thanksthanksthanks The City of Charlottesville SAT

would like to recognize and thank all of our community partners

who have helped make the work-force development efforts in this

update possible.

CENTRAL VIRGINIA PARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CHARLOTTESVILLE ALBEMARLE

TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTER

CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA TRANSIT

CHARLOTTESVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

CHARLOTTESVILLE WORKFORCE

ADVISORY COUNCIL

CHARLOTTESVILLE WORKS INITIATIVE

COMPUTERS4KIDS

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF THE

VALLEYS

JEFFERSON—MADISON REGIONAL LIBRARY

MONTICELLO AREA COMMUNITY

ACTION AGENCY

PARTNERSHIP OF PEER NETWORKS

PIEDMONT VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

PIEDMONT WORKFORCE NETWORK

THOMAS JEFFERSON ADULT

CAREER & EDUCATION

VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP

VIRGINIA WORKFORCE CENTER—

CHARLOTTESVILLE City of Charlottesville, VA 605 E. Main St., Charlottesville, VA 22902

Produced by the Office of Economic Development  

GROWING OPPORTUNITY

2014

update

A PATH TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

Strategic Action Team on Workforce Development Annual Update to City Council

 

STRATEGIC ACTION TEAM The Strategic Action Team on workforce development (SAT), led by the Office of Economic Development, is a multidisciplinary group of City staff that was formed in 2012 to provide input to City Council on workforce issues crossing traditional areas of departmental respon-sibility.

CORY DEMCHAK Office of Economic Development

& Downtown Job Center

DAVID ELLIS City Manager’s Office

GRETCHEN ELLIS Department of Human Services

CHRIS ENGEL Office of Economic Development

MAURICE JONES City Manager’s Office

DIANE KUKNYO Department of Social Services

HOLLIE LEE Office of Economic Development

KELLY LOGAN Department of Social Services

MIKE MURPHY Department of Human Services

JASON NESS Office of Economic Development

MELISSA THACKSTON Neighborhood Development Services

JIM TOLBERT Neighborhood Development Services

The SAT is charged with fostering employment opportunities that move City residents towards self-sufficiency.

Significant progress has been made towards many of the action items in the Growing Opportuni-

ty: A Path to Self-Sufficiency report, which was presented to

City Council a little over a year ago in July 2013. In particular, all

three of the overarching recom-mendations made by the Strategic

Action Team (SAT) have been implemented and are now under-way, including the creation of the Workforce Advisory Council, the

establishment of the Downtown Job Center, and the development

of the Partnership of Peer Net-works.

Additionally, numerous programs and initiatives focusing on the

major barriers to employment for low-income City residents have

been planned, developed, and/or implemented. We strongly believe

that the rapid progress made on these efforts and the aforemen-

tioned overarching recommenda-tions are the direct result of inter-

departmental collaborations and innovative partnerships with ex-ternal community agencies and

organizations.

We hope that you enjoy the report that follows and that you will

walk away as excited as we are about the achievements that have been accomplished over the past

18 months.

updateupdateupdate 2014 Workforce Development Strategic Action Team Annual

Update to City Council

 

3 OVERARCHING RECOMMENDATIONS

Downtown Job Center Ribbon Cutting—September 2014 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION #1: Form a community council that will serve in an adviso-ry capacity to the City when developing and im-plementing its workforce development efforts and strategies.

The City of Charlottesville Workforce Advisory Council

(WAC) was formally approved by City Council in

December 2013. Since this time, the Council has met four times to discuss City

workforce development goals and initiatives. Numerous

collaborations have already developed as a result of these

meetings. Meetings will continue to be held quarterly and additional opportunities

for WAC member engage-ment will be offered.

The WAC is made up of 15 community partners from

agencies/organizations such as: Charlottesville City

Schools, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Char-lottesville Albemarle Tech-nical Education Center, the

Adult Learning Center, Jefferson-Madison Regional

Library, and private firms.

The City of Charlottesville Downtown Job Center officially opened on August 18, 2014 in the lower level of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library located at 201

East Market Street. A formal ribbon cutting, attended by more than 60 community partners, was held on September 10th. The Downtown Job Center is currently

staffed by one full-time Job Center Coordinator, who offers employment services such as help with job searches, completing applications, and resume writing and

review. The Downtown Job Center also administers GO Ride, which provides subsidized bus passes to City residents for employment purposes. There are cur-rently plans to hire another full-time staff person by the end of February 2015 to

allow for enhanced Center services and the administration of BankON.

 

RECOMMENDATION #2: Establish a formal partnership with the Work-force Center by establishing a downtown satellite center to ensure that residents have access to training opportunities.

Data from September 1, 2014 to November 28, 2014. 

365 298 TOTAL

VISITORS CVILLE

VISITORS

69 RECEIVED

RESUME HELP

186 RECEIVED

JOB SEARCH HELP

RECOMMENDATION #3: Explore the possibility of establishing a peer-to-peer network within Charlottesville’s low-income neighborhoods that will provide residents with training and resources.

The Partnership of Peer Networks held its first meeting in July 2014 and estab-lished a working steering committee. On September 8, 2014, two AmeriCorps

volunteers started working a combined total of 30 hours each week as Partnership Peer Navigators. As of September 2014, they have identified 35 peer supporters and navigators and have interviewed 18 individuals. The next milestones will be completion and distribution of the inventory of the Peer Network, establishment

of a training calendar, and completion of the service directory. These items should be complete by late January 2015.

 

STRATEGIC ACTION TEAM The Strategic Action Team on workforce development (SAT), led by the Office of Economic Development, is a multidisciplinary group of City staff that was formed in 2012 to provide input to City Council on workforce issues crossing traditional areas of departmental respon-sibility.

CORY DEMCHAK Office of Economic Development

& Downtown Job Center

DAVID ELLIS City Manager’s Office

GRETCHEN ELLIS Department of Human Services

CHRIS ENGEL Office of Economic Development

MAURICE JONES City Manager’s Office

DIANE KUKNYO Department of Social Services

HOLLIE LEE Office of Economic Development

KELLY LOGAN Department of Social Services

MIKE MURPHY Department of Human Services

JASON NESS Office of Economic Development

MELISSA THACKSTON Neighborhood Development Services

JIM TOLBERT Neighborhood Development Services

The SAT is charged with fostering employment opportunities that move City residents towards self-sufficiency.

Significant progress has been made towards many of the action items in the Growing Opportuni-

ty: A Path to Self-Sufficiency report, which was presented to

City Council a little over a year ago in July 2013. In particular, all

three of the overarching recom-mendations made by the Strategic

Action Team (SAT) have been implemented and are now under-way, including the creation of the Workforce Advisory Council, the

establishment of the Downtown Job Center, and the development

of the Partnership of Peer Net-works.

