Combating a young-adult unemployment rate of 20.7%, the Knowledge2Career (K2C) Academy, a KRA-proprietary workforce-services program, continues establishing mutually-productive partnerships to create innovative solutions for preparing young adults—disconnected from school and the workforce—to qualify for high-demand occupations with local businesses.
Supported by the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network, KRA/K2C is developing employment-development agreements with Island’s Restaurant, PMG Athletic Funding, Two The Root Beauty Salon, and ScoutReach for Paid Work Experience (PWE) opportunities, with potential for fulltime employment. Also, an expanded program has been proposed to Island’s Restaurant corporate office to provide PWE assignments at their “fine burgers and drinks” restaurants in Long Beach’s surrounding areas.
PGWIN’s Youth Employment Coordinator Karla Corona, and KRA/K2C’s Career Agent Travis Prater and Intake & QA Specialist Dedra Berry, are succeeding in engaging these prominent local businesses to broaden and expand workforce opportunities for young adults, and reinforcing KRA/K2C’s position in the business community as the “go-to” workforce-development partner for reliable, skilled job candidates.
Dr. Boone’s 20+ years’ experience in the industry is extensive and her expertise in private-, public-, and non-profit sector workforce-services organizations is unparalleled, particularly in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan area.
