Workforce Development Jargon
Techniques organizations employ to simplify workforce development jargon into employer-friendly language, accompanied by practical examples of its application.
Business Career Services Illinois
- Terminology is adapted to be more approachable for employers by simplifying program descriptions and using less intimidating terms, such as referring to “monitoring visits” as “check-ins.”
- BCS avoids “government speak” and positions itself as a “red tape cutter,” focusing on simplifying processes and minimizing bureaucratic hurdles for employers.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Deb Lawrence in 2024. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Cara Collective
- Terms like “social-emotional training” are framed as strengths that set candidates apart, aligning with employer goals for reliable and resilient hires.
- Cara replaces technical jargon with straightforward language, emphasizing workplace competencies such as professionalism and time management instead of broader terms like “workforce development.”
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Tim Loeffler in 2025. This content was approved by the organization in March 2025.
City Colleges of Chicago
- To help establish a rapport with employers, Olive-Harvey team members avoid using workforce acronyms and jargon. Instead, common language is used. For example, rather than referring to incumbent staff, Olive-Harvey team members refer to current staff.
- Additionally, to prepare for the initial meetings with an employer, Olive-Harvey team members identify keywords from an employer’s website and incorporate those terms into their discussions. This builds credibility with employers and helps to build trust.
This content is based on interviews and/or email correspondence with Joachim Borha in 2024 and 2025. This content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development
- Rebranding efforts are in progress to align program names and marketing materials with employer-friendly terminology.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Lijia Evariz in 2024. This content was approved by the organization in March 2025.
Cook County Bureau of Economic Development
- A simplified workforce pitch is used to resonate with employers: “Workforce development is a set of financial subsidies or tax credits that help you to either discount or amortize talent acquisition costs.”
- Cook County uses employer-friendly language that emphasizes direct financial and operational benefits, such as reduced costs through tax credits and access to skilled talent pools. Messaging is customized to reflect employer priorities, such as the value of hiring veterans for their technical and leadership skills or mature workers for their dedication and reliability.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Michael Thompson in 2024. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Corporate Coalition
- The term “practice change” is avoided in employer discussions because it may sound too rigid; instead, it is framed as a gap analysis for identifying opportunities.
- Employers are introduced to fair chance hiring through business-friendly language that highlights transformational hiring practices.
- Terms like “justice-impacted individuals,” “individuals with records,” and “individuals with prior convictions” are preferred, but employers are encouraged to ask questions about language.
- Recruitment materials for fair chance hiring explain the broad definition of justice-impacted individuals, clarifying that not all have been incarcerated.
- The Fair Chance Hiring Cohort emphasizes human-first language, preferring terms such as “justice-impacted individuals” and “individuals with records” over outdated terminology.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Steph Dolan in 2025. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Harper College
- Employers are introduced to workforce services in business terms, focusing on recruitment solutions, training investments, and long-term workforce development rather than workforce policy or funding-driven language.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Besa Sadiku in 2024. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services
- Services are introduced in plain language, focusing on disability inclusion and workforce support.
- Jargon like “WIOA Title IV” is avoided unless employers express curiosity.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Biswa Phuyal in 2025. This content was approved by the organization in March 2025.
Northern Illinois University Workforce Policy Lab
- Workforce jargon such as “IWT” (Incumbent Worker Training) and “local workforce area” is avoided in employer conversations.
- Business service teams are trained to communicate in business terms rather than workforce development terminology.
- DOL (Department of Labor) resources are used to translate workforce language into employer-friendly terms.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jennifer Foil in 2025. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Per Scholas
- Outreach avoids workforce development jargon and uses employer-friendly, conversational language to build rapport.
- Instead of asking employers directly about hiring needs, conversations often begin by seeking advice or feedback on improving candidate readiness.
- Technical terms are tailored to reflect employer priorities; for example, focusing on specific job roles or skill sets (e.g., AWS certification, cybersecurity expertise) rather than generalized training descriptions.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Kelsey Briggs-Dineen in 2025. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Pyramid Partnership Inc
- Pyramid Partnerships uses plain language to describe services, avoiding technical jargon like “sector-based strategies.”
- Instead of “job readiness programs,” they discuss “helping candidates meet your hiring needs.”
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Kelly Brown in 2024. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
RiseKit
- When a prospective employer has a representative on staff whose title indicates a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion or workforce development, RiseKit can introduce its services by emphasizing the “why” and the “how” behind community-based hiring and connecting the platform’s use to the employer’s goals.
This content is based on interviews and/or email correspondence with Josh Glantz in 2024 and 2025. This content was approved by the organization in March 2025.
scaleLIT
- ScaleLIT focuses on using employer-centric language to align with business terminology.
- Efforts include replacing workforce development-specific terms like “credentials” with more familiar terms such as “certifications,” avoiding “education-ese” or “program-ese” to simplify and clarify messaging.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Becky Raymond in 2024. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
World Business Chicago
- WBC communicates with employers in business-friendly terms rather than using workforce development jargon. The organization frames workforce initiatives as part of broader business growth strategies rather than standalone workforce programs.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Tana Francellno in 2024. This draft content has NOT yet been signed off by the organization.
Points of alignment
This section provides an overview of practices that are similar across organizations.
Point #1
Nearly all organizations recognize the challenges posed by workforce development jargon and strive to make employer-facing materials more accessible by simplifying program descriptions and replacing technical terms with clear, straightforward language.
Point #2
Some organizations personalize presentation materials to address an employer’s unique needs, aligning workforce programs with the employer’s strategic objectives.
