Train Local. Grow Global.
Join us for conversations sharing many of the ways Dallas College can be a resource for your organization.
With more than 50 different business services, we are committed to driving equitable economic growth by supporting your success. Dallas College can be a stepping stone to getting you where you want to be, no matter if you are thinking about opening a business or already running a Fortune 500 company. Each themed session is 1 hour and will cover an overview of the relevant services, success stories, how you can move forward, and Q&A.
Wherever you are on your journey, we hope your next step starts here at home and launches you into the great beyond. Train Local. Grow Global.
Creating Social Impact: Opportunities for Good Business
Corporate social responsibility is about connecting your corporation with the community and culture, and it is becoming a “must-have” in workforce trends. From 2011 to 2019, the number of S&P 500 companies with annual CSR reports increased 4.5x to 90%. Corporations with strong charitable giving initiatives see positive results in employee retention and recruitment as now 76% of employees say it’s important for their company to make a difference in local communities. In these sessions, you’ll learn about how Dallas College can be a resource and a partner for creating a local positive impact.
This session is broken up into two parts to cover the 4 types of CSR: environmental, ethical, philanthropic, and economic. Part I will cover environmental and ethical resources. Part II will cover economic and philanthropic resources.
Part I (World Give Day)
Dallas College can be your resource for learning more about how going green is good for business and how you can get involved on the journey to sustainability with Dallas College.
Presenter:
- Brandon Morton, Director of Economic Development for the Office of Economic Impact Strategy & Relations
Part II
Driving equity is grounded in supporting the economic mobility of all citizens to overcome barriers to advance their position through education that makes them competitive in the workforce. In this session, you’ll hear about how you can make a difference by providing tuition reimbursement and sponsored billing for your employees, supporting student success to overcome barriers through the Dallas College Foundation, and showcasing your locally focused commitment through sponsorship opportunities.
Presenters:
- Tim Samuels, Corporate Partnerships Regional Director
- Marisa Patlan, Sponsorships Director
- Jeff King, Foundation Development Director
Shaping the Skills for Tomorrow Through Collaboration
If you aim to stay competitive through evolving industry trends, it is essential to collaborate with local educational institutions in shaping the skills of your future workforce. We will highlight success stories and public-private partnership models to showcase the impact of collaboration that advances economic opportunities by building marketable skills for students and creating a resilient workforce pipeline starting with our K12 partners.
Presenters:
- Chantel Jones, Opportunity Pipeline Director
- Dr. Greg Morris, Academic Services Sr. Vice Provost
Tap into your Local Talent Pipeline (National Handshake Day)
Hiring locally doesn’t just showcase your focus on community investment; you may even be eligible to receive financial incentives and receive purchasing preferences when employing a specific percentage of local workers. Dallas College is the second largest college in the country with an average 100k+ annual enrollment; a massive homegrown, qualified, skilled, and diverse talent pipeline is in your backyard. Learn about your access to the student recruitment platform “Handshake,” student connection opportunities, and more talent acquisition solution offerings. Let us help you simplify and expand your options to tap into the local talent pipeline.
Presenters:
- Sam Anderson, Career Placement Director
- Clint McClain, Project Lead
- Tim Samuels, Corporate Partnerships Regional Director
- Derek Soper, Associate Dean, Career and Transfer Skills Development
Sow Your Own Workforce (National Intern Day)
Historically US apprenticeship models have trailed behind Europe and had limited focus on “trade” occupations. Since 2009, grant, contract, and tax credit opportunities have been driving an increase of modern “earn and learn” models across all industries as employers experience the benefits of shaping their workers and seeing improved innovation outcomes. You will learn about apprenticeships, co-ops, work-study, internships, and potential funding sources. We’ve partnered with companies ranging in size from Fluffy’s Chicken in Cedar Hill to being the national mechatronics trainer for Amazon. Join the movement by innovating work-based learning opportunities to sow your workforce.
Presenters:
- Anita Bedford, Experiential Learning Director
- LaKesha Raynor, Workforce Development Apprenticeships Director
Leveraging Dallas College Resources to Support Local Nonprofits (National Nonprofit Day)
We are working to ensure that Dallas County is vibrant, growing, and economically viable for future generations. One way we are achieving this is by supporting the nonprofits that are entrenched in doing the grassroots work to empower and elevate local communities. In this session, learn about Dallas College resources and networks that you can leverage to maximize your nonprofit’s outreach and grow your impact.
Presenters:
- Dr. Kathy Acosta, Community Outreach Sr. Director
- Jonathan Estrada, Community Relations and Solutions Director
Stay Competitive by Upskilling Your Workforce (National Workforce Development Month)
In today's fast-changing economy, businesses need a competitive advantage to keep up with challenges and stay successful. Training and development have proven to have positive impacts on employee success and retention. The Dallas College Ascend Institute partners with businesses to develop customized training programs for new and existing employees that align with your current and future needs. This session will explore customized training successes and how eligible organizations can use Skills Development Funds and Skills for Small Business grants to cover the cost of training.
Presenters:
- Kimberly Wilkins, Ascend Institute Client Relationship Mgmt Project Lead
- Konley Kelley, Ascend Institute Business Development Project Lead
- Julie Carey, Ascend Institute Grant Manager
- Matt Buttacavoli, Epiroc Drilling Solutions Production Manager
- Sheri G Clark, Instructional CE Coordinator
Tactical Resources for Growing Your Small Business
Part I (Minority Business Development Week)
Small business is the foundation of the economy; they are 99.9% of all US businesses and are responsible for creating 66% of all jobs over the last 25 years. Dallas College wants to see your small business grow by utilizing the tactical resources and programming available through Dallas College’s Supplier Development, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, and the North Texas Small Business Development Center Network. Our small business programs can assist you at every stage of operations to achieve growth critical to the success, sustainability, and resiliency of your business.
Presenters:
- Mark Langford, NTX Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Regional Director
- Jeanette Schutz, Senior Director, Supplier Development
- Natasha Harris, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Outreach & Recruitment Director
Gain Tactical Resources (Part I)
Part II
Have an idea for a business? Ready to explore this thing called entrepreneurship? Being an entrepreneur is a journey. Developing and growing your entrepreneurial mindset comes with the journey. Dallas College offers many ways for students and community members to explore entrepreneurship and start a business. Learn about the various programs at Dallas College, our partner network, and our new co-working space.
Presenter:
- Danica Hershberger, Small Business Innovation Cultivator Managing Director
Guest Presenters:
- Joshua Johnson, Alumni & Fellows 10,000 Small Businesses Program Director
- Cinthia Nevels, Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business Program Business Advisor, and Start. Pivot. Grow. Founder
- Holly Burrow, EqALL Business Solutions CEO & Founder
Make More Strategic Moves with Data-Driven Decisions (World Statistics Day)
There are many benefits to being a highly data-driven organization including reducing risk, increasing efficiency and revenue, and being able to demonstrate progress toward organizational goals. Our Labor Market Intelligence Center provides data on the labor market and socioeconomic barriers to enhance data-informed decision-making. Stakeholders apply the research to inform design equity initiatives, strategic planning, economic development efforts, and business retention and expansion. The LMIC has conducted study partnerships with organizations like the Child Poverty Action Lab and the City of Dallas and is expanding these efforts. In this session, the team shares the kinds of data they obtain, recent project successes, and how to ask great research questions that can ensure you get the data you need to calculate your next step.
Presenters:
- Camille Gilchriest, Director of Data Visualization & GIS
- Rogers Oliveira, Director of Future of Work
- Jema Lomas, Director of Schools of Instruction