Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas

In 2019, only 19.3% of persons with a disability were employed in the United States. For persons without a disability, the employment participation rate is 66.3%.

From AbilityOne.gov: "The AbilityOne Program uses the purchasing power of the federal government to buy products and services from participating, community-based nonprofit agencies nationwide, dedicated to training and employing individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities. Through the AbilityOne Program, people who are blind or have significant disabilities enjoy full participation in their community and can market their AbilityOne-learned skills into other public and private sector jobs."

Goodwill manages AbilityOne contracts for janitorial services at the Richard Bolling Federal Building and Fort Leavenworth. The contracts provide living wage employment, benefits, wraparound services, ongoing case management, and high quality of life for individuals with significant disabilities.

Annually, nearly 20,000 individuals are released from incarceration in Missouri, and between 2000 and 4000 settle in Kansas City. These individuals face significant barriers in their reentry. Within three years of release, over two thirds of prior offenders recidivate, and within five years, over three fourths are rearrested. Employment is one of the most important factors in preventing recidivism.

Goodwill provides support to individuals with legal history in earning and keeping employment. Participants may get immediate employment at Goodwill or elsewhere. Simultaneously, workers are provided services to support advancing their careers long term, including creating an individual career development plan, digital skills training, financial literacy support, benefits support, funding for transportation, funding for clothing and devices, and funding for vocational training. The goal is for justice-involved individuals to secure employment, advance their careers, and not recidivate.

82% of job openings require basic digital skills. However, 32 million Americans have no digital skills at all, and over half of Americans have some basic digital skills, but struggle with comprehensive digital literacy. The digital divide also disproportionately impacts individuals who are older, black, and Hispanic. 35% of Hispanic individuals, and 22% of African American individuals, have no digital skills.

Goodwill offers digital skills assessments and training in order to combat the digital divide. Goodwill offers training in the following areas: basic computing skills, Internet basics, using email, Window, Mac OS, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and web browsing. These training courses occur in-person, virtually, or via our mobile workforce unit. In addition to digital skills training, our digital navigation services help individuals access free or inexpensive devices and home broadband.

The 4th Industrial Revolution is here, and it is changing work. A 2019 McKinsey and Company study found that 54 million jobs in the United States may be eliminated by 2030 due to automation. Already, 60% of jobs have at least some tasks that may be automated with currently available technology. COVID-19 has sped up that timeline by changing consumer trends and forcing employers to make modifications to encourage social distancing and working from home. On top of that, our community’s most vulnerable citizens will be disproportionately impacted. Individuals with limited education, limited work history, different abilities, criminal backgrounds, etc. are more likely to hold entry level, repetitive jobs - these tasks are the most automatable.

The fastest growing need for upskilling is for workers without a 4-year degree. In the Kansas City area, only 28% of African Americans and 25% of Hispanics have at least an Associate’s degree. There are 850,353 adults 25 years old and over who have less than a 4-year degree, and our region has persistently struggled to close this gap. These individuals must be able to access upskilling opportunities for the jobs of the future before they become unemployed, and even unemployable.

The Goodwill Artemis Institute is launching in 2021. This adult workforce training program will focus on preparing vulnerable workers and individuals with disadvantages for the jobs of the future. We will work hand-in-hand with employers and other training providers to create stackable certifications in booming fields including robotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, virtual/augmented reality, and the Internet of Things. The program will incorporate best practices for adult education, and care for the whole person with wraparound services. Participants will be paired with a Community Resource Specialist to support them in creating a career plan, overcoming barriers, and earning and retaining employment. We also plan to build in real world learning opportunities provided by real employers, to promote skill building.

BRIDGE TO TECHNOLOGY (2021):
Most middle-skill careers require proficiency in high school-level math, reading, and writing skills. Yet, 1 in 6 adults in the US scores below a basic reading level , and 1 in 3 adults in the US scores below a basic math level. Socioeconomic factors have a strong impact on literacy skills in the United States, and Black and Latino communities see a disproportionate rate of poor reading and numeracy skills. Many credential and degree-providing programs exist in our region, but interested individuals are locked out because they cannot pass pre-assessments, perpetuating gaps in employment and wage growth. 8 in 10 bridge programs turn away at least 10% of applicants for not meeting requirements, and 27% turn away at least half of applicants.

The Goodwill Artemis Institute will close these opportunity gaps with a Bridge to Technology course. This short, flexible course will quickly upskill individuals who have an aptitude for and an interest in tech careers, but who were unable to pass training entrance exams. We will offer training in numeracy, literacy, digital skills, and 21st Century skills. Additionally, we will provide modules describing the 4th Industrial Revolution, and the new industries and job opportunities it is creating. Community Resource Specialists will walk alongside participants to provide wraparound services and career exploration. Graduates will be referred back to other training providers to continue their stackable training toward a living wage tech career.

Goodwill operates fourteen donated goods retail stores and one outlet center. At these locations, generous community members donate gently used clothing and household items and Goodwill resells them to others. The sale of unwanted items provides funds to support our local employment programs and services. Additionally, Goodwill retail staff have access to all of Goodwill's employment programs and services; we intentionally empower employees to work with the workforce development team to create career development plans, pursue training, and advance their careers - at Goodwill, or otherwise. Goodwill's resale stores also support sustainability, by providing a convenient way for individuals to share their unused items. Resale diverts millions of pounds of goods from landfills each year.