Montco Career Connections

In March, our Developer of Workforce Partnerships, Sara Hudson, coordinated a tour for our participants of the North Montco Technical Career Center (NMTCC). The NMTCC is one of the eligible training providers that our participants can enroll with to gain certifications in high priority occupations. We have several youth interested in these trainings and wanted to give our participants the opportunity to learn more about the programs available to them. Participants were able to visit classrooms and hear from instructors during the visit.

MontcoWorks NOW participants and staff went on a tour of the Perkiomenville SPCA in April. During their tour of the facility, they were able to meet dogs, cats and horses. We have several youths interested in working with animals, so this was a great way to connect them with one of our worksite partners to learn more about potential careers in that field. Thanks to our Developer of Workforce Partnerships, Sara Hudson, for planning such a fun experience to meet these furry friends!

The MWN team encourages our clients to consider taking courses that expand skill sets and knowledge that help obtain employment. We currently have 11 participants enrolled in training programs that are being funded through the MWN program and Montgomery County. Check out some updates below:

• Humza, Sean and Juviny all completed their welding one training at NMTCC. They are looking forward to starting the welding two class in the fall.
• Kamirah completed her practical nursing program at the Lansdale School of Business and passed her nclex exam.
• Naji completed his carpentry program at Orleans Technical Training Institute.
• Alaysia completed the Common Grounds Training Program with Manna on Main Street. During her graduation celebration, Alaysia and her fellow graduates prepared a meal for all the attendees.

We are so impressed by the hard work our MWN clients put in every day to learn new skills and certifications that they can add to their resumes.

The MontcoWorks★NOW program provides a variety of career exploration activities to help youth and young adults make informed decisions regarding employment opportunities. Our Developer of Workforce Partnerships, Sara Hudson, connects our participants to job shadowing opportunities with local employers. Job shadows provide the participants with an opportunity to accompany a professional during their workday. They get the chance to observe and have a better understanding of a specific career.

Learn about some of the awesome experiences we have facilitated recently:

• Jimmy completed 2 job shadows with our worksite partner, the Birches.
• Aniyah completed a job shadow with pre-K counts.

Thanks to Sara and our worksite partners for making these experiences happen!

The MWN Career Counselors work together with their clients to support them with their career goals which includes working to find employment opportunities. We are so proud of our clients that are working all throughout Montgomery County filling roles in all types of career fields. Check out some of the awesome jobs our clients were hired for:

• Unique is working at Brandywine Living.
• Kamirah has a job with the Horsham Center.
• Naji has a job with Nolan Painting.
• Elijah's paid work experience lead to a direct hire opportunity with Triumph Counseling.
• Scarlet gained full time employment at Rising Sun Scholars.
• Zalia is working with Amazon Fresh.

The MWN team works with over 100 worksite partners to connect MWN participants to a paid work experience (PWE). See below for current clients who are placed at organizations throughout Montgomery County.

• Gavin started a PWE with the Open Link.

• Jack started a PWE with Gehman Design Remodeling.

• Noah is completing a PWE with Peaceful Living.

• Kylee is doing her PWE at the Elmwood Park Zoo.

• Demetrius is doing his PWE at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.

• Destini and Anna are completing PWE's with Mishock Physical Therapy.

• Shannon is completing a PWE with Studios Salon Suites.

PWE's are a great opportunity to gain experience in the participant's field of choice and to learn if that career path is to their liking. We appreciate all of worksite partners and are excited to support so many unique work opportunities for MWN participants.

The MontcoWorks★NOW Inspiration Station provides an opportunity for our participants to share how they have been impacted by our program. Our team is passionate and committed to supporting youth as they navigate the workforce world. We often share client success stories but thought you would LOVE to hear from our participants directly. The MWN program provides amazing opportunities and each youth sets their individuals goals to achieve during their time in programming. Check out our quotes below from Rachel, Trey and Guysha who are doing amazing things in the workforce. Just a reminder to never give up!

The MontcoWorks★NOW team works hard to stay connected with our community and stay up to date on the best practices that will help us serve our MWN participants. Recruitment and engagement are important parts of our program. We connected with students at Pottstown High School, Souderton High School, Upper Moreland High School, Abington High School, Pottsgrove High School, Lower Merion High School and Harriton High School.

Danielle, Sara, Megan and Kendall all participated in Earth Day Activities at MCIU Headquarters. The entire MWN team attended the PA Workforce Development Association's annual workforce conference. We were able to connect with our fellow workforce development professionals and attended informative workshop sessions.