Workforce Connect

Pairing applicants with employers

The Need

Too many people are stuck in  jobs that lack both living wages to meet today’s needs and advancement opportunities to plan for the future. How can someone who struggles financially while working full time afford to go back to school to earn a degree and get a better job? 

Educational barriers, racial disparities, and gender biases also affect the ability for many in Greater Cleveland to improve their economic standing and provide for their families: 

The Help

Workforce Connect aims to improve economic mobility and reduce racial disparities in economic outcomes in Cuyahoga County.

The organization connects workers to well-paying career paths and pairs employers to skilled talent in the IT, health care, and manufacturing job sectors.

Career counselors conduct training sessions for job seekers around career opportunities. More than 100 Workplace Connect job seekers who lost their jobs because of COVID-19 were trained and placed in IT and manufacturing careers.

Workforce Connect also works with employers to develop and implement internal policy changes that boost workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Learn More

United Way 211

United Way 211 connects callers to nonprofit agencies that provide career counseling and job training/placement services. Dial 211 or visit 211oh.org to connect with a navigator who can help.

Economic Mobility

United Way of Greater Cleveland is funding six Community Hub grants that are tackling issues related to housing stability. Learn more about the nonprofits and their programs:

Lexington-Bell Community Center
Lexintgton-Bell Community Center aims to close the learning gap and ensure that the home-based care young children receive prepares them for success throughout their lives.
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Spanish American Committee
The Spanish American Committee's workforce development program provides culturally competent, tailored, robust, hands-on workforce development training and certification assistance to the Latino/Hispanic community.
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Starting Point
There is a clear connection between early education and poverty, and excellent teachers are a key piece of quality education programs.
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Towards Employment
Bridging the wide employment opportunity gap helps people build skills and experience to connect to family-sustaining careers.
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YWCA Greater Cleveland
YWCA’s Early Learning Center is the only center in the Cuyahoga County for families who have experienced homelessness or other significant trauma.
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Youth Opportunities Unlimited
Living-wage jobs with benefits put people on a path to the middle class. Minimum-wage jobs keep people stuck in poverty.
Read More
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