April 18, 2018
edition
CAREERS special
Joe McFerrin II, president and chief executive officer of the
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center and Rosemary
Anderson High School, celebrates 50 years of leadership in
workforce training.
Jobs Training
Program Turns 50
Community advocates, includ-
ing Mayor Ted Wheeler and An-
drew Colas of Colas Construction,
joined Joe McFerrin II, president
and chief executive officer of Port-
land Opportunities Industrializa-
tion Center (POIC) and Rosemary
Anderson High School (RAHS)
to celebrate POIC’s 50 years as
a leader in workforce training for
communities of color.
POIC was established in Port-
land in 1968 to provide employ-
ment training and industrial de-
velopment programs for people of
color, demonstrating the strength
of African Americans resisting
persistent racism and discrimina-
tion through their own communi-
ty-based programs and organiza-
tions.
“Our doors are open to ev-
eryone. We work with high-risk
youth and their families to pro-
vide education, job training, and
job placement for low-income
citizens in our community,” said
McFerrin.
Colas, the keynote speaker, re-
cently helped POIC launch a new
pre-apprenticeship program for
trainees to develop construction
skills and prepare for a career in
the trades.
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