History

 

Fresno Career Development Institute, Inc. (FCDI) is a nonprofit community based organization that serves the employment, training and educational needs, of both economically disadvantaged adult and high risk youth job seekers.  FCDI was originally a demonstration project of the Department of Labor Youth Opportunities Unlimited Initiative, funded through the Jobs Training Partnership Act (JTPA), as a program under the management of the Fresno Workforce Development Board, now known as the Fresno Regional Workforce Investment Board, which was created under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), serving low-income residents in high-poverty areas in Fresno County.

In 1996 the program became an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3)corporation and changed its name to Fresno Career Development Institute, Inc.

Fresno Career Development Institute, Inc. continued to serve adult and high-risk youth job seekers, and when funding became available to add yet another target group, FCDI applied for the Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative and received funding to serve parolee’s returning from prison into the community.  The project was targeted to serve 200 participants a year who had been convicted of non-violent and/or violent crimes for a term of five years.  The project incorporates the participation of federal and state parole offices.  These partners work together to provide the delivery of workforce services.

The services include work readiness, vocational training assessment, on-the-job training, supportive services, work experience, drug abuse treatment, job placement and follow-up services.

In September of 1999, Fresno Career Development Institute, Inc. opened the New Millennium Institute of Education, a charter school through Fresno Unified School District.  The charter school represents an extension of the organization’s history of serving the employment and educational needs of underserved youth in our community.