we need MORE.
it is time to lay the foundation and prepare for the future of the workforce in Oregon – can you help us?
priorities and actions
COVID crisis revealed.
How can we move forward?
The COVID crisis revealed serious flaws in the systems intended to serve and support Oregonians during difficult times. To return from the COVID-19 crisis as a stronger, more equitable State, we must strengthen our commitment to those Oregonians most impacted by the COVID crisis. This will require a fundamental redesign of the systems that make up the state’s response to changes in the labor force and economy. Without question, this redesign must put racial equity and front-line workers at the center. The redesign must also put decision making and solution building as close to the community as possible – allowing local communities to respond to local economic circumstances, priorities and needs.
SB 623
Requires State Workforce and Talent Development Board to convene representatives from state workforce agencies and local workforce development boards to identify program and system changes to support individuals and business most impacted by COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 wildfire disasters.
Prosperity 10,000
The Oregon Prosperity 10,000 program is designed to invest in Oregon’s private sector businesses and human capital. This is in direct response to industry demands to eliminate barriers, and upskill and retrain employees.
SB 1545
Remove barriers for under-represented communities looking to enter the workforce and provide living wage job opportunities all while building a skilled talent pool to ensure a vibrant Oregon
these numbers are people.
166,000+ job seekers served and counting
expanding proven activities
Worksystems Inc., the Portland Metro Workforce Development Board, initial Future Ready Oregon (FRO) resources will be focused on expanding proven activities to serve and support our most vulnerable residents. Specifically, $2.66 million in FRO resources will be invested to expand services available through several community-based and education providers, including Central City Concern, Community Action of Washington County, Constructing Hope, Human Solutions, Immigrant Refugee and Community Organization, Mount Hood Community College, Oregon Tradeswomen, Portland Community College, Portland Opportunity and Industrialization Center, Portland Youth Builders and Southeast Works. These FRO investments will expand access to registered pre-apprenticeship services, rapid re-careering programs, such as Driving Diversity, subsidized work experience, and community-based career coaching services.
This initial FRO investment will generate $1.3 Million in federal SNAP match dollars. These resources will build upon an additional $1.8 Million in local SNAP earnings to ensure ongoing sustainability of these programs and services.
strategic road map
Rogue Workforce Partnership is weaving Future Ready Oregon funding into the existing Strategic Road Map, workforce training investment strategies, and systems transformation initiatives – with specific investments for historically underserved communities including Latino/a/x, BIPOIC, people with low incomes and rural Oregonians. These funds will be blended, braided and stacked with other federal and state workforce funds to create true pathways out of poverty to family-wage jobs and high-wage/high-demand careers in the region’s targeted industry sectors of: healthcare, manufacturing, construction, natural resources, transportation/logistics, technology, and child care/early education.
behavioral health
initiatives
Northwest Oregon Works is expanding its current Behavioral Health initiatives to include a focus on bilingual, bicultural students with entry-level occupations such as Community Health Worker and Peer Support/Recovery Specialist, second-level occupations such as CADC I and QMHA, as well as to advance individuals who are currently in the process of finishing their Master’s programs by placing them in Work-Based Learning (WBL) environments. WBL programs allow participants to earn a paycheck while completing the education programs required for the applicable licensure or certification, and gain experience working in the mental health arena. In addition, it is partnering with Healthy Teeth Bright Futures to train dental assistants though Linn-Benton Community College.
They plan to contract with community-based organizations that primarily serve culturally specific populations.
housing and employment
Southern Oregon Workforce Investment Board is working on several projects. 1. Provide housing and employment to individuals who are unemployed and experiencing homelessness utilizing On-the-Job Training programs and supportive services. The plan is to pay up to $6,000 for the first month, last month, and deposit for housing and use OJT wage matching funds to incentivise employers by offsetting the cost of training. Participants will come from a pallet shelter community where they have already demonstrated the desire to take the next step.
2. Contract with 4 new youth service providers. Two will start projects with disengaged high school students by establishing a relationship with each school district to be alerted when a student has not engaged in school for 10 days and/or drops from the district. Provider staff will connect with students to encourage them to re-enroll. Should the student remain unenrolled, they will receive priority in our paid work experience or training programs.
3. Offer foster childrens’ programs targeting youth close to age out of care. We have a youth project focused on foster kids about to age out of care. The summer program is ran through YouthEra and teaches kids how to garden and small business management using using farmers markets.
Skill Up Oregonians
Stipends are available to cover cost of living which attending school or training
Retrain
On-the-job training opportunities or pre-apprenticeship programs
Expand Access
Programs are available to historically underserved populations
