As peak seasons approach, many businesses feel the crunch of trying to find skilled employees to meet the demand of their busy season. It’s a fortunate problem to have, but it’s still one that needs to be addressed and often needs to be addressed quickly. employU has a solution. On-the-Job Trainings (OJTs) are not only a way for employU clients to gain work experience and training, but it’s also a risk-free way for businesses to find help for their busy seasons or large projects when they may need an extra hand or two.

What makes OJTs risk-free? When a business partners with employU to become a host business, employU clients interview for the positions, just like any other employee would. But with On-the-Job Trainings, employU is the Employer of Record for IRS reporting. This means employU pays the wages and is responsible for the taxes and payroll associated with employU clients placed in OJTs. Furthermore, liability insurance of $1,000,000 is covered by employU and workman’s compensation insurance is covered by the State of Florida. Ongoing support is also part of On-the-Job Training. An employU Job Coach will visit the worksite on a regular basis to provide support not only to the client, but also to the host business. At each visit, the Job Coach will check in with the client’s supervisor to ensure that everything is going well and any challenges are addressed.

Capture ISG General Manager, Justin Council has found great value in On-the-Job Trainings and regularly placed employU clients to work on his Voice of the Participant (VOP) program. VOP is a highly specialized survey program that is tailored and delivered directly to Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. “By participating… in OJTs, Capture [has] benefitted in so many ways… All of our projects benefit because we have the luxury of having individuals who can lend their thoughts and ideas directly to the program managers, while also being relatable to the respondents on the other end of the phone or Video Phone,” Justin tells employU. “100% of our OJT participants have come from employU, which is why we are so grateful for our partnership… employU is the gem that every company should try to discover.”

OJTs can also serve as a pipeline that deepens the pool of skilled employees for future employment opportunities. Vice President of Compsys, Crystal saw this firsthand with employU client Hasani. Hasani completed a summer On-the-Job Training with Compsys and decided to apply for a full-time position with the company after graduating high school. He was hired, and because of the training he received from his OJT, he has been able to quickly cross-train in different departments. Crystal explains how hard it can be to find skilled employees to fill available positions in the manufacturing industry, “The hard thing with manufacturing is that there is a lack of interest in the younger generation for trades.  So, when you have someone like Hasani, who all he wants to do is work with his hands and build things, those are the types of students you really need to grab onto and foster and train. We couldn’t thank employU enough for the opportunity and for bringing Hasani to us.” 

American Electric COO David Yencarelli agrees that the demand for skilled workers is a difficult one to meet, “There is a shortage of skilled crafter workers in Northeast Florida. employU serves as a pipeline.”

employU staff is also available throughout the OJT to assist businesses in acclimating clients to their new workplace environment. “There was plenty of staff with employU that helped us along the way… They really did all the work for us. They helped with everything… All we really have to do was get their folks put to work,” Crystal explains. “I think that it’s an untapped resource. …It’s just a no brainer. It’s great for the economy. It’s great for the [clients]. It’s great for us.”

For more on how to become a host business with employU visit https://employu.org/business-partners/

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