The Collaborative's career pathways investments help low-income individuals launch careers in industries that provide entry-level employment opportunities, have a strong demand for workers, and provide opportunities for ongoing career and wage advancement.

To date, the Collaborative's career pathways investments have:

• Provided skilled workers to more than 100 local employers.
• Provided skills training, education, literacy, and/or supportive services for more than 579 individuals.
• Provided training in construction or healthcare skills to more than 200 workers.
• Helped 206 workers to secure employment.
• Helped grantees to leverage more than $1.5 million in additional support for industry-specific skills training.

By May 2010, the collaborative had awarded more than $500,000 to training partnerships focused on the construction and healthcare industries:

• The Community Services Agency of the Metropolitan Washington AFL-CIO worked with Associated General Contractors and other partners to provide a pre-apprenticeship program for DC adults pursuing in construction careers.  As of July 2010, Associated General Contractors and the Community Services Agency had provided 222 individuals with workforce development services including career counseling, job placement assistance, and pre-apprenticeship training.  They placed 24 individuals in paid union apprenticeships.  They helped 87 workers to obtain a credential, placed 66 workers in construction jobs (and 23 in other fields), of which 53 were paid more than $12.50/hour.
•  Covenant House Washington and the Washington Development Industry Council received support from the Collaborative to help younger adults (18-24) prepare for and launch careers in construction.  As of July 2010, WDIC had provided 100 individuals with services and placed 21 individual in construction jobs and Covenant House had provided 89 individuals with workforce services, helped at least 32 individuals obtain credentials (with more than 20 stil in the process), placed 16 worker in construction jobs (and 31 other in non-construction employment), of which 10 earned more than $12.50/hour.
•  Northern Virginia Family Service is expanding its Training Futures program to include a new clinical pathway that allows participants to become certified phlebotomists through training at Northern Virginia Community College.  As of February 2011, Training Futures served 102 individuals, with 92 completing the program, 61 securing employment, 19 finding work in healthcare, and 10 enrolling in the phlebotomy program at NOVA.  With regards to career advancement, 29 individuals advanced from part-time to full-time employment, nine obtained a promotion, 59 received a 10%+ raise, and 50 secured employer-sponsored benefits. 
•  The DC Primary Care Association and its members are partnering with the recently-launched Community College of the District of Columbia to establish a new Community Health Worker training program.  As of February, 2011, DC Primary Care Association has provided service to 25 individuals, helping 8 obtain CHW Certificates and 3 find employment.
•  A partnership between Boat People SOS of Maryland and Montgomery College will help immigrants and other individuals with limited English literacy acquire healthcare job skills while at the same time improving their English.  As of February, 2011, Boat People SOS had provided 23 individuals with services and helped 8 transition into full time employment.
•  Adventist Hospital Foundation received support to help entry-level workers improve their skills so that they can advance their wages and careers.  As of February, 2011, 18 individuals have participated in career advancement services.
  

Most recently, in spring 2011  The Collaborative awarded three $25,000 grants to members of the Regional Alliance for Careers in Health (ReACH) to launch the Career Navigators Initiative. This project which will test whether career coaching is an effective strategy to help entry-level healthcare workers advance their careers and wages while, at the same time, helping employers minimize turnover, improve quality of care, and “grow their own” workforce. Participating workers will have a chance to upgrade their literacy skills, complete college preparatory coursework, and enroll in college-level healthcare training programs. The grantees are Montgomery General Hospital, Holy Cross Hospital, and Suburban Hospital, each of which matched their grant with a $50,000 in-kind contribution.