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Episode 1935 Transcript

00;00;01;14 - 00;00;05;16

Announcer

And now America's Healthcare Advocate, Cary Hall.

00;00;05;19 - 00;00;23;11

Cary Hall

Hello, America. Welcome toAmerica's Healthcare Advocate show broadcasting coast to coast across the USA here on the HIA Radio Network. Our producer today, Mr. Darren Wilhite. I'm your host, Cary Hall. Thank you for joining us and making us one of the most listened to talk shows across the United States, 201 affiliates as of today.

00;00;23;13 - 00;00;43;07

Cary Hall

By the way, I want to give a little shout out to KBYR in Anchorage, Alaska? AM 700 FM 88.5. Very happy to be on up there. I want to thank them. They've been with us for a while. So all of you up there in Alaska, we're glad you're listening. Also, as you know, because I talk about this every week, if you hear one of these shows, you want to tell somebody about it.

00;00;43;07 - 00;01;08;22

Cary Hall

And this one today is probably one you're going to want to talk to folks about, especially if you're a business owner. We are on 14 podcast platforms and they are Amazon, Apple Audacy, Google, Overcast, Pocket Cast, Pandora, Rumble, RSS Podcast, Speaker, Stitcher and Spotify. In addition to that, we're on YouTube. Now, here's what's interesting. We're getting about 6000 downloads a month on the podcast side at 6000.

00;01;08;22 - 00;01;27;26

Cary Hall

If you pull that show down and listening to it and we've had 257,000 views on YouTube year to date. So there are a lot of you out there paying attention to what we're doing here, and we really appreciate that. We also appreciate all of you listening to us on a AM FM radio. All right. So if you want to know more about us, the website is America's Healthcare Advocate dot com.

00;01;27;29 - 00;01;56;05

Cary Hall

If you've got questions or comments, send me an email. I am happy to respond. It takes me a day or two usually because I get a few, but I'm happy to get back to you. Also, if you're chronologically challenged and you are looking for Medicare, we are rolling into the open enrollment season. You might want to give the good folks at our benefits by design a call at 887 385 2224. Speak to the lovely Joyce Thompson or Carolee Steele.

00;01;56;05 - 00;02;08;28

Cary Hall

They are both certified experts and happy to help you if you're looking for employer sponsored health care. Maria Ahlers is the one that can help you and she will be happy to do that. Once again, the phone number 877 385 2224.

00;02;09;01 - 00;02;20;12

Cary Hall

So today's going to be a unique show. I met these folks some time ago and and really enjoyed what they had to talk about and their company, their program and what they do.

00;02;20;14 - 00;02;27;10

Cary Hall

The folks are here from GoodWill Industries today in studio with me, Karen Altenhofen and Anita Davis. Welcome to both of you.

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Karen Altenhofen

Thank you. Thank you.

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Cary Hall

Great to have you both here today. You know, this is going to be a unique show because we're going to talk about what they do. There are a lot more than a thrift store you're about to find that out. And if you are a business owner, we're going to talk about how they can help you. Okay. I think you're going to be pretty surprised at what they have to offer.

00;02;44;12 - 00;03;06;22

Cary Hall

And by the way, if you're somebody out there stuck in a job that you're not happy with, you're going nowhere. Well, they have some great programs that you can get involved in that might help you make that move up. So listen up today, because you're going to learn some things a little bit about Anita Davis. She served a number of communities designing, administrating very a variety of programs focused on affordable housing, neighborhood improvement, small business development and employment services.

00;03;06;24 - 00;03;26;15

Cary Hall

She is the serves now as the Chief Mission Officer for GoodWill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas. Previously, she was a workforce development director for Mid-America Regional Council. Prior to that, she was the Assistant Workforce Development Director for the City of Denver. Anita Davis holds a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and a master's degree in public administration.

00;03;26;15 - 00;03;47;19

Cary Hall

So I think she knows her way around the block when it comes to this topic. Karen Altenhofen is the she serves as the Workforce Director for GoodWill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas. In this role she supports a team that delivers resources and services to individuals who face barriers, finding employment and companies looking for employees that are qualified to go to work for them.

00;03;47;21 - 00;04;04;06

Cary Hall

Her lifelong mission is to build a culture that serves the greater good and values, relationships, integrity, compassion makes a positive impact in this world. Ms. Altenhofen holds a bachelor's degree of liberal arts from University of Kansas and a master's degree in Business and Human Resources. So welcome to both of you.

00;04;04;13 - 00;04;05;00

Anita Davis

Thank you.

00;04;05;00 - 00;04;26;08

Cary Hall

So when you and I had coffee, Karen, and you told me about this, I was like, God, I've been bringing stuff to GoodWill for as long as I can remember. I had no idea that you had this program. And it's really quite remarkable where, you know, you connect with businesses and you connect with people. So let's just kind of start with that.

