Hartford Business Journal

Career pipelines Employment status directly impacts the health and education of families, and nonprofits across the board are recognizing workforce development's central importance to improving com- munities, said Paula S. Gilberto, presi- dent and CEO of the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. The United Way has taken on a pivotal coordinating role in connect- ing nonprofits to the private sector and channeling funding to workforce- development efforts, Gilberto added. In 2020, United Way is investing $575,000 in three initiatives and four programs that focus specifically on workforce development. "There's great emphasis on how do we make effective use of the resources we have; how do we do this while keeping the employer front and center and also keeping involved the population of individuals who aren't earning enough," Gilberto said. One effort United Way funds at Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hart- ford helps adults with lower literacy levels improve their basic skills while learning about the food business. The program's eventual goal is employ- ment at catering giant Sodexo. "We're creating more career pipe- lines, whether it's manufacturing, health care, building trades or, in this case, working for a major food- service organization," Gilberto said. Middle-skill jobs Hartford's Capital Workforce Part- ners also helps coordinate workforce- development efforts in the region with an eye on connecting nonprofits with data and government resources in order to maximize their outcomes. The skills gap has evolved as a primary con- cern and programs that allow workers to earn certifications are a priority, said President and CEO Alex B. Johnson. "We are really laser-focused on helping indi- viduals prepare themselves for middle-skill jobs," Johnson said. "Indi- viduals need those industry- recognized credentials to be competitive in this economy." Capital Workforce Partners' $20.4-million budget — drawn mainly from state grants and funders like the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving — goes mainly into employment pro- grams for youth and adult workers and running training programs at Ameri- can Job Centers around the region. Nonprofits need help from the pri- vate sector to both match workers with jobs and fund training efforts, Johnson added. When a company pays its interns, Capital Workforce Partners can use the money it saves to help more people, he explained. Workforce-development funding re- mains a major challenge for nonprofits. Since 2001, for example, federal funding for adult education and training programs has been cut by more than $1 billion, according to the National Skills Coalition. State funding has also been a challenge in recent years as lawmak- ers have cut spending to balance chronic budget deficits. "The challenge with nonprofits is their missions to do this work are very clear, but the ability to have the resources to do the work is always a challenge," Johnson said. This story was done with support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. ARE YOU INSPIRED BY A WOMAN IN BUSINESS? ARE YOU INSPIRED BY A DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE — NOMINATE TODAY! NOMINATION DEADLINE: 2/6 GO TO WWW.HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM/OUREVENTS NONPROFIT NOTEBOOK Capital Workforce Partners President and CEO Alex B. Johnson said his organization is "laser-focused" on helping develop middle-skill jobs. Paula S. Gilberto, President and CEO, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED

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