Investment of $20,000 by Goodwill and OneTen to create career pathways by equipping Black team members with technical and professional skills
SARASOTA/BRADENTON, FL - In an effort to prepare local Black talent for family-sustaining careers through technical and professional training, Goodwill Manasota has become a talent development partner for leading online continuing education provider ed2go. Goodwill has invested $10,000 and secured another $10,000 through a matching grant from OneTen; Goodwill will become a conduit through which Goodwill team members can enroll into an appropriate ed2go professional training program.
According to OneTen, there is a $143,000 average difference in family net wealth between white and Black families. While 79% of family-sustaining jobs require a four-year college degree, 76% of Black adults in the U.S. do not have a four-year degree. OneTen strives to equip Black talent with technical and professional skills to succeed on the job, working with community partners to provide wraparound services to support talent through their training, hiring and beyond.
Goodwill employees will have access to high-demand career training courses through ed2go. Goodwill has committed to providing outreach to identify candidates, enroll participants, and work with ed2go on reporting that may be needed for the grant. The nonprofit organization will also work to ensure that each participant is successfully registered into the OneTen Jobs Marketplace to connect with area employers committed to hiring talent through this program.
"Today's employers are looking for specialized knowledge," said Goodwill Manasota president Donn Githens. "Our team members are Goodwill’s most valuable resource; we are confident we can help our employees to achieve their professional goals through this new partnership. We look forward to helping to create career pathways for talent in our community through this program."
Goodwill is committed to upskilling all of its team members. Toward that purpose, in 2021 the organization provided 102,608 hours of on-the-clock training and education for its employees.
The mission of OneTen is to hire, promote and advance one million Black individuals who do not have a four-year degree into family-sustaining careers over the next 10 years. The organization takes a skills-first approach, focusing on competencies, in an effort to close the opportunity gap and ignite potential for generations to come.
Ed2go is designed to meet workforce demand, was developed by industry experts, and is delivered through top colleges and universities. Ed2go was founded in 1997 to provide quality education the fastest way possible — online. Beginning as an email correspondent program, ed2go has grown to reach lifelong learners in 50 states and more than 16 countries. Its catalog offers more than 750 online continuing education courses.
For more about Goodwill, visit experiencegoodwill.org.
PHOTO ID: Goodwill team members Marcellars Miller and Brittany Bailey
About Goodwill Manasota
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With philanthropic donations and revenue generated by the sales of donated goods, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities, veterans, seniors, and those with other barriers to employment by providing jobs, job skills training, and free career services. For more information or for a listing of locations, visit www.experiencegoodwill.org or call 941-355-2721.