Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships.
Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships is comprised of employers from a range of industries who are concerned about our nation’s skills gap, who are working with local partners to train and hire community residents for skilled jobs, and who want our country’s policymakers to follow suit and invest, aggressively and effectively, in the skills of America’s workers. BLU seeks to create a common platform from which these diverse business leaders can jointly communicate to national policymakers, the press and the American public about the effective industry-based strategies they’ve developed which could serve as models for a more comprehensive national skills policy.
BLU Background
BLU Strategies for Employer Leadership
BLU News
E-News Updates:
May 2013: Business Leaders Know What Works
March 2013: Business Leaders Talk Skills in Washington
October 2012: Business Leaders Unite on Capitol Hill
BLU Steering Committee Member Contributes to
Career Pathways Video
In April 2013, the Minnesota Workforce Funders Policy Taskforce teamed up with the United Way to create this video about the successful workforce development strategies that are making a difference for Minnesota workers and businesses. BLU Steering Committee member Erick Ajax and his company, E.J. Ajax and Sons, are featured in the video that illustrates how career pathways help individuals to successfully navigate education and training programs to achieve self-sufficiency.
Business Leaders United Brings Sector Partnerships
to Policymakers in DC
On March 5, 2013, a group of employers joined BLU national partners in meetings with key policymakers in Washington. Together they provided the offices of Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) and President Obama’s National Economic Council a first-hand account of successful sector partnerships and their economic impact. The group urged policymakers to include this kind of initiative in any future workforce legislation and to push for bipartisan support on skills issues.
Business Leaders Meet with Policymakers and
Presidential Campaigns in DC
On October 1-2, 2012, a select group of employers representing multiple industries from across the country visited the nation's capital to convince federal policymakers—Congress, federal agencies, and the Obama and Romney Presidential campaigns—of the necessity of a bi-partisan solution to the skills gap that continues to hamper company growth and re-employment in our communities. View materials and photos from this event.
Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships
Announced at Clinton Global Initiative
On June 30, 2011, at CGI America—a meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)—National Skills Coalition, the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, Skills for America’s Future, and Corporate Voices for Working Families announced the creation of Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships, an initiative to bring diverse business leaders together to help shape a national skills strategy that can address structural skill shortages that are putting the brakes on economic recovery and job creation. Read Press Release.
BLU in the Press
Wanted: Highly skilled workers for good manufacturing jobs | The Civic Caucus, 04.26.2013
Finding, hiring, training, keeping skilled employees: Is it 'collaborate or die'? | Reliable Plant, 04.23.2013
OTHER VOICES: Workforce training must fill skills gap | Crain's Detroit Business, 04.21.2013
Business forum: Taking action to close the workforce skills gap | Star Tribune, 04.07.2013
Region has solution for skills gap | Business Courier, 04.05.2013
Maffei takes listening tour to Wayne County | Wayne Post, 04.01.2013
Fridley family firm E.J. Ajax is a model for training | StarTribune, 03.31.2013
Jackson businesses try DIY job-training to create skilled workers | Mlive, 03.12.2013
Michigan jobs are available, but not the workforce; is it due to skills or wages? | Mlive.com, 03.12.2013
Skills gap to widen as job training programs face drastic cuts | Medill Reports, 03.07.2013
Rayl and Jones: Michigan economy depends on skilled work force | Detroit News, 03.05.2013
Rep. Mike Shirkey invites Jackson manufacturing association leader to speak before House committee | MLive.com, 02.28.2013
Made in Rochester with High Tech Companies | Rochester Homepage, 2013.02.19
In Search of the Skilled Worker, Yonnie Leung Frames the Conversation | Aspen Institute, 2013.02.14
Skills/Job Gap Topic of Seminar | Democrat and Chronicle, 2013.01.17
Building Tomorrow's Manufacturing Workforce | Manufacturing Press, 2012.12.31
Metal Cutters See Business Climbing | The Wall Street Journal, 2012.12.10
Minnesota Business Hires Veterans With Fast-Track Training | Department of Labor Newsletter, 2012.11.15
For Veterans, Finding a Job is New Mission | Pioneer Press, 2012.11.11
Manufacturing Skilled Workers | Department of Labor Blog, 2012.11.11
Manufacturing Leaders |Star Tribune, 2012.11.03
Worker Training Key to Local Economy | Cincinnati.com, 2012.06.18
Business Leaders Steering Committee
Click on the names below to learn more about the business leaders guiding the BLU initiative:
Gayle Agahi | Director Public Sector Initiatives, Cleveland Clinic
Erick Ajax | Vice President, E.J Ajax and Sons
Ernest Dupont | Director, Workforce Development CVS / Caremark
Scott Ellsworth | Vice President, U.S. Operations, Tipco Punch
Pat Flavin | Assistant Vice President, Workforce Initiatives, TJX Companies, Inc.
Yonnie Leung | Director of Integrated Talent Management, Workforce Development, Pacific Gas and Electric
Mike Mandina | President, Optimax
Liza Smitherman | Vice President, Professional Development, Jostin Construction
Michael Tamasi | President & CEO, AccuRounds
Sylvia Wetzel | Chief Learning Officer, Bison Gear and Engineering Corporation
For more information, please contact any of the four BLU sponsor organizations: National Skills Coalition (Andy Van Kleunen); National Fund for Workforce Solutions (Fred Dedrick); Skills for America’s Future (Karen Elzey); or Corporate Voices for Working Families (Steve Wing). BLU is made possible with dedicated support from the Joyce Foundation, along with support from the Ford Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and other foundations underwriting the four partner organizations.
