This blog post is a DRAFT chapter for a book being published by Origami Works Foundation. We will correct inaccuracies in the final book version. If you identify any inaccuracies, please let us know using this Feedback Form.
Congratulations! In reaching the end of this book, you have taken a step toward opening your talent strategy to all the support and diversity available to you via the workforce development ecosystem.
You may remember that in Chapter 1, you met some folks who were grappling with job-related challenges. Let’s imagine that they were able to get engaged in the workforce development ecosystem. Let’s take a look at where they find themselves now.
Remember Maya?
When we first met Maya, she had taken the role of Chief Talent Officer at EvolveEdge. And, she was struggling. Squeezed for time, Maya recognized that moving from one emergency to another wasn’t sustainable. She was ready to make a change.
In a conversation with a peer, Maya learned about Chicago's robust workforce development ecosystem, and decided to get engaged. First, Maya sat down and assessed her talent challenges --
Scarcity of interested, qualified candidates
Deficits in job-specific skills
Changing role requirements (for example, LlamaDama business line collapsing while Zebra business line is growing)
Lack of diversity among team and leadership
After identifying areas where she wanted to focus, Maya researched options on Talent Solutions Connector. Maya spoke with representatives at a few recommended business services partners, and compared her needs to the offerings of each of the organizations. Maya decided to move forward with a nonprofit called Chicago Collaborative.
Like the fictional company EvolveEdge, Chicago Collaborative in this story is a composite, created from the characteristics and experiences of several typical organizations to illustrate common practices in the field.
Maya really connected with Zari, an Employer Relations Manager at Chicago Collaborative. Zari took the time to listen to each of Maya's concerns, and together, they made a plan for their next steps as partners.
Handy Hack: Many business services partners have staff who are trained to work with employers like you. You might meet individuals with job titles such as Employer Relations Manager, Account Manager, Business Services Representative, or similar.
Next, Maya got crucial buy-in from leadership and line supervisors at EvolveEdge. Initially, the company’s Chief Operations Officer was concerned about additional costs that could arise from engaging a partner. But, Maya was able to assure him that there was no cost involved in working with Chicago Collaborative. Moreover, EvolveEdge could access subsidies for hiring from certain talent pools.
Some managerial staff expressed concern about the risks of an expanded talent strategy. After empathizing with supervisors' concerns, Maya shared a few sample resumes, which demonstrated the strength of the talent that Chicago Collaborative could refer. Maya also shared positive reviews from other companies that had worked with the organization. Finally, she assured supervisors that all candidates would be pre-screened by Chicago Collaborative, and all talent would receive additional coaching even after they were onboarded. Managers agreed to give the partnership a trial run.
Maya: Exploring new options, collaborating with peers, and securing leadership buy-in..
EvolveEdge’s CEO, Brenda, knew that they had been struggling with filling open positions for a while. Beyond that, Brenda had been doing a lot of thinking about how she might use her position to make a real difference in the world. With Maya's confidence as a guide, Brenda was ready to commit to an expanded talent strategy for EvolveEdge, and made it clear that this was a priority for the whole organization.
Now that she had the support she needed, Maya was ready to get to work. And her business services partner Zari knew just whom to call …
Remember Samira?
Samira was having trouble securing stable, full-time employment in the area of customer service, despite her technical talent and enthusiasm for helping people. After a few frustrating experiences, including losing a job that was too far away for her to access with her unreliable vehicle, and being let go for “lack of skills” with little more information, Samira felt stuck and frozen. A friend suggested that Samira connect with Chicago Collaborative.
Samira successfully completed Chicago Collaborative’s training program: She brushed up her soft skills, updated her resume, and took a few classes on a new customer service management system. With the help of a counselor and role-playing exercises, Samira gained some perspective on what went wrong in the past and what to look for in a future employer. She accumulated some experience handling on-the-job challenges. Now Samira felt confident, and ready to start interviewing.
Samira: Refreshed skills, renewed confidence, and support enable her to secure and maintain a job with a future.
When Maya met Samira, she could see right away that she was a natural fit for one of the customer service roles open at EvolveEdge. Samira was able to describe how her previous experiences and recent training had prepared her to support EvolveEdge's customers. Maya's one concern was that Samira did not have access to reliable transportation. Samira hoped to purchase a car, but first she needed a paycheck, right?
Maya reached out to Zari. Zari let Maya know that Samira qualified for transportation assistance through Chicago Collaborative, and they would be able to support her until she was able to replace her vehicle.
Maya made the offer, and Samira is now happily using her skills to provide stellar customer service at EvolveEdge. Like any employee, Samira sometimes encounters challenges, both on and off the job. Both Samira and EvolveEdge can access (free!) support from Chicago Collaborative to tackle issues as they arise.
Remember Mateo?
After leaving college his freshman year, Mateo was working below his skill and interest level to get a much-needed paycheck. He was able to enroll at Malcolm X College, and began taking classes in computer programming.
