The Orlando City Council voted Monday to use a $225,000 CARES Act grant to expand the Blueprint 2.0 program in conjunction with the Central Florida Urban League.
The program which was originally designed for Orlando residents only, will now offer vocational training to anyone living in Orange County who has been furloughed or laid off because of coronavirus.
Commissioner Regina Hill says along with job skills, participants receive help with transportation, childcare and wraparound services as needed.
“Because we don’t see these as just jobs. We see these as careers. And changing the trajectory of not just the potential employee but also their generation meaning their children and their families.”
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Staff at the Central Florida Urban League will be in charge of the program.
President Glen Gilzean says they've partnered with Valencia College, the University of Central Florida and other businesses to prepare residents for their next job whether that's in fiber optics or medical technology.
“Once you have an education or credential, a job can come and go but your education will be with you for a lifetime. Right? So because of that and that partnership we have the ability to provide people with fiber optics training, they can come to the Urban League and get the Microsoft Office specialist training. They can go to Valencia and get mechatronics training.”
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Gilzean says most graduates place in a job two to three months after completing the program.
The grant will expire by the end of the year according to the terms of the CARES Act, unless another coronavirus relief package is passed by Congress before that time.
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