2010 National Workforce Development Campaign: Partnership with the News Media

NAWB is undertaking a national campaign to raise awareness about the work of the Boards and how they are helping get America back to work.  NAWB CEO Ron Painter said, “There’s no doubt that the economy and stimulus funding have put workforce issues ‘front and center’ with the news media. However, WIBs are often so busy with their strategic workforce initiatives that they forget to tell their important story of how their work impacts the lives of so many throughout the country.” The national  campaign is intended to educate America about the many no-cost resources available through the nation’s workforce investment system.

Full Capacity Marketing, Inc. (FCM) has partnered with NAWB on marketing their cause of workforce development through the design and implementation of a national campaign.  FCM’s CEO/President Celina Shands Gradijan said, “NAWB’s mission of workforce development is a critical component to the nation’s economic recovery.  But, there has not been a concerted effort to date for all of the WIBs across the country to tell their important story and how their work and services support the economic growth in America.”

The campaign called USA Is Working will be launched in 2010.  FCM will design a campaign Website with key messages about the network of WIBs, and house WIB media stories from across the country, along with links and resources for job seekers and laid off workers. FCM is designing a special Intranet section of the site where WIBs can get personalized technical assistance in building great media stories and have access to the campaign’s toolkit.

Painter said, “USA Is Working will provide our WIBs with consistent communication messages to tell our story and provide a mechanism to build the WIBs’ capacity and expertise in storytelling.  These stories are critical in shaping policy around workforce development issues that our country is facing.”

Stay tuned for the launch of the campaign’s Website - www.USAisWorking.org.  To submit media stories about your WIB, or for more information about the campaign, contact Celina Shands Gradijan at celina@FullCapacityMarketing.com.  Check out our special workshop at the NAWB Conference to your build capacity to better tell your story.