New United Way initiative designed to be an ‘on ramp’ to industry certifications, job placement, livable wages

Careers that require credentials – a commercial driver’s license or health care certification, for example – can earn people livable wages that help their families thrive.  

But barriers stand in the way.  

First, there’s the price tag.  

Earning a commercial driver’s license can cost at least $5,000. Certified medical administrative assistant: $4,900. Information technology A+ certification: $3,500.  

Then, there’s the time commitment: often months of training.  

On top of that, families have to find – and pay for – child care. They may need a laptop or equipment for training that they can’t afford. They may have an unreliable car or lack transportation to get to and from training.  

A new initiative from United Way of Central Indiana is designed to be an “on ramp” for people seeking industry certifications, to help them earn those credentials, eliminate barriers in their way and connect them directly with employers who are hiring – placing them into jobs.  

Two nonprofits – Dress for Success Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Urban League – are now piloting the Workforce Pathways Accelerator in its first year. In summer 2024, each was awarded $200,000 in grant funding that will pay for participants’ training and certification, help with barriers and allow the organizations to hire a coach who will guide them.  

A key component of the initiative: The coaches, called career partnerships navigators, will build relationships with training providers and employers, help place participants directly into jobs and continue to support them, and their employers, after hiring.  

“We know our residents and neighbors can’t stay unemployed for long periods of time, and we want to move them to the next step of earning a livable wage, quickly and with an industry-recognized credential,” said Bernadette Monk, United Way’s manager of workforce pathways.  

Kimberly Simmons, Urban League’s executive vice president of programs and chief programs officer, has worked in workforce development for years. She said this initiative is unique.  

“This is by far the first opportunity that I can recall where we have dollars that will allow us to be able to assist individuals with their career pathways in addition to providing them with the supportive services that they need to successfully complete that training,” she said. “That is unheard of.”    

In 2023, United Way of Central Indiana announced a five-year strategic plan, with the goal of distancing 10,000 households from poverty. To do that, United Way is focusing on four areas: basic needs, early care and learning, economic mobility, and safe and affordable housing.  

The Workforce Pathways Accelerator is part of United Way’s economic mobility efforts, aimed at helping people move up the economic ladder through workforce development. United Way hopes to expand the initiative after the 12-month pilot is complete. 

Shannon Jenkins, United Way’s vice president of impact, said one of the expected outcomes of the pilot is that the Urban League and Dress for Success will share their perspectives and approaches, which will help inform how to grow the initiative beyond the first year.   

Both nonprofits have already hired their career partnerships navigators. At the Urban League, the first group of participants began training in August to earn commercial driver’s licenses. And Dress for Success hopes to begin two career pathways – in health care and information technology – by early 2025.  

Since 1999, Dress for Success Indianapolis has helped women reach economic independence by providing support, professional attire and development tools to help them in work and life.  

All women who come through the nonprofit’s doors meet with coaches who help with resumes and mock interviews – and uncover barriers they may be facing. Last year, the nonprofit served 837 people, 90% of whom were living under the Federal Poverty Level. Most were single moms.  

“We do so much more than the clothing – we’re beyond the suit and beyond the styling. We like to say that we dress women from the inside out,” said Julie Petr, executive director.  

For 25 years, Dress for Success has helped women prepare for job interviews and with professional development once they’re employed. Petr said the Workforce Pathways Accelerator will allow the nonprofit to do something new: provide training and guide women into careers.  

“Because of our fantastic, unique partnership now with United Way of Central Indiana, Dress for Success Indianapolis is moving into a new, exciting phase as we go into a second quarter of a century,” Petr said. “We will now be actually guiding women into job training that will lead to certification and ultimately employment in jobs that are deemed critical for the economy.”   

At the Indianapolis Urban League, the Training Works program has enrolled more than 1,000 people in training since 2017 – with up to 94% of them earning a credential, Simmons said.  

Funding through the Workforce Pathways Accelerator will allow the Urban League to help even more people reach their goal of earning an industry-recognized credential in a high-demand field, she said. The career paths Urban League sees most often: health care, information technology, commercial driver’s license, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning certification.  

At first, clients who come to the Urban League may have convictions or evictions on their records, they may be struggling with addiction, domestic violence, unemployment, housing or child care issues, Simmons said.     

Urban League coaches – including the one hired for the accelerator initiative – work with clients to identify barriers and connect them with resources and services that can help.  

“People have barriers that prevent them from successfully completing training,” Simmons said. “If you’re able to identify and address those barriers on the front end or even while they’re in training, you are increasing their ability to successfully complete that training and earn that credential.”   

For the Workforce Pathways Accelerator initiative, it’s up to the coaches to decide how to use funding to eliminate barriers, whether that’s to help with utility bills or child care or transportation – or something else. 

“It was important to us to leave it to the community-based organizations, because they know their residents and neighbors best,” Monk said. 

Before someone enters training at the Urban League, they take a TABE test – Test of Adult Basic Education, a standardized assessment – to determine if they’d be suitable for the training in which they’re interested.  

The Indianapolis Urban League has served the community since 1965. Simmons said the nonprofit’s workforce development programs, including a boost from the accelerator initiative, help people secure credentials that allow them to work one job and support their household. Through the accelerator, the career partnership navigator will also help place participants directly into jobs.  

“That is success for us: When someone is able to take care of their basic needs with one job because of a credential they earned and ... support their families earning that livable wage.” 

Interested in partnering or learning more about the Workforce Pathways Accelerator? Email Bernadette Monk, United Way’s manager of workforce pathways, at Bernadette.Monk@uwci.org.