planning what’s possible: designing an employer … · differently. a smaller business has fewer...
TRANSCRIPT
DESIGNING AN EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIP
PLANNING WHAT’S POSSIBLE:
AUTHORS
Jackie Gonzalez Senior Program Manager
Leah MoschellaSenior Program Manager
Julia di Bonaventura Senior Program Manager
Matt PolandSenior Program Manager
MARCH 2019
Acknowledgments
JFF would like to acknowledge several individuals who contributed to the development of this
resource, especially the devoted out-of-school-time educators and leadership at the Clubhouse
Network and Best Buy Social Impact: Gail Breslow, Brendan Casey, Aviva Baff, Lynn Murray,
Cassandra Rivera, Jasmine Medrano, Deborah Morris York, Andrea Reihl, William Woodworth,
and Andrea Wood.
About JFF
JFF is a national nonprofit that drives transformation in the American workforce and education
systems. For 35 years, JFF has led the way in designing innovative and scalable solutions that
create access to economic advancement for all. Join us as we build a future that works.
http://www.jff.org
About Best Buy Foundation
Best Buy Foundation Builds Better Futures Through Technology
For half a century, Best Buy has been a catalyst for the rise of technology to educate and enrich
people’s lives through technology.
Technology know-how is crucial for young people preparing to enter the job market for the first
time. Over 80 percent of jobs created in the next decade will require tech skills. Tech reliant jobs
have a faster average growth projection than all other professions. We are committed to giving
teens from underserved communities access to the technology, training and mentorship they
need to succeed in the tech-reliant jobs of the future.
We open the door to opportunity with technology training and tools which will allow nonprofit
organizations to help young people build better futures through technology—a new generation
of engineers, entrepreneurs, creators, designers, and dreamers.
Table of Contents
How This Guide Can Help You ......................................................................1
Why You Should Have a Customized Employer Engagement Strategy ........1
Design Your Approach ...................................................................................4
Make Contact .................................................................................................7
Meet the Employer Representative ...............................................................8
Follow Up .......................................................................................................9
Develop Employer Champions ......................................................................10
In-Action Examples .......................................................................................12
Take Your Next Steps .....................................................................................19
Appendix ........................................................................................................20
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How This Guide Can Help You
Now more than ever, it is critical for educators to help the young people we serve become career
ready. Employers can be a critical partner in helping young people develop key career-readiness
skills through work-based learning. This guide is designed to help Best Buy Teen Tech Center
(BBTTC) staff and other educators to confidently engage with employers and build targeted
opportunities for career exposure and the development of employability skills through
meaningful work-based learning opportunities.
You can use this resource to:
• Learn about employer perspective and “what to say” to pique employer interest
• Develop a strategy to engage employers
• Understand how labor market information can help you target the right employers
• Align your career-readiness activities to the needs of the actual job market, with case
study illustrations to help you identify resources
Ultimately, this resource aims to help you support young people in gaining meaningful exposure
to the world of work.
Why You Should Have a Customized Employer
Engagement Strategy
What Do We Mean by Employer Engagement Strategy?
An effective employer engagement strategy involves making informed decisions around the
purpose of your interactions with employers. Your strategy also helps you determine when and
at what level to engage with employers to meet that purpose. It entails processes and/or
approaches to developing relationships with employers, supporting the design of workplace
experiences with them, and continuing to deepen their investment in the educational process.
Having an employer engagement strategy can save you time, help you set goals, communicate
needs to colleagues and your supervisor, and also help young people develop skills that can lead
to “good jobs.”
2
Develop Relationships with Employers
Developing meaningful employer relationships is not easy. It requires staff time and resources
that may seem impossible on a daily basis. Despite these obstacles, sustained and successful
employer engagement is both possible and worth the challenge. Every relationship is worth
maintaining to some degree. Relationships that start as low level (like presenting at a career
day) can grow to offer more valuable activities (like offering internships) when you demonstrate
value and build trust over time.
In this guide, we will help you to visualize the different ways you can partner with
employers to enhance your BBTTC programming.
What is Work-Based Learning?
Work-based learning is when students or workers have ongoing workplace experience that
provides them with meaningful job tasks that (a) develop their skills, knowledge, and
readiness for work, and (b) support entry or advancement in a particular career field.
To learn more about JFF’s work-based learning framework and access free resources, visit
JFF’s Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning.
What is a “Good Job”?
A “good job” allows an individual to meet their basic needs while also meeting higher needs
around meaningfulness and personal growth. Some qualities of a “good” job include a
living wage or a direct path that leads to an increased salary within an appropriate
timeframe, a reliable and reasonable work schedule, and other benefits that support
advancement such as tuition remission.
To learn more, check out the Good Jobs Institute's Good Jobs Strategy.
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So, what is successful employer engagement? We can categorize it into three main buckets:
Consider your current employer partners. What buckets do they fall in?
While there is certainly value in plugging employers into your program at every level, this tool
can help you think more strategically about how to build on existing relationships, or create new
ones, that add the most value. The most intensive opportunities are the hardest to design but
can ultimately position your program as a talent solution while helping young people develop
essential skills for the workplace.
L1: Early Stage
Employer
Engagement
(Least Intensive)
L2: Moderately Intensive
Employer Engagement
L3: Deep Employer
Engagement
(Most Intensive)
• Guest speaker
• Company
tour/field trip
• Job shadow
• Mock interviews
• In-kind donations
• Service learning
• Mentoring, tutoring
• Class project/challenge
• Hackathon
• Curriculum advising
• Scholarship reviewing
• Event sponsorships
• Internship
• Job placement
• Serving as an
employer champion
(see Developing
Employer
Champions below)
What Do We Mean by Talent
Solution?
Employers often have a hard time finding
candidates to fill specific positions for a number of
reasons. The BBTTC can help employers by
addressing those skills in its programming, so
young people are fulfilling a need while gaining
valuable workplace experience and a paycheck.
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Design Your Approach
1. Consider Your Value to the Employer—Why Might They Want to
Work with You?
Work with your team to reflect on what you can bring to the table through existing resources
and partnerships.
Consider your team’s:
• Knowledge. What business, industry, and/or talent development expertise do we have
that could help targeted employers solve problems or add value?
• People. What skills, competencies, and attributes do our young people have that would
be of value to targeted employers?
• Facilities. Do we have a function space or access to a space that would be useful for
events and forums? Do we have training facilities or equipment of value?
• Relationships. Is anyone in our staff or leadership connected to public officials,
business leaders, service providers, or other people who may be of interest to local
employers?
• Partners. Do we have existing relationships with organizations that are recognizable
and trusted by target employers?
• Ways to reduce risk. Often, employers are not aware of state laws and policies
regarding youth employment. While there are some liabilities involved, in most
industries they often are no different than hiring a full-time adult employee. To learn
more, check out this resource from JFF.
2. Research Your Employer Pool—What Industries Do You Want to
Target?
While all employer partnerships can play a significant role, you can use labor market
information (LMI) and other industry research from online resources or a local workforce
center to find win-win opportunities. It can help you identify employers that are looking to build
talent and position your young people for opportunities that provide an actual career pathway.
