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Fall Resource Fair
Hundreds of visitors came to our Market Street headquarters yesterday to participate in our Fall Fest Employment and Resource Fair! Over 20 employers were on hand for on-the-spot interviews and hiring, and we distributed free business clothing, household items, and boxes of fresh produce to everyone!
Thanks to the United Way of Greater St. Louis, STLARCHS, Diamond Divas Empowerment Foundation, WIN Warehouse, and our employment partners for making the event a big success, and a special thanks to EC Manager of Career Services Karla Humphrey for her outstanding leadership coordinating this fantastic event!
United Way Annual Employee Giving Campaign
Team EC’s annual pre-kickoff event to launch our agency fundraising campaign in support of the United Way of Greater St. Louis was extremely successful! Over 33% of our staff completed pledge cards at the event, which included complimentary food, games, music, and other fun activities.
The theme of the event was celebrating the 1990s. Staff wore some interesting attire and had fun taking photos with hilarious 90s photo props. This year, Team EC plans to top 2022’s agency record of $12,000 raised for the United Way of Greater St. Louis!
DOCY Update
Our Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition for Youth Team organized an exclusive Mixer for our teens! Through a partnership with the Carondelet Park Rec Complex YMCA, we had access to the teen center, basketball courts, and indoor aquatic center. Our teens spent time learning about each other, played video games and card games, danced, and, of course, we had pizza! Our staff really enjoy creating these spaces for youth to watch them engage with people they otherwise wouldn't have met!
Green Jobs Update
Our Green Jobs Program is ramping up! This month, a new cohort of clients completed World of Work job readiness training in advance of pursuing additional certifications and getting hands-on experience to prepare for careers in sustainable industries.
Richard Reilly from the Missouri Botanical Garden has had a great time teaching our initial cohort of Green Jobs clients the “Roots of Success” curriculum!
Ticket To Work
Our Ticket To Work Program provides opportunities for Social Security Disability recipients to earn additional income, develop skills, and enjoy the fulfillment of work while maintaining their benefits. Contact Lisa Cross Shelton at sheltonl@employmentstl.org to learn more.
WIOA Update
Our WIOA Program for in-school and out-of-school young people is growing to include our new Youth Career Development Program! The program aims to instruct and introduce youth to a wide array of career avenues, all while nurturing a mindset geared toward career development. The program encompasses elements such as career exploration and guidance, mentorship from adults, a curriculum to enhance job readiness, education in financial literacy, youth-led workforce discussions, addressing employment and education concerns, setting personal goals, community service, individual case management, access to valuable resources, and, importantly, securing a guaranteed job placement with one of our partner employers. This opportunity enables participants to acquire both academic knowledge and practical occupational skills that are highly employable. Participants will be eligible for incentives after achieving milestones during the program.
For more information about WIOA and the Youth Career Development Program, contact Sara McCray at mccrays@employmentstl.org.
Welcoming Our New Board President
We've been most grateful for the service of outgoing Board President Steven Fiamingo! We now welcome Richard Buckley to the head of the table! Richard has served as Vice President of our Board for several years, and we're excited to see where his leadership takes us. Steve will remain on our board as our Treasurer so that we can still benefit from his considerable financial management skills.
EC Out and About
Former EC staffer and current GAF Roofing executive Rod Colvin recently stopped by the agency to discuss the recruitment of EC clients who are interested in careers in the growing roofing industry. We're delighted to continue our work together with Rod and GAF!
Brother El, our Manager of Green Jobs, attended the Ujima Day of Culture at the Clay Community Garden last weekend. It was a fantastic event sponsored by one of our new community partners!
Jay represented Team EC at the Pride St. Louis event in Tower Grove Park!
Special Thanks
Team EC wants to extend our sincerest thanks to William “Bill” Boul, who has recently announced his upcoming retirement from a long and successful career in the healthcare industry. Bill has been instrumental in the success of our MWS program, which creates workforce opportunities for our clients in a variety of industries, including healthcare.
Employment Connection/MWS team member Jackie (center) and two MWS clients are currently enjoying their work as they help to make hospital patients more comfortable in their rooms. Thanks again for all of your support and commitment, Bill, and please ENJOY your well-deserved retirement!
There's much more going on at Employment Connection! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to stay up to date with all of our programs and events in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Clair County.
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