Education to Employment Partners Named a Finalist for “Big Ideas, Bright Cities Challenge”
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The New York City-based Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education) has named Corpus Christi nonprofit Education to Employment Partners a finalist for its “Big Ideas, Bright Cities Challenge.” E2E Partners will receive $3,000 to support its Youth Opportunity Center, which will bring together local organizations to help young people get the education, skills, and training they need to obtain meaningful employment. The E2E Partners team will also be part of a network of changemakers working to boost youth skills development in cities across the country.
“The City of Corpus Christi places a high value on quality education for all residents as a basis for a socially and economically thriving community,” explained Jeffrey West, Executive Director of E2E Partners. “By aligning youth-serving stakeholders to create a centralized Youth Opportunity Center, we will be in a tremendous position to help guide out-of-school and out-of-work young people back onto pathways that lead to academic achievement, professional skill development, and meaningful employment.”
The Center will provide young people with education and training information to prepare them for high-demand jobs, help them enroll in education and skills development programs, and offer social services that lower barriers to education and employment. Outreach efforts will focus on young people ages 16-24 who are from communities of color or low-income families or have otherwise been underserved by traditional employment services. E2E will partner with the City of Corpus Christi, school districts, and juvenile justice, workforce, and community organizations to bring the Center to life.
“Working with E2E Partners has shown me the possibilities for individuals to succeed despite the hardships they face,” said Annie Dhakal, age 19, who now works as a College & Career Navigator at Coastal Compass Education & Career Resource Center. “I’m thrilled that the City of Corpus Christi Opportunity Youth Center will provide support, training, and connections for many more young people in our area so they can reach their goals and get better paying jobs.”
The “Big Ideas, Bright Cities Challenge” honors teams for their bold, innovative ideas that equip young people to participate in the workforce. It helps solve an urgent problem: in the US, one in ten young people is not in school and not employed—a total of four million youth. These young people are badly needed in the workforce. The most recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed 11.3 million job openings—a near record high—with openings increasing in many sectors including service and manufacturing.
“Cities and businesses across the country are struggling to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They must attract young, diverse workers who are excited by the innovation and energy of urban centers,” said Justin van Fleet, Executive Director of GBC-Education. “To jump start these efforts, cities need to re-imagine how they can create ecosystems allowing young people to gain the skills they need for meaningful employment. That’s exactly what Education to Employment Partners and other teams have done and their ideas are tremendously inspiring.”
The Challenge’s winning team is from Greensboro, NC and E2E is one of a select group of 14 finalists from across the country. Together, these organizations will form a nationwide community of practice of changemakers. Over the course of the next year, this network will share best practices and connect with business leaders and policymakers invested in youth skills development efforts. This will allow their ideas to grow, succeed, and inspire others.
The full lists of winners and finalists are:
- Winner: Action Greensboro – Guilford County, NC
- 2nd Place: Sidekick Education – Madison, WI
- 2nd Place: Orlando Community and Youth Trust – Orlando, FL
- Finalist: Education for Employment Partners – Corpus Christi, TX
- Finalist: The Trust for Public Land – Camden, NJ
- Finalist: STL Youth Jobs, Saint Louis MO
- Finalist: Jeffco Schools Foundation, Jefferson County CO
- Finalist: Philadelphia Works, Inc – Philadelphia, PA
- Finalist: Build UP Birmingham – Birmingham, AL
- Finalist: Junior Achievement Arkansas, Little Rock, AR
- Finalist: Center for the Future of Arizona, Tucson AZ
- Finalist: The Urban Alliance Foundation, Chicago IL
- Finalist: EmployIndy, Indianapolis IN
- Finalist: Favor House, College Park GA
- Finalist: New England Basecamp, Providence RI
The “Big Ideas, Bright Cities Challenge” is made possible by the support of Deloitte and Dell Technologies.
To learn more about the Challenge, click here.
About The Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC Education)
The Global Business Coalition for Education is a movement of businesses committed to ending the global education crisis and unleashing the potential of the next generation. Our mission is to ensure that every child has the best start in life, a safe place to learn, and skills for the future. Established as an initiative of the global children’s charity Theirworld in 2012, Global Business Coalition for Education is committed to bringing together the expertise and resources of the business community with the campaign for global education and Sustainable Development Goal 4.
https://gbc-education.org/
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