On February 13 the Minneapolis Workforce Development Board and Minneapolis Employment and Training celebrated Pillsbury United Communities (PUC) and YWCA Minneapolis for their significant contributions to workforce development. Both organizations were recognized by mayoral proclamations presented by Mayor Frey at an award ceremony in City Hall.
At the ceremony, PUC received the Outstanding Innovation award for its hair care stylist workforce development program, and YWCA Minneapolis received the Promising Practices award for its early childhood education workforce development program. Minneapolis Workforce Development Board (MWDB) and Minneapolis Employment and Training (MET) support these programs.
PUC has partnered with the Natural Hair Care Institute on a training program that helps young people learn the skills they need to start working in natural hair styling, a field where there is high demand and limited training opportunities. Within four months, students complete training with hands-on experience and receive a vocational certificate from the Office of Higher Education.
YWCA Minneapolis’ early childhood education (ECE) teacher workforce development program helps low-income and diverse populations gain employment in the ECE field. Participants in this six-month program gain foundational employment skills and safety training in addition to support in obtaining a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, qualifying them to work as early childhood teachers.
These programs help residents start down a pathway to career success, leading to greater family stability and economic mobility.