Additionally, numerous programs and initiatives focusing on the

major barriers to employment for low-income City residents have

been planned, developed, and/or implemented. We strongly believe

that the rapid progress made on these efforts and the aforemen-

tioned overarching recommenda-tions are the direct result of inter-

departmental collaborations and innovative partnerships with ex-ternal community agencies and

organizations.

We hope that you enjoy the report that follows and that you will

walk away as excited as we are about the achievements that have been accomplished over the past

18 months.

updateupdateupdate 2014 Workforce Development Strategic Action Team Annual

Update to City Council

 

3 OVERARCHING RECOMMENDATIONS

Downtown Job Center Ribbon Cutting—September 2014 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION #1: Form a community council that will serve in an adviso-ry capacity to the City when developing and im-plementing its workforce development efforts and strategies.

The City of Charlottesville Workforce Advisory Council

(WAC) was formally approved by City Council in

December 2013. Since this time, the Council has met four times to discuss City

workforce development goals and initiatives. Numerous

collaborations have already developed as a result of these

meetings. Meetings will continue to be held quarterly and additional opportunities

for WAC member engage-ment will be offered.

The WAC is made up of 15 community partners from

agencies/organizations such as: Charlottesville City

Schools, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Char-lottesville Albemarle Tech-nical Education Center, the

Adult Learning Center, Jefferson-Madison Regional

Library, and private firms.

The City of Charlottesville Downtown Job Center officially opened on August 18, 2014 in the lower level of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library located at 201

East Market Street. A formal ribbon cutting, attended by more than 60 community partners, was held on September 10th. The Downtown Job Center is currently

staffed by one full-time Job Center Coordinator, who offers employment services such as help with job searches, completing applications, and resume writing and

review. The Downtown Job Center also administers GO Ride, which provides subsidized bus passes to City residents for employment purposes. There are cur-rently plans to hire another full-time staff person by the end of February 2015 to

allow for enhanced Center services and the administration of BankON.

 

RECOMMENDATION #2: Establish a formal partnership with the Work-force Center by establishing a downtown satellite center to ensure that residents have access to training opportunities.

Data from September 1, 2014 to November 28, 2014. 

365 298 TOTAL

VISITORS CVILLE

VISITORS

69 RECEIVED

RESUME HELP

186 RECEIVED

JOB SEARCH HELP

RECOMMENDATION #3: Explore the possibility of establishing a peer-to-peer network within Charlottesville’s low-income neighborhoods that will provide residents with training and resources.

The Partnership of Peer Networks held its first meeting in July 2014 and estab-lished a working steering committee. On September 8, 2014, two AmeriCorps

volunteers started working a combined total of 30 hours each week as Partnership Peer Navigators. As of September 2014, they have identified 35 peer supporters and navigators and have interviewed 18 individuals. The next milestones will be completion and distribution of the inventory of the Peer Network, establishment

of a training calendar, and completion of the service directory. These items should be complete by late January 2015.

 

BARRIERS

Relay Foods AFID Grant Presentation—June 2014 

JOB CREATION

  JOB CREATION GOAL #1: Assist with the creation of 250 new jobs in City limits within 5 years through active recruit-ment of new businesses.

Over the past year, the Central Virginia Partnership handled 27 prospects for the region. These resulted in 14 announcements

with a projected job total of 1,007 and a capital investment of over $46 million. In the City, the

largest corporate relocation to occur in over a decade took place when CFA Institute completed its

move to the now renovated, for-mer Martha Jefferson Hospital

facility in January 2014. The project included a $24 million

capital investment and brought 400 employees downtown.

Since the Growing Opportunity report was written, employment levels have risen. The region is reporting an additional 4,833 jobs from 2010 to 2013 for a total of 114,911. The City is reporting 1,320 new jobs during the same period for a total of 35,965. For the City, this represents a dynamic shift, as the previous ten-year period had result-ed in a steady loss of jobs. SAT staff estimates that residents have ob-tained nearly 200 jobs as a result of the implementation of Growing Opportunity action steps.

  JOB CREATION GOAL #2: Assist existing and growing City businesses with the creation of 250 additional jobs over the 5 years.

On June 30, 2014, Governor McAuliffe visited Charlottesville’s own Relay Foods to announce its selection as a recipient of a $50,000 grant given through

the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID). The Commonwealth of Virginia partnered with the City of Charlottesville, which provided the local match, and Relay Foods on this project. The company, a lead-ing online grocery store and farmers market, will invest more than $735,000 into

the business and create 25 new jobs.

In January of 2014, the Office of Economic Development (OED) and the Char-lottesville Economic Development Authority (CEDA) worked together to imple-ment the VJIP Match Program. In partnership with the Virginia Jobs Investment

Program, the City, through CEDA, matches State funds to encourage job creation efforts of City-based businesses. Additional funding is provided if new hires are City residents. Since its inception, eight businesses have been qualified and en-

rolled in the program. Collectively, over the next three years, they anticipate hiring 453 employees with a potential payroll of almost $30 million dollars.

  JOB CREATION GOAL #3: In support of goals 1 and 2, work to ensure that training programs align with the needs of new and existing business.

Earlier this year, members of the Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) Advisory Board expressed a need for bus drivers. Based on this need, the SAT, in partner-

ship with CAT and PVCC, developed Growing Opportunity Driver (GO Driver), which is a pre-employment training program consisting of four weeks of inten-

sive customer service and commercial driver’s license (CDL) instruction. Twelve students recently graduated from the program, which began in early October.

Eight students were hired by CAT in November as a Relief Transit Bus Opera-tors at a rate of $15.18 per hour. These individuals are now receiving on-the-job

training to earn their permanent CDL. It is anticipated that the four remaining GO Driver students will be hired in February 2015. Due to the program’s suc-

cess, a second cohort is being planned for Spring 2015. Several new training programs based on GO Driver are also in development.  

5 BARRIERS JOB CREATION CONT’D   JOB CREATION GOAL #4: Develop a strategy for the OED’s business visitation pro-gram that focuses on employ-ers’ workforce needs.

Since the release of the Growing Opportunity report, the Business

Visitation Program has been a very active part of the OED, with

visits exceeding the projected number by 44%. Business visit conversations cover the entire

range of business operations and help to identify and create a

referral pipeline for City-based career opportunities. Several

examples of business visitations that have led to workforce devel-

opment discussions, and ulti-mately the placement of City

residents in local jobs, include: World of Beer, Homewood

Suites, and Progressive Change. The OED will continue to target businesses with semi-skilled job

opportunities in 2015.

  JOB CREATION GOAL #5: Continue to support our community’s entre-preneurial efforts and explore innovative ways to help small businesses start, grow, and succeed.

The Advancing Charlottesville Entrepreneurs (ACE) Program was created by OED staff using Community Development Block Grant Funds to enhance low- to moderate-income business owners’ business capacity. Businesses enrolled in

the program work with OED staff and specialized business consultants to receive a business analysis and develop targeted business strategies to increase revenue. During its first year, the ACE Program exceeded its original projection of serv-

ing 10 businesses by serving 17 businesses. Several businesses enrolled in the ACE Program are already experiencing positive results. One business reports an

increase in customers due to targeted customer marketing. In addition, others have experienced outcomes such as increased profit margins and increased sales.

