KRA operates the Work Participation, Placement, and Support Services Program for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services for a revolving caseload of approximately 400 customers.
Last month, in addition to having already uploaded Workforce Readiness Workshops in May 2020, for customers to access through Google Classroom, KRA began offering a Virtual Soft Skills Training Program, since traditional classroom settings, for large groups, are not feasible due to physical-distancing restrictions in Maryland.
Greg Alexander, Program Manager, states, “Using Zoom allows many customers to attend ‘live’ classes that are engaging, interactive, and most of all safe, from their computers, mobile phones, and/or tablets. This venue is especially important for customers who might have had childcare or transportation concerns, and appreciate this level of accessibility and flexibility.
Soft skills are a necessary companion to ‘hard’ job skills. Technical skills alone are not enough to achieve lasting workplace success. Skills such as listening, collaborating with others, presenting ideas and communicating with team members are all valued highly in any enterprise concerned with their ‘company culture’.
Classes are comprehensive, covering a variety of subjects including attitude, communications—listening and speaking—conflict resolution, customer service, decision-making, leadership, stress management, teamwork, time management, and work ethics.
The soft-skills expertise that our Baltimore City customers develop sets them apart from their co-workers, who may be qualified technically, but have not devoted that extra time and effort to enhancing their professional workplace relationships. We all look forward to the day when the restrictions that keep us safe, but separated, will be lifted. Until then, KRA/Baltimore will continue to create innovative solutions to serve our customers.”