West Philly residents are invited to participate in the following job and volunteer training programs in West and Southwest Philadelphia:

University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is recruiting Science Lab Helpers for positions with the University of Pennsylvania. Applications are accepted through Friday, Sept. 15. This is the 4th cohort the program has built with the university. They are looking to hire entry-level, Science Lab Helpers who will earn $15/hour to start.

The Skills Initiative is seeking applicants who possess a high school diploma or GED; are currently unemployed; and live in the West Philadelphia zip codes of 19104, 19131, 19139, 19143, or 19151. Applicants with experience working in janitorial, housekeeping, labor, science lab or related fields are encouraged to apply. Program participants receive a performance-based stipend during the training and learn the skills needed to successfully connect to employment and a fulfilling career path.  Continue Reading

The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, an award-winning program of University City District that connects unemployed West Philly residents with local employers, is recruiting for the next cohort of trainees.

The program will be accepting applications through Aug. 18 for Patrol Officer positions with Allied Universal. Allied Universal is the largest provider of security services in North America and is recognized as the premier service provider in every market it serves. This is the 10th cohort the Skills Initiative has built with Allied Universal, and is the continuation of a six-year partnership.  Continue Reading

University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is recruiting West Philadelphia residents for its new job training program in partnership with Nobel Learning Communities and Drexel University. The program will prepare individuals to be Preschool Lead Teachers and Preschool Assistant Teachers at Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Drexel University.

In the summer of 2017, Nobel Learning Communities Inc., a network of more than 180 private schools that offers preschool through 12th grade education, will be opening a new location, Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Drexel University, in West Philadelphia. In this new partnership, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative will be supporting NLCI in hiring a full complement of Preschool Lead Teachers and Preschool Assistant Teachers.  Continue Reading

Great news for the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, the University City District’s program providing job training and job interview opportunities to West Philadelphia residents by connecting them with local employers. The program has recently received a major grant – $600,000 – from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The grant will help the Skills Initiative to expand its reach and impact in the area.

The nationally-acclaimed program, which recently turned 5 years old, boasts a 90 percent job placement rate for its graduates and has helped hundreds of unemployed West Philly residents since its inception in 2011. The Pew grant is the largest ever in the program’s history and is essential to its efforts to significantly grow its capacity over the next three years. These plans include expanding the number of program participants, both trainees and employers, and employment opportunities.

The program’s goal is to serve 500 individuals annually by the end of 2021.

For more information about the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative and current opportunities for job seekers, visit: www.universitycity.org/wpsi.

Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) has begun its competitive lifeguard recruitment process for the summer. PPR hires 400 lifeguards annually to staff its 70 outdoor and four indoor pools (read our earlier post here).

This is a great summer job for young people because it pays between $12.33 and $14.60 an hour and most people are able to work in their own neighborhood. PPR staff can even assist interested candidates that may not be the strong swimmers, if they start the process early.

The first step for interested candidates is to attend a screening at one of PPR’s three indoor training facilities during the following screening days and times from now until June:  Continue Reading

University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) continues offering job training and employment opportunities to West Philly residents. Now through March 24, WPSI is recruiting for a training program with Green City Works, University City District’s in-house landscaping operation.

WPSI is seeking applicants who possess a high school diploma or GED, are currently unemployed, and live in the West Philadelphia zip codes of 19104, 19131, 19139, 19143, or 19151. WPSI is seeking applicants with a track record of excellence in landscaping or related fields.

In addition to learning the skills needed to successfully connect to employment, program graduates are guaranteed an interview with the employer and receive a performance-based stipend during the training.

Interested applicants can visit www.westphiladelphiaskill.org to learn more about the program and submit an application, available under “Opportunities for Job Seekers.” Applications are also available here. Paper applications are available at First District Plaza, Suite 206 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application deadline is March 24 at 5 p.m.