Today marks the beginning of the NAWDP 2016 Youth Development Symposium, an annual event that KRA has championed, supported, and co-sponsored for many years. Thus, it seems both appropriate and timely to shine our October Spotlight! on the Long Beach, CA Knowledge2Career (K2C) Academy, one of several KRA-proprietary programs operated across the country for young adults disconnected from school and work.
Recognizing the critical nature of demand-driven job training—especially for young adults with their entire working lives ahead of them—KRA has always supported its business-customers in identifying the occupational skills, credentials, and training resources required to sustain and/or expand their enterprises.
In line with this continuing objective, the KRA/Long Beach K2C, operated for the Pacific Gateway WDB in partnership with the City of Long Beach, has expanded its Supply Chain Management training program to provide more skills-development opportunities directly linked to local SCM-related business sector requirements.
Veda Jackson, KRA Education and Training Navigator, reports, “According to California labor-market data, more than 78,000 ‘Labor and Material Movers’, a primary Logistics occupation in the SCM super-industry, are employed in LA County, with projected growth of 3,500+ jobs annually through 2020.
Subsequently, Veda and Job Developer Joanie Sonnet, initiator of the collaboration, met with Margaret Hernandez, CEO, and Bob Turner, Owner, of Hot Jobs, Inc. Forklift Training and Employment Center, to add an OSHA-compliant Forklift Training and Certification Program to KRA/K2C’s current SCM-industry training opportunities.
In the first 3 months, 10 KRA/K2C graduates gained Completion for OSHA Safety and Forklift Operator certifications, up to 100 hours of paid-work experience, and/or permanent employment—a program promising a larger talent pool for local employers’ SCM Logistics opportunities.
