Silas fell victim to the economy, lost his job, and needed a hand. The desire to work was there; he just needed an opportunity. He turned to the POWRR program offered by his local Goodwill office. Partnership On Workforce Readiness and Retention (POWRR), a unique collaboration between UPMC and multiple community partners, has the goal of increasing workforce readiness for health care service workers.

At POWRR, Silas received the training and skills to start a new career with UPMC. Now he works as an environmental service technician at UPMC Montefiore, and hopes to utilize UPMC’s tuition benefits to continue his education and become a radiology technician.

UPMC’s vision for the POWRR program has to demonstrated a commitment to the community by providing opportunities for professional growth, development, and ultimately, gainful employment.