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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Melissa Orner
Philadelphia Youth Network
mjorner@pyninc.org
WorkReady Philadelphia salutes 250
Philadelphia-area executives for hiring local students
Philadelphia partnership thanks local employers for
helping improve workforce
PHILADELPHIA, PA (November 17, 2004) – The Philadelphia
Workforce Investment Board and its Youth Council celebrated
hundreds of executives from local companies who participated
in WorkReady Philadelphia, the City’s new system to prepare
young people for productive employment.
The First Annual WorkReady Leaders Reception at the Top of
the Tower was held to thank participating employers who have
hired interns, hosted youth shadowing days and otherwise
supported a variety of WorkReady Philadelphia programs.
Through these initiatives, employers are given the
opportunity to invest in youth workforce development and the
economic growth of the City of Philadelphia. The celebration
represented an unprecedented level of coordination among
organizations across the city concerned with youth workforce
development, and documented the progress being made to
provide employers with clear and efficient ways to help
young people become effective employees.
“WorkReady Philadelphia employers realize that an investment
in our city’s youth is the most important investment we can
make,” said George Davis, Senior Vice President of Lincoln
Financial Group and Chairman of the Philadelphia Workforce
Investment Board. “We continuously hear from participating
companies how thrilled they are with the student interns
from this program and, more importantly, these youth gain
real-world, hands-on experience that will help them to
become successful, productive members of our workforce.”
WorkReady Philadelphia is one of the Workforce Investment
Board’s strategic priorities, spearheaded by the PWIB’s
Youth Council and administered by the Philadelphia Youth
Network. This event marked the second year of successful
partnership with private sector, city government, youth
serving organizations and the School District of
Philadelphia to enhance workforce preparation opportunities
for Philadelphia’s youth. WorkReady connects existing
federal, state and foundation funded programs while bringing
additional private sector resources to support these
efforts. The program also supports education by motivating
students and giving them reasons to stay in school.
Pamela A. Crawley, chair of Philadelphia Youth Council and
Senior Vice President of Citizens Bank opened the program
along with George Davis. Their welcome was followed by
remarks from two young beneficiaries of WorkReady programs:
Duong Nguyen, a senior at Kensington High School who spoke
about his internship last summer at the Philadelphia
Coca-Cola Bottling Company and how it led to a part-time job
during the school year, and Adrienne Stinson, a graduate of
Strawberry Mansion High School and currently a student at
Community College of Philadelphia. Adrienne spoke of her
internship with Independence Blue Cross, and the supports
she’s received through the Achieving Independence Center.
Lyn Kremer, publisher of the Philadelphia Business Journal,
was the featured speaker. She spoke about the enthusiasm of
current employers participating in WorkReady and encouraged
additional employers to get involved. Dr. Creg Williams,
Deputy Chief Academic Officer of the School District of
Philadelphia represented CEO Paul Vallas, who serves as
co-chair of WorkReady Philadelphia. Dr. Williams presented
awards to Crawley and Davis as well as to Peggy Shane from
Independence Blue Cross for their leadership in WorkReady
and for expanding the numbers of opportunities for
Philadelphia’s youth.
“It is unprecedented to have this many organizations and
companies working together to create opportunities for the
youth of this city and work towards the ultimate goal of
improving Philadelphia’s future workforce,” said Pamela A.
Crawley. “WorkReady Philadelphia and all the programs under
the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board are being met
with results, enthusiasm, and deep appreciation from the
students we work with and the companies that participate in
our programs.”
Dr. Williams thanked the employers on behalf of Mr. Vallas
and his co-chairs for WorkReady Philadelphia’s employer
recruitment campaign, Mayor John F. Street and Jon A. Boscia,
Chairman and CEO of Lincoln Financial Group. Closing the
program was Lovell Harmon, Vice President at AmeriChoice of
Pennsylvania, an event sponsor and new WorkReady supporter
this year. Mr. Harmon cited the benefits of youth in the
workplace to companies and their employees and urged more
companies to get involved.
WorkReady Philadelphia serves over 7,500 youth each year
though a variety of programs including 300 students placed
last year in new private sector summer internships. These
Employer-Paid Summer Internships are a new effort to boost
private-sector investment through a summer jobs youth
program, which offers career exposure and enrichment with
trained worksite mentors, pre-employment training and
portfolios demonstrating skill development. The Summer
Career Exploration Program also provides enhanced summer
internships in community businesses, supported by the
William Penn Foundation, and 19 other local foundations.
Business Mentoring Youth provides school-year internships to
sophomores in high school and Shadowing or Take Our
Daughters and Sons to Work Days offer one day of career
exposure and worksite visits. The Marriott Bridges from
school to work program provides work experience for youth
with disabilities. The Achieving Independence Center
supports youth aging out of foster care through internships,
mentoring, employment, and training. Other career exposure
activities that provide employers opportunities to get
involved include the Career Week and the Nano Fair. Through
WorkReady, these programs have come together under one
umbrella along with YouthWorks, the federally funded program
that uses project based learning and focuses on workforce
development, community service and college preparation.
About WorkReady Philadelphia
WorkReady Philadelphia is a city-wide, year-round effort to
provide 14 to 21 year old youth with the preparation they
need to succeed in the world of work. It is a coordinated
system of programs which is building an infrastructure to
support a city-wide youth workforce development system that
will prepare them to become productive citizens. WorkReady
Philadelphia is an initiative of the Youth Council of the
Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board.
About the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board
The Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board’s oversees the
City’s $300 million public workforce investment system. The
purpose of the workforce system is to promote the economic
development strategies of the region, assess and attach
people to jobs with needed services for long-term career
growth leading to self-sufficiency, and respond to employer
needs. The Youth Council is a committee of the WIB and
focuses on investments in youth workforce development.
About the Philadelphia Youth Network
The Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) is a non-profit
intermediary organization dedicated to youth workforce
development and designed to align programs, systems and
resources that promote academic achievement, career success
and productive citizenship for all 14 to 21 year-old youth
residing in the City of Philadelphia. PYN staffs the Youth
Council and oversees the administrative functions of the
WorkReady initiative. PYN is a founding partner and member
of the National Intermediary Network, a peer-led association
of leading education and workforce development organizations
working in local communities to ensure the success of youth.
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