How JPMorgan, Citizens, Wells Fargo and Fulton banks are vying for Philly dollars

The Philadelphia Inquirer By Joseph N. DiStefano With all the smartphone apps, megamergers and branch closings that have disrupted the banking business, entrenched Philadelphia banks and new competitors are scrambling to gather deposits, train entrepreneurs, and give grants and loans. — Fulton Bank, based in Lancaster and named for the steamboat developer, has opened a […]

Money Matters: More than $1.5M invested in workforce development, specialized training

Generocity By Sabrina Vourvoulias 1. JP Morgan Chase awards $1.5 million for expansion of UCD’s skills initiative. JPMorgan Chase & Co announced it will be investing $1.5 million over two years with University City District (UCD) to help expand job training now only available to West Philadelphians through UCD’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI). WPSI — which began in 2011 to […]

Realizing Career Dreams in University City

Meet three graduates of University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative who are on the path to realizing their career dreams with major Philadelphia employers.

Chase donates $1.5M to help Philadelphians find jobs

Philadelphia Business Journal By Jeff Blumenthal JPMorgan Chase & Co. will invest $1.5 million over two years to help more unemployed Philadelphia residents find quality jobs. Chase made the announcement Wednesday morning at a ribbon cutting for its latest branch in Grays Ferry. The money will go to the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, an organization […]

Citizens Bank Announces $125K Contribution To Support Expansion Of The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative

University City Review By Staff Citizens Bank has announced a $125,000 investment in University City District’s nationally recognized job training program, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), to support its expansion efforts. After having worked exclusively with University City employers and West Philadelphia residents, the organization will extend its reach to employers across the region. […]

The HOW Group Partners with UCD on Path into the Trades

While The HOW Group has only been a member for less than a year, its partnership with UCD is creating a pathway to the skilled trades for talented West Philadelphians, and illustrating the potential that our relationships with members have to evolve for the benefit of the neighborhood. The HOW Group is an all-in-one real […]

United Way Gifts $45,000 to Support the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative

We’d like to thank the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey for their continued support of our West Philadelphia Skills Initiative. This month, the United Way gifted us with $45,000 to support the operations of the Skills Initiative. They have been a longtime ally in our work to connect talented West Philadelphians to […]

Skills Initiative Grows to Serve Citywide Employers, New Credentialing Opportunities

As the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) expands in the months ahead, the team is building new approaches to the program model in order to better serve both employer partners and jobseekers. On Tuesday April 2nd, WPSI launched its first cohort with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) for Bus Operator positions. Not only is this […]

Staff Changes and Additions at the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative

The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) | Staff Updates 2019

The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), our nationally renowned job training program that connects local residents seeking opportunity with employers seeking talent, enjoyed a busy end to 2018. The Skills Initiative completed several cohorts, began recruitment for more, and made exciting staff changes that will help our program grow and reach our goal of serving […]

Changing Places, Changing Lives: Green City Works’ Xia Frazier

University City District’s Green City Works is a landscaping social venture that creates quality jobs for local community residents. In this video we profile Xia Frasier, one of our original crew members, who went from unemployed to crew leader at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania Roberts Center in two years. University City District works year-round […]