In the meantime, Maya was excited to start phase two of her strategy to source new talent for open software development roles. Maya knew she needed a long-term strategy to ensure that EvolveEdge would have consistent access to applicants trained in the latest technology. She asked Zari for her thoughts.
Zari connected Maya with her contact at City Colleges of Chicago. Maya brought the leaders of the software team into a conversation with City Colleges, where they learned about successful apprenticeship programs at companies such as Accenture. EvolveEdge's leadership became convinced that not only was a four-year degree unnecessary for some of their open roles, but an apprenticeship program was likely to result in better-fit candidates and longer retention. Over time, EvolveEdge and City Colleges collaborated to adapt City Colleges’ curricula into a customized twelve-month, earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship.
While completing his first year at City Colleges, Mateo heard about the new opportunity at EvolveEdge from his academic counselor. Mateo applied for the program, and was accepted!
Mateo: Continuing his education tuition-free while earning a wage, and with a clear next step in sight.
Mateo appreciates earning a wage while he pursues an associate's degree. Maya loves that she gets early access to rising talent, and that apprentices graduate with the exact training she needs for their products. The apprenticeship program is an investment that pays off in reducing future recruiting, training, and turnover costs.
Remember Alex?
Alex was the EvolveEdge employee we met in the introduction who was working as a technician in the LlamaDama business service line. That business line was being phased out across the industry. Alex enjoyed working at EvolveEdge and was interested in open positions in the fast-growing Zebra business line. But, he did not have the skills required for the new line, nor the time or funds needed to go back to school.
Maya was dreading having to lay off the LlamaDama team. Maya knew that if EvolveEdge were forced into a round of layoffs, a host of problems could occur. The company would lose valuable institutional knowledge, and the remaining employees could lose confidence in the sustainability of the business.
Maya let Zari know about her predicament. Luckily, Zari had worked with employers who were facing layoffs before, and was aware of a government subsidy that could be leveraged to offset the cost of upskilling current staff. Not only that, but Zari had connections with another local nonprofit that had just designed a training course related to the new Zebra line of business for another area employer. That nonprofit was more than willing to meet with EvolveEdge and customize the training for its team.
Alex: New technical skills enable him to move into a new role and remain at EvolveEdge.
With support from collaborators and subsidies, EvolveEdge was able to institute a Zebra "boot camp" at minimal cost. Alex, along with several of his fellow LlamaDama teammates, continued working for EvolveEdge and earned a paycheck while training to join the new Zebra line. Alex felt truly supported by EvolveEdge and more secure in his position than he had felt in years. And, Maya avoided costly and heartbreaking layoffs.
Meet the New EvolveEdge
Maya was thrilled with all the new cost-saving outcomes she was able to share with the leadership team. Additionally, the company's engagement with the workforce development ecosystem has naturally led to a team that more closely reflects the communities served by the company. With the momentum created by these waves of success, Maya now felt ready to take on additional challenges.
Retention had been an issue at EvolveEdge since before Maya joined. She did not want to lose her newly acquired talent, nor her veteran team members. Zari referred her to a nonprofit that supported Maya in assessing the workplace for opportunities to help employees stay on the job. EvolveEdge was able to make a few changes at minimal cost. And while this work is ongoing, early retention numbers have been encouraging.
Maya is thrilled that EvolveEdge and its team members have been positively impacted by the upgrades. While there is more work to be done, Maya feels confident that EvolveEdge’s CEO is committed to creating a culture of innovation, inclusion, and continuous learning and improvement.
So now, Maya is making plans for the future. She is considering additional options to promote employee satisfaction and retention, such as adjusting scheduling parameters for shift workers. She also would like to tap nonprofit partners to diversify EvolveEdge's pool of candidates for future leadership roles. She knows she can lean on a network of peers as well as business services partners every step of the way.
Meet the New You!
So what do you think? Are you ready to follow in Maya's footsteps? Are you ready to take that first step to the expanded talent strategy that can benefit your company?
We hope that this book has enabled you to --
Learn about the complex and resource-rich ecosystem of workforce development
Gain an understanding of the types of business services available
Identify a business services partner
Design a plan to expand your talent strategy
Leverage existing investments to strengthen your program
Identify and mitigate potential pitfalls
Dream big and envision a bright future
If you take one thing away from this book, we hope it is this: No matter what business you are in, there are talented and eager job seekers waiting for their shot. And there is a whole ecosystem of programs, services, government entities, philanthropists, and educators who have their back … and yours!
Moreover, businesses like yours -- and you as an individual -- are vital and irreplaceable elements of that ecosystem. You are critical not only as an employer, but as an authority on what skills are needed and what trends are developing, as well as a source of leadership and wisdom to your employer peers and your community.
Without your voice, the chorus of the workforce development ecosystem is incomplete. So speak up, join in, and let’s get to work building transformative talent connections!