Strategic Workforce Solutions
Expanding Workforce
Development Strategy
Strategic Workforce Solutions is focused on creating a more innovative, more effective workforce system through collaboration with community and government organizations, program development and implementation, and a variety of services. This work is done in collaboration with its partner, West Michigan Works!/ACSET.
Programs and Services
Selecting and retaining the right candidate for a job is one of an organization's most important decision. HireReach provides employers the knowledge, tools and consulting support needed to make those critical decisions.
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HireReach helps employers implement a skills-based hiring system. This approach hires based on demonstrated skills and competencies, which include JOFI assessments, to better predict job performance. More than 25 of West Michigan’s leading employers have already discovered how this disciplined approach improves the quality of hires, reduces turnover, and contributes to workforce diversity.
“Hiring quality is better than ever, and multiple efficiencies for both recruiters and hiring managers are in place. This enables us to be more intentional about our methods to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
- Kathy Natelborg, Executive Director, Human Resources, Davenport University
CareerPoint promotes career coaching to help students and job seekers understand their interests and career goals, and what it takes to succeed. Individuals are supported as they build a career profile documenting their abilities. The process enables them to make career choices that align with their interests and strengths.
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To ensure a consistent delivery of the CareerPoint model, coaches receive training, ongoing professional development, and access to a shared platform to assist individuals in easily accessing and moving through the career coaching model. Utilizing evidence-based assessments by JOFI and labor market information, career coaches assist individuals in choosing a career path that is right for them and connecting to the resources necessary to start on that career path, leading to family-sustaining wages.
WorkReady is an assessment and curriculum that provides essential work skills training to individuals, resulting in a WorkReady Certificate.
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Through a series of focus groups and listening sessions, employers identified nine skills they said make up 77 per cent of the hard-to-find skills in job seekers. WorkReady assessment and accompanying workshops are designed to measure and teach these nine skills so that job seekers are prepared not just to get a job but to keep a job and grow in their careers.
Summer Youth employment programs help young people, ages 14-24, gain valuable work experience and skills through on-the-job experience. Partnering with employers, non-profit organizations, and multiple funding sources, youth experience in-demand careers and learn essential skills like problem solving, time management, and work responsibility. This hands-on experience is coupled with weekly mentoring and career coaching to explore career options and review and learn from employer feedback.
Harnessing the subject matter experts of partner organization, West Michigan Works!/ACSET, Strategic Workforce Solutions offers consulting services, technical assistance and program management services to communities, organizations and collaboratives. Topics include a wide variety of workforce development strategies such as registered apprenticeships, industry sector engagement and development of intermediary services.
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Our organization excels in delivering strategic workforce presentations and offering expert consultation to clients across the nation. We have provided consultation and targeted presentations to various statewide and regional groups in over 19 states. Additionally, our presentations and trainings have been delivered to prominent organizations such as the National Governors Association, National Association of Workforce Boards, National Skills Coalition, Workforce GPS, Council for Adult and Experimental Learning and U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Apprenticeship.
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Through our expertise, we drive impactful business outcomes and foster organizational growth.
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Traditional career planning methods don’t always work for job seekers or employees hoping to advance their career. Elevate offers a new approach, collaborating with employers and community partners to provide data-driven insights and supportive coaching to help participants make informed career choices.
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Coaches help participants understand their interests, explore related careers, and access the skills, education and training required to pursue those careers. Participants are then given the opportunity for a coordinated referral to a partner employer who has developed a structured pathway for internal development and promotions.
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Elevate is an expansion to the Rise Up program piloted in partnership with West Michigan Works!, Trinity Health, The Source, and JOFI assessments. Through the power of evidence-based career coaching, resource navigation, and employer partnerships, Rise Up was able to unlock over $1.1 million in increased wages for participants.
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Elevate reduces friction in the labor market through its coordinated approach to outside-in employment and inside-up promotion.