The ACE Program is currently in its second year and has served 30 businesses.

In an effort to help existing small, women-, and/or minority-owned businesses (SWaM) grow their sales and increase their revenue by selling to the govern-

ment, the OED, in partnership with the Division of Procurement & Risk Man-agement, held a procurement workshop and the City’s first Government Procure-ment Fair in March of 2014. More than 40 businesses attended the workshop that

covered topics such as becoming a registered vendor with the City, obtaining SWaM certification, and marketing to the government. Over 100 attendees par-ticipated in the Fair, which allowed local businesses the opportunity to talk face-

to-face with 15 City departments and representatives from Albemarle County, Orange County, Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC), Region Ten,

and CFA Institute. As a result of participating in the Fair, several SWaM busi-nesses have started selling their products/services to the City.

To encourage youth entrepreneurship, the OED has collaborated with Comput-ers4Kids for two consecutive years to host a Youth Entrepreneurship Summer

Camp. During the summer camp, students explore business basics and the steps involved to start a business. The overall goal of the camp is to provide the re-sources and guidance to help the kids launch their own business and promote

enthusiasm about entrepreneurship. The camp culminates with a Business Pitch Competition, which allows the students to compete in front of a judging panel

comprised of entrepreneurs and community business leaders. The last two years have produced 37 graduates of the summer camp. Beyan Johnson, owner of Amazing Cleaning

Service, was 1 of 17 businesses participating in the ACE Program in FY 2015.  

Selling to the City Workshop—March 2014 

 

BARRIERS

Relay Foods AFID Grant Presentation—June 2014 

JOB CREATION

  JOB CREATION GOAL #1: Assist with the creation of 250 new jobs in City limits within 5 years through active recruit-ment of new businesses.

Over the past year, the Central Virginia Partnership handled 27 prospects for the region. These resulted in 14 announcements

with a projected job total of 1,007 and a capital investment of over $46 million. In the City, the

largest corporate relocation to occur in over a decade took place when CFA Institute completed its

move to the now renovated, for-mer Martha Jefferson Hospital

facility in January 2014. The project included a $24 million

capital investment and brought 400 employees downtown.

Since the Growing Opportunity report was written, employment levels have risen. The region is reporting an additional 4,833 jobs from 2010 to 2013 for a total of 114,911. The City is reporting 1,320 new jobs during the same period for a total of 35,965. For the City, this represents a dynamic shift, as the previous ten-year period had result-ed in a steady loss of jobs. SAT staff estimates that residents have ob-tained nearly 200 jobs as a result of the implementation of Growing Opportunity action steps.

  JOB CREATION GOAL #2: Assist existing and growing City businesses with the creation of 250 additional jobs over the 5 years.

On June 30, 2014, Governor McAuliffe visited Charlottesville’s own Relay Foods to announce its selection as a recipient of a $50,000 grant given through

the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID). The Commonwealth of Virginia partnered with the City of Charlottesville, which provided the local match, and Relay Foods on this project. The company, a lead-ing online grocery store and farmers market, will invest more than $735,000 into

the business and create 25 new jobs.

In January of 2014, the Office of Economic Development (OED) and the Char-lottesville Economic Development Authority (CEDA) worked together to imple-ment the VJIP Match Program. In partnership with the Virginia Jobs Investment

Program, the City, through CEDA, matches State funds to encourage job creation efforts of City-based businesses. Additional funding is provided if new hires are City residents. Since its inception, eight businesses have been qualified and en-

rolled in the program. Collectively, over the next three years, they anticipate hiring 453 employees with a potential payroll of almost $30 million dollars.

  JOB CREATION GOAL #3: In support of goals 1 and 2, work to ensure that training programs align with the needs of new and existing business.

Earlier this year, members of the Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) Advisory Board expressed a need for bus drivers. Based on this need, the SAT, in partner-

ship with CAT and PVCC, developed Growing Opportunity Driver (GO Driver), which is a pre-employment training program consisting of four weeks of inten-

sive customer service and commercial driver’s license (CDL) instruction. Twelve students recently graduated from the program, which began in early October.

Eight students were hired by CAT in November as a Relief Transit Bus Opera-tors at a rate of $15.18 per hour. These individuals are now receiving on-the-job

training to earn their permanent CDL. It is anticipated that the four remaining GO Driver students will be hired in February 2015. Due to the program’s suc-

cess, a second cohort is being planned for Spring 2015. Several new training programs based on GO Driver are also in development.  

5 BARRIERS JOB CREATION CONT’D   JOB CREATION GOAL #4: Develop a strategy for the OED’s business visitation pro-gram that focuses on employ-ers’ workforce needs.

Since the release of the Growing Opportunity report, the Business

Visitation Program has been a very active part of the OED, with

visits exceeding the projected number by 44%. Business visit conversations cover the entire

range of business operations and help to identify and create a

referral pipeline for City-based career opportunities. Several

examples of business visitations that have led to workforce devel-

opment discussions, and ulti-mately the placement of City

residents in local jobs, include: World of Beer, Homewood

Suites, and Progressive Change. The OED will continue to target businesses with semi-skilled job

opportunities in 2015.

  JOB CREATION GOAL #5: Continue to support our community’s entre-preneurial efforts and explore innovative ways to help small businesses start, grow, and succeed.

The Advancing Charlottesville Entrepreneurs (ACE) Program was created by OED staff using Community Development Block Grant Funds to enhance low- to moderate-income business owners’ business capacity. Businesses enrolled in

the program work with OED staff and specialized business consultants to receive a business analysis and develop targeted business strategies to increase revenue. During its first year, the ACE Program exceeded its original projection of serv-

ing 10 businesses by serving 17 businesses. Several businesses enrolled in the ACE Program are already experiencing positive results. One business reports an

increase in customers due to targeted customer marketing. In addition, others have experienced outcomes such as increased profit margins and increased sales.

The ACE Program is currently in its second year and has served 30 businesses.

In an effort to help existing small, women-, and/or minority-owned businesses (SWaM) grow their sales and increase their revenue by selling to the govern-

ment, the OED, in partnership with the Division of Procurement & Risk Man-agement, held a procurement workshop and the City’s first Government Procure-ment Fair in March of 2014. More than 40 businesses attended the workshop that

covered topics such as becoming a registered vendor with the City, obtaining SWaM certification, and marketing to the government. Over 100 attendees par-ticipated in the Fair, which allowed local businesses the opportunity to talk face-

to-face with 15 City departments and representatives from Albemarle County, Orange County, Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC), Region Ten,

and CFA Institute. As a result of participating in the Fair, several SWaM busi-nesses have started selling their products/services to the City.

