Workforce Inclusion & Successful Employment (WISE) Program

Salt Lake County is experiencing amazing prosperity, but we have unequal economic opportunity. A person born a certain race, gender, or in a certain zip code, regardless of ability, is likely to make half the income of other people in the County. WISE will help low-income and diverse communities launch into high-paying jobs.

WISE will provide grants to support individuals navigating workforce development programs. The goal is to:

• Increase access to workforce development programs
• Improve completion rates of these programs
• Improve job placement in better jobs

The County is funding Trainers who provide workforce development programs and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) that support low-income and diverse communities.

Grantees are providing the following services:

• Outreach to community members to show a path to a better career and create a plan for success.
• Advising for academic/training programs at improved student-to-advisor ratios. This will provide academic support to help participants complete their education goals.
• Resource Navigation to ensure people get the resources they need to thrive in training programs (i.e., housing assistance, childcare, transportation, ESL, technology assistance, etc.).
• Career Coaching to prepare participants for job searches. This will help connect them to quality jobs before, during, or after training.
• Mental Health Counseling to support participants with their mental and emotional well-being.

2022 Selected Partners:

Trainers:

• Salt Lake Community College
• University of Utah UHealth WISE

CBOs:

• City of South Salt Lake
• Journey of Hope
• Utah Community Action
• Women of the World

The County will issue an RFA for $2 million in additional contracts in July 2023.