I've been in workforce development for almost 20 years, first as a front-line workshop instructor and now as a consultant running my own company, The Bamboo Project, Inc. I've also worked as an HR Manager for two Fortune 500 companies, where I learned a lot about how hiring managers think and what businesses are looking for when they work with outside agencies.
I've worked with a variety of clients, including USDOL-ETA, Job Corps, the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the PA Department of Labor and Industry, and various WIBs, American Job Centers and other employment services providers.
I also provide career coaching and job search support directly to job seekers, which gives me an opportunity to see how job seekers think and what they need to be successful in today's economy.
I've tried several times to leave the workforce field, frustrated by our lack of progress in so many areas. But I'm always drawn back in. I see the opportunities to do great work in the world, so many possibilities, and I want to be a catalyst and supporter for that kind of change.
In addition to this blog, which is focused more specifically on workforce development, I also maintain a job seeker-focused blog here, where I write about the kinds of career and professional development strategies people need to pursue in order to be successful in an uncertain and rather depressing economy.