WorkSmart West Philly: Coaching, Training & Job Placement for Sustainable Careers

WorkSmart West Philly (WSWP) partners with jobseekers to remove employment barriers and increase their employability to secure living-wage jobs and break out of poverty.

How It Works

WSWP partners with un/underemployed jobseekers to secure employment by providing training, connecting individuals to employment resources and building relationships with employers.

 
 

Our Impact

The WorkSmart West Philly program goals are to:

  • Connect jobseekers to living-wage employment opportunities

  • Increase financial stability for individuals

  • Reduce the poverty rate in our service area

See our impact from our last year:

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237 jobseekers were served

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163 developed resumes

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125 completed vocational assessments

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105 participated in skills building workshops

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54 obtained employment

 
 

60th Street Strong

In 2021, we launched WSWP’s first program to reduce and prevent gun violence in West Philadelphia, 60th Street Strong, which provides young adults (14 – 26) that are impacted or perpetrators of gun violence with an opportunity to receive paid employment training, skills, and mentorship.

The program has four main components: 

  • Paid job training for young adults with local businesses for 3 – 6 months. 

  • Support services for youth to address trauma, housing, education, etc. 

  • Coaching for youth from business owners and other professionals.  

  • Monthly community events driven by youth to foster community cohesion  

We’re proud to have developed this program in collaboration with numerous local businesses that make up the 60th Street Strong Coalition (West Philly Produce, African Expressions, Marvin’s Unisex Salon, Siddiq’s Real Fruit Water Ice, Total E-Clipse Barbershop, Sunshine Supermarket, and Vivunique Clothing).

Interested in joining 60th Street Strong? Fill out the form at the bottom of this page.       

A 60th Street Strong young adult hard at work.

TechUp

TechUp is a workforce development program whose goal is to disrupt the cycle of dead-end jobs for marginalized communities by providing technical training and placing Black, low-wage workers in living-wage, high-growth careers.

This innovative program provides participants with paid on-the-job training, customized industry standard Salesforce curriculum, and soft-skills training to prepare trainees for employment. serving as an opportunity to skill up Black jobseekers to diversify the business-technology sector.  

TechUp seeks to:

  • Connect jobseekers to sustainable, safe career paths   

  • Create access to tech careers for Black workers   

  • Harness the power of cross-sector collaborations, and    

  • Establish an innovative model that can be scaled to meet other growing technology employment opportunities  

Interested in joining TechUp? Fill out the form at the bottom of this page.     

 

Our second TechUp cohort.

Success Story

Christina and her daughter skip down their street.

“The coaches really cared. You can tell when someone wants what’s best for you, truly.”

Julia and her mother Nicole, WorkSmart West Philly job seekers

2018/2019: Found full-time jobs making significantly more money than before with full comprehensive benefits packages.

Application and Eligibility    

Are you interested in building your skills and increasing your employability through WorkSmart West Philly? Know someone who would benefit from this program?

Eligibility:  

  • Open to all Philadelphians! We also have experience in serving the following populations: youth, elderly, individuals with justice involvement and individuals with disabilities. 

  • Services are typically provided at our offices located at 5901 Market Street, Suite 410 Philadelphia, PA 19139.  

Interested in WorkSmart West Philly?

Contact us at (215) 748-8800 to talk to one of our team members, or complete the form below and we will contact you about the program.