"The term workforce development emerged in the 1990s as a new paradigm for connecting occupational skills and vocational training services with the economy's actual need for workers, with a focus on industry demand and jobs available in the community," according to Rachel Tropp, a former fellow at national nonprofit WorkFirst. In the 21st century,  federal, state, and regional governments have supported workforce development in a variety of ways.

In 2014, for example, Congress passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish training services responsive to the needs of local area employers. In 2016, the State of California established the Strong Workforce Program to expand the availability of high-quality, industry-valued career technical education and workforce development courses, programs, pathways, credentials, certificates, and degrees. A host of organizations are working to build a talent pipeline for the Tri-Valley regions. Some of them receive support from government entities while others are nonprofits or public-private partnerships.

Workforce Resources

The region's many workforce development resources include the Tri-Valley Career Center (TVCC), which is part of the Alameda County Workforce Development Board. This comprehensive employment center serves regional businesses and individual job seekers in Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, and Sunol. TVCC connects regional employers with qualified talent and assists in the recruitment and hiring process, consults with small businesses through one-on-one advising and informational workshops, and providing tools, guidance, and ongoing training opportunities to job seekers to help them succeed.

Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation is a community-based nonprofit that exists to enhance learning experiences for students of the Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) through a partnership of business, education, and the community. Its many achievements include an innovative Business-School Engagement program. Under this initiative, business volunteers act as class speakers, mock interviewers, and after-school club mentors to advise students on career opportunities in the region. Other regional organizations working to build a skilled talent pipeline for the future include the Bay Area Health Workforce Partnership and Association of Manufacturers Bay Area.

PUSD has a variety of workforce development programs and efforts including one for adults with disabilities. The district is also in the process of creating two youth apprenticeships for older high school students, one in cybersecurity and the other in applied robotics, according to Amos Nugent, Ed.D., Director of Career Pathways & Adult Learning at Pleasanton Unified School District.

Growing Pleasanton's Talent Pipeline

Recently, the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce partnered with PUSD on a program to expand workforce development opportunities for the city's high school students. This Career and Technical Education program has been more than a year in the making. It grew out of conversations between Nugent and Jill Buck, who chairs the Chamber Board, about the need for expanded workforce development.

"We're in an environment where hiring is difficult across many different industries," says Buck, who is also Founder and CEO of the Go Green Initiative. "It's something that a lot of our businesses of many different industries and sizes recognize as a problem for businesses. And we're sitting on a gold mine of talent. Everybody knows how gifted and how exceptional PUSD students are, and we need to do more to bring those worlds together."

Nugent agrees. "In the Tri-Valley in particular, there are workforce challenges where many employers have approximately two vacancies for every one employee," he says. "We want to help local employers understand the tremendous value and untapped resources of our students here. While some may want to go to college and then go away to work in a different industry, some just want to have a competitive job in their current field of study here in Pleasanton."

"It is really hard for all businesses, from our top businesses down to our small businesses, to find talent," says James Cooper, Chamber President and CEO. "If you have a low unemployment environment, like the one we are in now, posting jobs to the Internet doesn't necessarily create a strong return on effort. This is an opportunity to participate in a workforce development effort that's really at the ground floor."

To succeed, the program will need the support of the business community. The Chamber is encouraging as many Pleasanton business owners and executives as possible to complete a short survey as a step toward building the program. Responses to the survey will help establish potential support for the program and does not obligate participants in any way. Participants do not need to be members of the Chamber in order to answer the short, two-question survey. The survey  introduction points out that "as a local Pleasanton business, your company has a unique opportunity to participate in Career Awareness and Exploration Activities or to engage in Career Preparation and Training Activities with Pleasanton Unified students."

The survey tool gives businesses the option to get more information if they are interested or because they might be interested. As examples of potential business involvement in the program, "we've created a graphic that shows a gradient of intensity or activity, from the most passive versions of business interaction all the way up to internships, externships, and things that are more hands-on and involved," notes Cooper. Those are examples only, and do not commit survey takers to any involvement.

After the survey responses are analyzed, Chamber and PUSD officials will continue developing the program. Its exact shape will depend in part on the number and type of companies that volunteer to participate in the program itself. Not every company will have the resources to actively engage in the program. Those that do participate will be supporting both workforce development for Pleasanton as well as community engagement.

"From a business standpoint, this program gives you the ability to actively shape and influence those who are not yet in the workforce, but will be there soon," notes Cooper. "Workforce development gives students a reason to come back to Pleasanton if they have left the area for college or other education." He adds, "We need housing. We need jobs. We need partnerships. We need people who want to stay here and are able to stay here, and to make that possible, we all have to work together toward the same broad goals."

"One of the benefits to business is that through this partnership, they'll be able to bridge the gap between education and industry that will ensure students are well prepared for the workforce, create a direct pipeline for recruiting skilled workers, and reduce the time and resources required for hiring and training new employees," notes Nugent.

"Pleasanton students are going to be great no matter where they end up," according to  Buck. "These kids are amazing. But the City of Pleasanton is going to be great if we bring those students back home after graduation and make them part of the workforce. I think that is one of the most important things we can do for the economic health and vitality of our community."

The parties involved in the new workforce development program see its potential benefits going far beyond the participating companies and students. "We know that when our local employers are successful in thriving, that helps create a strong economy that is able to benefit the entire ecosystem," says Nugent. "We are focusing on an entire ecosystem. Not just the city of Pleasanton but also the broader Tri-Valley and Greater Bay Area. When it comes to our Pleasanton students and the impact of this region, we are committed in the long haul to everyone winning and succeeding."

To take the short Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce survey, please visit Workforce Development Survey for Businesses: School District Partnerships.

For more information about the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, please visit www.pleasanton.org.

For more information about Career Pathways & Adult Learning at Pleasanton Unified School District, please visit www.pleasantonusd.net/departments/teaching-learning/career-pathways-adult-learning.

Photo by Tran Mau Tri Tam on Unsplash