
STEP into a Job! grew from an idea presented at the Clinton Global Initiative – America Conference by our founder, Simonida Cvejic, in June 2011.
Simonida Cvejic, CEO and Founder of Bay Area Medical Academy, spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative America Conference at the opening plenary 'Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!' in Chicago, June 29, 2011, moderated by President Clinton, together with governor Haley Barbour, former Labor Commissioner Thurmond, among others.
Simonida spoke about the best model in preparing low-skilled unemployed workers with barriers to employment to get back into the workforce. Industry-focused job training programs, like the OEWD's HealthCare Academy, have proven to be successful. For the best results, the program needs to include three components - technical training, employer engagement strategies and job placement, and complementary social services. Bay Area Medical Academy has provided theses services in their comprehensive program, which is why their Medical Assisting program continues to achieve 90% retention and 72% placement rate - higher than national standards.
"Our experience shows that the length of the externship training highly correlates with the rate of placement in jobs, similar to the experience of Former Commissioner Thurmond in Georgia," said Simonida. Simonida's CGI Call to Action specifically asked for employers, hospitals and clinical labs to open their doors for job-seekers to training and build their experience.
Simonida Cvejic, CEO and Founder of Bay Area Medical Academy, spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative America Conference at the opening plenary 'Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!' in Chicago, June 29, 2011, moderated by President Clinton, together with governor Haley Barbour, former Labor Commissioner Thurmond, among others.
Simonida spoke about the best model in preparing low-skilled unemployed workers with barriers to employment to get back into the workforce. Industry-focused job training programs, like the OEWD's HealthCare Academy, have proven to be successful. For the best results, the program needs to include three components - technical training, employer engagement strategies and job placement, and complementary social services. Bay Area Medical Academy has provided theses services in their comprehensive program, which is why their Medical Assisting program continues to achieve 90% retention and 72% placement rate - higher than national standards.
"Our experience shows that the length of the externship training highly correlates with the rate of placement in jobs, similar to the experience of Former Commissioner Thurmond in Georgia," said Simonida. Simonida's CGI Call to Action specifically asked for employers, hospitals and clinical labs to open their doors for job-seekers to training and build their experience.