Marano Fellows Class of 2009

Name: Chuck Flacks
Organization:

San Diego Workforce Partnership

Location: San Diego, California
Primary Industry Sector: Healthcare Information Technology
Type of Organization: WIB

“Helping bring resources both to industry leaders, financing entities, local governments, and business associations; while at the same time, creating resources for those who are unemployed and/or under-educated. I enjoy a diverse array of customers. ”

Organizational Mission: To lead the development and implementation of creative solutions to regional workforce issues, and fuel economic growth and prosperity through research, community engagement and innovative collaborations and partnerships.

Interest in Sector Work: Sector: Healthcare information technology.

Why: Healthcare, biotech, and communications technology are three of San Diego’s leading economic drivers. All are fast-growing, high-wage industries with a demand for skilled workers. Biotech and healthcare are already quite well organized as sectors. Healthcare IT is a nascent industry that is starting to take off.

Hopes: Develop pipelines and career pathways in this industry, particularly in poorly-defined occupations so that low-income and disadvantaged job seekers have greater avenues for access and success in this new industry. Create training programs that meet the needs of the businesses. Help businesses recognize their common needs and form consortia to support their growth.

The San Diego Workforce Partnership serves very low-income workers, displaced workers, disabled workers, unemployed people changing careers, and youth who are not in school through our One-Stop Career Centers and community based organizations. In many cases these workers lack knowledge about growing industries, as well as opportunities to discover careers in these industries. The hope of this strategy will be to create educational, internship, and social supports (childcare, transportation, food assistance, etc.) that will enable our population of job seekers to develop the necessary skills to join this sector.