00;04;26;08 - 00;04;43;04

Cary Hall

Anita wanted to start with a little bit of that of this. Did you're a lot more than thrift store because that's what everybody thinks. They see the store is out there and you're taking you know, you're taking the TV there, you're taking the clothes there, you're taking whatever there. And that's a big part of this. That's right. But let's talk about this because this is totally different.

00;04;43;04 - 00;04;44;04

Cary Hall

It really surprised me.

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Anita Davis

That's right. Well, thank you so much for allowing us the opportunity to share our mission. So you're right. Everybody sees and knows that their stores we have a great brand and we really are privileged that people bring their gently used items, their new items to our stores. We are able to use that revenue to employ people and to train people that are able to go out into the workforce in our region.

00;05;09;05 - 00;05;32;00

Anita Davis

And so our mission explicitly is to empower people to find their potential and adapt for the future through the power of work. And so that's what we get to do every day with the mission team. There's a lot of great people in our community that are underserved and under-resourced, and we find them and we grow that talent and help find employment opportunities for those people.

00;05;32;03 - 00;05;52;23

Cary Hall

So, Karen we met you talked about, you know, I mentioned this in the opening monologue there. You know, if somebody is in a job where they're not happy, okay, and they would like maybe maybe they're a housekeeper in a hotel, but they would like to do more than being a housekeeper. Maybe they'd like to get into manufacturing or I.T. You all make it available for them to get that kind of training talk about that.

00;05;52;23 - 00;05;55;26

Cary Hall

And what does that cost them to do that and how does that work?

00;05;55;28 - 00;05;58;28

Karen Altenhofen

It's absolutely free. It doesn't cost part of things.

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Cary Hall

I want to make sure everybody hears that.

00;06;00;15 - 00;06;31;11

Karen Altenhofen

Absolutely free to everyone doesn't cost them a thing. All they have to do is walk in our doors or we have a form online that they can fill out. There's a QR code on all of our fliers and the website that will direct them right to where they can apply, and we will have one of our employment coordinators walk enrollment coordinators, work with them, reach out, see what they're interested in, and get them an appointment to come in and meet with one of our workforce development specialists and get them started.

00;06;31;14 - 00;06;50;17

Cary Hall

So Anita, talk about the geographic area because you cover a pretty significant, not just Kansas City, right? So when we run this broadcast, we're going to run this nationally because I'm sure there are other GoodWill opportunities around the country. But for all the folks in Kansas and Missouri, just talk about how big the operation is here that is out of Kansas City, correct?

00;06;50;17 - 00;07;21;09

Anita Davis

Absolutely. Our headquarters is right in the crossroads, right in the West Crossroads area. So we're at 800 East 18th Street, but we have 41 counties that we serve in Missouri, and we have 41 counties that we serve in Kansas. So 82 counties across this region. So our furthest store in the Kansas side is in Manhattan. And then on the Missouri side, where all the way to Saint Joe and all in between, we're growing every day.

00;07;21;09 - 00;07;26;08

Anita Davis

We're opening three new stores today. And well, now I'm sorry.

00;07;26;13 - 00;07;27;05

Cary Hall

So that's good.

00;07;27;07 - 00;07;28;25

Anita Davis

And that today, this quarter.

00;07;28;29 - 00;07;29;23

Cary Hall

You.

00;07;29;26 - 00;07;58;16

Anita Davis

Know, this quarter we'll open three new stores, one in Waldo, one in Belton and one in Olathe. And so from the mission perspective, as far as employers, we have a huge pool of talent that we serve this year. Our goal is to serve 2000. A little over 2000, I think, is what we'll hit under Karen's leadership. And so those are all individuals that have come into our mission support center in the West Crossroads looking for help with employment.

00;07;58;19 - 00;08;18;14

Cary Hall

So, you know, and there are so many people now that are struggling, you know, the cost of living, everything else. If you are looking, Karen, for a leg up. Okay, you know what I was on the board of directors for for Don Bosco. We had a saying that was we're going to give you a hand up, not a handout.

00;08;18;17 - 00;08;38;07

Cary Hall

Okay. And this sounds a lot like that to me, that that's exactly what you're doing here. You're giving people a hand up. You're giving them a path forward. And we're going to talk about later in the show the diversity of what you do. I mean, it's amazing the number of programs you've got. So talk a little bit about that and the fact that, you know, how long does it take typically for somebody to go through one of these programs?

00;08;38;07 - 00;08;40;20

Cary Hall

And then how do they go find a job after they do that?

00;08;40;20 - 00;09;03;17

Karen Altenhofen

So we will support them all along the way with wraparound supports. It varies. One of our programs that we have, the certified manufacturing, is a three week program, So they have the three weeks that they're in class and working with an instructor. And when the class is over, they have manufacturing employers that come in and interview and maybe hire some of them right on the spot.

00;09;03;17 - 00;09;19;18

Karen Altenhofen

So that pipeline works very well. And we would like to, you know, be able to scale that and replicate some of those programs that we know have worked really well. There are a lot of manufacturing employers that need good employees and so this is.