To encourage youth entrepreneurship, the OED has collaborated with Comput-ers4Kids for two consecutive years to host a Youth Entrepreneurship Summer

Camp. During the summer camp, students explore business basics and the steps involved to start a business. The overall goal of the camp is to provide the re-sources and guidance to help the kids launch their own business and promote

enthusiasm about entrepreneurship. The camp culminates with a Business Pitch Competition, which allows the students to compete in front of a judging panel

comprised of entrepreneurs and community business leaders. The last two years have produced 37 graduates of the summer camp. Beyan Johnson, owner of Amazing Cleaning

Service, was 1 of 17 businesses participating in the ACE Program in FY 2015.  

Selling to the City Workshop—March 2014 

 

BARRIERS BASIC LITERACY   BASIC LITERACY GOAL #1: Work with TJACE and the ALC to imple-

ment a PluggedIn program for adult learners in Charlottesville that is modeled after PluggedInVA.

From January to May of 2014, Thomas Jefferson Adult & Career Education (TJACE) conducted the PluggedIn Virginia (PIVA) pilot program with eight individuals from the Charlottesville area. The pilot focused on education and

training in customer service given the demand for this skill by area employers. Students experienced many notable achievements. All eight students who orig-

inally enrolled successfully graduated from the program. All eight students earned a Career Readiness Certificate, Microsoft Digital Literacy Certificate, National Retail Federation Certification in Customer Service, and nine com-munity college credit hours through Piedmont Virginia Community College

(PVCC). All eight students participated in workplace readiness training, attended onsite training sessions at CustomInk, and completed a group cap-

stone project. Four students found jobs as a result of being enrolled in the program, and five students have continued their education at PVCC.

The program was a collaborative effort co-funded by the Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Adult Education and Literacy (OAEL) and the City

of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development. TJACE is currently recruiting for its next cohort, which is slated to begin in January 2015.

 BASIC LITERACY GOAL #2: Work with TJACE and the ALC to raise awareness among City residents about impending changes to GED testing and develop strategies for addressing these changes once they have taken place.

On January 1, 2014, significant changes were made to the General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Test

takers who had not successfully passed all five content areas by this

date were required to retake all portions of the test under the new changes. To help increase aware-

ness about these changes and encourage individuals to take the test before January 1st, the SAT

assisted with outreach efforts—e.g., putting posters on City buses, in-

cluding information in City news-letters, sending out a press release,

and running public service announcements on TV10.

In order to create awareness about the changes and encourage individ-

uals to take the test, the OED also worked with TJACE to establish a

GED test voucher program, where-by City residents needing assistance with testing fees would have access

to vouchers that would cover the cost of the test. The remaining

funds were carried over to FY 2015 to continue this assistance.

  BASIC LITERACY GOAL #4: Enhance the City’s partnership with Pied-mont Workforce Network (PWN) to maximize the training dollars avail-able for low-income City residents and wage subsidies for employers hiring these individuals.

In August 2014, members of the SAT met with PWN and Goodwill staff to discuss opportunities to maximize the use of Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

dollars for the training and hiring of low-income City residents. As a result, the City was able to work with both parties to fund training costs for six of the 12 GO Driver students. CAT also received a wage subsidy for these individu-als, thus resulting in a $7,500 employer hiring reimbursement to the City. The SAT also worked with PWN and the Workforce Investment Board to increase

the threshold limit for underemployed individuals seeking WIA assistance.  

PluggedInVA Graduation—June 2014 

 

7 BARRIERS WORKPLACE READINESS  WORKPLACE READINESS GOAL #1: Design and implement pilot of VIEW’s career training track program using FY 2014 Community Develop-ment Block Grant (CDBG) funding.

In 2013, the Charlottesville Department of Social Service’s Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW) Program received Community Develop-

ment Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the City in order to train VIEW clients for careers in three of our area’s high demand industries (hospitality/tourism,

healthcare, and office administration).

During Fiscal Year 2014, two sessions were held—one in Fall 2013 (five partici-pants) and one in Spring 2014 (six participants). Eleven clients were referred and

nine successfully completed their career training tracks. Of these participants, one person chose the hospitality/tourism career track, three chose healthcare, and

seven chose office administration. Examples of training modules included:

WIN Orientation at PVCC Career Readiness Certificate through PVCC (3 Silver and 7 Bronze)

Teamwork (WIN series) Business Writing (WIN series)

Customer Service In Action through the Extension Office Financial Literacy through Piedmont Housing Alliance

Certified Tourism Ambassador through Journey through Hallowed Ground National Retail Federation Customer Service Certification

Of the 11 participants, seven are employed. Two healthcare graduates are work-ing at Region 10 as Community Service Associates, and one of these individuals

was recently promoted. One office administration graduate works at an HVAC company, another works at a local nursing home, and another works at UVA

HealthSouth. One other graduate is working at a catering company.

Due to the pilot program’s success during Fiscal Year 2014, VIEW received CDBG funding in Fiscal Year 2015 to repeat the program. On December 16, 2014, another cohort of four VIEW clients graduated from the program. Two individuals focused on office administration and two on hospitality/culinary.

Three of these individuals are currently employed, and one is participating in a WIA internship opportunity with a local business. It is important to note that in

addition to the WIA internship, VIEW has worked closely with PWN and Good-will to subsidize additional training costs through the use of WIA funds.

A 2014 Harris Poll, conducted on behalf of CareerBuilder of over 2,000

human resource professionals from various industries, once again sug-gests the importance of workplace

readiness skills in hiring and employ-ment. In fact, 77% of those surveyed said that workplace readiness skills,

or soft skills, are just as important in hiring than technical skills, or hard

skills. The top three workplace readi-ness skills indicated include: strong

work ethic (73%), dependability (73%), and a positive attitude (72%). These results remain in line with the findings of the SAT when members

conducted several surveys about workplace readiness skills in 2013.

Efforts to address the workplace readiness barrier in Charlottesville

have been top-of-mind since the release of the Growing Opportunity report in 2013. In June of 2014, the

SAT, in partnership with Char-lottesville Works Initiative, pulled

together approximately 20 workforce development service providers to

brainstorm and discuss best practices for soft skills training. As a result of

this meeting, the SAT and Char-lottesville Works developed a work-

place readiness curriculum, instructed by Piedmont Virginia Community

College, that will be/has been incor-porated into the various training pro-grams being conducted by both par-

ties. Evaluation of this curriculum will be conducted in early 2015.

GO Driver Graduation—November 2014. 

 

BARRIERS BASIC LITERACY   BASIC LITERACY GOAL #1: Work with TJACE and the ALC to imple-

ment a PluggedIn program for adult learners in Charlottesville that is modeled after PluggedInVA.

