Page 4 The Skanner CAREERS EDITION June 7, 2017 CAREERS Urban League Offers Tech Job Training for Under-Employed Adults By Melanie Sevcenko Of The Skanner News T he Urban League of Portland has teamed up with higher education institutions, training centers, and local em- ployers to launch the Ur- ban Tech Jobs Program, which helps under-em- ployed adults break into the tech industry. Initiated this past March through a De- partment of Labor grant, Portland’s Urban League is one of seven affiliates of the national organi- zation that is facilitating the program. The tech jobs project was created to bridge the gap between a pool of long-term unemployed individuals and a boom- ing industry that offers sustainable employment. In fact, jobs in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathe- matics – have among the highest earnings pro- jections and job growth, while holding the lowest unemployment rate over other industries. With the first cohort underway, the Urban League’s second cohort will begin accepting ap- plications on July 31 for a September 25 start date. The program is hosting an open information ses- sion on July 18. Over the course of three separate cohorts running through 2019, the accelerated technolo- gy training program will have served some 95 peo- ple. Having already com- pleted job readiness workshops – in partner- ship with the Leadership Lab – the program’s first “ a local company. Some positions also carry the possibility of full-time hire. “We found that the lo- cal tech community is very supportive of the program,” said Urban Tech Jobs Team Leader, Andrea Gall. “As we start getting more name rec- ognition, we’ll start find- ing more employers that are interested in specifi- cally pulling candidates out of our pool, which is the ideal situation.” Gaining the confidence To be eligible for UTJP, a person must be un- It’s a stellar business model for people who are changing their career fields or have an interest in the tech world 32 participants are cur- rently enrolled in tech courses. With classes offered by Creating IT Futures Foundation, participants can choose between Mi- crosoft, CompTIA and Cisco certifications, be- fore embarking on a paid on-the-job training with employed or under-em- ployed, have a high school diploma or GED, and be 18 years or older. Forty-seven percent of participants in the first cohort are African American; and overall, 41 percent are women and 59 percent are men. While every partici- pant comes to the table with a varying level of education and tech ex- pertise, some enter the program with little to no background in the field. Yet part of UTJP’s goal is to help participants identify their transfer- able skills and pivot them from their past experi- ence towards a new ca- reer path; for example, a retail background could lead to a customer care position at a software company. “It’s a stellar business model for people who are changing their ca- reer fields or have an in- terest in the tech world,” said participant Jerome Smith, who previously served in the air force. After the recession hit, Smith — a father of five — lost his job and found himself living in his car. Through an assistance program for veterans, he learned about UTJP and enrolled in the nick of time. “The confidence I’ve gained in just four weeks — to be able to know what I’m doing with comput- ers – it really increased my value,” Smith told The Skanner. He’s now living in a veterans’ family shel- ter in Beaverton, with part-time employment in private security, and has aspirations to work for Boeing in the field of cyber security. PHOTO COURTESY OF URBAN LEAGUE OF PORTLAND Program includes soft skills, tech certifications and on-the-job training Wraparound services In addition to UTJP’s flagship tech training, UTJP participants (left to right) Betty Wakgira and Genet Tsegaw. the Urban League offers supplemental programs that are unique to the organization, such as healthcare and housing assistance. The result is a wraparound services program that reaches be- yond workforce develop- ment. “A part of our popu- lation that we serve in this program is people that have a legal history,” explained Cinna’Mon Williams, career and life coach for UTJP, who re- cruits participants to the program. “We work with people on how to write their resumes in a way that they’re transparent,” continued Williams. “We teach them how to inter- view and disclose. And personally, I help people work through the men- tal aspect of transition- ing and recovering from mistakes in their past.” After soft skills and tech training is complete, Williams provides sup- port to participants six months into their full- time employment. Potential careers According to the De- partment of Commerce, employees of STEM jobs earn 26 percent more than from non-STEM jobs; and between 2008 and 2018, job openings in those sectors are ex- pected to increase by 17 percent. “This isn’t a quick fix program — it’s more long-term to bring you to that next level in your skillset,” said Gall. PUTTING PEOPLE Constructing Hope TO WORK in the Pre-Apprenticeship Program CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FREE Ten weeks of construction training for those with legal history, minorities and low income, ages 18 years and older. WE OFFER: n n n n n Free construction training We provide tools Safety certifications Career placement Begin a career with starting wage of $16.00/hr. FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact us: 405 NE Church Street, Portland, OR 97211 503-281-1234 • www.constructinghope.org