00;09;19;23 - 00;09;35;10

Cary Hall

This puts it in perspective. We're not talking about a year long program here or two semesters of junior college. We're talking about something in three weeks can prepare you to go get a job that's a better job. You know, When it come back from the break, we're going to talk more about this. We're going to start exploring some of the very specific programs that are out there.

00;09;35;10 - 00;09;53;24

Cary Hall

So there are two groups of people that I'm talking to, those of you out there that maybe you've got a young person at home that's looking for work and can't figure out what to do. There's some great programs here available. They are free. Okay. And if you're an employer and I know a lot of you are struggling with finding qualified people, they're doing the work for you.

00;09;53;24 - 00;10;12;10

Cary Hall

This is a lot better than going up on Indeed, and posting or asking for a resume. So you might want to take a look at it. We'll be right back from the break. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate broadcasting here on the HIA Radio Network Coast to coast across USA. The website MoKan GoodWill dot org. We'll be back.

00;10;12;13 - 00;10;45;18

Steve Kuker

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00;10;45;21 - 00;11;13;20

Steve Kuker

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00;11;13;22 - 00;11;35;21

Cary Hall

Welcome back. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocates show broadcasting coast to coast across the USA. My producer, the always perfect Mr. Darin Willhite. I'm your host, Cary Hall. My other producer, Mr. Dave Thiessen, the man behind the camera that puts all this stuff together and puts it up on those 14 podcast platforms and YouTube. So that's how all this comes together here in the magic at the Audacy Studios.

00;11;35;23 - 00;11;56;07

Cary Hall

If you want to learn more about what GoodWill does, if you are one of those folks out there that would like to find a better path forward, maybe a better job than what you're doing, or maybe you just don't like what you're doing. They've got a myriad of programs. Great. Start getting into that. In this particular segment of the show, that website is MoKan GoodWill dot org.

00;11;56;15 - 00;12;26;06

Cary Hall

The phone number if you want to call them 816 842 7425. Joining me in studio again, Karen Alton Hoffman and Anita Davis, both from GoodWill to talk about their program. Let's kind of dive back into this and so I remember we had coffee. We started talking about the manufacturing piece. Now what? Holy cow. You know, okay, so, Anita, there's a huge demand in the market right now for me in the manufacturing sector.

00;12;26;06 - 00;12;41;23

Cary Hall

I mean, I work you know, I've done a lot of work with the AFL-CIO and a lot of the other unions deal in manufacturing. And they're constantly looking for people to put in those programs and they can't find them. So let's talk about what that's a three week program. Karen, Just describe that. Talk about that program and how it works.

00;12;41;23 - 00;12;43;10

Cary Hall

And what are you training them for?

00;12;43;13 - 00;13;10;20

Anita Davis

Absolutely. Well, we we started that program because of just what you're talking about. We recognized that it was a growing in demand area, especially as we came out of the pandemic. Manufacturing was still strong, but they weren't getting people into those positions as well. There was this increase in the use of technology in manufacturing, and the look and the feel of the industry was just changing and people still thought of manufacturing as like pushing widgets down this conveyor.

00;13;10;20 - 00;13;11;18

Cary Hall

Belt, running a ball.

00;13;11;21 - 00;13;30;08

Anita Davis

Turning a bolt this old place where nobody wanted to go. And so we wanted to create something more exciting to help, to energize, getting people back into manufacturing. And so we started to design this program. It's called the Certified Manufacturing Associate Certification. It's based on.

00;13;30;08 - 00;13;30;26

Cary Hall

What looks like.

00;13;31;03 - 00;13;57;26

Anita Davis

Yeah, it's based on tooling you and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. So we didn't create it. It was created already by industry. It's created by an association that manufacturers are familiar with and recognize and trust. So we wanted to make sure that they knew that this was an accredited program. We then partnered with the Missouri Enterprise, which is the Manufacturing Traders Association in Missouri.

00;13;57;28 - 00;14;25;17

Anita Davis

Again, that name recognition, they already had the trust of local manufacturers that go to them for other support and assistance. And so they come in and they provide the subject matter expertise for the training in-house. And so we're training them just to be basic, very skilled, professional entry level laborers on a manufacturing floor so that manufacturers know that they can then upskill and train them from there.

00;14;25;19 - 00;14;45;15

Cary Hall

You know, Karen, the level of sophistication when I'm listening to this, Anita is describing this, the Society of Engineers for manufacturing. I mean, holy cow, you went and got you went to the top people to lay this out and put a program together that's got some remarkable credibility right out of the gate, correct?

00;14;45;21 - 00;14;46;28

Karen Altenhofen

Yes, absolutely.

00;14;47;06 - 00;15;02;24

Cary Hall

Okay. So when so people committed to saying they're in it for like three weeks and then you, the manufacturers, I assume they come to you and say, hey, we've got job openings here. Talk about some of the people you're currently partnering with, either one of you, whoever wants to jump in there.

