Announcing the Second Class of WPSI Scholars

Our West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) is pleased to name the second annual group of “WPSI Scholars,” twelve Skills Initiative alumni who will each receive financial assistance to help with continuing their professional education through a partnership with Graduate! Philadelphia. The Scholars each receive scholarships toward tuition to cover degree, certification, or credentialing programs. Originally, each Scholar was due to receive $1,000, but thanks to a recent gift to the Skills Initiative from the Chappell Culpeper Foundation, we have doubled the scholarship amount to $2,000 per participant.

Our nationally-recognized program provides best-in-class workforce development programs for Philadelphia’s major employers and residents. Recent employer partners have included SEPTA, Philly Shipyard, Inc., the University of Pennsylvania, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Since July 1^st of 2021, 96% of Skills Initiative graduates have been successfully connected to employment at an average starting wage of $17.96.

“Our goal with WPSI participants is to offer support from day one of our program through their entire professional journeys,” says Skills Initiative Managing Director Cait Garozzo. “We applaud our participants who continue growing their careers after graduation and want to keep offering meaningful tools to help unlock new professional opportunities.”

The partnership with Graduate! Philadelphia provides additional resources and financial support opportunities to aid alumni in their continued careers. Graduate! Philadelphia’s offerings include financial aid support to adult learners and frontline workers, back balance negotiation with higher education institutions, analysis of credit for prior learning, transcript evaluation, pre-enrollment support, and more.