STRIVE, Leading National Workforce Solution for People Facing Systemic Barriers, Launches Pathway to Possible, a Platform to Match Individuals with Life-changing Careers

New Survey Shows Majority of Business Community – 86 percent – Welcomes Employees Who Take Alternative Pathways to a Career and 80 Percent Believe in Second-Chance Hiring

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As businesses across the U.S. continue to struggle with labor shortages⁽¹⁾ studies show that employers looking to fill critical workforce gaps are open to hiring people who have taken alternative career pathways, as well as those who seek a better life after incarceration. This is especially true in the healthcare sector where demand for non-clinical, skilled employees is exceptionally high.

A new survey from STRIVE, a national leader in workforce development for people facing systemic barriers to employment, finds that 86 percent of Americans polled would welcome hiring people who have opted for a trade school or a certification path rather than college. Further, 80 percent surveyed believe that individuals who served time in prison deserve a second chance and should be considered for employment. Forty-five percent of STRIVE graduates are justice-impacted, demonstrating the need to build bridges to employers and sectors that offer prosperous career pathways and growth opportunities. The STRIVE Employment Survey was completed by Russell Research on behalf of STRIVE, from October 18-21, 2024.

"There is no single pathway to success," said STRIVE CEO Phil Weinberg. "This survey is a powerful reminder that the business community is ready to partner with us to champion people who are resilient and just need guidance and support to get on a path to upward mobility and economic prosperity. With our evidence-based solution, STRIVE is well-positioned to meet the demand from a business community hungering for talent, and from people who are motivated and ready for a new start but historically haven't had the support and training they need to succeed due to systemic barriers."

New Standards of Excellence for Data Drives Success

STRIVE's leadership in the workforce sector is due to its adoption of an evidence-based model that is student and industry-driven. In partnership with MDRC, a nonprofit that develops and evaluates antipoverty programs, STRIVE is leveraging real-world data and insights in service of enhanced training programs and improved outcomes, benefiting students, employers and communities. STRIVE aims to increase the number of people served annually from 2,000 in 2023 to 10,000 in 2033. Click to view our 40^th Anniversary Impact Report.

In conjunction with MDRC, STRIVE continues to innovate with career training programs to support alternative career paths and second-chance hiring, with a focus on growing business sectors such as healthcare. 

"MDRC's partnership has validated the standards of excellence that STRIVE adheres to in the model we use as well as the data we analyze to drive our decisions," said Stolas Stolhand, STRIVE National Performance Director. "By listening to all of our stakeholders we can ensure our programs are as effective as possible for our graduates and communities."

The model is working:

• 80% graduate STRIVE programs
• 76% attain employment
• 70% retain employment

STRIVE's Industry-Driven Model Helps People Ready for a New Start

STRIVE's sectoral training solutions are especially beneficial for individuals impacted by the justice system. STRIVE's Fresh Start program for justice-impacted and returning citizens age 25 and up, and Future Leaders, for justice-involved young adults, 18-24, offer tailored training and career opportunities in construction and logistics.

The healthcare sector represents some of STRIVE's strongest employer partnerships. STRIVE helps the healthcare sector bridge the opportunity gap while addressing the importance of representation in healthcare settings in the communities they serve.

Valerie Orellana, R.N., M.S. Vice President, Human Resources Mount Sinai Health System, says, "Working with STRIVE has been a gratifying and fruitful experience for Mount Sinai. We are filling critical gaps in our team and ensuring we have a more diverse, skilled workforce while helping individuals achieve their goals of financial independence. Everybody wins."

Fresh Start and Future Leaders programs have been running strong in New York for several years. Future Leaders in Atlanta successfully launched in 2022, and is also offered in Chicago, Connecticut, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Diego and Baltimore. Fresh Start is set to launch in Birmingham in 2025 with career pathways in construction and logistics.

A Bold New Look and Positioning Helps STRIVE Leverage Growth Opportunities

As STRIVE celebrates its 40th anniversary, the organization continues to expand its footprint and explore new approaches to funding its mission. In just the past four years, STRIVE, founded in 1984 in East Harlem, has added three sites offering workforce training programs in Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans, with plans to add new sites in 2025. STRIVE has affiliate sites in 14 cities, including Philadelphia, Washington, DC, San Diego and Baltimore.

"STRIVE recognizes that people are more than their past and its new Pathway to Possible brand platform speaks to the urgency of lifting individuals and communities that have been left behind, with its innovative tuition-free job readiness training and lifelong holistic support services," said Daryl Lee, Global CEO at McCann Worldgroup and STRIVE board member. "The new forward leaning STRIVE logo, bold imagery and positive messaging brings to life STRIVE's unique position in the workforce arena and its focus on opportunity and empowerment."

To facilitate STRIVE's growth, Jamaul Webster recently joined the organization as its new chief development officer, bringing years of experience in revenue growth from his tenure at national nonprofits including Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Teach for America. STRIVE is closing the year with an historic gala fundraising sum of $1.1 million, and Webster aims to build on that momentum.

"To create a more equitable economy we need a broad coalition to support our mission," Webster said. "STRIVE is positioned as a powerful value proposition for donors and corporations who share our belief in the potential of people and our vision of inclusivity."

Adding to STRIVE's leadership ranks are two new board members, Nick Liolis, Chief Investment Officer of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), who is committed to supporting STRIVE's efforts to provide career path mentoring to individuals who seek opportunities for a better life, and James Thomas, Partner, Ernst & Young, who is eager to show the business community why STRIVE is a smart investment.

"STRIVE delivers for individuals, employers and communities by addressing the urgent need to close the skills gap," said Thomas. "By understanding the skills employers are looking for and ensuring individuals have the right training to marry them with the job opportunity, STRIVE empowers individuals to be their best selves and to contribute to the fabric of their communities, helping themselves, their families and local economies thrive in the process."

About STRIVE 
STRIVE (www.strive.org) is a national workforce development leader that for nearly 40 years has successfully provided services to populations facing significant societal barriers to employment. STRIVE moves students into careers that lead to upward mobility and economic empowerment. Headquartered in East Harlem, New York and with operations in 14 locations, STRIVE has supported more than 85,000 individuals through employment programs geared toward adults of all ages including those with involvement in the justice system.

About the Survey
The purpose of this survey was to evaluate opinions on a range of employment issues, including job skills and systemic barriers to upward mobility. The objectives were to determine what are considered essential job skills today; evaluate willingness to hire people with different backgrounds; measure perceptions about job candidates who have served time in prison; and measure perceptions about the impact of systemic barriers on upward mobility and access to good jobs and financial independence. Russell Research, an independent survey research firm, conducted online interviews with 1,010 participants October 18 - 21, 2024. Responders were screened to meet the following criteria: 50% female, 50% male; age 18 or older; national; balanced to be representative by gender, age, ethnicity and census region. Findings for the total sample are projectable to the universe of online adults. At a 95 percent confidence level, a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent applies to the sample. Full survey results available upon request.

1. U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The Workforce Impact of Second Chance Hiring

Contact: Andrea Greif
[email protected]
(914) 772-3027

SOURCE STRIVE International