PowerUp! - Pathways to Prosperity

A study conducted by Emory University, CareerRise, and five Metro Atlanta workforce boards ranks Metro Atlanta 24th out of 25 regions nationwide in economic mobility. This highlights that individuals born into poverty in Atlanta face significantly lower chances of escaping it compared to other regions. As Georgia's most populous area, (population 6,307,261-poverty rate 17.3%) as of 2022 (U.S. Census), the need for intervention to improve economic self-sufficiency is critical.

Addressing these challenges requires a systems-thinking approach to economic mobility. Career pathway programs offer a vital solution, targeting low-income workers and those facing employment barriers, including returning citizens, women, and minorities.The Living Wage Calculator reveals that an adult with one child needs to earn over $40 per hour to cover basic needs, yet Georgia's minimum wage remains $5.15 per hour, with the federal minimum wage stagnant at $7.25. While wages have seen modest increases since the economic downturn, many employers resist aligning pay with rising living costs, exacerbating economic inequities.

These initiatives not only help individuals, but also strengthen talent pipelines, meet workforce demands, improve employee retention, and reduce reliance on low-wage jobs. By fostering equitable opportunities and economic resilience, these efforts are essential for building a more prosperous Metro Atlanta

CobbWorks’ solution focuses on building skills and expanding access to high-demand, high-wage careers for individuals facing employment barriers. Leveraging WIOA workforce development resources, the PowerUp! Pre-Apprenticeship Program is a tailored, earn-and-learn career pathway model rooted in employer partnerships. Designed as an integrated education and training initiative, PowerUp! allows participants without a high school diploma or GED to earn both credentials simultaneously. 

The program provides education, skills training, professional development, and career opportunities in high-demand industries, resulting in industry-recognized credentials. PowerUp! has a proven track record of improving economic outcomes for underserved populations, helping to mitigate social and economic inequities. By enabling historically marginalized individuals to enter, return to, or advance in high-quality jobs, the program levels the playing field and fosters greater workforce equity. 

PowerUp! is built on strategic partnerships, resource leveraging, and coordinated efforts among multiple partners and funding sources. Its foundational pillars include: 

Career Pathways: Offer literacy and foundational skills  

Cohort-Based Academics earn industry-recognized credentials. 

Paid Work Experience and Mentorship: Internships paired with industry professionals.  

Work Readiness Digital skills, resume development, interview skills and communication, etc.  

Robust Support Services: Includes transportation, childcare, car repairs, etc. 

This comprehensive model equips participants to succeed while addressing systemic barriers to employment.  

The solution focuses on supporting older workers aged 43 and above through a partnership with AARP, which administers the Department of Labor’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). This program prioritizes individuals facing barriers to employment, such as unemployment, low income, veteran status, or low literacy skills. By addressing these challenges, the program promotes economic stability and opportunity for older workers. 

The aging population faces significant financial challenges, particularly low-income individuals who often shoulder caregiving responsibilities for grandchildren. Employment serves as a vital lifeline, meeting immediate financial needs and boosting future retirement income, especially for those in lower-income brackets. 

The PowerUp program addresses these challenges by retraining older workers, equipping them with essential skills, on-the-job training, and employment opportunities. This approach creates pathways to higher earnings and greater employability, ensuring long-term financial security and fostering economic resilience for aging populations. 

Older workers bring invaluable experience, dedication, and institutional knowledge to the workforce. Their insights enhance decision-making, problem-solving, and mentorship for younger employees, fostering professional growth. By leveraging the strengths of older workers, organizations build more dynamic, inclusive workforce while addressing societal needs. Programs like PowerUp support economic stability and improve the well-being of aging communities. 

CobbWorks is uniquely equipped to deliver the proposed solution, backed by over 24 years of experience as a federally funded local workforce board for Cobb County, CobbWorks delivers Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs dedicated to serving historically marginalized and underserved populations. Serving more than 10,000 adults and youth annually, our programs offer a range of services and initiatives designed to advance skills training and employment opportunities. Through a comprehensive workforce development plan and innovative strategies, CobbWorks expands access to career pathways that promote economic mobility and resilience for those who need it most. 

Leveraging strong community connections, we actively engage with diverse populations in high-need areas to ensure our solutions address their specific needs and challenges. To gain deeper insights into our service delivery model, CobbWorks partnered with (4) metro-Atlanta workforce boards, Emory University and Atlanta CareerRise to conduct focus groups representing various demographics across metro-Atlanta. These discussions offered invaluable perspectives on employment barriers, such as challenges navigating our eligibility process. Based on this feedback, local workforce boards simplified their process to improve accessibility and services. 

