ACCESS. ADVOCACY.
Westchester County Association
ACTION.
WCA CHOSEN TO ADMINISTER $9.8 MILLION Federal Workforce Development Grant for the Hudson Valley The WCA is about to help employers fill some of the large number of key vacant positions in the healthcare sector in Westchester and the region. Selected by the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board in partnership with the Employment Centers throughout the region, to serve as project manager of a $9.8 million Federal Ready to Work Partnership grant, known regionally as the “Jobs Waiting” program, the WCA will oversee intensive training of 425 long-term unemployed individuals competing for those jobs. Job seekers will receive training for healthcare jobs in high demand, such as: registered nurses, medical coders, radiologic and MRI technicians, physician’s assistants, and others. In the Hudson Valley, there are an estimated 13,000 long-term unemployed, defined as those who have been unemployed for more than six months and exhausted their unemployment benefits during the past two years. This regional training program is led by Westchester County and serves to connect workers with open positions in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster and Sullivan counties. The WCA was awarded the role of Project Manager because of its extensive experience managing and executing multi-partner, multi-year projects simultaneously. WORKING TO DEVELOP THE BEST WORKPLACE TALENT Danielle DeMatteis (pictured below), a former Program Manager for the City of Yonkers, will spearhead the WCA’s project management of the “Jobs Waiting Program.” She said: “Retraining and support services are crucial in order to hone the skills needed to get people back into the workforce.” The Jobs Waiting Program is available to those who have been unemployed for more than six months, are interested in healthcare jobs, have completed high school, and are legal residents. The program’s components include a six-week Boot Camp, which involves financial planning, and social media training, among other things. Additionally, employers interested in hiring highly-motivated and skilled healthcare workers who are ready-towork will be able to market their job openings, have online access to candidates’ resumes, and receive up to 50% cash reimbursements for on-the-job and customized training costs. “Assuming the project management role of the Jobs Waiting grant is a key component of the WCA’s multi-faceted program to help develop the best possible workplace talent in our region,” says Amy Allen, Vice President and Executive Director, Hudson Valley Workforce Academy, Westchester County Association. “Part of that program is the WCA Hudson Valley Workforce Academy, launched in January, 2015, which addresses the critical need for skilled workers to help fill the 2,500+ jobs presently open in the healthcare, technology, and business sectors here.” She pointed out that the Academy, in cooperation with members of the WCA’s integrated healthcare consortium and Higher Education Committee, “helps our region attract and retain talent, upgrades the skills of the currently employed, and fosters job creation for the unemployed and underemployed.” For further information, please visit www.jobswaiting.com or contact Dani DeMatteis at 914.948.4144 or ddematteis@westchester.org.
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2015
WCBJ | HV Biz
RECRUIT WESTCHESTER 2015 LESS THAN 3 WEEKS AWAY! THE REGION’S ONLY COLLABORATIVE JOB & INTERNSHIP FAIR Friday, October 9, 2015 10 am to 1 pm Hilton Westchester, Rye Brook One location. One day. Thousands of candidates! Meet top undergraduate and graduate students, and experienced alumni from 13 regional colleges and universities. Employer registration: $450; $275 for nonprofits Questions? Call Tricia McTernan at 914.761.7111 Register at Recruitwestchester.org 2015 Participating Colleges & Universities Berkeley College | College of Westchester | Fordham University LIU Hudson | Manhattanville College | Mercy College Monroe College | New York Medical College Pace University | Purchase College, SUNY St. Thomas Aquinas College The College of New Rochelle Westchester Community College