Citizens convenes industry leaders to advance workforce development

By Jennifer A. DiGiovanni | Citizens Contributor

Over the past several years, businesses have faced unique workforce challenges due to the pandemic, shifting employee expectations, and rapid advances in technology. As a bank that supports large and small companies across industries and markets, Citizens has a unique role to play as a convener and leader in helping address these complex workforce challenges.

One way the company is helping tackle this is leveraging our strong local presence to bring together business, civic and nonprofit leaders to discuss their challenges, share best practices and ideate on sustainable solutions.

Digging in at the regional level

When helping to build and develop the workforce of the future, Citizens takes a community-driven approach. Since 2021, Chairman and CEO Bruce Van Saun and Citizens' market leaders have regularly hosted roundtable discussions in key markets including Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Rhode Island that bring together many interested parties to broaden job opportunities — local governments, educational institutions, community partners and companies struggling with tight labor supply.

Through these convenings, we strive to use our reach, innovation and insights to serve as a bridge between local companies looking to fill critical roles and education and community organizations who provide upskilling and reskilling programs to students and workers looking to advance their careers.

The strongest and most successful workforce development programs are industry informed, have a strong education and training curriculum and are tailored to be as accessible as possible for all students and workers.

By bringing together business, education and nonprofit leaders to discuss current workforce challenges and share ideas and best practices, participants are able to learn from one another and adapt their programs to better meet community needs. We are also able to use the information gained through these conversations to better inform our funding and partnership decisions to support programs that focus on the following solutions:

• Expand access to upskilling and reskilling programs that prepare students and workers for in-demand industry capabilities.
• Foster an inclusive pipeline for diverse talent.
• Support the development of new educational pathways.

Coming together to solve workforce challenges

The idea for these regional workforce panels originated during the height of the pandemic as a way to support local businesses and communities during a time of need.

Van Saun brought together Pittsburgh area leaders including Esther Bush, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Robert Cherry, CEO of Partner4Work, Esther Melling Stief, Executive Director of Crossroads Foundation, and Janis Burley Wilson, President and CEO of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Together they addressed the widening economic and opportunity gap in the city and shared solutions to ensure that all individuals have a chance to be successful.

Shortly after in 2022, Van Saun and Jerry Sargent, a northeast regional executive, convened with community leaders Gerald Chertavian, CEO and founder of Year Up, and Pam Eddinger, President of Bunker Hill Community College, to address the workforce needs of Boston. The panel discussed how the shift to digital work during the pandemic and the increasing demand for new job skills affected company hiring and how nonprofit and education organizations can adapt programming to help jobseekers regain and upgrade the skills needed to succeed.

The benefit of these convenings is that they are tailored to reflect the needs of the community at that particular time.

Tailoring the conversation to address local needs

Later in 2022, Citizens convened leaders in Philadelphia including Carol de Fries, Vice President of Workforce Development and Innovation for the Community College of Philadelphia, Sheila Ireland, Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and Peter Gonzales, President and CEO of The Welcoming Center. The group focused on how the private sector, public sector and nonprofit community can work together to build new pathways for diverse workers to gain the skills needed to thrive and meet regional job market changes.

In Cleveland, leaders expressed desire to find new ways to search for talent and discussed potential solutions to overcome common barriers. Van Saun along with William Gary, Tri-C's Executive Vice President of Workforce, Community and Economic Development, and Alicia Booker, the College's Vice President of Manufacturing, weighed in on the need for additional financial support for workforce development programs.

After this panel discussion in June 2022, Citizens invested $45,000 in the expansion of several Cuyahoga Community College training programs, including funds for a mobile training unit that helps bring upskilling services directly to neighborhoods of need. Cuyahoga Community College plays a vital role in training qualified people to fill jobs throughout the northeast Ohio region.

As part of Citizens entry to the New York City market, leaders made sure to take time to get to know the community. Van Saun hosted a discussion on the current needs of the New York metro area workforce. Panel members included Jukay Hsu, CEO and co-founder of Pursuit, Kevin Alexander, President and CEO of Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation, and Ebony Beaty, Executive Director of Ocean Bay Community Development Corp.

At the time, there was increased hate and discrimination towards Asian Americans that was significantly impacting Chinatown and its small businesses. Citizens in turn announced a $400,000 Chinatown Renewal Fund and reaffirmed the bank's commitment to connecting community partners running job skill programs with hiring employers.

Building on the success and positive feedback received from partners, Citizens continued to host conversations throughout 2023 with leaders in New Jersey and Rhode Island.

Building on a successful model

Knowing the impact of these conversations, in October 2023 Citizens convened more than 35 New Jersey community partners to share progress and best practices on efforts to address local challenges such as childcare shortages, transportation options to recruitment events, insufficient entry-level wages and benefits, and lack of career advancement opportunities. At the fall convening, Van Saun announced a $700,000 commitment to New Jersey workforce initiatives led by the participating nonprofits.

Headquartered in Rhode Island, Citizens is deeply committed to Rhode Island and its future workforce. At the latest convening in November, Van Saun brought together executives from Lifespan, LISC and Education Design Lab along with other Rhode Island nonprofit, higher education, and business leaders to address the state's aging workforce. Over the past 20 years, the percentage of Rhode Island's workforce over 65 has grown 12% while the size of the workforce aged 16 to 25 has declined 12%. Participants discussed this concerning age twist and ways that companies, educational institutions, and nonprofits can work together to build a sustainable pipeline of diverse and skilled talent.

To support the needs within the state, Citizens announced a $600,000 commitment to fund local training programs through the YMCA of Pawtucket and the Davies Career Academy, Genesis Culinary Hub of Providence (CHOP), Rhode Island Hospital and Crossroads and Bank Forward. Additional support went toward a partnership with LISC Rhode Island for a new building initiative to support small businesses. Additionally, $200,000 of the total commitment was earmarked for investment through the Citizens Community College Accelerator to provide the Community College of Rhode Island with two years of Education Design Lab pathway design services and technical support.

Meeting the Workforce Needs of the Future: Discussion with Citizens Chairman and CEO, Bruce Van Saun, moderated by Nina Pande, Executive Director at Skills for Rhode Island's Future, and featuring John Fernandez, President and CEO, Lifespan, Bill Hughes, President and CEO, Education Design Lab and Michael T. Pugh, CEO of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).

Meeting the workforce needs of the future

At Citizens, we understand that workforce development challenges vary by region and can't be addressed by a one-size-fits-all solution. Through our community-driven approach, we strive to build innovative and impactful partnerships that provide upskilling and reskilling services that prepare students and workers for in-demand well-paying careers.

These regional workforce panel convenings with business and community leaders are part of our ongoing commitment to recognize the needs of those we serve and help solve complex challenges in today's job environment. The result has been a surge in programs that upskill workers and place them in good quality jobs that are in many cases life changing.

Together, we can build sustainable workforce solutions that position our communities for long-term success.

Learn more about how Citizens is making a difference with our community partnerships and initiatives, and explore past workforce development convenings here.