The WorkPlace Mobilizer April/May 2006
Study seeks to boost pay for low-wage workers
Low-wage workers are on their way to higher pay, thanks to a national demonstration grant from MDRC. The WorkPlace, Inc. is one of only four sites in the U.S. selected for the three-year study.
Regional partnerships: A growing trend
A regional partnership in Southwestern Connecticut, convened by The WorkPlace, Inc., was selected to be part of a national program designed to enhance regional approaches to workforce and economic development.
Business Spotlight: Local manufacturing employees train to work "lean"
Pepsi Bottling Group job fairs get boost with the CTWorks Career Coach.
The President's Report by Joe Carbone
The 2006 Community Audit & Needs Assessment is almost completed, and now it’s time for stakeholders throughout our region to provide input on solutions and priorities.
Upcoming Events
We thank our recent contributors for their support of WorkPlace projects. Study seeks to boost pay for low-wage workers The Work Advancement and Support Center (WASC) study will seek to determine to what degree combining access to family support services (such as food stamps, child care subsidies, and health insurance) and intensive career advancement strategies at One-Stop Career Centers will result in greater job retention, wage progression, and career advancement, as well as increase family income, reduce poverty levels, and ultimately improve child and family well-being. In Connecticut, WASC will be implemented through The WorkPlace’s Academy for Career Advancement and will be located in the Bridgeport CTWorks Career Center. The WASC team will also link with employers to develop and deliver innovative career advancement services and work supports directly at the work site. MDRC is a highly regarded social policy research organization, known for rigor and vision, and dedicated to learning what works to improve programs and policies that affect the poor.
This study is designed to inform policy, including institutional change in the workforce and welfare systems. Support for the national WASC study is being provided to MDRC by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services, and the Ford, Rockefeller, Annie E. Casey, and Joyce Foundations.
“WASC will provide the opportunity to demonstrate concretely what we believe -- that with more partners working together, we can make a difference in the lives of low-wage workers and their families while benefiting employers and the community,” commented Adrienne Parkmond, Esq., Vice President of Operations for The WorkPlace, Inc. After intensive planning, The Academy’s WASC Unit in Bridgeport will launch on June 1. The unit houses staff from Career Resources, Inc. - who will provide career advancement services - and the Department of Social Services - who will determine eligibility for and issuance of financial work supports via a streamlined application process–making it easier for working people to gain access to them. Working individuals from 18 to 62 years of age, residing in Southwestern Connecticut and earning $15 an hour or less, will be selected by lottery to enroll in the program. Individuals must also meet additional family income requirements. For more info, contact Project Implementation Manager Angela Porter at (203) 610-8542. Regional partnerships: A growing trend A regional partnership in Southwestern Connecticut, convened by The WorkPlace, Inc., was selected to be part of a national program designed to enhance regional approaches to workforce and economic development. The program is part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative. The partnership was formalized as an adjunct to the One Coast, One Future program for the purpose of applying for a WIRED grant to fund innovative services. Although not selected for major funding in the initial round, the partnership was invited to participate over the next three years as a “virtual region”, receiving technical assistance and support from a cadre of experts. The WorkPlace, Inc. will manage a planning grant of $100,000 to cover travel costs for the partnership to participate in national demonstration events. The partnership will have direct access to regional initiatives around the country as they implement a transformational approach to their workforce and economic development systems. The partner organizations include the Business Council of Fairfield County, Bridgeport Regional Business Council, Career Resources, Inc., Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Stamford Public Housing Authorities, and Literacy Volunteers of America. The “virtual region” designation positions the Southwestern Connecticut partnership to learn from leading edge regional projects, to identify federal resources that can help with the implementation of the region’s strategies, and to be ready to apply for subsequent competitive grants. Local manufacturing employees train to work "lean" With the help of local high-tech companies, The WorkPlace, Inc. has launched a multi-year training initiative that is transforming Connecticut into a center of In the first phase of the initiative, 300 local high-tech manufacturing employees completed training in Lean Manufacturing. Participants included employees from ASML, a leading semiconductor equipment supplier with operations in Wilton, as well as employees from several of ASML’s key suppliers in Connecticut. With a grant from the President’s High-Growth Job Training Initiative (U.S. Department of Labor), The WorkPlace, Inc. designed the innovative incumbent worker training program to give local employees the skills they need to help ASML and its suppliers strengthen their competitiveness. The Lean program included six courses for manufacturing workers and management over a 6-month period. Instruction on Lean Manufacturing techniques was provided by CONNSTEP, Connecticut’s Manufacturing Resource. “Lean manufacturing is a smarter way of conducting operations and helped us bring about continuous efficiency improvements within our manufacturing organization through the years. The training offered through Connecticut’s workforce development initiative builds on our commitment to continuous improvement and will play an important role in helping make our supply chain more effective,” said William Amalfitano, General Manager of ASML’s Wilton operation. Advanced Manufacturing has been identified as a national growth sector. In southwestern Connecticut, The WorkPlace is working in partnership with employers and educators to improve skills and prepare people for jobs that require high-precision, high-technology and high-skill sets. They are focusing on overcoming barriers to job growth in Advanced Manufacturing. Upcoming phases focus on a diverse range of training identified by Advanced Manufacturing companies. For more info, contact Program Manager Tom Long at (203) 610-8528. The President's Report by Joe Carbone The 2006 Community Audit & Needs Assessment is almost completed, and now it’s time for stakeholders throughout our region to provide input on solutions and priorities. You are invited to participate in our upcoming June 2 & June 9 meetings, working sessions convened to invite input from leaders in business, education, social services, and public officials. Each session will include a presentation of new research, a panel discussion, and a dialogue with participants. This forum will provide critical guidance for public and private investments in people and services. Our overall regional planning process is designed to capture emerging trends, to engage our communities, and to help us set the agenda for workforce development in the next few years. We encourage you to make your voice heard, or just to come and listen. Either way, you will be making an important contribution. UPCOMING EVENTS
Our Now and Future Workforce: A Dialogue on Challenges & Solutions.
June 2: 7:45 - 9:45 a.m. City Hall Annex, 999 Broad St. Bridgeport; and June 9: 7:45 - 9:45 a.m. Ferguson Library, corner of Bedford St. and Broad St., Stamford. To register online visit www.workplace.org or call (203) 610-8504. WorkPlace’s Board of Directors Meeting June 16, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Trumbull Marriott. Guests welcome, RSVP: (203) 610-8500. WorkPlace Awards Ceremony
Low-wage workers are on their way to higher pay, thanks to a national demonstration grant from MDRC. The WorkPlace, Inc. is one of only four sites in the U.S. selected for the three-year study.
excellence for the Advanced Manufacturing industry. The program is aimed at keeping Connecticut’s businesses competitive in the local, national and international marketplaces.
We thank our recent contributors for their support of WorkPlace projects.
Northrop Grumman Norden Systems
NewAlliance Foundation, Inc.
The Ernest & Joan Trefz Foundation
