Together, we can be the spark that ignites economic opportunity for 100,000 people by 2030. How? By filling the skilled trade labor shortage via programs that invest in the potential of people in forgotten communities from age 5 and beyond.
OICA’s national workforce development initiative, the Sullivan Training Network, is committed to providing learners with credentials in high-demand fields that result in careers paying a living wage and create a pathway to the middle class. And our STEMLinx programs across the country are designed to connect, inspire and support children K-12 as they prepare for careers of the future in STEM-related fields.
“Partnering with OICA and being part of the Sullivan Training Network has been a natural extension of our mission at the Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation. We’ve always been committed to providing a hand up to individuals facing poverty, and it’s powerful to collaborate with a network that shares our commitment to creating career pathways for those in need. Together, we’re not just building careers—we’re helping break cycles of generational poverty and fostering safe, thriving communities.”
Chris Price, President
“Partnering with OICA/STN has allowed us to fill critical training gaps for students and their family members who fall outside traditional funding streams, particularly those older than 24 who still need workforce opportunities. This support has not only strengthened our impact in Southwest Florida but has also given us the capacity to expand—most recently as we launch our Atlanta program this October [2025]”.
Aram Wheatley, Executive Director/CEO/Founder
“From the moment I walked into the doors of OIC, everything changed. The staff wanted to hear my story. They wanted to help me learn and feel at home. They built my confidence, and the difference OIC made is that they saw my potential where others only saw problems.”
*Kendrick progressed from having a second grade reading level to gaining his GED before his 18th birthday, completed OIC training to become an electrician and is now working toward becoming a journeyman. He also confidently spoke of his experience with OICA at the COABE Adult Education Legislative Briefing at the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.
By seizing opportunities in education and workforce development, we can build pathways to prosperity and create sustainable career opportunities that transform lives, lifting families out of poverty and into the middle class.
In just one community, training 1,600 people in less than six months to begin careers that pay at least $46,000/year would add over $73 million into the local economy. That level of investment would transform rural and inner city neighborhoods. With your help, we can dramatically change the economics of cities across the nation.
