We are excited to publish our next business case report. The purpose of these business cases is to summarize all the information from the MemWorks initiative needed to best help our community overcome this employment roadblock for our neighbors experiencing poverty. Each business case report includes a summary of the roadblock, evidence-based interventions with case examples, analysis of the Memphis landscape relative to the roadblock, specific opportunities for impact that could be implemented, and the anticipated outcomes by addressing the roadblock.
Aptitude Alignment
This business case is focused on empowering people to identify their unique professional strengths, the professions that value these strengths, and the pathways they need to follow to enter those professions. Unfortunately, in Memphis, few resources exist to help people experiencing poverty identify their professional strengths and match those strengths with the living-wage jobs that value these strengths the most. As a result, tens of thousands of people are blindly pursuing employment pathways that do not value their unique talents and skill sets, greatly reducing the chance they will enjoy their work or find a role that allows them to excel. If we want to enable the conditions where Memphis Works for Everyone, we need to implement evidence-based solutions that help people align their aptitudes with opportunities.
As you decide how to be a part of the solution, consider this business case your map for how to effectively help enhance aptitude alignment. MemWorks has determined the root causes of employment roadblocks for Memphians experiencing poverty, and now is the time for us to implement evidence-based solutions – together. If done with persistence and collaboration, we can help create pathways to economic mobility for all Memphians.
Using this report to further empower your efforts
Each of us are uniquely positioned to help tackle the aptitude alignment roadblock. It requires the varying roles we each play and the individual approaches we can contribute to work together in addressing the various aspects of this roadblock. To help support your efforts, below we have outlined how different types of stakeholders might be able to use the insights from the Aptitude Alignment Business Case Report.
Corporate Leaders
Identify ways to help expose more students and job seekers to the high-demand jobs at your organization. How can you collaborate with workforce development organizations to inform their participants? What modifications to recruiting approaches could help applicants understand if their aptitudes align with the key functions for a role?
Career & Technical Education Providers
Implement resources to help prospective students better match with programs or tracks before they enroll. How can you help students understand the aptitudes correlated with success for specific sectors and roles? What mechanisms can you use to help students pivot to programs that might better align with their unique skills and aptitudes?
Business Associations
Consider how you can collaborate with technical training programs at the K-12 and postsecondary levels to articulate the aptitudes associated with high-demand roles in your sector(s). How can you share the aptitudes that are correlated with exceptional performance for these roles? What type of training best prepares people with these aptitudes to enter these roles?
Local Government Leaders
Evaluate opportunities to reallocate workforce development funds and resources to help students and job seekers better understand their aptitudes. How can existing government programs be modified to include greater aptitude interventions? What funding can be provided to enhance and expand third-party services that help with aptitude alignment?
Workforce Development Nonprofits
Ensure resources are available for your participants to evaluate their aptitudes and match them with career paths. How can you pursue funding to offer new or expanded aptitude services? What opportunities exist to provide pathways for your participants to access aptitude services that might be offered by other organizations?
We hope the above questions and prompts jumpstart how you can contribute to helping enhance the alignment between aptitudes and living-wage jobs that value those aptitudes for Memphians living in poverty. We encourage you to use this business case report to design new efforts, enhance existing efforts, and galvanize support to overcome the challenges to aptitude alignment. In the coming weeks, we will release additional business cases to help empower our community with the interventions and approaches that can most effectively overcome Memphis’ other employment roadblocks.
