advancement, education, entrepreneurship, and long-term financial stability for community members.
Since its founding in 2017, the City of Hillsboro has been a key partner in supporting Centro de Prosperidad in its role to deliver culturally-relevant services specifically designed for Hillsboro’s Latino and Spanish-speaking community but open to all.
In the span of a year, Centro has served more than 1,600 individuals to build work experience, find a job, improve digital literacy, earn a GED, and more.
Centro takes a holistic approach to helping individuals reach their potential.
“Rather than addressing employment or career goals in isolation, we work to identify and address the barriers that may prevent someone from achieving long-term success,” said Jessica Pedroza-Cruz, Centro Director of Workforce Development.
Building Digital Skills & Literacy
Digital literacy is an important part of Centro Prosperidad’s workforce and economic development efforts. For job seekers and business owners alike, having the skills to navigate digital tools can open doors to employment, education, and business growth.
Participants in Centro’s programs can build skills in email, online research, file management, spreadsheets, web design platforms, social media, and customer communications. In 2025, Centro helped 295 participants in computer literacy programs.
Supporting Small Businesses
Centro also provides personalized advising to help entrepreneurs navigate the financial, digital, legal, and operational aspects of running a business. One-on-one advising empowers participants to identify challenges and develop practical strategies to strengthen their operations.
"There is so much potential in the Hillsboro community, artisans, food vendors, retail, and service providers, who just need a strong launching pad to get their projects running. Our community needs it, so dare to start building your story today," said José Monroy, Centro Director of Business Development.
Topics covered run from digital marketing to professional branding, inventory management, AI-powered communication, financial system navigation, and administrative operations. Whether someone is starting or scaling a restaurant, construction company, cleaning business, or another venture, access to individualized guidance from Centro — including personalized advisory to identify the specific licenses, permits, and certifications required for each project — can help turn challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth.
Creating Pathways to Careers
Career coaching is the third key component of Centro’s workforce programming. Through its computer lab and adult education services, Centro offers a tuition-free GED preparation program for individuals ages 16 and older, both in person and online. Participants receive a customized learning plan based on their goals, intake information, and practice test results.
From there, the next step is connect educational progress to future employment or postsecondary opportunities.
Centro’s Leadership, Education, And Deveopment (LEAD) Program focuses on young adults ages 17–24. Participants engage in career mapping workshops, one-on-one advising, employer networking, field trips, and internships. Participants can explore their interests, identify their strengths, and develop pathways toward their career goals.
All together, these programs help create greater access to opportunity and strengthen economic mobility for individuals, families, and businesses across Hillsboro.
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