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Gates Foundation National Report ARRIBA Featured October 20, 2009 Especially hard hit in this environment have been disadvantaged Americans, specifically young and low-income workers, who are struggling to enter the workforce at a time when many entry-level, low-skill jobs have been filled by more experienced workers who are willing to settle for lower paying jobs. In light of the challenges facing disadvantaged young adults, a new report from Workforce Strategy Center (WSC), “Employers, Low-Income Young Adults and Postsecondary Credentials,” highlights programs in 14 communities that are successfully addressing the challenge of providing disadvantaged young adults with the technical and postsecondary education that may qualify them for skilled positions. For the full report visit www.workforcestrategy.org. This report has been funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. One of the initiatives, Project ARRIBA in El Paso, Texas, offers long-term, high-skilled training in hard-to-fill demand occupations that pay a living wage of at least $11.50 per hour, with benefits and a career path. Occupational and work-place skills are supplemented by an integrated program of intensive case management. A public, not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation, Project ARRIBA works closely with local employers and educational partners, El Paso Community College (EPCC) and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to improve academic retention rates and dramatically increase the numbers of students that complete their degree programs. “One major reason the efforts highlighted in this report have been successful is that they are ‘demand-driven.’ Local employers work directly with community colleges, trade schools and other postsecondary institutions to help disadvantaged young people gain skills that are in demand by employers,” says Julian L. Alssid, Executive Director of WSC. “In July, the unemployment rate for young workers between the ages of 16 and 24 rose to more than 18 percent, the highest level since World War II. The rate was even higher for African-Americans and Hispanics, underscoring why these kinds of initiatives are so important now.” "For over ten years, Project ARRIBA has had the strategic vision of aligning the needs of regional employers with those of El Pasoans earning near-poverty wages to develop a more robust economy that benefits all local stakeholders. We hope the recognition from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will allow Project ARRIBA and its innovative workforce model to one day impact the state, the nation and over time, the world,” Roman S. Ortiz, CEO, Project ARRIBA. The 14 sites highlighted in this report were selected from more than 100 candidate sites that were submitted for consideration. Model sites had to meet the following criteria: Getting low-income youth and young adults postsecondary credentials that will allow them to enter and advance in career track employment.
“Today’s jobs require training beyond high school, yet few low-income students complete their educations because of intense demands from school, work and family,” said Hilary Pennington, director of Education, Postsecondary Success and Special Initiatives at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “These initiatives show that when employers and colleges work together, students will graduate.” About Workforce Strategy Center Workforce Strategy Center is a national nonprofit organization that helps workers advance and businesses profit by making education and workforce development more responsive to the economy. About Project ARRIBA Project ARRIBA is a public, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that provides long-term high skilled training and intensive case management services to eligible El Paso County residents who require the occupational skills necessary to access jobs in hard to fill demand occupations that pay a living wage of at least $11.50 per hour with benefits and a career path. |