This episode explores how workforce development extends beyond government and non-profits to include private employers and economic developers—revealing how all sectors contribute to talent growth and strong local economies.
Podcast Transcript
ALEXIS FRANKS: Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening to all you workforce warriors across the country. My name is Alexis Franks, and I’m the director of membership for the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals. And in today’s episode, we’ll be answering the question: Are you a workforce development professional? We’ve got some very special guests with us here whose piece of the workforce puzzle may be a little different than what we normally see. So on the mic, we actually have Miss Jeanette Jones and Representative Napoleon Bracy. So welcome, welcome, welcome to both of you. Before we jump in and get started, you may or may not know that this month, the month of September, is nationally recognized as Workforce Development month, this month that was created by NAWDP in 2005 is a way to raise awareness of the importance of the workforce industry to a growing national economy. So what better way to celebrate Workforce Development month than by kicking off this first episode of our podcast and connecting the dots with some professionals that play a huge role in the workforce development ecosystem. So now we’ve got all the pleasantries out of the way, so let’s pass the mic. Miss Jones, Representative Bracey, I know in our conversations, I’ve learned that you both have some very interesting ties to workforce so for our listeners, can you share a little bit about where you are in the country, what you do, and how you connect to workforce development?
JEANETTE JONES: Okay, so I’ll go first. Good to see you all this afternoon. Where I am. I am in Memphis, Tennessee, so excited to be here today and just to share a little bit about what I do in the workforce development space. I am the Director of Existing Business at the Greater Memphis Chamber, and I am a Manufacturing Industry Council Director. I have a dual role. It’s a mouthful. However, it’s just to make sure companies have what they need to stay and grow in Memphis. So to just kind of get into we always say we’re not your breakfast chamber. We do a lot of non traditional work. We can get into that. I can go on, but I want to make sure that I give Mr. Brace Bracey a chance to share a little bit, but I’ll get it a little bit deeper into the work that I do.
NAPOLEON BRACY: Thank you. Thank you, Alexis, for inviting us here today. It’s very important and glad to be able to share this stage with Miss Jones. One of the things that I do is a lot of focus on workforce development. I serve on the Alabama apprenticeship Council. Serve on a board that we call Diversify for Manufacture Alabama. So I do a lot in the manufacturing sector and also working close with economic development and workforce development in our state, and I look forward to sharing a little bit more about that later on in the podcast.
ALEXIS FRANKS: That sounds great. So thank you again. Welcome. We’re so glad to have you here so we can just dive right right in, then. I know we have a lot of professionals that connect with our association, and they really wonder whether this is the right community for them. Does the work that I do every single day in my community to help those that are looking or seeking work? Do I fit into this space? So, my first question for you all, what convinces you and why should others be convinced that we are workforce professionals?
JEANETTE JONES: I’ll go first. Well, one of the things that convinces me is because it’s heart work, not hard work. In order for the communities to grow and expand, workforce has to be top of mind. One of the things that I’ve learned in this role working for the chamber, originally, it was about existing businesses helping them to grow and expand their footprint in Memphis, and that footprint meant get a larger building, buy new equipment. However, post COVID, people didn’t go back to work, and the ones that came back to work, they came back different. So that has changed the whole landscape of the workforce footprint. So in that space, we had to shift, and we had to pivot to see what makes us unique in this space, we are a Chamber of Commerce. We are not the expertise in this workforce space. However, we have become expertise in the work that we’re doing now. We have gotten hyper focused on the manufacturing side of it. That’s a big part of our industry. Memphis has 1,132 manufacturers, and just in our local region, most people don’t know that, and we have taken on this initiative to show our educators and our youth and young adults and students the manufacturing industry. So one of the things that we always say is that students can’t be what they can’t see. So we’re committed to showing them the industry. Most people that we take, we have something that we call the educators tours. This is an initiative that was started at our chamber. Our goal is to introduce our educators and our students to the manufacturing industry. So we give them opportunities to tour these companies on a monthly basis. Every tour that we have, they say, Oh, wow, I didn’t know this was made in Memphis. Believe it or not, there’s a lot that’s made in Memphis. Just to give you a couple of things that’s made in Memphis, we have Hershey’s in Memphis, and the Hershey’s in Memphis, they make the icebreakers, and they make the the icebreaker mints, and they make like, the Ike and Mikes. That’s just one of the things. We also have, we have GP cellulose. They make tissue, Brawny, paper towels. Who knew that’s made right here in Memphis. We have WM bar, bar brands. They make damp red, which is a moisture absorber. So we have a lot of things that are made in Memphis that people don’t know. So from a workforce space, we’ve decided to take that on, to introduce and educate our region to what a true workforce professional is, and that is the work that I’m doing by introducing our educators and industry to the workforce space.
