This blog post was published in the original HPOG Blog on November 18, 2014.
Breaking Down Barriers to Access Job Training and Career Pathways
Adult learners transitioning into post-secondary educational training programs may face considerable challenges without support services. The Job-Driven Training Checklist (PDF) recognizes these potential challenges and seeks to open the doors to barriers that prevent access to job training and employment opportunities for program participants. Opening Doors is an element of the Job-Driven Training Checklist that points to the need to assist program participants with supportive services to aid in the completion of programs as well as offer accommodations for persons with disabilities to secure employment opportunities.
Opening Doors is about breaking down barriers to accessing job-driven training and employment opportunities for any American who is willing and able to work, including access to job supports and relevant guidance. In order for training programs to work, they need to be accessible for the people who need them most. Job-driven training programs should provide access to needed supportive services such as transportation, childcare, and financial and benefits counseling. Programs also should provide accommodations for persons with disabilities (including supported employment services where needed) in order to allow all individuals to benefit from these opportunities. Very often, Opening Doors requires that local and regional programs work together so that a broad range of services can be provided.
HPOG programs are designed to provide education and training to TANF recipients and other low-income individuals for occupations in the healthcare fields and are committed to combining support services with training programs for participants. HPOG grantee, Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) developed strategies to resolve transportation barriers for program participants when they discovered that Home Health Aid (HHA) graduates were unable to obtain positions due to lack of transportation.
Given the varying hours and assignments often associated with employment in the HHA field, it is important that workers have reliable transportation. Program staff first reached out to a local credit union to work out funding arrangements, at favorable rates, for HHA graduates to purchase vehicles, but the program's proposal was not accepted by the credit union.
Program staff then turned to another collaborative partner — the Schenectady City Mission's (City Mission) "Employer Resource Network." The Network offers employers an opportunity to improve retention and productivity through a low-cost, shared success coach. During strategic planning sessions for the Network, program staff learned about churches and faith-based organizations that have vehicles and drivers that are only used for specific times (e.g., Sundays and special holidays). Those vehicles and drivers could serve as reliable transportation for the HHA training graduates.
SCCC HPOG has now contracted with Schenectady City Mission. Under the contract, the partners will reach out to at least four home care agencies interested in participating in the effort. The City Mission will be the employer of record for drivers and dispatchers based on the schedule and needs of the employer. The partners are working with a local software company to develop transportations routes and schedules that account for the work schedules and locations required by employers, and the locations of where HHAs live.
Read our latest Promising Practices to learn more about grantees breaking down barriers for program participants.