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You can use LMI to support your BBTTC. LMI can help you:
• Understand what industries are in demand. What does your LMI or industry
review tell you about what skills and occupations are in demand in your neighborhood?
How can you use that information to enhance your pitch to an employer?
• Anticipate challenges of the industry. What are some of the talent challenges
within this particular industry that you can help to alleviate or address? For example, is
there a shortage of help desk workers or a high turnover rate? How does the BBTTC
acknowledge and support young people in being better prepared for the workforce?
• Support your young people. What industries and jobs are the youth in your program
interested in? Do their interests align with viable options in your local economy? LMI
can help you predict the skills that youth will need to secure high-paying, high-demand
occupations in the future and provide them with the right information.
• Make better-informed decisions. This information can help you plan and make
better decisions about what employers to partner with, how to enhance your pitch, and
other employer-related opportunities.
JFF conducted six labor market scans of major cities—Washington, DC; San Diego, California;
Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; and, New York City, New York—to kick-
start your LMI-informed programming efforts. These regional profiles are available in the
appendix starting on page 20. Is your city not included? These scans can still serve as a reference
for your initial planning, as many industries and occupations are in-demand across the country
and not just in a particular region.
3. Narrow Your Prospective Employers
Focusing on specific qualities or employer traits can help you to better anticipate potential
partners’ capacity to work with you, how long it might take to build the relationship, and if they
have a positive history of working with teen programs or other nontraditional talent, such as
workers who have disabilities or individuals who have criminal records.
What is Labor Market Information?
Labor market information is the systematic collection, analysis, reporting,
and publishing of a broad range of data that describes current economic
conditions within a given geographic area. LMI can inform decisions related to
workforce and economic development, education and training, and other key
policies.
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Here are some strategies to inform your targeted list of employers:
• Leverage your extended network. To engage in the most meaningful way,
employers will need to make significant time and financial commitments, which aren’t
guaranteed to pay off. It is a huge advantage to already have a working relationship with
a local employer—regardless of their current involvement. This includes connections
through mentors, parents, teachers, coworkers, and other existing networks you might
already have.
• Understand, design, and reflect on employer profiles. Tech Centers can leverage
existing employer partnerships to connect with other employers that are seeking
specialized talent to develop possible career opportunities for budding talent. To map out
your employer connections, try creating employer profiles, which can help you get a
better understanding of fit. LMI, in combination with the prospective employer
characteristics listed below, can help you identify which employers are most vital to your
mission and have the greatest appetite for involvement.
Employer profiles for prospective employers should include:
• Employer size. Small and large businesses function
differently. A smaller business has fewer “decision
makers”—meaning you can often interact with
management right away but the partner might have less
financial ability to hire young talent. Meanwhile, larger
companies might have more resources they can share
with your program but may be harder to coordinate with
on a regular basis. In this guide, we focus on
engagement with larger employers but this is not meant
to be taken as a recommendation for one type of
engagement over the other. We see great promise in
engaging with businesses of any size.
• Community partnerships. What do you know about the way the employer currently
partners with community-based organizations or educational institutions? What
initiatives do they signal matter to them?
• Available opportunities. What types of work does the employer provide that might be
best aligned with the skills of your program participants? What do the entry-level
positions pay and do they offer any benefits? Do these jobs have career ladders or
pathways with clear criteria for advancement?
• Workplace culture. What is known about the working conditions, culture, and overall
working environment of this employer? Would it be a good fit for the youth in your
For more information on
engaging small businesses in
work-based learning, check
out JFF’s Work-Based
Learning with Small Business,
which has a guide for
practitioners, a guide for
small businesses, as well as a
template PowerPoint deck for
developing your work-based
learning “pitch” to businesses.
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program? Note that there may be differences in culture for large employers based on the
region or local branch/store/office.
Keep in mind this research is not only helpful in identifying the right employers—you can use
this to demonstrate that you’ve done your homework and have ideas for how a partnership
might benefit them. They’ll appreciate that you have made the time to learn about them and
their possible needs, and will likely make themselves more available to entertain a conversation
(or more!).
To get a head start on your employer research, we’ve created sample employer profiles that you
can reference in the appendix on pages 39, 40, and 41.
Make Contact: Starting New or Building on
Current Partnerships
Before you reach out to a new partner—ask yourself:
• What level of involvement would best meet the needs of my program?
• What might their problems be and how would my organization help them? (Refer to the
Design Your Approach section above.)
• What about my program might excite them or get them interested?
Depending on your program and the interests of your young people, you might feel pressure to
reach out to as many employers as possible. While the initial outreach might feel easy,
maintaining and building a relationship with each and every partner that might express an
interest to get involved takes work. We’re here to help you work smarter—not harder—to achieve
your career-readiness goals.
Here are some best practices to identify the right people for your initial
conversations:
• Networks work. Look to colleagues, mentors, and parents to help make connections to
prospective employers. It is significantly easier to begin a conversation if there’s a
personal connection to start with. You may also ask any employer champions you have to
make introductions to their peers. Employers are highly likely to respond to other
employers who they identify with and feel understand their needs.
• Lean on LinkedIn (and related research). For larger companies, resources like
LinkedIn might help you better target the right people for an initial email or call. If
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you’re seeking an introductory engagement, people on corporate social responsibility
teams or community relations might be easiest to reach. As the conversations/asks
progress to internships or jobs, you might want to seek out people from HR or talent
development. Even if they don’t directly do work in your region, they can often link you
to the right contact or speak about their company goals. For smaller companies, a quick
Google search might be your best bet.
• Email, then call. It is typically most effective to begin with an email. Through email,
you can make your case, attach and link to resources, and the reader can view at their
leisure. The reader can also forward your request to the right people if they are not the
point person. It is generally poor form to assume an employer can readily take a phone
call—but feel free to mention a plan to follow up with a phone call after a week or so if
you don’t hear back via email. Doing this gives them an option to schedule with you and
also pressures them to acknowledge your request. See page 42 in the appendix for a
sample introduction email.
Meet the Employer Representative
• Develop a rapport. As with any new relationship, it is critical to develop a rapport in
order to achieve your goals for the conversation and the relationship. Don’t start with
your sales pitch—begin by asking questions about the person’s role and business. Get
them to talk about things that are important to them. This will help you build rapport
and also learn things that can help you understand them and their needs.
• Articulate the return on investment. The strongest way to get employer buy-in is to
demonstrate a business’s return on investment (ROI). Explain how a relationship with
you and your program can help solve problems they have or add value to their business.
• Pretend it is a job interview, for you and your program. Demonstrate a track
record of relevant experience—both in training and coaching young people for work-
based learning opportunities and jobs, but also in project management. Employers will
look to you as their primary contact if they are to engage further and build a work-based
learning program with your site. They’ll need to know they have an organized individual
managing the process.
• Make your pitch tight. Employers have limited time and, thus, a limited attention
span. Show how getting involved with BBTTC can be a part of their talent solution. Use
bullets, visuals, and stories to help employers understand your expectations of them and
the ideal outcomes for engagement.
