Partners In Careers (PIC) is a nonprofit organization that strives to create self–sufficiency through specialized job training and employment services. This is accomplished by helping people break through barriers to employment, which often means addressing generational poverty.
PIC connects job seekers to workforce skills and jobs in partnership with local businesses and community members focused on building a strong, healthy and inclusive community.
PIC is focusing on providing short-term trainings in conjunction with local area need. The purpose is to work with businesses to provide targeted trainings that increase interest, mitigate traditional barriers and develop qualified candidates in various sectors, with a focus on creating a diverse workforce and richer, future pipeline of qualified candidates for local employers. This project also focuses on bringing more diversity to the workplace, so workers more adequately represent those they are serving in the community.
Through this series of short-term trainings, participants will be able to test a career path with specific skill knowledge and hands on learning. This focus will help individuals turn hobbies and interests into employment as they look at careers in a different way. Working in small cohorts with a specific focus will help kick start learning and assist those who have disengaged with education to find a path to learning. That learning will lead them to discover endless possibilities and build their confidence to pursue different occupational pathways they may not have otherwise considered. The connections made with other participants, instructors, case managers and community members will build their social capital and expand their networks. The short-term trainings conclude with a Hiring Event, where local employers are invited to attend and conduct onsite interviews to hopefully fill open positions within their company, providing an opportunity for participants to connect with community leaders in various sectors.
Partners in Careers has held four cohorts thus far: two Prep Cook Boot Camps, one Childcare, and one Healthcare.
The Prep Cook pre-employment trainings included two days of classroom training, which focused on soft skill development and job readiness preparation, including self-reflection, critical thinking, problem solving and cultivating interpersonal skills. The trainees then spent two days down at the culinary institute with a trained chef, where they got to experience hands-on training learning knife handling, kitchen safety and basic kitchen principles. Through the training, participants also received their food handlers’ card, chef coat and knife set, along with some fantastic transferable skills. We had great success at the Hiring Event with local restaurants, where these individuals are now thriving and earning a self-sufficient wage in the hospitality industry.
The Healthcare cohort was focused on individuals interested in working as a Certified Nursing Assistant or Home Care Aide and the Childcare cohort was for those interested in working in any type of childcare setting. These trainings were designed with industry input to include soft skills development and job readiness preparation components and provided exposure to the tasks and responsibilities these positions entail provided by experts in the field. The Chamber of Commerce provided presentations on self-employment, which outlined how someone could pursue their own business if they were interested. With these trainings, individuals received their food handlers’ card, First Aid/CPR certification, applicable pre-employment certifications and had the opportunity to connect with local employers currently hiring. The childcare trainees also completed STARS training, which is a requirement to work in most childcare settings.
Over the next nine months, Partners in Careers will be working with Vancouver Public Schools (VPS) to help recruit ad train individuals interested in becoming bus drivers and paraeducators. PIC and VPS will provide targeted trainings with a focus on creating a diverse workforce and richer, future pipeline of qualified candidates for local school districts.
Providing targeted and personalized assistance in job training leading to employment as a bus driver or paraprofessional would result in more job seekers entering these positions which offer a living wage and comprehensive employee benefits. This practice would build capacity in the school districts so that they are able to fully respond to the needs of all students thereby satisfying the paramount duties put forth by the State of Washington.
The program would provide intentional recruitment in underrepresented communities, develop support systems for individuals interested in pursuing employment in these areas, offer funding for training fees and other prerequisites prior to hire that have traditionally proven to be a barrier to underrepresented communities, and expose individuals who wish to secure employment in these family-friendly, living wage, benefit-rich careers.
Support will be provided to complete pre-employment prerequisites required by the school district to help ease the path towards obtaining employment in these impactful positions working with the Youth in our community. Funds will be used to help offset the upfront costs generally paid by the candidate prior to being employed such as fingerprint/background check fees, medical physical expense, permit and licensing fees for bus drivers, certification testing fees, first aid and CPR certifications and other fees associated with the training. Stipends will be provided to the candidates during the training.
Individuals that complete the prerequisites will then be connected to the school district for employment opportunities.
Eligibility requirements for the trainings include:
- Resident of Clark County
- Interest in and ability to accept employment offers following the training
- Ability to meet the job specific requirements set by employers related to background checks and physical abilities
- Willingness to learn and explore new career opportunities
Partners in Careers will be expanding into other sectors as well, which will be determined based on business need and participant interest. We are excited to offer these cohorts to the community and help bridge the gap between job seekers and employers.
Funding for these programs has been provided by the Community Foundation of SW WA, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
For more information on these short-term trainings, contact Sharon Pesut, executive director, Partners in Careers, at sharon@swwpic.org or 360-597-2060; Mary Nicholson, data and compliance manager, Partners in Careers, at mary@swwpic.org or 360-696-8417, ext. 104; Brett Blechschmidt, associate superintendent and COO, Vancouver Public Schools, at brett.blechschmidt@vansd.org or 360-313-1341. To learn more about Partners in Careers, visit partnersincareers.org.
