On September 28, 2021, GuilfordWorks was awarded a $3,000,000 Comprehensive and Accessible Reemployment Through Equitable Employment Recovery (CAREER) Grant through the U.S. Department of Labor to help communities address and recover from unemployment and the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Branded CAREER Connections, the team hit the ground running, and we wanted to provide an update on the program’s impact thus far.

Performance

Total Individuals Served: 111

Areas Served:

• Browns Summit
• Greensboro
• High Point
• Mcleansville
• Reidsville
• Whitsett
• Winston-Salem

1. The CAREER Connections team has expanded the scale of initiation by establishing memoranda of understanding with several additional agencies and organizations that are an additional source of referrals and who provide a wide range of holistic wrap-around services for customers. Partners have included the team in multiple community events that have increased accessibility to grant services.
2. The team continues to increase the reach of the initiative by participating in evening and weekend events hosted within census tracts in High Point and Greensboro. Team members have spoken at various events sponsored by partners in order to increase awareness of the initiative.
3. The CAREER Connections team has provided a range of career and business services to customers, including résumé writing, interviewing, job searches, career assessments, referrals to agencies and employers, and training for certificates. Services have been delivered in person and virtually.
4. The CAREER Connections team has coordinated with agencies and community partners, including but not limited to the African Services Coalition, the Salvation Army, Faith Action International, Guilford County Partnership for Children, and others to disseminate grant information to communities in Guilford County and to increase awareness of the career and business services offered through the grant. Partners have provided team members with access to potential customers via information sessions and community events. Many partners have embedded into their protocols access to the CAREER team through an online referral system.
5. The CAREER Connections team continues to participate in numerous community events, including fall festivals, community-sponsored events, job fairs, and partner events. The team is also working collaboratively to participate in inter-agency events to capture every available opportunity to welcome potential customers.

What’s Next

We’re hopeful that we can continue growing this program as we feel that the individuals involved have made amazing strides in developing creative methods for delivering services to affected individuals.