Workforce Development Solutions in Biomed Tech

Maintaining family responsibilities vs. attending training.
Language barriers.
Background issues, such as justice involvement.
Soft skills deficits, especially among youth.
Job availability.
WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) challenges:
- Requirement for high-demand industries with at least 5% growth.
- Low-income thresholds for WIOA fund eligibility.
- Overwhelming paperwork for obtaining WIOA funds.
Employer hiring criteria:
- Discrepancy between stated entry-level requirements and actual needs.
- Need for clarity in job postings regarding essential requirements.

Pipeline AZ is a commonly used but potentially overwhelming resource.
Arrowhead's approach through CASE Academy:
- Tech/business track with virtual learning licenses and wraparound services.
- Trades arena track in partnership with a training organization that provides training and internal workforce development to connect students with employer partners.
- Addressing funding challenges through workforce partner buy-in or external funding (grants).
- Successful placement of participants due to the elimination of payment required, offsetting through funding.
Apprenticeships:
- Address the needs of individuals who cannot afford extended periods of unpaid training.
- Enable earning money while learning marketable skills.
- Foster employee loyalty.
City of Phoenix:
- Connects individuals with employers who offer paid CDL training programs.
- Utilizes O*NET for career research and assessments in job clubs.
Boys and Girls Club:
- Internship programs provide a trial period for youth to explore career interests.
- Company tours offer firsthand exposure to different companies and positions.

Predictive qualification experiences:
- Activities like puzzles or model building to assess interest and aptitude.
- Scholastic participation in sports, chess club, or debate to cultivate soft skills.
Addressing the Challenge of Program Completion:
- Implement pre-program requirements like soft skills training to increase buy-in and accountability.

Reasons for not pursuing employment after training:
- Participants may want to acquire certificate rather than switch careers.
- Using the training for self-improvement without intending to change jobs.
- Discovery of undesirable job aspects (e.g., protective suit requirements).
- Expectations of class being very easy and high paying jobs that are unrealistic.
Solutions:
- Clear messaging about the goal of employment.
- Providing a realistic view of the job through "day in the life" experiences (e.g., tours or micro-videos).
- Avoid wasting resources on individuals solely seeking accolades.

Focusing on people who are already interested and exposing career paths to them.

Companies designate employees as ambassadors to provide insights into specific career fields.
Trained individuals become ambassadors to share their experiences and create a supportive community.

San Diego program for tenth to twelfth-grade students:
- Provides tours to different companies.
- Assigns mentors who can work with each student for a year.
- Offers rotational exposure to different employers.

Transparency in job descriptions and expectations.
Building relationships with interns to alleviate stress.
Addressing issues of transportation or childcare.
Career pathway maps to visualize future career progression.
Defined career paths and transparent information regarding pay rates, advancement opportunities, and required qualifications.
Providing the reality of new industry while saving potential employee and trainer time.

The need for employers to focus on skills-based hiring rather than degree requirements.
Highlighting how a company will help employees get to the next level will help progress from that position.
It's a mutual goal for the employer and the employee.

State government initiatives like Build It Arizona and partnerships with companies like TSMC.

Lining up employers for hiring after training programs.
Being honest and transparent with clients about the job requirements and salary expectations.

Partnering with EVIT schools and other schools to get kids engaged in a career at an early age and finish high school able to immediately start working.

Highlight the High schools that are partnering with the Rio Salado Program to get their associates degree that can potentially give back to the community.

Sponsoring athletic competitions/school programs of committed youth.
Mentorship programs to help people understand a day of their life from those with experience.
Taking prior or finished military enlistments to get involved with the program to help grow the workforce and share their insight.
Walkthrough what a day would be like apprentice type things and military engagements, you know, engagements in military programs like after people either retire or finish their enlistments or whatever they're in for, just exposing them to these types of programs.

Looking at the thought of working with different non profits that can put together to try and create ways to expose people to the workforce and address common issues.