EMERGE Community Development
Jeffrey Shockley is a Training Coach at EMERGE Community Development, focusing on assisting Minneapolis residents in transitioning into careers in transportation and logistics since August 2021. Previous roles include Opportunity Navigator with AmeriCorps, Seasonal Driver at UPS, and Inventory Specialist at Second Harvest Heartland. From 2012 to 2018, Jeffrey worked with Nice Ride Minnesota in operations management, ensuring bike maintenance and station rebalancing. Earlier work experience includes positions as a Courier for Alliance Courier, Elections Worker for Multnomah County, Facilities/Customer Service staff at Gap Inc./Old Navy, and Valet for Central Parking System. Additionally, Jeffrey served as a Drama Instructor with Young Actors Theatre Company. Educational qualifications include a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota and independent coursework in Computer Engineering at Portland State University.
EMERGE Community Development
Mission: Our mission is to reveal the potential in people and communities through skill building, employment, and economic opportunity. Vision: We envision a world where all people have the opportunity to emerge and thrive. History: EMERGE was established as a division of Pillsbury United Communities in 1995 and spun-off as an independent entity in 2007. In 2015, we opened the EMERGE Career and Technology Center (ECTC) in North Minneapolis and merged with non-profit partner Momentum Enterprises, bringing three additional social enterprise businesses into our portfolio. In March 2017, we opened Cedar-Riverside Opportunity Center in partnership with the city, county, local colleges, and other partners. Today we operate a broad spectrum of workforce development and social enterprise businesses in the Twin Cities with the intertwined goals of better jobs, better lives, and better communities. In 2017, EMERGE served 2,979 people: 662 gained jobs, 305 participated in career training, 499 people accessed financial education and services, and 162 formerly homeless individuals and families received services to directly support them in gaining or maintain housing. We offer adult and youth workforce services, combined with a range of other services tailored to the specific needs of the participant. In 2017, 94% of those we served identified as people of color with the largest groups served African American (55%) and African, primarily Somali (25%). Our participants are 84% low-income with 76% under the poverty line. About 35% are overcoming a criminal background; 26% have no high school diploma/GED; 21% speak a primary language other than English, and 13% indicate immigrant/refugee status.