As the City’s Workforce Development Board, Philadelphia Works understands how vital it is for businesses to have access to the resources they need to hire, grow, and retain talent. Maintaining a diverse pipeline of skilled workers for businesses to recruit from is a significant part of a strong workforce system; and vital for businesses to stay competitive in their respective industries.
At no cost to employers, our business solutions offer comprehensive services and strategic partnerships that diversify talent pipelines and support economic growth in the Philadelphia region.
Here are 4 ways that Philadelphia Works can help grow your business now:
- Offset the costs of training employees:
Upskilling/Re-skilling employees can pull heavily on business resources. To offset the cost of training employees, businesses can take advantage of our On-the-Job Training (OJT) program. Businesses interested in OJT are typically looking to quickly onboard and train new employees. For workers who have an established work history, we offer Incumbent Worker Training (IWT). Utilizing IWT gives workers the necessary skills to remain in their position, advance in the company, or to avoid layoffs.
Pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships are trending models in workforce development. Pre-apprenticeships prepare workers for the minimum requirements for entry into an established apprenticeship program, while apprenticeships offer a combination of OJT and related classroom instruction where workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of highly skilled occupations.
In addition to these core resources, businesses should also be aware of their access to Customized-Job-Training (CJT). CJT is training to specifically meet the needs of businesses who agree to contribute to the cost of the training and to hire individuals upon training completion.
- Connect you to industry peers:
Joining an IP gives you the opportunity to change the future of your industry by helping to identify industry-wide challenges to discuss, develop, and implement ongoing solutions. Our Industry Partnerships brings together businesses, workers, and job training providers from a single industry sector to collaborate on improving the industry’s competitiveness and address common workforce needs. Our most successful IP to date is our advanced manufacturing IP (SEPMA), which currently consists of over 60 businesses and more than 35 affiliate partners.
- Save you time and money:
Recruiting new hires can be costly. Through our local CareerLink System, businesses can:
- Access an online candidate pool
- Post free listings for job openings and attend hiring events
- Pre-screen job candidates for eligibility requirements
The Business Engagement Team at Philadelphia Works will work very closely with businesses to develop strategies specific to each business’ need, increasing productivity and their bottom line.
- Help you respond to economic challenges:
Sometimes external factors outside of the business’ control cause them to have to lay off the majority or all their employees. This can undoubtedly be a stressful time for the employees as well as the business, but we can help. Our Rapid Response and Lay-off Aversion programs are for individuals who have had their position terminated or have been notified of an impending layoff. Outreach is provided to those impacted workers to get them reemployed as quickly as possible. Our reemployment services help affected employees connect to employment opportunities within an industry or within their communities and aid in the transition. The goal of Rapid Response is to partner with employers to help affected workers get re-employed quickly.
For more information, contact our Business Engagement Team at 215-854-1994 or businessengagementteam@philaworks.org or visit philaworks.org
*It is important to note that many of the solutions listed may give dislocated workers in Pennsylvania priority status.
Workforce Wednesday is in partnership with Metro Newspaper.
