With WorkFaith offices closing mid-March, our team quickly moved into a response strategy including calls to graduates, assistance in finding employment opportunities, and development of a virtual program.
Graduate Encourager Calls (GECs)
WorkFaith launched a program to support our graduates by having the entire staff make Graduate Encourager Calls (GECs). Staff members reached out to our graduates to pray with them and offer ideas for potential employment opportunities and community resources. Within three weeks, over 3,100 calls were made resulting in 800 graduate conversations, 3,000 emails sent, and almost 500 jobs (new and existing) verified.
Employer Introductions
WorkFaith focused on supporting graduates in their job search in many ways.
- 40 referrals were made to existing open positions from employer partners.
- We introduced 430 graduates to over 2,900 open positions in the Houston area through the National Labor Exchange.
- Virtual technology tutorials are being taught because several employers are using this technique to conduct interviews during COVID-19.
Virtual Program Delivery
The WorkFaith team has developed a Virtual Employability Training. All other WorkFaith programs such as intake, assessment, coaching, volunteers and placement are working in parallel to secure virtual options and solutions. We had over 40 students register for our first session, and our second session will begin on May 26.
Even COVID-19 can’t stop our mission of helping people build their faith and career skills in the marketplace! We’re grateful for God’s provision in the critical programming we’ve developed in response to COVID-19.