The struggle for employers of all kinds to attract workers is well known, but the challenge also extends to workforce development groups.
“As workforce development professionals, we face similar challenges in generating customer business to our one-stops, our job centers and just our workforce development services and programs in general,” says Matt Valiquette, executive director of the Bay Area Workforce Development Board.
A desire to generate customer interest led the group to create a new training offering that allows participants to earn scholarships of up to $8,000 to pursue schooling in high-demand areas including manufacturing, transportation, construction, information technology and health care.
Offered in partnership with area technical colleges, independent regional training providers and Bay Area’s 11-county American Job Center system, eligible participants can use the scholarships, 100 of which are available, for tuition, textbooks, transportation and child care assistance, required tools, uniforms and equipment, and other costs directly associated with thousands of approved training programs.
Offering training scholarships isn’t new for the organization, but the way it’s marketing and packaging them is. While scholarships may seem like an appealing option for people, Valiquette says money alone is rarely what keeps individuals from pursuing education. Other factors such as child care, transportation or even wariness about the pandemic can get in the way. A healthy economy also means an abundance of jobs that don’t require postsecondary training.
Schooling, though, can set up people for long-term success. Valiquette says the program is ideal for those who want to further their career in a high-demand industry and could be a good fit for people who are marginally employed or underemployed and struggling to earn a living wage. The program’s areas of focus encompass the industries that drive the region’s economy and offer hundreds of career paths.
“The opportunities are near limitless, and then the earnings are there too. We’re talking about family-sustaining-wage employment,” Valiquette says.
The organization has a saying: “You can’t be what you can’t see.” To choose the right path for them, Bay Area customers can take assessments to help identify a fit that aligns with their interests and strengths.
At the same time, people might carry preconceived notions about certain careers or industries and rule out opportunities based on outdated ideas. For example, after completing three to 10 weeks of training, truck drivers can make $50,000 to $80,000 per year. In addition, trucks are safer and more technologically advanced than ever before.
Because the training period for drivers is short, many commercial driver’s license students don’t qualify for federal financial aid, but Bay Area’s program fully funds the training.
Similarly, some may assume that manufacturing jobs are boring, dark or dirty, but through the program, people can see the reality firsthand.
Perhaps the most important piece of the program is the support customers receive. Bay Area invests $1.5 million in career specialists who develop strong relationships with the people they serve, and Valiquette credits that support for the organization’s success. Career specialists help customers every step of the way through training and even after they have completed it.
Valiquette says Bay Area is also increasing its focus on diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. Underserved populations tend to include people of color, those with disabilities, veterans, English language learners and the formerly incarcerated. Those are the groups the organization is least likely to see reaching out for help, and he would like to attract those individuals and better meet their needs.
Bay Area is partnering with organizations that have direct connections and established networks with the populations it wants to reach. If it can do so successfully, Valiquette says employers could benefit from a talent source that hasn’t been fully tapped.
