Business-Adult Education Partnerships Toolkit: Success Stories

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Read about some recent relevant examples of how effective educator-business partnerships have positively impacted companies and industries, and adult learners and workers through innovative collaboration.

Partnership: Great Oaks Adult School and Cincinnati, OH HVAC Industry

The Cincinnati, OH area Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry was facing a shortage of skilled workers for local HVAC manufacturers, repair and service companies, and installers. To address this issue, Great Oaks Adult School partnered with the industry to develop a cutting-edge vocational education program to address both the needs of area businesses and the career desires of local workers. Adult learners at Great Oaks Adult School’s HVAC program gain hands-on practice with the varied tools, equipment, and processes used throughout the industry. For Example, as student Billy Gibson was nearing graduation from the program, his instructor referred him to a local company owner – who was a former student - for a job interview. Billy got the job and used his first year to solidify his skills before launching his own HVAC business.

Great Oaks Career Campuses Logo

About the Partnership

Los Angeles, CA-area formerly gang-involved individuals face significant barriers to employment and lack job skills while Solar Industry companies lack a sufficient pool of talent to meet the emerging demand for their “green energy” products and services. The community-based organization partnered with both Adult Education and the Solar industry to address both challenges simultaneously.

Impact

Thanks to the educator-business partnership, the industry allows qualified workers and job seekers like Billy, who were once in dead-end, low-wage jobs, to create fulfilling, lifelong careers. The school’s ongoing partnership with the industry results in quick placement for new graduates.

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Partnership: Gulf Coast Workforce Solutions and ACS, Inc.

Historically, low unemployment rates have created hiring challenges to Houston-Galveston, TX-area businesses. However, younger workers still have difficulty getting work experience. To bridge the gap, the Gulf Coast employment and training system partnered with local businesses to create paid summer internships for current and recent High School students. One participant in the program, intern Rebecca Monsivais, gained valuable database and case management knowledge and sharpened her communication, organization, and critical thinking skills during her summer internship at Adaptive Construction Solutions, Inc (ACS). The President of ACS, Nicholas Morgan, noted that the local workforce system identified, mentored, and supported Rebecca.

Workforce Solutions Logo Adaptive Construction Solutions Logo

About the Partnership

The Cincinnati, OH area Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry is facing a shortage of skilled workers for local HVAC manufacturers, repair and service companies, and installers. Great Oaks Adult School partnered with the industry to develop a cutting-edge vocational education program to address both the needs of area businesses and the career desires of local workers.

Impact

As a result of this partnership, ACS saved money on recruitment and training, - and, thanks to Rebecca’s and the employment and training system’s help - gained valuable marketing collateral in the community while improving output.

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Partnership: Sykes Enterprises, Inc. and PluggedIn VA

Southwest Virginia Regional Adult Education’s PluggedIn VA is a six-month intensive career pathways program serving lower-skilled adults of all ages who lack a high school credential. Southwest Regional Adult Education and Sykes Enterprises, Inc., a global business process outsourcing company, formed a partnership to provide adult learners academic preparation, counseling and mentoring. The program incorporates career readiness and industry credentials, work-based learning, and academics to meet industry needs and strengthen the local economy. The Sykes management team’s involvement includes hosting planning meetings, serving as curriculum advisors, conducting tours and classes at the company facility, offering mock interviews and part-time on-the-job training during the program’s second semester, and offering a guaranteed job interview for program completers.

Sykes Logo PluggedIn VA Logo

About the Partnership

Historically low unemployment rates have created hiring challenges to Houston-Galveston, TX area businesses. However, younger workers still have difficulty getting work experience. Local employment and training partners launch summer internships to bridge the gap.

Impact

Thanks to this winning partnership, Sykes and other area businesses have the entry-level talent they need to sustain their businesses and program graduates earn a GED®, and industry-recognized credentials, as well as up to 29 college credits.

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Partnership: Homeboy Industries and LAUSD Adult and Career Education

Homeboy Industries serves high-risk, formerly gang-involved men and women in the Los Angeles, CA area. These individuals faced significant barriers to employment and lack job skills. Additionally, solar industry companies in the area lacked a sufficient pool of talent to meet the emerging demand for green energy products and services. Homeboy Industries partnered with the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) Division of Adult and Career Education (DACE) and the solar industry to address both challenges simultaneously. Through DACE, the Homeboy Industries trains participants in solar panel installation, paying all the trainees’ educational expenses. Trainees can enroll in a free pre-exam tutoring program, job-seeker workshops, job placement services, and industrial safety training. Job-seeker workshops help trainees build their resumes, practice interviews, improve computer skills, and study business communication. Homeboy Industries works with employers and businesses to help identify jobs and place trainees into them after training.

Homeboy Industries Logo Los Angeles Unified School District Logo

About the Partnership

Non-native English speakers have difficulty integrating into the South Dakota community and progressing on the job. The key area employer needs more workers who can qualify for management roles. Business leaders and adult educators collaborate to cultivate the next generation of managers.

Impact

In 2017, 27 participants were able to take the advanced energy certification test and had a 100% pass rate.

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Partnership: Dakota Provisions and Cornerstones Career Learning Center

Dakota Provisions, a meat-processing plant in Huron, SD, had difficulty promoting incumbent workers due to their limited English proficiency. The key area employer required more workers who qualified for management roles. The non-native English-speaking workers at the plant had scheduling challenges preventing them from attending the English courses at the local adult education school. When company management realized the problem, they contacted the local adult school to explore how they might partner with the educators to develop a workplace literacy program tailored to the needs of the plant’s employees. Business leaders and adult educators collaborated to cultivate the next generation of managers. A new program was designed and implemented at a time that was amenable to both workers and company management.

Dakota Provisions Logo Cornerstones Logo

 

About the Partnership

An aging workforce calls for the construction of a talent pipeline in partnership with local educators. The company’s continued existence and growth are ensured by scholarship recipients in the work-based learning program.

Impact

As a result of this partnership, Dakota Provisions has expanded its source of workers able to move into supervisory positions and the adult learners/workers interact more confidently in both the workplace and the community. In 2017, Dakota Provisions was recognized as South Dakota’s Adult Education Community Partner of the Year.

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Partnership: Simmons Machine Tool & Hudson Valley Community College

Simmons Machine Tool, in Albany, NY, works on small railroads and streetcars in New York, Washington, DC, New Orleans, and other locations. In 2007, company leadership realized they had fewer and fewer younger workers with the average age of machine shop workers being over 55. They approached nearby Hudson Valley Community College for help in building a more stable talent pipeline. “We realized we need to get out and start doing outreach to guidance counselors, parents, and students,” said President and COO, David William Davis.

Simmons Machine Tool Logo Hudson Valley Community College Logo

 

About the Partnership

Provide evidence-based information to help employers or educators understand the benefits of employer-educator partnerships.

Impact

The result of this partnership was a scholarship program that employs young adults 10 to 15 hours a week and pays for community college classes based on grades. The company’s continued existence and growth are ensured by scholarship recipients in the work-based learning program.