Compete Milwaukee program boasts positive employment results, launches 2019 application season | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
March 27, 2019
Jobs are an integral part of growth and prosperity for every city neighborhood. The City of Milwaukee is a proud partner in providing unemployed and underemployed residents with the training they need to connect to employment opportunities. Mayor Tom Barrett and Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton invite qualified city residents to apply starting now for Compete Milwaukee transitional jobs.
Through Compete Milwaukee, participants work in a variety of jobs in City departments, while at the same time receiving job readiness training and career counseling.  To date, 85% of participants have found unsubsidized employment following their transitional job work experience, putting them on a path to family-supporting jobs.
“I am pleased with the success of Compete Milwaukee in helping people stay in the workforce and climb their career ladder,” said Mayor Barrett. “Compete Milwaukee gives residents valuable work experience in City departments and increases the City’s ability to serve our residents. I encourage qualified residents to apply to this program and take advantage of this great opportunity.”
“Compete Milwaukee is the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Marcus Ford, a 2016 participant.  “When I started my transitional job with UMOS I worked on a streets crew filling potholes.  I was successful in my work experience that season, but I really wanted to be a City worker.  Being in Compete Milwaukee motivated me to gain a CDL permit.  I applied for the City Laborer position and the rest is history.  I tell everybody about Compete Milwaukee.  If you want to change your life like I did, apply for this opportunity today”.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
This year, The City of Milwaukee, in collaboration with the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS) and other local workforce development partners, will provide approximately 50 six-month, mainly construction based, transitional jobs to qualifying unemployed residents.
Eligible individuals who successfully complete pre-placement requirements will earn $11.32/hour performing a wide variety of general laboring duties within the Department of Public Works, Department of Neighborhood Services and Port Milwaukee.
Individuals interested in applying for the Compete Milwaukee transitional jobs MUST meet the following requirements:
Interested applicants should contact UMOS’s Hector Lerma at 414-389-6234 to determine eligibility. For more information, visit city.milwaukee.gov/competemilwaukee