ALEXIS FRANKS: That’s really so interesting that you say that, because when you think of economic development, sometimes it’s hard to make that tie right. But what brings a business is really being prepared and having the workforce that’s there to serve the business needs. So it’s very interesting to hear how you’ve been operating in the workforce space and making sure that the industry you have right in your backyard is well known, especially with you. So that’s great to hear. Jeanette, thank you, Mr. Bracey, what do you would you like to share?
NAPOLEON BRACY: One of the things that we focus on here in the state of Alabama is we like to provide a quality trained workforce for our companies that we recruit in one of the things that we have is a model that we call a IDT, which is located near our facilities, and we offer free training programs for people that want to work in these facilities. It could be people that want to work in automobile industry. We have aerospace industry here. We have ship building here, depending on what it is that they want to do. We have these models that are set up directly next to these corporations to give free training. We also have something called signature academies, where we have people from the different companies that go into our high schools. They help us to create pipelines for employment. So they go in and they train these students and give them the minimum qualifications needed to be able to go directly from high school into the workforce, very similar to like a youth apprenticeship model where they can graduate directly into work becoming full time employees, because we know that all of our students are not going to go to college, so we want to create these private lines for the students that decide that they do want to go. We also, just like Memphis, here in mobile we provide industry tours because we believe that the students need to be able to see firsthand what it is and see what these people are doing every day, if these are commitments that they want to do, because we are looking for long term commitments and create more than just jobs, but we want to create, I guess we want to create careers for these young people. So we need them to be able to see day in and day out, what this work looks like. One of the things that I like to do when we do industry tours is walk the students through the parking lot so they can see the types of automobiles that these people drive at these different plants and different industries, because they get excited sometimes when they see the cars and the trucks, because that’s those are some of the things that they want in life. So that’s just a few of the things that we do here in our state.
ALEXIS FRANKS: And that’s really good to hear about the initiatives that you both have throughout the in different parts of the country. So that’s exciting. And so I know we’ve talked a lot about your connection to workforce development, but we’re going to dig a little bit deeper you’ve talked a little bit about the professional. I want to ask a little bit more about the personal, because I know that there’s been environments and situations that have helped you to grow into workforce development. So tell share a little bit about that. How did you become involved as a workforce development professional?
JEANETTE JONES: Okay, so for me, I’ve learned that workforce development is all about relationships. So I sold television advertising for 27 years in Memphis. Before I got offered this opportunity, I worked for one station for 20 years and the other station for 7 years. So I realized that all of the skills that I learned in selling advertising, they were transferable to this space. Because the one thing that I learned for sure, everything is about the relationship. If you cannot build and sustain good relationships, you will not do well in this industry. So in order for someone to raise their hand and open their door to say, hey, I want you guys to come in and I want to talk to you about my company, you have to have good relationships. So from a personal level, from a personal and professional level, relationships are key to me, and everything that I do, especially transfer into workforce, because this is a subject that can be personal. So a lot of people don’t want to share their journey. A lot of people are not as open with the journey, because where they started is not where they end up. That’s what I always say. It’s okay to share your journey, because your journey will bless somebody in the process. However, it’s all about the relationship. If you have a good, positive relationship, they’ll be open to share. So for me, from that personal side of it, it’s about the relationships. I mean, a relationship will take you as far as you want it to go, as far as you want it to take you in your professional career.
