This article was written in partnership with Employ Milwaukee.
The financial and emotional stress of being laid off can have great impact on a person. Thus, when workers are laid off due to business closures or general economic downturns, Employ Milwaukee is ready to help.
Through its "Adult and Dislocated Workers Services," Employ Milwaukee serves over 200 workers annually. When layoffs happen, the organization works with its partners at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development to inform individuals on exactly what steps they should take and the resources available to them in order to find a new job in the same field or even a brand new career.
“You may be down, but you’re not out,” says Jeff McAlister, the business solutions manager for Employ Milwaukee. “We help you turn a setback into an opportunity.”
Rapid Response services through Employ Milwaukee help workers find a new job in their current industry or obtain free training for a new occupation.
The pandemic had a particularly large impact on the service sector in 2020 and 2021. Employ Milwaukee’s Rapid Response program guided individuals through the murky waters of signing up for unemployment, registering on the Job Center of Wisconsin and obtaining access to training, hiring and subsidized employment opportunities.
Employ Milwaukee partners with other organizations, Equus Workforce Services and Dynamic Workforce Solutions.
Equus Workforce Services is a North American organization that assists more than 900,000 workers and thousands of employers every year.
The program, based in Louisville, Ken., helps people find meaningful, living-wage employment by connecting them with suitable employers. In doing this, Equus helps reduce unemployment rates and improves economic stability within the community. The program also offers training programs in fields like healthcare, CDL and IT as well as education assistance and career support from the interview process to once a person is on the job.
“Overall, Equus Workforce Services plays a vital role in Milwaukee by empowering individuals with the tools and resources they need to achieve self-sufficiency and build successful careers, ultimately strengthening the foundation of the community,” says project director Mai Yang.
Dynamic Workforce Solutions offers free services to people who are unemployed, underemployed and laid off. It’s existed since 2001 and is based in Waukesha.
“Qualified clients are matched with a career planner to assist them throughout the program,” says Jonathan Watts, program manager.
The program also helps a person determine what field is best for them; how to build or improve a resume; and investigate training, certification and higher education options.
“The goal is to help people gain skills and knowledge to make them a successful candidate for a career they want, that pays a good wage and holds their interest,” says Watts.
Need help finding a job or switching careers? Go to Employ Milwaukee’s Adult and Dislocated Worker website here.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
