The gener8tor Skill Accelerator is a virtual, rapid skilling program for people looking for jobs in high-demand roles in their communities or working remotely for companies across the country. Founded in the Summer of 2020, the gener8tor Skills Accelerator was designed to help those who have lost jobs or struggle to find employment as a result of the global COVID-19 crisis. The program has since shifted to include a focus on hidden workers who experience distress and/or discouragement as continuous efforts to seek employment regularly fail due to inequitable hiring processes that allow these workers to fall through the cracks.
gener8tor Skills Accelerator participants build their confidence alongside technical knowledge in small cohort-based groups. They receive (1) one-on-one support from coaches to achieve their goals, (2) access to flexible, self-paced training modules for certification in in-demand jobs in the following areas: Data Analyst, IT Help Desk, IT Administration and Software Development, (3) general application support such as resumes revisions, LinkedIn profiles, and cover letter templates; mock interviews; connections to industry experts during Lunch & Learns; and concierge job placement with local and remote employers, and (4) tailored social skill support covering topics such as how to be an upstander in a work environment, how to deal with overwhelm and how to continue finding motivation.
gener8tor will partner with YWCA Southern Florida to create a pipeline of participants into the Skills Accelerator through their YWCA Strive program. YWCA Strive is a hands-on workforce development and training program in digital skills designed to assist women and people of color in Southern Florida who face employment barriers in finding careers and obtaining gainful employment. The YWCA Strive program focuses on teaching individuals digital skills for the workplace and essential soft skills while exploring themes of financial independence, critical thinking, leadership, personal empowerment and teamwork. Thus, graduates of the YWCA Strive program will be encouraged to apply to the gener8tor Skills Accelerator.
Leaders & Partners
Impact
“Rachelle Katchenago of Menasha, Wis., lost her job as a call-center contract worker last year after the pandemic lockdowns took hold. No one was hiring. Ms. Katchenago, 37, eventually heard of career courses, paid for by Microsoft as part of a Covid relief program. She plunged in, learning online customer service and sales skills, hoping to improve her employment prospects. But it turned out that the technical skills, in the free classes from Microsoft’s LinkedIn job listing and training service, were not the only thing she picked up. The Wisconsin group helping her with the courses also provided career guidance, moral support, tips on résumé writing and interviews, and job contacts. In November, Ms. Katchenago was hired as a customer service specialist at a thriving start-up based in Madison, Wis. She is making more money than in the past and she has a full-time job with a career path. ‘Without that support,’ she said, ‘I would have been at a loss.’
Current Metrics
79% of program participants have graduated from the gener8tor Skills Accelerator.
52% of the Skills Accelerator graduates are in new or better roles (69% for those who graduated more than three months ago)
Skills Accelerator participants have earned 3,000+ certificates with an average salary of $50,177/yr for placed graduates.
Impact
“Rachelle Katchenago of Menasha, Wis., lost her job as a call-center contract worker last year after the pandemic lockdowns took hold. No one was hiring. Ms. Katchenago, 37, eventually heard of career courses, paid for by Microsoft as part of a Covid relief program. She plunged in, learning online customer service and sales skills, hoping to improve her employment prospects. But it turned out that the technical skills, in the free classes from Microsoft’s LinkedIn job listing and training service, were not the only thing she picked up. The Wisconsin group helping her with the courses also provided career guidance, moral support, tips on résumé writing and interviews, and job contacts. In November, Ms. Katchenago was hired as a customer service specialist at a thriving start-up based in Madison, Wis. She is making more money than in the past and she has a full-time job with a career path. ‘Without that support,’ she said, ‘I would have been at a loss.’
Current Metrics
79% of program participants have graduated from the gener8tor Skills Accelerator.
52% of the Skills Accelerator graduates are in new or better roles (69% for those who graduated more than three months ago)
Skills Accelerator participants have earned 3,000+ certificates with an average salary of $50,177/yr for placed graduates.
Goals
Demographic
The gener8tor Skills Accelerator will recruit under and unemployed workers across all of Miami-Dade County who lack the skills and support needed to grow their economic resiliency and financial stability.
Funding Goal
gener8tor, in partnership with the YWCA of Southern Florida, is seeking $500,000 in year one to graduate 200 individuals from the Skills Accelerator.
Impact Goal
In one year, the gener8tor Skills Accelerator will graduate 200 participants. Of the graduates, our aim is to have 70% hired or promoted into full-time employment within six months.
