Wegmans-Case-Study-061118.Pdf
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Tiffany Smith JUNE 2018 WORK-BASED LEARNING IN ACTION OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH MEETS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: WEGMANS & HILLSIDE WORK-SCHOLARSHIP CONNECTION Work-Based Learning in Action is a series of case studies highlighting effective models of work-based learning. This case study is part of Walmart’s work with JFF, Making Work-Based Learning Work for Retail, and covers companies that have implemented valuable work-based learning programs that provide lessons for employers creating or redesigning their own retail work-based learning program. Wegmans, a regional supermarket chain, Hillside Family of Agencies, Wegmans is one of the largest private companies has supported the Work-Scholarship in the US, with 47,000 employees. Over a Connection program in its work to quarter of the Wegmans workforce are help young people graduate from high high school- and college-aged students. school and launch their careers. The Wegmans recognizes that the success Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection of these young workers translates into (HW-SC) blends supports for high school company success, and it has translated graduation with work-based learning, this into its training investments. Through in turn creating a talent pipeline for its 30-year engagement as a founding Wegmans. As Meghan Wagner, director leader and now core partner to the of the HW-SC Jobs Institute, describes, 1 the program design builds on the idea PROGRAM ORIGINS that work and career experiences are not always linear, “but there’s a pathway In the mid-1980s, Wegmans, a regional here that we can help young people supermarket chain with over 90 stores understand that every experience ties in the eastern United States, faced a into the next opportunity.” troubling reality: a 100 percent turnover rate among its young part-time workers. As the HW-SC has grown and expanded At the same time, leaders in Wegmans’ its employer partnerships, it continues to home base of Rochester, New York, were be valued by Wegmans for its ability to organizing to find solutions to a high support business goals of diversity and dropout rate among the diverse high greater worker retention. The program school population. Wegmans launched design provides consistent mentorship a pilot work-based learning program to the student through a youth advocate, in 1987 with 30 ninth graders to jointly integrates both college and career combat both of these problems. At supports, provides transportation the end of four years, Wegmans’ Work- to alleviate a common barrier to Scholarship Connection graduated 29 employment, and uses data to ensure students, with 26 enrolled in college. continuous program improvement. Ten years later, the program became an independent nonprofit, the HW-SC, part “If you had the choice, would of the nonprofit network Hillside Family you rather have a student of Agencies, in an effort to expand the who has gone through this . success of the program. Building on that first cohort of 30 students in Rochester, training versus a student who the program now also operates in Buffalo has not? . .We can show you and Syracuse, plus surrounding suburbs, a clear advantage.” as well as Prince George’s County, – HW-SC Program Director Maryland. There are 4,000 students enrolled in the program, about 700 of whom work for Wegmans, and an expanded group of employer partners, Beyond these design elements that including university, health care, and foster success for participating youth, food services employers. two aspects of Wegmans’ engagement with the HW-SC maximize the The HW-SC tagline is “Graduation. program’s business impact. First, the College. Career.” with the key goal of HW-SC employees are held to the increasing the on-time high school same standards as any other employee. graduation rate, particularly in Second, Wegmans’ leadership is comparison to district students who are committed both to the program and a not enrolled in the program. In addition, culture of internal advancement. the priority is to graduate students who are college and career ready. This is 2 initiatives officer at Wegmans, explains that the youth engaged through Wegmans’ HW-SC: Fast this program have long-term career Facts prospects at the company. “From a business objective standpoint, [we The HW-SC and its employer- rely] on making sure that [the HW-SC] partners provide: population is really skilled and versatile to be able to interact with our customers but then also, in order to keep them • Recruitment of low-income youth, and retain them, to grow them through starting as early as seventh grade our organization, almost like a pipeline • Eligible students have at least 2 of 6 strategy. [I]f they have the interest in risk factors becoming a full-time employee with Wegmans and moving up through the • Up to 6 years of program services company, then there’s that opportunity (through high school graduation), to do so.” including mentoring, social and life skills, academic support, and career and college preparation HOW THE PROGRAM • 24 hours of classroom training in WORKS Youth Employment Training Academy (YETA), focusing on soft skills and The HW-SC offers a continuum of interview tactics services that begin in high school, build to additional classroom training, and • Paid employment with Wegmans, culminate in paid work experience. The conditional on in-school performance Youth Employment Training Academy • Youth advocate, employment (YETA) serves as the gateway into specialist, career specialist, college employment opportunities, providing specialist, and employer mentor to a student with employability skills support participants and then connections to employers. Throughout the program, participating youth build their employability skills as they are supported by a youth important because it emphasizes the advocate and workplace mentor. The importance of continued learning as part core services model at the HW-SC of work. is a full developmental model that supports participants until their eligibility Wegmans views the program as critically concludes when they graduate from high important to business priorities such as school. diversity and retention, as well as high- quality customer service and ensuring Students are recruited for participation a pipeline for management positions. in the HW-SC through their schools. The Sarah Armignacco, chief educational HW-SC embeds youth advocates, who 3 Students who start in middle school spend years in the HW-SC program The HW-SC Supports before becoming YETA eligible, while Core Work-Based older students must be in the program Learning Principles for a minimum of about six months before eligibility. This initial period JFF’s report Making Work-Based Learning Work for Retail outlines seven Youth Employment core principles to guide the design of high-quality work-based learning that Training Academy’s supports the success of low-income “AAA Ready” Qualifications individuals seeking to enter and advance in their careers. HW-SC offers • Academics: No Ds or Fs in any subject; many of these design components: 2.0 or above in all core subjects • Attendance: 93 percent daily • Supports entry into career track attendance • Provides meaningful job tasks that • Attitude: Ready and willing to take on build career skills and knowledge work experience on top of their school • Identifies target skills and validates life and their family life; demonstrated gains commitment to YETA • Provides compensation • Rewards skills development provides time for assessments while achieving AAA status. YETA is the core • Supports college entry, persistence, workforce development element of and completion the HW-SC and consists of 25 hours of live classroom training offered on • Provides comprehensive participant weekends, after school, or during school supports breaks. The curriculum, led by an HW-SC employment specialist, was designed for the HW-SC by an instructional designer are HW-SC employees, on site in schools with input from staff and students. in the participating districts. To qualify for the program, students must have at least The topics covered include training in two of six risk factors: low socioeconomic areas such as effective communication, status, low standardized test scores, self-managing, managing workplace failing two to three core subjects, over- gossip, listening to authority, and time age for grade, record of low attendance, management. Tactical training in areas or a record of school suspension. such as interview preparation is also Students then work to become “AAA included. The curriculum is delivered Ready,” qualifying them to enroll in YETA in cohorts that range from 10 to 70 once they are at least 15 years old. students, depending on the region. 4 YETA also includes exposure to jobs worker, buttressed by ongoing supports in industries throughout the region provided through a youth advocate and and is adaptable to local demand. For employment specialist. After facilitating example, a survey of participants in the placement, the employment the Rochester area found that about specialist connects with the employer on one-third were interested in the health at least a monthly basis. care field. To meet this need, the HW- SC has cultivated a relationship with Because the goal of the program is area hospitals, including the University high school graduation, students are of Rochester. One of the benefits of required to maintain their AAA status the model is that it is standardized yet and employers may be asked to take flexible enough to meet students where an employee off the schedule if there they are. are academic or discipline problems at school. At the conclusion of the program, students are “YETA certified” and have Throughout the placement, HW-SC a portfolio that consists of a completed, staff are available to coach the student error-free resume, a cover letter, and a employee so that the student learns to reference sheet. YETA-certified students communicate needs and challenges to are invited to interview with partner their supervisor. employers. Participants are assigned a mentor Wagner explains that “it is still a at work, typically their department competitive process.