Three community organizations awarded $750,000 from Workforce Solutions Grant for innovative solutions to support un- and under-employed Philadelphians

PHILADELPHIA — The City today announced new investments and updates regarding the Workforce Solutions Grants and the PHL: Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative. Through the Workforce Solutions Grant, the City’s Department of Commerce is investing in organizations and programs that are designed to identify, elevate, and address the specific challenges Black, brown, and other historically disadvantaged residents face when preparing to and entering the workforce.

Through the PHL: Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative, the City is investing in community organizations and programs that enhance technology and professional skills for the future talent pipeline, enabling more Black and brown Philadelphians to be trained in technology fields and prepared for tech-related jobs of the near term and the future. Philadelphia is home to one of the most diverse populations that are engaging in skill development and education in the tech sector as well as diverse residents that are starting up their own tech small and entrepreneurial businesses.

“We’re continuing to collaborate with partners to ensure Philadelphians are prepared for the jobs not just of today, but for the future,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “We remain committed to helping prepare Philadelphians for careers that can sustain families while bridging the gap between employers, workforce providers, and residents to foster a thriving, equitable workforce full of opportunity. Core to these efforts are the need to address the disproportionate impact of unemployment on residents of color.”

Workforce Solutions Grant

In year one of the Workforce Solutions Grant, the City sought proposals from organizations which were evaluated on their ability to identify and accelerate innovative, evidence-informed approaches to supporting un- and under-employed Phliadelphians. For year two, the selection process was based on the data and metrics from the year one funding recipients. The organizations receiving the funding will continue to grow the programs started in 2021.

The following three organizations have been selected to receive a combined $750,000 in funding through the Workforce Solutions Grant with efforts to resume in February 2022.

• Drexel University’s Goodwin College of Professional Studies — Grant Award: $250,000

Through the award, Drexel-Goodwin will continue the Manufacturing Career Accelerator Program (MCAP) which launched last year. MCAP was built upon the 2017 Manufacturing Industry Bootcamp that was specifically designed to create access to manufacturing careers for low-skilled adults in Philadelphia. In 2021, the MCAP program enrolled 41 students (18 employed) giving them opportunities to learn and earn a credential in Advanced Manufacturing.

• The Urban League of Philadelphia (ULP)  — Grant Award: $230,000

Through the award, ULP will continue the Urban Tech 3.0 (UT3) program. ULP partnered with JobWorks, Inc. to adapt their TechWorks program model to support ULPs strategic priorities around Information Technology (IT) workforce diversification. TechWorks prepares individuals with minimal IT experience for in-demand, higher paying technology jobs. Urban League supported 28 individuals in finding employment in IT with an average starting wage of $18.36/hour.

• Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) — Grant Award: $250,000

PEA will develop and launch the new Green Retrofit Immersive Training (GRIT) Program, which has three core components: an 11-week hybrid training including hands-on labs, a 6-week internship rehabilitating affordable housing units, and placement into living wage jobs with contractors performing green home retrofits. GRIT had 15 trainees complete the program with 10 employed by the end of the program at an average wage of $15+/hour.

PHL: Most Diverse Tech Hub

The PHL: Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative aims to position Philadelphia as one of the top—and most diverse—tech hubs in the nation. Through this initiative now in its second year, the City continues to invest in organizations and programs that enhance technology skills for the future talent pipeline.

Three local organizations—Campus Philly, Coded By Kids, Venture for America, and Technically Media—will receive funding to expand on their successful first year of programs and initiatives in the following areas:

• Tech Talent Pipeline Development — Campus Philly, Coded By Kids, and Venture for America, will expand and elevate the work to retain Black and Brown residents in higher-ed and expose those students to tech employment opportunities; connect and place students into paid internships; establish clear connections with local colleges, universities, and education partners; and expand the number of private sector employers in tech and tech-enabled industries that provide internships and apprenticeships that lead to permanent employment and careers. Through Campus Philly career programming, over 700 diverse college students connected with more than 60 employers to interview for jobs and internships in tech.
• Expand and Strengthen Diverse Tech Startups — Coded By Kids will continue the focus on and utilize the funds to invest in underrepresented startup tech founders and provide expanded  mentorship and access to established tech companies to support their growth. The OnE Philadelphia framework provides significant expertise to startup founders in critical areas including leadership, sales and marketing, operations, business development, and investment and capital raising. Through Coded By Kids emerging startup founders were provided with an opportunity for mentorship and college students were provided with employment and professional development opportunities through the tech and innovation internship.
• Tech Industry Partnership Management — Technically Media will continue to manage the Philadelphia Tech Industry Partnership by raising the collective work and elevating opportunities for convenings of tech startups and tech employers. Highlights of the second year activities are aimed to; engage and further formalize the Tech IP, assess the progress of the Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative and its impact, and elevate work to change behaviors that lead to diversifying Philadelphia’s technical workforce. Technically Media executed the 2021 Developers Conference during Philly Tech Week as “Brought to you by the MDTH Initiative” which allowed wider participation as it allowed the event to be held without a price for admission.

Positioning Philadelphia as a diverse tech hub is one of several ongoing initiatives that aim to drive an inclusive, equitable recovery and ensure the city and region’s long-term economic competitiveness as the city continues to rebound from the economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.