Sunshine Partners with Broward Up
By Krissy Mulder, Corporate HR Director
Finding qualified staff members is a challenge for most businesses today, but at Sunshine we are finding unique ways to identify people who want to pursue long-term careers at our company. For example, we recently became an official partner with Broward UP™, a program at Broward College that offers workforce training and support services directly in neighborhoods throughout Broward County. Started in 2018, the vision of Broward Up is that “opportunity exists for everyone who desires a better life. The combined efforts of local businesses, non-profits, educators, and volunteers will change the future of County residents facing unemployment or underemployment.”
The goal of Broward UP™ is to remove barriers to meaningful employment so all County residents can realize their unlimited potential. Programs include tutoring, career counseling, and social and family services. By increasing access to post-secondary education and training, this innovative community-centric program is delivering workforce education courses and programs, along with career readiness and related support services, to areas most affected by economic immobility. These are the communities in which the greatest impact can be made. The program reflects the College’s core mission to make sure every resident is empowered and enabled to pursue post-secondary education.
Broward UP™ participants are also supported by a team of case managers who serve as success coaches. These case managers complete in-depth assessments, provide goal-setting exercises and identify any barriers to success. They work with participants to create educational plans and connect them to appropriate college and community resources, including educational programming, credit for prior learning, as well as financial aid, scholarships, loaner laptops, and emergency funding support. Providing a holistic approach, Broward UP case managers maintain communication with participants throughout their involvement to provide encouragement, promote continued engagement, and help them achieve their educational and employment goals.
Additional community partners with this program include municipalities, such as the Cities of Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Hollywood, West Park, Tamarac, Pompano Beach, North Lauderdale, Miramar and Fort Lauderdale. Community agency partners include: Boys & Girls Club, Broward County Housing Authority, Broward County Libraries, Career Source Broward, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Jack & Jill, OIC, YMCA – LA Lee, Urban League, HANDY, PACE Center for Girls, the FLITE Center, Hispanic Unity, and Nourishing Lives, Inc. In total, Broward Up has 16 program partners and 14 resource and thought partners. We are proud to be one of 10 corporate partners, along with such prestigious organizations as BB&T, City Furniture, Spirit Airlines and Advanced Roofing.
We are excited to be part of this program to support its role in helping to create a pipeline to careers in our industry. This partnership also allows Sunshine to give back to our community by creating opportunities and at the same time fill open positions with individuals eager to build a future at Sunshine.
For more information about Broward UP™, visit https://www.broward.edu/browardup/partners.html. For Career opportunities at Sunshine, visit www.sunclean.com/careers
