Workforce Innovation Network - Hamilton County ESC

Hamilton County ESC’s Workforce Innovation Network (WIN) represents an opportunity in Southwest Ohio for the promotion of work-based learning.

The Workforce Innovation Network is the HCESC Division overseeing four active components who serve as the connection between school districts and industry. These four entities include: Greater Cincinnati Business Advisory Council, LinkedUp Connect student platform, Job Readiness Programs, and grant writing assistance.

Greater Cincinnati BAC

The Greater Cincinnati Business Advisory Council (GCBAC) brings educators and business leaders together to collaborate to provide meaningful work-based learning and career exploration opportunities for students.

For WIN educational partners, our staff assist in all compliance components for BAC participation with the state per Ohio requirements. As a reminder, all school districts in the state of Ohio are required to participate in a BAC in service of their students.

For the WIN business partners, the Greater Cincinnati Business Advisory Council serves as a way to collaborate with region-wide school district representatives to identify areas for potential student engagement opportunities to create and feed a robust workforce pipeline for the future.

Business and Education working in partnership together creates better prepared employees and more passionate high school graduates, which leading to regional economic growth and success.

GCBAC Website

LinkedUp Connect

LinkedUp Connect is your online portal for linking students to opportunities with business partners across the Greater Cincinnati area.

When a business partner posts an experience for students in LinkedUp Connect, it immediately reaches students in all of the member schools, but that’s just the start of the benefit.

Educators can find connections for field trips, guest speakers, and business site visits.
Career counselors can take advantage of data gathering, as well as ensuring students can access career exploration experiences for their educational benefit.
Families can keep tabs on what work-based learning opportunities are available.
Students can explore career clusters connected to an interest inventory, connect with a virtual mentor, apply for internships, sign up for job shadowing, and more.

LinkedUp Connect allows students to apply for multiple opportunities with one application, ensuring they can explore many industries without the frustration of multiple application processes.

LinkedUp Connect Portal

Job Readiness Programs

Job Readiness Programs are a variety of opportunities for companies to provide on-the-job training to future or current employees to enhance their skills to be a more successful workforce. These programs, such as pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, tech cred, and others, can be state-funded and aligned to support businesses in their efforts to enhance the abilities of their employees for future success.

These programs start as collaborative conversations, ensuring alignment and resources are available for companies and educational organizations to best serve students. The WIN team can help get curriculum approved by a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) and provide partners with resources such as:

Electronic Operating Plan Templates
Industry Cluster and Course Description Templates
Statement of Collaboration Templates
Employer and Post-Secondary Educational Sponsorship Connections
Pre-Apprenticeship Roster Templates
Grant Writing

Please contact Donna Lauver for details.
Email: donna.lauver@hcesc.org
Phone: 513.674.4430

Interested in learning more about the Workforce Innovation Network, GCBAC, LinkedUp Connect, and how your organization can benefit from business and education collaboration? Contact Donna Lauver, WIN Executive Lead for more information!