Back in June 2004,
when the Connecting People to Jobs (CPTJ) Program was honored
with the Regional Innovator Award by the Southern Growth Policies
Board, our initiative was defining itself as an effective
and innovating program working to improve the quality of the
Latino workforce in South Carolina. CPTJ was launched in the
winter of 2001 by the SC Hispanic Outreach and funded by a
four-year grant awarded by the Mary R. Babcock and Annie E.
Casey Foundations. The Mission Statement for the initiative
was: “To create and sustain a collaborative partnership
that will develop viable opportunities for unemployed and
underemployed Hispanics to obtain, maintain, and be upwardly
mobile in livable wage jobs.”
By the year 2009, CPTJ has established itself as the most
successful Latino workforce development program in the Southeast
region. CPTJ is an impressive initiative that involves the
collaboration of several key agencies and organizations including:
Family Service Center of SC, Midlands Workforce Development
Board, SC Hispanic Outreach, Midlands OneStop Center, MDC
Inc., Workforce Investment Act Program, as well as several
employers and educational institutions in the region.
The path
to success has not beeen easy. During the last few years,
the program has faced decreasing funding, limited resources
and an ever increasing demand for services. However, as of
2009 the CPTJ has successfully transitioned from a seed-grant
program to a long term initiative. Fundamental factors for
this major achievement were the program’s ability to
adapt to a changing environment and its understanding of the
Hispanic community. Also important has been the participation
and support of several key individuals such as Mr. Russell
Knight, CEO of Family Service Center, and Ms. Bonnie Austin,
Administrator of the Midlands Workforce Investment Area, whose
commitment to the long-term mission of the program has allowed
it to continue delivering services beyond the grant-seed period.
In this new stage, the CPTJ will operate under one of the
oldest and most respected non-profit organizations in the
area: Family Service Center of SC.
Founding
Vision Statement
“All
Hispanics who want to work in the Midlands of South Carolina
have the opportunity to be productive, fully participating
citizens; contributing to the economy and to their community.”
Founding
Mission Statement
“ To create and sustain a collaborative partnership
that will develop viable opportunities for unemployed and
underemployed Hispanics to obtain, maintain, and be upwardly
mobile in livable wage jobs.”
CPTJ
actively seeks collaborative partnerships with local contractors
who are willing to employ Hispanic workers and learning institutions
helping to develop our program participants. As part of this
joined effort, CPTJ assist job seekers identify available
learning opportunities in such areas as GED completion, English
language and job skills development. CPTJ works with contractors
to help identify program participants with the necessary skills
to meet their needs and will also provide job readiness skills
development as a value-added component to our employer partners.
CPTJ maintains an office at the Columbia One Stop Center.
Our Workforce Development Consultant, housed at the One Stop
Center, assists our participants with their job seeking efforts
and developmental action planning.
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