What Makes a Good Partner?

Establish partnership parameters.

Career Pathways Action Guide Phase:

Why Partner

Your career pathways program strength and impact is heavily influenced by the strength of your partnerships with relevant stakeholders. Partner for the right reasons, with the right stakeholders, and you’ll gain access to a whole world of resources and connections. Career pathways partnerships are eligible for all kinds of funding that programs alone do not qualify for. [insert short list of funding types, sources, and eligibility in graphic form]

Set Partnership Parameters

Key questions to consider before entering into your partnership include:

  • Do this partner’s outcomes align with those of the career pathway?
  • How long is the term of partnership? Will it cover the full planning and execution of your career pathway program?
  • How nimble is this partner willing to be to achieve your set outcomes if circumstances shift?

Who to Partner with

Public Agencies (labor, social service, and law enforcement departments)

  • Reduce barriers to employment for particular communities
  • Achieve green jobs and sustainability commitments
  • Reduce recidivism

Nonprofit Organizations (tree orgs, wraparound service providers)

  • Train and place people facing barriers to employment into urban forestry
  • Social service organizations that provide wraparound/support services like transportation, childcare, driver’s license acquisition, record expungement, financial literacy, and career coaching

Employers (private contractors, utility companies, and public agencies)

  • Meet the workforce needs forestry departments
  • Grow a more diverse and inclusive crew culture
  • Increase competitive edge and market share

Academia (high schools, GED programs, 2- and 4-year colleges)

  • Build relationships with teachers and instructors in urban forestry-related disciplines
  • Expand the potential labor pool
  • Facilitate experiential learning, shadow days, and networking for potential new hires

Trade Groups (Credentialing bodies, professional associations)

  • Reduce labor shortage
  • Grow local chapters of natural resource industry groups looking to solve a local labor shortage

Funders (foundations, workforce collaboratives, workforce boards)

  • Capitalize on investments in climate change solutions and green jobs
  • Align with regional and state workforce goals
  • Address pressing economic, social, and environmental need in under-resourced communities

 

 

Career Pathways Action Guide