NAPOLEON BRACY: Thanks for that question. For me, it was, it was watching my dad. My dad never graduated from high school, but he was able to go to Goodwill Easter Seals and learn a trade. And when he learned a trade, he opened an upholstery company, and he started fixing furniture. And that taught me that even though you may not graduate high school, if you learn a trade, you can take care of your family, it’s something that no one can ever take away from you. So that’s why a lot of my focus have been on just making sure that young people have the opportunity to learn trade, whether it’s welding, become an electrician or ship theater, pipe feeder. There’s so many different things that they can learn, and a lot of them can make really good money by doing these things, and these are skills that no one can ever take away from them. And if they could get involved in some of the apprenticeship programs, like I mentioned, I’m on the State Board Office of Apprenticeship, they can get involved in some of these apprenticeship programs, they can make a lot of times better money than college graduates without the college debt, and some of these programs will give them certificates recognized by the United States Department of Labor, and one that they’ve completed these apprenticeship programs. So and even with veterans, they can use the GI Bill. They can get paid from the apprenticeship programs. And they also could use the GI Bill when we’re moving forward. My Workforce Development just really started by watching my dad just be able to get a trade.
ALEXIS FRANKS: Well, thank you both for sharing those powerful stories. I agree 100% that workforce is definitely about the environments that you are surrounded in the relationships that you build with one another, and that’s an opportunity for us. One of NAWDP’s main pillars is the ability to connect and connecting professionals, no matter where you are within the workforce ecosystem. That’s what we want to be able to do. So it’s so good to hear how you all got involved. I was very similar kind of watched and learned in my environments, and build built relationships to be able to grow within the workforce space. So as we celebrate and continue to celebrate Workforce Development month, we hope that all professionals are really, truly able to establish really good relationships to keep doing the work that you’re doing in the community every day. So thank you for that. So one more question for you. I know you’ve been with us, hopefully I haven’t put you too much on the spot today, but we want to leave something good, something positive, that our listeners would be able to take away with them. So how can others in a similar position as you strengthen their workforce connection?
JEANETTE JONES: I will say they can strengthen their workforce connections by getting to know the assets of their communities. Because if you don’t know the assets of your community, and I’m saying as in, the companies that are there, the jobs that they offer, the students that are there, the students that are that’s your future workforce. I don’t think in a lot of cases, they had. People hadn’t looked at that. So I always say I stole this from someone. It says we’re trying to get our students from sixth grade to six figures. That was a powerful statement to me, if we can get them in that mindset starting at sixth grade. Of course, they’re already assets in our community, but let’s plant that seed now. Let’s get them from sixth grade to six figures. That’s, you know, that way they’re starting to learn about work. We actually hosted a tour at one of our manufacturing companies for a group of sixth grade, 50 sixth graders, because, like I said, they can’t. Be what they can’t see if you start showing them now, as the companies grow and expand, those students will be graduating from high school. So as they graduate from high school, they will be able to walk into some of those jobs. Right now, we’re learning that the early stages of an electrician and an engineer is if you can read a ruler that starts in the sixth grade. This is the basics of STEM if you can get them to read a ruler right now. So by the time they graduate from high school, going into becoming an electrician or an engineering that will be easy. So I will say, you know, like I said, getting them in the mindset from sixth grade to six figures, to me, that’s one of the best things that they can do, and learning the assets in the community, and for me, the assets in the community, it’s your future workforce, it’s the companies, it’s the relationships, it’s your education partners, not only your middle school, high schools, your community colleges and your local colleges. All of those things are key players in the future of the workforce in your city or in wherever you are. You have to have those players. They have to be dominant forces, but you have to have the entities to connect those I’ll say one thing, and then I’ll stop so in my role always, I consider myself the connector of resources. So I am not the subject matter expert in manufacturing, and that’s okay, but I connect companies to the resources that they need to move it. It’s been connecting the education partners with the companies or the different entities to help their companies to move forward. So so I’ll end with just, let’s think about sixth grade to six figures.
