Kathy Confer, KRA Career Agent, reports, “When Helen De’Atley came to the VIEW [Virginia Initiative for Employment not Welfare] program here in Norfolk, she was a bit timid and unsure of how her skills and abilities fit with today’s job market. She had worked as a seamstress but, due to several medical crises, had not worked for quite awhile. As a single mother of a teenage daughter, Helen was anxious to get back to work, so she enrolled in our JRA [Job Readiness Academy] program, and we worked to develop an IEP [Individual Employment Plan] that would, step-by-step, get her
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Many different types of services are integral to the success of KRA’s workforce development operations.  One, when required, is providing jobseeker-customers with basic or advanced occupational-skills training, and another, which is overarching, is providing local employer-customers with a pipeline of skilled workers.  Sometimes these services are provided sequentially, and sometimes simultaneously.  Such is the case with KRA’s On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program, a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) initiative that allows employers to hire, train, and retain employees in full-time permanent jobs, all while receiving Federally-subsidized wage reimbursements, up to 75%, during the course of the OJT contract.  Below are representative examples of how KRA
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KRA has been awarded two new contracts by the District of Columbia Department of Human Services (DCDHS) to provide targeted workforce development services to TANF recipients.  Knowlton R. Atterbeary, KRA President & CEO, commented, “As a national leader in workforce development, KRA is very active in the national debate about the future of workforce policy in Washington, D.C. We’re excited to have this opportunity to expand in the District, where we’ll be able to broaden the dialogue by showcasing our innovative programs in the shadow of Capitol Hill.” KRA will provide job placement services under both contracts. One program focuses
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Jennifer Ely worked diligently to maintain employment to support herself and her daughter.  She held down many jobs over the years…cashier, housekeeper, front desk receptionist…but then, one day it happened: unemployment.  After 2 months of trying, and failing, to get another job, Ms. Ely enrolled in the Job Readiness Academy (JRA) operated by KRA’s Norfolk VIEW (Virginia Initiative for Employment not Welfare) Program. Ms. Reva McCloud, KRA Career Agent, reported, “Jennifer told me that her ‘dream’ was to work in the cosmetology field, but had no experience in that area. So, Jennifer and I established her IEP [Individualized Employment Plan], and
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Our January Spotlight! focuses on 19-year old Alexandria Evans, who enrolled in the KRA Career Institute’s (KCI) Dental Assistant Training Program for Out-of-School Youth in February 2011, because she was “looking for something positive to do.” In the beginning of her training, Alex, as she likes to be called, continued working part-time at a local party-supplies store as a cashier, but never let her work interfere with her studies. Cindy Medina, KRA Career Agent, said of Alex, “She was an extremely attentive student, completing in-class and homework assignments on time, asking questions, and in general, demonstrating that she was taking
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Within 1 week of its opening on November 28, 2011, KRA’s  Work Participation, Placement, and Support Services Program in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, was up and running and enrolling customers on December 5, 2011.  Under this initiative, operated and managed by KRA for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services (DSS), Temporary Cash Assistance recipients are supported with a comprehensive blend of workforce development activities that include a community work experience program (CWEP) and occupation-specific skills training.  By January 10, 2012, the Baltimore team, led by Nate’ Gordon, KRA Program Manager, had enrolled 25 customers, with 24 participating in CWEP 3
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KRA has been recognized as a Platinum Winner in the International Competition for Marketing and Communication Professionals for a report, Maryland Youth Risk Behavior Survey, developed for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The MarCom Awards is a creative competition for any individual or company involved in the concept; writing; and design of print, visual, audio, and web materials and programs. Entries are submitted by corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms, design shops, production companies, and freelancers. The mission of the Marcom Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the creativity, hard work, and generosity of
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 Career Agent Team Lead, Rosemary Klotz, has moved on to play a key role in local government as Chief-of-Staff in the administration of newly-elected New Britain Mayor, Tim O’Brien.  With KRA since 2009, in its New Britain office of the CTWorks program, Ms. Klotz led a team of career development specialists who guide KRA customers enrolled in WIA (Workforce Investment Act) One-Stop Career Center operations for Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) programs. KRA wishes Ms. Klotz much success in her new career, and is confident that her acumen in the field of career
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