HIRED in the News

HIRED continues to make appearances in media outlets from around the Twin Cities.

With an upcoming feature on KARE 11 news (see article at right), a segment on KSTP news (see article below) and recent mentions in the Star Tribune (detailing HIRED’s new plastics manufacturing training program) and in the Pioneer Press (discussing Minnesota’s sagging economy and the impact on workers), HIRED has become a go-to source for information and perspective on workforce-related issues.

What’s the best way to stay up-to-date on HIRED’s appearances in the media, as well as the day-to-day updates of the organization? Visit www.HIRED.org and click on the "News From HIRED" section. From information on recent grants to details on new programs to updates on changes in state policy, the HIRED website is the place to start.

KSTP Consults HIRED on Impact of Economic Stimulus Package

HIRED Executive Director Jane Samargia was recently featured on a KSTP Eyewitness News report on President Bush’s proposed economic stimulus package. The news story focused on the real-life impact of the proposed federal tax rebate.

Even with broad support for some sort of stimulus package, some experts worry that the President’s rebate plan is only a "band-aid" rather than a long-term solution to the current economic downturn.

Samargia maintains that any federal package should include a job-training component to provide unemployed workers with the necessary skills for long-term, sustainable employment situations. "We need some investments in training people to work and support their families," said Samargia.

The proposed stimulus package would include $150 billion in tax relief, with roughly $800 going to individuals and $1600 going to married couples. Additionally, the possibility of extending unemployment insurance is being reviewed.

In addition to being a source of information on workforce development for the media and general public, HIRED is active at the State Capitol, working to inform legislators on the importance of job training.

Go here to see the entire KSTP story, or visit www.HIRED.org and click on "News From HIRED."

HIRED’s Culinary Training Program to be Featured on KARE 11 TV

Tomorrow morning, January 31, at 6:20 a.m., KARE 11’s Sunrise newscast will feature a story on HIRED’s highly-successful culinary training program. The feature will air as a part of the station’s "What’s Cool in Our School" segment.

The culinary training program is offered through a partnership with Broadway Community High School, an alternative high school in Minneapolis designed for pregnant and parenting teens. The program began four years ago as a way to offer teenage moms the chance to learn about the foods that will keep them and their children healthy, while at the same time preparing them for careers as prep and line cooks. Since then the course has grown in popularity, largely through the efforts of the program’s innovative instructor, Chef Jeff Riley, a trainer at HIRED.

"It’s really a treat to get to work with these girls," said Riley. "I love that I can take my passion for food and share it with them. They’ve worked hard all semester and to have the chance to share their hard work and the benefits of the program with the greater Twin Cities area is really special."

Although the class gains experience through a number of activities – from planning and preparing meals and serving them to their fellow classmates, to catering business events in the Twin Cities – KARE 11’s Kim Insley visited the teens on a day when they prepared and served a meal to a group of seniors at River of Life Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

"There are so many good things to say about this program," said Carol Aharoni, senior program director for the culinary training program and many other HIRED-sponsored youth programs. "This is the sort of success story that we look for in all of our HIRED programs. The teens who participate are taking away more than they could ever imagine – teamwork skills, a sense of responsibility, nutritional information, food preparation experience, math skills – the list goes on and on."

To learn more about the culinary training program or any of HIRED’s other youth programs, visit our youth services page.

Can’t catch the morning newscast? Visit the "News From HIRED" section at www.HIRED.org later in the day tomorrow to check out the story.