The Ōnin Group’s Post

On #highereducation and employer partnerships in Maine to provide on-ramps and off-ramps to learners and meet workforce needs: "Our partnerships extend beyond financial commitments. They involve data-sharing, transparent dialogue and a mutual understanding that success requires ongoing adaptation. It’s not just about enrolling people in training programs; it’s about braiding and blending various resources—state incentives, federal grants, employer funds—in a comprehensive way that addresses workforce gaps. This approach does not cannibalize traditional one- or two-year degree programs; it offers an alternative for individuals at different stages of their lives...our model provides multiple entry points into meaningful career pathways."

MentorTown USA® is a nationally standardized, comprehensive and coordinated system designed to help prepare youth, in their local community, for a successful workforce and career life ‘fit.’ The system is designed to recruit and train Civic, Commerce, Education, Faith-based, Healthcare, Human-service, Performing-arts and Physical-activity employers youth in their local community begin a goal setting, talent driven planning document, The Talent Transcript™, to help them plan and prepare to meet the top goals of people in every city in the world …. a good job and a happy and fulfilling life. The US continues to have the worst work and life career readiness system among the 36 advanced countries in the world. “A recent Gallop report concluded that only 14 percent of Americans and 11 percent of business leaders strongly agree that high school and college graduates are adequately prepared for the workplace.” The Huffington Post, 2018 Over the years WE (WE News, LLC) have trained over a thousand employers to mentor high school, higher education, and technical training students to prepare for further education, technical training and eventual work placement. For more information, contact Ed Watkins at findcareerfit@gmail.com.

With #CareerDevelopmentMonth starting in November, check out this New America article reflecting on how career pathways education and development have gained traction in the United States over the past few years - while also facing obstacles to its growth and long-term stability. https://bit.ly/4eWWhha

#CommunityColleges are essential providers of the #education and training that people need to move into high-wage, high-demand careers. 💼 This #LaborDay, AIR #workforce experts Elizabeth Rutschow and Amy Feygin share key takeaways about what community colleges can learn from the success of #WorkforceDevelopment programs like Per Scholas, Year Up, and Project QUEST, Inc.. Their report identifies strategies like tailoring programs to #labor market needs, providing comprehensive student support, and prioritizing #workplace readiness skills that can be adapted to community college settings. See how: https://bit.ly/4dIvAMt

According to data from our 2023 Great Retention survey, 90% of respondents claim their employer’s encouragement to continue their education for the purpose of advancing within the organization makes them more likely to stay with their current employer. Offering tuition reimbursement or educational assistance programs is a win-win. You empower your employees to grow their skills, and in turn, gain a more dedicated and qualified workforce. Is your company leveraging education benefits? #employeebenefits #workplacewellness

Community colleges are “our country’s cornerstone institutions for accessible education and workforce training. They play an indispensable role in creating career pathways for all adults.” – Christina Yancey, Vice President of Workforce at the American Institutes for Research The American Institutes for Research recently conducted a deep dive into #workforce training programs to offer valuable insights for community colleges. Here are their three key takeaways: 🤝 Engage employers at every step of program development and implementation, aligning programs with labor market needs. 🎒 Offer student comprehensive support services with one-on-one guidance to help students access the supports they need to be successful. 💼 Prioritize the development of deep workplace readiness skills alongside occupational skills.

Understanding what good employment looks like is vital. We're often taught that 'any work is good work', however this is not the case. Learning what good work actually looks like from a young age will help equip people to make informed career choices, challenge employment practices and navigate the evolving world of work with confidence and high expectations. See our comprehensive student and tutor packs to help prepare young people: https://ow.ly/8NPk50SKhc2

💡 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 At Reed in Partnership, we are part of the system to support young people to transition out of compulsory education. We are delivering the Central London Careers Hub on behalf of the Greater London Authority and The Careers & Enterprise Company. Latest estimates reveal that almost a million (946,000) young people were not in education, employment or training (NEET) between July and September 2024. It has never been more crucial to deliver high quality careers activities and explore available opportunities with young people. Innovation and adaptability have been key to our successful delivery, we have found there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to careers education provision. Providing accessible resources, understanding and supporting diverse educational needs, and promoting inclusivity have all been integral parts of our approach to date. In this article Nii Thompson, Divisional Director, shares how we are working with young people, careers educators and employers to ensure that young people benefit from the best available support to make informed career and education choices in London. Read more here: https://ow.ly/TfNa50UtfP1

Equitable access to high-value, career connected learning has many positive benefits for students, including the ability to secure higher-paying jobs after graduation and an increased confidence that they will be successful in the job market. In fact, nearly 90% of students and families want diverse pathways toward careers. On the other side of the education-to-workforce paradigm, employers understand the need to develop their future talent pipeline and diversify their workforce and are interested in providing virtual opportunities for groups or individual learners as a first step in this direction. And yet, we have not seen a major push to strengthen the connection between our education and employer talent systems; with the exception of those states and communities that are investing in “Education-to-career pathway intermediaries.” The latest Forbes column from Matt Gandal looks at how state and local governments are leveraging these opportunities to strengthen talent pipelines, and why we should scale this model nationwide. https://lnkd.in/g2sHwTtM

🚀 Preparing Students Today for the Careers of Tomorrow Through our partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools, GPS Education Partners is helping students overcome barriers and build brighter futures. Our work-based learning programs connect students to hands-on experiences, industry credentials, and mentorship, giving them the tools to succeed in high-demand careers. This approach benefits: ✔️ Students: Gaining real-world skills and a clear pathway to sustainable careers. ✔️ Schools: Enhancing college and career readiness programs with proven results. ✔️ Businesses: Building a pipeline of skilled, workforce-ready talent. Together, we’re creating opportunities that transform education and industry. 📚 Read the case study to see how we’re making an impact: https://bit.ly/3PcyT3Y #WorkforceSolutions #EducationAndIndustry #CareerReadiness #StudentSuccess #CommunityImpact