From January to May of 2014, Thomas Jefferson Adult & Career Education (TJACE) conducted the PluggedIn Virginia (PIVA) pilot program with eight individuals from the Charlottesville area. The pilot focused on education and

training in customer service given the demand for this skill by area employers. Students experienced many notable achievements. All eight students who orig-

inally enrolled successfully graduated from the program. All eight students earned a Career Readiness Certificate, Microsoft Digital Literacy Certificate, National Retail Federation Certification in Customer Service, and nine com-munity college credit hours through Piedmont Virginia Community College

(PVCC). All eight students participated in workplace readiness training, attended onsite training sessions at CustomInk, and completed a group cap-

stone project. Four students found jobs as a result of being enrolled in the program, and five students have continued their education at PVCC.

The program was a collaborative effort co-funded by the Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Adult Education and Literacy (OAEL) and the City

of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development. TJACE is currently recruiting for its next cohort, which is slated to begin in January 2015.

 BASIC LITERACY GOAL #2: Work with TJACE and the ALC to raise awareness among City residents about impending changes to GED testing and develop strategies for addressing these changes once they have taken place.

On January 1, 2014, significant changes were made to the General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Test

takers who had not successfully passed all five content areas by this

date were required to retake all portions of the test under the new changes. To help increase aware-

ness about these changes and encourage individuals to take the test before January 1st, the SAT

assisted with outreach efforts—e.g., putting posters on City buses, in-

cluding information in City news-letters, sending out a press release,

and running public service announcements on TV10.

In order to create awareness about the changes and encourage individ-

uals to take the test, the OED also worked with TJACE to establish a

GED test voucher program, where-by City residents needing assistance with testing fees would have access

to vouchers that would cover the cost of the test. The remaining

funds were carried over to FY 2015 to continue this assistance.

  BASIC LITERACY GOAL #4: Enhance the City’s partnership with Pied-mont Workforce Network (PWN) to maximize the training dollars avail-able for low-income City residents and wage subsidies for employers hiring these individuals.

In August 2014, members of the SAT met with PWN and Goodwill staff to discuss opportunities to maximize the use of Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

dollars for the training and hiring of low-income City residents. As a result, the City was able to work with both parties to fund training costs for six of the 12 GO Driver students. CAT also received a wage subsidy for these individu-als, thus resulting in a $7,500 employer hiring reimbursement to the City. The SAT also worked with PWN and the Workforce Investment Board to increase

the threshold limit for underemployed individuals seeking WIA assistance.  

PluggedInVA Graduation—June 2014 

 

7 BARRIERS WORKPLACE READINESS  WORKPLACE READINESS GOAL #1: Design and implement pilot of VIEW’s career training track program using FY 2014 Community Develop-ment Block Grant (CDBG) funding.

In 2013, the Charlottesville Department of Social Service’s Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW) Program received Community Develop-

ment Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the City in order to train VIEW clients for careers in three of our area’s high demand industries (hospitality/tourism,

healthcare, and office administration).

During Fiscal Year 2014, two sessions were held—one in Fall 2013 (five partici-pants) and one in Spring 2014 (six participants). Eleven clients were referred and

nine successfully completed their career training tracks. Of these participants, one person chose the hospitality/tourism career track, three chose healthcare, and

seven chose office administration. Examples of training modules included:

WIN Orientation at PVCC Career Readiness Certificate through PVCC (3 Silver and 7 Bronze)

Teamwork (WIN series) Business Writing (WIN series)

Customer Service In Action through the Extension Office Financial Literacy through Piedmont Housing Alliance

Certified Tourism Ambassador through Journey through Hallowed Ground National Retail Federation Customer Service Certification

Of the 11 participants, seven are employed. Two healthcare graduates are work-ing at Region 10 as Community Service Associates, and one of these individuals

was recently promoted. One office administration graduate works at an HVAC company, another works at a local nursing home, and another works at UVA

HealthSouth. One other graduate is working at a catering company.

Due to the pilot program’s success during Fiscal Year 2014, VIEW received CDBG funding in Fiscal Year 2015 to repeat the program. On December 16, 2014, another cohort of four VIEW clients graduated from the program. Two individuals focused on office administration and two on hospitality/culinary.

Three of these individuals are currently employed, and one is participating in a WIA internship opportunity with a local business. It is important to note that in

addition to the WIA internship, VIEW has worked closely with PWN and Good-will to subsidize additional training costs through the use of WIA funds.

A 2014 Harris Poll, conducted on behalf of CareerBuilder of over 2,000

human resource professionals from various industries, once again sug-gests the importance of workplace

readiness skills in hiring and employ-ment. In fact, 77% of those surveyed said that workplace readiness skills,

or soft skills, are just as important in hiring than technical skills, or hard

skills. The top three workplace readi-ness skills indicated include: strong

work ethic (73%), dependability (73%), and a positive attitude (72%). These results remain in line with the findings of the SAT when members

conducted several surveys about workplace readiness skills in 2013.

Efforts to address the workplace readiness barrier in Charlottesville

have been top-of-mind since the release of the Growing Opportunity report in 2013. In June of 2014, the

SAT, in partnership with Char-lottesville Works Initiative, pulled

together approximately 20 workforce development service providers to

brainstorm and discuss best practices for soft skills training. As a result of

this meeting, the SAT and Char-lottesville Works developed a work-

place readiness curriculum, instructed by Piedmont Virginia Community

College, that will be/has been incor-porated into the various training pro-grams being conducted by both par-

ties. Evaluation of this curriculum will be conducted in early 2015.

GO Driver Graduation—November 2014. 

 

BARRIERS TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION GOAL #1: Design and implement a subsidized bus pass program for eligible City residents who are seeking em-ployment or have obtained a new job and need assistance with bus pass costs for the first three months of employment. The Growing Opportunity Transportation Assistance Program (GO Ride)

launched in May 2014 to address transportation as a barrier to employ-ment. This program provides City residents facing transportation chal-

lenges, as it relates to employment access, with 3 months of fully subsi-dized bus passes using the Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) system. During the pilot of GO Ride, which lasted from May until July 2014,

SAT members partnered with 9 workforce development agencies to refer clients to the program. Each agency was responsible for ensuring partici-pant eligibility and tracking job employment and retention metrics. Dur-

ing the pilot, 110 passes were issued, with 1 out of every 2 passes playing some role in the employment process. (See more results below.)

Due to the success of the program, GO Ride has continued beyond the pilot phase and is now administered through the City’s Downtown Job Center. From September through December 2014, approximately 275

monthly bus passes were issued to City residents. Seventy-one resumes were created, 79 interviews were attained, and 45 jobs were obtained.

The GO Ride program would not be possible without the collaborative spirit and willingness to help City residents shown by CAT leadership

and Downtown Transit Center staff.

    TRANSPORTATION GOAL #2: En-hance partnerships with non-profit organizations that offer transporta-tion assistance to low-income City residents in order to improve access to affordable and reliable modes of transportation.

