About the Engaging Workplace Partners Initiative

Over the last twenty-five years, New Ways has designed systems and developed tools, materials, and trainings to support national, state-wide, and local efforts to support youth as they move into adulthood and make the school-to-career transition. Utilizing state-of-the-art tools and frameworks , New Ways facilitates training and strategic planning sessions for educators and youth practitioners. New Ways has also developed several components of quality work-based learning toolkits that specifically support employer and workplace partners.

As organizations and youth-service providers work towards providing quality work-based experiences for young people, they are often tasked with serving at least two primary roles: supporting and finding work experiences for youth as well as engaging and supporting employers and workplace partners.

The Engaging Workplace Partners Approach

New Ways tailors tools and strategies to support Engagement Specialists* and organizations in viewing the potential workplace partner as the primary customer. In doing so, they are able to serve the needs of industry and the employer by connecting them with an energetic and qualified workforce (youth). Through our workshops and trainings, New Ways coaches practitioners with strategies for handling workplace partner objections, understanding local industry market forces and developing a strategic plan, and marketing and selling their services. In the end, New Ways demonstrates that meeting the interests of workplace partners first is a win-win situation for youth and industry.  

There are four easy steps to the successful engagement of employers, labor, government, community organizations, and others to support engagement efforts. (The Four Easy Steps are outlined in detail in the Engaging Workplace Partner Engagement Specialist Quick Guide. (PDF 216 kb))

Step 1 - Be Prepared
Step 2 - Make a Plan and Stick to It!
Step 3 - Market and Sell Your Service
Step 4 - Deliver Flawless Follow-up

Characteristics of Effective Organizations

Organizations that do a good job of engaging employers and other workplace partners in their work share five common quality characteristics. (The Five Quality Characteristics are detailed in the description of the Characteristics of Effective Organizations. (PDF 100 kb))

1. View the Workplace Partner as the Primary Customer
2. Maintain a Sales and Customer Service Orientation
3. Ensure Resources are Targeted Towards the Engagement Effort
4. Employ a Systems Approach
5. Utilize Quality Practices

*"Workplace Partner" refers to individuals or organizations who provide workplace experiences, including employment, job shadows, career exploration, internships, service learning, and other work-based learning experiences.

**"Engagement Specialist" refers to anyone whose job function includes recruiting or engaging employers or workplace partners, such as job developers, placement specialists, account representative, internship coordinators, youth specialists, work-based learning coordinators, industry liaisons, or academy directors.