Employer Visits Service Provider Location
Creating opportunities for employers to visit service locations is a critical step in building strong relationships and fostering trust in workforce development partnerships. Employer visits allow for direct engagement, providing employers with a firsthand look at the facilities, training programs, and support systems in place. These visits also showcase the capabilities of workforce organizations to support employers' hiring and development needs effectively.
Key Points of Alignment
Across workforce organizations, hosting employers for service location visits is seen as essential to demonstrating commitment, transparency, and alignment in goals. Here are some shared practices among organizations:
Showcasing Facilities and Resources: Many organizations ensure that employer visits include guided tours of facilities to showcase available resources, such as training equipment, classrooms, or other assets that support workforce development. These tours allow employers to understand the scope and quality of services offered.
Emphasizing Hands-On Training: Workforce organizations often highlight hands-on training opportunities during visits, showing employers the types of skills that participants are developing. This approach emphasizes the alignment between training programs and employer needs, showcasing the readiness of potential employees.
Creating Opportunities for Interaction: Many organizations arrange for employers to meet with staff, trainees, or graduates during visits. These interactions offer employers a real-world perspective on how workforce services operate and allow them to see potential hires in action. This direct engagement builds trust and helps employers feel confident in the organization’s ability to provide job-ready candidates.
Unique Approaches
National Able Network: National Able Network conducts highly structured visits for employers, focusing on providing a detailed understanding of training processes. Employers are introduced to staff members who oversee specific training areas, allowing for in-depth discussions on curriculum and hands-on activities. These visits often include sessions where employers can provide feedback on training relevance to ensure alignment with current industry standards. Read more here.
E&ES (Employment & Employer Services): E&ES takes a tailored approach, scheduling employer visits that emphasize the organization’s flexibility in meeting unique employer needs. Their tours often include demonstrations of specific training modules relevant to the employer’s industry. Additionally, E&ES creates follow-up opportunities where employers can request additional visits or ongoing involvement in the development of specific training programs. Read more here.
ScaleLIT/Level Up Campaign: Through the Level Up Campaign, ScaleLIT uses employer visits to highlight the integration of digital tools, such as Airtable, that streamline training and placement processes. These visits showcase how technology supports workforce services, allowing employers to observe how data is tracked, analyzed, and used to connect job-ready candidates with appropriate roles. This tech-driven approach demonstrates ScaleLIT’s commitment to modernizing workforce development. Read more here.
Chicago Department of Family & Support Services (DFSS): DFSS organizes employer visits with a focus on community impact, often involving city partners who support local workforce initiatives. During these visits, employers learn about how workforce programs align with broader city initiatives, such as reducing unemployment or supporting economic growth. DFSS highlights the broader social and economic benefits of workforce programs, showing employers that their involvement contributes to impactful community outcomes. Read more here.
Cook County Bureau of Economic Development: The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development uses employer visits to demonstrate their collaborative approach to workforce development. Visits include presentations on partnerships with local educational institutions and other county departments. Employers are shown how collaborative efforts can streamline hiring and training, providing insights into how the Bureau works across sectors to meet regional workforce demands. This collaborative focus helps employers see the value of a multi-agency approach in addressing complex workforce needs. Read more here.
