Author: Colin TaylorPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 27
Book Description
The National Fund for Workforce Solutions is a national partnership testing new ways to address a critical problem: the large gap between the skills many workers have and the skills many employers need to compete. In 24 sites across the US, the National Fund works closely with employers and leaders from the public and non-profit sectors to find solutions, testing how lessons learned from groundbreaking pilot projects in workforce development can be applied on a national scale. This report summarises the findings of research into employer engagement and is based on a series of interviews with the coordinators of workforce partnerships. This report details how coordinators identify and meet employer needs and what challenges they face in doing so. The purpose of this research was to document best practices in recruiting and maintaining relationships with employers. Table of contents: * Executive summary * Introduction * The research questions * Methodology * Findings on engagement strategies * Finding 1: workforce partnership coordinators effectively engage with employers in various ways * Finding 2: workforce partnership coordinators are prioritizing employer needs * Finding 3: workforce partnership coordinators are targeting "good fit" employers * Findings on engagement challenges * Finding 4: workforce partnerships are limited by funding, staff, and time * Finding 5: prospective employer partners often have to be convinced of the benefits of a workforce partnership * Finding 6: challenges persist in collaborating with training providers * Finding 7: workers' basic skill deficits remain a roadblock to advancement along career pathways * Finding 8: the economic crisis has limited hiring and delayed retirements * Lessons from workforce partnerships * On employer engagement strategies * On employer engagement challenges and barriers * A concluding note on the differences between industry sectors * The challenge ahead.