ASK ME ABOUT My new appointment to board chair, and how workforce investment supports communities.
HOW WILL YOU CONTINUE THE WORKFORCE COUNCIL’S MISSION? I’m focused on partnership, collaboration, and culture to drive more awareness of the Workforce Council’s mission to provide employers with a prepared workforce and connect job-seeking customers to opportunities that build their career readiness. We have an excellent opportunity to foster alignment across our region’s workforce ecosystem to address challenges and opportunities outlined in our recent reports on apprenticeships, youth career readiness, and the construction workforce.
HOW DOES THE WORKFORCE COUNCIL EMPOWER LOCAL EMPLOYERS AND JOB SEEKERS? We have federal funds to send job seekers to training and help employers upskill or reskill their staff. During our last fiscal year, we turned $1.5 million of those federal dollars into over $10.6 million in income for the job seekers we trained. We host workshops, seminars, and job fairs where local employers and job seekers have opportunities to connect.
AS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BLUEROSE SUPPLY, WHAT ARE SOME ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE WORKFORCE TRAINING AND UPSKILLING? I’m a former economic development professional and now entrepreneur, so I think it’s essential that we have a well-trained and well-developed workforce if we’re going to continue to retain local businesses and attract companies to the area. It’s critical that our schools and local employers maintain a stronger relationship with one another.