Apprenticeships: Not Just for the Trades Anymore
Exploring lessons learned from Hostos Community College’s Community Health Worker apprenticeship program
Apprenticeships have historically been confined to the trades, providing on-the-job training opportunities and pathways to work through labor union membership or participating employers. However, apprenticeships are valuable across a wider spectrum of work and can be used to bridge barriers to education as well as experience on the job. Hostos Community College was the first college to register apprenticeship programs in New York State, laying the groundwork for a new model of apprenticeship. Public Works supported Hostos to launch and evaluate the first iterations of their Community Health Worker (CHW) apprenticeship and now we’re excited to share our findings with you. Join us at NYATEP’s Fall Conference on October 27 and for a lunch and learn session on November 16 from 12-1 PM to learn more about how apprenticeships can change the game for your workforce.
Register for the lunch and learn
How to practice equitable community engagement
Inequitable community engagement at the start of any major project can have long-term negative impacts: residents lose the ability to shape their own neighborhoods and can lose faith in civic processes. In her most recent op-ed for American City & County, Celeste lays out key strategies municipalities can use to make sure that their engagement is not only equitable, but also effective at translating community feedback into action. Chief among these strategies is a commitment to truly listening to the community, rather than entering conversations with predetermined assumptions. She also recommends working directly with community members to conduct outreach, a strategy that recognizes and compensates local expertise. For all of Celeste’s recommendations, check out “Why equitable community engagement matters—and how to practice it.”
What is urban placemaking?
Urban placemaking is a practice that brings together urban planning, participatory design, community engagement, and preservation. The goal is to create a strong sense of place that reflects and responds to residents’ needs, histories, and hopes for the future. Urban placemaking has expanded in practice as cities and communities have worked to build more equitable and localized strategies into their pandemic responses. Project Coordinator Marissa Garcia, who is pursuing a Master’s in Urban Placemaking at Pratt Institute, lays out the core tenets of this practice for us on the Public Works IQ. Read the article here.
Celebrate CUF, SBIDC, and St. Nick’s Alliance with us
The Public Works team looks forward to seeing you at some of this month’s events supporting the inspiring organizations that help New Yorkers thrive. We’re proud to be sponsoring the Center for an Urban Future’s (CUF) 25th Anniversary celebration on October 19 and SBIDC’s Fall Celebration on October 26. We’ll also be attending St. Nick’s Alliance’s Annual Awards Benefit and Anniversary Celebration on October 14. We’re thrilled to be able to celebrate safely in person and hope to see you there!
One more thing!
Speaking of placemaking, check out this great initiative in Philly that is training community members to explore the future the city’s urban forest: How Philly will Become the City of Arborly Love, from Next City
Public Works Partners is a WBE/DBE-certified urban planning and consulting firm. Our expertise lies in creating innovative, equitable, and sustainable solutions to complex problems.