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We have an individual that recently just got released from prison after spending 37 years incarcerated. He is currently working part-time third shift. He indicated that due to his time incarcerated, he lacks employment skills and training. He was grateful that he can be part of the CNC Cohort.
WDA 1 – Southeastern WI
Born and raised on Milwaukee’s northwest side, Alicia struggled to adjust after experiencing multiple traumas growing up. She dropped out of high school in the 11th grade, started a family, and began working as a Home Health Aide to make ends meet. Without having support and a family supporting wage, Alicia continued to struggle, and as a result of a number of bad decisions found herself incarcerated. Six years later in October 2021, Alicia was released from prison and ready to reclaim a life for herself and her children.
Alicia started her new life at Milwaukee’s Convergence Resource Center (CRC) – a non-profit organization that provides targeted support services for individuals rebuilding their lives after trauma. Trauma may include divorce, loss of employment, incarceration, human trafficking, sexual assault, sexual abuse, incest, domestic violence, or addiction (https://www.convergenceresource.org/). The CRC is a community partner of Employ Milwaukee, Inc. (EMI) who supports participants in EMI’s Skillful Transitions Program, funded through a Worker Advancement Initiative (WAI) grant through the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
EMI’s Skillful Transitions Program provides occupational/skills training, paid work experiences, and supportive services such as assistance with transportation and childcare costs to help participants with barriers that may keep them from successfully re-entering the workforce. After receiving counseling and other resources from the CRC, Alicia started her Skillful Transitions paid work experience through in March as a Customer Service Representative at Custom Prints & Designs, a minority woman-owned design and print shop in Milwaukee. Alicia continues with her support classes at the CRC, while also working 29 hours a week at Custom Prints & Designs, making $15/hr. Asked what she liked best about her work experience, Alicia said, “I got the warmest welcome from the business owner Pamela Young on day one. Ms. Young is showing me what it takes to start a creative business from scratch, and that has been the coolest part of my job. I love seeing the smiles on the customers faces when they see their finished product!”
Alicia’s next goal? To get her GED and continue to use her creativity and new customer service skills to help Creative Prints grow, and hopefully one day, open her own business. Creative Prints owner Pamela Young said, “My business was hit hard by the pandemic – I almost had to close. Having Alicia on board has helped me recover tremendously, and it’s great to see her to learn and earn a wage at the same time. EMI’s Skillful Transitions program has helped both my small business and a member of my community blossom.”
WDA 2 – Employ Milwaukee Inc.
See was enrolled in Employ Milwaukee’s Skillful Transitions program in early January and immediately joined the BankWork$ skills training program. She graduated from the BankWork$ program on March 3rd, and on March 28th, she started her new job as a Customer Service Representative at BMO Harris Bank making $18/hr. While she was attending classes, See also earned a $10/hr. stipend – one of a number of supportive services available to Skillful Transitions participants -- to encourage successful completion of the program. “The stipend really helped me meet some of my living expenses while I was in this class,” See stated. “I was then able to focus on my studies and not worry about some of the small stuff.”
See was born in Laos and as a teenager, moved to Thailand with her family. In her early twenties See and her family relocated to Milwaukee, but her English language skills were not good enough at that time to secure a job. She enrolled at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) to take English As A Second Language (ESL) classes and was soon able to earn her GED. She obtained a job as a Certified Nursing Assistant, but found the work very difficult, especially while raising six young children. She always had an interest in banking and finance but could not find a way to train for a career in that sector while working multiple jobs, as a CNA and Hmong Interpreter, to make ends meet and support her family.
See saw a post on Employ Milwaukee’s Facebook page highlighting the BankWork$ training program and immediately signed up for an assessment, interview, and orientation. BankWork$ is a no-cost, eight-week job training in the financial services industry that also includes coaching, mentoring, and job placement opportunities upon completion. BankWork$ bank partners attend graduation ceremonies and interview graduates on the spot. At the March 3rd BankWork$ graduation, See interviewed with a number of banks, including BMO Harris Bank, and received a job offer from them a week later.