Since July 2014, SAT members have been meeting regularly with Monticello

Area Community Action Agency (MACAA) staff to reestablish its

Wheels to Work program, which will provide used vehicles that have been donated by the public to low-income City residents needing reliable trans-

portation for employment. Char-lottesville Albemarle Technical Educa-

tion Center (CATEC) has also been involved in the conversation in order to

engage auto dealerships on its Auto Advisory Board that might be interest-

ed in assisting with parts and repairs either pro bono or at a reduced rate. Eligibility criteria for City residents

interested in participating in Wheels to Work have been established (see

below) and details regarding vehicle donations and repairs are currently

being finalized. It is anticipated that the program will launch by Spring 2015.

City of Charlottesville resident Clean driving record

Employed at least 30 hours per week Employed for at least one month

125% Federal Poverty Level Data from GO Ride pilot, which was conducted between May and July of 2014. 

50 24 25

# OF INTERVIEWS

EARNED

# OF JOBS

MAINTAINED

# OF JOBS

ATTAINED

2014

GO RIDE GO RIDE GO RIDE PILOT RESULTS

 

9 BARRIERS CHILDCARE   CHILDCARE GOAL #2: Increase the availability of, and accessibility to, childcare options during non-

traditional hours.

For this goal, most of the SAT’s effort has been spent on Action Step 2.1—conduct a market analysis to determine the need for non-traditional childcare options in the Charlottesville community. Between March and September of 2014,

the SAT, with assistance from several University of Virginia interns, completed three studies on the need for affordable and available childcare services in the area. The first study, Childcare Facilities Market Analysis, looked specifically at 30 licensed childcare facilities and considered factors such as: location, hours, capacity, group size, cost, and subsidies

accepted. The results from the analysis indicated that most facilities offer traditional morning and afternoon hours, with hours ranging from 6:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday. Currently, none of these facilities operate on weekends.

In light of this, the study suggested both a need and demand for non-traditional childcare options.

The second study, In-Home Childcare in Charlottesville, consisted of a market analysis of in-home childcare providers. These providers included nine licensed in-home family daycare providers and 30 voluntarily registered in-home daycare

providers. In addition to examining the same criteria from the Childcare Facilities Market Analysis, this study also looked at factors such as the providers’ level of education and bus accessibility. Regarding availability of childcare, the average capacity for licensed family daycare providers is 11. Almost 70% of these providers are at maximum capacity.

The average capacity for voluntarily registered providers is four, and over 50% of these providers are full. Additionally, 83% of licensed family daycare providers operate only Monday through Friday. About 50% operate between the hours of 7:00am and 5:00pm. Only a handful of providers offer non-traditional hours beyond 5:00pm or 6:00pm. Similarly, a

majority of voluntarily licensed daycare providers offer their services Monday through Friday. However, about 44% offer services beyond 6:00pm.

In considering accessibility of in-home childcare providers, the study found that 83% of licensed family daycare providers were located on, or near, a public bus route. For voluntarily registered providers, 100% were located, on or near, a bus

route. Accessibility to childcare facilities is similar, with about 40% being within 500 feet of a bus stop. (See map to the left.) Although it appears that childcare is

accessible through public transportation for low-income City residents, the logis-tics of making such an arrangement work can often be difficult.

The third study on childcare consisted of four focus groups with Charlottesville residents. Most participants were low-income, single mothers with more than one child. During the focus groups, the participants expressed several concerns about childcare including: the expensive cost of childcare, accessibility in terms of be-

ing able to get their children to and from childcare providers, lack of trust in pro-viders, and the desire for high quality childcare in a safe environment. In order to expand upon the qualitative data gathered in these three studies, the SAT plans to

conduct a quantitative survey to gather additional information in 2015.

 

BARRIERS TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION GOAL #1: Design and implement a subsidized bus pass program for eligible City residents who are seeking em-ployment or have obtained a new job and need assistance with bus pass costs for the first three months of employment. The Growing Opportunity Transportation Assistance Program (GO Ride)

launched in May 2014 to address transportation as a barrier to employ-ment. This program provides City residents facing transportation chal-

lenges, as it relates to employment access, with 3 months of fully subsi-dized bus passes using the Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) system. During the pilot of GO Ride, which lasted from May until July 2014,

SAT members partnered with 9 workforce development agencies to refer clients to the program. Each agency was responsible for ensuring partici-pant eligibility and tracking job employment and retention metrics. Dur-

ing the pilot, 110 passes were issued, with 1 out of every 2 passes playing some role in the employment process. (See more results below.)

Due to the success of the program, GO Ride has continued beyond the pilot phase and is now administered through the City’s Downtown Job Center. From September through December 2014, approximately 275

monthly bus passes were issued to City residents. Seventy-one resumes were created, 79 interviews were attained, and 45 jobs were obtained.

The GO Ride program would not be possible without the collaborative spirit and willingness to help City residents shown by CAT leadership

and Downtown Transit Center staff.

    TRANSPORTATION GOAL #2: En-hance partnerships with non-profit organizations that offer transporta-tion assistance to low-income City residents in order to improve access to affordable and reliable modes of transportation.

Since July 2014, SAT members have been meeting regularly with Monticello

Area Community Action Agency (MACAA) staff to reestablish its

Wheels to Work program, which will provide used vehicles that have been donated by the public to low-income City residents needing reliable trans-

portation for employment. Char-lottesville Albemarle Technical Educa-

tion Center (CATEC) has also been involved in the conversation in order to

engage auto dealerships on its Auto Advisory Board that might be interest-

ed in assisting with parts and repairs either pro bono or at a reduced rate. Eligibility criteria for City residents

interested in participating in Wheels to Work have been established (see

below) and details regarding vehicle donations and repairs are currently

being finalized. It is anticipated that the program will launch by Spring 2015.

City of Charlottesville resident Clean driving record

Employed at least 30 hours per week Employed for at least one month

125% Federal Poverty Level Data from GO Ride pilot, which was conducted between May and July of 2014. 

50 24 25

# OF INTERVIEWS

EARNED

# OF JOBS

MAINTAINED

# OF JOBS

ATTAINED

2014

GO RIDE GO RIDE GO RIDE PILOT RESULTS

 

9 BARRIERS CHILDCARE   CHILDCARE GOAL #2: Increase the availability of, and accessibility to, childcare options during non-

traditional hours.

For this goal, most of the SAT’s effort has been spent on Action Step 2.1—conduct a market analysis to determine the need for non-traditional childcare options in the Charlottesville community. Between March and September of 2014,

the SAT, with assistance from several University of Virginia interns, completed three studies on the need for affordable and available childcare services in the area. The first study, Childcare Facilities Market Analysis, looked specifically at 30 licensed childcare facilities and considered factors such as: location, hours, capacity, group size, cost, and subsidies

accepted. The results from the analysis indicated that most facilities offer traditional morning and afternoon hours, with hours ranging from 6:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday. Currently, none of these facilities operate on weekends.

In light of this, the study suggested both a need and demand for non-traditional childcare options.

