UNITED for Workforce Development Pathways - How We Help

UNITED for Workforce Development Pathways

There is tremendous potential for individuals currently living in poverty to be a part of solving our workforce shortage in our local community. This new initiative will work to unite our community to see the potential of underemployed and unemployed individuals to positively impact their own lives and meet our community’s growing workforce demands.

GOAL 1: ESTABLISH & INCREASE collaboration and partnership among workforce development agencies, educational institutions, and community based organizations to leverage resources and align services to help New Americans and low income individuals enter the workforce and elevate their employment and career opportunities

GOAL 2: IDENTIFY & REMOVE the gaps and barriers that currently exist for New Americans and low income individuals to enter the workforce and attain and retain family sustaining employment

GOAL 3: POSITION under and unemployed workers on a path to long-term family sustaining employment and career success

GOAL 4: INCREASE
     • Access to educational services such as training classes, skill training, GED classes and ELL classes
     • Access to supportive services such as housing, transportation, and child care
     • The number of eligible workers to enter the workforce to meet and respond to the local workforce shortage

 

View the UNITED for Workforce Development Pathways shareable PDF HERE

The Community Impact Manager position leading the UNITED for Workforce Development Pathways is collaboratively funded by:

Read our blog about how United Way is collaborating with community partners to remove barriers and help Lift People Out of Poverty by expanding local transporation

Click here to view the TapRide instructions and routes 

“United Way of Cass-Clay is proud to collaborate with MATBUS to provide a solution to one of our community’s most complex issues – transportation for individuals to attain and maintain employment. Increasing access to transportation for individuals in our community will have a positive impact on our businesses community, and is an innovative and lasting solution to lifting people out of poverty,” said Thomas Hill, Community Impact Director for United Way of Cass- Clay.

United Way has collaborated with CAPLP (Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership, Inc.) and Minnesota State Community and Technical College (MState) to provide training, education and support to low-income families to meet the skills gap and to address the three key components of a two-generation model: education, economic support and social capital.

The Workforce Development Case Manager assists low-income individuals with the skills and support necessary to obtain and maintain living-wage employment in the highest-demand career areas in our region.

Through this continued partnership the workforce development case manager will continue to provide support to clients in these MState training programs: welding and certified nursing assistant (CNA).

James' Story

 
Because of United Way donors like you, individuals like James are able to get the training and job skills they need to secure a good paying job to support themselves. Not only did James earn the opportunity to work at Marvin, their company also gained a hard-working & dedicated employee to fill their growing workforce needs. Today, James is working toward his dream of owning his own home here in our community and building a better life.
 
"It is rewarding to know that together we are eliminating barriers to help people in our community get the jobs that will support their family."
- Amy Hochgraber, MState Director of Business and Industry

For more information contact:

Thomas Hill | Community Impact Director • thill@unitedwaycassclay.org
Ahmed Shiil | Community Impact Manager • ashiil@unitedwaycassclay.org
Kristi Huber | President • khuber@unitedwaycassclay.org

Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Links & Documents

UNITED for Workforce Development Pathways CRA Goals Informational Sheet

Click here for more information on the federal poverty guidelines

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When you can see an individual go from nearly being homeless to now working in a career and coming home every day to an apartment with his family under one roof, you can see the good that can come from this work. I believe in them until they believe in themselves.

Amy Feland, Workforce Development Case Manager (Pictured with welding program graduates)