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Retail Initiative

The Advancing Innovative Solutions in Workforce Development to Support the Retail Sector (Advancing Innovative Solutions) initiative, funded by the Walmart Foundation, provided NAWB the opportunity to invest resources to promote collaboration and foster a stronger relationship with the retail industry and workforce boards through the dissemination of promising practices and encourage workforce boards to embrace opportunities available in the retail sector.

Through the Advancing Innovative Solutions initiative, NAWB focused on increasing visibility and engagement between retail industry and the workforce development system to advance the retail sector and support economic growth locally and nationally. Additional areas of focus included: 
  • Advance the retail industry as an entry point into the workforce
  • Promote the retail industry and retail career pathways 
  • Increase engagement between workforce boards and the retail industry 
  • Identify and address pain points relevant to hiring, training and retention
  • Examine ways to expand programming to support local and national retail efforts 
Tools and Resources
NAWB developed resources designed specifically for workforce development boards to help them work effectively with the retail industry. 

Workforce Development Board Retail Industry Survey: NAWB surveyed workforce boards to get a better understanding of how they are working with industries in general, and retail in particular. The final report is in process and will be posted to this webpage soon. 

Retail Industry Toolkit for Workforce Boards: This drew on lessons learned from workforce boards that have actively engaged with the retail industry, and provided materials you can customize to meet your own needs as well as links to tools available on the Internet. 

Workforce Board and Retail Communications Forum: NAWB provided an online platform for workforce development boards to communicate and discuss strategies and best practices supporting retailers, job seekers, and incumbent workers.

Future of Work

In the summer of 2018, the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) and the Bertelsmann Foundation(BFNA) kicked off a series of dialogues in several cities and regions with vastly different economic and occupational profiles to learn how technology and automation – “the future of work” – is impacting workers, businesses, labor markets, industries, and, more generally, the community at large. 

 

NAWB and BFNA visited three cities: Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada, Riverside, California, where they partnered with local workforce boards to convene leaders in business, education, workforce development, and government to discuss the future of work and its impact locally. From these conversations, BFNA developed a microsite that highlights key analysis, video content, and other insights derived from research conducted during the visits. 


To view videos and insights from the project, visit the microsite Transatlantic Cities and Future of Work.


Solar Training Network

Advancing new pathways to employment for parents and families with young children

The Solar Training Network is a former initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative, and was designed to meet the workforce needs of the solar industry through solar training and strategic employment partnerships. NAWB was a key partner in this effort to train 75,000 people for careers in solar by 2020.

The Solar Training Network supported this growth by building connections that created  long-lasting careers to help power the next generation of energy leaders.


SolarTrainingUSA.org was developed as a connection hub for solar job seekers, solar companies looking for new hires, solar training providers, and workforce development boards.

Innovations in the field

Healthcare Virtual Career Network

The healthcare industry continues to provide some of the best career opportunities in the country. To help job seekers, career changers, and entry level individuals enter healthcare, the U.S. Department of Labor funded the development of the Healthcare Virtual Career Network (VCN), a comprehensive online tool for exploring healthcare careers, locating training and education programs, and finding jobs in over 75 different healthcare career fields. The National Association of Workforce Boards, working with the American Association of Community Colleges, Jobs for the Future, American Council on Education, and many others, received a grant from DOL to ensure the successful launch of VCN, which can be found at www.vcn.org/health-care.


Transit Virtual Career Network

Transit is a $55 billion industry that directly employs more than 400,000 workers, with many openings expected over the next five to 10 years. Individuals can learn how to pursue employment in the transit industry using the Transit Virtual Career Network, which provides localized information on more than 50 different frontline, transit-related occupations, including information on job growth and wages; physical/ medical requirements; legal requirements; required education and training; education, training, and financial aid sources; and available job opportunities. The National Association of Workforce Boards joined a consortium of university, nonprofit, and technology partners, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration, in the development of this web site: www.vcn.org/transit.


Green Jobs Virtual Career Network

Green jobs have tremendous benefits to the workers who hold them, our environment, and our country. The green economy represents a growth opportunity for America moving forward. The IGEN Green Economy VCN was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration in 2013, and contains information on 12 occupations. https://www.vcn.org/i-gen/


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