Employ Milwaukee recently announced a new initiative that aims to improve job quality and close hiring gaps in the local hospitality sector.
Known as Serve MKE, the initiative is being launched thanks to a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, as part of its Critical Sectors Job Quality Grants Program. Employ Milwaukee was one of 12 recipients of the $16 million program and one of four organizations among the group allocating the funds to support hospitality workers.
“Serve MKE represents a pivotal step towards improving job quality and economic mobility for hospitality workers in our community,” said Chytania Brown, president and chief executive officer of Employ Milwaukee. “For too long, essential jobs in the hospitality sector have been characterized by low wages, limited benefits, and minimal opportunities for advancement. Through Serve MKE, we aim to address these disparities and ensure that all hospitality workers have access to gainful, quality employment…”
Employ Milwaukee, a workforce development organization serving Milwaukee County, expects to impact 400 individuals through its new Serve MKE pilot. The program will offer on-the-job training, paid internships and occupational skills training to new and current hospitality workers, along with supportive services to ensure participants can complete the training and retain employment, according to a news release.
For employers in the hospitality sector, the program is expected to increase retention rates while providing subsidized wages for training and upskilling as well as an “opportunity to contribute to the design of the program to ensure it meets the unique needs of Milwaukee’s hospitality workforce.”
