WorkSource is partnering with the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections, Operation New Hope, Duval County School System and a host of community service providers in Project “Learn and Earn.” The program will employ a comprehensive integrated network of intervention systems designed to “wrap around” each youth and capitalize upon their strengths while addressing areas of deficiency.

Project Learn and Earn will target 125 at risk, juvenile offenders and school drop outs between the ages of 16 and 21. The program is designed to increase academic gains; increase skills in team work and critical thinking. It will also target school and work attendance, completion of graduation from high school or GED attainment, and culminate in vocational training and placement into full-time employment. Funding for the project is a combination of an award of $334,907 from Workforce Florida Inc. and matching funds totaling $465,502 from WorkSource and Operation New Hope.

The Career Advancement and Retention Challenge-2003-04 project was also funded for $396,000. This program will combine the WorkSource Income Growth Strategy for career development within the healthcare industry. The program will also incorporate retention strategies for employers by introducing a mentoring process from “Keep Your Nurses for Life”.

In this project, WorkSource will partner with hospitals and surgical facilities to target workers that earn less the 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and who qualify to participate. Upon training completion, employees will be positioned to advance up the career ladder within their current organization or obtain advancement positions with another allied health employer.