Small Businesses Owners Eager to Mentor Workers following Transitional Jobs Workshop

When Taneesha Harris, assistant director of Little Giants Child Care Center, attended The Partnership’s March 2007 Connecting Opportunities event, “Transitional Jobs and the Small Business Employer,” she was pleasantly surprised by what she learned.

“I never knew there were agencies and programs like this that allow small businesses to mentor workers, while paying the mentees to participate,” Harris said.

It was this sentiment among small business employers that led The Partnership to highlight this subject at the first installation of Connecting Opportunities, a series of networking breakfasts designed to generate links between Partnership grantees and projects. Each meeting varies in topic – from business development to honing in on a particular opportunity in a specific industry or neighborhood.

Following the workshop, hosting organization Heartland Human Care Services received requests to engage in the transitional jobs program from nearly half of the 40 employers who attended. After an extensive application process that ensured that the sites could provide substantial valuable work experience to participants, five small business owners have engaged in various transitional job and mentoring programs, including Little Giants, an East Garfield Park after school and summer program for children aged two to 18.

“It’s a win-win situation for both parties involved. We can always use an extra hand when dealing with the children, and the workers get meaningful professional advice and experience,” said Harris. “Two participants have already come through here and we have a request pending for two more.”

Due to physical constraints, Harris was unable to offer full-time employment to the first two participants, but she hopes to find a worker eligible to work permanently with the childcare center through Heartland.

Denise Pryor-Bryant, Director of Workforce Development at Heartland, said the initiative of employers following the workshop has been overwhelming.

“Even those who are not engaged have been helpful in spreading information to other small businesses,” Pryor-Bryant said in reference to the Loop-based Cosmopolitan Chamber of Commerce, which is offering computer training to job seekers.

August’s Connecting Opportunities event will focus on connecting retailers to openings in mixed-income neighborhoods.

More information on Heartland Human Care Services can be found at http://www.heartlandalliance.org.

(Story courtesy of The Partnership for New Communities.)

Jobs Program Helps Public Housing Residents Reach New Heights

Not long ago, Rose Ballard was unemployed and without the computer skills needed to enter a job training program. Today she is a training manager at Siemens, a global technology company.

Ballard achieved this career leap with help from the IT-Workforce Development Initiative, a program designed to connect public housing residents with jobs in the information technology (IT) sector.  Funded in part by The Partnership for New Communities, the initiative is jointly administered by Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation, TEC Services, Inc. and the Chicago Housing Authority Resident Services Division.

"This was wonderful for me because I'd been trying to apply for City Colleges but wasn't able to pay for it," said Ballard. "So it was good they were offering these programs."

With help from TEC Services' program training coordinator, Ballard registered for a basic computer literacy class and quickly progressed through a series of online courses, enjoying the flexible schedule and pace. Soon she qualified for and was accepted into the job-training program.

“The adaptability and high-touch nature of this program is essential for participants who have limited skills and work history,” said Greg Sutton, Education and Workforce Programs Director of TEC Services, who leads the initiative’s training component. “We can help interested residents at nearly any skill level and work them up to where they want to go.”

Many residents need more than training alone. CHA’s role in the initiative is to provide supportive services, helping participants overcome a variety of obstacles and life challenges that might otherwise derail their involvement in the program.

After Ballard completed the job training, TEC Services decided to hire her.  In a new role as a training coordinator, Ballard helped other public housing residents develop basic technology skills and urged them to work hard and finish the program.

“I was able to let them know it actually works and helps you be more qualified,” said Ballard. “It’s good to have someone that you know that did it. I did it, so they can do it, too.”

TEC Services later informed Ballard of an open position with Siemens. The company is one of several linked to the IT-Workforce Development Initiative as part of its employer-engagement strategy, led by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation. 

"There is very real business value here,” said Peggy Luce, Vice President at CCCF. “We want to make employers aware of the terrific job candidates coming out of these programs and to cement a solid pipeline between the two.”

Using her recently honed resume writing and interview skills, Ballard was offered and accepted a full-time training manager position with Siemens – resulting in a 25 percent salary increase.  She remains connected to the IT-Workforce Development Initiative, introducing CHA residents to job training opportunities with Siemens and managing their training and placement.

And after less than two months on the job, she already is dreaming bigger. “I feel like this is an overwhelming, exciting adventure. Ever since I’ve been here I’ve learned so much,” she said.  “I’m looking forward to learning more and doing bigger and better things.”

(Story courtesy of The Partnership for New Communities.)