NAPOLEON BRACY: Thank you. And I, one of the things that stand out to me is you have to have someone that’s willing to bring it all together. Because you have different companies that have an idea of how they want to do things. You have the community colleges that want to get involved. You have, of course, large companies. You have very small companies. And you have people that just, they want to be involved, they want to help. They just don’t know how. They don’t know what to do, they don’t know where to start. So it’s kind of like you need a drum major to pull it all together for the community and for us in Mobile that drum major is our non retired school board superintendent Martha Peak. Martha invited all of the industry partners to one room for reception. One day we had no idea why we were there, but she also had all the different schools, middle schools and high school administrators at this meeting, and she talked to us about how we can change our community, how we can solve our be in our community, how once we get these students to be able to have good paying jobs, how it’s going to relieve some of the crime in our community, and how it’s just going to create an entire different system here, and so we’re just sitting listening, and she came up with this phrase. She said it starts with us. Nobody really knew what she was talking about, but she was saying it starts with us. And that was her way of getting all of us to commit to being a part of this system and holding each other accountable. So when she assigned us as partners to different schools, we all held each other accountable. Our company partnered with another company, and we held each other if one company did not show up to the meeting, we’re on the phone. Hey, we missed you at the meeting last week. You know, is everything okay, we held each other accountable because we know that it’s going to take all of us to rebuild our communities, to make our communities better. It’s going to take all of us to commit to these students and make sure that they have what they need. One of the things that we did to have this partnership and holding each other accountable is a lot of these students are from communities that are poverty communities and their communities where people come by and they make promises to these students and these schools, and they just come for photo ops and they leave and they don’t come back and disappear. We have to be something as of structure. We’re going to be there. We’re going to be committed to it. We can’t be like the dad that said, I’m going to pick you up, and the kids looking out the window and dad never show up. We have to continue to be here year in and year out, and bring stability so these students can see that we’re for real, and then they can breed on the success. Now the students that’s coming behind them want to be committed to it, to it, and I think that’s how we can change the workforce development in our community.
ALEXIS FRANKS: Those are some very good, good pieces of advice. And here on workforce on the mic, one thing that we want to recognize is some mic drop moments. And I think you all have certainly helped us with our first mic drop moment. So between from sixth grade to six figures, and it all starts with us. Those are some of our mic drop moments from today’s episode. Again, we really appreciate the time that you’ve taken out of your schedules to share why you are Workforce Development Professional, especially during this month. Again. In and thank you again for joining us. Miss Jones representative, Bracy, how can others connect with you? Let’s keep it. Keep the connection going. How can people connect with you?
JEANETTE JONES: So they my email address is jjones@memphischamber.com that’s pretty easy. jjones@memphischamber.com I am happy to connect and share and learn and listen. It’s always twofold. For me, it’s about learning and listening and also connecting and sharing. So that’s to me, those are the keys to moving forward and growing and getting better. So yeah, jjones@memphischamber.com love to share additional information about the work that we do, and additional information about our great city of Memphis.
NAPOLEON BRACY: Thank you. And again, my name is Napoleon Bracey, and you can reach me at napoleonbracy.com and I’m Napoleon Bracey on social media, and I’m also the hip hop state rep on social media. So if you want to look me up, those are my handles, and to be glad to help in any way mobile and Tennessee have a relationship. I mean, because mobile is the home of Mardi Gras and we get our moon pies from Tennessee. Thanks again for this. I know it’s the first one of many, and I know you’re going to continue to do great work and provide these opportunities for so many people.
JEANETTE JONES: And I want to say, Alexis, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share and to listen and to learn. I really appreciate it. Looking forward to seeing what else you’re going to do in the future. So I will definitely follow you and follow your podcast, and looking forward to being a part of more.
ALEXIS FRANKS: Well, thank you so much again for joining us today, for sharing and participating and celebrating Workforce Development month this September, and that is all we have for you today. Thank you and have a great day.
