The Chester County OIC (Opportunities Industrialization Center) was awarded $243,957 by the county’s Workforce Development Board to support its Workforce Reintegration Program. The funds, originating from the Department of Labor and Industry, will support economically disadvantaged adults in their pursuit of employment at living wages.

The Workforce Reintegration Program serves to upskill socially and economically disadvantaged adults in Chester County, helping them achieve employment with family-sustaining wages.

One of the program components to be supported by these funds is the Work Enclave Initiative, which contextualizes soft-skills and work-skills training into actual work experiences. Working with the City of Coatesville’s Parks and Recreation Department, workers in the enclave will be cleaning up and beautifying city parks and other recreation areas. Every six weeks, a new cohort of (up to) 10 adults will enter the work enclave, with a total of 80 adults receiving job enrichment through the program.

Each cohort will engage in exercises developed to model a different character pillar each week, including:

• Trustworthiness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Fairness
• Caring
• Citizenship

Training also includes self-care and resilience, diversity awareness, team building, mental health awareness, and conflict resolution, among other relevant work skills. Participants can then transition into skilled areas of interest that include: Certified Nurse Aide/Licensed Practical Nurse, Temporary Nurse Aide, Digital Literacy, Flagger, Commercial Driver’s License, ServeSafe, HVAC, and others.

Participants go through a competitive interviewing process. Those selected earn $15.00 an hour for five weeks. At the end of the five weeks, those who are work-ready move forward as candidates for local jobs with great pay and benefits.

To learn more about the Work Enclave, text 19320 to 484-378-9033.