In this episode, you'll learn about Lakeside Industries and their involvement in career connected learning and recruitment. John Hurd, Talent Acquisition Specialist at Lakeside Industries, joins the program to discuss best practices, lessons learned, as well as their innovative afterschool program. 

Carolyn Newsome, Vanpool Manager at Intercity Transit, discusses the benefits of their vanpool service for employees and businesses.  About Intercity Transit: In addition to routed buses, Intercity Transit has 180 vanpools traveling up and down the I-5 corridor, the program removes over 1,200 cars from our congested roadways each day which helps keep traffic moving for everyone. https://www.intercitytransit.com

Shellie Willis, Director of Quality Assurance and Certification at WorkForce Central, joins the program to discuss the difference between companies being veteran friendly versus being veteran ready, and how to become veteran ready. 

Melodie Pazolt, Recovery Support Services Supervisor for the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery at DSHS, joins the program to discuss the work that they do helping people with mental health and behavioral health find and maintain employment. She also discusses their anti-stigma campaign, and the benefits for employers of attracting and retaining individuals in recovery from mental health or substance abuse disorders. 

Shelley Ackroyd, outreach specialist at SharedWork Program and Virginia Gonzalez from Smith Gardens, Inc.  join the program to discuss the benefits of the shared work and layoff aversion program and the eligibility criteria for the program. 

Tim Lew, General Manager at Pepsi Northwest Beverages, LLC, discusses best practices in employee retention. Tim discusses a mentorship program that they created at Pepsi Northwest Beverages and the benefits that they have seen from the program. He also shares how they have used focus groups within the organization to create programs designed to increase employee retention.

Darlene Wilczynski,Vice President and Regional Executive of the Seattle Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, joins the program to discuss how her experiences as a veteran and military spouse inform her current work. Darlene shares some of the unique challenges that veterans and military spouses experience when they transition into civilian employment, as well how to identify key strengths and skills they can bring to any organization.