Jewish Vocational Service in Boston (JVS Boston), one of New England’s largest providers of adult education and workforce development services, announced that it is partnering with OneTen, a coalition of leading chief executives and their companies, with the goal of upskilling, hiring and advancing one million Black individuals without four-year degrees into family-sustaining jobs over the next 10 years.
“JVS has been providing these services for communities of color for decades, and we share a common mindset that when you eliminate barriers to advancement for one group, you help lift everyone. We are thrilled that they have joined OneTen as a talent developer.”
As a talent developer in the OneTen network, JVS Boston anticipates creating more equitable access to opportunity and advancement for Black talent by providing education, vocational training, job readiness, career counseling, and job placement services. JVS Boston will also connect participants to its related supportive services, including assistance with childcare, housing, and transportation.
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“In order to create more equitable access to economic opportunities, it’s critical that we provide wraparound support for talent, including interview and resume skills, transportation, childcare, internet access, and more,” said Maurice Jones, CEO of OneTen. “JVS has been providing these services for communities of color for decades, and we share a common mindset that when you eliminate barriers to advancement for one group, you help lift everyone. We are thrilled that they have joined OneTen as a talent developer.”
Millions of workers without four-year college degrees have been disadvantaged by the current employment network as blue-collar jobs have evaporated, with 7.4 million being displaced from their jobs since 2000. The US unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent in December 2021, while the unemployment rate for Black Americans climbed to 7.1 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
OneTen aims to remove structural barriers that have disproportionately hindered Black talent and led to inter-generational inequity. In its first year of operation, OneTen member companies hired and promoted more than 20,000 Black individuals and retained 89 percent of hires.
“We are excited about this partnership with OneTen and leveraging JVS’s deep experience in creating economic pathways for individuals who face immense challenges due to racial and economic inequities,” said JVS Boston CEO Jerry Rubin. “JVS focuses on partnering with employers to identify the specific skills needed for high-demand jobs and then training participants to help them become competitive candidates for those jobs. Our partner employers have emphasized to us that engaging with a wider pool of capable workers is smart business and makes them more competitive in the marketplace for talent.”
With training and education programs supporting people to pursue jobs and careers as nurse’s aides, pharmacy technicians, and positions in the trades and banking, JVS Boston helps individuals build a foundation for rewarding, uplifting careers with many of the region’s top employers.
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JVS Boston’s four-month-long automotive-technician training program is one leading example of this effort. Unlike other industries that have a consistent pipeline of talent, there is no pipeline to body shops. Between 2022 and 2025, there will be a demand for more than 60,000 new collision repair technicians. In 2022 alone, that number is north of 18,000, expert surveys show. JVS Boston’s program, which is hosted at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, empowers participants with new career opportunities working as an automotive technician, service manager, or automotive-parts sales representative.
“JVS directly helps employers attract and retain a productive workforce that improves their business bottom line and improves employee satisfaction and retention, while helping job seekers gain marketable skills and negotiate the best employment opportunities available,” said JVS Senior Vice President Amy Nishman. ”We are very proud of this new partnership with OneTen, because it aligns so closely with our mission to help people secure financial independence for themselves and their families.’’
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