The Mesa City Council voted on Tuesday to open a new Workforce Development Jobs Access Center in partnership with Maricopa County’s ARIZONA@WORK and local non-profit A New Leaf/MesaCAN. This new center, to be located within the existing MesaCAN building at 635 E. Broadway, will provide Mesa adult residents with a range of activities and human services designed to assist individuals, many with significant barriers to employment, in obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary for self-supporting jobs. The Center can also help businesses remain competitive by linking qualified employees to job openings.
“This effort is right on time to help people who call Mesa home make a good living and thrive in our city,” said Mesa Mayor John Giles. “We’re pleased to partner with A New Leaf and ARIZONA@WORK to extend skill-building opportunities to those who have been left out of the workforce, in recovery programs or have been displaced due to the pandemic.”
Mesa will invest approximately $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act – Local Fiscal Recovery funds to cover startup costs and fund a full-time employment navigator position. The Workforce Development/Jobs Access Center will help any adult resident in Mesa looking for assistance. It will also work with lower-income households and individuals currently receiving support from Mesa’s various human services programs to re-enter the job market and gain stable employment. For example, for a family of four to be eligible as ‘low income,’ the combined household income cannot exceed $58,300 annually.
“One goal of this partnership is to lift families and/or individuals who are receiving or can be connected to human services to gain the knowledge and training to grow in a career path,” said Mike Hughes, A New Leaf’s President and CEO. “A good job with opportunities for advancement can make every difference for families who want to move out of a survival mode and into a place where they are growing, healthy, thriving and secure,” he said.
“We know by connecting those who are experiencing adversity or have barriers to employment with career opportunities as well as job training and skills development supports both family well-being and strengthens the community,” said Jacqueline Edwards, Director of Maricopa County Human Services. “Maricopa County is delighted to partner with the City of Mesa in a way that extends even more workforce development programs and services to Mesa residents to achieve just that.”
Services at the new Workforce Development Jobs Access Center include resume building, access to education or trades certifications, interview workshops, dress for success clothing, and assistance to create a plan for career growth. The Center will also offer access to the BankWork$ program to prepare individuals for a career in the finance sector. Additionally, individuals will be able to get assistance with other programs that remove barriers that often get in the way of stable employment.
Click here or here for more information about the programs and services coming to the Mesa Workforce Development Jobs Access Center. A new website for the program in its entirety will be available when the Center officially launches in spring 2022.
