1. DEI Business Engagement CoP
Moderated by: Miranda Kennedy and Nikki Powis, NDI DEI TA Team
Presented by: Ericka LeVeque, Disability Resource Coordinator, South Dakota DEI and Gloria Pluimer, Project Coordinator, South Dakota DEI.
Miranda
Business Engagement Community of Practice

2. Moderators Moderator: Miranda Kennedy
Title: Director of Training, NDI Technical Assistance Team
Organization: National Disability Institute
Moderator: Nikki Powis
Title: Subject Matter Expert on Business Engagement, NDI Technical Assistance Team
Organization: National Disability Institute
Miranda

3. DEI Business Engagement CoP
Provides a platform that brings together DEI project staff from across the country to discuss and learn from one another on engaging business and industry partners.
How do I become a member of the DEI Business Engagement CoP?
- Contact Nikki Powis at:
- Miranda Kennedy at:
- Let us know via the post webinar survey
Business Engagement CoP landing page & archived webinars:
Nikki

4. Presenters Presenter: Ericka LeVeque
Title: Disability Resource Coordinator, South Dakota Disability Employment Initiative
Organization: South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation
Presenter: Gloria Pluimer
Title: Project Coordinator, South Dakota Disability Employment Initiative
Organization: Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
Miranda

5. South Dakota Disability Employment Initiative Round 5
Building Pathways: Targeted Occupations Business Interview and Tour Project
Gloria
South Dakota Disability Employment Initiative Round 5

6. South Dakota Disability Employment Initiative Round 5
The Business Interview and Tour Project was Developed to:
Learn about the workforce needs of businesses directly from business representatives in our area who have high-demand, high-wage employment opportunities;
Identify the opportunities for employment of individuals, including those with disabilities; and
Experience the culture of the business.
Gloria

7. Who Is Involved in the Business Interview and Tour?
SDDEI invites representatives from the WIOA Core Partners including Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV;
Additional partners might include representatives from the 2-year Tech Institute, the Workforce Diversity Network, Contracted VR Job Placement Specialists, TANF, SNAP and other WIOA ‘required partners’ as appropriate.
Gloria—At this time, Miranda has a polling question for the webinar attendees.

8. Polling Question
How integrated are your DEI Business Outreach efforts with these partners? (Representatives from WIOA Core Partners, Tech Institutes, Workforce Diversity Network, Contracted VR Job Placement Specialists, TANF, SNAP)
Fully Integrated
Mostly Integrated
Somewhat Integrated
We’re not there yet
We’ve got all of these…and then some!!!

9. How are Businesses Identified?
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation has identified “Targeted Occupations” using data from the SD Labor Market Information Center. Two year education and training for these occupations have been approved for WIOA Title I funding.
South Dakota has a $50 million scholarship program called Build Dakota with a $25 million donation from a South Dakota business man and matched with a $25 million contribution from the State of South Dakota.
Build Dakota was established to overcome the workforce shortage South Dakota faces. The scholarships are awarded to students attending one of the four South Dakota tech institutes in targeted occupation programs.
Gloria—And another polling question from Miranda.

10. Polling Question
Do you have similar scholarships and/or innovative supports/funding related to Business Engagement, above and beyond what is provided by WIOA in your state/local area?
Yes No
I don’t know, but I’m going to go find out as soon as this CoP presentation is over!

11. Process to Set-Up Interview and Tour
Identification of the business based on high-demand, high-wage criteria;
Identification of a team member familiar with an employee at the place of business, preferably within the human resource department, who will take the lead;
Phone call from the lead team member to her/his contact to schedule interview and the tour; and
invitation from the lead team member to the team with several weeks notice.
Gloria

12. Interview
Interview questions are provided to the business contact via at least one week prior to the tour.
The questions (page 7 of your packet) are specific to employment opportunities and structured after the questions found in the Career Pathways Toolkit, Element 2.
Ericka

13. Interview Continued
All members of the team gather at the business and the business representative provides background information and a summary of day-to-day operations.
Interview questions are addressed and each team member has the opportunity to ask follow up questions.
In-depth follow-up questions are asked in regard to accommodating employees with disabilities.
The lead team member is taking detailed notes during this time.
Ericka

