How do we ensure more people have access to the training they need to compete for jobs in today’s workforce? Innovative approaches to financing programs for those who can’t normally afford them could be a key. “Income share agreements are helping to close this opportunity gap,” says Peter Callstrom, president and CEO of San Diego Workforce Partnership.

San Diego Workforce Partnership offers a highly successful ISA initiative, the only one in the entire country operated by an organization within the workforce development system.

Callstrom explains matching students with employers is a strong outcomes-focused funding model. “We’re working with employers all the time. When we can make that match happen, it works wonders because then this is a renewable fund instead of just funding out a training and you’re done. You have to go and find more, which is the public workforce system model, where we use the dollars and we pay for the training.”

“This can renew and get more and more folks that same opportunity going forward.”

Click here to learn more about San Diego Workforce Partnership.

WorkingNation—a collaborating partner of the ASU+GSV Summit—spoke with Callstrom in San Diego as part of our #WorkingNationOverheard social media series.

Hear from more innovators in education and tech in the public, private, and nonprofit spheres attending the ASU+GSV Summit 2021 here.

Follow the conversation on social media: #asugsvsummit #workingnationoverheard