Hartford Business Journal

16 Hartford Business Journal • September 17, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com SPECIAL SERIES By Joe Cooper jcooper@HartfordBusiness.com H ector Marrero is begin- ning to understand the difference between a career and a job. The 21-year-old Hartford native had abandoned high school, adult education and other job- course programs. Nearly out of op- tions, Marrero this spring enrolled in Hartford non- profit Commu- nity Renewal Team's YouthBuild program for another shot at new learn- ing opportunities, job training, meaning- ful employment and, ideally, a better life. Just months in, Marrero has earned his high school diploma, several con- struction certifications and a driver's permit. His goal now is to land a union job that pays a livable wage and pro- vides growth opportunities. "I didn't have anything before this," Marrero said. "We are all behind in life, technically, and are trying to catch up while life is still going. We are not just looking for employment, but better employment." Marrero is part of an untapped tal- ent pool that workforce-development officials say is crucial to jumpstarting Connecticut's economy and helping employers fill thousands of open jobs around the state. They include "opportunity youths," or individuals ages 16 to 24 who are not in school or working, and low-skill adults ages 25 to 64 who have less than, or equivalent to, a high school education. Added together they number in the hundreds of thousands across the state and include ex-offenders, those who lack English proficiency or are foreign born, veterans, among others. Community Renewal Team's Youth- Build initiative is one of about 40-plus programs in Connecticut — funded by state, federal and nonprofit dol- lars — that aim to raise the prospects of this population, many of whom live in the state's urban centers, by helping them gain em- ployment or advance their skills. The stakes around their success are high because Connecticut has signifi- cant demand for middle-skill workers, or individuals who have more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year college degree. In fact, thousands of middle-skill jobs are available each year in Connecticut's key industry sectors, including health care, construction and manufactur- ing, but are going unfilled because of a skills gap, industry officials said. As a result, businesses nationwide are lowering education requirements in many industries, and the same is true in Connecticut, said Andrea Comer, vice president of workforce strategies for the Connecticut Busi- ness & Industry Association (CBIA), the state's largest business lobby. Comer said employers in various sec- tors have reported that many opportu- nity youths and underskilled adults lack social and collaboration skills for team building. Others face transportation barriers, which need to be addressed for those in urban and rural areas, she said. While there is a viable workforce development backbone in the state to upskill this population, Comer said coordination is often missing between local programs and employers. But many initiatives are pushing the right buttons. The Eastern CT Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative has been success- ful providing training to address the hiring needs of submarine-builder Electric Boat. The Academy of Engi- neering & Green Technology, created and sponsored by CBIA and Hartford Public Schools, also connects students to learning-based internships with member businesses, she said. Since the Great Recession, Comer said businesses have become more engaged in strengthening the employ- ment pipeline due to a "desperate" need for skilled workers. Employers must continue forging partnerships with local workforce ini- tiatives, she said, adding they should also look at a broader educational pool when considering job candidates. "The good news is the untapped talent in workforce development is on everyone's radar," she said. "The caveat is more coordination and more col- laboration needs to take place if we are going to be successful." Finding a path Since its 2009 founding, YouthBuild has connected 228 Hartford residents ages 18 to 24 to secondary education or job-skill training opportunities, which often lead to careers in con- struction or health care. The majority of Hartford opportu- nity youths enrolled in the program have not completed a high school equivalency degree. YouthBuild connects participants to high school courses, general education development (GED) exams, construction and certified nursing assistant (CNA) cer- tificates or job-site internships, among Finding a Path 'Untapped' talent engage skills training for better employment BUILDING CONNECTICUT'S WORKFORCE PIPELINE HBJ PHOTO | BILL MORGAN Hector Marrero (left) and Elethia Mills (right) are among more than 200 Hartford residents ages 18 to 24 who Community Renewal Team has connected to secondary education or job-skill training. Unemployment totals for untapped populations in Hartford and Tolland counties (2014) Total Limited People with Demographics unemployed English proficiency Veterans disabilities Foreign born Opportunity Youth: Not at work, not in school, 16 to 24 8,489 307 N/A 1,454 452 Low-skill adults (25 to 64) 14,657 2,784 551 2,107 4,411 Middle-skill adults (25 to 64) 8,059 334 1,684 1,759 951 High-skill adults (25 to 64) 6,554 767 226 806 997 Total 37,759 4,192 2,461 6,126 6,811 Source: 2014 American Community Survey Ex-offender Andre Thompson, 36, has secured a job with Stanley Steamers through the Career Pathways program at Hartford's Chrysalis Center. HBJ PHOTO | JOE COOPER

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