00;15;02;26 - 00;15;26;25

Karen Altenhofen

So some of the manufacturing companies that we partner with Challenge Manufacturing is one of them. Holland 1916, Mimic, Smithfield Foods. We have, you know, various different companies that come in on interview day, whoever is available at the time to do on the spot interviews. But even the ones that aren't available will often send us the links for the jobs to have folks apply for them.

00;15;26;25 - 00;15;36;27

Karen Altenhofen

So we have a lot of different manufacturing employers that are interested in this entry level certification and getting people in the door entry level and then help grow from there.

00;15;36;29 - 00;15;55;00

Cary Hall

So this is kind of a you know, when you're saying Smithfield Foods and you're talking about, you know, hard core manufacturing, some of the other ones, that's that's a wide range of of opportunities that are available to people. Right. In a wide range of clients that you're talking to.

00;15;55;02 - 00;16;06;01

Anita Davis

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's the beauty of this is that this is a very standard entry level certification that crosses all of the industries.

00;16;06;01 - 00;16;22;17

Cary Hall

So it crosses all the industries they're coming in. The other thing about this one, if I’m the employer listening to this is I didn't you know, I remember talking to a client some nine years ago and what what's one of your biggest problems? Turnover. Yes. But, you know, bringing people in here that are qualified, that have been screened, that we know we're going to do the job.

00;16;22;24 - 00;16;30;20

Cary Hall

So talk a little about the process, about how, you know, they're getting prescreened, pre trained, ready to go, people. Right. Talk a little bit about that.

00;16;30;20 - 00;16;53;09

Anita Davis

Yeah, that is the great thing about it as well is that we have a really solid system. We have case managers in-house that are doing initial assessments with clients. They're looking at their background, they're looking at their resume, they're helping them identify any gaps in their education. And then we're walking them through this training. But, you know, to your point about turnover, we're really concerned about retention.

00;16;53;13 - 00;17;15;21

Anita Davis

And so we are doing things like providing people with gas cards and transportation assistance. Really? Absolutely. We do. We help provide them with boots and equipment before they go. We want to make sure that we ensure that they get that job, that they're qualified and that they can keep that job, because, quite frankly, you know, a lot of the people that come in the door, they have some limited background.

00;17;15;21 - 00;17;19;23

Anita Davis

They need more support, and we are doing that alongside them as well.

00;17;19;28 - 00;17;46;08

Cary Hall

You don't care. And that's amazing. But we to that level, you're giving them gas cards, buying them boots, helping them get transportation. You and I talk business over coffee is that, you know, we don't have the greatest transportation system in the city. And it specifically if you're servicing Johnson County or you're servicing Wyandotte or even further out, if there's a job in a manufacturing facility , I’m trying to think, there's a there's a big boat manufacturer.

00;17;46;10 - 00;18;01;09

Cary Hall

And I can't think of the name of the small town in Kansas that makes crown boats, but it's out there. Well, it'd be a great place to get a job and then sure that the pay is really good along with the benefits, but you've got to get there, right? Right. Yeah. Okay. So. So you're pulling all that together.

00;18;01;09 - 00;18;03;17

Cary Hall

So it's kind of like the whole package.

00;18;03;19 - 00;18;24;27

Karen Altenhofen

Yes, it is. I mean, we try to do as much as we can with the wraparound supports that we have, you know, to get them the job and help them keep it. And, you know, we will continue to work with them and the employer after they have the job for as long as they need us and as long as we can help provide that, they can come back at any time to maybe they, you know, have the job and they're like, I'm good.

00;18;24;27 - 00;18;37;26

Karen Altenhofen

I don't need you know, GoodWill's help anymore. And then something happens. They can always come back. We're always there through, you know, cradle to grave, the very beginning, to the very end of anything that they need along this journey.

00;18;37;28 - 00;18;58;25

Cary Hall

You know, it's interesting because, you know, I've done work for a lot of charities. I was on the board of directors for Sheffield Place where, you know, we brought in homeless women and their children in the facilities. And the key to success there was that after they finished the program, you know, we got them sober, we got them jobs, we put their kids in school, we had a support system.

00;18;58;28 - 00;19;14;27

Cary Hall

And what you just described is that support system. So if they're having a problem. They can come back to you and say, I'm having a problem. Maybe this isn't working or I've got problem. You know, a lot of folks are coming in to these situations, they don't know how to deal with this kind of stuff because they haven't dealt with it.

00;19;14;27 - 00;19;21;27

Cary Hall

Okay. So now, you know, you've got a counselor, somebody that can say to them, if you've got a conflict on job, here's what you need to do to get it solved.

00;19;21;27 - 00;19;39;08

Anita Davis

Right? Right. That's exactly right. And so many of the people, to your point, they just don't have a support system. They haven't had a social network. They haven't had a mentor, they haven't had coaching, and they don't have somebody that's saying, hey, I'll take you to work or hey, let me help you. So we're there. We're that hand up.