• Close the deal. You may have heard of the “ABC” strategy in sales—“Always Be
Closing.” This applies to your employer engagement conversations as well. Make a few
asks during your pitch as you present ideas (e.g., “Are job shadows something you may
be interested in?”) and definitely close with a specific ask. Your pre-work and feedback in
9
the conversation will help you determine the appropriate ask. Also let them know the
plan for follow-up (e.g., “I’ll send you our materials via email today and then touch base
with you in a week”) and be sure to mark your calendar and make good on this promise.
Demonstrate Return on Investment
Businesses are often quick to think of community programs as community relations or “feel
good” initiatives. But we know the BBTTC network supports young people and helps them
develop numerous skills that are valuable to employers. It is essential to position the program
and your efforts as first and foremost a talent solution that you can tailor to meet employers’
needs. This is how you can demonstrate that a partnership is good for business and can show
them a positive return on any time or resources they invest into your program.
Examples of ROI:
• The Johns Hopkins Hospital has a training program to support promising young
people in filling non-medical positions such as those in nutrition services and facilities
management. It led to substantially less employee turnover and reduced hiring costs.
• CVS Caremark invested $2.9 million in its Government Programs/Workforce
Initiative and received $5.3 million in tax credits. CVS calculated that its return relative
to costs was 179 percent.
• Covidien entered into a comprehensive partnership with Year Up—a national nonprofit
that provides urban young adults with the skills and resources they need to reach their
potential—that includes internships, mentoring opportunities, and philanthropic
donations. This partnership has led to the development of a strong local talent pipeline,
increased workforce diversity, and the introduction of an innovative recruiting strategy
to explore new sources of talent.
To learn more about ROI, check out the Grads of Life's Workforce Wins: The Case for
Opportunity Youth Talent Pipelines.
Follow Up
• Anticipate a wait. Give yourself plenty of time to establish and build an employer
connection, and be mindful that the first person you engage with is often not the key
decision maker. Identifying the point person takes time, especially if a company hasn’t
engaged in work-based learning efforts before.
• Persistence is key. Send a follow-up email that summarizes possible avenues for the
employer to engage with you. Include additional resources if they asked about specific
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things related to your program. Ask to schedule your next conversation to keep
momentum.
• Every door has its windows. If an employer doesn’t turn out to be a match for work-
based learning, they might still be willing to support your work in another way. Consider
linking them with your existing sponsorship opportunities or asking if they have contacts
that might be a better fit.
Develop Employer Champions
After successfully engaging with an employer partner, you’ll want to begin thinking about
cultivating the relationship long term. Some of these relationships may stay at a basic level, such
as level 1 or level 2 described below—which is just fine—but continue to deepen relationships
when possible, with the aim of some of your employers becoming “employer champions.” An
employer champion engages with your program in a deep and sustainable way (solidly at level 3
below) and is willing to go above and beyond to support your program and the work.
Level 1: Early Stage
Employer
Engagement
(Least Intensive)
Level 2: Moderately Intensive
Employer Engagement
Level 3: Deep Employer
Engagement
(Most Intensive)
• Guest speaker
• Company tour /
field trip
• Job shadow
• Mock interviews
• In-kind donations
• Service learning
• Mentoring, tutoring
• Class project/challenge
• Hackathon
• Curriculum advising
• Scholarship reviewing
• Event sponsorships
• Internship
• Job placement
• Act as an Employer
Champion
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There are many ways that you can continue to develop relationships with
employers:
• Be their problem solver. If you have expertise or resources that may be useful to your
employer partner, let them know! You can offer to research topics related to their talent
needs or employment-related tax credits they may be eligible for, or make introductions
to other businesses that they may be interested in working with. If you can solve more
than one problem, you will be more valuable to them.
• Celebrate their contributions to your program. You can create opportunities to
do this in a simple, cost-neutral way through a newsletter or a social media post. You
may also consider offering recognition through an event like an employer celebration
breakfast. Your employer partners will appreciate the public acknowledgment of their
partnership and you will make your program more visible to potential new partners.
• Ask for feedback regularly. Check in with your employer partners on a regular basis,
either formally through a survey or informally through email. Make sure to discuss
feedback you receive with your team and determine what (if any) program or strategy
adjustments may be necessary.
• Contact them on a regular basis to ask about opportunities. You will have to
determine the right frequency based on the employer and the likelihood of new
opportunities. For example, large employers are probably more likely to have
opportunities on a more frequent basis. Be persistent and available to keep yourself at
front of mind for your employer partner. You also have to monitor their feedback to
determine the appropriate frequency of contact.
What Do Employer Champions Do?
Once you have deepened the relationship and your partner employer recognizes the ROI from
their participation, ask them to be an advocate for your program—or an employer champion
(you can create your own name for this role).
There are a number of things that your employer champions can do, such as:
• Advocate for your program internally. In order to be successful, you will often
need champions within a large organization to advocate to their leadership or other
departments across the hierarchy. It also helps to have a leader who advocates the value
and priority of working with you and your program to their team.
• Recruit new employer partners. A common and highly valuable contribution by
employer partners is to make new connections for your program. A new employer
partner is very likely to respond positively to a warm introduction to you from a
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colleague in their industry. Making the first contact can be difficult and your champions
can help here.
• Be a reference. Champions can also be a reference for new employer partners or write
testimonials that you can use in your marketing materials. An employer’s endorsement
of you and your program will go a long way with new prospects.
• Serve on employer advisory boards. Employer champions can offer valuable input
to your program design through an advisory board or less formal feedback. They may vet
employer marketing materials, review curriculum that is relevant to their industry, or
strategize with your team on the best approaches to support young people in developing
employability skills.
• Fund programs. Ultimately, the talent development services you provide to the
employer have real monetary value. You may want to start small and ask the employer to
fund supplies for the program or to cover the cost of their intern, then work your way up
to a larger ask that supports a greater portion of your program. Remind your employer
about the program’s ROI (see section above). If you have a development team or leader
who is responsible for fundraising, you should include them in this strategy.
In-Action Examples
The fictional examples below tell the career trajectory stories of three young people across the
country. The examples show how young people can leverage the transferable employability and
technical skills they develop at the BBTTCs—and in combination with their entry-level retail
jobs—to position themselves for a promising career path.
Meet Nicole
• 19 years old
• Washington, DC, area
• High school diploma
• No work experience
Nicole at the Teen Tech Center (4 times/week, 2 hours/day)
Nicole learns about the BBTTC in Washington, DC, through a friend.
Her friend knows that she loves to take pictures and is obsessed with
editing photos on her phone, and that she is eager to learn more about
photography and photo editing.
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After a year of consistent participation, Nicole spends most of her time at the BBTTC as the in-
house photographer—she takes photos for BBTTC events, for publications and for marketing
purposes. She develops her own website that showcases her photography and hopes to sell it one
day. She also teaches a photography class to middle schoolers who come to the Boys and Girls
Club (where the BBTTC is co-located).
When Nicole talks about what she learned through the BBTTC experience, she discusses the
following skills.
