From a press release:
Manassas Park-based Storage Strategies, Inc. (SSI) recently hosted a visit by Carl Knoblock, Richmond District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Knoblock recognized SSI’s Career Resource Center, a community service project that SSI offers as part of its participation in a Manassas Park HUBZone.
Steve Mackie, President of SSI commented on the strong reception the Career Resource Center has received in the community, with demand for their services growing over time. SSI has created 16 new jobs in Manassas Park since locating there in 2014. SSI hires, trains, and certifies local residents as Microsoft Office Specialists. These employees then provide IT skills coaching, free of charge, to other local residents. The Career Resource Center’s one-on-one customized IT skills tutoring and fully equipped IT training lab provide Manassas Park with one of the most unique work force development programs in Northern Virginia at no cost to City residents.
Mr. Knoblock commented that the mutually beneficial relationship between SSI and the City of Manassas Park serves as an ideal model for other municipalities and businesses to follow. He noted that these types of cooperative public-private partnerships are a great way for industry to contribute to workforce development, thereby spurring greater economic development.
Mr. Mackie added, “It was a pleasure to put a face with the agency that certified our company as a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Small Business.” HUBZones promote economic development in historically underutilized business zones through access to federal procurement opportunities.
Mr. Mackie said the long-term goal is for its part-time Career Resource Center employees to use the skills and experience gained to qualify them for full-time employment on a billing contract. That goal was recently achieved by a Manassas Park resident who was hired by SSI as a high school student, trained and certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist, worked part-time during
high school and junior college, submitted for a security clearance, and recently transitioned to a full time job with benefits on an SSI contract supporting the Department of State.
Photo: Carl Knoblock and Steve-Mackie
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