American Job Center Partner Newsletter

A Letter to Our Partners

American Job Center Partners,

Four years ago, the Prince George’s County Public Workforce System embarked on a journey to transform itself into being one of the best local public workforce systems in the United States. We started with the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board, modifying the branding, improving the composition (being more inclusive) and realigning the Board’s infrastructure. The next step was remodeling and branding the Prince George’s County Public Workforce System as the Prince George’s County American Job Center Community Network. The third step was the creation of Employ Prince George’s, Inc., a quasi-government nonprofit that serves as the principal workforce development entity for Prince George’s County, staff, fiscal agent and administrative agent of the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board, and the operator of the Prince George’s County American Job Center Community Network. The fourth step in this transformation was adopting the American Job Center branding for our one-stop career centers, the reopening of American Job Center Largo, the opening of the Youth Career Center in Suitland, and the most recent opening of American Job Center National Harbor.

Today, I am proud to say that WE are now a national leader in the public workforce development sector, and WE are seen as one of the strongest public workforce systems in the Country. Our work isn’t done though, now we must develop the infrastructure on the foundation that we built. This month we will release the 2020 – 2024 Prince George’s County Local Workforce Development Area WIOA Local Integrated Plan. Before the end of Fiscal Year 2023 we should release our second State of Workforce Report, a comprehensive analysis and assessment of the Prince George’s County Labor Market. These two documents will be the pillars of our system, one being a strategy document and the second being the data driving the strategy. Our American Job Center partners will be leaders in this effort, as you represent our strongest partners and the partners who shoulder the heaviest load of our system. You aren’t alone though. I am proud to announce that the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board has selected Eckerd Connects as the One Stop Operator of American Job Center Largo/American Job Center National Harbor and the One Stop Operator of the Youth Career Center. Additionally, the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board is releasing two RFP’s this year, one for a WIOA Title I Youth Career Service Provider and a second for an American Rescue Plan Act Career Service Provider. Both will help you better serve Prince George’s County job seekers and businesses. The Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board will also be creating and releasing a Local Training Provider List in 2022, expanding the trainings available for the upskilling and certification attainment of Prince George’s County residents.

Lastly, it has been several years since we provided our American Job Center partner staff with uniforms (polos). Our goal is to provide all American Job Center partner staff with a polo and button-down shirt annually. Polos will be red with the Prince George’s County American Job Center Community Network branding, and possibly the American Job Center that you are primarily located at. Button-down shirts will be white with Prince George’s County American Job Center Community Network branding. Angela will be in touch with each partner to get your sizes. If we are going to do great work, you should look great doing it!

Thank you for being a great partner, for being dedicated to serving job seekers and businesses in Prince George’s County, and thank you for being a direct service provider during one of the scariest periods of our time.

Walter L. Simmons

Executive Director, Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board

President & CEO, Employ Prince George’s, Inc.

IT'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH !

Every February, we take the time to not only celebrate but to learn more about black historians who helped pave the way for so many. There are numerous black inventors, artists, philosophers, activist and more, who have shaped our culture and country into the way it is today. It is always important to learn more about the history of America and who made impactful changes to our society. It is equally important for us to learn about our current African-American leaders who follow in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Marcus Garvey, Angela Davis and many other black leaders to continue the fight for justice, equality and inclusion. I stumbled across a link that lists various black historic sites throughout Prince George’s County, I encourage you to check it out and learn more about the history of our very own Prince George’s County! Click Here! to visit the website.

February's Professional Development Speaker

Mr. Campogni's topic will be:

Mindset Changing –

6 Ways Stages of Change Impact Engagement

Make sure to remind your staff!!

He will be speaking virtually on 2/25 from 2pm - 3pm!!

Click here to join the zoom!

Curtis Campogni (Founder of Speak4MC) began working with the most at-risk teens in Florida in 2014. Seeking a new tool to engage and retain them, Curtis discovered the power of Motivational Interviewing (MI) and it quickly became his most useful technique to positively influence others. Since then, Curtis has supervised large workforce and juvenile justice programs in addition to training and coaching professionals who serve court involved juveniles, out of school youth, and dislocated workers. He has inspired leaders and direct care staff across the country, speaking at numerous juvenile justice and national workforce board conferences.

In September 2021, Curtis created Speak4MC. Speak4MC was founded on the belief that with the right tools, support and motivation, any person, organization, and community can grow. Speak4MC is dedicated to providing services inspired by collaboration, compassion, empathy and evocation. Speak4MC is determined to become the world's most trusted source for motivational content that inspires positive change.

Don't forget about the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Job & Resource Fair!

Please help us get the word out and pass along the information to your customers.

If you have any fliers or pamphlets you would like for us to pass out on your behalf, please send an email to asmith@eckerd.org or manderson@eckerd.org, so we can schedule a time to retrieve them before the Fair.

Details are below:

Date: February 23, 2022

Time: 10am to 2pm

Place: City of Praise Family Ministries

8501 Jericho City Drive,

Landover MD 20785

TALC Program still recruiting for Stand Up and Deliver Program

The Transportation and Logistics Consortium Program is still actively searching for P.G. County resident recruits for their new Stand up and Deliver Program.

They are looking for Warehouse Workers and Warehouse leads. The Warehouse Workers salary is $15/per hour and the Warehouse Lead salary is $20/per hour. They will work approximately 35 hours a week for 6 months.

The preference is returning citizens or 18-24 year olds who are unemployed and not in school.

They are also looking for recruits for the following Programs:

EPIC - IT Program

CAHA - Healthcare Program

CWE - Construction Program

PSI - Professional Services Program

If you have any referrals, please have them call 301-618-8445.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

This month we are shining our Partner Spotlight on our JOB CORPS partner. We thank you for all you do to assist our young adults in receiving the tools they need to gain long-lasting employment.

Job Corps is a tuition-free training and education program that connects eligible young men and women with the skills and educational opportunities they need to establish real careers.

Job Corps’ mission is to educate and train highly motivated young people for successful careers in the nation’s fastest-growing industries.

Job Corps’ training and education opportunities are available at no cost to all eligible students. Most Job Corps students live in dorms on campus at one of 123 centers across the country. Students are assigned to the center that best meets their training and education needs/goals.

If you have any referrals or need to reach out to our Job Corps partner please see their contact information below:

Woodland Job Corps Center

Phone number: 301-362-6000

Address: 3300 Fort Meade Road Laurel, MD 20724

Website: https://woodland.jobcorps.gov/

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

The Prince George's County unemployment rate has gone down to 5.0% in December. We are making significant progress in getting prince george's back to work.

Let's keep up the great work team!

To see more maryland unemployment statistics Click Here!

Racial Justice at Work: Combatting AntiBlackness and Racism in the Workplace

In observance of Black History Month, join the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights as we engage in an interactive dialogue regarding racial inequities in the workplace with the goal of helping employees to understand their role in ending those disparities.

Topics covered will be discrimination in hiring and disciplinary practices, microaggressions and hostile work environments, racially loaded language and the use of African American Vernacular English as well as attire and workplace policies.

Our featured panelists are Attorney Cecilia J. Brown, Certified Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant and Demetrius Noble, Professor of African American & Diaspora Studies department at UNC Greensboro

This event will be held virtually on Wednesday February 16, 2022 12PM-2PM EST

To Register, Click Here!