TRANSFERRABLE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS:
• Problem solving
• Initiative and self-drive
• Planning and organizing
• Conflict resolution
• Written and digital communication
• Teamwork
TRANSFERRABLE TECHNICAL SKILLS:
• Brand knowledge
• Photo editing
• Applied technology
• Graphic design
• Fundamentals of marketing
Nicole’s First Job: Customer Service Specialist at Best Buy
Nicole gets support from her career pathway coordinator at the BBTTC to interview and land a
job as a customer service specialist at Best Buy. She worked with her career pathway coordinator
to articulate how the competencies she developed as a BBTTC participant prepared her for
success as a customer service specialist. As an entry-level customer service specialist, Nicole
makes $16 an hour and works 32 hours per week. Every day at work, she puts the competencies
she developed at the BBTTC to use (fundamentals of marketing, teamwork, conflict resolution)
and she continues to develop additional competencies that will prepare her for her next role.
She has her sights set on a job as property manager for a new residential building in her
neighborhood. Nicole heard about the job from her career pathway coordinator, who thought
her customer success, marketing, and photography skills would be of value in the job. The more
Nicole learns about the job, the more she feels her experience as a customer service specialist is
highly transferable to a property manager role.
14
Here’s how Nicole talks about what she learned from her customer service specialist position.
TRANSFERRABLE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS:
• Fundamentals of sales
• Brand knowledge
• Customer service / customer focus
• Decision making
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Dependability, reliability, and accountability
• Problem solving
TRANSFERRABLE SALES AND PRODUCT EXPERTISE TECHNICAL SKILLS:
• Product demonstration
• Data analysis
• Technical troubleshooting
• Informed decision making
• Negotiating and conflict resolution
• Customer and partnership management
Nicole’s Second Job: Property Manager
Nicole, with support and guidance from her Best Buy manager, applies for the property manager
role and gets the job! As a property manager, Nicole is the point person for residents and owners
of the building she manages. During her interview, she communicated her competence in
navigating challenging customer situations and described multiple situations that showcased
her problem-solving skills. She also articulated that her marketing experience and photography
talents would be a unique contribution to the job, as she would be able to help attract potential
residents to the building. Nicole was honest during her interview that she still had some
competencies to develop (data analysis, planning and prioritizing, and selling/sales), and she
was confident in her other competencies and knew that she could be successful with some
additional on-the-job training and mentoring.
Now, Nicole earns $20.41 per hour as a property manager, works 40 hours each week, and is
eligible for benefits through her employer. Nicole has also grown her freelance photography
business and is now shooting weddings and other celebratory events on the weekends.
See the Washington, DC, regional profile on page 21 of the appendix to learn more about this
region.
15
Meet Justin
• 19 years old
• San Diego, California, area
• High school diploma
• Limited retail and customer service work experience
Justin at Teen Tech Center (4 times/week, 2 hours/day)
Justin is introduced to the San Marcos BBTTC at the Boys & Girls
Club of San Marcos by a teacher during his senior year of high
school. His teacher recognizes his passion for music but knows that
his high school did not have the facilities to support his growing
talent and interest.
At the San Marcos BBTTC, Justin develops music production skills
such as cleaning up tracks, mixing, and utilizing audio compression.
In addition to gaining technical music production skills, Justin
works on the weekends at a local restaurant in his neighborhood. He was hired as a dishwasher
but occasionally waits tables to cover for his colleagues. On average, Justin earns $10 an hour.
While Justin describes himself as an introvert, he appreciates the experience of interacting with
customers so he can develop his customer service skills.
Justin talks about the following skills when asked what he learned through the BBTTC
experience and his job at the restaurant.
TRANSFERRABLE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS:
• Problem solving
• Initiative and self-drive
• Planning and organizing
• Conflict resolution
• Written and digital communication
• Teamwork
TRANSFERRABLE TECHNICAL SKILLS:
• Music production
• Sound editing
• Customer service / customer focus
16
• Brand knowledge
• Applied technology
• Fundamentals of marketing
Justin’s First Job: Product Sales Consultant at Best Buy
After he graduates from high school, Justin stays connected to the BBTTC and enrolls at San
Diego City College, unsure of what he wants to study. In order to pay for some of his tuition and
his books, he knows he needs to find a job that pays more and offers more hours than his
restaurant job. With the support of his career pathway coordinator, Justin applies for a part-
time job at Best Buy as a product sales consultant. Through his time at the BBTTC, he came to
love Sony products, and is confident that he can use his knowledge of and passion for the
products to help customers learn more. At the BBTTC, Justin learned not only what the
products could do but also how they worked. He had spent hours taking the products apart and
putting them back together, and developed a deep understanding of the technology.
Justin starts working at Best Buy as a product sales consultant 24 hours a week while also
continuing his first year of community college at San Diego City College.
Here’s how Justin talks about what he learned from his product sales consultant position:
TRANSFERRABLE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS:
• Fundamentals of sales
• Brand knowledge
• Customer service / customer focus
• Decision making
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Dependability, reliability, and accountability
TRANSFERRABLE SALES AND PRODUCT EXPERTISE TECHNICAL SKILLS:
• Technical troubleshooting
• Product demonstration
• Data analysis
• User and customer support
• Informed decision making
• Negotiating and conflict resolution
• Customer and partnership management
17
Justin’s Second Job: Geek Squad Consultation Agent at Best Buy
Justin, with support from his manager at Best Buy, applies for and is accepted to Geek Squad
Academy. Management at the Best Buy store noticed his deep knowledge of the technology
behind their products and his ability to troubleshoot with customers in a calm, clear, and warm
way. They know he will be a great addition to the Geek Squad team.
Justin transitions into a part-time role as a Geek Squad consultation agent while also pursuing
an associate’s degree in business from San Diego City College.
See the San Diego, California, regional profile on page 24 of the appendix to learn more about
this region.
Meet Eric
• 20 years old
• Chicago, Illinois, area
• No high school diploma
• Extensive retail and customer service experience
Eric at Teen Tech Center (4 times/week, 2 hours/day)
Eric is introduced to the BBTTC at the Little Black Pearl in Chicago,
Illinois, through a friend at work. Eric’s friend knows that Eric is
interested in art and graphic design and suggests he come check it out
one day. Eric is hooked from his first visit.
Eric spends the first half of every day at work as a manager at his local
corner store and the second half of the day at the BBTTC learning about
graphic design. At work, his responsibilities include opening the store,
supervising two other employees, and managing the cash flow. He makes $12 per hour. At the
Little Black Pearl, he is recognized for his talent and work ethic and is asked to develop
marketing materials for the BBTTC’s many events and programs. At 20 years old, Eric is
working toward his high school diploma with the support of his career pathways coordinator.
Here’s how Eric talks about what he learned through the BBTTC experience and his job at the
store.
18
TRANSFERRABLE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS:
• Problem solving
• Initiative and self-drive
• Planning and organizing
• Conflict resolution
• Teamwork
TRANSFERRABLE TECHNICAL SKILLS:
• Applied technology
• Graphic design
• 3D animation
• Customer focus
• Fundamentals of marketing
• Fundamentals of sales
• Business fundamentals
Eric’s First Job: Customer Service Specialist at Best Buy
After six months at the Little Black Pearl, Eric earns his HiSet (high school equivalency). In
conversations with his career pathways coordinator, he learns that his wages at the corner stone
are well below what he could earn in an entry-level role at Best Buy. He also recognizes that a
job at Best Buy provides access to a career ladder and growth within the company, something he
did not see as an option at his current job.
