THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412210283
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
The future of job-training programs for Norfolk's poor continued its roller-coaster ride Tuesday as the federal government announced a $3 million enterprise grant to the city.
The grant made Norfolk a runner-up for a jackpot of federal urban-revitalization grants. The city sought to be one of nine localities in the $100 million winner's circle.
Although Norfolk officials were pleased with the $3 million grant, they said the timing was ironic.
On Monday, Gov. George F. Allen proposed killing the Norfolk campus of Tidewater Community College, where the job-training program was to be based.
``We get one thing nailed down and another one jumps out,'' City Councilman Mason C. Andrews said. He noted that the TCC program was crucial in winning the federal award, the only one in Virginia and one of 95 nationwide.
The Norfolk program features a computerized job bank and training program for low-income adults.
Local officials declared they will challenge Allen's budget but will proceed with the enterprise program in any event.
``We'll rent facilities. We'll find some solution to it,'' said Larry Whitworth, TCC president. ``We have an absolute commitment to working with the neighborhoods.''
The program seeks to put low-income, inner-city adults in touch with more private-sector jobs by matching work skills with the needs of businesses.
Through a computer bank, businesses would list not only their jobs but also the required work habits. Employers would commit to interviewing inner-city candidates, but not necessarily hiring them.
Those not hired would be referred to specific training programs to be coordinated by TCC.
A major goal, said David H. Rice, executive director of the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, is to prepare a pool of qualified candidates for the 3,000 jobs at MacArthur Center, a downtown mall to open in October 1996.
``We need the money to make sure we are delivering good people to work, people they can employ and be satisfied with,'' Rice said.
Norfolk applied for a 10-year, $100 million federal grant for inner-city revival, including finding jobs for 10,000 adults. The proposal listed a wide variety of services.
The $3 million grant means Norfolk must narrow its focus to a few ideas, including the TCC program. ``The challenge is to pick the things you really want to do and to make them happen,'' Rice said.
The job bank, originally planned to include satellite computer facilities in many inner-city neighborhoods, now will be limited to three: Park Place, Church Street-Huntersville and Diggs Town. Much equipment already was purchased, through a $100,000 grant from the Dalis Foundation.
TCC also would create an ``urban apprenticeship'' program to help inner-city participants move upward on a four-year track of training, employment and education.
For example, a participant may start with a minimum-wage job in a fast-food restaurant but, with training, move to better opportunities.
The computer system would track progress, including job appraisals, recommendation letters, details of volunteer community service and educational records.
Employers would review these ``electronic portfolios.''
``The $3 million will go a long way towards establishing the urban apprenticeship program,'' Whitworth said. ``I'm reasonably confident we can still do thousands of people with that type of money.'' MEMO: Staff writer Alex Marshall contributed to this story.
by CNB