Fiscal Note
The Adopted 2016 Operating Budget for the City's Community Development Division authorized up to $70,000 in City levy funds for the provision of a technical assistance job training program for low-income individuals. No additional funds are being requested via this Resolution, and there is no impact on the local levy.
Title
Authorizing Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership/BIG STEP to place individuals from a target population of women, people of color and low-income city residents into registered construction trade apprenticeships and construction jobs in the Madison area; and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into an agreement with this organization to provide these placement services.
Body
WHEREAS, skilled workers in the construction industry, especially those prepared through State registered apprenticeship programs, can command good, family-supporting wages; and,
WHEREAS, women and people of color are disproportionately underrepresented in local construction trade apprenticeships and the local construction workforce; and,
WHEREAS, there is a significant number of local construction projects currently in the development phase that will require additional skilled workers; and,
WHEREAS, in the City of Madison and Dane County, the increased development has created a strong demand for skilled construction trades workers such that demand far exceeds the number of people who possess such skills; and,
WHEREAS, State registered apprenticeship programs are the recognized path to the development of construction trade skills and subsequent procurement of employment; and,
WHEREAS, the Mayor's Employment Initiative identified the need for pre-employment education and training to help underrepresented individuals in need of employment qualify for family supporting jobs in the industrial and construction sectors; and,
WHEREAS, up to $70,000 was authorized in the Adopted 2016 Operating Budget for the City's Community Development Division (CDD) to provide a project aimed at helping low-income and historically underrepresented persons secure registered construction trade apprenticeships and construction jobs in the Madison area; and,
WHEREAS, the CDD issued a request for proposals (RFP) on August 22, 2016 seeking proposals from qualified entities to place individuals from a target population of women, people of color and low-income city residents into registered construction trade apprenticeships and construction jobs in the Madison area; and
WHEREAS, a related goal of the project is to establish a robust pipeline of skilled, diverse candidates for area construction jobs, in part, through the development of strong working relationships with local registered apprenticeship programs, contractors, construction trade unions; and,
WHEREAS, upon review of the responses to this RFP, a review panel recommended the selection of Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP)/BIG STEP to receive an allocation of up to $70,000 to undertake the activities described in the RFP;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and the Common Council hereby approve the selection of WRTP/BIG STEP for the provision of technical assistance job training and apprenticeship placement services; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor and the City Clerk to enter into any agreements with the selected organization deemed necessary to provide the described services