“I can’t believe I went from the classroom to a great job in such a short time!” See said. “I’m now working for a well-known large bank, where I’ve got a chance to grow and move up in banking. This is where I’ve wanted to be for so many years.” At the March 3rd graduation/hiring event, Wisconsin Bankers Association Vice President & Chief of Staff Darryl Lund said, “We are thrilled to endorse Employ Milwaukee’s BankWork$ program. This program opens the doors to people interested in our industry and helps them find and succeed in well-paying jobs that can lead to a lasting career. And our banking partners can begin to fill their job openings with well-trained candidates the moment they finish their training. It’s a great talent pipeline for the participants and our banks!” Lund concluded.
WDA 2 – Employ Milwaukee Inc.
ND is 42 years old. He was married to his wife for 7 years and they had a baby girl together in the fall of 2021. His wife worked in cardiology and was the family’s sole provider. They had just moved to Wisconsin before she gave birth. Unfortunately, after giving birth both ND and his wife were hospitalized. Sadly, his wife died on 10/15/2021. While they were both hospitalized, his wife's family came to help provide care for the baby. After his wife's death, her sister took their 3-month-old daughter out of state as she was given guardianship due to ND’s health issues and financial circumstances.
ND came to CEP looking for the necessary training and employment opportunity to allow him to get his daughter back. He completed CDL training in December 2021 and Crane Operator School in February 2022. On March 1st, he started a new job as a crane operator making $30.00 an hour. Shortly thereafter, he was granted full custody of his daughter. The judge reviewing his case commented how impressed he was with ND's ability to improve his financial situation in such a short amount of time and the initiative he took to do so.
WDA 7 – Northwest WI
CD came to CEP homeless and seeking funding assistance to cover the cost of CDL bootcamp. At the time of enrollment, CD had secured his CDL permit and FedMed card but was unable to find funding to get his CDL license. He was very enthusiastic about driving a truck and excited about the possibility of turning it into a career but had several barriers to overcome. Through WAI funds, CEP was able to enroll him in the class and provide him with lodging to complete course. The course ran from 2/24/22-4/4/22 and CD was able to complete the course with flying colors and is in the process of obtaining his tanker and hazmat endorsements to secure self-sustaining future employment utilizing his love for driving OTR
WDA 7 – Northwest WI.
NH was homeless when she came to Manpower and overcoming other personal issues including past substance abuse, involved in the judicial system and an abusive relationship. She is a young mother of a toddler and was feeling very helpless and frustrated. She had no source of income, no means of getting around due to lack of transportation and was not actively seeking employment due to day care concerns. When introducing WAI to her and reassuring her that we could help her with all these barriers, she became very engaged and hopeful that there was a way to start over. We contacted an employer who we’d had been working with and arranged an interview. The interview went well, and she accepted a job offer. She was able to secure day care with the assistance of WAI funds and a voucher for taxicab service so she could get to and from work and the day care center. We were also able to purchase the required uniforms for her to begin her new job with everything she needed. She will be starting an OJT with the new employer this week. We are not able to measure her employment success yet but hope to add a happy ending to this success story in our next quarterly report.
WDA 7 – Northwest WI
JB came to NWWIB with a prior criminal history and substance abuse issues. He contacted NWWIB because he was interested in attending the 13-week Construction Foundations training program hosted by Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College in Hayward and funded by WAI. He had spent the past several years turning his life around and getting clean but had encountered multiple challenges along the way trying to get hired. He thought the construction class would be a great opportunity to acquire the necessary certifications and connections to finally get a job in carpentry. Although JB had spent a tremendous amount of effort over the past several years turning his life around, he still regularly smoked weed to cope with his daily feelings of discouragement and depression. He had wanted to quit for a long time, but it wasn’t until he took this class that he finally did it. During the first week, while learning math for the trades, he realized he needed to stop smoking weed to stay sharp and focused for class. The math portion was especially challenging for him, and he knew that if he had any chance, and he knew that if he had any chance of getting a good job in carpentry, he would need to learn these skills, so he quit. Class is almost over, and he hasn’t smoked weed in over two months. He said he is more focused and more determined than ever before and is currently in the process of interviewing with several local construction companies for full-time employment.
WDA 7 – Northwest WI
DWD Contact Information
201 E. Washington Ave
P.O. Box 7946
Madison, WI 53707
(608) 266-3131
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