Like all CobbWorks programs, our solution is designed and implemented with a strong foundation in community input. For instance, in response to feedback about the challenges posed by having only one location, CobbWorks partnered with public and private organizations to secure over $5 million in investments, leading to the opening of two additional workforce development centers in high-need communities. This expansion improves accessibility and allows us to serve individuals where they are. Furthermore, we leveraged findings from a comprehensive study that identified key areas of opportunity and pinpointed locations where customers face significant challenges. These insights have deepened our understanding of the demographics and needs of our target population, enabling us to create tailored services that effectively address employment barriers. 

In 2021, employers and communities were grappling with the lingering economic fallout of the pandemic. The labor market tightened as displaced workers struggled to meet employers' talent needs. Minorities and low-income workers bore the brunt of the crisis, facing significant challenges in securing available jobs due to a lack of requisite skills. Deep-rooted societal inequities—such as race, class, age, and gender biases—further compounded their struggles, limiting their ability to compete fairly for opportunities in the evolving economy. 

In response to these critical issues, CobbWorks launched the PowerUp! Pre-Apprenticeship Program to improve economic outcomes for low-income and minority adults and youth. This cohort-based, earn-and-learn career pathway model leverages strong employer partnerships to provide skills training, industry-recognized credentials, mentorship, on-the-job training, and robust supportive services. Since its inception, PowerUp! has enrolled 63 participants, a 87% graduation rate, 80% employment rate across seven industries, with seven full apprenticeships. 

PowerUp! expands opportunities for underserved populations while strengthening talent pipelines in high-demand industries such as emergency power, advanced manufacturing, and plumbing. Over the past three years, the program has been recognized as a youth career pathway model by United Way’s CareerReady ATL, securing funding to empower communities and build a more equitable workforce. 

1.   WorkSource Cobb website:   Cobb Youth | CobbWorks

2.   PowerUP! Success Story - funded by United Way Career ReadyATL

CareerReady ATL: A pathway to your future

The PowerUP! model is a unique approach to improving economic outcomes for underserved populations by prioritizing the needs of both employers and participants. Employers in high-demand industries experiencing talent shortages are engaged before participant enrollment. These partnerships include agreements requiring employers to invest time and resources, ensuring their commitment while fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the workforce. 

A career pathway-aligned, short-term customized training program is then developed to address employers’ talent needs while supporting participants and alleviating barriers to completion. Leveraging the comprehensive resources and services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), these programs are designed collaboratively with employers and training institutions to provide industry-recognized credentials tailored to specific sectors. Training includes 30–40 hours of paid on-the-job training and stackable credentials, ensuring both immediate and long-term value for participants. 

The integrated training model incorporates multiple on-ramps, cohort-based learning, and a mix of in-person and online academics. Industry speakers further enhance the experience, offering insights into career pathways and potential challenges. Graduates of the program secure full-time employment with pay raises and opportunities for apprenticeship programs, where available. 

Unlike traditional workforce solutions that primarily focus on participant needs, PowerUP! balances the equation by integrating employer priorities, securing their buy-in, and enhancing participant success rates. Recognized by United Way for its positive impact on opportunity youth, PowerUP! was initially launched in 2021 to address employer needs and has successfully shifted hiring practices in industries such as emergency power, advanced manufacturing, and plumbing. By creating new talent pipelines, this earn-and-learn model has proven its effectiveness for adults and youth alike. Positioned for expansion, PowerUP! is ready to scale into other high-demand industries like healthcare and IT, offering employers a chance to grow talent pipelines while providing opportunities to individuals historically excluded from quality jobs. 

This project utilizes two full time staff members. One being a fulltime project manager responsible for program design, policy and procedure management, employer engagement, program monitoring, participant internship placement and monitoring, outreach. participant enrollment and overall program coordination. 

  Fulltime project coordinator who provides initial assessments, GED program enrollment, progress tracking, followup, career counseling, and  supportive services, 

A program intern assists with overall program administration  

The  program leverages the resources and staff of the resources and services of the WIOA funded career service center  which assists with all workforce development resources and services 

PowerUp! was launched in 2021 with funding from Atlanta CareerRise. Initially developed in partnership with an employer in the Emergency Power Industry, the program has since expanded to include the Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling industry. After 4 years of implementation, we are now working to scale the initiative further, extending it to additional industries to increase its reach and appeal to a broader audience. 

CobbWorks recognizes that a diverse team is integral to successfully implementing workforce development programs that resonate with the populations we serve. Diversity within our team enhances our ability to develop and deliver strategies to ensure that our programs are inclusive, equitable, and effective. 

Advancing diversity and racial equity is embedded in hiring practices and programming with intentional efforts to ensure that we practice what we preach.   We frequently hire staff that have been former participants of our programs and work to ensure that our staffing is representative of the communities that we serve.  

