On Thursday, May 11, Southway Builders celebrated its 25th anniversary at the recently completed historic Parkway Theater and honored Project JumpStart for its efforts in local hiring. At the event, Southway Builders President William (Willy) Moore presented Project JumpStart with a generous contribution that included donations from long-time Southway business partners HMS, Inc., M&T Bank, Ramina & Associates, P.A., Wellens & Jablon, LLC.
The Baltimore-based contractor, who served as the general contractor for the newly renovated 102-year-old theater, offered Project JumpStart a chance in the spotlight by allowing Kate McShane, Director of Project JumpStart, to speak at the celebration. McShane used this opportunity to discuss Southway’s support through innovative models that facilitate massive amounts of local hiring in the city.
“Southway Builders creates a labor pool of 4 or 5 JumpStart students, invites them to a jobsite, and lets them show off their skills and then introduces them to the subcontractors on the job,” said McShane. “This gives the students the ability to show their job readiness and then hopefully get hired.”
A short video clip, featuring Mike Rowe, which explains Project JumpStart and highlights its successful graduates was shown to the audience. The Southway team encouraged its long-standing partners at the event, which included subcontractors, accountant firms and law firms, to also contribute to the program.
Project JumpStart has a long-standing relationship with Southway Builders as champions of local hiring in the city of Baltimore. The general contractor uses Project JumpStart as a primary source for local hiring.
“Southway extends compassion to the city job-seeker and does not send them away empty-handed,” said McShane. “The contractor sets up employment information centers and gives job-seekers information and materials on Project JumpStart, the Mayoral Office of Hiring, and other construction training programs.”
Thank you, Southway Builders, for the generous donation to our workforce development program, Project JumpStart.