City Of Los Angeles Will Assist Job Seekers with $90 Million Federal Workforce Development System
Mayor Eric Garcetti today announced the completion of a six month procurement process that provides a newly designed and updated WorkSource Center system for the City of Los Angeles, focusing on practical training for emerging job sectors. The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved the new system that is federally funded under the Workforce Investment Act. The City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) will administer a total of $18 million dollars on an annual basis for up to five years to contract agencies to carry out programs that train and place Angelenos in growth industries.“This new system will focus on making sure Angelenos are prepared to compete in today’s job market,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Our redesigned system will better provide supportive services and access to career pathways to ensure our local workforce is ready for the jobs in LA’s top growth industries.”
The new system consists of 17 WorkSource Centers strategically located throughout the city in areas with the highest concentrations of poverty, long-tern or chronic unemployment, and lowest educational attainment rates. The centers will have a training component focused on growth industries including healthcare, advanced manufacturing (i.e., biotech, high-tech manufacturing), logistics, hospitality, construction, entertainment and fashion.
“Our centers will prepare and support adult job seekers in their effort to find employment that will provide a living wage job and career opportunities,” said EWDD General Manager Jan Perry, “Now job seekers will have the opportunity to access web based as well as comprehensive on-site WorkSource Center services when they enroll in the program.”
Services will include job listings, job training, job referrals, education assessment, and programs that will make the job search easier and services more accessible.
The new system also focuses on assisting vulnerable populations that include persons living with disabilities, the homeless, veterans, English–language learners, older adult workers, and formerly incarcerated individuals or people with prior convictions.
Locations for the new WorkSource Centers will be announced prior to July 1, 2014, the launch date of the new system.