This story is sponsored by Catalyst Life Services.
As a young adult, it can be hard to figure out the next steps to take to achieve personal goals, especially when certain obstacles are in the way.
When taking that next step, Catalyst Life Services provides assistance to individuals ages 14-24 with barriers to their employment and educational goals through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program.
“The purpose of the program is to help individuals obtain and maintain employment, explore and secure post-secondary education and training options and offer guidance and support throughout their participation with us,” Assistant Director of Vocational Services at Catalyst Life Services, Stephanie Jakubick said.
Once accepted into the program, the young adult will sit down with an employment specialist, who helps to identify their strengths and interests, create short and long-term goals and develop a plan for how to achieve those goals.
This program assists youth with career counseling, leadership activities, financial literacy education, supportive services such as; transportation, uniforms, appropriate work attire, and work-related tools and paid work experiences.
Young adults enrolled in the program can gain work experience through Catalyst Life Services’ local business partnerships. According to Jakubick, individuals have the opportunity to work in various career sectors, including manufacturing, health and fitness, retail and customer service, clerical office management and many others with the support of an onsite job coach as needed.
Not only does the WIOA program help train the next generation of workers in our local community, but it meets the needs of local businesses with individuals who otherwise may not have been given a chance, according to Jakubick.
“I think this program benefits the community by leveling the playing field for individuals with barriers,” Jakubick said. “We seek to ensure the individuals we serve are given every opportunity to succeed and many individuals we serve have gone on to do amazing things.”
Many individuals have found success within the program, including Shevon Newell.
Newell, a mother to a little boy, enrolled in the program in 2020 at 21 years old. “I first heard about the WIOA program when I was looking for some help to obtain my STNA license. They were able to help me with resources such as payment, books, basically all the supplies I would need to obtain my license,” she said.
Newell went on to say, “I didn’t want to just stop there, because even before I had my child, I dreamed of getting a college degree in something that meant a lot for me. I decided that the best option for me was to continue in healthcare.”
Shevon is now working to obtain her associate’s in Nursing at North Central State College and on track to graduate in 2023. She plans to continue her education and pursue her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. “They have just been that helpful backbone,” she said.
Currently, there are 125 individuals enrolled in the WIOA program and 89 individuals receiving follow up services, where employment specialists continue serving clients who have exited the program for one year.
If you know someone who is between the ages of 18-24 with a barrier to their employment or educational goals, he or she may qualify for this program. Barriers include dropping out of high school, involvement with the court system, homelessness, involvement in the foster care system, pregnancy or parenting status, living with a disability, speaking English as a second language or receiving cash assistance.
For more information, contact Stephanie Jakubick at 419-774-2250 or fill out a WIOA referral form.
WIOA helps provide youth the necessary education, job skills, and on-site work experience so that job seekers are better prepared to enter the job market. This program assists youth with paid work experiences, career counseling and labor market information services, post-secondary activities to prepare students to enter into an educational program, occupational skills training, leadership and development activities, financial literacy education, and supportive services such as; transportation, uniforms, appropriate work attire, and work related tools.
