JVS Works: Creating Hope and Opportunity

Jobs per capita

Gini coefficient

In LA County, the rate of unemployment remains high at 7%, compared to the nationwide rate of 5% (Aug-2015, DOL), and the rate of poverty remains high at 19%, compared to the statewide rate of 16% (2014, U.S. Census). And, while employers are looking to fill a wide array of higher paying jobs that require only a H.S. diploma they are not finding workers who have the technical and job readiness skills required (2015, JPChase Morgan).

JVS WorksTM training programs help people who have a H.S. diploma and remain unemployed or under-employed get started on a career pathway that can lift them out of poverty today and beyond 2050. JVS WorksTM training programs prepare people for careers in the high growth industries of healthcare, finance and property management. Our training programs are provided at no cost to students, allowing them to start their career debt-free upon graduation. Each training program is developed in close partnership with top industry employers to ensure that our students are fully prepared with the knowledge needed to advance along a meaningful career pathway. JVS provides all classroom supplies, curricula, and fees for required certification or licensing for graduates. At program completion, all employer partners attend the formal graduation and job fair where they interview our graduates for immediate job placement.

JVS Works graduates reflect the diversity of Los Angeles (43% African American, 35% Hispanic, 18% Caucasian, and 4% Other) and are bringing greater diversity to the workplace. When our graduates return to their communities, they become role models and mentors for future generations. The steady employment and income that our graduates enjoy provides them and their families with stability, economic self-sufficiency and independence. As our graduates are no longer dependent on public assistance, they are now contributing to the local economy in their communities.

With the help of LA2050, JVS WorksTM will hire a staff person to launch a public awareness and outreach campaign to increase the number of people from low-income communities across LA that have access to our proven job skills training programs which prepares and places graduates in high-growth industries with an average annual starting salary of $34,000 with benefits. In 2014, JVS WorksTM placed 186 graduates in jobs earning a cumulative annual salary and benefits of $6.1 million, providing funders a return on investment that is more than 8-fold!

JVSWorks will evaluate the effectiveness of our Outreach Campaign throughout the year by tracking the number of attendees at our program orientation sessions. The impact of JVS WorksTM Training Program will be evaluated based on the number of enrollments, completions, state certifications/industry recognized certificates, job placement rates; and job retention rates at 3, 6, and 12 months. Our goal is to place 83% of graduates in a job earning at least $15/hr and for 85% to retain employment at six months.

Program staff will monitor our graduates’ success on the job by directly contacting each individual to ensure they are thriving in their new work environment. JVS will also track how many graduates receive promotions or go on to pursue advanced training.

We will also seek feedback from our employer partners and students to evaluate their level of satisfaction with our services, through pre- and post-program satisfaction surveys, roundtable discussions and idea exchanges.

Money (financial capital)

Publicity/awareness (social capital)

Infrastructure (building/space/vehicles, etc.)

Network/relationship support