The $229 million sales tax funded program is one of the first of its kind for the U.S. and Walsh said he’d like to see it replicated in other cities. “Ready to Work '' uses a 1/8th of a cent sales tax to fund job training and new careers for people who have little to no experience in a field that’s new to them. The program kicked off just before this summer and, so far, has about 5,000 applicants going through the process.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh recently joined Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores, St. Philip’s College President Dr. Adena Williams Loston and others to tour the St. Philip’s College - Southwest Campus as part of his support of the city’s Ready to Work program.