Posted by: In previous posts on Unleash the Monster we’ve discussed the concept of the high-performance workforce, which is when a region’s available workforce is trained in the skills necessary to fill jobs that contribute to that region’s economic vitality. We’ve also discussed the steps necessary to make a region’s workforce into a high-performance workforce and have cited some recent examples of paths that regions have taken.
One of the steps that we’ve recommended is to form public-private partnerships designed to help regions get informed and help the local workforce get educated and employed. A great example of this was Wired 65, a partnership between a 26-county region stretching from North Central KY through Southern Indiana and a handful of vendors including Monster.
Another great example of a public-private partnership helping to get regional workforces employed is what’s currently being done in Tallahassee. WORKFORCE plus, the regional workforce board in Tallahassee, working with Monster, held Power Seeker Workshops designed to reenergize local job seekers, and to teach them new job hunting techniques and tactics.
With unemployment hitting the State of Florida and City of Tallahassee hard, the lines at local “One-Stop” unemployment resource centers were growing long and available resources were becoming increasingly strained. And that was with only about half of the local unemployed citizens coming to the “One-Stop.”
The Power Seeker Workshops were expected to supplement the services available for the region’s unemployed at “One-Stops.” What resulted was well beyond these expectations as over 250 individuals registered for the events.
A survey of attendees later revealed conclusive evidence that job seekers truly benefited from the two-hour events. The results showed:
- 95% of attendees found the information provided useful
- 96% gave the workshop a grade of “excellent”
- 98% found the presenters as knowledgeable and engaging
In addition to the positive survey results, the local workforce board benefited from an enlarged audience and increased exposure. Local “One-Stop” staff also learned valuable tools for helping local residents get employed. In fact, the events were so successful that they’re going to be repeated, and also replicated across the state.
How could public-private partnerships like the Power Seeker Workshops held by the City of Tallahassee and Monster help your region?
Thu, Dec 17, 2009
State & Local