West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, the program that connects unemployed West Philadelphia residents with local employers, is partnering with Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Drexel University to recruit individuals for a new job training opportunity. The program participants will be trained to be Preschool Lead Teachers and Preschool Assistant Teachers.

Chesterbrook Academy Preschool is part of a national network of more than 180 private schools offering preschool through 12th grade education. This is the second cohort that the Skills Initiative is running in partnership with Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Drexel University.  Continue Reading

The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is recruiting West Philadelphia residents for a new job training opportunity with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The program will prepare individuals to be Patient Sitters with the nationally renowned hospital.

Program graduates will have the opportunity to interview with CHOP, receive a performance-based stipend during the training, and learn the skills needed to successfully connect to employment and a fulfilling career path. Since its launch seven years ago, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative has served over 800 individuals, and last year, 93 percent of its participants connected to employment.  Continue Reading

People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and Brightside Academy announced a new partnership to fast track individuals looking to break into the early childhood education field. The goal of the innovative employment strategy is to provide employment opportunities and create highly-skilled employees that are encouraged to continue an employment and educational journey in early childhood education.

PEC’s Center for Employment and Training (CET) will recruit individuals interested in this career path and prepare them for the program with five weeks of Professional Development Training, which provides an overview of critical employment skills applicable to every field, such as time management, effective communications, working on teams, presentations, and more. CET will also assist with resume building, interview skills, attire, transportation, child care, connections to resources, and assistance applying for the CDA voucher from the state of Pennsylvania.  Continue Reading

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is hiring dozens of lifeguards for this summer. This is a great opportunity for local youth seeking summer employment. People as young as 15 years old can apply for this job and attend training, but must be 16 years or older to work as a lifeguard for the City of Philadelphia.

The starting salary for this job is $13.65 an hour. All applicants must pass the lifeguard screening and complete 21.5 hours of lifeguard training, First Aid and CPR.

The screening is free, and appointments are not necessary.  Continue Reading

University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is offering a new job training opportunity for local residents. Applications are being accepted through March 29 for a training program with University of Pennsylvania that will prepare individuals for entry-level, Science Lab Helper jobs.

The program is recruiting individuals with a wide range of prior experiences in janitorial work, housekeeping, labor and science labs. Program graduates will have the opportunity to earn a stipend while in training and receive on-the-job training at the University of Pennsylvania, earning $15/hour.  Continue Reading

The University City District (UCD), the University City Science Center and Drexel University have been awarded a $5 million grant from the Lenfest Foundation to expand programs that train and place unemployed West Philadelphia residents in jobs, including UCD’s nationally-acclaimed job training program, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative.

The program will connect nearly 600 previously unemployed residents to careers over three years and will reportedly result in over $16 million in wages generated in the community. More than 200 adults and high school students in West Philadelphia will also attain credentials, certifications, and exposure to STEM careers, setting them on meaningful pathways to employment.

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