#102 Nov/Dec 1998

Other Job Training Initiatives of Note

Esperanza Unida, Inc. 1329 W. National Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53204 414-671-0251 A CDC focusing on job training, Esperanza has programs preparing people for jobs in automotive service, security, printing and […]

Esperanza Unida, Inc.

1329 W. National Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53204
414-671-0251

A CDC focusing on job training, Esperanza has programs preparing people for jobs in automotive service, security, printing and graphic arts, culinary arts and construction. In operation since 1971, Esperanza has trained and placed thousands of community residents, and was recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce as one of the most innovative agencies in the U.S. addressing community-based employment training.

Project Quest

301 S. Frio St., #400
San Antonio, TX 78207
210-270-4690
www.netxpress.com/~quest/

Project Quest began in 1992 with the goals of providing access to high quality and well-paying jobs, enhancing the economic viability and growth of San Antonio, fostering self-sufficiency and social stability for participants, and matching employers’ and program participants’ needs. With its roots in the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), Project Quest emphasizes community building and institutional change. Project QUEST differs from many job-training programs in its focus on preparing people for highly skilled positions, not entry-level jobs. Local employers identify skilled jobs that may be available for Quest graduates, and then work with project staff to develop training courses designed for those specific jobs. The training is rigorous, typically taking 18 to 24 months.

Bethel New Life, Inc.

367 North Karlov
Chicago, IL 60624
773-826-5540
www.bethelnewlife.org

This multi-faceted CDC focuses on collaborative workforce development efforts, ranging from local networks providing training and placement for health and office workers, to the Youth Enterprise Network, a national initiative. Begun in 1979 by a local church, Bethel New Life still has strong ties to the religious community.

Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute

349 East 149th Street, Room 401
Bronx, New York 10451
718-402-7766

The Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute is a national nonprofit healthcare employment and advocacy organization based in the South Bronx. PHI creates decent jobs for low-income individuals, with a special emphasis on women who are unemployed or transitioning from welfare to work, and provides high-quality healthcare to elderly, chronically ill, or disabled clients.

Cleveland Works

812 Huron Road SE, Suite 800
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
216-589-9675

Cleveland Works has helped move nearly 4,000 welfare recipients into permanent jobs since 1986. It recruits jobless parents and provides brief, intense job-readiness preparation followed by training in specific marketable skills, then works with local employers to match graduates to existing jobs, and continues to stick with them to make sure they succeed and remain in the jobs.

Philadelphia Area Accelerated Manufacturing Education (PhAME)

2116 Haines St.
Philadelphia, PA
215-927-7200

PhAME is a nonprofit educational initiative to help people develop the industrial skills that will provide a family-sustaining income. The initiative is driven by a partnership of industrial firms, educational institutions, and community and government agencies. Targeting high-end technical manufacturing jobs, PhAME offers a 61-week intensive program, during which students can progress from an 8th grade education to a steady job with an hourly wage of $12 – $14.

Focus:HOPE

1355 Oakman Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48238
313-494-5500
www.focushope.edu

Founded in 1968 in Detroit, Focus:HOPE trains low-income inner-city students for success in the industrial workplace. Participants in Focus:HOPE’s Fast Track, Machinist Training Institute (MTI) and Center for Advanced Technologies (CAT) gain hands-on knowledge that transfers directly into the workplace. Students produce engine parts for Ford and General Motors, among other companies, and many graduates are hired by these companies following their completion of the program.

STRIVE

1820 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10029
212-360-1100
www.strivenewyork.org

Incorporated in 1984, East Harlem Employment Service/STRIVE is a privately funded, nonprofit employment training and placement program designed to demonstrate the impact of attitudinal training and post-placement support on the long-term employment of inner-city residents.

OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE

  • Developing Workers

    November 1, 1998

    As community development corporations (CDCs) strive to develop comprehensive strategies to help individuals and families in their communities, they are increasingly turning their attention to job training and placement programs, […]

  • Section 3: A Viable Solution for Job Creation?

    November 1, 1998

    Dina Schlossberg of Regional Housing Legal Services in Glenside, Pennsylvania, compares Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 to the Community Reinvestment Act. While Section 3 […]

  • YouthBuild: Building Homes and Futures

    November 1, 1998

    Walking with his friends through his neighborhood in East Harlem, New York, Darnell Smith leads them past a building on 2nd Avenue and 118th St., to proudly point to the […]