Building a Strong Pipeline of Talent
Tired of hearing about ongoing labor shortages? If we were betting people, we’d wager that you are even more exhausted dealing with it as you struggle to meet business demand. It is a pressing challenge; but this is what we do. We see a problem, we explore the options, and we put our innovation and ingenuity to work.
Workforce development ecosystems are the future — and they can help preserve and strengthen our businesses today.
What Is a Workforce Development Ecosystem — and Why Does It Matter?
We are not going to hit you with the hard stats; most of us are experiencing labor and talent shortages within our organizations or communities. Here’s what we know: what we’ve been doing to address the issue isn’t working. It is time to shift the paradigm and rethink how we develop strong workforces — and how we inspire, educate, and empower the future makers and leaders of America.
Hub & Spoke Entremaker Academy is a ground-breaking K-16+ workforce development ecosystem that fuses education (primary, secondary, post-secondary schools), private industry, and the community. We cannot solve the labor shortage by staying siloed; as with any ecosystem, we need to interact and work together in order to survive and thrive.
The project- and work-based Entremaker model leverages coworking space, classrooms, an innovation lab, and a makerspace, fully equipped with all of the tools and tech budding makers and entrepreneurs need to explore, learn, create, and discover their purpose:
- 3D printers
- CNC equipment-laser & plasma cutters
- Woodworking equipment
- Metal and welding facility
- Hand tools
- Technology-computers, design software, etc
Engaging Tomorrow’s Talent Today
The diverse experiences offered by the Entremaker Academy provide kids and adults with real-life and real-world experience. STEAM education is ripe with opportunities for true engagement, and this is how we will develop a strong pipeline of talent. Programming, by design, is exciting for students (it’s like Apple or Google with tooling!), while reassuring to parents. They know that their children are receiving a top-notch education — one that they would not get sitting at a desk in a classroom, day after day, year after year.
College is a great option for many, but not all. Dropout rates exceed 30%. How many people do you know who realize, after they’ve spent so much time and money on a degree, that they’re on the wrong pathway? Spending $20,000, $30,000 or more a year is just too much when you aren’t sure where your real interests lie.
Children should not have to decide their future before they have discovered their passions. Our model exposes students to experiences far sooner, allowing and empowering them to explore. To discover their passions and to give them the tools and confidence to pursue them. They build transferable skills that will accelerate them on their path, whether that’s college, the workforce, an entrepreneurial dream, or a combination of these.
Community Partnerships
The skills, experiences, and innovation of the community is put to work in a K-16+ workforce development ecosystem. As mentioned, strategic partners include primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools, private enterprise, government agencies, and community leaders. Under the Entremaker model, teachers-in-residence develop new integrated curriculum with input and feedback from these partners.
The educational opportunities and real-world benefits include:
- S.T.E.A.M. focused courses and credits
- Project- and work-based learning
- Employability and soft skills
- Industry certifications and credentials
- On-the-job training: Internships & Apprenticeships
- College credits
- Job offers
- Talent pipeline for employers
Together, we build and support pathways to high-paying, in-demand careers.
A student’s life beyond high school may take them on any number of paths — college, directly into the work world, towards an entrepreneurial dream. Our goal is to ensure they are ready to walk them with confidence. The Entremaker Academy creates awareness of diverse opportunities, delivers hands-on experiential learning, and creates avenues to success within the local community.
If your organization or community struggles with workforce development, the Entremaker model could be for you. Learn more at the Hub & Spoke Institute.