Today’s changing workforce and expanding markets require our ability to bridge across difference and communicate across cultures. The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber offers a Building Cultural Competence (BCC) program to build that bridge.

The program not only builds the bridge, but walks teams of leaders across to deliver measurable improvement on an international standard of cultural competence.

According to Amy Thompson, Senior Director of Leadership Programs at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, “It’s skill building for cultural competence, learning the impact of our emotions (EQ) on how we relate to and deal with differences. We help participants understand how their moral foundations impact decision making,” she adds. “There’s a neuroscience of bias and strategies to mitigate bias. Participants map out SMART goals at the end of the program. The focus on action planning is designed to create system change and impact.”

The Chamber is thankful to partner with the lead facilitator Priya Klocek, CEO of Consultant on the Go and several other experts to deliver the program.

So far, 220 leaders have graduated since 2017, and more than 50 organizations are represented. Thompson says the Chamber defines “leader” broadly for this program: anyone who is leading a team, has influence, and can make a difference. Participants have included business executives; healthcare providers; elected officials; clergy members; educators; community activists; journalists; realtors and more.

Through Building Cultural Competence, we are creating a growing network of leaders who serve as champions for change in our community,” she says. “By increasing the cultural competence of leaders, we can leverage their wide circles of influence to more effectively catalyze change in our region.”

Applications just opened for the sixth cohort. “Every cohort has made a significant increase in their collective level of cultural competencies, proving the program’s effectiveness and methodology,” Thompson says, adding that research based evidence shows the effectiveness. “Cultural competence has increased 11 points overall. Based on the scale used by the IDI, any increase over 7 points is significant and meaningful.”

Thompson says companies are finding it effective to send cohorts of leaders at the same time. “The virtual format has received positive feedback,” she adds. “The program is designed to be interactive and engaging. Through guided activities and interventions, participants have learned from each other in the cohort and build meaningful relationships.”

As a previous BCC cohort participant, Anisha Bhirud, Brand Marketing & Chair of Diversity & Inclusion at Perfetti Van Melle, says her experience “has been a revelation. The medium is very conducive to gaining personal insights through the perspectives of others, particularly the small group discussions,” she explains. “Previously thinking of myself as quite progressive, the program has spurred additional reflection about gaps in my ability to validate other cultures and perspectives. I believe I have developed this skill set during the program.”

Bhirud says the cohort experience provides many alternate perspectives that trigger personal insights and spur growth. “It also helps us with collaboration on the execution of systemic change within our organization,” she adds.

One of the biggest takeaways from BCC for Bhirud was the realization that every person is an iceberg. “So, what you see on a superficial level in the professional context belies that person’s full complex identity,” she explains. “That incongruence between what is allowed to manifest superficially and what is contained underneath impedes honest communication. Understanding each other on this level is crucial to bridging cultural competencies.”

Bhirud says the BCC program has shifted the way she thinks significantly, particularly about equity. “We have focused so much on Diversity and Inclusion in the past, but 2020 has demonstrated the prescience of equity, especially as opposed to equality,” she says. “An example of this is called ‘The Box.’ We are all different heights and trying to look over a fence. Each person is given the same size box, giving each person an equal boost. However, despite equal assistance not everyone may be able to look over the fence. Equity dictates that each person needs the right size box for them in order to truly have an opportunity.”

Bhirud says she highly recommends BCC to anyone interested in expanding their perspectives as it relates to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “You’ll find, as did myself and all my peers, that the DEI journey has only started and there is a long way for many of us to go,” she adds.

The program is open to business, non-profit and community leaders from all sectors. Tuition includes two intercultural competence assessments and two individual coaching sessions as well as all materials, meals and related program costs. The program is delivered in 13 sessions over two months. For more information, visit cincinnatichamber.com/cultural competence.

Applications are due January 15, 2021.

The community’s largest annual business gathering focused on inclusion, the Fifth Third Bank Diversity Leadership Symposium hosted by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, is coming up Dec. 10. This year, it’ll look much different than usual, but event organizers consider that a good thing.

“Before this, the conversations were happening, the room was full, and we still weren’t reaching everyone we needed to. More people are raising their hands now. Because of COVID-19 and George Floyd along with many others, we have greater awareness coupled with a business community that says we’re going to come out of this COVID depression and emerge a better version of ourselves,” says Jill Meyer, president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. “Hearts have been changed, awareness has been lifted, and we’re putting tools in the hands of those who will rebuild differently. It’s an opportunity we didn’t ask for but it’s our reality. It’s an opportunity to build things the right away. My excitement is how quickly, and robustly a diverse the group of participants – and not just our usual suspects in these conversations – are coming to participate now.”

The event’s exclusive conversations will be headlined by Greg Carmichael, President & CEO of Fifth Third Bank and David Taylor, President & CEO of The Procter & Gamble Co. Participants will hear directly from these top leaders of the importance of having intentional, committed focus on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and how the business community can have profound impact on meaningful progress. Additional programing will include panel discussions and breakout sessions. 

