VSP Celebrates 50 Years of Preparing Underserved Individuals for Success in the Workplace
Baltimore, MD - VSP, a vocational rehabilitation and workforce development department created at Sinai Hospital, is celebrating 50 years of helping individuals train for and find meaningful careers.
Over the years, VSP has provided assessments, job training and placement services for thousands of Baltimore area residents in digital printing, direct marketing mailings and processing, as well as janitorial services to work in federal, state and local government jobs, private businesses, and at LifeBridge Health, Sinai Hospital's parent company.
"Our mission is to maximize the prospects of people who face significant barriers in their search for jobs. They are often overlooked because they live with disabilities and/or lack the opportunities to learn necessary job and interpersonal skills," says Lisa Mules, the director of VSP. "The potential of our participants is recognized at VSP, and every one of their success stories means the world to our dedicated staff."
Here's a sample for VSP's success during the past five years (Fiscal 2013 - 2017):
- 1,476 clients trained
- 74% (1,097 individuals) successfully completed programs
- 413 people have been hired, most fulltime with benefits
- 150 employed at LifeBridge Health
- Fulltime employees earn average hourly wage of $10.11
- On a five-point scale, employer satisfaction is 4.69
VSP Vocational Services include:
Career Assessment Services
Certified staff members in Career Assessment Services gauge the ability and interests of individuals so they can explore career possibilities in a supportive environment.
Work Readiness at LifeBridge Health
The Work Readiness program focuses on job readiness by helping people develop appropriate work behaviors, abilities and retention skills to improve the quality of their tasks, production speed, stamina, attendance, and interpersonal skills.
Contemporary Office Technology Training
Contemporary Office Technology Training is a 17-week program using state-of-the-art equipment to teach clerical office procedures, computer literacy, basic customer service, records management, business communication and job readiness skills.
Win through Work
VSP's in-school youth transition program - Win through Work - is designed to help 12th grade students with disabilities leaving high school to successfully enter the workforce or to further their education.
Job Placement Services
Job-ready graduates of VSP training programs may receive job placement services. These include everything from intensive job-seeking efforts to interview skill-building, networking, application completion, resume updating, and cover letter writing. Effective post-interview skills are also covered in detail.
Healthcare Careers Alliance Program
VSP's Healthcare Careers Alliance (HCA) is a Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Employment Development-funded program that provides workforce development services to low-income, out-of-school youth ages 18-24 living in Baltimore City who have a GED or high school diploma and an interest in entering the health care field. HCA is a funded collaboration between Sinai Hospital/VSP and Civic Works, Inc.
VSP receives referrals and funding from a variety of places, including the Maryland Department of Education - Division of Rehabilitation Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs - Vocational Reha