00;19;39;08 - 00;19;57;19

Cary Hall

And yeah, it is it is a hand up. And that really is quite remarkable. If you want to learn more about it, maybe you're, you know, a small employer of some kind of and you need help. Mo Kan GoodWill dot org. If you're somebody looking for an opportunity, it's free. Okay? They'll train you. We're going to talk in this next segment.

00;19;57;21 - 00;20;26;04

Cary Hall

Some of these opportunities, they're really quite remarkable, if you want to call them 816 842 7425. We'll be right back after the break. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate. Broadcasting here on the HIA Radio Network. Coast to coast across the USA. Stay tuned. We've got more.

00;20;26;06 - 00;20;33;26

Cary Hall

Welcome back, you’re listening to America's Healthcare Advocate show broadcasting coast to coast across the fruited plain here on the HIA Radio Network.

00;20;34;03 - 00;20;52;14

Cary Hall

You can find out more about us by going to our Web site, America's Healthcare Advocate dot com, my producers Darren Willhite and David Thiessen in studio with me producing this show today. For all of you out there on the podcast, YouTube platforms of coarse all 201 of our radio stations across the country. And by the way, we're going to broadcast this nationally.

00;20;52;17 - 00;21;06;18

Cary Hall

So if you're looking for GoodWill in your town, I'm sure these same opportunities exist. We'll talk about that in the segment a little bit. But, you know, they've got a great program. They're a national group and they do wonderful work. And I think you're learning some of that. If you want to go to the website and learn more.

00;21;06;23 - 00;21;35;23

Cary Hall

mokangoodwill.org. The phone number 816 842 7425. You heard Anita say 41 counties in Missouri and 41 counties in Kansas. I don't care if you're listening to me in Salina on our Salina station or you're listening to me in Wichita or Topeka or wherever you are, you're listening to be in Maryville or Clinton, Missouri, they can help you and they're happy to help you.

00;21;35;23 - 00;21;51;28

Cary Hall

That's what they do. So if you're a manufacturer, if you're sitting here, we're going to target some of these other opportunities that if you're an employer and you're going to hear some more of this in a lot of different fields, they can help you. They'll find people, they'll train them, they'll they'll screen them. They do the whole nine yards.

00;21;52;05 - 00;22;11;15

Cary Hall

Okay. All you have to do is provide the opportunity. And if you're that person looking for a way out of a dead end job, or maybe you don't have a job, this is a tremendous opportunity. Go to the phones and call on 816 842 7425. All right. So this one fascinated me as I was up at 530 this morning doing show prep for this.

00;22;11;18 - 00;22;34;14

Cary Hall

So talk to me about the bridge to technology. I got to me, I'm like, okay, manufacturing. I get that. I mean, that's that's I can see how that would work, etc.. This one kind of floored me a little bit. And then I started looking some of the people you're dealing with, your IBM, Google. All right. So talk about this bridge to technology because there are a huge number of jobs in this space and there are not qualified people for these jobs right now.

00;22;34;14 - 00;22;38;28

Cary Hall

There is a there there is a demand that's not being supplied. Anita.

00;22;38;28 - 00;23;07;24

Anita Davis

Absolutely right. There is a tremendous and growing demand for people that have good quality technology skills, great digital literacy, and know how to operate a computer and know how to function around, you know, Microsoft applications or other types of Internet applications and platforms and what we were finding is that there was a huge segment of our population that didn't even have computers at home.

00;23;07;27 - 00;23;31;29

Anita Davis

They didn't have high speed Internet at home because they can't afford it. And so of course, they lack some of the digital literacy and digital skills. And so we started to build programs and services to increase that access for people so that they could get Internet at home, they could get a laptop, and then they could get skills to compete for some of these high demand careers in technology.

00;23;32;01 - 00;23;51;19

Anita Davis

And so we know that employers are looking for people and we're trying to help to fill that gap. There's all of this new technology like AI and machine learning and coding and all this great stuff, but people just don't know about it. So we learned about it and we created a program called Bridge to Technology that is just that.

00;23;51;19 - 00;24;05;09

Anita Davis

It's just meet people where they are. So no matter how much you know or how little, you know, you can come into that and you don't have to feel afraid. And we're creating new talent for our employers across the region.

00;24;05;11 - 00;24;31;13

Cary Hall

So Karen, Anita said something very interesting. And I think that I think this is a problem for a lot of people. They hear that and they go, I couldn't do that. It's so they're afraid. It it looks to them to be a daunting task they can’t do. But when I look at the way you do this, talk about how you how you put the basic programs available, talk a little bit about some of that and how you start them off so they can learn how to do this.

00;24;31;15 - 00;24;52;06

Karen Altenhofen

So like Anita said, we meet them where they're at if they have interest, but it's technology and it's scary. And I don't think I can do this. This is kind of just dipping your toe in that lake and getting a taste of a lot of different technologies and seeing it's not so hard. It's not so scary. Wow. I have a whole skill set that I didn't even know I had.

00;24;52;06 - 00;25;10;22

Karen Altenhofen

I can do some of this and I enjoy it and I like it. And the hope is that once they get a taste for that, that they want to go on and continue in some of the other certifications that we have through the partners that you see getting a badge with IBM or a Grow with Google certification and project management or data analytics.

00;25;10;22 - 00;25;33;08

Karen Altenhofen

But they first have to take that step into that realm, which is the Bridge to Technology. And if their skillset isn't right, where maybe it needs to be, we enroll them in our digital skills classes and help them get to where they need to be so that they can be successful when they go into the Bridge to Technology course and then continue on after that.

00;25;33;10 - 00;25;37;00

Cary Hall

So Anita, do they have to show up in a classroom to do these? How does that work?

00;25;37;00 - 00;25;57;02

Anita Davis

Yes. So Bridge to Technology is cohort based because for most of the people, they have a lot of other barriers. They do need motivation. It's just that collaboration with other people that are like them that helps to inspire and motivate them to complete. And so in that format, that one has to be requiring some in-person time.

00;25;57;08 - 00;26;30;01

Anita Davis

But we do offer a ton of other IBM Skills Build has all of these badges and courses that can be completed completely online. We have a Grow with Google suite of certifications that are available at no cost that can be completed. They're a little bit longer. They take most people if you're really progressing through it about 5 to 6 months, but then you come out with like a project management certification or a Python certification or an information technology certification.

00;26;30;05 - 00;26;47;12

Anita Davis

And so those can be completed completely independently. And an employer could even say, Hey, I have someone on staff If I think they need a little bit of skill and development, maybe they would be good to take one of these courses while they're continuing their job. They could take one off the Grow with Google certifications.

00;26;47;12 - 00;27;06;01

Cary Hall

So that kind of jumped beat me to the punch there. So I'm working, I've got a job, but I don't like it. Okay? And I'm doing manual labor, whatever it is I'm doing. And I'm not I know I can do more. I just don't know how to do it. I know how to I know how to get on the computer and do email and search and that.

00;27;06;05 - 00;27;26;28

Cary Hall

But I don't know all the stuff in that program where it's online, they can come home at night and sit on their computer and take those courses. Absolutely. So and they don't have to. So so there's a variety of ways for people to move up. Yes. If they choose to do that. Yes. And these jobs. So I want to go back to something you said off here before we started.

00;27;26;28 - 00;27;50;02

Cary Hall

This segment is on the manufacturing side. I want you to listen to this. People, the average pay that that these folks are getting it starting on these jobs of between $18 and $19 an hour. This isn't flipping hamburgers at McDonald's. Okay. $18 to $19 an hour. They have you know, you're going to have benefits. You're going to have a health insurance they've got for these companies have a whole aura of these things.

00;27;50;02 - 00;28;03;21

Cary Hall

You know, Smithfield Foods, think about that. Okay. You know, these companies provide benefits. You've got an opportunity to get a job that's going to pay between 18, $19 an hour. And I'm going to guess that the technology jobs have got to be somewhere around there or better.

00;28;03;21 - 00;28;22;23

Anita Davis

Yes, that is exactly the point of what we're doing. We don't want to put people into low wage, low paying jobs. We all know there's inflation in the price of groceries, gas, everything. And so we want to make sure we're getting people into entry level job pathways that pay a living wage, that pay a sustainable wage for their families.

00;28;22;28 - 00;28;35;29

Anita Davis

And so right now, we're we're shooting for anything that's above $15 an hour, but we still feel like $18 or more is really, really what we think is a family sustainable wage.

00;28;36;01 - 00;28;53;02

Cary Hall

It's really good to hear that quantified like that. Okay, so I'm a single mom here, let's say, and I'm in a dead-end-job. Maybe I'm working in a hospital doing some menial work of some kind, or I'm working in a hotel, you know, cleaning hotel rooms or whatever it is I'm doing. And there's no future in this.

00;28;53;02 - 00;29;10;03

Cary Hall

I'm just getting a paycheck and trying to stay alive and take care of my two kids. Right. Okay. How how can they make that jump from that to any one of these programs? Yes. How did they do that? How do they make that jump and be able to keep providing for their kids and pay their rent and do what they need to do?

00;29;10;03 - 00;29;11;09

Cary Hall

How does all that come together?

00;29;11;09 - 00;29;44;27

Anita Davis

You know, that is that's one of the keys, I think, to the success of our program. And it's something that we look at constantly because people are these are adults that we're targeting. They're working. They have all kinds of other obligations. They have children to feed and get from school and and bills. And they're worried. And so we really customize so that if you want to come in the day and you're working an evening, we have day classes for B to T, we have evening classes for B to T, so that if you're working during the day and you have your family commitments, we've designed some courses available After those hours.

