• JOTF Co-Hosts With Open Society Institute-Baltimore a Discussion to End Employment Discrimination Against Formerly Incarcerated People
• Jumpstart Graduates its Fourth Class
• Help JOTF Find Good Businesses!

OTHER NEWS

• Business Week, "The Poverty Business"
• Business Week, "Cutting the Cost of Poverty"
• Baltimore Sun, "Families discuss living wage"
• Wall Street Journal, "Lack of Well-Educated Workers Has Lots of Roots, No Quick Fix"

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Job Corps Mid-Atlantics Consortium (MAC) to Sponsor its Quarterly Job Fair (06/25/2007)
• The 2007 National Conference on Healthcare Workforce Development Summit (07/23-24/2007)

OPPORTUNITIES

• ACLU of Maryland Seeks Education Reform Project Advocate
• Legal Aid Bureau Seeks Paralegal
• Mayor's Office of Employment Development Seeks Manager
• Carroll County RFP: Adult Education Services

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JOTF Co-Hosts With Open Society Institute-Baltimore a Discussion to End Employment Discrimination Against Formerly Incarcerated People

On May 16, 2007, the Job Opportunities Task Force co-hosted a lunchtime forum with the ReEntry of Ex-Offenders Clinic at the University of Maryland School of Law. The discussion focused on removing from city job applications the box where applicants are asked to check “yes” or “no” to indicate if they have ever been convicted of a crime. It is important to note that banning the box does not require the employer to hire anyone, nor does it prohibit the employer from conducting a background check prior to the job offer.

To date, nine cities around the country have implemented the policy, while ten others are currently considering the measure. Banning the box helps to reduce employment discrimination against people who have been convicted of a crime, and increases the likelihood that qualified individuals will be given the chance to interview and present themselves before having to divulge background status.

Forum speakers included four of the clinic’s law students who spent the semester researching nationwide Ban the Box efforts, and Angela Rudolph, assistant to the Mayor of Chicago. Rudolph described how Chicago’s Ban the Box initiative was a direct recommendation of their Mayoral Policy Caucus on Reentry. (To read the Caucus’s recommendation report, visit City of Chicago Ex-Offender Reentry Initiatives.)

Rudolph also explained the precise steps that have been taken by the City of Chicago. City job application forms no longer require applicants to disclose convictions, and therefore information regarding criminal history does not affect the determination of whether the applicant possesses the skills and qualifications necessary to satisfy eligibility requirements. Criminal backgrounds are investigated only after the applicant has been determined to meet eligibility requirements and is actively being considered for hire. As a result of these changes, applicants are no longer automatically disqualified based solely on criminal background status.

The forum was co-sponsored by the Open Society Institute and JOTF.

To learn more about Ban the Box efforts in Baltimore, please contact Melissa Chalmers Broome at (410) 234-8046.

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Jumpstart Graduates its Fourth Class

On May 6, 2007, Jumpstart celebrated the accomplishment of 18 students graduating from the Jumpstart program. Our graduates have endured a rigorous three month training, two nights a week, learning not only the fundamentals of the construction field, but also OSHA and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training, and help with essential math that they will need on the job. This year’s graduating class had the privilege to have two keynote speakers from the Maryland Legislature, Senator Verna Jones and Delegate Talmadge Branch.

Jumpstart is a training program designed to assist residents of Baltimore to enter the high-paying construction industry. Construction technicians are in severe shortage right now. The program provides training in the carpentry, electrical and plumbing industries. The ultimate goal of the program is to push our graduates to become apprentices. To become an apprentice, it requires a four year commitment to attend classes two nights a week to learn more about plumbing, electrical work or carpentry. The education provided to our graduates will help them succeed in apprenticeship school.

Please join JOTF in celebrating our graduates and wish them luck in their venture of becoming an apprentice.

Chantell Whitted, Sean McMillian, Shawn Purvis, Andre Newsome, Christopher Gordon, David Finney

Melvin Battle, Tamar Copes, Curtis Thomas, Hasan Muhammad, James Taylor, Michael Fleming

Frank Haskins III, Donald Matthews, William Dunn, James Elam Jr., Jermel Davis, Teyon Avery

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Help JOTF Find Good Businesses!

We're looking to recognize employers that offer great places to work for their employees. We are particularly interested in employers that offer opportunities for promotion or additional education and training. If you are such an employer or are lucky enough to work for one, we want to hear from you.

Please forward your suggestions to Jessica Traskey at (410) 234-8040.

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Business Week, "The Poverty Business" (05/21/2007)

The nations' working poor find themselves caught in the debt trap by the drive of those U.S. corporations who ambitiously extract from their profits.

Read "The Poverty Business" (05/21/2007)

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Business Week, "Cutting the Cost of Poverty" (05/21/2007)

Business Week reports on scholars who are taking a look at the financial problems of the working poor, and their ideas on how to address them.

Read "Cutting the Cost of Poverty" (05/21/2007)

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Baltimore Sun, "Families discuss living wage" (05/06/2007)

The Baltimore Sun discusses whether people can live on an hourly rate and how area residents and their families are scraping by.

Read "Families discuss living wage" (05/06/2007)

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Wall Street Journal, "Lack of Well-Educated Workers Has Lots of Roots, No Quick Fix" (04/19/2007)

The Wall Street Journal's David Wessel reports on the rising demand from employers for ever better-educated, skilled workers.

Read "Lack of Well-Educated Workers Has Lots of Roots, No Quick Fix" (04/19/2007)

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Job Corps Mid-Atlantics Consortium (MAC) to Sponsor its Quarterly Job Fair (06/25/2007)

Job Corps Mid-Atlantics Consortium is sponsoring its quarterly Job Fair. As many know, they are a compilation of Job Corps Centers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region who have teamed up to provide you with a host of qualified applicants, that are eager to enter the workforce.

