4 min read December 2023 — There is a great deal of opportunity for workforce development in Philadelphia, says Cynthia Figueroa, president and CEO of JEVS Human Services. “We have the infrastructure, the leadership and the team,” she told Invest:. “Overall, there’s a sense of future-facing hope.”
What is the vision of your organization?
We are moving in a new direction. I brought on a new leadership team to move what I thought was necessary in terms of our infrastructure and brought in diverse people who are experts in their field. What we’re trying to do is reposition our work. We provide quality work and we are respected for our service. However, we plan to grow ourselves as a thought leader and a key partner in not just career and technical training but also in workforce development.
We also do significant work around human services and home care. We have very strong finances that allow us to operate innovatively and create new programs. The vision is to make sure we are seen as key thought leaders but also to be top of mind
when people are thinking of solutions for addressing issues of poverty. That’s also a big part of our vision moving forward.
What do you see as the overarching opportunities in Greater Philadelphia?
Employers are recognizing that there is a diverse workforce here. The fact is that we have a lot of employment available but we’re having trouble filling these seats.
Employers are also recognizing that the needs are different now in terms of having a college degree. We’re trying to find ways to upskill our workforce to meet the needs of these different industries. You could look at our partnership with Labcorp as an example. We knew the company was struggling to fill positions related to phlebotomy so we created a very specific track to give people the ability to go directly into a job that pays them a sustainable wage. This is just one way that we work with industry partners to meet the demands they have for jobs and at the same time address populations that have faced challenges making those connections.
Historically JEVS have focused on the traditional trades but we are expanding our vocational training to include a focus on the medical industry. For example, we’re providing medical assistant training, which has been exciting in terms of expanding our partnerships with hospitals in the region.
In what areas do you see the greatest demand?
When it comes to demand, there are three different categories. One is the traditional trades. The demand is high for folks who are trained and certified as electricians and who can deal with heating and cooling systems and all those things. There’s such a demand and the ability to make sure that we are keeping that work as a constant is necessary. That’s one bucket.
The other area is the healthcare space. We know that we can work with individuals and help them get their certification or their educational credentials. We put them into a certification for phlebotomy, for example, that makes them very interested in pursuing a medical assistant career, which is a higher-step pathway. We’re also now working on acquiring LPN credentials through our college, Orleans Technical College. That’s another example of our reaction to the industry as well as building the necessary blocks.
The last area that we are beginning to grow, and it is in its infancy, is the IT sector. I would say those are the buckets of work that we’ve seen have great growth potential.
Overall, we know that there is a skills gap between those who do not fully meet the necessary education and credential requirements and the careers that, if upskilled, they could obtain and improve their economic security. Beyond upskilling and educating our clients, our goal is to close that gap across the board and then position individuals on a continuum to build skills, certifications and training that lead to an actual credential or degree. We are well positioned to do that in relationship with our many employer partners.
Why is Philadelphia an attractive city for new residents?
It is an incredibly affordable city overall. For the middle-income and upper-income folks, Philadelphia is an amazing place to live. It’s been very good for that population. The greatest challenge is the stagnation among the lower-income bracket, and that bracket is growing.
What is your approach to workforce development?
We’re trying to make sure that we’re not targeting individuals for employment at the minimum wage but that we are creating pathways for not only a sustainable wage but a career. We need to get away from this position of people thinking they just have to find a job or get somebody with a high school diploma because that’s not going to be the answer in the long term. Those are important pieces, but we need to be talking about building a career and a pathway to make sure that people can stabilize as individuals.
What is your outlook for the next two to three years?
We have a si, se puede (yes, it can be done) attitude in terms of being optimistic for the future. It is very easy to get sucked into the craziness of politics and the craziness of the market and the economy. We have the infrastructure, the leadership, and the team so it is the right timing for our vision to be at the table as a solution partner with industries to build alternative paths to economic success. I think there’s a lot of opportunity for the future in a city like Philly where the government, nonprofits, communities, and businesses can successfully work together. Overall, there’s a sense of future-facing hope.
For more information, please visit:
