Current/former participants: Do you have a story to share with us?
Employer partners: Do you have a story to share with us?
This summer, Earn & Learn participants Aleyah and Kaitlyn worked at Raising the Bar, where they interacted with children and families, helped make a major event successful, and even got to meet Dwyane Wade.
Through GO MKE, Alijah completed workforce and life skills training, which led to employment as a Security Officer. He said it's the longest he has been out in the community that he can remember since being released from juvenile detention and attributes this to the program and his connection with its staff.
Aaron was looking for a stable career with work-life balance that would allow him to spend time with his newborn twins when he found the BankWork$ program, which trains participants for financial roles. His training landed him a full-time job as a Teller, which still allows him to spend time with his children.
In 2024, Andrea Dennis set a goal to gain hands-on experience in a commercial kitchen to prepare for opening her own restaurant someday. Through Serve MKE, she’s earned multiple certifications, participated in an internship with Hilton Milwaukee, and decided to pursue further culinary education.
Kaleb McEachin was working hard in his Civil Engineering classes at MSOE while also trying to work as much as possible to pay for school. Skills to Build provided him with financial assistance for tuition, transportation, and other school expenses, allowing him to focus on schoolwork and his internship.
When Cori Ellis found the BankWork$ program, she was newly unemployed and living in an apartment that was falling apart. She has now been working at BMO Harris for two years and has earned an award for being a top performer.
Joshua was looking for a career with longevity when he joined a maintenance pre-apprenticeship run by the Milwaukee Water Works Community Project program in partnership with MATC. Through the program, he participated in a paid work experience at the City of Milwaukee Water Works and got hired permanently when he applied for a job.
After high school, Nick didn’t know which career path to follow, until the Biomedical Electronic Technology program at his technical college caught his attention. Once enrolled, Nick immersed himself in hands-on learning with support from Employ Milwaukee, who as a member of the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub funded his training and eased his financial stress.
When Fedora Harris attended one of Employ Milwaukee’s hiring events, she planned to take it seriously, but didn’t expect to get a job out of it. She connected with CareTruly at the fair and was hired shortly after as a Community Outreach Coordinator.
Julien joined Earn & Learn the summer before starting high school to prepare for finding a job when he turned 16. Now he works as a Community Engagement Coordinator with Milwaukee County Parks.
In 2025, the Wisconsin Workforce Development Association held the annual Talent and Development Conference (TDCON), hosted by Employ Milwaukee. The conference highlighted the latest in programming, innovation, hiring, and education shaping the workforce field.
After nine years as a blackjack dealer, Amber Farr was ready for something new. She felt drawn to the financial industry and applied to banking jobs but didn’t gain any traction due to lack of finance experience and challenges in navigating job interviews. She decided to apply for Employ Milwaukee’s BankWork$ program, which offers free banking training.
When Elijah joined the Milwaukee Equitable Nursing Development (MEND) program, he was unemployed and looking for a career, not just a job. He excelled in the Medical Assistant training track and transitioned into a full-time Medical Assistant role with Ascension immediately after graduating.
“I would highly recommend this program, especially, certainly, to people who are unsure of college and unsure of trade jobs,” Gabby said.
Employ Milwaukee
1322 North 8th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53205
Phone: (414) 270-1700Fax: (414) 225-2375
Employ Milwaukee is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Service Provider. If you need this information in an alternate format, or in a different language at no cost to you, please contact us at (414) 270-1700. Deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired callers can contact us through Wisconsin Relay Service at 711.