Our projects support systems change and racial equity and inclusion strategies. For us, a diverse team is instrumental in analyzing and interpreting data through varied perspectives, enabling the organization to craft solutions that address the unique challenges faced by different populations. 

As a former awardee of a CareerRise grant focused on racial equity and inclusion goals, CobbWorks participates in capacity-building efforts that strengthen our ability to address root causes of customers affected by racial and structural inequities. The diversity within our team enhances these efforts by bringing varied experiences and insights into the design and execution of solutions. 

We’ve previously partnered with the Partnership for Southern Equity to provide diversity, equity, and inclusion training for staff and board members, Furthermore, our CEO is an active member of the Cobb Chamber Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. This enables her to engage with local employers, understand workplace inequities, and promote racial equity and inclusion strategies further deepening her knowledge and ability to develop organizational strategies and goals that improve diversity. 

Leveraging a diverse team, collaborating with partners, and participating in ongoing equity-building initiatives, CobbWorks remains committed to fostering a more inclusive and equitable workforce development system. 

How do you provide these products or services? 

CobbWorks, is a nonprofit and federally funded workforce board, providing resources and services for underserved populations under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Using public and private funding, we implement innovative strategies and a comprehensive workforce development plan to address employment barriers and enhance economic mobility. Building talent pipelines tailored to employer needs, we create sustainable career opportunities with a vision of thriving communities where individuals and businesses achieve economic success, growth, and resilience. 

Why do they want or need them? 

Initiatives address a critical community need by targeting historically marginalized groups affected by economic challenges. We aim to broaden opportunities for underserved populations by establishing genuine career pathways that promote economic mobility and resilience. 

Expanding access to employment, education, and training, for populations with the greatest needs is essential to improving economic outcomes. This work is particularly urgent in the wake of the economic downtown, which triggered the most unequal recession. According to analyses of job losses across the income, those at or near the top experienced only a mild setback, while those at the bottom faced devastating, depression-like conditions. Addressing these disparities is vital to fostering a more equitable and prosperous community. 

What products or services do you provide them? 

CobbWorks offers innovative programs like the BOSS Young Professionals Initiative (ages 16-24), PowerUp! Pre-Apprenticeship with strong employer engagement, and ReAlign Restart, a reentry program for individuals with felony backgrounds. 

Additionally, CobbWorks operates full-service workforce development centers providing no-cost resources to employers and residents, prioritizing low-income individuals and those with basic skills deficiencies. Services include computer and Wi-Fi access, job search assistance, resume and interview support, business services, paid work experience, funding for education and training, literacy programs, supportive services, and more to empower economic mobility. 

CobbWorks, a federally funded nonprofit, receives an annual allocation to deliver workforce development programs. In addition to this funding, CobbWorks secures an annual United Way grant ranging from $75,000 to $125,000 and regularly receives other grants from county and state sources, such as $6 million in ARPA funds (2023–26) and $900,000 from the QUEST Grant. As a nonprofit, CobbWorks also hosts an annual fundraiser, consistently surpassing its goals, raising over $62,000 in 2023 and securing more than $8,000 in donations and auction items. 

To strengthen organizational capacity, improve sustainability, and serve more customers, CobbWorks actively diversifies its funding sources. In February 2025, the organization will host the grand opening of a new workforce development center and a unique social enterprise model: a full-service workforce development center integrated with co-working spaces and rental offices. This innovative facility will combine WIOA-funded services for underserved populations with resources for small businesses and entrepreneurs, offering low-cost office spaces and meeting facilities. 

This enhanced workforce development model empowers individuals by providing skills training, entrepreneurship support, and affordable workspaces. By integrating community-driven programs with sustainable revenue streams, CobbWorks aims to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that fosters economic growth and social impact. The facility is projected to generate more than $200,000 in unrestricted annual revenue, bridging service gaps while contributing to the organization's long-term sustainability. 

Our top priority is to win the first-place award of $250,000. Our solution has a proven track record, with four years of successful outcomes serving both youth and adults. We believe that partnering with the Truist Foundation adds significant value by helping us overcome barriers to expanding beyond our current eligibility guidelines. This allows us to reach underserved adults who, while not prioritized under traditional frameworks, face critical needs—particularly those at the "benefits cliff," where entitlement program eligibility ends but challenges persist. 

We see winning at any level of tremendous value.  As a nonprofit, we often lack access to skilled consultants and capacity, as funding rarely supports such resources. Access to capacity-building tools would not only enhance our ability to serve customers but also improve our teams capacity to develop competitive proposals and advanced data collection systems to scale programs. While these resources may not directly equate to monetary value, they are invaluable to nonprofits like ours, made possible only through opportunities like those provided by Truist and MIT.