Employer-driven programs work. Apprenticeships work. Employers work with community colleges to set a curriculum that will teach skills needed in local businesses through a combination of classroom and on-the-job learning. And, the students are paid for the work they do while gaining valuable skills. Using this model, communities across the country can develop a much-needed, skilled workforce, leading to jobs that employers need to fill.

On Tuesday, March 8, 2022, WorkingNation president Jane Oates led an insightful discussion on the subject at the SXSW EDU 2022 conference in Austin. Joining her in the conversation were Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation; Lydia Logan, global VP of education and workforce development for IBM, and Kennon Harrison, VP of workforce development at Revature.

You can see the full conversation below