MRC Twin Cities Special Projects

In addition to its fee-for-service programming, MRC receives government and foundation funding to provide specialized services to individuals and/or special populations who otherwise would not be able to receive services due to lack of funding. Currently, MRC is operating the following grant-funded projects:

Project RENEW

MRC Training and Education Services is a training partner and provider for Project RENEW (Renewable Energy Network Empowering Workers), a federally funded employment and training project (U.S. Department of Labor) recently awarded to the City of Minneapolis Employment and Training Program and Ramsey County Workforce Solutions. MRC, an accredited and licensed training provider, will provide Introduction to the Green Workplace Training and Green Building Operations Manager Training classes to qualifying Minneapolis and Saint Paul residents to help them prepare for green jobs in renewable energy, building systems, facilities management, maintenance and energy auditing.

MRC Project RENEW Training Courses and Schedule (PDF format)

MRC Project RENEW Referral Form (PDF format)

MRC Training & Education Services are recognized by the following: Minnesota Office of Higher Education, NCA CASI, CARF, and WIA.
For further information, click here: MRC Accreditations/Licensures/Certifications

For more information regarding the Project RENEW training classes being offered by MRC Training and Education Services, contact Lena Balk at 612-752-8138.

Individuals must be enrolled with a Project RENEW Employment Service Provider and meet project entrance criteria before qualifying for MRC Training and Education classes. Go to www.projectrenewmn.govoffice2.com to locate a Project RENEW Employment Service Provider near you. Project RENEW Employment Service Providers must refer qualifying individuals to classes.

Jobs For Veterans

Jobs For Veterans is a training and employment project funded through the U.S Department of Labor that began originally in July 2006 and was refunded in 2009 to prepare recently returning, honorably discharged veterans for “green occupations” in the civilian work place.

Jobs For Veterans serves 60 honorably discharged veterans with disabilities per project year. These veterans receive “green occupations” career skills training, case management, individualized support services, job placement and employment retention services in the Twin Cities. Components of the project include:

A minimum of 50 hours of “Green Occupations” career skills training to enhance veterans’ existing job search skill sets and provide them with additional technology training of up to 400 hours to fill newly designed green related job openings
Case management services to assist veterans with both personal and community service related needs
Individualized placement and job retention services to veterans that include a directed job search process, weekly job clubs, resume development, mock interviews and face-to-face contact with business partners. Once employed, veterans will receive up to 12 months of job support services.

For more information on the project services and entrance criteria, call Meghan O’Brien at 612-752-8140.

Customized FastTRAC

Customized FastTRAC is designed to assist 30 individulas with disabilities to obtain “stackable credentials” through skills education, case management and placement services that lead to employment in livable-wage jobs with potential academic and job advancement. The project began in October 2009. Funding for the 18-month projext is through the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Components of the project include:

*One-to-one Case Management Support Services to assist participants with both personal and community-service-related fields.

*Mentoring Activities with MRC business partners that include ongoing one-to-one communication on today’s workplace and the individualized supports needed to assist participants to better gauge how to successfully enter the workplace and remain there , while building their work experience

*Accredited skills training includes Jumpstart to Employment, Certified Facility Maintenance Professional and Certified Green Building Operations Managers Training. Jumpstart to Employment is a 60-hour course that provides a solid foundation for employment and offers participants the opportunity to develop the interpersonal, soft skills, and technology skills needed for a wide variety of entry-level positions and careers. Certified Facility Maintenance Professional is a 260-hour course that provides participants the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to begin a career in facility maintenance. Participants will receive their First Class Engineers (Boilers) License and Certified Pool Operator Certificate. Certified Green Building Operations Manager is a 92-hour couse that provides participants the skills sets needed to gain employment in green jobs such as building operations, energy audits, retrofitting and weatherization, and to assist employers in complying with new federal energy standats. Participants will receive a residential Energy Auditor Certificate.

For more information on the project services and entrance criteria, call Meghan O’Brien at 612-752-8140.

Stay Well, Stay Working

Stay Well, Stay Working is a multi-year employment-retention project funded by Medica and the Minnesota Department of Human Services through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid that began in November 2006 and runs through June 2010.

Stay Well, Stay Working is serving up to 1,500 working individuals who have a mental health diagnosis and who work a minimum of 40 hours per month. These individuals receive individualized case management services facilitated by a “Wellness Employment Navigator” who assists them with navigating the service system to secure the services they need in order to remain employed. The Stay Well, Stay Working project is operating in the Twin Cities (Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota and Anoka Counties) and Duluth (Pine, Lake, Carleton and St. Louis Counties) regions of the state.

For more information on the project services and entrance criteria, call Ann Macheledt at 612-752-8118.