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SkillWorks News: Fall 2013
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Register Today for the 4th Annual Jobs and Workforce Summit on October 9
SkillWorks, the Workforce Solutions Group (WSG) and partners have been hard at work planning the 4th Annual Jobs and Workforce Summit, which will be held at the Devens Common Conference Center on October 9, 2013.
We listened--This year's summit features lots more business speakers and an exciting town meeting discussion with CEOs and policymakers, in addition to breakout sessions on current topics in workforce policy and practice.
Registration is only $100 (including breakfast and lunch) but increases after October 4. So don't delay-register today!
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SkillWorks Celebrates 10 Years!
On September 18, SkillWorks and about 200 of its funders, partners and participants celebrated the initiative's 10 year anniversary with a cocktail reception at the Westin Copley Hotel.  | | Dr. Pam Eddinger, President of Bunker Hill Community College |
Travis McCready, Vice President for Program at the Boston Foundation thanked partners and funders for their support, and Dr. Pam Eddinger, president of Bunker Hill Community College, provided keynote remarks. Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, her remarks focused on the themes of education and opportunity and the need to better prepare all of our students for success in the classroom and well beyond it.
The event also provided SkillWorks an opportunity to recognize employer champions, participant achievers, and a legislative champion. Read on for highlights about the awardees.
Thanks again to our event sponsors: The Boston Foundation, State Street Foundation, Jobs for the Future and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley.
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Meet the Employer and Participant Honorees at SkillWorks' 10th Anniversary Celebration Six Employers Champions were nominated by SkillWorks partnerships for their "above and beyond" dedication to providing skills training and career advancement opportunities: - Bruce Carr, Expressway Toyota, prepares PACE graduates for careers in the automotive industry through site visits, job shadowing, advising and donations of automotive parts.
- Richard Curtis, State Street Corporation, provides leadership for the Year Up Financial Services Employers Champions Group and helped author a career pathways guide.
- Tom Goemaat, Shawmut Design and Construction, expands opportunities for Boston's youth in the construction industry in partnership with YouthBuild Boston.
- Amanda Light, State Street Corporation, has helped build the Year Up Alumni Network and personally coaches and mentors many Year Up grads.
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Peter Neville, Westin Boston Waterfront, is dedicated to helping Hotel Training Center grads find their way into the hospitality industry in just the right position.
- Karen Schoch, Boston Children's Hospital, has helped the hospital develop a Bridges to College program and a tuition advancement benefit for SkillWorks participants
Five SkillWorks Participants received scholarships and awards for outstanding achievement: -
Natalie Diaz, Healthcare Training Institute, Boston Children's Hospital,is the first college graduate in her family and is pursuing a degree in nursing at Northeastern University while working full-time and caring for her son as a single parent.
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Kendale Edwards, YouthBuild Boston, American Contractors Corporation, gained acceptance to the Carpenters Union and the Insulators Union. Kendale is now putting his skills to work on the new Vertex headquarters in the Innovation District.
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Margarida Jurgensen, Hotel Training Center, Ritz-Carlton Boston Common, completed the Room Attendant Training Program and earned a full-time position at the Ritz-Carlton. She is now working toward her GED and a career in the hospitality industry.
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Josue Morales completed his Associates Degree in finance at Bunker Hill Community College this fall and is now pursuing a Fast-Track Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting Management at Northeastern.
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Mohamed Zire, Year Up, BNY Mellon, graduated from Year Up's finance program in 2011 and earned a job at BNY Mellon in Global Corporate Actions. Since then, he has earned two promotions and is now studying for his Master's in Finance at Brandeis.
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Legislative Champion: Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly
 | | Chris Kealey presents Senator Donnelly with the Legislative Champion award |
Senator Ken Donnelly (4th Middlesex district) has been a key partner in SkillWorks' legislative efforts. His passion for providing opportunities for the long-term unemployed, teens and young adults has led him to relentlessly pursue a middle-skill jobs agenda at the State House. In 2012, Senator Donnelly and his colleagues were successful in getting the Middle Skills Solutions Act included in the Jobs and Economic Development Bill. Thanks to this work, $5 million was added to the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, and a new round of partnership grants were awarded this fall to help unemployed people get training and obtain jobs.
