Item Description:
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Agmt PR00006625 with Project for Pride in Living LLC for the development of a Career Pathway/Trainee program with Hennepin County’s Facility Services Department, 10/01/24-08/01/25, NTE $40,000
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that Agreement PR00006625 with Project for Pride in Living LLC for the development and implementation of a Career Pathway/Trainee Program at Hennepin County Facility Services Department during the period of October 1, 2024 through August 1, 2025 with a not to exceed amount of $40,000 be approved; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
The Facility Services Department and the county will expand the diversity of the Facility Management Division workforce by developing and implementing a new Career Pathway/Trainee program. This program is inspired by feedback from current employees in the division who understand the challenges of being underrepresented in their career fields. Building engineers need specific skill sets to manage aging facilities as well as new climate action technologies, and these versatile individuals are in high demand.
The Building Services Engineering Program (BSE) is an expansion of the current pathways program Building Operations Technician (BOT). Participants will receive all the BOT training and credentialling while also being offered additional paid training and work experience. This additional training will qualify candidates for higher-level roles than the current BOT program.
The three participants in the BSE program will be hired as Trainees in the Facility Maintenance Operator Engineer (FMOE) job class receiving an hourly wage of $21.50 per hour with benefits. They will work onsite at various county buildings while also completing paid classroom training at Project for Pride in Living and International Facility Management Association (IFMA).
Project for Pride in Living will provide Lunch and Learn Series with topics of empowering and leading as an underrepresented individual in the field. The International Facility Management Association will provide approximately 30 hours of live instruction and additional 60-hours of self-paced materials to prepare students to successfully attain a Facility Management Professional (FMP) credential. Hennepin County’s Facilities Management department will provide on-the-job mentorship programming to encourage space and conversation for trainees to build strong relationships with each other which increases motivation, attendance, and graduation.
Outcome:
Upon graduation participants will be eligible to obtain permanent positions as Facility Maintenance Operator Engineers with Hennepin County, with an average hire wage of $31.63 - Max $36.12 per hour. Graduates will be prepared to sit for a Boiler’s license exam, obtain a PPL Pathway certificate and a Facility Management Professional certificate.
Collaborative partnerships:
Hennepin County Growth and Opportunity (Hennepin GO) is the core programmatic strategy for providing residents with internships and employment pathways led by the Office of Workforce Development in partnership with Human Resources Emerging Talent team. Hennepin County GO meets workforce needs and support internship and pathways experiences that are instrumental in reducing disparities through income, education, internships, pathways, and employment.
The Hennepin County Facility Services Facility Management (FM) division is responsible for the maintenance of over 100 buildings. Facility Services has hired 17 graduates from pathways programs, promoting 9 into higher level positions. FM is prepared to facilitate the successful completion of the new Building Services Engineering Pathways Program.
Project for Pride in Living (PPL) has over thirty years of experience managing cross-sector collaborations to implement career training services to meet current and future workforce demand and offer trainees long-term professional growth and economic mobility. PPL has established a strong career pathway model that works best when partnering with education and employer partners.
Current Request:
This request is to authorize approval of Agreement PR00006625 with PPL for the development and implementation of a Career Pathway/Trainee program from 10/01/24-08/01/25. Agreement PR00006625 would create a Career Pathway/Trainee program for three individuals. This Career Pathway/Trainee program will equip graduates with the skills required to join the County’s Facility Services Department as a Facility Maintenance Operations Engineer.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval