In this fifth episode of a special series, recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Rick Record, an experienced workforce development consultant whose journey began as a youth program participant. Rick shares his remarkable career progression from working in retail management to overseeing statewide programs for California's Employment Development Department and Medicaid services. Drawing from his extensive background, Rick offers valuable insights into performance management, youth program development, and the importance of meeting young people where they are. He emphasizes the critical need to understand and address the dysfunctional environments many youth navigate while building positive reinforcement into program design. The conversation concludes with practical advice for workforce development professionals on creating successful youth programs that focus on individual strengths rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. 

In this fourth episode of a special series, recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona, host Jonathan Overall engages in two insightful conversations with innovators in workforce development technology. First, Geoff Crawford, Vice President of Virtual Reality at Vehicles for Change, discusses how their organization is revolutionizing automotive technician training through VR technology, making career pathways more accessible while addressing the critical shortage of skilled mechanics. The episode then features Andrew Kerr, Director of Solution Engineering at Fit First Technologies, who explains how their behavioral assessment platform is transforming career matching by focusing on fundamental behaviors rather than just skills and interests, leading to significantly improved job retention rates. Both conversations highlight innovative approaches to youth workforce development and the growing role of technology in creating more effective career pathways.

In this third episode of a special series, recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Darrell "Coach D" Andrews, a workforce development consultant and trainer. Drawing from his background as a former college football player, Coach D shares insights on engaging the "technology generation" and addressing mental health concerns in a post-pandemic world. The conversation explores the impact of social media addiction on young job seekers and the importance of intentional leadership in youth programs. Coach D also discusses current workforce development trends, including the need for evolved leadership approaches and better staff training in the post-pandemic era.

In this second episode of a series recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Kimberly Meadows, Training Director at NAWDP. Kimberly shares her personal journey into workforce development, beginning with her own experience as a job seeker, and discusses NAWDP's extensive training initiatives. The conversation explores current trends in youth workforce development, highlighting the importance of mental health support, innovative outreach strategies, and the growing need for digital engagement with young job seekers. Kimberly also emphasizes the value of professional certification and the importance of building collaborative partnerships within the workforce development community.

In this first episode of a series recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Laurie Larrea, senior advisor with the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). Drawing from her impressive 46-year career in workforce development, Larrea shares insights about the Next Level Collaborative's technical assistance initiatives and reflects on the evolution of youth workforce programs. She discusses critical challenges in youth recruitment, the importance of early intervention for 14-15 year olds, and the changing landscape of workforce development in Texas and nationally. The conversation explores emerging trends like skills-based hiring, mobile career services, and the need for improved assessment tools. Laurie emphasizes the importance of restoring hope in young adults and advocates for increased funding and holistic approaches to youth workforce development, particularly for early teens.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with David Barch, Director of Vendor Relations and Special Projects with NAWDP, and Kara Fritz, Manager of Youth Programs and Talent Pipeline Development at Frederick County Workforce Services. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with Jody Mitchell, CEO of Directed Analytics: Foresight GPS, and Joseph Seymour, Owner of Manifest Maximum. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with Walter Simmons, President and CEO of Employ Prince George's and Executive Director of the Prince George's County Local Workforce Development Board, and Knowlton Atterbeary, President and CEO of KRA. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with influential leaders in workforce development. This episode features insightful conversations with John Hattery, Deputy Director of Career Education Service at Worksource Montgomery, Ernestine Chambers, Director of Performance and Compliance with Worksource Montgomery, and Olivia Wilson, Coordinator of Youth Career Connections with Employ Prince George's. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with influential leaders in workforce development. This episode features insightful conversations with Zack Shifflett, Director of Business Solutions with Career.io, Teni Akinwuntan, Founder of Women of Valor, and Aaron Leson, Director of Training and Development with TAD Grants. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.