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Back to College Hints
Though it's s till only fall, it's not too early to start looking ahead to winter enrollment, especially if this will be a student's first semester. We asked SkillWorks' college navigator Zeida Santos to share her top tips for college transition and navigation, especially for non-traditional students! We will be holding a webinar for coaches in early December to discuss these and other hints in more detail. Let us know if you'd like to be invited to participate!
- Gather documentation: Ask participants to gather their proof of residency, green card or passport, and high school and/or college transcripts and have them translated if necessary
- Assess finances: Ask students who have previously enrolled in college how they paid for those courses to find out if there are outstanding debt issues that need to be resolved in order to enroll. Set up a payment plan, if necessary.
- Ensure financial aid applications get filed: The MA deadline is March 1. Families/students should file taxes by mid-February so that their FAFSA application can pull information automatically from the their tax returns
- Prepare for placement tests: Not all students need to take placement tests. If they do, make sure they know about resources that can help them prepare
- Verify financial aid awards: Once accepted, students should go back to the Financial Aid office and ask about the status of their financial aid application, if any additional documents are needed to complete the process, and the amount of the award.
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Get oriented: Make sure students know of orientation dates/times and make arrangements with employers, childcare, transportation. Ask about evening or weekend options for working students.
- Plug into campus resources: Help students find and access on-campus resources.
Want more? Sign up to be invited to our December webinar!
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Weekly Workforce Roundup
Did you know that SkillWorks publishes a weekly round-up of workforce news funding opportunities, research and resources?
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SkillWorks Director Loh-Sze Leung and funding partner Dan Singleton were recognized by the Boston PIC at the 2013 Annual Meeting.
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Director's Remarks | This quarter, SkillWorks marked its 10th anniversary with a celebration at the Westin Copley honoring employer, community, labor, participant and funding partners for their contributions to workforce training.
It was amazing to bring together the many talented and dedicated folks who have worked tirelessly to open the doors of economic opportunity to thousands in the Commonwealth through programs, policy, funding, coaching, training, and organizing.
You collectively have made SkillWorks into a nationally-recognized initiative and added to Boston's reputation as a city of innovation and collaboration.
We look forward to working with all of you in the years ahead.
Thank you,
Loh-Sze Leung
Director
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New Director of the White House Social Innovation Fund Visits National Fund, SkillWorks
 | | Michael Smith, SIF director, visits the Hotel Training Center |
On September 12, SkillWorks had the opportunity to host Michael Smith, new director of the Social Innovation Fund, on his site visit to Boston. Michael and SIF program officer Keisha Kersey, along with leadership from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, visited the Hotel Training Center and Healthcare Training Institute partnerships, as well as SkillWorks' lead funder, The
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SkillWorks and the City of Boston organized a tour of Boston's Innovation District for funders and partners in August to learn about new developments and discuss workforce training implications.
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Watch SkillWorks' new video!
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SkillWorks Funders
The Frank W. and Carl S. Adams Memorial Trust, Bank of America, N.A.. Trustee Bank of America Charitable Foundation The Barr Foundation BNY Mellon The Boston Foundation Chorus Foundation The Clowes Fund, Inc The City of Boston's Neighborhood Jobs Trust The Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Garfield Foundation The Hyams Foundation Mabel Louise Riley Foundation Microsoft Corporation National Fund for Workforce Solutions Nellie Mae Education Foundation Perpetual Trust for Charitable Giving, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee A.C. Ratshesky Foundation State Street Foundation Surdna Foundation United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley U.S. Department of Labor, through Jobs for the Future Thank you to the Clowes Fund, Inc., Mabel Louise Riley Foundation, the State Street Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, BNY Mellon and The Boston Foundation for making commitments to SkillWorks Phase III. |
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SkillWorks Partnerships
Chinatown Green Collar Career
Pathways Initiative
Emergency Medical Careers
Partnership
Energy Efficiency Technician
Apprenticeship Program
Healthcare Training Institute
Hotel Training Center
Partnership for Automotive
Career Education
Workforce Solutions Group
Year Up Financial Services
Partnership
YouthBuild Boston Green
Construction Program |
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About SkillWorks: Partners for a Productive Workforce
SkillWorks is an ambitious effort on the part of philanthropy, government, community organizations, unions, and employers to respond to Massachusetts' workforce crisis. SkillWorks' goal is to create a workforce development system that helps low-skill, low-to-moderate income residents move to family-sustaining jobs and helps employers find and retain skilled employees. It is the largest public/private investment in workforce development in Boston's history.
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