“These are the types of programs we need to replicate and expand in the District,” said Councilmember Kwame Brown, author of the Get DC Residents Training for Jobs Now Act.  “Now, these graduates have marketable skills in the construction industry such as weatherization and smart meter installation.  Not only that, a majority of them have already accepted job offers.”

In addition to green skills, students in the program learn job readiness skills, construction related math, basic construction techniques such as the use of hand tools, power tools, dry walling, scaffolding, OSHA safety training and CPR, and blueprint reading.

Three main areas of training are covered during the program including:

• Soft skills training, that covers workplace literacy skills;
• Core construction training, through the National Center for Construction Education and Research curriculum; and
• The Green Pathway DC ‘Green Elective’, which allows students the choice in advanced training in one of three green fields: sustainable building, weatherization, or smart meter installation.

The students’ training and hard work is rewarded with four nationally recognized certifications.  The program is funded with approximately funding from the DC Department of Employment Services and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

For more information or to interview Councilmember Kwame Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at mprice@dccouncil.us.

Production Assistant Training Seminar

The District of Columbia Office of Motion Picture and Television Development (MPTD), in partnership with Production Assistant Training Seminars, LLC (PATS) will offer a Production Assistant training seminar on Saturday, July 17, 2010.  The seminar is a one-day training program for District residents, taught by experienced industry professionals, for individuals interested in pursuing a future career in film and video production, who are ready to take the first step and “get their feet in the door”. Upon completion of the program, participants will be enrolled in PATS’ national database of qualified production assistants and MPTD will work to place graduates on the sets of film and video projects produced in the District.

What is a Production Assistant?

Production Assistant is the entry-level position in the film and video production industry, providing support to the rest of the crew on film, television, commercial, music video and other production sets. After working as a PA to gain experience and contacts, you can move up into more skilled positions in specific crew departments. Everyone in the industry starts as a PA.

As a PA you can expect to work long hours (including early morning, nighttime, and weekends), often on your feet, in all weather conditions. Production Assistant is typically a freelance position. PAs normally are hired day-to-day, and project-to-project. Pay rates vary based on the type, size, and budget of each project, but typically start at about $100-$150/day with no benefits. Please seriously consider whether these working conditions are right for you before applying for this seminar.

What is included in the seminar?

The seminar, taught by film industry professionals, will provide a thorough orientation of the film industry and the protocols and procedures needed to work confidently on any film or television set. Practical hands-on drills and one-on-one coaching will be offered throughout the day. Some of the topics covered include:

• The Director’s Team
• Script Breakdown
• Your First Day
• Set safety and protocol
• Background performers
• Production Paperwork
• Other PA jobs
• Resume and interview skills
• Job search techniques

Who should apply?

This program is open to District of Columbia residents only. No previous production experience or knowledge is required.

To be eligible to apply you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Live in the District of Columbia & be eligible to legally work in the U.S.
• 18 years or older
• Have a valid driver’s license (most PA jobs will require driving) – proof of driver’s license required at registration
• Available and able to attend the full-day training on Saturday, July 17 (8:30 AM to 5:30 PM) at American University, Wechsler Theater (4400 Massachusetts Ave, NW).

How much does the seminar cost?

This seminar is sponsored by the District of Columbia Office of Motion Picture and Television Development and is offered at no cost to District residents. Space is limited to 50 participants and seats will be filed on a first-come, first-served basis. Only complete applications will be considered for applicants meeting all of the eligibility requirements.

How to apply?

The application deadline is July 7, 2010. Applications will be accepted by mail, email, fax, and in person at the MPTD office. You may request an application by calling 202-727-6608, emailing film@dc.gov, visiting http://film.dc.gov, or in person at the MPTD office (2025 M Street, NW, Suite 600).

Digital Capital (DC) Week: SBA’s Hot Start

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is hosting a “Hot Start” during Digital Capital Week to promote technology business start-ups in the Nation’s Capital.  Aspiring entrepreneurs and current start-ups are invited to join SBA and a wide span of partners and business experts that will share advice, practical tips and more on-site.   Panel sessions on start-up basics, the ‘nuts and bolts’ of running a small business, financing options, and real-world case studies will compliment hands-on services provided by business counselors, lenders, and local business licensing officials.

The event is free and open to the public.  All entrepreneurs interested in starting their first business (or their fifteenth!) are welcome to attend.

SBA’s Hot Start event will be held on Friday, June 18th from 9am to 1pm EDT at: The UMC Conference Ctr. 900 Massachusetts Ave., NW. Washington, DC 20001

Digital Capital Week, or “DC Week”, is a ten-day ‘festival’ filled with activities across the District to promote and support area entrepreneurs.  Log on to www.DigitalCapitalWeek.org for information and a schedule of activities.  Interested entrepreneurs can also sign up for events, including SBA’s Hot Start, on the website.

