NIOSH Piloting New Training Program with Workforce Tulsa
"Our young adult participants have a variety of challenges and barriers to sustainable employment, such as a lack of education or homelessness, and this training program will provide them with a much-needed opportunity to learn the basics of workplace health and safety," said Shelley Cadamy, executive director of Workforce Tulsa.
NIOSH announced it is collaborating with Workforce Tulsa to develop and pilot test a new training program, Developing Work Safety Skills, to promote workplace safety and health practices among young adults seeking career services and temporary employment opportunities. A private-industry led board of 50 leaders from around Tulsa, Osage, Creek, and Pawnee counties, the Tulsa Area Workforce Investment Board works to ensure the workforce system operates as efficiently as possible.
Developing Work Safety Skills is currently under development. NIOSH's announcement said it will be a highly interactive training program helping workforce development staff teach young adults "foundational workplace health and safety knowledge and skills in a fun and interesting way." Workforce Tulsa will provide the training program to individuals enrolled in its Youth Employment Program, which provides young adults with temporary jobs related to their career goals.
"NIOSH is pleased to join Workforce Tulsa in their efforts to promote workplace safety and health knowledge and skills among their Youth Employment Program participants through the NIOSH Developing Work Safety Skills training program," NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard said. "This program will not only ensure the health and safety of these young workers in their first jobs, it will empower them to make safety and health on the job a priority throughout their working lives."
The training will activities that highlight hazard recognition and prevention strategies relevant to work young people often do, such as in retail or food service, and participants will receive a certificate of completion when they finish the program.
"We applaud NIOSH for undertaking a task that crosses so many occupations and look forward to promoting it in our Youth Employment Program and eventually within our other programs," said Shelley Cadamy, executive director of Workforce Tulsa. "Our young adult participants have a variety of challenges and barriers to sustainable employment, such as a lack of education or homelessness, and this training program will provide them with a much-needed opportunity to learn the basics of workplace health and safety."
For more information about NIOSH's efforts to promote workplace health and safety knowledge and skills among youths and other vulnerable working populations, visit the NIOSH Safe-Skilled-Ready Workforce Program's website.