September 30th, 2010

The Way to Work Philadelphia! initiative successfully connected approximately 13,000 adults and youths this summer with jobs and valuable workforce skill developments, Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced today. The initiative, which launched on May 19 and ends today, used funding from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), to provide wage reimbursement that enabled local employers to hire adult employees and dramatically expanded paid internship opportunities for young people in the state wide initiative Way to Work.

Locally, this collaboration between the City of Philadelphia the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board (PWIB) and the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corp. (PWDC), effectively matched regional employers with thousands of new employees, creating a win-win-win situation for youth, job seekers, businesses, and the local economy.

“Through Way to Work Philadelphia we provided around 13,000 people with not only the paycheck that comes with employment, but the dignity that comes with getting up each morning and going to work,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “The program produced multiple benefits for Philadelphia. While employees received employment and job training, small businesses across the city were also able to take advantage of Way to Work by hiring Philadelphians at a much reduced cost. These are exactly the types of efforts that we are developing and supporting every day to put Philadelphians back to work and develop a workforce fit for the 21st Century.”

For more information visit: http://cityofphiladelphia.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/way-to-work-philadelphia-meets-goals-successfully-places-about-13000-adults-and-youths-in-jobs/