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[COLUMBUS, Ohio] — CAREER 500 (Columbus Access to Resources for Expanding Employment Readiness) is a transformational partnership between Council President Pro Tempore Rob Dorans and Aspyr to increase the enrolment of existing workforce development programs and provide additional wrap-around services for enrollees.
With local job growth expected to be twice that of other Midwest cities, this program will allow residents to gain the skills they need to succeed in our City’s growing economy. The seven programs selected were awarded up to $350,000 to recruit, serve, and graduate 500 or more Columbus residents over the next two years.
“CAREER 500 is not about just helping a person get a job, any job. This program is designed to connect residents with careers with good wages, quality health care benefits, and retirement plans,” said President Pro Tem Dorans. “Each program is already running successful workforce development programs that provide training and wraparound support. This funding will help them expand opportunities for even more neighbors.”
The grant recipients for CAREER 500 are as follow:
Goodwill Columbus - $350,000
National Center for Urban Solutions Columbus - $320,000
Jewish Family Services - $300,000
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services - $280,000
Youth Over Us - $200,000
Franklinton Rising - $200,000
Riverview International - $150,000
"Today, we take a bold step toward closing the gap between opportunity and access in Columbus," said Aspyr CEO Lisa Patt McDaniel. "Through the CAREER 500 initiative, we are leveraging the City’s investment of $1.8 million to empower our workforce, support our local organizations, and connect 500 residents to meaningful careers. This is more than just funding—it’s a commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive economy where every Columbus resident has the chance to thrive."
As programs execute this grant program, researchers from the Ohio State University will be evaluating each program’s outcomes and best practices. This research will serve the city and our workforce partners in and out of CAREER 500 to make data informed decisions to better serve residents.
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