The second study, In-Home Childcare in Charlottesville, consisted of a market analysis of in-home childcare providers. These providers included nine licensed in-home family daycare providers and 30 voluntarily registered in-home daycare

providers. In addition to examining the same criteria from the Childcare Facilities Market Analysis, this study also looked at factors such as the providers’ level of education and bus accessibility. Regarding availability of childcare, the average capacity for licensed family daycare providers is 11. Almost 70% of these providers are at maximum capacity.

The average capacity for voluntarily registered providers is four, and over 50% of these providers are full. Additionally, 83% of licensed family daycare providers operate only Monday through Friday. About 50% operate between the hours of 7:00am and 5:00pm. Only a handful of providers offer non-traditional hours beyond 5:00pm or 6:00pm. Similarly, a

majority of voluntarily licensed daycare providers offer their services Monday through Friday. However, about 44% offer services beyond 6:00pm.

In considering accessibility of in-home childcare providers, the study found that 83% of licensed family daycare providers were located on, or near, a public bus route. For voluntarily registered providers, 100% were located, on or near, a bus

route. Accessibility to childcare facilities is similar, with about 40% being within 500 feet of a bus stop. (See map to the left.) Although it appears that childcare is

accessible through public transportation for low-income City residents, the logis-tics of making such an arrangement work can often be difficult.

The third study on childcare consisted of four focus groups with Charlottesville residents. Most participants were low-income, single mothers with more than one child. During the focus groups, the participants expressed several concerns about childcare including: the expensive cost of childcare, accessibility in terms of be-

ing able to get their children to and from childcare providers, lack of trust in pro-viders, and the desire for high quality childcare in a safe environment. In order to expand upon the qualitative data gathered in these three studies, the SAT plans to

conduct a quantitative survey to gather additional information in 2015.

 

BARRIERS CRIMINAL HISTORY & HOUSING

    housinghousinghousing criminal historycriminal historycriminal history

HOUSING GOAL #1: Reduce the number of home-less families and individuals, as well as reduce the time spent without housing.

Towards this goal, units have been added to the total number of supported affordable housing in the City

through the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs. A Housing Locator position, designed

to assist individuals in finding and gaining access to affordable housing, was also funded and filled. To date,

this individual has been educating himself on the local rental market, fair market housing policy, and the land-lord/tenant act, as well as connecting with local and re-

gional housing specialists/realtors; helping to match homeless or potentially homeless clients with housing

options; and developing a list of housing resources, apartment complexes, and landlords from the Housing

Resource Sheet and the Section 8 list.

HOUSING GOALS #3 & #4: Maintain and improve the quality of Charlottesville’s housing stock by providing homeowner rehabs to address structural and emergency needs. Add units of affordable hous-ing in order to meet the needs of the community. Projects supported this year include: homeowner rehabs, first time homebuyer down payments, support of renters at The Crossings, and a new mixed-use development on 5th Street. In an effort to create a GIS-based affordable housing suitability model to help facilitate policy deci-

sions relative to the placement and financial support for affordable housing, the Master Address Table is also

currently being refined to provide accurate, up-to-date housing data.

CRIMINAL HISTORY GOAL #3: Promote post-release opportunities that will serve to train Char-lottesville residents with job skills and workplace skills and assist the transition from incarceration. SAT members continue to serve on, and actively partici-pate in, the area’s Reentry Council, which regularly dis-

cusses this issue. Additionally, City funding continues to be given to Offender Aid & Restoration (OAR) to

administer the Coming Home to Work Program. Over the past year, OAR staff has greatly expanded work op-portunities for ex-offenders participating in the program to include numerous private sector employers. Since the changes have occurred, the program has seen significant

improvements. Of the 12 individuals who have been placed since March 2014, 9 are still employed—6 at

original placements and 3 at new, full-time jobs.

CRIMINAL HISTORY GOAL #2: Continue to pro-mote Charlottesville as a “City of Second Chances” by removing barriers for qualified ex-offenders when seeking employment with the City. In Fall 2013, members of the SAT met with City Human

Resources (HR) staff to discuss ways for continued support surrounding barriers to City employment for ex-offenders. As a result, HR staff initiated a change in the language used in regards to criminal background under

the FAQ section on the City’s Job Board. HR also enhanced training for its hiring managers concerning

barrier crimes and criminal records. An example of this new approach is evidenced by GO Driver, where crimi-

nal histories were evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, HR removed the criminal background

question (box) from the City’s job application.

 

112015 PRIORITIES

BARRIER RECOMMENDATIONS

OVERARCHING RECOMMENDATIONS

Processes and programs of the Downtown Job Center will contin-ue to be enhanced. A new full-time staff person will be hired to assist with the Center and BankON.

The Partnership of Peer Networks will continue to be formalized. A Peer Network inventory, training calendar, and service directory will also be created.

The Workforce Advisory Council will continue to meet quarterly to discuss workforce development efforts and additional opportunities for expanded partnerships.

WORKFORCE ADVISORY COUNCIL DOWNTOWN JOB CENTER PEER NETWORK

The OED will continue its efforts to create 250 new jobs in the City by working with CVPED to recruit new industry to Charlottesville and enhancing the Office’s

Business Visitation Program in such a way that supports local businesses interested in expanding their workforce. In support of this goal, the SAT will work to ensure that training programs align with the needs of these new and existing businesses so that they will have access to qualified job candidates when hiring. This will involve the creation of new workforce develop-ment programs (such as GO Driver) that provide pre-employment training opportunities for low-income City residents. The OED will also continue to provide support/programming for those interested in starting and growing businesses in the City.

JOB CREATION

The SAT will work with partners

to examine the importance of the Career Readiness Certifi-cate (CRC) on job readiness. Using CAT as the test em-ployer, the SAT will also explore how the credential corre-lates with success on the job. Based on the findings, a pos-sible marketing campaign to employers will be considered.

BASIC LITERACY In partnership with Charlottesville

Works and PVCC, the SAT will continue to offer the afore-mentioned curriculum as part of all workforce training pro-grams. An evaluation of the curriculum will be conducted after training and employment to determine any necessary changes/tweaks to the programming.

WORKPLACE READINESS

The SAT will con-tinue to work with

CAT to administer the GO Ride bus pass program and ex-plore other opportunities to enhance residents’ access to employment through public transportation. The SAT will also work with MACAA to further establish guidelines for Wheels to Work and launch the program in early spring.

TRANSPORTATION In partnership with City Schools and

workforce service providers, the SAT will conduct a survey to gather quantitative data about the affordability, accessi-bility, and quality of childcare in Charlottesville. The infor-mation gathered will be used to expand upon the qualitative data in the previously mentioned studies.

CHILDCARE

SAT members will continue to work

with Legal Aid on legislative issues and license restoration for ex-offenders and with community partners as a daily reporting center. The SAT will also collaborate with part-ners to identify employment opportunities for ex-offenders in the private sector and/or through entrepreneurship.

