WASHINGTON — Bill Lewis was under more pressure than most new hires when he began a job in information technology last year in Monroe, Connecticut. Jobless for a year, he had eight weeks to persuade his employer to keep him and pay his salary.
A commercial mailer had offered Lewis something usually associated with actors or dancers:
An audition.
It came through a nonprofit, Platform to Employment, that covered Lewis’ pay through a program that targets a major scar of the Great Recession: The 2.6 million Americans who have been jobless for over six months. Many of them have long felt ignored by employers who assume their skills, drive or technological know-how have faded.
Platform to Employment provides job-search training before arranging subsidized auditions. This eliminates any risk to employers while giving the jobless an opening to prove themselves.
Evidence from companies that have used Platform have raised hopes for people who have endured prolonged unemployment. Some have impressed and surprised employers with their adaptability.