When it comes to serving his community, Jason Green has a lot to live up to. He’s the son of a preacher, and the great great grandson of Garey Green, a carpenter who helped build his Maryland town’s first school for African American children in 1874 — offering opportunity when there was none. Walking through the creaky two-room school house, which still stands today, Jason can’t help but feel inspired. “Knowing that with minimal resources, this community was able to educate an entire generation is a motivator for me.” Last year Jason left his job as an associate council to President Obama, moved back home and started a small company called SkillSmart — a 21st century education tool.
SkillSmart, which launches this summer, is an online platform that connects job seekers with employers based on their skills. “I want to help people see where one skill can be transferable to another career, and figure out how to get there,” he says. The site will also identify what skills are in demand, and helps individuals find the training resources to become more marketable in the workforce. Watch to learn more about the program and the family history that inspired Jason to start it.