14. The Tour
A tour of the facility is conducted allowing the team to acquire a sense of the business culture and the physical layout of the facility.
Questions continue during the tour.
The lead team member continues taking detailed notes during the tour.
Ericka

15. Follow Up Steps
Immediately following the interview and tour, each team member prepares a hand-written thank you card and mails to the business contact(s) along with a few business cards.
The lead team member then provides these notes to the business contact for their approval.
Once approved, the notes are sent out to the team members to distribute to their co-workers.
Ericka

16. Development of Strategies to Meet the Workforce Needs of the Business
The team reconvenes to review the notes and identify strategies to meet the workforce needs of the business.
Careful consideration is given to identifying strategies that incorporate existing offerings within each agency.
A chart is created during this meeting which includes each action step, who will implement the action step, the timeline, and any other pertinent information necessary to carry out the action step(s).
Ericka

17. Examples of Strategies
Listing high demand openings at the local hospital on the Department of Labor website;
Providing information and resources on accommodations for retaining and employing individuals with disabilities;
Allowing individuals who are pursuing their GED to obtain employment in identified jobs versus requiring applicants to have a high school diploma or GED;
Follow up tour with a group of high school instructors with the capacity to change curriculum to fit that industry’s needs; and
Development of illustrated Career Pathways showing stackable credential opportunities within that occupation.
Ericka

18. Outcomes
Gaining information on the workforce needs of the business for an improved referral process;
Providing information regarding the employment and retention of individuals with disabilities;
Developing a business network through representatives of the business; and
Developing closer working relationships with Core and Required Partners.
Gloria

19. Quotes from Business Representatives
“I appreciate having an entire team present so I can provide the information one time and not have multiple calls from agency representatives.”
“Thank you for the opportunity to share our workforce needs. We are happy to also come to your agency and present this information to your entire staff as well.”
“Our philosophy is ‘the right person is the right person’ regardless of their experience or accommodation needs.”
“It is very important that agencies refer candidates who meet the minimum requirements because we are heavily regulated.”
Gloria

20. Issues/Challenges/Feedback
Time commitment to prepare and participate.
Identification of the business that best represents their industry sector.
Assurance the information is shared with co-workers who did not attend the interview/tour in a way that is meaningful and impactful.
Process to evaluate the impact/outcomes for both the business and the staff who participate.
Although this has been a great project in so many ways, we still have challenges and would welcome feedback from the group on these challenges which include:

21. Questions If you have a comment or question you can:
A: Click on the “raise hand” icon to have your line un-muted and ask your question/make your comment.
B: Submit it to the host in writing via the Chat or Q&A Box to the right, or…
Miranda

22. Next DEI Business Engagement CoP
Stay tuned to the DEI Listserv for our next CoP presentation on Tuesday, February 21st at 3pm ET.
The Iowa DEI Project will be presenting on their experience with “Reverse Job Fairs”.

23. Additional Resources
The DEI Business Engagement Community of Practice (CoP) will support DEI project staff in gaining ideas and insights into how to more effectively engage business partners in hiring job seekers with disabilities as an integrated strategy of AJC service delivery. 
The CoP provides a platform that identifies seasoned DRCs and DEI project staff from across the country that have achieved successful outcomes integrating job seekers with disabilities in the AJCs efforts to engage business and industry partners.
The DEI CoP members who have well established Business Engagement models will provide a short presentation on a specific example related to business engagement, including their experiences, insights and best practices for replication.
This will be followed by discussion around the topic (e.g. Job Fairs, Outreach to Employers, Business Partnerships within and outside the AJC), with other DRC and DEI staff and partners contributing examples from their work and asking questions.
Utilizing the CoP model, we will provide a forum for learning, discussing and sharing.

24. Contact Information
Miranda Kennedy
Director of Training and Technical Assistance
National Disability Institute P: E:
Nikki Powis
Subject Matter Expert on DEI Business Engagement P: E:
Miranda