A new initiative backed by David Steward, World Wide Technology founder and chair, will address workforce readiness and closing the gap between talent and opportunity – particularly for those impacted by the urban/rural divide.
Announced on Tuesday July 23 at the Horizons Summit in Washington, D.C., the effort is being created through a partnership with three organizations: AstrumU, a leading skills verification company of which Steward serves as chairman; JFF Labs, the innovation arm of national education and workforce development nonprofit Jobs for the Future; and ETS Solutions, a global education and talent solutions organization.
“Talent is distributed equally, opportunity is not. That is true in rural America and in our urban centers. This partnership reflects our joint pledge to make talent and opportunity equal for all and improve workforce readiness across the nation,” said Steward.
“For me personally this reflects my personal commitment to finding an eternal return on investment in the spirit of, ‘To whom much is given, much is required.”’
The three partners will tackle the economy’s talent shortage by creating verified skills profiles for individuals to help connect them to quality jobs. Through this initiative, the partners will lead and conduct outcomes-based research on the journeys of individual career seekers and provide a direct view into today’s diverse talent pipeline, allowing employers and educational institutions to create a greater impact in addressing workforce and talent gaps.