JULY 2023

WORKFORCE

CHRONICLES

CEO Insights

The other day I was having lunch with a colleague, and we spent a great deal of time talking about how our organizations’ programs can better serve Milwaukee’s community this year and beyond. We discussed the need for equitable high-quality occupational skills training, supportive services for job seekers and workers, and accessible career pathways to quality jobs. I am grateful that Employ Milwaukee is relevant and impactful in these areas through our pursuit of discretionary and philanthropic funding that supports these evidence-based best practices.

To that end, I am excited to share our new federal and philanthropic grants that are built around industry partnerships with employers in local high growth, high demand industry sectors of healthcare, construction, transportation, and information technology (IT):

Our $3 million Department of Labor (DOL) Nursing Expansion grant, Milwaukee Equitable Nursing Development (MEND), will assist over 360 underrepresented job seekers to achieve a career in nursing through multiple access points along a pathway to a 4-year nursing degree. Our partners include the Hispanic Collaborative, Journey House, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and Center for Healthcare Careers.

DOL has invested another $1.5 million in our Cream City YouthBuild program, which combines construction skills training with High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) preparation and community-building activities for at-risk youth ages 16-24. New to the program design is a Construction Plus track in road building with WRTP/BIG STEP, complementing the Biden administration’s investments in national infrastructure upgrades.

The United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Reducing Barriers to Employment & Advancement Initiative has gifted $75,000 to support our IT occupational skills training program, Fresh Coast Tech Up, allowing us to scale existing programming to provide additional courses centered on in-demand certifications including CompTIA Network+ and Amazon Web Services, expanding participants’ career options in the IT support and customer service field.

I am excited for Milwaukee to see the manifestation of our fund development efforts through these programs. In the coming months, we will be sharing more about enrollment for these programs and highlighting how these partnerships are making an impact in our community.

Sincerely,

Chytania Brown

President & CEO

chytania.brown@employmilwaukee.org

AGENCY UPDATE

Second Annual Fundraiser

Join us as we celebrate EMI’s successes and plan for our next steps in growth at the 2023 Annual Fundraiser: Remember the Past, Building the Present, Impacting the Future on Thursday, October 19, 11:30am at The University Club of Milwaukee (7401 N. 43^rd St., Milwaukee, WI). The Fundraiser will include keynote speaker, Judge Mablean Ephriam, and an invitation to partner with Employ Milwaukee to transform alongside the community’s ever-changing workforce needs. Sponsorship opportunities and registration are available now!

Visit Our Website For More Info

STATE OF LABOR

State of the Labor Market Brief

Employ Milwaukee is your expert on the labor market in Milwaukee County. See below for the latest metrics.

SUCCESS STORY

Building Tech and Business Success

Victor Camarero owns his own business and recognized that to keep up with customer demands, he had to beef up his tech skills. Through Employ Milwaukee’s Digital Literacy Lab, Victor learned how to utilize the features of his email service, safely and efficiently surf the web, and host Zoom chat sessions.

“The instructor taught us how to use google drive and how I can save pictures and important documents on it! Thank you to everyone for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the class and learn from it.”

Victor is also one of the participants in Employ Milwaukee’s LEAD abatement program. Employ Milwaukee partners with the Multicultural Entrepreneurial Institute, which provides small business owners with informative courses and resources on topics like accounting, bidding, and contractor estimates.

“Success in business requires training discipline and hard work, because business education will only give you the tools you need to succeed.”

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Upcoming Opportunities and Events!

"There's an App for That?!" Webinar

Services and assistance are available with a tap of a mobile device's screen. From ordering a meal, hailing a ride, or finding a home, mobile phones and other smart devices make services accessible with just the tap of a button. Many government programs and social service organizations have also optimized access to their services to make it more convenient for people to find the help they need when they need it. This webinar will feature two apps and a mobile-optimized website to more easily find social services in Wisconsin that can address their specific needs ranging from healthcare, childcare and housing, to judicare (legal needs) and driver's license restoration from wherever they have an internet connection.

This virtual event will take place on August 3rd from 11a.m.- 12p.m. and is sponsored by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development South Central Library System, SEWI Libraries and the Wisconsin Library Workforce Connection (LWC).

Construction Hiring Event

Employ Milwaukee is hosting How to Get a Job in Construction: Thursday, August 3, 3p.m. - 6p.m! You can attend and interview for jobs in construction!

If you are an employer in the construction industry and are hiring workers, you can contact Frederick Nelson to learn more about attending the event as an employer!

Frederick Nelson

(414) 270-1738

Frederick.Nelson@employmilwaukee.org

Workforce Summit 2023

Employ Milwaukee is hosting Workforce Summit on September 20th, from 9a.m.-2p.m.! Come and learn about trending careers, paid programs and educational opportunities from experts. Through the event, you can also gain tools to move towards training employment and education!

Registration fee of $20 includes breakfast and lunch, registration packet and access to dynamic speakers and valuable information! Please call us at 414-316-0026 to arrange payment.

For more information about

Employ Milwaukee’s programs

and services, please visit: www.employmilwaukee.org

or call (414) 270-1700.

Employ Milwaukee is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Service Provider and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to

individuals with disabilities or language needs.