CRIMINAL HISTORY The SAT, in part-nership with non-

profits and private developers, will continue to support the development of new affordable housing to meet the needs of the community. Creative ways to fund such projects will be explored (e.g., a voucher program, a dedicated funding stream to fill financing gaps, etc.).

HOUSING

 

BARRIERS CRIMINAL HISTORY & HOUSING

    housinghousinghousing criminal historycriminal historycriminal history

HOUSING GOAL #1: Reduce the number of home-less families and individuals, as well as reduce the time spent without housing.

Towards this goal, units have been added to the total number of supported affordable housing in the City

through the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs. A Housing Locator position, designed

to assist individuals in finding and gaining access to affordable housing, was also funded and filled. To date,

this individual has been educating himself on the local rental market, fair market housing policy, and the land-lord/tenant act, as well as connecting with local and re-

gional housing specialists/realtors; helping to match homeless or potentially homeless clients with housing

options; and developing a list of housing resources, apartment complexes, and landlords from the Housing

Resource Sheet and the Section 8 list.

HOUSING GOALS #3 & #4: Maintain and improve the quality of Charlottesville’s housing stock by providing homeowner rehabs to address structural and emergency needs. Add units of affordable hous-ing in order to meet the needs of the community. Projects supported this year include: homeowner rehabs, first time homebuyer down payments, support of renters at The Crossings, and a new mixed-use development on 5th Street. In an effort to create a GIS-based affordable housing suitability model to help facilitate policy deci-

sions relative to the placement and financial support for affordable housing, the Master Address Table is also

currently being refined to provide accurate, up-to-date housing data.

CRIMINAL HISTORY GOAL #3: Promote post-release opportunities that will serve to train Char-lottesville residents with job skills and workplace skills and assist the transition from incarceration. SAT members continue to serve on, and actively partici-pate in, the area’s Reentry Council, which regularly dis-

cusses this issue. Additionally, City funding continues to be given to Offender Aid & Restoration (OAR) to

administer the Coming Home to Work Program. Over the past year, OAR staff has greatly expanded work op-portunities for ex-offenders participating in the program to include numerous private sector employers. Since the changes have occurred, the program has seen significant

improvements. Of the 12 individuals who have been placed since March 2014, 9 are still employed—6 at

original placements and 3 at new, full-time jobs.

CRIMINAL HISTORY GOAL #2: Continue to pro-mote Charlottesville as a “City of Second Chances” by removing barriers for qualified ex-offenders when seeking employment with the City. In Fall 2013, members of the SAT met with City Human

Resources (HR) staff to discuss ways for continued support surrounding barriers to City employment for ex-offenders. As a result, HR staff initiated a change in the language used in regards to criminal background under

the FAQ section on the City’s Job Board. HR also enhanced training for its hiring managers concerning

barrier crimes and criminal records. An example of this new approach is evidenced by GO Driver, where crimi-

nal histories were evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, HR removed the criminal background

question (box) from the City’s job application.

 

112015 PRIORITIES

BARRIER RECOMMENDATIONS

OVERARCHING RECOMMENDATIONS

Processes and programs of the Downtown Job Center will contin-ue to be enhanced. A new full-time staff person will be hired to assist with the Center and BankON.

The Partnership of Peer Networks will continue to be formalized. A Peer Network inventory, training calendar, and service directory will also be created.

The Workforce Advisory Council will continue to meet quarterly to discuss workforce development efforts and additional opportunities for expanded partnerships.

WORKFORCE ADVISORY COUNCIL DOWNTOWN JOB CENTER PEER NETWORK

The OED will continue its efforts to create 250 new jobs in the City by working with CVPED to recruit new industry to Charlottesville and enhancing the Office’s

Business Visitation Program in such a way that supports local businesses interested in expanding their workforce. In support of this goal, the SAT will work to ensure that training programs align with the needs of these new and existing businesses so that they will have access to qualified job candidates when hiring. This will involve the creation of new workforce develop-ment programs (such as GO Driver) that provide pre-employment training opportunities for low-income City residents. The OED will also continue to provide support/programming for those interested in starting and growing businesses in the City.

JOB CREATION

The SAT will work with partners

to examine the importance of the Career Readiness Certifi-cate (CRC) on job readiness. Using CAT as the test em-ployer, the SAT will also explore how the credential corre-lates with success on the job. Based on the findings, a pos-sible marketing campaign to employers will be considered.

BASIC LITERACY In partnership with Charlottesville

Works and PVCC, the SAT will continue to offer the afore-mentioned curriculum as part of all workforce training pro-grams. An evaluation of the curriculum will be conducted after training and employment to determine any necessary changes/tweaks to the programming.

WORKPLACE READINESS

The SAT will con-tinue to work with

CAT to administer the GO Ride bus pass program and ex-plore other opportunities to enhance residents’ access to employment through public transportation. The SAT will also work with MACAA to further establish guidelines for Wheels to Work and launch the program in early spring.

TRANSPORTATION In partnership with City Schools and

workforce service providers, the SAT will conduct a survey to gather quantitative data about the affordability, accessi-bility, and quality of childcare in Charlottesville. The infor-mation gathered will be used to expand upon the qualitative data in the previously mentioned studies.

CHILDCARE

SAT members will continue to work

with Legal Aid on legislative issues and license restoration for ex-offenders and with community partners as a daily reporting center. The SAT will also collaborate with part-ners to identify employment opportunities for ex-offenders in the private sector and/or through entrepreneurship.

CRIMINAL HISTORY The SAT, in part-nership with non-

profits and private developers, will continue to support the development of new affordable housing to meet the needs of the community. Creative ways to fund such projects will be explored (e.g., a voucher program, a dedicated funding stream to fill financing gaps, etc.).

HOUSING

 

thanksthanksthanks The City of Charlottesville SAT

would like to recognize and thank all of our community partners

who have helped make the work-force development efforts in this

update possible.

CENTRAL VIRGINIA PARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CHARLOTTESVILLE ALBEMARLE

TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTER

CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA TRANSIT

CHARLOTTESVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

CHARLOTTESVILLE WORKFORCE

ADVISORY COUNCIL

CHARLOTTESVILLE WORKS INITIATIVE

COMPUTERS4KIDS

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF THE

VALLEYS

JEFFERSON—MADISON REGIONAL LIBRARY

MONTICELLO AREA COMMUNITY

ACTION AGENCY

PARTNERSHIP OF PEER NETWORKS

PIEDMONT VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

PIEDMONT WORKFORCE NETWORK

THOMAS JEFFERSON ADULT

CAREER & EDUCATION

VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP

VIRGINIA WORKFORCE CENTER—

CHARLOTTESVILLE City of Charlottesville, VA 605 E. Main St., Charlottesville, VA 22902

Produced by the Office of Economic Development  

GROWING OPPORTUNITY

2014

update

A PATH TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

Strategic Action Team on Workforce Development Annual Update to City Council