JobTech

TOP Grant Helps TFA Create Jobs in Three Low-income Neighborhoods

In late 2003 Technology For All (TFA) and its non-profit program partners were awarded a 3-year $675,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Technology Opportunity Program (www.ntia.doc.gov/top). The grant funds JobTech, a $1.4 million collaborative project that will initially create 40 livable wage jobs in three low-income Houston neighborhoods. Technology For All was one of only 28 successful applicants in 2003 out of 569 proposals submitted for the competitive grant. TFA received the only grant awarded in Texas.

The vision of the JobTech program is simple – to create livable wage jobs in low-income communities. This is being accomplished through the innovative utilization of technology tools connected to and utilized by existing community technology centers (CTCs) serving those communities. Training and employment of persons for jobs within walking distance of their homes  utilizes a sustainable business model that builds on existing CTC capacity.

 Federal Funds matched by local dollars are providing the capital to implement the program at three Houston CTCs. Collaborating with Technology For All on JobTech are the Houston Area Technology Advancement Center , The Telecom Opportunity Institute , and Decision Information Resources, which is providing evaluation services. 

JobTech has been implemented first at TFA’s Misión Milby Community Technology Center (MMCTC) (add hyperlink) in Houston’s East End.    The East Side Village Community Learning Center (add hyperlink),sponsored by the Southeast Houston Community Development Corporation in the Third Ward, serves as another training/work site and a consortium of organizations working on the Connect Heights CommuniPOP  provide the third community work site in the Houston Heights.

Utilizing the collaborative STREET U workforce development initiative as the training provider for the project, low-income persons are being trained in their communities to be “document conversion specialists.”  Document conversion and knowledge management work outsourced from companies like Dimension4 and traditional document conversion companies create work for the project.  Work and work product is managed through TFA’s network infrastructure so individuals working in local community based organizations are able to access work for completion from their computer desktops.

As it reaches its capacity, JobTech will be a force for personal and grass roots community economic transformation. The JobTech model is to operate a profitable business while providing high quality traditional document conversion work, as well as technical document conversion activities with a commitment to customer satisfaction.  JobTech will provide a supportive workplace offering employment and opportunity for advancement.  Revenue above expenses will contribute to the capitalization of additional neighborhood work sites and the ongoing community technology and community development work of Technology For All and its program partners.

JobTech will be a model for business development in inner city and underserved communities by leveraging and building on existing community technology and community development capacity.

back