How Nonprofit Brotherhood Crusade Provides Technology Training For The Los Angeles Workforce

Guest post by Celeste Alleyne, the West Region Citizenship & Public Affairs Director for Microsoft.

With a 12 percent unemployment rate in California, 14.6% in Los Angeles, and staggeringly high -- 60-70% -- LA high school drop out rates, connecting the children making up our next generation with a quality education and decent jobs seems more daunting than ever. However, a new bridge of hope is being built between Washington, DC and Los Angeles via special grants that are providing technology training to those out of work.

David J. Johns, the senior education advisor to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee,recently visited Los Angeles to participate in the CBC Job Fair and take a variety of meetings at places working to make a difference in the community,such as the LA Chamber of Commerce. During his tour of the city, David listened to various stories of triumph over adversity. In particular, technology and tech training seems to be a potent force for good. Through an Elevate America Community Grant from Microsoft, a nonprofit called the Brotherhood Crusade has been one of the city's more proactive workforce efforts.

While at first, Johns noted that with all the stories of hardship he heard, he wasn't exactly sure how to motivate his DC-based staff and report back to Sen. Harkin, after his trip his final report reflected the fact that technology access and training has placed many work-stop people into well-paid jobs that lead to good careers. Regarding a recent legislative controversy, he wrote, "Aside from reminding me that we were more than on the right path with our draft of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) reauthorization bill, I was encouraged to fight, even when everything around us suggests the battle, at least at present, is no longer worth engaging in."

 

Photo: George Weaver, Vice President Brotherhood Crusade; Sandra Davis, CEO, CCI Neighborhood Program; David Johns, Chief Education Advisor to Senator Harkin; Celeste Alleyne, Microsoft West Region Citizenship & Public Affairs Director