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Programs

WDIC has multiple programs that support the mission:
Partners That Work! | Capital Asset Development Program

Partners That Work!

Covenant House Washington and The Washington Development Industry Council have formed Partners That Work! to directly link low income DC youth and young adults ages 18 to 24 to careers with some of the area’s leading contractors. To bridge the gap between demand and supply, the partners at CovenantHouse and WDIC have created a training and employment service delivery model with direct ties to construction employers that includes:

  • Participant Recruitment
  • Screening
  • Case Management
  • Life Skills and Job Readiness Training
  • Supportive Services
  • Classroom Training Space
  • Placement with WDIC member companies and other local businesses
  • Post-Placement Monitoring
  • Employer Based Supportive Services

Covenant House Washington (CHW) celebrated thirteen years of service to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area on May 13, 2008. With a mission of “serving the suffering children of the street with unconditional love and respect”, we have served over 6,000 young people who are homeless or who have experienced crises situations that prevent them from having the best quality of life, demonstrated by self sufficiency and being a contributing member of their community. The primary vision for the agency which is faith based is to eliminate poverty and homelessness for the increasing number of youth served.

CHW is a 501 (c) (3) designated non-profit, multi-service agency committed to protecting and safeguarding homeless and at-risk youth. CHW was established in May 1995, and is the local affiliate of Covenant House, an international organization. CHW is proud to assist individuals, families and groups to become productive and successful citizens through self-sufficiency. CHW focuses its programs on providing employment development, emergency shelter, transitional living programs, outreach services, skills assessments, educational services, counseling, youth leadership development and spiritual growth. Covenant House provides multiple forms of direct care and intervention services to abused, neglected, homeless and at-risk youth ages 18-24 including street outreach, workforce development, academic remediation, vocational training, prevention programs, advocacy, recreation, and aftercare.

Covenant House and Washington Development Industry Council are partners that work because we share a common goal: self-sufficiency. We want to increase the employment of underserved communities, especially youth and young adults in high-wage paying careers like construction, architecture and engineering and real estate development.

Our program approach is to develop a critical path to employment. Covenant House will recruit and prepare participants for pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships and employment opportunities identified by the Washington Development Industry Council with its member companies and strategic partners in the industry.

Partners That Work! seeks to serve the following target population:

  • Persons between the age of 18 and 24
  • Single female heads of households and/or parents of children on TANF who do not have a GED or high school diploma;
  • Low-income working or non-working parents with incomes of less than 300 % of the federal poverty level who do not have a GED or high school diploma and who test at or below the 10th grade level;
  • Ex-offenders returning to District communities

Capital Asset Development Program

The Washington Development Industry Council (WDIC) has developed the Capital Asset Development Program to combine both practical and theoretical methodologies to encourage sustainable growth for minority businesses within the construction, architecture and engineering and real estate development industries in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The intent of the program is to provide minority businesses with proven approaches and strategies that foster growth in highly competitive sectors. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that construction is among the top ten high growth industries today. A 2007 report by the D.C. Chamber of Commerce characterized the local economy as diversifying and growing, though still narrowly specialized and externally driven and predicted that the, “key sectors driving the economy will continue to be the federal government, technology, construction, international business, and hospitality.” The DC Department of Employment Services reports that the construction industry is among the leading employers in the metropolitan area.

“The construction industry is booming. Despite a recent cooling down in residential building, construction spending remains strong. With total employment in the United States expected to reach 165.3 million by 2012, construction-related occupations are expected to see a proportionate increase in new jobs. For electricians, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 15.1 percent change in the number of jobs by 2012. For carpenters, an expected 122,000 new jobs; and for construction managers, 47,000. The industry also has a large number of self-employed workers. Overall, the employment outlook is healthy for those who are interested in the construction trades.” Source: DC Department of Employment Services Employment Guidebook for Construction 2008

Despite tremendous opportunities, minority businesses are significantly underrepresented in the construction, and real estate and rental and leasing industry sectors according to the Minority Business Development Agency. MBDA’s Office of Knowledge Management under the Office of Business Development conducted an analysis of industries by U.S. Capital Expenditures and minority representation of firms with employees. The study identified the construction industry as a sector where the Agency and its business development service providers could contribute significantly to the growth and expansion of minority-owned businesses.

The Minority Business Development Agency has recognized the opportunities for growth and the challenges minority-owned business may face provided the current economic slowdown in the industry. A pilot program which specifically addresses the needs of minority-owned businesses in construction will support the growth and expansion of these businesses. Through partnerships with leading industry practitioners and exposure to industry best practices, the pilot Capital Asset Development Program will allow minority businesses to develop and manage capital assets by:

  • Effectively implementing ‘real-world’ strategies to drive growth through use of existing resources and methods, use of private equity capital, mergers and acquisitions or by teaming/partnering agreements
  • Strengthening the owner’s leadership role by developing an infrastructure of support designed to sustain growth and expansion in their market sector
  • Adopting industry best practices which mitigate the risks associated with growth
  • Identifying the full range of business opportunities within their market niche
  • Creating the “capital” infrastructure (working capital, lines of credit, bonding, etc.) needed to fully realize their firm’s growth potential within the vibrant real estate development and construction environment that exists currently in the greater Washington, DC area

Currently, an estimated 200 minority owned architectural, engineering, real estate real estate development and construction firms are located within the Washington DC metropolitan statistical area. By utilizing our web-based platform and alliances with organizations, business associations and business assistance programs that serve the minority business communities, we will reach out to these firms with a variety of delivery vehicles including but not limited to workshops, seminars and case studies that offer minority owned businesses clear direction and strategies for growth. This program is established as a pilot in order to determine potential success. The program will record and track the following metrics:

  • Number of MBEs demonstrating new and/or more effective use of banking and bonding relationships
  • Number of MBEs implementing non-organic more aggressive growth strategies through strategic alliances, use of private equity, and/or mergers and acquisitions
  • Number of MBEs participating in the leadership seminars offered under this program
  • Number of MBEs participating in new networking technologies such as webinars and webcasts
  • Number of and dollar value of awarded contracts
  • Number of and dollar value of financial transactions
  • Number of new jobs created and/or retained

 

Board of Directors
Jair Lynch – CEO Jair Lynch Development, Chairman
Mark Cain – President & CEO, Smoot Construction Company of Washington DC
Pam Bundy – CEO, Bundy Development
Bill Keating – President, Urban Service Systems
Gary Martinez – Partner, Martinez and Johnson
Dana Bryson – Senior Vice President, MacFarlane Partners
Jason Johnson – Executive Director, Washington Development Industry Council

*The CADP is funded by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.  For more information on MBDA, please visit www.mbda.gov.