Nonprofit offers workforce coaching for rural youth in southeast Pa.

Keith Dmochowski, Reading Eagle, Pa.
·2 min read

Junior Achievement of Southeastern Pennsylvania is accepting young rural applicants from underserved communities in Berks County and elsewhere to participate in its workforce coaching program.

People between the ages of 16 and 21 who face barriers in education or employment are encouraged to participate in JA Workforce Coaching, the nonprofit announced.

The program will involve teaching workforce readiness including soft skill development, career exploration, work-based learning opportunities and experiences such as summer jobs and apprenticeships.

Participants will take part in a 12-week workforce development program that will culminate in work experience and employment.

“Seeing JA Workforce Coaching come to life is exciting,” said Stephanie Gambone, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southeastern PA. “JA SEPA’s robust content and programs (including financial literacy and career readiness) have proven to be valuable to our young people and now we get to extend this to even more young people across our region.”

Some of the skills include:

• Self-knowledge and confidence.

• Transferable skills.

• A job hunting portfolio.

• Personal career goals and action plan.

• Access to a SmartResume (credential-based resume).

• Support to create a professional online presence.

• Access to coaching, industry credentials and skills training programs

Young people who would like to participate in JA Workforce Coaching should live in a rural ZIP code or any area in southeastern PA not within Philadelphia, Allentown, Amity, Bethlehem, Birdsboro, East Greenville, Huntington Valley, Kutztown, Oxford, Pennsburg, Reading and Slatington.

The program is funded by a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Those interested can visit https://southeasternpa.ja.org/participant/opportunity/get-coached-ja-sepa to sign up and learn more. Contact Sierra Hill-Akers at sierra.hillakers@ja.org with questions.

Junior Achievement is a nationwide nonprofit serving more than 100 areas across the nation, including southeastern Pennsylvania. It reaches more than 4.8 million students per year.

JA programs are taught by volunteers in inner cities, suburbs and rural areas in all 50 states.