Recovery and Manufacturing - A Path Up (RAMP-Up)

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

Like so many other Counties in the United States, DuPage County continues to experience the heroin and opioid epidemic despite much public investment and actions by local, state, and federal officials. DuPage County found that individuals grappling with addiction and substance use disorder are prone to homelessness, criminal justice system involvement, and unemployment, while good paying jobs remain unfilled in key employment sectors. Lisa Schvach, Executive Director of the Workforce Development Division of DuPage County, at workNet DuPage, witnessed firsthand in her clientele just how much of an impact the opioid epidemic had on their ability to find sustainable employment. Ms. Schvach was also keenly aware of the skills shortages and hiring needs of the County’s manufacturers. As a member of the County’s Heroin and Opioid Taskforce, Schvach and the Division spearheaded a new initiative in October 2018, “Recovery and Manufacturing-A Path Up,” otherwise known as RAMP-Up, to address this issue. RAMP-Up is designed to train individuals in recovery from addiction with the skills necessary to obtain meaningful work, as well as to provide manufacturers and employers with a trained and talented workforce. The public-private workforce program is one of the many innovative programs DuPage County officials created to tackle the heroin and opioid epidemic