By Adrianna Keener

Cambridge, Mass.

A Massachusetts Web design company has spun off its own nonprofit -- CitySkills.org -- that helps job training centers forge relationships with Internet companies in order to fill vacant positions with urban adults.

"We're helping community development organizations to build collaborative relationships that are, in turn, equitable relationships," said Michael Margolis, co-founder and managing director.

The site's free online resources include downloadable training tools, and will soon host a national directory to help broker and match more than 800 training providers and Internet companies.

The idea for the organization stemmed from CitySoft Inc., a Web design company that hires from urban neighborhoods.

Nick Gleason, CitySkills.org chairman and co-founder, wanted to fill the growing gap between the number of information technology jobs and the number of qualified individuals to fill them.

CitySkills.org started in April and has already secured funding from New Profit Inc., a venture capital firm for the nonprofit sector. It also has partnered with the World Organization of Webmasters. All funding has come from individuals and foundations, Margolis said.

CitySkills.org works with community-based training centers, such as Strive Boston Employment Service and Villa Victoria/El Batey tech center, to train urban adults with the necessary job skills to land a job in web development.

"We recognize there is a gap dealing with the reeducation of the workforce," said Margolis. "We encourage training centers to think about the needs of local employers and cater their training to it."

Adrianna Keener can be reached at this
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