With support from his career pathways coordinator, Eric applies and is accepted for a job as a
customer service specialist at Best Buy. When he isn’t at work, he is building his graphic design
skills and exploring the world of web design and development. After about a year working at
Best Buy, he decides to shift down to a part-time schedule and pursue his associate’s degree in
applied science in web development at Harper College in the Chicago area.
Here’s how Eric talks about what he learned from his customer service specialist position.
TRANSFERRABLE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS:
• Fundamentals of sales
• Brand knowledge
• Customer service / customer focus
• Decision making
• Adaptability and flexibility
19
• Dependability, reliability, and accountability
TRANSFERRABLE SALES AND PRODUCT EXPERTISE TECHNICAL SKILLS:
• Informed decision making
• Negotiating and conflict resolution
• Customer and partnership management
• Product demonstration
• User and customer Support
• Applied technology
Eric’s Second Job: Web Developer
It takes Eric two years to complete his web development degree at Harper College. During those
two years, he works evenings and weekends as a Best Buy customer service specialist. He also
stays connected to the Little Black Pearl and taps in to their network of professional mentors.
He formalizes a mentorship with a senior web developer at Accenture. His mentor helps connect
him to an internship at Accenture when he finishes his degree at Harper College. When his
internship ends, Eric is offered a full-time role as a web developer. In his entry-level web
development role, Eric makes $21.02 an hour.
See the Chicago, Illinois, regional profile on page 27 of the appendix to learn more about this
region.
Take Your Next Steps
Wherever you are in your BBTTC’s employer engagement journey, we applaud you for being
proactive in designing equitable opportunities for work-based learning and career exploration
for your young people. Whether you already have several employer champions on board, or
you’re just beginning your programming efforts, we hope this guide can serve as a resource to
help you move forward and take strategic steps to build partnerships that serve both young
people and your employer partners. BBTTC and Clubhouse participants have so much to offer
and contribute to your local employers; we hope this guide will help you identify employer
partners, craft your message, and build meaningful experiences that lead to real outcomes.
20
Appendix
You can use and adapt the following tools and resources to your Best Buy Teen Tech Center’s
needs and goals:
Regional Profile: Washington, DC .....................................................21
Regional Profile: San Diego, California .............................................24
Regional Profile: Chicago, Illinois .....................................................27
Regional Profile: Houston, Texas ......................................................30
Regional Profile: San Antonio, Texas ................................................33
Regional Profile: New York City, New York ......................................36
Employer Profile: Best Buy ................................................................39
Employer Profile: Marriott International ..........................................40
Employer Profile: CVS Health ...........................................................41
Introduction Email to Potential Employer Partner ...........................42
Additional Resources .........................................................................43
21
Regional Profile: Washington, DC
Washington, DC, Living Wage
The living wage for a single adult in Washington, DC, is $17.76 per hour. Living wage is defined
as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs
(http://livingwage.mit.edu/pages/about).
Washington, DC, Industry Information
• The top three industries in 2018 are federal government, civilian; restaurants and other
eating places; and computer systems design and related services.
• About 25 percent of residents in the greater Washington, DC, area have a bachelor's
degree (about 6 percent above the national average), and 5.5 percent hold an associate's
degree (2.5 percent below the national average). About 25 percent hold a high school
diploma and/or some college—that’s a quarter of the workforce! Companies will
soon realize they must begin to think strategically about how to leverage this pool of
untapped talent—and hopefully they’ll be looking for partners to help.
• The top growing industries are health care and social assistance; accommodation and
food services; professional, scientific, and technical services; and construction.
Washington, DC, In-Demand Tech Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Software Developer, Applications • Entry-level wages: $33.33/hour
• Median wages: $55.45/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +7,990 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer User Support Specialist • Entry-level wages: $18.57/hour
• Median wages: $29.34/hour
• Some college preferred, no degree required
• +1,897 jobs between 2017-2027
Information Security Analyst • Entry-level wages: $33.36/hour
• Median wages: $53.21/hour
22
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +2,514 jobs between 2017-2027
Web Developer • Entry-level wages: $24.87/hour
• Median wages: $41.15/hour
• Associate’s degree preferred
• +426 jobs between 2017-2027
Washington, DC, Entrepreneurial Occupations
Occupation Option Labor Market Information
Coach or Scout • Entry-level wages: $9.70/hour
• Median wages: $18.20/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +824 jobs between 2017-2027
Audio and Video Equipment Technician • Entry-level wages: $17.22/hour
• Median wages: $27.34/hour
• Postsecondary certificate preferred
• +266 jobs between 2017-2027
Graphic Designer • Entry-level wages: $18.31/hour
• Median wages: $32.71/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +234 jobs between 2017-2027
Communications Equipment Operator • Entry-level wages: $17.27/hour
• Median wages: $25.99/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +18 jobs between 2017-2027
23
Washington, DC, Retail Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Sales Engineer • Entry-level wages: $37.99/hour
• Median wages: $61.77/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +127 jobs between 2017-2027
Real Estate Sales Agent • Entry-level wages: $13.44/hour
• Median wages: $25.49/hour • High school diploma preferred
• +890 jobs between 2017-2027
Information and Record Clerk • Entry-level wages: $17.57/hour
• Median wages: $26.15/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +383 jobs between 2017-2027
Police, Fire, and Ambulance Dispatcher • Entry-level wages: $17.03/hour
• Median wages: $25.42/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +168 jobs between 2017-2027
20 Washington, DC, Employers with Most Job Postings in 2018
• Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
• General Dynamics
• ManTech International Corp. • Leidos
• Capital One
• CSRA
• Accenture
• SAIC
• CACI
• IBM
• Northrop Grumman
• Capital Markets Placement
• Deloitte • Unisys
• CGI Group
• Raytheon
• Engility
• The MITRE Corporation
• Fannie Mae
• U.S. Government
24
Regional Profile: San Diego, California
San Diego Living Wage
The living wage for a single adult in San Diego, California, is $15.61 per hour. Living wage is
defined as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs
(http://livingwage.mit.edu/pages/about).
San Diego Industry Information
• The top three industries in 2018 are restaurants; federal government, military; and
education and hospitals.
• About 22 percent of San Diego County residents have a bachelor's degree (about 4
percent above the national average), and 8 percent hold an associate's degree (about the
national average). About 40 percent hold a high school diploma and/or some college—
that’s almost half of the workforce! Companies will soon realize they must begin to
think strategically about how to leverage this pool of untapped talent—and hopefully
they’ll be looking for partners to help.
• The top growing industries are accommodation and food services, health care and social
assistance, and construction.