“We are kicking off the conversation with how they have been tackling this, producing results, and how we can all learn from one another,” says Meyer. “Normally, we bring in a national speaker, who’s on the circuit, and usually has written a book about the issues we’re focusing on. This year, we’re focused on Black talent, and hearing from businesses based right here in Cincinnati instead.”

Meyer says that while there’s work to do, there are many good things happening in our businesses – with measurable results – and the Chamber is thrilled to highlight that work to inspire even more. “Things that people can learn from and replicate,” Meyer adds. “What’s happening and going well that people can learn from? Who are our local leaders and resources that can help others lean in and think creatively?” 

This focus on inclusivity, Meyer says, isn’t new for the Chamber. “The work we’ve been doing at the Chamber for more than five years has been centered on the commitment to model inclusion in everything we do,” she explains. “We see the data that says not everyone is participating in our economic momentum and the rise of the community. There’s a big population in this region not participating, not because they don’t want to, it’s because they can’t break through or navigate some of the systems that are in place.”  

Meyer says she’s confident in our collective ability to build differently going forward because it’s in the DNA of this region. “It’s the Cincinnati way. Maybe sometimes we’re too humble. But it’s the willingness to roll up our sleeves and really dig in. There’s a lot of that happening now on the diversity, equity and inclusion front,” she says. “To think about the Cincinnati we knew in February –there was a lot of good stuff happening then. But the Cincinnati that emerges from this is going to be far more vibrant, with an even more lively energy …because there’s an imperative that we must do better. More people are taking ownership of inclusion in an intentional and committed way. It absolutely will bring the community to life in a way it hasn’t in the past.”

Due to ongoing health concerns of public gatherings, this event – which typically sells out with over 800 attendees – will be held virtually. “We see this as an opportunity to reach even more people with a message that’s more important and needed than ever,” says Meyer. The event will take place from 8am-12pm. Click here to learn more and RSVP: https://www.cincinnatichamber.com/events-programs/event-details?EventCode=C201210DSY

It’s no secret that businesses are facing unprecedented challenges in the current economy. People are also struggling. With poverty and disparities, especially along lines of race, it’s holding our community back. That’s where the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s  Workforce Innovation Center can help. 

Through a newly unveiled three-tired service offering the Workforce Innovation Center helps by providing:

• assessment services to help companies identify issue areas
• more than 120 practice and policy recommendations and partnerships to customize solutions for companies
• evaluating and recognizing companies through a formal process, which is in development

Workforce Innovation Center Executive Director Audrey Treasure says the concept is led by the idea of “inclusive capitalism,” which aims to make capitalism benefit employees, communities, and shareholders with the positive results. 

“Business was designed to be in the best interest of their stakeholders, meaning the employees, employers and community as a whole,” explains Treasure. “We aim to return to this idea that a business invests in their people as part of their long-term talent play for all. It doesn’t have to be about how fast you can turn a profit. It’s about building a strong community. We’re beating our drum that this is how we want businesses run in Cincinnati.”

Treasure says plans to launch the Workforce Innovation Center has long been in the works, but COVID-19 made the need for its services even more apparent. “COVID-19 forced us to make this more available to more companies. That’s why we broke it down into three service offerings, you can choose one, or two or three of those so we can help you reach your goals,” she explains. “The pandemic also made it more apparent that people live in financially precarious positions, which is really troubling. We want employers to be part of the solution.”

The Workforce Innovation Center takes a direct approach of consulting with companies to understand what is happening within their workforce. Through an assessment process of a company’s identified challenges, policies, and employee experience, the Center proposes solutions that can improve the business’ operations and can also help address challenges that employees might be experiencing. “A company may have a tardiness policy that is overly punitive and results in a high turnover rate of employees that could otherwise be successful,” explains Treasure. “The Center can then support an employer in implementing practice changes in order to achieve its desired outcomes and improve its bottom line.”

Not only does the Center offer this support, but it also serves as a hub between businesses and the workforce ecosystem that exists in this region. “These social solutions organizations excel at removing barriers for people who are looking to advance their lives through work and can bring companies new sources of talent that employers may not have previously considered,” she says. “There’s also been a real increase in focus on racial disparities. Companies come to us asking how we can help them bridge the gap. They want to be intentional about how they improve policies and practices, as part of their business strategy and we’re there to help.”

Treasure says they help local businesses large and small through the Center, the smallest currently having 14 employees and the largest having thousands.

“We see an opportunity for companies to drive changes within their business to improve company operational and financial performance and support their employees,” says Treasure. “We can give businesses – regardless of size – tools and measurements to tell them how they’re doing. We think if we can do this company by company, this will have a transformational effect on the community as a whole.”

The Workforce Innovation Center was established by business leaders who wanted to make the reduction of poverty in the region a priority. Liza Smitherman, Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Jostin Construction, Inc.  sat on the advisory board of the Workforce Innovation Center prior to launch, and also recently brought Jostin Construction on board to utilize all three service levels.

“They made it easy to share and acknowledge that there are opportunities for improvement so they can then help. It’s so important to know where our employees fit, center their voices, so we can hear from our stakeholders, our assets our employees,” Smitherman explains. “A good business that wants to have good jobs needs to hear from their people. The center helps our employees give comprehensive feedback, while also getting an objective review of that feedback, benchmarked by industry standards and best practices to let us know how we’re doing and areas of needed growth.”

