TRWIB currently has position openings for a Compliance Manager and a Youth Policy Manager. If you are interested in learning more about these positions and/or applying, please visit http://www.trwib.org/about/vacancies.html.

Please note that the application deadline has been extended to Friday, October 30, 2009. All applications must be complete and received by October 30, 2009. Late applications will not be reviewed.

On Friday, September 25, 2009, TRWIB submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in response to the Pathways out of Poverty solicitation for grant awards. The proposal leveraged $3,932,725 from Allegheny County partners and requested almost $2,000,000 from DOL. The Green Career Pathways project's focus of recruitment and service will be individuals who are Housing Authority of the City Pittsburgh Housing residents, Pittsburgh Public Schools drop-outs, minorities, low-income, unemployed, and will include individuals with a criminal records and significant work barriers.

The Green Career Pathways project proposes to lead individuals from these communities to Pathways Out of Poverty through targeted recruitment, education and training with integrated service supports, that will lead to work in the emerging green economy and eventually to family sustaining employment and a life-long Green Career Pathway.

Many thanks to all the organizations that have contributed to make this proposal a success!

Educators and Employers Engaged for Excellence (E4) is a professional development model which builds the workforce pipeline in your region by providing resources, training and partnerships for schools, employers, and youth-serving agencies. E4 improves career education by focusing on 21st century skill development for educators, students, and parents. E4 trainings are set to start in November 2009, but if you are a teacher, counselor, transition coordinator, or school administrator and would like to learn more about how your school can get involved in 2009-2010 trainings, please contact Micah Frankenfield at 412-552-7087 or mfrankenfield@trwib.org by October 30th, 2009.

The temporary services industry helps employers find workers to support or supplement their workforce. In the southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA) region, this industry grew at a pace of 7% between 2002-2007, putting it well above the 2% growth average. TRWIB analyzed the demographics of the contingent workforce, wage disparities between men and women, and rehiring practices within the industry. TRWIB also hosted a focus group of industry leaders where challenges such as transportation, lack of diversity, and underemployment emerged.

Click here for the full report on the contingent workforce in SWPA.

On September 9th, 2009 TRWIB's Youth Policy Council (YPC) met for its first quarterly convening of 2009-2010. In June 2009 three sub-committees were formed that align with the core functions of the YPC: Fiscal Accountability and Evaluations, Network Relations and Communication, and Research, Development and Policy Making. The sub-committees are working through the following issues:
1) What standards can be developed to affect youth program outcomes?
2) How can more effective lines of communication be created between youth seeking services and youth providers?
3) How can education and outreach efforts on the labor market increase so students are aware of post-secondary opportunities that exist?

For more information on TRWIB's YPC please e-mail Micah Frankenfield at mfrankenfield@trwib.org

Sustainable Pittsburgh recently published and released the report: Inclusion in the Workforce: Positioning the Pittsburgh Region to Prosper and Compete, which demonstrates that equity and inclusion are directly tied to a region's economic health. The report states, "The 14,000 jobless, underemployed, and working poor in the Pittsburgh region, for example, would have had $372 million (2008 dollars) in additional annual earnings in 2008 if African American men and women were employed in full-time and part-time jobs at the same rates and at the same wages as white men and women." After examining possible causes for the disparity, the report features numerous recommendations on how the region can work to remove structural and attitudinal barriers to reduce its racial employment disparity.

To access the full report visit: http://www.sustainablepittsburgh.org/Pub/Final_Inclusion_7-28-09.pdf. For more information on the report, please contact Sustainable Pittsburgh at 412-258-6642.

For assistance in career planning and research, teachers, parents and students are urged to check out all the information within the Pennsylvania Career Guide and related information at www.pacareerzone.com.

The website is designed to convey a wide variety of career and labor market information for career exploring purposes. There are some 900 careers displayed with video clips and linkage to the US Labor Information site known as O*Net.

The goal is to provide accurate and current information so students can make informed career decisions. All students deserve the most effective career strategies in developing a successful future.