Representative Jim Himes and Housing Commissioner Sila Mosquera-Bruno Visit The WorkPlace |
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The WorkPlace has been selected by the Connecticut Department of Housing to operate a call center for the UniteCT Emergency Rental Assistance program. Representative Jim Himes and CT Commissioner of Housing Seila Mosquera-Bruno recently visited the call center at our main office in Bridgeport.
UniteCT provides rental and electric utility payment assistance to qualified Connecticut residents financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will financially support households who earn up to 80% of the HUD Area Median Income. Call center staff will assist customers with filling out the application and any questions that may arise during the application process. The WorkPlace will also be using one of our mobile career coaches to assist people across the state who have limited access to technology. The mobile career coach is equipped with computers and wifi. For more information on the UniteCT program click here.
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The WorkPlace Awarded Environmental Job Training Grant |
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The WorkPlace has been selected to receive an environmental workforce development job training grant from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As one of 18 organizations nationwide, The WorkPlace will train 55 students in and around Bridgeport in skills needed for employment with companies and agencies that are improving the local environment.
Funding will help ensure that employers have the trained, local workforce required to revitalize contaminated brownfield sites in Southwest Connecticut. Additionally, it will provide a foundation for unemployed workers to begin new careers protecting the environment. Students will complete 222 hours of instruction and graduate with professional certifications such as lead and asbestos abatement and mold remediation. These certifications will enhance students' resumes and help them build long-term careers. The WorkPlace has received an EPA Brownfields Job Training grant six times since 2001.
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Health CareeRx Academy Participants Find Success |
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Cherif was one of the many affected by layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was let go from his retail job at Bloomingdales in March 2020. Cherif has previously worked for 10 years in retail and struggled to find work as many retail companies were not hiring due to the pandemic. He started to feel very discouraged by his job search. He worried about paying rent and providing food for his four-year-old and himself. He realized it was time to change gears and find a career that would offer him the stability he needed.
Cherif enrolled in the Health CareeRx Academy and immediately began working with his career counselor. His counselor helped him apply for a grant to pay for training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). The Health CareeRx Academy provided Cherif the tools he needed to succeed in his training, including a computer, uniform, and medical equipment required to be a CNA student. The academy also provided him with transportation assistance to help him get to his classes at Housatonic Community College. Along with skills training, Cherif attended career readiness workshops and learned how to update his resume and prepare for interviews. Cherif has completed his training and now works full-time as a CNA at Five Star Nursing and enjoys providing care to his patients.
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The WorkPlace Can Help Grow Your Workforce |
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Is your business looking to hire top talent? Are you struggling to find the right candidate for your business needs? Whether you need to recruit, screen, hire, or train employees, The WorkPlace offers various workforce solutions to help your business. Recruiting the right, qualified candidate can be a challenge for employers, especially those looking to hire fast. Our business services team can provide staffing and recruitment services that help make the hiring process more efficient. We can screen candidates for qualification, experience, and job readiness for you. We offer on-the-job training support, an employee training incentive program, and internships and work experience programs.
Skilled candidates can be matched to your company's needs and receive a career counselor's support during the onboarding process. Our Platform to Employment program provides businesses a risk-free opportunity to evaluate an individual before hiring. During a work experience, The WorkPlace pays the candidates wages for up to 8 weeks while prospective employers assess their performance in a real work environment. Recently, National Braker Services, LLC in Middlebury, CT, took advantage of the eight-week subsidy during their search for a Director of Operations. After the work experience, P2E participant. Doug Narin exceeded expectations and was hired for the position.
The WorkPlace is a valuable resource for any employer in need of hiring. All our programs and services are available at no cost. Contact Michael Morgan (203) 610-8572, mmorgan@workplace.org for more information, or visit our website.
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There Is an Answer to Your Personal Mortgage Problems |
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A common issue homeowners face is the challenge of financial hardship. The COVID-19 pandemic has left thousands of Connecticut residents unemployed and worried about how they will pay their mortgages once federal relief programs end. The Mortgage Crisis Job Training Program (MCJTP) helps borrowers increase their job skills and become financially stable. Since 2008, The program has provided over 2,500 job training scholarships to homeowners struggling financially.
Funded by the state of Connecticut, the MCJTP offers customized employment services, job training scholarships, job placement assistance, financial literacy classes, credit counseling, and referrals to other needed services – at no cost to eligible homeowners. Connecticut residents that are 60 days or more past due on their mortgage for their primary residence, and have a household income less than $120,000, may be eligible for the Mortgage Crisis Job Training Program. For information, call 1-866-683-1682 or visit our website.
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Listen to the latest episode of the Whistle Post Podcast |
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The Whistle Post podcast explores the world of workforce and community development with the people who are making it happen. The latest episode is all about small business. Valeria Bisceglia of Connecticut's Small Business Development Center joins us and gives an overview of the diverse services available to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Listen now on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Summer Youth Earn and Learn Program Accepting Applications |
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The CareerHub is now accepting applications for the 2021 Earn and Learn Summer Youth Program. This program provides an intensive hands-on career exploration experience for young adults ages 14-21. Participants complete a workplace readiness training and are then placed at an employer worksite for 20 hours per week for seven weeks in July and August. Applications will be accepted until April 23, 2021. To apply click here. |
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Thank you to our recent contributors for their support of The WorkPlace projects! |
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CareerHub Virtual Information Session
Every Monday 10 am-11 am via Zoom
Health Career Academy Virtual Information Session
Every Tuesday 10:30 am-12 pm via Zoom
Every Thursday 2 pm-3:30 pm via Zoom
Dress for Success Virtual Workshop
Preparing for the Interview - Q& A
Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 6 pm via Zoom
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