Youth from underrepresented communities often experience unique challenges to participating in workforce training programs. Unidos’ workforce development program builds upon and continues the Career Bound initiative, developed by McMinnville Economic Development Partnership (M.E.D.P.), to provide career readiness training for youth with limited or no work experience, focusing on pathways to viable income career paths.
As part of Unidos Bridging Community, the Level Up program is designed to align with Latinx culture and family dynamics, recognizing that many of our participants come from Latinx backgrounds. Our goal is to increase Latinx youth participation and ensure representation that reflects the broader population in workforce development initiatives, including job training, internships, educational courses, and apprenticeship programs.
Level Up promotes intergenerational wealth-building while ensuring equitable participation in economic development initiatives that center on underrepresented youth in Yamhill County. It creates pathways to viable careers for youth ages 16-24 by providing essential employability skills training and coaching. The program requires participation in a series of afternoon workshops once a week for approximately 10 weeks. Essential employability skills include: communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, professionalism, teamwork, networking, and interviewing.
Through Level-Up, participants will be introduced to local employers. If a match is made, they will engage in a part-time work experience. If the participant is a student, the experience will take place outside of school responsibilities. Level Up provides a wage subsidy for local employers hosting participants to offset the cost associated with hiring, training, and supporting our emerging workforce. Youth participants have access to wrap-around support funds to remove barriers to program participation and work experience completion.
By the end of their work experience and training, youth participants will have gained meaningful experiences and started building their local professional network, enabling them to navigate economic and career opportunities more independently to maximize their economic mobility.
Level Up has cohorts of new participants on a quarterly basis during the spring, summer, fall, and winter. Cohorts meet in McMinnville or Newberg, on an alternating basis.
If you are interested in participating and being updated on future cohorts, please fill out the form below. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and earlier submissions will be given priority consideration.
- Registration:
Please call or text us at (503) 272-1104 or Salma@unidosyamhillcounty.org for more information.
