Calumet Area Industrial Commission
Calumet Area Industrial Commission is a nonprofit organization. Learn more at https://calumetareaindustrial.com/.
Introductory Conversations and Assessment
How organizations conduct initial needs assessment with employers, introduce workforce development in general as well as their own organization’s programs, and gauge whether an employer could benefit from workforce development programs.
Introducing Your Organization
- Hosting high-quality, well-organized career fairs is a strategy that CAIC uses to build credibility with employers. CAIC demonstrates its value as a strategic partner in the manufacturing industry by consistently providing a professional venue, gaining commitment from engaged employers, and delivering a high volume of qualified job seekers.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Evaluating Employer Suitability
- CAIC’s focus is on the manufacturing industry, which also includes employers from the Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics (TDL) and warehousing industries. This is the primary factor that impacts an employer’s suitability.
- During mandatory OJT site visits, the Business Services Representative verifies that the employer is fully operational and compliant with safety and legal standards.
- A critical factor in evaluating an employer, especially for OJT program, is the intent to hire. Employers must commit to hiring candidates into full-time, permanent positions rather than temporary or seasonal roles.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Establishing Employer Relationships
Ways that organizations follow up or otherwise build relationships with potential employer partners. How do organizations keep employers’ interest and stay top of mind, despite how busy they may be?
Following Up via Phone and/or Email
- Follow-up practices are customized to the specific needs of each employer. Initial outreach focuses on establishing the partnership with a new employer, including signing a formal OJT agreement.
- Once an employer begins the program, the focus of communications shifts from administrative set-up to active recruitment. CAIC sends the employer referrals for the open positions and actively manages the partnership with their point of contact.
- To be effective, the Business Services Representative must ensure that their point of contact has the final authority to approve OJT or hiring decisions to ensure that the process moves forward without unnecessary delays.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Employer Visits to Service Provider Locations
- The Business Services Representative conducts a site visit using the OJT Pre-Award Checklist.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Service Provider Visits to Employer Workplace
- As a manufacturing membership organization, CAIC hosts many events for members, which can include a combination of social events, such as luncheons and golf outings, and recruitment activities like job fairs and industry-specific speaker sessions.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Job Fairs and Hiring Events
- CAIC hosts hiring events for employers, as needed. Some events may be held to help meet programmatic requirements or at the request of an employer.
- Case managers help job seekers prepare for hiring events by providing resume and interview prep and training (when funding is available).
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Metrics and Financial Factors
How organizations collect and share information about expected outcomes and potential financial rewards and incentives.
Sharing Metrics and Return on Investment with Employers
- CAIC tracks placement and retention rates of job seekers. Periodically, these numbers are shared with prospective employers to highlight success stories and to demonstrate the impact of the OJT program.
- OJT metrics are shared with the Board of Directors in the annual report.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Gathering Data to Track Employer Metrics
- CAIC utilizes internal Excel spreadsheets to manage employer data and support organizational decision-making. In addition to these internal tools, the organization uses Career Connect and the Illinois WorkNet systems to track employer engagement activities across the broader workforce ecosystem.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Organizational Level Considerations
How organizations are set up to build partnerships with employers, and how they leverage relationships with other organizations for better outcomes.
Organizational Structure, Resourcing, and Staffing
- At CAIC, a Business Services Representative leads employer engagement activities. Several other team members, like the Chief Operational Officer, the VP of Economic Development, the Chief Operations Officer, and other leaders throughout the organization, also engage employers in various ways.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Collaborating with Other Organizations
- CAIC actively participates in shared placements to ensure that workforce development activities continue even if internal funding is depleted. This typically occurs near the end of the fiscal year. The team proactively reaches out to partner organizations to initiate the placements.
- CAIC maintains strong relationships with specific providers, including E&ES and Dynamic Educational Systems, Inc. (DESI), which makes the process smooth and efficient.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Challenges
Common challenges and how organizations typically respond to them.
Workforce Development Jargon
- To maximize engagement, CAIC avoids using terms that are typically associated with social services. A key strategy is reframing program benefits. Programs are presented in a way that emphasizes impact on the business’s bottom line. For instance, On-the-Job Training (OJT) is presented as a financial tool that can offset the costs of hiring and training new staff.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Ensuring Compliance with Progammatic and Funding Requirements
- Compliance is monitored at three scheduled touchpoints: an initial visit to the employer’s site, a midpoint visit to assess progress, and a final visit to conclude the program.
- CAIC verifies active Workers’ Compensation insurance at the start and requires payroll and attendance records at the end of the term to confirm hours worked and authorize funding reimbursements.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Handling Objections from Employers
- Some employers may initially view workforce programs as “extra work”. To overcome this objection, CAIC has streamlined the process for the employer, removing much of the administrative burden.
- Employers often mistake workforce agencies for for-profit staffing firms. CAIC proactively clarifies that it is a government-funded nonprofit. Unlike staffing agencies that require contracts and fees, workforce services are provided at no cost to the company.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Handling Challenges
- It is important to maintain consistent communication and follow-up with employers to keep the partnership active.
- Sometimes the point of contact may be interested, but others in the organization may view the program as a burden. Overcoming this requires clearly communicating how the program offers significant advantages with minimal risk.
- It is important to ensure that the primary contact has the authority to make final decisions on hiring or OJT agreements.
- To reduce the administrative burden on employers, CAIC pre-fills the OJT agreement based on information collected in the pre-award checklist.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jacob Carruthers in 2026. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
