NCLR occasionally publishes guest blog posts from our Affiliates across the country. Today’s guest post comes from Mi Casa Resource Center. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and our Affiliate.
By Karen Stran, Director of Career Development, Mi Casa Resource Center
In 1976, eight mothers of Head Start students in Denver decided they were going to do something to help women achieve personal and economic success. They understood that education and employment were vital for doing this, and that year the Mi Casa Resource Center (Mi Casa) was founded. Mi Casa’s overarching goal is to increase employability, education, knowledge and life skills of low-income individuals. Our priority is to provide highly relevant and effective programs that advance the careers and small businesses of Denver’s large and growing Latino population, enabling them to trade poverty for lasting economic stability.
The career development programs that Mi Casa offers are short-term, sector-focused job training programs for workers with limited skills and education. These programs prepare them for careers with strong earning and advancement potential in one of three high-growth industries: green construction and energy, financial services, and healthcare. Mi Casa’s comprehensive career pathway programs include hands-on technical skills training, as well as life skills, financial and computer literacy, job search and placement assistance, and case management to address each individual’s unique challenges.
The sector-focused approach Mi Casa utilizes for career development is evidence-based and it has been proven to lead to positive outcomes for both industry and low-income workers. It requires Mi Casa to engage a variety of employers, industry experts, and representatives from business, government, and higher education to assist the agency in developing and maintaining high-quality workforce development programs that prepare low-income workers for lasting employment success. To most effectively engage these populations, Mi Casa has established advisory councils for each of its three career development programs. Advisory Council members represent industry groups, trade associations, training organizations, other community-based organizations, and employers. Together these individuals have helped Mi Casa design and implement career training programs to serve as a bridge for low-income workers in the Denver area. These workers typically have a strong interest and some aptitude, but they possess few skills and have insufficient experience to get a job in a high-growth industry without assistance.
Advisory councils meet on a regular basis, with the frequency of meetings determined by program need. Fully established programs with fewer curriculum design needs might meet quarterly, while newer programs or those undergoing revisions and changes might meet monthly. Flexibility in meeting frequency helps ensure that advisory council members make the most of their time at meetings while offering the necessary level of guidance to the programs and staff. Each council consists of five to ten active members, with additional members attending as possible. Members bring their expertise to the meetings, advising program staff on matters such as curriculum, testing, industry trends, hiring needs, interview prep, resource development, and opportunities in the field.
Mi Casa has had particular success with its Financial Services and Healthcare Advisory Councils. Members of the Financial Services Advisory Council have taken an active role in preparing participants in the Bilingual Bank Teller Class for their careers. Members regularly come into class as guest speakers, presenting on topics such as customer service, sales, security, and compliance. Advisory Council members also act as mock interviewers for each class, participating in multi-day exercises designed to expose students to the rigors of financial services interviews and provide feedback that they can use to better prepare for upcoming interviews. Financial Services Advisory Council members include a bank branch manager, a representative from the insurance industry, and an investment services recruiter.
By utilizing advisory councils, Mi Casa has been able to keep its career training programs current. Advisory council members ensure that Mi Casa’s training programs stay in touch with industry needs, and allow Mi Casa to quickly adapt its programs to meet other identified needs for the near future.