Excerpt from The Philadelphia Tribune:

One of the region’s oldest and largest training groups, Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc. (OIC) of America in Philadelphia, is expanding its national efforts to bridge the labor gap and move more people into the middle class focusing on the industries of the future.

In 1964, OIC of America was formed by the late Rev. Leon Sullivan of Zion Baptist Church in North Philadelphia. Today, it has 31 affiliates in 19 states, including Philadelphia OIC. Next year is the 60th anniversary of the group.

“We exist to help poor people move into the middle class,” said Louis King, II, president and CEO of OIC of America. “Currently, we are taking advantage of the labor shortage, much like there was 100 years ago that lead to the birth of the Black middle class because of the Great Migration.”

“The Sullivan Training Network looks beyond race and looks at economic status to take advantage of the technology to create a pathway out of poverty and into the middle class,” King said. “We believe that America works best when America works together.”