Local Workforce Boards: Your Key to Recruitment and Retention

Overview

How can solar companies find qualified employees to hire? Solar businesses have access to a range of resources through local workforce development boards (LWDBs) and American Job Centers (AJCs), usually at no cost. These services can be especially helpful for small businesses and those with limited human resource management capacity. 

Read on to find out how you can partner with LWDBs and AJCs to recruit qualified candidates to roles at your organization, receive hiring incentives through these programs, and develop partnerships that can strengthen your organization and bolster retention. 

Both LWDBs and AJCs can be leveraged for:

1. Job postings
2. Finding and preparing candidates
3. Access to incentives
4. Connecting with other industry employers
5. Accessing labor market information
6. Connecting to talent pools

Local Workforce Development Boards

The LWDB brings together community representatives and partners to identify and address local workforce development concerns and align the workforce system with the needs of local businesses. Composed of business, government, and nonprofit leadership, LWDBs establish and carry out policies, strategies, and funding priorities for an area’s federally funded workforce development system. 

Among the duties of an LWDB is oversight of the AJCs, which provide services for job seekers and businesses. Participation on the board is a very good way for solar businesses to stay abreast of programs and policies while making sure that the industry is represented in local policy and program decisions.

Because LWDBs focus their efforts on community-based needs, they are a great partner for employers who are looking to grow or strengthen their business locally. LWDBs help businesses that need support in hiring more workers, want training for employees, or have an interest in utilizing other services such as one-stop centers, hiring assistance, and job postings.

Engaging with the Local Board

Companies will often engage their local board to secure funds for training. While the board is designed to offer this service, the company’s experience with the board will be most beneficial and effective if it is approached as a conversation and partnership, rather than a training transaction.

Solar companies should also consider the following before engaging the local board: 

1. What is your general willingness to engage the board and make yourself available? In addition to attending LWDB meetings, employers can invite board staff to visit their work sites. This is the first step in establishing a strong relationship with the local board.
2. Are you able to talk knowledgeably and openly about your company and the solar industry? Employers must be able to talk about the jobs they have available, the wages attributed to those jobs, and, if possible, talk about how large their industry is within the region and average job growth. 
3. Do you have a willingness to consider hiring workers from a variety of backgrounds? Local workforce development boards have a strong desire to create sustainable lives for everyone. If your company is willing to hire TANF recipients, veterans, ex-offenders, or individuals with disabilities, boards will be more receptive and be able to provide more resources in helping you address your hiring needs.
4. Do you have a workforce that needs to be upskilled? The local workforce development board can also assist with incumbent worker training, to help your current employees advance to the next level or transition from one function or another.

American Job Centers

AJCs deliver federally funded workforce development services at the local level, including programs created under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

AJCs are designed to be one-stop centers and are often referred to as such. The one-stop concept was implemented to make services easier to access and navigate. An employer or jobseeker can visit an AJC to learn about and access all services that are available through the public workforce system and its partners. Each center has a set of partners that are located in the same building, and the centers provide easy referral to additional partners within the community.

Some of the services provided by AJCs include:

Basic Career Services: Self-service and staff-assisted resources for individuals seeking employment, including access to labor exchange systems, resume development, labor market information, skills and interest assessments, etc.

Individual Career Services: One-on-one services for individuals to receive assistance from career coaches to become job-ready and obtain employment, including resume development, career counseling, and interview preparation.

Employer Services: Services provided to employers from dedicated Business Services Representatives to assist with various aspects of hiring, recruitment, human resources, and incumbent worker training.

Support Services: AJC staff can connect job seekers to resources or community partners to address barriers to employment, including transportation, child care, housing, etc.

Community Referrals: For needs that cannot be met by AJC partners, staff maintain information about additional community partners that are available for referrals.