AUSTIN, Texas—Skillpoint Alliance—a Central Texas 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides fast-paced, no-cost job training in the skilled trades to lower-income, underserved and under-accessed populations—announced today that the organization has partnered with Indeed to provide justice-impacted manufacturing students with a weekly $400 stipend for the duration of the six-week certified production technician program.
Indeed will provide a $60,000 corporate sponsorship to fund Skillpoint Alliance’s Earn and Learn pilot program. The Earn and Learn program is designed to help justice-impacted students in the certified production technician manufacturing program earn money while they are enrolled in the six-week course.
“Indeed’s mission is to help all people get jobs. Every day we connect millions of people to new opportunities, but we know that while talent is universal, opportunity is not. As a company that puts job seekers first, we can learn how to do even better by supporting organizations working directly with people who face barriers and helping them connect to training, jobs, and economic security,” Parisa Fatehi-Weeks, the senior director of Social Impact Programs & Partnerships, said. “We are proud to partner with Skillpoint Alliance and the Austin Regional Manufacturing Association on an “Earn and Learn” pilot that will train Central Texans with a criminal record and help them secure pre-apprenticeship positions with manufacturing employers. We invite other Central Texas companies to join us in supporting this important work.”
“Skillpoint Alliance believes in giving people a second chance, regardless of their previous offenses, and is committed to helping those who are justice-impacted improve their lives through upskilling and workforce development. The funding provided by Indeed will help alleviate some of the financial stress and worry many students face when they become full-time students in our six-week certified production technician course,” Kevin Brackmeyer, CEO of Skillpoint Alliance, said. “The additional financial support will greatly help the students in our Earn and Learn pilot program, many of whom live below the average poverty level.”
Applicants who successfully enroll in the certified production technician program will learn about manufacturing safety, quality practices & measurement, manufacturing processes & production, and maintenance awareness. The course includes working with a CNC mill, soldering station, 3-D printer, VR headsets, the Skill Boss and much more. Students will receive their OSHA-10 safety certification, forklift certification, HAAS CNC certification and Lean Six Sigma White Belt certification.
Skillpoint Alliance programs not only focus on the technical aspect of the manufacturing industry, they also provide classes and support programs to bolster soft skills like income management, resume writing, and interviewing skills. Their goal is to create a well-rounded student and optimal employee.
To be eligible for grant funding, organizations were required to be based in Texas, be a 501(c)(3) designated organization, and able to demonstrate they are actively delivering assistance and services to Texas communities in the required focus areas.
For more information about Skillpoint Alliance, please visit https://skillpointalliance.org/
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About Skillpoint Alliance
Skillpoint Alliance is a 501(c)3 workforce development organization that provides in-demand workforce training to vulnerable members of the Central Texas and Permian Basin communities. The organization partners with local industry to offer unique professional training and educational opportunities at no cost to participants. Skillpoint Alliance was founded in 1994 and has since become the premier provider of rapid workforce training in the nine-county area in and around Austin. Skillpoint Alliance works continuously to build strong partnerships with local businesses, foundations, community-based organizations, and government agencies in order to grow and support its mission of connecting low-income individuals with career pathways in growing local industries. In 2018, Skillpoint Alliance launched a redesigned and customized Pre-Apprentice Electrical class, followed by a Pre-Apprentice Plumbing program in 2019—and concurrently offers HVAC Technician training, Certified Production Technician, and various other short-term and customizable training options. www.skillpointalliance.org
About Indeed
More people find jobs on Indeed than anywhere else. Indeed is the #1 job site in the world (Comscore, Total Visits, September 2022) and allows job seekers to search millions of jobs in more than 60 countries and 28 languages. Over 3 million employers use Indeed to find and hire new employees. More than 300 million unique visitors used Indeed each month to search for jobs, post resumes, and research companies. Indeed delivers 2.5X more hires than other branded job sites combined (Among BreezyHR clients, Sources of Hire Report 2021, U.S.). For more information, visit indeed.com.