John A. Wilson Building

Today, At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown expressed concerns over findings issued by the Compliance Unit within the Office of the DC Auditor, which identified nearly $30 million in lost job revenue and local business opportunities in government funded projects.  The reports also found extensive violations of the First Source Act and that the Living Wage Act of 2006 has yet to be implemented or enforced.  The Committee on Economic Development will hold a public roundtable on July 8, 2010 to review the findings.

“District residents are struggling to find jobs, make ends meet, and put food on the table,” said Councilmember Kwame Brown.  “The laws we’ve passed are intended to protect the average resident and local business owner.  The Compliance Unit was created to shine the light on how our dollars and being spent and now we’re starting to get closer to the truth.”

Councilmember Kwame Brown authored the Compliance Unit Establishment Act of 2008, which requires the unit to review real estate development transactions and agreements involving land currently or previously owned by the District Columbia and which currently falls under the purview of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

Key findings from the Auditor’s reports include:

First Source and Living Wage Act Requirements

• First Source Program processes and procedures were inadequate;
• Only 4 of 16 audited projects met or exceeded the goal of hiring 51% of District residents;
• The employment shortfall created more than $14 million of potential lost revenue for the District and residents; and
• The Living Wage Act of 2006 has not been implemented and District residents may not be receiving an equitable hourly wage rate.

Certified Business Enterprise Requirements

• Oversight processes for CBE expenditures and goals were inadequate;
• Potential CBE opportunities totaling over $15 million were missed; and
• Potential invalid CBE payments in excess of $1 million were made to non-CBE vendors.

Environmental Standards Requirements

• Inspection procedures for storm water managements systems were inadequate; and
• DCRA building permit procedures undermine proper enforcement of environmental regulations.

The public roundtable will be held on Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.  Those who wish to testify should contact Priscilla McIver at pford@dccouncil.us or 202-727-6683.  Click here to download the public notice.

For more information or to interview Councilmember Kwame Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.

Washington, D.C. – Metropolitan Washington lags slightly behind the national average in developing new jobs in the fast-growing health care sector, even though the region has produced jobs in other sectors at twice the national rate, experts at “United for Jobs: A Region Forum on Careers in Health” said today. The forum was organized by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

Workforce and health care experts at the forum focused on the need for regional leaders to increase funding for community colleges to prepare candidates for jobs in new areas of the health care sector, such as health information management, and to help colleges and universities create more clinical training facilities. Participants also encouraged philanthropic organizations to support more scholarships for prospective students in health care related fields.

The important role of community colleges was highlighted by Matt Erskine, executive director of the Greater Washington Initiative (GWI). “This region has had the second best general job growth in the nation: we are twice the national average and just behind Dallas,” he said. Erskine noted that projections indicate that the largest gap in future job growth and skilled employees is in fields requiring two-year degrees, which are provided by community colleges. He added that COG, GWI, and the Greater Washington Board of Trade could take the lead in advocating for more funding and regional coordination on workforce development.

“We have an opportunity here in metropolitan Washington to develop the most competitive healthcare workforce in the country. We are home to one of the nation’s strongest economies and we have fantastic academic and research institutions. But for all of our strengths, we don’t have a regional healthcare workforce strategy,” said District of Columbia Councilmember Kwame Brown, Chair of the COG Board of Directors. “We are better positioned to prosper—especially in this time of limited resources—if we band together as a region.”

Forum participants also emphasized the need for a new regional marketing strategy that would serve multiple purposes, such as promoting the region’s current assets and increasing awareness of the wide variety of jobs in the health care sector. As the demand for new careers in the sector – such as in Electronic Health Records (HER) management – grows, the demand for more traditional jobs including physical and occupational therapists and nurses is projected to increase significantly as well. A critical shortage of nurses led The George Washington University to open a new School of Nursing, said Ellen Dawson, Chair of the university’s Department of Nursing.

“Our region is projected to create an additional 1.2 million jobs over the next 20 years, but we need to be prepared to fill them,” said William Euille, Mayor of Alexandria and Chair of COG’s Workforce Competitiveness Task Force.  He said a summary report of today’s discussion and recommendations for next steps will be presented at next week’s COG Board of Directors meeting.

“We see a generational shift in what is needed (for many healthcare jobs,) said Elyse Kaplan, Vice President of Human Resources for Adventist Health Care Inc. “We need a workforce that is comfortable with technological developments and able to quickly adapt to information technology changes.”  Kaplan noted that this flexibility will enable workers to advance their careers, a recommendation of COG’s regional workforce development report, Closing the Gaps to Build the Future. The report served as the catalyst for the United for Jobs forum.

