OhioGuidestone’s Workforce 360° designs programming to help young adults and adults identify and pursue their career and educational goals through job training, placement and support.
Written by Steve Asimou, Senior Communications Specialist
OhioGuidestone is where new paths begin. As one of the largest behavioral health agencies in the state of Ohio, we have been helping individuals reset their paths, reclaim their autonomy and restore their purpose. OhioGuidestone is uniquely positioned to assist young adults with our groundbreaking Workforce 360° programs. We offer comprehensive programming that provides supportive services focused on removing barriers to employment and giving participants the strength and support they need to transform their lives and achieve self-sufficiency.
While each participant enters the program at a different phase in their career pathway, most face significant barriers, such as a lack of adequate housing, access to transportation, access to childcare, access to technology, involvement in the criminal justice system or food insecurities. In addition, most of our participants were raised in poverty and lack social or family support to assist when emergency needs arise.
This instability decreases the likelihood that a participant will find and retain employment, stay enrolled in post-secondary education, or complete a job training program. We enhance our programs with many critical supports, such as mental health treatment, childcare resources, soft skills training, mentoring opportunities, housing and transportation assistance, financial literacy, and other support to meet our participants' basic needs.
Our participants continue to receive support for one year after job placement. We provide ongoing job coaching, which is a benefit not only to the participant, but also the employers. This allows us to resolve problems and sustain long-term employment. This helps reduce job churn that can be very expensive for employers. Our department collaborates closely with over 200 employers to ensure that we are providing clients with current, marketable skills that fill employers’ talent needs.
Workforce 360° aligns our credential job training program offerings with what is currently in demand in Northeast Ohio, and we continue to add programming to meet the needs of the changing workforce landscape. Annually, we review our program offerings to ensure specific sector credentials are leading to a self-sufficient average wage with potential for career and wage advancement for individuals.
Workforce 360° offers credential training in the following sectors: customer service, hospitality, culinary, construction, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Workforce 360° programs are available in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Medina, Lake and Summit counties. For more information, please visit: https://ohioguidestone.org/services/job-training/