San Diego In-Demand Tech Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Web Developer • Entry-level wages: $13.03/hour
• Median wages: $26.20/hour
• Associate’s degree preferred
• +127 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer User Support Specialist • Entry-level wages: $18.05/hour
• Median wages: $27.43/hour
• Some college preferred, no degree
required
• +671 jobs between 2017-2027
25
Software Developer, Applications • Entry-level wages: $33.36/hour
• Median wages: $53.21/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +2,566 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer Network Support Specialist • Entry-level wages: $21.11/hour
• Median wages: $33.52/hour
• Associate’s degree preferred
• +154 jobs between 2017-2027
San Diego Entrepreneurial Occupations
Occupation Option Labor Market Information
Interpreter or Translator • Entry-level wages: $12.90/hour
• Median wages: $24.10/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +72 jobs between 2017-2027
Artist • Entry-level wages: $18.06/hour
• Median wages: $30.47/hour
• No formal education required
• +4 jobs between 2017-2027
Automotive Service Technician or
Mechanic • Entry-level wages: $11.61/hour
• Median wages: $20.00/hour
• Some college preferred, no degree
required
• +347 jobs between 2017-2027
Civil Engineering Technician • Entry-level wages: $15.98/hour
• Median wages: $24.84/hour
• Associate’s diploma preferred
• +172 jobs between 2017-2027
26
San Diego Retail Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Sales Engineer • Entry-level wages: $28.73/hour
• Median wages: $45.49/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +65 jobs between 2017-2027
Coach or Scout • Entry-level wages: $11.22/hour
• Median wages: $18.57/hour • Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +361 jobs between 2017-2027
Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers • Entry-level wages: $12.75/hour
• Median wages: $20.53/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +595 jobs between 2017-2027
Sales Manager • Entry-level wages: $25.06/hour
• Median wages: $50.43/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +253 jobs between 2017-2027
20 San Diego Employers with Most Job Postings in 2018
• General Atomics
• Qualcomm
• Teradata Operations Inc. • ServiceNow
• Illumina Incorporated
• Northrop Grumman
• Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
• Intuit
• BAE Systems
• Via Technical
• Accenture
• Sony Electronics Inc.
• Sayva Solutions • Becton Dickinson
• Cubic Corporation
• Cypress HCM
• SAIC
• Viasat
• Dexcom
• Sprouts Farmers Market
27
Regional Profile: Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Living Wage
The living wage for a single adult in Chicago, Illinois, is $13.30 per hour. Living wage is defined
as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs
(http://livingwage.mit.edu/pages/about).
Chicago Industry Information
• The top three industries in 2018 are restaurants; education and hospitals; and general
medical and surgical hospitals.
• About 22 percent of greater Chicagoland residents possess a bachelor's degree (3 percent
above the national average), and 6.5 percent hold an associate's degree (1.5 percent
below the national average). About 43 percent hold a high school diploma and/or some
college.
• The top growing industries are accommodation and food services; health care and social
assistance; and professional, scientific, and technical services.
Chicago In-Demand Tech Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Web Developer • Entry-level wages: $21.02/hour
• Median wages: $40.78/hour
• Associate’s degree preferred
• +302 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer User Support Specialist • Entry-level wages: $14.32/hour
• Median wages: $27.44/hour
• Some college preferred, no degree
required
• +1,227 jobs between 2017-2027
Software Developer, Applications • Entry-level wages: $29.24/hour
• Median wages: $45.18/hour
28
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +5,830 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer Systems Analyst • Entry-level wages: $26.40/hour
• Median wages: $43.03/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +203 jobs between 2017-2027
Chicago Entrepreneurial Occupations
Occupation Option Labor Market Information
Media and Communications
Equipment Worker • Entry-level wages: $16.45/hour
• Median wages: $44.12/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +8 jobs between 2017-2027
Multimedia Artist or Animator • Entry-level wages: $13.73/hour
• Median wages: $27.29/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +56 jobs between 2017-2027
Audio and Video Equipment
Technician • Entry-level wages: $9.61/hour
• Median wages: $20.19/hour
• Postsecondary certificate preferred
• +155 jobs between 2017-2027
Musician or Singer • Entry-level wages: $8.80/hour
• Median wages: $17.82/hour
• No formal education required
• +185 jobs between 2017-2027
29
Chicago Retail Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Sales Manager • Entry-level wages: $27.52/hour • Median wages: $55.72/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +499 jobs between 2017-2027
Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers • Entry-level wages: $11.82/hour
• Median wages: $18.38/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +586 jobs between 2017-2027
Food Service Manager • Entry-level wages: $14.42/hour
• Median wages: $27.55/hour • High school diploma preferred
• +588 jobs between 2017-2027
Customer Service Representative • Entry-level wages: $11.11/hour
• Median wages: $17.19/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +504 jobs between 2017-2027
20 Chicago Employers with Most Job Postings in 2018
• Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.
• Accenture
• Best Buy
• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• CVS Health
• BMO Financial Group
• Capgemini
• Family Dollar Stores Inc.
• Deloitte
• Pizza Hut
• U.S. Bancorp
• Sears
• Advocate Health Care
• Capital Markets Placement
• State Farm Insurance Companies
• Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
Inc.
• IBM
• Boston Market
• Ulta Beauty Inc.
• FedEx
30
Regional Profile: Houston, Texas
Houston Living Wage
The living wage for a single adult in Houston, Texas, is $12.00 per hour. Living wage is defined
as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs
(http://livingwage.mit.edu/pages/about).
Houston In-Demand Tech Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Computer User Support Specialist • Entry-level wages: $16.56/hour
• Median wages: $20.75/hour
• Some college preferred, no degree required
• +1,759 jobs between 2017-2027
Software Developer, Applications • Entry-level wages: $32.36/hour
• Median wages: $52.74/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +2,759 jobs between 2017-2027
Web Developer • Entry-level wages: $22.80/hour
• Median wages: $34.99/hour
• Associate’s degree preferred
• +260 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer Systems Analyst • Entry-level wages: $26.94/hour
• Median wages: $44.82/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +688 jobs between 2017-2027
31
Houston Entrepreneurial Occupations
Occupation Option Labor Market Information
Audio and Video Equipment
Technician • Entry-level wages: $13.13/hour
• Median wages: $21.57/hour
• Postsecondary certificate preferred
• +288 jobs between 2017-2027
Graphic Designer • Entry-level wages: $14.00/hour
• Median wages: $22.62/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +350 jobs between 2017-2027
Media and Communications
Worker • Entry-level wages: $9.05/hour
• Median wages: $22.18/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +44 jobs between 2017-2027
Multimedia Artist and Animator • Entry-level wages: $17.84/hour
• Median wages: $26.94/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +24 jobs between 2017-2027
32
Houston Retail Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Sales Manager • Entry-level wages: $34.47/hour • Median wages: $64.30/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +1,043 jobs between 2017-2027
Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers • Entry-level wages: $12.43/hour
• Median wages: $19.70/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +3,248 jobs between 2017-2027
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk • Entry-level wages: $14.95/hour
• Median wages: $21.84/hour • High school diploma preferred
• +303 jobs between 2017-2027
Human Resources Assistant • Entry-level wages: $13.02/hour
• Median wages: $18.79/hour
• Associate’s degree preferred
• +217 jobs between 2017-2027
20 Houston Employers with Most Job Postings in 2018
• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• IBM
• Accenture
• Deloitte
• Air Liquide
• Hewlett-Packard
• Sysco Corporation
• Genuent
• Genuent LLC
• Capgemini
• Best Buy
• General Electric Company
• National Oilwell Varco
• Emerson Electric Company
• Houston Methodist
• iSphere
• Arthur Lawrence
• Whole Foods Market Inc.
