We learned a few days ago that the U.S. economy added 467,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate of 4 percent had remained virtually unchanged since December.
The Biden administration, breathing a sigh of relief, proclaimed the good news.
But as often happens, the Black community fared less well.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh said as much in his blog. “While the Black unemployment rate has declined over the last year,” he wrote, “it remains approximately double the white
unemployment rate.”
A lack of jobs, especially ones paying wages that give workers the dignity to comfortably support their families, is a troubling issue in the Black community – pandemic or not.
It’s one of the problems the City of St. Petersburg decided to focus on when it launched the St. Pete Works program several years ago in the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area.
The goal was to offer job training and workforce readiness in an area where a majority of residents are Black.
Monday will begin a new session of construction skills training under the auspices of People Empowering & Restoring Communities, or PERC. The 12-week session will include work on building two
tiny affordable homes.
Residents have been eager for the training. “One of the classes, 110 people showed up for 10 to 15 slots,” said Michael Jalazo, the CEO of PERC. Hopefuls come directly from the community and
through referrals. Some are ex-offenders.
Jalazo said PERC held its first class in the St. Pete Works program about four years ago. “We’ve done six or seven classes now. We expect to do three classes this year. We’ve had five graduations
pre-pandemic,” he said, adding that participants earned multiple certifications in construction and advanced manufacturing and moved on to jobs.
Late in 2020, St. Petersburg College became the managing agent for the $3 million, three-year St. Pete Works contract. It has meant collaborating with numerous organizations, including PERC, United
Way, AMI Kids, Pinellas County Urban League, Pinellas Technical College, Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, Mount Zion Human Services and Pinellas Opportunity Council.
“We partner with community partners and we get with professional contractors to make sure we provide services to residents of southside St. Petersburg,” explained Belinthia Berry, acting dean of workforce
development at the college.
Along with training, St. Pete Works offers wrap-around services that include work clothes, haircuts, transportation and childcare. There’s help with resumes and practice interviews. Berry said this is a
holistic approach to removing barriers to training and employment that disadvantaged people often face.
Currently, there are 118 people enrolled in the college’s two-week employability skills jumpstart program. Another 23 are in training programs such as web development and cyber security. In the past year,
42 have gotten jobs through the college-based training.
A manager and an advisor recruit for the program that spans entry-level, medium- and high-skill training. The program covers the cost of training and certification in areas that include health care, advanced
manufacturing, electrical lineworker and information technology.
The Silver Scholars program is designed for older workers who need help with today’s technology. Training is offered by Community Tech House, a South St. Petersburg CRA business, at the college’s Midtown
Center.
“We have also helped individuals who want to be entrepreneurs, those who want to be project managers,” Berry said.
One of those would-be entrepreneurs is Felisha Alexander. The Licensed Practical Nurse has completed the entrepreneurship course and is waiting to take a certification test. “My dream is to open up my own
company,” she said, mentioning both an assisted living facility and a home health agency.
Wanda Vendredi, who also works in health care, is working on being certified in billing and coding. “I actually want to do it part time at home,” she said. The extra income from a second job will make it possible
for her to travel, she said.
St. Pete Works has the ability to open doors to a better life, Berry said.
“I feel this initiative will help individuals to recreate and reinvent themselves and give them economic and social mobility,” she said.
“With all the additional skills, they will be able to maneuver society. I just heard that 50 percent of those who lost jobs during Covid felt that if they had additional education and skills, it will help them to achieve that
social and economic mobility to compete with those who have higher degrees … Education is the way.”
