Unite-La

WORKFORCE PROGRAMS INCLUDING L.A. CASH FOR COLLEGE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE READY, JOB SKILLS WORKSHOPS AND WORK READINESS, MY PATHWAY TO HEALTH, STEP INTO TECH, L.A. REGIONAL CLEANTECH CAREER ACADEMY, TECH PATHWAYS ACADEMY - POWERED BY MICROSOFT, SOUTH LA SCHOLARS PLUS (HEALTH CARE CAREER PATHWAY), AND FUTURE FORWARD FORUMS: L.A. Cash for College - L.A. Cash for College (LA-CFC) provides direct support, information and resources for financial aid to students and families across Los Angeles. This is done in collaboration with a wide network of nonprofits, college access providers, high school counselors and local higher education admissions staff. Programming is year-long, with financial aid workshops and events beginning in the fall semester and concluding in the spring. L.A. Cash for College also includes our scholarship awards program, Dollars for Scholars, which continued last year with its virtual format and awarded L.A. Cash for College participants $30,000 in scholarships through the Dr. Alma Salazar and Gary Toebben Scholarship Funds. Workforce Development - For more than 25 years, UNITE-LA has led business education partnership programs to help develop a prepared, diverse, local talent pipeline. Working in collaboration with business partners, UNITE-LA leads and supports programs focused on exposing students to high-growth, high-demand career pathways, including STEAM. In 2023, UNITE-LA's workforce programs served a total of 3,566 participants with 8,126 engagements. UNITE-LA facilitated 92 internship placements and six job placements across various sectors, providing participants with invaluable networking and hands-on experience. Workforce Ready - UNITE-LA utilizes an innovative, virtual program consisting of a six-week curriculum designed to help youth develop the essential, non-technical soft skills that will promote their success in the workplace. Job Skills Workshops and Work-Readiness - Our job skills and work readiness development programming include employer-validated Job Skills Workshops and self-paced Workforce Ready programs to prepare students for the real world of work and includes topics such as creating sector-specific resumes and cover letters, job interview preparation and success, effective professional/ workplace communication, and etiquette, and how to articulate/market their interests, strengths, skills, abilities and experience. The Work Readiness Certifications follow participants' job skills and work-readiness preparation and include an employer-recognized WRC assessment to ensure students are prepared for early work experience through mock interviews with industry professionals. Employers validate student competencies demonstrated through their resume, interviewing/communication skills, and professional etiquette. Through this process, UNITE-LA cultivates students who are competitive job candidates and deemed "work ready" for entry-level internships and jobs. My Pathway to Health - creates paid opportunities for young Angelenos to succeed in allied health careers. Through career exploration, job readiness and training in a specified health pathway, future health care professionals develop real-world skills they need to succeed in high-demand, high-growth careers. Step into Tech - provides paid opportunities for system-involved individuals from 18-35 years old by connecting them to career pathways and jobs in technology through career and training exploration, job skills training, mentoring and peer-to-peer support. L.A. Regional Cleantech Career Academy - The Cleantech Academy is a 12-week paid, work-based learning program for future clean energy leaders ages 18 - 24 years old to engage in career awareness, exposure and job-readiness. The academy is focused on supporting participants with the development of real-world skills employers need and promotes access to high-growth, high-wage career pathways, internships and jobs in the green economy. Tech Pathways Academy - powered by Microsoft - Through an 8.5 week after-school, virtual, work-based learning program focused on AI, Cybersecurity, Product Management and Software Development, high school students engage with tech professionals from diverse tech sectors to develop essential and technical skills and to learn about emerging career pathways in technology. South LA Scholars Plus (Health Care Career Pathway) - South LA Scholars Plus (SLAS+) supports underrepresented individuals (ages 16+) in pursuing careers in health fields such as allied health care, mental health, biotech and professional pathways in health care. The programming includes WBL opportunities focused on career panels, presentations by health care professionals, career fairs, work site visits and paid work experience. Future Forward Forums - Future Forward Forums (FFFs) are held quarterly in partnership with leading industry partners and focused on introducing participants (ages 16+) to high mobility careers. Through our partnerships with leading HR and industry professionals in cleantech, health care and technology, these forums highlight available career pathways and internship programs in high growth fields, as well as insights and guidance into the application process for early work experience.

PUBLIC POLICY: The Policy team at UNITE-LA makes sure our local and state leaders prioritize the needs of the unserved and underserved and do so by continuing long-standing and building new partnerships with business organizations to mobilize private sector leaders on critical issues impacting the wellbeing of the communities where they conduct business. Policy works around topics such as early childcare and education, immigration, opportunity youth and many others to ensure business leaders are not only aware but also can also be part of the solution to key, societal issues so that all youth have an opportunity to succeed in life. UNITE-LA's policy agenda, entitled "A Coordinated System from Cradle to Career in California," can be found here: httpswwwunitelacom2022policyagenda

Systems Changes including L.A. Compact, K-16 Collaborative, and LA-DEAL: L.A. Compact - Since 2008, UNITE-LA has convened the L.A. Compact, a bold commitment to close the education and workforce gaps caused by systemic inequities and racism. Recognizing that no single institution alone can solve our most pressing, complex education and workforce challenges, the L.A. Compact brings together the region's most prominent leaders to collectively lead transformative change. Our unique role as an intermediary allows us to build consensus among diverse stakeholders through collaborative strategies, creating more sustainable and scalable education and workforce solutions. K-16 Collaborative - The L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative is a collective effort to close racial and gender attainment gaps in postsecondary education and employment in L.A. County, starting with a focus on streamlined pathways to health care, engineering and computer science careers. Following a state grant award last August to launch the Collaborative, UNITE-LA is working with West Ed and a stewardship group of cross-sector partners to guide a sub-grant award process that is allocating $13.9 million across five sub-regions of L.A. County. These regional partnerships will coalesce K-12, higher ed, workforce and community partners around a shared plan to accelerate degree attainment in high-growth fields for students of color. LA-DEAL - The Los Angeles Digital Equity Action League (LA DEAL), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) designated Regional Broadband Consortium for L.A. County, is committed to eliminating the digital divide by addressing the related challenges. LA DEAL is a collaborative, community-driven consortium working to assess and tackle broadband gaps that exist in communities across L.A. County.