Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com November 30, 2015 • Hartford Business Journal 11 EXPERTS CORNER Urban students provide quality talent pipeline By Paul Diego Holzer F or the average small and large busi- nesses located in Greater Hartford, the notion that their future workforce will come from graduates of urban high schools is often more of a hypothetical sce- nario than a reality. But what if a business had a partner agency that worked with urban youth to infuse high expec- tations and show these young people and their families how to navigate the world of work? Would that make a difference? It's already making a huge difference in one internship program at Aetna. Based on three key ingredients, the Aetna-YWCA Young Women's Leadership Corps is developing a pipe - line of diverse talent that can help Aetna achieve its business goals — and perhaps yours, too, if you launch something similar. Three key ingredients distinguish this urban talent pipeline: Key ingredient No. 1: Pre-programming In the Aetna-YWCA program, the young ladies who participate face the same expec- tations as all other employees assigned a desk and projects. The first key to their suc- cess stems from the YWCA programming that has prepared them for the work world. Before they ever set foot in their intern- ships, these ladies already have had train- ing on expected behavior, visited Aetna's campus through YWCA programming over the years to absorb the culture, and even had their parents involved. The old-school idea of having someone walk before they run is instrumental — interns are comfortable with high expecta- tions before they arrive and can rise to any occasion. It's impossible to overestimate how important having a community partner like the YWCA is to the success of an intern- ship program. In the YWCA, a business has a partner to design a curriculum that will get interns ready and guide them along the way to stay focused, confident and inspired. Key ingredient No. 2: Selectivity No internship program should be admin- istered by managers who don't have compel- ling reasons to work with interns. That's why the selection process for intern supervi- sors at Aetna is as rigorous as the selection process for the youth. Not every young lady participating in the YWCA programming is eligible to be matched to an internship at Aetna, even after young ladies and their families self-select into it. The same is true for Aetna employees. The "right" employees are those who personally relate to the mission of the program, which is to pro- fessionally develop young ladies and prepare them for successful careers. The supervisors are moti- vated by their own early job experiences, often without mentors in sink-or-swim envi- ronments. Many managers ask themselves, "If I had this kind of support early in my career, who knows where I could have gone." The supervisors see the YWCA opportunity as delivering the value of a lifetime — and they care enough about the interns to provide blunt feedback, share their personal stories, celebrate the interns with personal pride, and actively look to learn from the intern's experience growing up in an urban, low-income setting. Not everyone is right for this job, but selecting those that are is one way to ensure the internship program's success. Key ingredient No. 3: A culture that supports this work Aetna's core values are caring, integrity, inspiration and excellence. Beyond just words, how do these values and the Aetna culture make this internship program work? We believe the core value of "inspira- tion" encourages employees to explore ideas that can make the world a better place. Employees actively look for ways to use their relationship with Aetna to do something impactful in the community. People pursue their passions in ways that are instinctive, making it easy to create and support an internship program with the YWCA. This means that taking on an intern — or better yet launching an internship program with a partner — is not for the faint of heart. There needs to be alignment with what the company cares about so that when an organization like the YWCA comes in with its mission of empowering women and pro- moting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all — you can find a legitimate fit. Young ladies who become valued mem- bers of professional work teams discover — or decide against — particular career paths. Managers who motivate and guide interns sharpen their skills and sensitivi- ties. In the end, everyone grows. n Paul Diego Holzer is the executive director of Achieve Hartford Paul Diego Holzer education well? Who can Connecticut look to for inspiration and guidance? A: The United States is ranked 17th in education, behind other developed coun- tries, and that was unheard of decades ago. The schools that were built to prepare the future workforce for jobs in factories and farms have not evolved in tandem with the changing workplace. NAF academies like the Academy of Engineering & Green Tech- nology are redefining the school model. They connect students to the workplace much earlier, and the P-TECH model allows students to gain an associate's degree con- currently with their high school diploma. There is no specific type of school that is the panacea, but we need flexibility that addresses each child's educational needs. n Q&A: Comer PDS has been meeting the needs of the construction industry since 1965. Our dedicated team of design and construction professionals welcomes the challenge of serving its past and future customers on their most demanding projects. Powder Mill Elementary School; Woodland Elementary School | Southwick, MA PDS served in the role as General Contractor for a combined 163,484 square foot renovation to these two elementary schools. Powder Mill Elementary School was a 95,775 square foot renovation, and Woodland Elementary School was a 67,709 square foot renovation. Both projects have newly renovated laboratories, classrooms, offices, gymnasiums, auditoriums, media centers and cafeterias. Combined Project Size: 163,484 SF 107 Old Windsor Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002 (860) 242-8586 | Fax (860) 242-8587 www.pdsec.com DESIGN BUILDERS • GENERAL CONTRACTORS • CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS SPOTLIGHT ON: Education PDS ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION, INC. THINK • PLAN • BUILD

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