Smitherman says she feels extremely thankful to have access to the Center’s services in Cincinnati. “We are in Ohio, so we’re more conservative about how we look at things,” she adds. “I give credit to the Chamber in particular who pull together a very diverse group of voices that then help move this needle forward. There’s some empowerment felt that my voice can be heard as much as a big business that’s been around for 20-30 years.” 

This business-focused resource is part of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. Through this, the Workforce Innovation Center is able to offer support to companies while helping them solve challenges and find new sources of talent, consider new ways of doing business to support their success, and engage companies in the process of increasing economic mobility for those in poverty. 

To learn more about the Workforce Innovation Center, visit https://workforceinnovationcenter.com. You can check out more using the Cincy Chamber’s presence on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook and the Center’s new LinkedIn page. You can also watch and share these short videos focused on the Center’s approach for businesses and how it will impact the community as a whole.

Where you’re headed, not where you’ve been. That’s the focus for Apprenti Cincinnati, a registered apprenticeship program designed to recruit and train professionals — based on their aptitude, not their background — helping to fill Greater Cincinnati’s shortage of skilled tech talent.

“We take individuals that have different backgrounds and help move them into careers in technology,” says Apprenti Cincinnati director, Christina Misali. “In about a year and a half, you can completely switch careers and take on no tuition debt in the process.”

Apprenti Cincinnati was brought to the region through the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and the CIO Roundtable. Thanks to a generous investment by JPMorgan Chase and support from the Duke Energy Foundation, they’re leading this tech talent collaborative designed to expand and diversify the region’s IT workforce. Since the program launched in February 2019, Apprenti Cincinnati has placed 46 talented professionals into a variety of IT roles.

Maria Konerman is one of those professionals. “I was working in non-profit management. I started to realize it wasn’t a good fit for me,” recalls Konerman, now an Associate Application Analyst/Developer at Great American Insurance Group. “I just had this nagging voice that I wanted to pursue a career in IT.” 

At first, Konerman says, thinking about a career change, the education costs and starting from scratch in a new field seemed too daunting. That is, until Apprenti Cincinnati made her dream a reality. “I could not be more grateful to have this opportunity. It’s changed my life and I’ll always be profoundly grateful,” she says. “Sometimes I wake up and get on my computer to do my development work and I can’t believe it. I’m like ‘How did I even get here?'”

Konerman, like many other candidates and apprentices like her, got there through Apprenti Cincinnati’s non-traditional solution to drive more tech talent in and to the Cincinnati region. Apprenti was launched by the Washington Technology Industry Association, headquartered out of Seattle, in 2016. It now has multiple locations across the country with more than 1,000 apprentices placed in a variety of tech roles.

To get started, candidates take the aptitude assessment to measure math, soft skills and critical thinking abilities. Then, there’s a multi-level screening process. “The entire process can be 3-5 weeks. Some, we talk to over a six month period,” says Misali. “It depends on where our employers are in their hiring process and where the candidates are in their career journey. We meet people where they are.” 

After interviewing with an employer, the apprentices participate in certified technical training ranging from 10-15 weeks through one of several local training partners: Cincinnati State, Tech Elevator, MAX Technical Training, Per Scholas, Kable Academy and the University of Cincinnati.

After training, they start work with their hiring partner – local employers, such as Kroger Technology, Procter & Gamble, CVG and Great American Insurance Group. Employers pay for the technical training and continue to educate their apprentices through paid on-the-job training for one year. Roles currently offered include: software developers, IT business analysts, network security professionals, IT support admins, cloud specialists, cybersecurity analyst and more.

Local employers are eager to fill their tech positions, Misali says. In fact, more than 37,950 IT roles were posted in the Cincinnati Region in 2019. Apprenti Cincinnati works with companies large and small to fill open positions with tech-interested individuals, regardless of educational or professional background. 

Recent events have only accelerated this need. “We’re depending even more on tech for everything. People are finding themselves unemployed or they’re thinking about what really matters to them and reconsidering career choices,” Misali says. “We help companies lean in to meet demands of un- and underemployed professionals, and we help candidates who have more than ever on their plates step toward a new career.”

According to Misali, 46 percent of Apprenti Cincinnati apprentices were unemployed for less than 27 weeks prior to starting the program. “That leads to a municipal investment for the region as the average salary post-graduation in our area is $50-70k,” she adds, “Some people are seeing over 100 percent increase in earnings. And we have 100 percent retention to date for our region.”

Apprenti Cincinnati also helps to diversify employer’s candidate pipeline. “Women, minorities and veterans are a focus for this program. We’ve placed apprentices from age 18-49. Our inaugural class was 55% women,” Misali explains. “Given everything going on in the world right now, especially with recent racial injustices, employers can partner with Apprenti to increase diversity within their tech teams. This is a community. This has always been about offering support.”

Apprenti Cincinnati is for the broadest range of candidates possible – no IT experience is required, just interest, aptitude, and work ethic. To learn more, or register, visit apprenticareers.org.