Creating economic opportunity is a WoodNext focus area. One way we do that is by supporting 20+ workforce development programs to connect people to good jobs. Some of these programs also help people with mental health issues and/or who are homeless, which are two other focus areas for our giving.
The three projects we feature below, are grantees who focus on adult employment. These nonprofits reach people in various stages of life and career, and support them in different ways to successfully enter the job market.
Learning While Working (Apprenticeship)
One way to prepare people for a job is by having them perform that job alongside a more experienced worker. For example, we’ve shared in a previous newsletter about the Texas A&M Pharmacy Tech Certification Program, which uses on-the-job training to prepare pharmacy technicians. We also support other apprenticeship nonprofits, such as Apprenti and Coalfield Development.
Through Apprenti’s apprenticeship program, veterans and others are trained in tech jobs without having to go to college. Apprenti connects employers with individuals who have high potential to succeed in apprenticeships. To date, it has placed 4,500+ apprentices who earn $57K+. Upon graduation, 89% end up working permanently at their host companies.
Coalfield Development addresses economic challenges in central Appalachia (West Virginia) and provides job opportunities for people from rural areas. It provides job training in fields such as construction and renewable energy for individuals with barriers to work. It is also a real estate operator and general contractor, transforming neglected spaces into new businesses. Coalfield supports nonprofit partners to spread its model to other areas, and also works with employers to adopt practices to retain employees more effectively. To date, it has trained 3,800+ people and created 1,000+ jobs in the region.
Reaching Formerly Incarcerated People
In the U.S., 68% of released prisoners are rearrested within three years. Our grantee FreeWorld aims to reduce this statistic by providing trucking training and job placement for formerly incarcerated people. It operates in eight states and its 2,300+ graduates have earned a combined ~$110M. In North Texas, we also supported Unlocking Doors, which helps connect individuals with criminal backgrounds with jobs, housing and other services. In Houston, our grantee Career and Recovery Resources provides employment assistance for formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as youth, veterans, people with disabilities, and others struggling with substance abuse, homelessness and other issues.
Other Workforce Support in Texas
We invest in other workforce programs in Texas. To increase the number of therapists, we fund scholarships at Texas A&M University and University of Texas at Austin, as mentioned in a previous newsletter. In addition, we support nursing scholarships at Prairie View A&M University. In Houston, we invest deeply in MAM Houston’s workforce programs, including vocational training, employment certification for high-demand jobs, job coaching, and digital literacy training. In Austin, we support the Goodwill Excel Center, a free charter high school for adults who want to finish their diploma.
You can read more about the employment efforts we support here. We look forward to sharing about our youth-focused workforce grantees in the future.
