Senior Workforce Center
Throughout its history, Jewish Family & Career Services has adapted its programs and services to meet the changing needs of the community. Following a growing demand for employment services by people who have retired or are nearing retirement, JFCS has established the Senior Workforce Center to serve financially vulnerable older adults by helping them gain improved financial security from employment or self-employment and/or improved personal financial management. Orville Blackman is the new program’s director.
Participation is limited to people who live in Louisville/Jefferson County and the wider Kentucky-Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. Participants will benefit from job readiness workshops, personal employment coaching and assessments that will help in aligning job opportunities to match the skills and strengths of the participants.
The job readiness workshops will cover a range of both traditional job search mechanics such as resume writing and interviewing, as well as non-traditional features such as stress management and motivational interviewing that can positively affect job outcomes.
Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in personal, one-to-one employment coaching and/or mentoring services that are designed to help each participant create a personalized employment action plan that is aligned with each participant’s profile, workshop objectives, assessment results, higher demand sectors/jobs and workforce needs.
Seniors who are interested in accessing employment services through the Senior Workforce Center should contact Orville Blackman at 502-452-6341 or oblackman@jfcslouisville.org.
JFCS Connect
Kendall Thirlwell was the JFCS Employment Specialist who developed the award-winning KCCGO at the Kentucky Career Center, which had a near 80 percent employment outcome rate. Her new position, as Employment Program manager, will be leading a new initiative, JFCS Connect.
The mission of the JFCS Connect program is to encourage, empower and employ individuals who face challenges in obtaining employment. She will work to connect both youth (ages 18-24) and adults to job readiness development, training, education and employment opportunities.
This program will also consist of a workshop series focused on job search strategies, as well as assistance with employer networking. Thirlwell will work to expand employer engagement by developing relationships with potential employers, as well as coordinating networking events in which businesses can participate. She looks forward to connecting candidates with employers in need of talent.
The first JFCS Connect program will be a four-session series of workshops beginning mid-November.
If you are unemployed or underemployed and are interested in participating in this program, you can reach Thirlwell at 502-452-6341 or kthirlwell@jfcslouisville.org.
