Earning Grant $ by Supporting Future Workforce

In the US, the Federal government uses the tax code and discretionary funding to incentivize businesses to act in ways that establish the kind of society the governing party envisions. For the most part, private businesses can run their shops the way they want to. But if they're asking for favors to boost their business - a tax credit, a low-interest loan or grant funding, then they need to show that they're going to support the vision at the top.

It's part of the a whole-of-government approach to funding, that incentives for domestic semiconductor manufacturing require wrap-around services for workers. I've heard executives fume about having to add a daycare to construction plans in order to get funding. It's true that the government shouldn't be forcing companies to provide daycare, but if they want tens of millions of dollars of free money, they have to play ball.

And so it goes for the 48C(e) Tax Credit Program. Round 1 may not be terribly competitive, we'll see. But future rounds certainly will. The application requires an essay on workforce and community engagement plans. There are lots of ways to approach this. Here are a few ideas that leverage existing programs for the labor pipeline, based on the lead graphic.

Starting from the top and working down: Communities want jobs with benefits that are going to raise the average income. I've worked with one company that made sure to point out that the health insurance package they selected included treatment for opioid addiction. I haven't seen a company embrace unions (yet) but the next best thing is to offer apprenticeships. That's in effect offering to pay for a community college education while providing intensive on-the-job training (OJT). There are informal apprenticeships, and then there are registered apprenticeships. That's another level of commitment that's worth weighing.

Then there's reskilling workers who have been displaced by coal mine closures and the general wind-down of heavy industry. That can be a formal program (which is hard to keep up) or mentoring with OJT.

I've encouraged adding returnships, to the mix. That's essentially an apprenticeship without the promise of paying for an associates degree. Some community colleges have programs for displaced homemakers, those re-entering society from incarceration, veterans, recovering addicts, or any other situation where one has been out of the workforce for an extended period of time. There are usually programs that help vet the applicants for you and provide the wrap-around support that the returning worker needs.

At the bottom there are various types of job shadowing which might include a stipend. Consider the High School Externship. These are usually for top students on the cusp of high school graduation. They've finished their Advanced Placement (AP) tests, they've been accepted to college, or planned a gap year. And now they're just goofing off. Best to get them out of the building. Here's an idea - have them spend a month job shadowing and fetching sandwiches for "the big meeting in the conference room."

Job shadowing for 3-5 days is also extremely helpful for students 14-21 who are working to overcome a debilitating handicap. All states have been incentivized to provide Pre-Employment Transition Services, also known as Pre-ETS. To the extent that young people can move into meaningful work, whether or not they're economically self-sufficient, it is a big boon to individual families and to society.

Need help with Workforce and Community Engagement writing? Let me know!

#techstevedore #LSIwins