00;29;44;29 - 00;30;04;05

Anita Davis

Our team is really again meeting people where they are. There's courses that they can take and do just online. All you have to do is really come in the door, start to talk to one of our workforce specialist, which is kind of a career coach, if you will, that will sit down. They'll ask people what their goals are.

00;30;04;10 - 00;30;12;10

Anita Davis

They help them create an individual employment plan that meets their needs. And we really want to walk with them through that process.

00;30;12;13 - 00;30;33;29

Cary Hall

That's remarkable. I mean, it really is. The key takeaway right there was meeting people where they are. Does it matter where you are in terms of your skill set, of your ability? Maybe you don't have any of this, but you have a desire. If you have that desire and you're looking to make a change, they're looking for people to do this with, okay, they're looking for people to partner with and listen to the program.

00;30;33;29 - 00;30;58;10

Cary Hall

It's very comprehensive. It's a tremendous opportunity. By the way, if you're the employer, you should be listening this as well, because they're giving you qualified people that understand how to do whatever it is you're looking for in terms of employees. The website MoKan GoodWill dot org. Phone number 816 842 7425. We'll be right back after the break.

00;30;58;15 - 00;31;09;14

Cary Hall

You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate broadcasting here on the HIA radio network Coast to Coast across the USA. Stay right there.

00;31;09;17 - 00;31;27;16

Cary Hall

Welcome back. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocates Show broadcasting coast to coast across the USA. In studio with me, Karen Altenhofen and Anita Davis from the GoodWill Industries. We're talking about all the things they do for employers and for individuals out there looking for an opportunity for better employment or just employment.

00;31;27;16 - 00;31;41;07

Cary Hall

You know, here's one you might want to think about. You get that high school kid living in the basement, okay, that doesn't want to go to college and doesn't know what he wants to do. Why don't you come up with the folks at GoodWill let him get an employment counselor that will actually show him a path forward?

00;31;41;07 - 00;31;55;13

Cary Hall

Maybe the kid's good at computers. He sits down there and plays video games all day. What about that? Okay. Or maybe he's good working on cars. This is the kind of thing where you could make a difference with that. So whether you're the person in a dead end job or you do have that kid living in the basement.

00;31;55;20 - 00;32;19;24

Cary Hall

816 842 7425. Or MoKan GoodWill dot org. You know quick story I had a friend of mine in Texas the other day tell me that he had gotten a young man into a plumber's apprentice program. He started out at $19 an hour as a plumber's apprentice. So there are some great paying jobs out there, but you have to know how to get to them.

00;32;20;01 - 00;32;38;20

Cary Hall

That's what these folks do. And you've got a tremendous opportunity here. If you're an employer, the opportunity is to get skilled people prescreened and in your up in your company doing these jobs right out of the gate and they put it all together for you once again, MoKan GoodWill dot org All right.

00;32;38;20 - 00;32;41;01

Cary Hall

So let's talk about the hands on part a little bit.

00;32;41;01 - 00;32;59;07

Karen Altenhofen

Karen Yeah. So I was saying, while you know, virtual appeals to everybody nowadays, it's it's really key for these cohorts that we have to have them in person because you get the hands on experience. It's not just, you know, doing the modules online, which you get, but you actually get to, you know, use the calipers to learn how to measure.

00;32;59;07 - 00;33;17;19

Karen Altenhofen

In the certified manufacturing course, you get to look at the blueprints because blueprint reading is one of the things that they will learn and then in our Bridge to Technology, we have an AI lab that has robots in there that they'll get to program and see hands on. There's a 3D printer. They can make things with the 3D printer, they'll learn how to code.

00;33;17;26 - 00;33;35;19

Karen Altenhofen

There's so many things that, you know, you can't do adequately unless you're in the lab doing the hands on. And it's amazing because sometimes you just see people's eyes light up when they when they coded something or make the robot move or talk. It's just it's amazing. And you can't replicate that if you're not in the classroom.

00;33;35;21 - 00;33;52;23

Cary Hall

That's really the eye is kind of the light goes on. Oh my God, I can do this. Right? Okay. Yeah, that's really what that says. That's it's really kind of interesting. So let's talk a little bit about the bus, okay? The mobile workforce and who this is available to. So let's chat about that a little bit.

00;33;52;26 - 00;34;11;20

Karen Altenhofen

It's available to anyone who wants to request it. It is equipped with ten computers and we also have a printer in there so we can partner with employers for job fairs. So a lot of times, you know, you're at a job fair and there's no paper anymore. It's go online and apply for this job. Now, what if you can't go online?

00;34;11;21 - 00;34;19;13

Cary Hall

What happens when they don't know how to do that Exactly? Well, maybe there maybe they could do that job. But they don't know. They're not computer literate. They don't know how to.

00;34;19;13 - 00;34;34;28

Karen Altenhofen

Do that or they don't have Internet at home or computer, but they don't want to tell the employer that they just, you know, kind of maybe walk off and don't apply and they're losing a good candidate. But if the employers partner with us at job fairs, they can operate on the mobile workforce unit and apply for the job right then and there.

