The WorkPlace has received a $2.45 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to continue providing support services to veterans and their families in Southwest Fairfield County and Southcentral Connecticut. This marks the 12th consecutive year The WorkPlace has been awarded the Support Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant.

The funding will allow The WorkPlace to implement its holistic approach to serving veterans, providing services such as rental assistance, household necessities, healthcare navigation, and legal referrals. The goal is to help veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness gain stability and self-sufficiency.

The WorkPlace has a proven track record of using SSVF funding to deliver life-changing care to veterans when they need it most. We look forward to another year of serving veterans and giving back to those who have bravely served our country.

The WorkPlace recently hosted the first of a series of employer roundtables to discuss challenges companies face in finding and retaining skilled talent. The event was hosted by The WorkPlace's President and CEO Joseph Carbone.

The roundtable brought together business leaders from across industry sectors for a candid conversation about the competitive labor market and skills gap. During the discussion, participants shared insights on the difficulties finding qualified candidates, effective recruiting and retention strategies, and ideas for how The WorkPlace can better support businesses' hiring needs. RBC Bearings, Hartford Healthcare, ASML, and Wades Dairy were among some of the businesses that joined us for the first roundtable.

As part of our mission to support both job seekers and employers, The WorkPlace offers a range of services to help companies attract, develop and retain talent. These employer services include screening and referral of qualified candidates, customized training programs, and outplacement assistance. By partnering with The WorkPlace for strategic workforce solutions, businesses can access the talent they need to grow and remain competitive. Learn more about our employer services by clicking the button below.

This year marks a milestone anniversary of Platform to Employment (P2E), an innovative program providing career readiness services for the long-term unemployed.

What started as a privately funded pilot program evolved into a statewide initiative, helping those out of work for over 6 months rebuild their professional identities and restart their stalled careers. The program offers coaching on resume writing, interview skills, and networking strategies.

Over the past 10 years, P2E has helped over 2,900 long-term unemployed workers across Connecticut get back on their feet and land quality jobs. The program boasts an impressive success rate with over 88% of participants transitioning into stable employment. In 2019, P2E expanded its reach to serve the reentry population, providing career support for those transitioning back into the workforce after incarceration.

P2E not only supports job seekers, but the program also offers businesses a risk-free, cost-free 8-week work experience program to evaluate job candidates before hiring. Employers can review resumes and interview candidates before bringing them on for the 8-week trial, during which P2E covers wages. This allows employers to assess candidates' abilities in a real work setting before making the hire.

P2E’s decade of experience has demonstrated the power of this innovative model. Its holistic approach equips long-term unemployed individuals with the skills and renewed confidence needed to get back in the workforce. As P2E enters its next decade, it remains committed to helping overlooked but qualified Connecticut residents get back to work and rebuild their livelihoods.

The WorkPlace Partners with Local Company for Influencer Campaign 

The WorkPlace teamed up with Get Hyped Media for an innovative influencer marketing campaign aimed at spreading awareness of the programs and services we offer.

By collaborating with social media influencers and their engaged followers, we aim to reach new demographics and expand our outreach. These influencers created customized content highlighting the impact of our programs and resources. Sponsored posts, stories, and videos educate audiences on opportunities available to build thriving careers.

Influencer marketing doesn't just involve celebrities. Instead, it revolves around influencers, many of whom would never consider themselves famous. Influencer marketing is a hybrid of old and new marketing tools. It takes the idea of celebrity endorsement and places it into a modern-day content-driven marketing campaign. The main differentiator in the case of influencer marketing is that the results of the campaign are collaborations between brands and influencers. The video linked here provides results from our initial campaign and samples of the content influencers generated.

We are excited to announce a new partnership with Transfr VR to bring virtual reality career exploration to our participants. Through Transfr's innovative virtual reality (VR) training technology, we will be able to immerse trainees in simulated workplace environments across many industries like Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Electrical.

Participants will get hands-on experience and be able to actively explore different careers in a safe, realistic setting at their own pace. With a virtual career experience, they will gain a clearer understanding of the day-to-day responsibilities and skills needed for various jobs. This will allow them to make a more informed decision when choosing their career path.

We will be incorporating the career exploration VR training into our American Job Centers (AJCs) to provide an opportunity for people who want to change careers or gain new skills. The potential of VR for career training is endless. We look forward to working with Transfr VR to spearhead using this cutting-edge technology to help our participants find fulfilling careers that match their interests and abilities.

To learn more about this exciting new VR training program, please contact Tim DeMarco at TDeMarco@workplace.org.

Searching for career-focused training opportunities? Discover the wide array of upcoming trainings offered by The WorkPlace. Participants will benefit from personalized career coaching, guidance in creating impactful resumes and mastering interview techniques, dedicated assistance in job search and placement, and access to additional supportive services tailored to individual needs. Take charge of your career trajectory with The WorkPlace.

Listen to Jenifer share her experience in the Platform to Employment (P2E) program. Through P2E, she was able to find employment in a field she is passionate about. Thank you, Jenifer for sharing your story with us!

Visit workplace.org/calendar for a full list of our events.

Housatonic Community College

For more information, contact Shannon Rule

Learn about community health worker training opportunities.

For more information, contact Tiffany Johnson.

You can make a very real impact on the lives of others with a donation to The WorkPlace. Your contribution promotes racial equity and helps provide unemployed people with training to obtain the skills they require to secure employment, increase earnings, and better support diverse communities and families. The WorkPlace is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.