Executive Director of the United Labor Agency, Dave Megenhardt, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss their upcoming learning program through Coursera. Megenhardt also talked about the ongoing work by several Cleveland organizations to provide access to the trades for at-risk communities in the area.
Keeping up with the advancement in technology has been an issue for many organizations that try to help assist in ongoing education. The ULA has partnered with an application called Coursera to develop a program to assist people furthering their education. Colleges and universities have used Coursera to help with online and distance learning. The courses all come from accredited colleges and universities and can either help people develop new skills or supplement their current skills.
The ULA plans to use the Coursera program to provide people seeking career development or advancement opportunities to further their education. People in the program can gain industry-recognized certifications or even a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. Megenhardt hopes this program will provide the alternative needed to help more people find or advance their careers. The program will begin with 250 participants, but the ULA plans on increasing the course size.
Together with Cleveland Builds and local labor organizations, the ULA is hosting several events around the Cleveland area to provide access to the building trades to at-risk and compromised communities. These events will be held throughout the year and will focus on educating at-risk community members about the trades. The goal of these events will be to grow the number of union members in Cleveland. With many construction projects coming to the area, Megenhardt hopes to provide more individuals with a path to the middle class.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.