Weekly Roundup of the news on women and supportive services in job training programs.
Job training can provide an entry into family-sustaining jobs and careers. Many women in job training programs, however, face obstacles to success. Wraparound services—such as child care assistance, access to public benefits, and transportation or housing assistance—can help adults, particularly those with caregiving responsibilities, to complete programs that will ultimately improve their economic standing.
May 4, 2016
LA Weekly: Robert Egger Dreamed of Changing the World Through music. He Changed it Through Food Instead
In 1989, Egger founded D.C. Central Kitchen. The groundbreaking meal distribution and job training program helped combat food waste and reduce homeless rates in a city reeling from Reagan-era social cutbacks and a sprawling crack epidemic. In the ensuing two and a half decades, D.C. Kitchen produced more than 30 million meals and helped 1,500 men and women gain full-time employment, with the program’s model spreading to 50 other “campus kitchens” across the country.
[…] In 2013, Egger returned to Los Angeles to launch L.A. Kitchen, an ambitious hybrid nonprofit and social enterprise located in a Lincoln Heights warehouse. It serves as both a nonprofit culinary job training center for former inmates and at-risk youth — where students use donated produce and food that would otherwise go to waste — and a separate, for-profit catering operation called Strong Food, which employs program graduates to prepare healthy food aimed at feeding low-income seniors.
April 30, 2016
Madison Magazine: Job training program makes a difference
It was a controversial concept: Require Wisconsin residents to work or get job training to be eligible for FoodShare benefits (commonly known as food stamps). Gov. Scott Walker and Republicans in the state Legislature forged ahead with the idea in two consecutive budgets and allocated more than $50 million to the FoodShare Employment and Training program. Starting in April 2015, able-bodied adults without dependent children would be required to work 80 hours per month or enter the FSET program.
[…] I get gas vouchers every three weeks … I go to [Madison College] on the east side, I live on the southwest side and my job is in Oregon. They give me $35 every three weeks and that helps me tremendously. And since I work at least five hours a week, my daycare is pretty much covered in full. Because I’m a full-time student and part-time worker, that’s [a] tremendous help to me.
April 27, 2016
St. Louis Public Radio: Apprenticeship pilot program to train child care workers in St. Louis
The two-year program includes five weeks of classes, paid on-the-job training beginning at $9.50 an hour, and placement at an early childhood education program with pay scaling up to $13 an hour. Participants will graduate as Child Development Associates with a certification from the U.S. Department of Labor.
[…] Dawn Winkler, who directs an association of St. Louis day care centers called United 4 Children, said centers often struggle to find qualified employees who are willing to work for the wages they can afford to offer. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly wage for day care workers is $10.72, or $22,310 a year.
April 25, 2016
Naples Daily News: The Heights Foundation Expands Culinary Training and Job Placement Program
The Heights Foundation is expanding their culinary training and job placement program. The 14 week program, currently in place at The Heights Center will expand to include the Grace Church campuses in Cape Coral and Fort Myers in May. It was created to address the issue of unemployment and underemployment. The food service industry training is designed to develop job-specific technical skills as well as providing support services and experiences to address barriers to success including learning challenges, minimal academic skills, limited English Proficiency, financial literacy, transportation and scheduling concerns.
April 21, 2016
WKYC: Cuyahoga County starts job-training program for prisoners
On Thursday, County Executive Armond Budish announced the county is launching its own first program to help male prisoners learn job skills, deal with substance abuse issues and strive for more education. […] After they are released, former prisoners will keep getting job readiness training, case management and support services to help them re-enter the community and land a job.
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