How do you deal with the uncertainty and complexity of the workforce development environment?

If the goal doesnt equal a job then the program is created for show only. All programs should be developed with an employer and employer informed skills prior to starting the intervention. IE if the goal is to increase women in tech, the first step is to talk to employer to see where and what gaps exist. This can help you ensure the other goal setting makes sense and starts with the end in mind.

Many goals can be attained by freely available training or self-development. These sources of development are less restricted by funding availability. Some employees only want expensive certification. Look out for them. They're not looking to grow - they're looking mainly to pad their resumes.

This is essential and what many organizations forget. Implementing workforce development solutions means evaluating whole systems. Single solutions will never work to truly move the needle. If you want to change systems, you MUST amplify, enhance and collaborate with those within the system and don’t forget to listen to the end user: industry.

Many times we find ourselves collaborating with the same organizations and partners for the various new ideas/RFP applications. We sometimes miss the opportunity to reach outside of the partners we know will always be willing to come to the table depending on the industry/sector/initiative. It is so very important we remain vigilant in our continuous search for new partnerships and collaborators. The bigger the support network for each industry/sector, the more ideas and possibilities!

Everything is about context. Truly understanding the purpose of workforce development as a whole and for those you are interested in collaborating with. Embracing new ideas and methods to get to the desired goal to leave the world in a better place than you inherited it one time card at a time.

Managing risk is planning for the known unknowns. When you consider yourself as a professional, you typically recognize where the challenges will be. Managing risks means managing those things you know you cannot recognize in advance. Maybe it is buffering a project with additional time, perhaps connecting with a professional in an indirect, yet relevant expertise on the project you are working on in advance of a potential challenge in order to establish rapport and trust prior to an ask for help. In workforce, our greatest asset is making connections to improve opportunities for those we serve. It is best not to limit your contacts to a single field, or even a small handful of fields.

Workforce development and related funding is confusing. Stories are what matters at the end of the day. When translating what a project, cohort or program was, sometimes gets very confusing for people. To tell a client story of how someone was truly impacted by a specific effort is something people can understand (having the client tell it themselves would be even better). This is something they can leave with, repeat and remember. Storytelling packs nice and travels well!

Be ready to iterate often and prepared to grow or contract as the market needs when creating interventions per industry. The interventions should solve a problem so if it worked you will need to focus on another industry.

As a workforce director at a chamber, fostering adaptability involves proactive engagement with industry trends, providing relevant training programs, facilitating networking opportunities, and advocating for policies that support workforce agility amidst uncertainty and complexity.

An organization can have a great vision. Such a vision can be impossible to achieve if they don't have the capacity to mange the inevitable growth in clientele. A plan for increasing capacity will be more effective than reacting to it