PCC and partners celebrate milestone in worker training program
Story by James Hill. Photos by Ric Getter.
Deborah Mustard is the 100th paid worker placed in a small business in the ‘Here for Portland’ effort.
A City of Portland program called “Here for Portland” celebrated an impressive milestone recently.
The collaborative program placed its 100th paid worker into a struggling small restaurant and retail businesses. This effort comes under the City of Portland’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program to support recovery for Portland businesses and business districts. Deborah Mustard is the lucky worker who got a job with Charlie’s Deli in Downtown Portland through Portland Community College’s Workforce Development Program. She also was one of the deli’s first customers when it opened up a few years ago.
This program is a partnership between the city, PCC, Bricks Need Mortar, Worksystems Inc., Prosper Portland and Portland State University. The initiative has a special emphasis on those businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic, especially retail and food service.
To learn more about this program, watch the KGW special.
Or learn more about PCC’s Opportunity Centers, which are workforce development centers that connect people with employers and community partners, by visiting its webpage.