Preparing Workers for the Jobs of Tomorrow

Organizations

An example of an organization that Kenan Heise holds up to in his book “The Book of the Poor: Who they are, What they say, and How to end their poverty” is the Chamber of Commerce. A chamber of Commerce is a type of organization whose main goal is to increase the interests of businesses. Heise wrote about this in Chapter 46 during his thirds section called “Preparing Workers for the Jobs of Tomorrow”. Heise discusses how he wants to make sure that all workers are capable of getting the higher training or education that homeless individuals need in order to have access to “middle-skill” jobs that will allow them to pay for the family with an accurate wage.

One of the organizations Heise listed in this chapter, was the Chamber of Commerce that is located in Los Angeles. By using the “Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce website” (http://www.lachamber.com/webpage-directory/about/about-aboutchamber/), they are said to the voice of business in their region. Their mission is “By being the voice of business, helping its members grow and promoting collaboration, the Los Angeles Area of Chamber of Commerce seeks full prosperity for the Los Angeles region”.

Stats:

The L.A. Area Chamber represents:

  • over 1,600 members
  • over 650,000 employees
  • small, medium, and large sized companies
  • businesses from more than 35 industry sectors
  • businesses from across Los Angeles County

Current issues the Chamber of Commerce is working on:

  • Education
  • Energy and Water Sustainability
  • Global Initiatives- Free and Fair Trade
  • Health Care
  • Homelessness
  • Jobs and Business Growth
  • Land Use, Housing, and Construction
  • Transportation and Goods Movement

The Chamber of Commerce helps create jobs, a thriving economy, and protect the current future welfare of the greater Los Angeles Area. One of their current main issues is on reducing homelessness since Los Angeles has more than 88,000 homeless individuals. Currently, the Chamber of Commerce has decided to work with the United Way of Greater Los Angeles to build the Los Angeles Business Leaders Task Force for Homelessness. They are working on finding the best outreach, housing plan, and action plan to reduce homelessness. Finding a better Los Angeles is the Chamber of Commerce’s business.