Workforce Challenge

Kevin struggled to secure steady work on his own after being released from a correctional facility. He visited the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development’s Northwest One-Stop Career Center in May of 2014 searching for career and training opportunities.

Workforce Solution

He met with Business Service Representative James Smith who helped connect Kevin to the Bridge 2 Career (B2C) program. B2C prepares low-skilled job seekers for career pathway training in the high-growth industries of transportation, manufacturing, construction and logistics/warehousing.
“My goal is to always connect job seekers with diverse backgrounds in programs where they will flourish and meet their career goals,” said Smith.
After being incarcerated for seven years, Kevin viewed B2C as an opportunity to improve his life and move on building a career. He took full advantage of job readiness sessions and the academic boot camp to develop his skills and increase his employability value.

Outcomes & Benefits

Smith arranged for Kevin to enroll in the B2C warehouse training in July 2014 at the Baltimore Technical Training Center so he could work toward earning his Certified Logistics Associate, Certified Logistics Technician, and Forklift certifications. He earned his certifications just-in-time to apply for a position at Amazon’s new sorting facility in Southeast Baltimore. Soon thereafter, he accepted a job offer at the center. Kevin did so well he set a shift record for package handling.