A Jobs Program that Works: West Philadelphia’s Skills Initiative
Posted by The Philadelphia Citizen on November 4, 2025
Parkside resident Tyler Wood started her career as an IT specialist for the military. But by 2018, she had spent two years out of the workforce, staying home to care for her children. She felt she was ready to go back to work, but was nervous about interviewing with companies after such a long absence.
“I didn’t have the skills that I needed to successfully go through a job interview and land the job,” she recalls.
Wood knew a few friends and neighbors who had found jobs through the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, (WPSI) a job recruitment and training program run by the University City District. The program connects and prepares Philadelphians for jobs with local companies. She signed up, and says, “It helped me tremendously. We had mock interviews. It gave everyone a morale boost we needed.”
Wood soon found a position as a crew member with a landscaping company. That brought her back into the workforce while she waited to hear back from IT jobs she applied to through WPSI. She was working in IT again within a couple months.
Related article: The Skills Initiative is an Idea Worth Stealing
More in "New Resources"
- Opening Doors to Child Care Through Seamless Integration With The Education System
- PA State Financial Aid Guide
- Updated Campus Free Speech Guide and Campus for All Workshops
Stay Current in Philly's Higher Education and Nonprofit Sector
We compile a weekly email with local events, resources, national conferences, calls for proposals, grant, volunteer and job opportunities in the higher education and nonprofit sectors.
Subscribe