Date: June 25, 2020
Workforce Alliance Receives Youth Employment Grant
WICHITA, Kan. – For the fourth consecutive year, Bank of America is supporting the Workforce Alliance Youth Employment Project (YEP). This year, Bank of America has given a grant of $50,000 to assist young adults in finding their first job or work experience opportunity. Services offered through YEP include assistance in resume creation, job search and interview preparation, as well as education in soft skills, customer service, and money management. YEP is a collaborative that works with a wide array of community businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.
“As Bank of America consistently seeks ways to serve Wichita, we’re proud of the partnership with Workforce Alliance and our support for programs such as YEP. Employers inevitably benefit from an ever-evolving workforce, and YEP ultimately helps diversify the skillsets available to young people in our community,” says Shawn Lancelot, Bank of America Wichita Market President.
Participants such as Wichita resident Milton Dodd are the epitome of YEP and its ongoing effort to connect local youth with relevant professional experiences.
Three years ago, Dodd joined the YEP program and completed his first job working at the Wichita YMCA. Today, Dodd has advanced in the program to become a Student Ambassador and has been tremendously successful in his role assisting fellow Wichita youth in their professional achievements. Having confidence in Dodd’s ability to connect with people, YEP leaders have repeatedly asked him to host workshops for teens as well as participate in speaking engagements at area high schools. As a mentor, Dodd utilizes his enthusiasm and professional success as a tool to help fellow participants achieve their goals. Dodd now attends Wichita State University and is majoring in economics.
“We are so proud to see how Milton and other Youth Employment Project participants have grown through the program,” says Keith Lawing, president and chief executive officer at Workforce Alliance of South-Central Kansas. “It’s truly stories like these that showcase the benefit of supporting our local talent.”
According to Dodd, he believes being a Student Ambassador for YEP has made him a better student and employee overall, and the program has greatly enhanced his interpersonal and communication skills. Dodd recommends all young adults participate in YEP.
After participating in YEP, many individuals are able to find jobs independently, or by attending a YEP job fair, which has had over 9,000local youth participants since the program began. YEP also works to identify potential work experiences based on employer and interest matches through their many employer partners. To date, YEP has placed over 2,500 youth to employment in the Wichita area.
Workforce Alliance of South-Central Kansas (WA)
The Workforce Alliance is the Local Workforce Development Board, Administrative Entity and Program Administrator for US Department of Labor Education and Training programs in Local Area IV of Kansas, which includes Butler, Cowley, Harper, Kingman, Sedgwick and Sumner counties. It is a proud partner of the America’s Job Center Network and KANSASWORKS.COM. For additional information on the Workforce Alliance please visit workforce-ks.com.
Bank of America
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).
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