COG is the association of 21 local governments working together for a better metropolitan region.

According the flyer: (Download flyer)

Capital Health Careers Project addresses dual needs in the District of Columbia for alleviating unemployment and filling healthcare workforce deficits.  The program is funded in part by a $4.9 million grant from the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration and the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

• Recruitment begins Spring, 2010
• Classes start Summer, 2010
• Will provide job placement through 2013

Scholarship Opportunities Available:

• Disability Service Provider
• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Registered Nurse
• Health Information Technology Certificate
• Master of Science in Info Tech (M.S.I.T)
• Gerontology Certification for LPN
• Community Health Worker
• Licensed Practical Nurse
• Health Information Technology Competency Development
• Bachelor of Arts in Info Tech (B.A.I.T.)
• Home Health Aide

Capital Health Careers Partners

• Providence Hospital
• Catholic University of America
• DC Dept. on Disability Services
• DC Dept. of Employment Services
• DC Primary Care Association
• Regional Alliance for Careers in Health
• Community College of DC
• United Planning Organization

For more information
Call: 202-238-4731
Email: upochc@upo.org
Visit: http://bit.ly/capitalhealthcareers

WHAT: United for Jobs: Forum on Careers in Health
WHEN: Thursday, June 3, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Topics will include:

• Improving health-related workforce development in the National Capital Region;
• Regional workforce development solutions for special populations;
• How the HITECH Act will impact healthcare workforce development and education; and
• Exemplary regional healthcare workforce development programs.

To register for the event, please visit www.mwcog.org.

For more information or to interview Councilmember Kwame Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.

This week, two measures passed as part of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget that will fund tax credits for local businesses that create jobs for District residents and also promote greater public disclosure and transparency regarding the cost of economic development incentives.  The budget funds the DC Jobs Growth Incentive Act and institutes the Unified Economic Development Budget Transparency and Accountability Act.

“When times are tough, businesses need an edge, and the budget will give businesses a new tool to hire DC residents,” said Councilmember Kwame Brown.  “But as we invest our dollars, we need to ensure every dollar is spent wisely.  That’s why having one economic development budget and one plan that is publicly available is so important.  Let’s simplify the budget and shine the light on spending.”

To ensure sustainable economic growth, the DC Jobs Growth tax credit is available to businesses between 2010 through 2015.  It is equal to one-half the amount that an employer is required to pay in federal payroll taxes on the newly created jobs.  In most cases, this should equate to 3.825% of each job’s annual wage.  For each job created and filled by a District resident, businesses would receive the credit each year that the job is retained for a maximum period of up to five years–but no later than 2020.  Each year’s credit can be carried forward for ten years, or through tax year 2030, and is nonrefundable. (For more information, download the fact sheet here.)

To increase accountability and transparency, the Unified Economic Development Budget Act will require the Chief Financial Officer to place a user friendly report online each fiscal year that provides the name of each recipient receiving one or more economic development incentives with a combined total value equal to or greater than $75,000.  Anything under $75,000 will be reported in the aggregate.

For the first time, performance measures will be required by law to analyze the impact of incentives on economic activity.  The measures will include concrete information on job growth, business retention and expansion, business attraction, increasing the District’s tax base, and the impact on encouraging local shopping for good and services.  In addition, the Mayor will be required to create a core strategic economic development plan that takes into account the CFO report and considers best practices of other states.  (For more information download the fact sheet here.)

For more information or to interview Councilmember Kwame Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.

Watch the video to get the inside scoop on how Kris’s spirit of entrepreneurship has led him to employ 53 people at three District businesses.  You’ll also get a tour of the business.  Kris is an inspiration for all local business owners.  He’s a graduate of George Washington University and after graduation decided to stay in the city to start a business.  Congratulations to Kris and the Foggy Bottom community for making this happen!

The catalytic Shops at Dakota Crossing, which will feature Costco, Target, Shoppers Food Supermarket and other smaller, in-line retailers moved another step forward today. At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown is leading the effort to make the project a reality. Today, he authored and the Council passed an amendment to the FY2011 Budget Support Act that will ensure the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development has full authority to fund and manage the project.

“Neighborhood projects like these will have an immediate impact on our communities, increasing local shopping opportunities, creating jobs and spurring economic growth,” said Councilmember Kwame Brown. “These are the strategic investments we need to make in the neighborhoods that need it the most.”

The project is estimated to create 800 permanent jobs and 500 construction jobs while generating $7 million per year in new tax revenue. The Council approved funding today to get the project off the ground. Final approval will be considered with the budget next month.

For more information or to interview Councilmember Kwame Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.