The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative has launched recruitment for a new job training program in partnership with PIDC’s Navy Yard Workforce Development Initiatives. This is their first collaborative professional development program that will train West and South Philadelphia residents for permanent, full-time, quality-wage careers.

Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a certified women-owned business founded in 1992, is the first employer partner at the Navy Yard to participate in the program. It will offer opportunities for graduates to interview for laborer positions starting at $14/hour.

The program is a cohort-based training model that will blend virtual courses and in-person sessions (with high COVID-19 safety compliance) to train for two roles: Grounds Maintenance Laborers earning $14/hour, and Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Laborers earning $18.98/hour.  Continue Reading

The University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is again partnering with Drexel University to offer a new no-cost Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) training program for Philadelphia residents.

Aspiring EMTs will be trained for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam. This 13-week training program will be a blend of virtual courses and in-person sessions following CDC COVID-19 regulations at Drexel University. Participants will receive $150 weekly stipends while enrolled in this free program. Masks will be provided for in-person sessions if needed. The program will conclude with an in-person administration of the NREMT exam.  Continue Reading

University City District’s award-winning program, West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, which helps unemployed West Philly residents connect with local employers seeking talent, has been on hiatus since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. But here’s some great news: the program is launching its first virtual training.

The Skills Initiative in partnership with Drexel University will train aspiring Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam. Unlike the majority of Skills Initiative training programs, this cohort will serve all Philadelphia residents, regardless of zip code.  Continue Reading

The University City Science Center is launching a free STEM job training for their workforce development program with a particular interest in recruiting participants from West Philadelphia. This is part of the Science Center’s effort to create greater access to and new pathways into family-sustaining STEM jobs for under- and unemployed Philadelphians.

As part of this new program, the Science Center is now accepting applications for the first cohort of trainees for their free STEM job training program – “Building an Understanding of Lab Basics (BULB)”. The program is open to Philadelphians age 18 or older with a high school degree or GED interested in science, technology, engineering and/or math (STEM) field. Applications close on Monday, June 29.  Continue Reading

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation has extended the application deadline for their Playstreets program to Monday, June 15. Playstreets is the City’s free summer feeding program for children and Parks & Rec is accepting applications from residents who want to volunteer as block captains for this program.

Each summer, 300 to 350 city streets are closed temporarily to vehicular traffic to give children a safe place to gather, play, and eat a free, nutritious meal. The program has been running for more than 50 years and takes place in every neighborhood of the city.  Continue Reading

Skills Initiative program graduate Jacqueline Saunders spoke about her experience with the program at the check presentation ceremony.

University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), the nationally recognized job training program, has just received an investment that will allow them to expand their reach to employers across the region. The program, which has been connecting unemployed West Philly residents with University City employers since 2011, has received a $125,000 contribution from the Citizens Bank’s Charitable Foundation, which will go to support their expansion efforts. Since 2012, the Citizens Charitable Foundation has contributed more than $450,000 to the program.

“We are proud to support the [West Philadelphia Skills Initiative] organization as it takes its efforts to the next level, providing more opportunities for unemployed Philadelphians to get the training and support needed to succeed in the workforce,” said Daniel K. Fitzpatrick, President of Citizens Bank, Mid-Atlantic Region, during a presentation that took place this morning at WPSI’s office (see photo).  Continue Reading