• Cynet Systems
• Macy’s
33
Regional Profile: San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio Living Wage
The living wage for a single adult in San Antonio, Texas, is $11.15 per hour. Living wage is
defined as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs
(http://livingwage.mit.edu/pages/about).
San Antonio In-Demand Tech Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Computer User Support Specialist • Entry-level wages: $15.52/hour
• Median wages: $23.91/hour
• Some college preferred, no degree
required
• +842 jobs between 2017-2027
Software Developer, Applications • Entry-level wages: $30.32/hour
• Median wages: $47.68/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +1,546 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer Network Support Specialist • Entry-level wages: $18.27/hour
• Median wages: $30.42/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +287 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer Systems Analyst • Entry-level wages: $25.75/hour
• Median wages: $40.41/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +623 jobs between 2017-2027
34
San Antonio Entrepreneurial Occupations
Occupation Option Labor Market Information
Multimedia Artist and Animator • Entry-level wages: $19.44/hour
• Median wages: $39.23/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +9 jobs between 2017-2027
Graphic Designer • Entry-level wages: $15.06/hour
• Median wages: $22.20/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +89 jobs between 2017-2027
Audio and Video Equipment Technician • Entry-level wages: $12.75/hour
• Median wages: $18.10/hour
• Postsecondary certificate preferred
• +126 jobs between 2017-2027
Media and Communication Worker • Entry-level wages: $12.25/hour
• Median wages: $24.34/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +19 jobs between 2017-2027
35
San Antonio Retail Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Sales Manager • Entry-level wages: $34.22/hour
• Median wages: $70.18/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +379 jobs between 2017-2027
Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers • Entry-level wages: $12.82/hour
• Median wages: $18.99/hour • High school diploma preferred
• +1,466 jobs between 2017-2027
Real Estate Sales Agent • Entry-level wages: $13.46/hour
• Median wages: $23.37/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +274 jobs between 2017-2027
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk • Entry-level wages: $13.80/hour
• Median wages: $18.22/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +125 jobs between 2017-2027
20 San Antonio Employers with Most Job Postings in 2018
• Accenture
• USAA
• HEB • Rackspace
• ManTech International Corp.
• UnitedHealth Group
• Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
• Southwest Research Institute
• Macy's
• Accion Labs
• SWBC
• U.S. Air Force
• Best Buy • iHeartMedia Inc.
• Cynet Systems
• Tech Quarry
• Capital Markets Placement
• Convene Incorporated
• Valero Energy
• Tuesday Morning
36
Regional Profile: New York City, New York
NYC Living Wage
The living wage for a single adult in New York City, New York, is $15.97 per hour. Living wage is
defined as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs
(http://livingwage.mit.edu/pages/about).
NYC In-Demand Tech Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Web Developer • Entry-level wages: $21.76/hour
• Median wages: $38.72/hour
• Associate’s degree preferred
• +1,641 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer User Support Specialist • Entry-level wages: $17.85/hour
• Median wages: $28.83/hour
• Some college preferred, no degree
required
• +5,330 jobs between 2017-2027
Software Developer, Applications • Entry-level wages: $33.32/hour
• Median wages: $54.24/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +15,773 jobs between 2017-2027
Computer Systems Analyst • Entry-level wages: $31.28/hour
• Median wages: $50.71/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +3,046 jobs between 2017-2027
37
NYC Entrepreneurial Occupations
Occupation Option Labor Market Information
Sound Engineering Technician • Entry-level wages: $16.62/hour
• Median wages: $32.83/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +824 jobs between 2017-2027
Audio and Video Equipment
Technician • Entry-level wages: $14.64/hour
• Median wages: $24.77/hour
• Postsecondary certificate preferred
• +1,852 jobs between 2017-2027
Film and Video Editor • Entry-level wages: $17.63/hour
• Median wages: $34.58/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +1,764 jobs between 2017-2027
Multimedia Artist and Animator • Entry-level wages: $20.42/hour
• Median wages: $35.32/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +714 jobs between 2017-2027
38
NYC Retail Occupations
Occupation Labor Market Information
Sales Engineer • Entry-level wages: $31.69/hour • Median wages: $51.23/hour
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• +292 jobs between 2017-2027
Supervisor of Retail and Sales
Workers • Entry-level wages: $13.43/hour
• Median wages: $21.74/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +3,216 jobs between 2017-2027
Real Estate Sales Agent • Entry-level wages: $15.66/hour
• Median wages: $39.16/hour • High school diploma preferred
• +1,110 jobs between 2017-2027
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk • Entry-level wages: $14.83/hour
• Median wages: $23.97/hour
• High school diploma preferred
• +563 jobs between 2017-2027
20 NYC Employers with Most Job Postings in 2018
• Capital Markets Placement
• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
• IBM
• CVS Health
• Macy's
• The Bank of New York Mellon
• Accenture
• Gap Inc.
• Amazon
• Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.
• Morgan Stanley
• Capgemini
• Eclaro
• Deloitte
• Whole Foods Market Inc.
• TechFetch.com
• AutoZone Auto Parts
• Bank of America
• Synechron
39
Employer Profile: Best Buy
About Best Buy:
Best Buy is an electronics retailer headquartered in
Minnesota and leading provider of consumer
technology and services. The company has over 1,000
locations in North America and offers products and
services to the customers visiting its stores, engaging
with Geek Squad agents, or using its websites or mobile
applications. Their brand and products include Best
Buy, bestbuy.com, Best Buy Mobile, Best Buy Direct,
Best Buy Express, Geek Squad, Magnolia Home
Theater, and Pacific Kitchen and Home, among others.
Best Buy is a particularly unique brand in the retail
space—leveraging the Geek Squad and “in-home
advisors” to create unique customer experiences online
competitors can’t replicate. They have reimagined their
stores to have more of a “showroom” format, and
expanded delivery and their warehouses to
accommodate evolving retail habits.
Questions to inform your partnership pitch:
• How do your BBTTC’s values align with the Best Buy mission and values?
• How can you capitalize on Best Buy’s existing training initiatives and internship
program?
• What can you offer to support the partnership (space for workshops, staff training on
youth development, job-ready candidates)?
• What skills and competencies do your young people possess that would make them good
candidates for Best Buy entry-level positions?
Entry-level roles with Best Buy:
• Retail store associate
• Beauty consultant
• Warehouse associate
• Delivery technician
Recruitment and Training:
Best Buy was ranked #3 for their training
efforts in 2019—including an award for
their Best Buy Certified program, which
encourages lifelong learning through
“bite-sized” learnings through one’s
career.
Best Buy’s Geek Squad Academy is
internally viewed as an exciting,
innovative opportunity for Best Buy staff
to build skills outside of their retail
responsibilities that may later connect to
advancement opportunities in-store.
Best Buy currently has an internship
program targeted to four-year
universities for their corporate offices.
40
Employer Profile: Marriott International
About Marriott International:
Marriott International Inc. is based in Bethesda,
Maryland, and includes more than 6,700 properties in 30
leading hotel brands spanning 130 countries and
territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and
licenses vacation ownership resorts around the world.