00;34;34;28 - 00;34;38;28

Karen Altenhofen

And if they have trouble applying, we have staff in there that will help them. Okay.

00;34;38;28 - 00;34;54;15

Cary Hall

What about agencies? You know, I've mentioned some, you know, I know you work with Benilde Hall, which is a charity here in Kansas City that I was on the board of directors for years and years ago. That takes care of homeless veterans and homeless men. I mean, I know you work there. You're out there like one day a week.

00;34;54;15 - 00;35;10;04

Cary Hall

What if you're what if you if you're involved with a charity like that where you've got people but you don't have access to these kinds of jobs, can you bring this bus out to their facility and have their people spend a day going through here? Here are the jobs you can apply for. Here's how you do it.

00;35;10;04 - 00;35;29;11

Karen Altenhofen

Yes, absolutely. So we have one or two ways that we can do this. We have digital inclusion instructors that, you know, some places will have computer labs, but no instructor to help teach people and get them online. So if you've got the computers and you just need, the instructor will come to you and do that. We do that for City Union Mission.

00;35;29;13 - 00;35;47;14

Karen Altenhofen

Okay. And if you don't like some places like Veterans Community Project maybe only has one computer and a little room, so only one person at a time. Well, we have ten computers so we can serve a few more. We'll roll up with the Mobile Workforce Unit and people can jump on there, you know, use it to check emails, apply for jobs.

00;35;47;14 - 00;36;05;11

Karen Altenhofen

And the other thing that's great is there's a presentation screen back there so we can do the digital literacy classes right on board. If you don't have a computer lab where we can come in and teach, we can teach it right there and people can just follow along and the digital inclusion instructor will be right there with them on the Mobile Workforce Unit and learning right then and there.

00;36;05;14 - 00;36;24;29

Cary Hall

Pretty amazing. I this I hope we're going to get to a lot more of this folks, because there's a lot they're bringing to the table and a tremendous amount of opportunity as we wrap this up Anita what you kind of just wrap up what you know, what you want folks to understand on the employer side. And let's just focus on that for a moment.

00;36;25;02 - 00;36;46;06

Anita Davis

Right. From an employer perspective, we want them to know that there's a partner out here that's working with them because, you know, in the manufacturing example, a lot of these manufacturers are really small. They may not even have an H.R. Team or a recruiter that's able to go out and help to source talent. And so we help to fill that gap.

00;36;46;06 - 00;37;06;22

Anita Davis

We really want to be a partner and help employers solve these problems and we don't want to just be there for one time. We want to help them find a good loyal employee, help train them up. And if they find that after a year they're growing or they have some more training needs, we want to be there and help them continue to upskill that employee as well.

00;37;06;22 - 00;37;15;04

Anita Davis

And so we just want employers to know that they have a partner out here in GoodWill and they may not have known that that's part of what we do, but that we're here to help them.

00;37;15;11 - 00;37;32;18

Cary Hall

Like, like I said, the opening is a lot more in the thrift store. Know, I just I think it's remarkable what you do. And I think it's important for employers to understand that. And especially you. You mentioned small employers. You know, when I had, you know, Benefits by Design was my agency, 90% of our clients were small employers.

00;37;32;18 - 00;37;48;17

Cary Hall

I mentioned one off air Superior Loom and Cast, and they had about 20 people. And it was a husband and wife that ran it. There was no H.R. Director. The two of them ran that thing, and they worked six days a week in there. They didn't have time for that kind of thing. And one of the most difficult things they had to deal with was turnover and training.

00;37;48;23 - 00;38;12;08

Cary Hall

And what you're saying is you're looking for partners. That's what you're really looking for. Yes. People that want a relationship that own a business, that want a relationship, that need qualified people, and you'll put them where they need to be. The website if you want to learn more MoKanGoodWill.org, 816 842 7425.

00;38;12;14 - 00;38;40;02

Cary Hall

You know you're hearing this today. You know maybe you're a partner in a company or maybe you work in a company or maybe, maybe, maybe you are in H.R. Director and you're looking for good people, you know, go to that podcast platform. You don't have to regurgitate everything you're heard here. Go to the podcast platform. Listen to the podcast, give it to your boss, go to the YouTube, download it, and let them listen to it on the YouTube so they understand all the things that these folks do because they do a remarkable job and it's a remarkable opportunity.

00;38;40;02 - 00;39;02;29

Cary Hall

If you're a person looking for a leg up, that's what they're going to do. Again, the website to get is MoKan GoodWill dot org. The phone number 816 842 7425. And now I leave you with this thought from Dr. Martin Luther King. Americans must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or we will surely perish together as fools. Truer words were never spoken.

00;39;03;06 - 00;39;10;24

Cary Hall

Thank you for listening to America's Healthcare Advocate show broadcasting coast to coast across the USA. Goodbye, America.