UMEZ PROVIDES FUNDING FOR NEW
HEALTH CARE CAREERS INITIATIVE

 New York, N.Y. – Recognizing that due to recent difficult economic conditions, different approaches must be used to create new employment opportunities, Kenneth J. Knuckles, President & CEO of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corp. (UMEZ), announced today that his organization had awarded the Structured Employment Economic Development Corp. (Seedco) a $360,000 grant to develop and implement the “Upper Manhattan Health Careers Initiative” to train 200 Upper Manhattan residents for positions in the growing healthcare field. Seedco has been operating programs in the Upper Manhattan Community since 1998.

 According to the New York State Department of Labor's occupational projections, eight (8) out of twenty-five (25) occupations that are projected to grow the fastest in the New York City region are in healthcare.  Healthcare Support/Service occupations are expected to generate over 62,000 jobs in New York City at a rate of 21.2 percent through 2014 and Health Care Practitioner/Technical occupations are expected to generate 23,000 jobs at a rate of 12.8 percent through 2014. 

             Moreover, the healthcare industry has experienced a significant shift in the provision of direct care services for the elderly and disabled from government-operated facilities to a community-based service delivery model comprised of group home-based services.  Community care facilities for the elderly and residential care facilities have been identified by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the fastest growing industry sectors with the fastest wage and salary employment growth projections from 2002 to 2012.

             Seedco, utilizing a variety of mechanisms for the implementation of the UMHCI, will leverage public/private resources and partnerships with several community-based organizations, experienced training providers and existing employer relationships, in an effort to provide Upper Manhattan residents with training, job placement and career advancement opportunities in four direct health care occupational tracts.  These tracts include the following: 1) entry-level opportunities as Direct Care Workers, 2) entry-level opportunities as Home Health Aides, 3) skill upgrade opportunities as Direct Care Supervisors and 4) skill upgrade opportunities as Certified Nursing Aides.

 Through a unique service delivery model, Seedco will leverage its partnerships with a consortium of community-based organizations and employers to develop Community-Based Health Care Sector Skills Centers.  The Centers will focus on several areas including, encouraging entry-level and skills upgrade training opportunities, in order to ensure that there is good access to good career paths for low-skilled, unemployed, under-employed and low-income Upper Manhattan residents.  Unlike, traditional job placement services, the Centers will provide jobseekers with culturally sensitive services, intensive case management and training designed to meet the current labor market needs that will ultimately lead Upper Manhattan jobseekers to long-term careers and income growth.

             “Seedco’s outstanding reputation makes it an ideal organization to undertake this very worthwhile and important initiative,” said Mr. Knuckles.  “The Upper Manhattan Health Careers Initiative complements another health care employment and training partnership we announced almost exactly a year ago with the 1199 SEIU Training and Employment Funds to connect 118 Upper Manhattan residents to employment and career advancement opportunities in the health care industry. In both instances, our overall goal is to create opportunities for empowerment zone residents with skills deficits to obtain the highly valued training that is needed to qualify for employment and career advancement opportunities, while simultaneously providing employers with a pool of skilled and qualified labor.”

 “This support will help to strengthen Seedco’s commitment to working with our community partners, Northern Manhattan Improvement Center, Union Settlement and Highbridge Community Life Corporation and Cooperative Home Care Associates, to help meet the needs of Upper Manhattan residents and employers,” Diane Baillargeon, Seedco’s President & CEO, said.  “We are grateful to the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corp. for the opportunity to be of service.”

ABOUT UMEZ

  UMEZ was one of nine federally designated urban zones in 1994, and seeks to revitalize economically deprived communities by using public funds and tax incentives as catalysts for private investment.  UMEZ’s mission is to sustain the economic revitalization of all communities of Upper Manhattan through job creation, corporate alliances, strategic investments and small business assistance.  For more information about the UMEZ visit www.umez.org.

ABOUT SEEDCO

Seedco is a national nonprofit organization that helps low-income people and communities move toward economic prosperity. www.seedco.org

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