Please join the MAC for this one of a kind Job Fair at the BWI Marriott Hotel on June 25, 2007 from 10.00 a.m to 2.00 p.m.

Please RSVP by 06/07/2007 to Rick or Brenda on (410) 964-5674

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The 2007 National Conference on Healthcare Workforce Development Summit (07/23-24/2007)

The Performance Institute is to host the 2007 National Conference on Healthcare Workforce Development Summit from July 23-24, 2007 in Arlington, Virginia. The only event specifically designed for workforce development agencies and healthcare industry partners.

Find out more about the event and how to sign up here in PDF format.

(Document is in PDF format.)

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Toward that end, the Project:

1. advocates for increased funding for Baltimore City Schools and disadvantaged children statewide,
2. monitors and provides input into the policies and budget of the Baltimore City School System to assure they result in educational achievement in the classrooms,
3. works with parents and community organizations to further their involvement in school reform,
4. educates public and policy makers about the educational needs of at-risk children and sufficient programs and funding to meet their needs,
5. oversees the ACLU’s litigation in the courts on behalf of at-risk children in Baltimore City.

Responsibilities:

We seek an Education Reform Project Advocate to:
* Analyze Maryland and Baltimore K-12 education policies, and budgets, for use in ACLU advocacy
* Write issue analyses, fact sheets, action alerts, & newsletter articles
* Create viable action campaign plans and organize grassroots efforts to reach decision makers
* Monitor and represent ACLU at meetings of the school system, relevant commissions, and governmental bodies
* Develop contacts and build coalitions with parents, community organizations, and education advocacy organizations

Skills and Qualifications:

* Ability to analyze complex issues and propose policy alternatives
* Demonstrated ability to communicate well, in writing and orally
* Experience in public policy and knowledge of K-12 education issues
* Knowledge of state government a plus
* Ability to analyze budgets and government documents
* Experience organizing people and leading groups
* Ability to be organized, pro-active and give attention to detail
* Necessary to maintain flexible hours, including evening meetings
* Proficiency with basic computer software such as Microsoft Word and Excel
* Firm commitment to the mission of the ACLU
* Bachelor degree required, Master’s degree or equivalent preferred

To Apply:

Send cover letter and resume by mail, fax or email by May 31, 2007 to:

Executive Director
3600 Clipper Mill Rd., Suite 350
Baltimore, MD 21211
FAX: (410) 366-7838
jobposting@aclu-md.org

The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland is a private, non-profit organization that defends the civil rights and civil liberties of Maryland’s citizens through litigation, legislation, and public education.

We are an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. The ACLU of Maryland does not discriminate in employment based on any individual’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation or disability.

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Responsibilities:

*Act as project manager and develop and maintain content for BCF’s public website, staff intranet and trustee extranet
* Generate and distribute e-newsletters
* Coordinate monthly review and edit of grant descriptions and results
* Contribute articles to BCF’s newsletter, The BCF Edge; re-work longer stories for website vignettes
* Develop and implement style sheets, including for logo use, for internal and external users
* Design and lay out fact sheets, invitations, postcards, forms etc.
* Assist in development and production of publications

Qualifications:

* Bachelor’s degree in related field
* 2-5 years experience in electronic communications, web maintenance and/or design
* Proven desktop publishing skills and good visual / graphic design sense
* Good written communications skills
* Ability to work independently
* Familiarity with the following applications required: desktop publishing (Adobe InDesign preferred), Adobe Acrobat, FTP, HTML, Microsoft Office Suite, especially Power Point.
* Happy in a high-speed, multiple-task environment
* Ability to relate comfortably to a wide spectrum of co-workers, vendors, donors and grantees
* Ability to rapidly grasp complex ideas and to retain and recall information
* Sense of humor

To Apply:

Please submit cover letter, resume and list of references by May 25 via email to Director of Communications Gigi Wirtz. Phone calls are strongly discouraged.

The Baltimore Community Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and seeks a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

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Primo Electric Company / Primenet Inc Job Opportunities

Since their founding more than 40 years ago, Primo Electric Company has promoted an environment where people take pride in their work. As a result, Primo employees enjoy challenging careers, valuable educational opportunities and a competitive wage and benefit package. All in a workplace that emphasizes teamwork, safety, commitment and mutual respect.

Whether seeking an apprenticeship, laborer, journeyman, foreman, or equipment operator position, Primo Electric offers numerous career opportunities.

PrimeNet Inc specializes in helping clients define, optimize, and manage their voice, data, video, and security communication systems.

At PrimeNet, pride is more than just a feeling; its a concrete attitude and philosophy that influences every aspect of their business. As a result, employees enjoy challenging careers, valuable educational opportunities (Including onsite BICSI® certification) and a competitive wage and benefits package. All in a workplace that emphasizes teamwork, safety, commitment and mutual respect.

Click here to view Primo Electric Company and Primenet Inc job opportunities.

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Mayor's Office of Employment Development Seeks Manager

The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) is looking for a Manager to perform and oversee administrative, operational, and strategic activities of the Contracting Unit. Work involves oversight of the entire grant/contract life cycle process and the management of the employees in the department. Assignments are often difficult in nature, and require the ability to analyze, evaluate, and interpret proposed and actual contractual agreements.

Click here for more information.

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Carroll County Request for Proposals: Adult Education Services

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) will release a request for proposals in April 2007 to all interested organizations seeking federal and state funds to provide Consolidated Adult Education and Family Literacy Services serving Carroll County. The one-year grant period will commence in July 2007.

Interested parties should contact Robin Hammerbacker at 410-767-0188 for further information.

A copy of the RFP will be posted on the Adult Literacy Resource Center website later this month.

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Newsletter Editor: Jessica Traskey
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