ARCC Hosts Panel Discussion on Alternative Hiring Options
On Thursday, January 25th, 2024, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted a panel discussion featuring four speakers, sharing their expertise on alternative hiring options.
Communities across our region have been experiencing hiring shortages, and challenges retaining employees. This panel shared stories and experiences on the hiring of individuals with criminal records, veterans, immigrants, and individuals with disabilities.
“We are so grateful to have professionals available to speak to our business community on the hiring of these populations,” said ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers. “This is just the beginning of the conversation, and we are thrilled that many businesses in this region came to the event to learn about their hiring options.”
The panelists dispelled many misconceptions that have been presented about hiring these populations, as well as shared some resources and programs; one of which, called the Department of Defense SkillBridge Program, has been successfully implemented by one of the panelists – Sergeant Major Christopher Thomas (U.S. Marine Corps, Retired), founder of Elite 9 Veteran Talent Acquisition Services, who has been working with a few local businesses on opportunities for service members to gain valuable civilian work experience through specific industry training, apprenticeships, or internships. Service members receive real-world job experiences, while still maintaining their military compensation and benefits. The employer, in-turn, gains a valuable employee that may turn into full-time employment.
“How do we move from a handshake and ‘thank you for your service’, to providing mutually beneficial opportunities for the success of our communities, and the hundreds of thousands of transitioning service members from the military every year? I truly believe the answer lies within the Skillbridge Program, but we must first build awareness to gain the desired traction,” said Thomas.
The panel also featured Tim McNutt, Esq., the Director of the Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative Center for Applied Research on Work, at the IRL School Cornell University. Mr. McNutt spoke of common misconceptions on hiring someone with a criminal background: “Workers with criminal records often perform better on the job, stay longer, and have fewer incidents at the workplace, but misconceptions can keep employers from hiring this largely untapped talent pool. Individualized assessments with a focus on skills for the job can help overcome hiring hurdles and create a triple win: organizations hire the workers they need, people with criminal records get jobs, and society benefits through reduced recidivism,” said McNutt.
In addition, Dr. Richard Leach, a retired physician and co-founder of the Adirondack Welcome Circle, spoke on his experience welcoming refugees into our community, and helping them secure employment. His personal stories shined a light on families looking to make a better life for themselves in our country, and how the Adirondack Welcome Circle has helped.
To round out the panel, the ARCC invited Michelle Treffi, Director of Employment Programs, Community Work & Independence (CWI) who provided some excellent information on programs that CWI can offer employers: “I think far too often, people hear the word disability and automatically think of what limitations/barriers an individual may have, rather than the skills that they have worked hard to develop. Hiring disabled individuals can help a business round out their talent needs while creating a culture of diversity and inclusion, and further strengthening community ties,” said Treffi.
Some of these programs offer all the support that the employee and employer may need to ensure success: “There are programs in place, such as Community, Work and Independence, Inc.’s Competitive Edge, which is a full-service employment program that matches individuals with jobs that are compatible with their skills, abilities, and preferences. Staff assists individuals with career exploration, job exploration, and the application and interviewing process. Following a job placement, Competitive Edge offers job coaching, employment counseling, soft-skills training and support, a safe forum for workplace concerns, and guidance to manage employment benefits. Competitive Edge works to ensure satisfaction for both the individual and the employer with each job placement. Group employment options are also available through contracted work opportunities.”
The ARCC is committed to continuing these conversations and finding a way to bridge the gap between employers and job seeking populations. Stay tuned to the ARCC website for any updates or announcement of future discussions.