Residents of the neighborhoods surrounding West Fairmount Park have a chance to help shape the future of the park and the Centennial District. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation is currently working with the Fairmount Park Conservancy, The Mann Center, Philadelphia Zoo, and the Please Touch Museum on a new planning initiative which includes improvements of the park experience for visitors and residents.

A “community-led framework for how to be more inclusive and fair in future park investments”  used in the planning process.

As the plan affects communities it needs to be developed with communities. Therefore, The Centennial Subdistrict Design Plan team is looking for paid Community Ambassadors to be a part of the process.

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Here’s a great program hosted by The Free Library of Philadelphia that aims to help unemployed workers and new job seekers. Starting Tuesday, Sept. 26, the Free Library will offer career exploration workshops, as a part of the larger Philly Career Launch series, an initiative that aims to help unemployed individuals to qualify for occupations that are accessible to workers without a bachelor’s degree.

The day-long workshops will be held at several neighborhood library locations, including three West Philadelphia-based branches, over the course of four weeks through October 20. The workshops will highlight occupations in four industries: construction and trades, health care, information technology, and manufacturing. In the workshops, participants will have the opportunity to explore careers that build on their strengths and get hands-on experience with online resources.

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The Drexel Business Inclusion Center (BIC), which develops strategies and assists businesses in building a diverse and inclusive workforce, is hosting an Aramark hiring event on Tuesday, June 27 for individuals on the autism spectrum and with other disabilities. The event will take place at Drexel’s Handschumacher Dining Center (3210 Chestnut St) between 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Candidates will be interviewed for a variety of positions and receive on-the-spot job offers for positions, many starting in August and September 2023.

Job seekers who arrive before 2 p.m. will be guaranteed an interview and have access to:

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MCAP Fall 2021 alumni / Photo from Drexel.edu.

The Manufacturing Career Accelerator Program (MCAP) at Drexel University is recruiting participants for a 6-week bootcamp on Drexel’s main campus. This tuition-free program, which first launched in Spring 2021, is designed to “help participants become their professional best while learning about the manufacturing industry and preparing to begin a rewarding career in a dynamic industry.”

The program is specifically interested in recruiting West Philadelphia residents. In MCAP, participants work with program instructors and staff to develop even more professional skills and learn how to apply them in the workplace.

The program helps professionals who have recently become unemployed or are working part-time with low wages and seeking a new career opportunity. Program participants receive a monetary stipend. They will also have an opportunity to connect with local employers with immediate job openings.

The third iteration of the program starts May 1, 2023 and runs for six weeks, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

For more information and to apply, go here. Also, check out this flyer for additional details.

Job seekers looking for employment in the nonprofit sector are invited this Thursday, Oct. 13, to a Nonprofit Job Fair organized by Free Library of Philadelphia. The job fair will take place from from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Parkway Central Library.

The job fair is an opportunity to meet with many local organizations and agencies planning to grow their teams.

Participating employers and community resources at the Nonprofit Job Fair include: Continue Reading

The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) is once again partnering with the University of Pennsylvania on a paid job training program. The partners are seeking compassionate, patient-focused, and computer-proficient individuals with experience in customer service (call-center experience is a plus) to train for Access Services Associates. Those accepted to the program will receive cutting-edge job connection strategies resulting in 95 percent of graduates finding employment and a $150 weekly stipend while enrolled.

If hired, Access Services Associates are paid starting salaries of $17.69 an hour. Continue Reading