Workforce Opportunity Services

We are thrilled to have Eric Severson greeting our guests at our upcoming Talent Symposium. Looking forward to an amazing event! Secure your spot today: https://lnkd.in/gnQGxxKx #Welcome #TalentSymposium Eric Severson is a visionary leader in human resources and organizational development, known for his strategic insights and transformative approach to building high-performance cultures. With a notable career spanning leadership role at global organizations, Eric has earned a reputation for driving innovation and fostering employee engagement. Eric’s special interests encompass creating workplaces where employees thrive, developing inclusive leadership practices, and leveraging data-driven strategies to optimize organizational effectiveness. He is passionate about shaping organizational cultures that prioritize employee well-being, growth, and sustainable success. Eric has led initiatives to enhance diversity and inclusion, elevate talent development programs, and implement progressive HR policies that support employee advancement and retention. His expertise in aligning HR strategies with business objectives has been essential in driving business outcomes and enhancing organizational resilience. Beyond his professional commitments, Eric is dedicated to mentorship and education, actively supporting initiatives that empower emerging leaders and promote lifelong learning. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and contributes thought leadership on topics ranging from leadership development to the future of work. Join us at the upcoming industry event to gain insights from Eric Severson and discover strategies for creating a workplace culture where talent thrives and organizations excel in today’s competitive landscape.

Last week, we shared feedback about Edmund and Eleazar and their outstanding work with our partner, Turner. Today we want to share Eleazar's story and how he arrived at Turner. Mid-summer of 2021, Eleazar Espinoza stumbled across an online application for a position to train as an associate at Workforce Opportunity Services. After the interview process, Eleazar was informed that he had been accepted into WOS’s software development training program. With WOS, Eleazar was able to participate in training while being employed. Eleazar was then moved into a 12-week Power BI training program and went on to earn the Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification from Microsoft. The WOS program in partnership with Turner Construction allowed Eleazar to work on Power BI projects and complete additional training. Eleazar is currently a part of the Business Intelligence Managed Services team at WOS providing Power BI support to Turner.

In honor of graduation season, we’re excited to share some photos of our most recent group of BCBS MA graduates. Our partnership with BlueCross BlueShield consistently brings us many successful associates, and we are forever grateful to be part of their journey. We are proud and honored to collaborate with BCBS and look forward to many more successful cohorts in the future. Congratulations to all of our graduates! We know you will continue to achieve great things, and we are excited to see what the future holds for you.

Happy 4th of July! Although it has only been recognized as a federal holiday since 1941, traditional celebrations of Independence Day date back to the American Revolution and the 18th century. On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence. Two days later, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates from each of the 13 colonies. Since then, Americans have celebrated this day as the birth of their independence, with activities such as fireworks, parades, concerts, and family gatherings and cookouts. For more history on today, visit https://lnkd.in/dAtt_5k.

A few weeks ago, we shared the story of Edmund Adjei-Baah and his unique start with WOS. Thanks to our partnership with Turner, Edmund joined their Power BI team, where he works alongside another one of our associates, Eleazar Espinoza. Recently, we received positive feedback about both Edmund and Eleazar for their outstanding work ethic. Jamie Klatt, their project lead at Turner, said, “The dedication, hard work, and exceptional performance of these two individuals have not only met but exceeded Turner’s expectations.” Edmund and Eleazar were given an adoption project on a Tuesday. By Friday of that same week, they delivered the completed report "with exceptional visual data." Jamie noted that "the plan to clean data, build the report, and choose visuals was executed with professional and inventive approaches." Due to their quick turnaround time, effective process, and high-quality visuals, Jamie has recommended the WOS Power BI team as a preferred associate company for future reports. The Turner team also emphasized that the WOS resources, such as LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and Coursera, have been instrumental in helping the Power BI team refine their technical skills. This commitment to ongoing learning has allowed them to stay current with new tools, advancements, and technologies, positioning Edmund and Eleazar to adapt seamlessly to Turner's processes. Heidi Edwards, a former manager at Turner, shared this story: "I sat in on a call with [Edmund] while he helped a user with a refresh issue. He did really well researching the issue first, finding the most likely fix, and then listening to the user on the call to ensure he understood the issue correctly before advising. He handled it exactly as I would have done.” WOS is proud of all our associates, and we are grateful for each of our partners who help make successes like these possible.

Tonight is the annual BET Awards. The BET Awards honor the year's biggest artists in Black culture for their work in film, TV, music, sports, and beyond. For highlights from tonight's event, check out https://lnkd.in/e5bpkH9x. Good luck to all nominees!

Today is the anniversary of the start of the Stonewall Riots. On this day in 1969, during the early morning hours, plainclothes officers raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in NYC. Raids were not an uncommon experience for the Stonewall Inn. The difference this time was that the raid sparked a resistance from patrons and employees alike. Despite efforts to arrest individuals, the situation escalated, leading to ongoing protests that lasted for six days, marking the beginning of the LGBTQ rights movement. One year later in 1970, on the first anniversary of these protests, the first ever Pride march was held. Since then, the LGTBQ community has annually gathered each June to celebrate their pride. The Stonewall Inn has also since been declared a National Monument. For more history on the Stonewall Riots, visit https://lnkd.in/dAAHr8X.

June 27 is PTSD Awareness Day. According to https://lnkd.in/gMPFB7mi, approximately 224 million Americans have experienced a traumatic event. Of those 224 million, roughly 44 million, or 20%, may develop PTSD. At any one time, 8% of these 44 million are actively experiencing PTSD symptoms. About 50% of all mental health patients also get diagnosed with PTSD. At WOS, we are proud to prioritize placing veterans in our open IT roles. In fact, through our partnership with Parsons, our service center is consisted entirely of veterans. We are proud and honored to continue this initiative and are forever grateful for their hard work, determination and passion for working for us, and our country.

This month's Partner Spotlight is Blackstone. Blackstone aspires to create value and strengthen businesses through talent. As the world's largest alternative asset manager, through their Career Pathways program, they are able to offer a network of portfolio companies and assist with recruitment, development and advancement for traditionally overlooked talent pools. In doing so, this helps their portfolio companies to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce culture, which in turn leads to long-tern value. We are proud to be working with Marcus Felder and Molly Pearl and look forward to our continued partnership.

This evening is the summer solstice. The summer solstice occurs when the Sun is at the highest point in the sky, giving us the most daylight, thus making today the longest day of the year. Today also signifies the first day of summer. For more details about the summer solstice, visit https://lnkd.in/gJZmMNf8.