Marriott believes its strength lies in its ability to embrace
differences and create opportunities for all employees,
guests, owners and franchisees, and suppliers. Marriott’s
core values of putting people first include a commitment
to diversity and inclusion, a company-wide priority
supported by their board-level commitment to excellence.
Questions to inform your partnership pitch:
• How do your BBTTC’s values align with Marriott
International’s mission and values?
• How can you capitalize on Marriott’s robust
Bridges from School to Work and Marriott
University Programs?
• What can you offer to support the partnership
(space for workshops, staff training on youth development, job-ready candidates)?
• What skills and competencies do your young people possess that would make them good
candidates for Marriott’s entry-level positions?
Current community partners:
• Goodwill Industries
• NAACP
• Hispanic Corporate Council
• National Council of La Raza
• National Urban League
• Organizations of Chinese Americans
Entry-level roles with Marriott:
• Guest experience specialist
• Guest service representative
• Event concierge
• Rooms controller
• Administrative assistant sales
• Events specialist
• Guest event expert
Recruitment and Training:
Bridges from School to Work program:
The Marriott Foundation for People with
Disabilities and its Bridges from School
to Work program is dedicated to
transforming the lives of young adults
through the power of a job.
Marriot University: Marriott partners
with universities across the world to offer
culinary internships, hotel internships,
and corporate internships
English language support: Marriott offers
a Spanish/English language program
called Sed de Saber™ (Thirst for
Knowledge), which teaches workplace
and life skills in English, and shows a
significant increase in English language
proficiency among participants.
41
Employer Profile: CVS Health
About CVS Health:
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping
people on their path to better health. CVS Health
enables people, businesses, and communities to
manage health in more affordable and effective ways
through its more than 9,800 retail locations,
approximately 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading
pharmacy benefits manager with about 93 million plan
members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business
serving more than one million patients per year, and a
leading standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug
plan. This unique integrated model increases access to
quality care, delivers better health outcomes, and
lowers overall health care costs.
Questions to inform your partnership pitch:
• How do your BBTTC’s values align with the CVS
Health mission and values?
• How can you capitalize on CVS Health’s robust, existing myCVS Journey program? What
activities would be a good fit for your young people?
• What can you offer to support the partnership (space for workshops, staff training on
youth development, job-ready candidates)?
• What skills and competencies do your young people possess that would make them good
candidates for CVS Health entry-level positions?
Relevant myCVS Journey activities:
• Job shadowing
• Interview and resume support
• Internships
• Work-based mentoring
• Tuition reimbursement
Entry-level roles with CVS Health:
• Retail store associate
• Beauty consultant
• Warehouse associate
• Delivery technician
Recruitment and Training:
myCVS Journey Pathways to Health Care
Careers: A STEM-enriched initiative,
designed to engage young people in age-
appropriate awareness, exploration, and
preparation for health care careers.
Registered Apprenticeships: Participants
receive classroom and online instruction,
professional mentorship, and on-the-job
training, as well as pre-employment and
post-placement retention support.
Regional Learning Centers: Four fully
operational store and pharmacy training
locations that support the development
of colleagues and partnering community
agencies.
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Introduction Email to Potential Employer Partner
Below is a sample email that you can use to introduce your program to potential employer
partners. You will need to edit it as appropriate, with the person’s name, your program name,
and any other details you would like for employers to have. It is best not to overwhelm a
potential partner with too much information in the first engagement.
Hello (INSERT CONTACT NAME),
I’m writing to let you know about a great opportunity to develop local talent in your community
and build the diverse workforce that your business needs. I work for (INSERT PROGRAM
NAME AND LINK) and we develop young talent through work-based learning offered by
employers such as you. Our program offers industry-specific training and work-based learning
to develop employability skills that are needed in today’s workplace. We need your help to make
this happen.
There are a number of ways that you can participate in talent development for your future
employees, including:
• Professional mentoring
• Internships
• Workplace tours
• Job shadows
• Project supervision
The top four benefits of work-based learning for businesses:
1. Increase short-term productivity: students and trainees can complete work assignments
for your business.
2. Develop a diverse talent pipeline: research shows diverse businesses are more
competitive, and a diverse workforce can boost creativity and morale.
3. Increase your appeal: investors are increasingly interested in the higher returns of
socially responsible businesses.
4. Support your community: investing in local talent demonstrates support for the
community and enhances your reputation with customers and employees.
Please let me know if you are interested in learning more about this opportunity to develop your
future workforce and I will schedule an appointment with you to share more details.
Sincerely,
(INSERT YOUR NAME AND TITLE)
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Additional Resources
Check out the following resources to learn more about labor market information and other
concepts presented in this guide. JFF drew on many of these resources to develop this guide.
• JFF’s Work-Based Learning with Small Business offers resources to help you engage
small businesses in work-based learning, including a guide for practitioners, a guide for
small businesses, and a PowerPoint template to help you develop your pitch;
www.jff.org/resources/work-based-learning-small-business
• JFF’s Resource Guide to Engaging Employers presents successful models of employer
engagement and lessons for securing and sustaining partnerships with employers;
www.jff.org/resources/resource-guide-engaging-employers/
• JFF’s Employer Engagement Toolkit: From Placement to Partners offers tools and
worksheets to help you deliberately integrate employers into the core decision making of
your program; www.jff.org/resources/employer-engagement-toolkit-placement-partners
• JFF’s Not as Hard as You Think: Engaging High School Students in Work-Based
Learning is intended to relieve concerns about perceived barriers to young people’s
access to workplaces; www.jff.org/resources/not-hard-you-think-engaging-high-school-
students-work-based-learning
• JFF’s Making Work-Based Learning Work offers seven principles that can help you
design and implement effective models of work-based learning;
www.jff.org/resources/making-work-based-learning-work
• O*Net (Occupational Information Network) is a comprehensive database of worker
competencies and job requirements—this resource can help you better understand
various occupations and required skills;
www.onetacademy.org/view/What_is_ONET/info
• The Good Jobs Solution makes the case for why good jobs—that offer decent wages,
predictable hours, sufficient training, and opportunities for growth—are good for both
workers and employers; www.goodjobsinstitute.org/wp-
content/uploads/2018/03/Good-Jobs-Solution-Full-Report.pdf
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• JFF’s Talking Points: How Diverse and Inclusive Apprenticeships Address Employer
Needs offers talking points that position equitable and inclusive apprenticeships as
solutions for common business concerns around diversity, development, and retention;
www.jff.org/resources/talking-points-how-diverse-and-inclusive-apprenticeships-
address-employer-needs
• FSG’s Advancing Frontline Women, Realizing the Full Potential of the Retail Workforce
identifies 12 evidence-based practices that companies can use to help break down
barriers that women face in the workplace;
www.fsg.org/publications/advancing-frontline-women
• Grads of Life’s Workforce Wins: The Case for Opportunity Youth Talent Pipelines offers
helpful examples of how companies have improved their bottom line by investing in their
opportunity youth talent pipeline; www.gradsoflife.org/workforcewins