As part of a growing wave of new office development in our primary service area such as the construction of Comcast Cable’s new center city location only a few blocks away from the Schuylkill River, the complete occupation of the new Cira Centre adjacent to the Amtrak Station, the 40th Street Promenade and the expansions of The University of Pennsylvania Health System, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Drexel University’s new Law School, not to mention The Science Center’s growing international biotechnology industry, we estimate that over 5,000 new jobs will be created in the next 3 years.

In keeping with The CDC’s mission to be a catalyst for economic development, we believe that we can play a great role in connecting West Philadelphians who are searching for jobs, to these new opportunities.

To this end, The CDC is launching a $3 million capital campaign to build The West Philadelphia Job Training and Technology Center, a 12,000 sq. ft. state of the art job training facility. The Center will be located in a former warehouse located at 4027-37 Market Street, a building owned by The CDC.

The main program at the Center will be the implementation of the West Philadelphia Employment Advancement Retention Network (EARN) Center, a centralized job training and referral program. Over 1500 annual participants will receive job readiness training, literacy, case management and job placement services. The Center will also house two computer labs to assist with skills training and job search activities.

In addition, The CDC is planning a self-contained training room to allow for customized training by local employers, our Homebuyers Club, our Economic Development department’s Small Business Management Series and for community meetings.

To date, the organization has raised close to $1 million and additional grant funds are being sought from the local foundation community, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Naming rights are still available. For more information on contributing to the West Philadelphia Job Training and Technology Center, please call Stephanie Scott at (215) 662-1612.