The Inland Empire Connection: Merging Academic Paths and Career Journeys

Exclusive Report by Ken Alan, IEBJ freelance writer

A generation ago, parents and school counselors tended to defer talking to students about going to college until the last two years of high school. Today, kindergartners are likely to see their classroom dressed up with college pendants and banners that proclaim “we will go to college.” The line that once separated the classroom from careers has faded as schools now actively seek mentorships, internships and apprenticeships for their students and high schoolers are getting a head-start on earning college credits through concurrent enrollment at a junior college. These were just a few of the insights that highlighted the Third Annual Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit in Riverside.

“Connecting business with education,” was the overarching goal of sponsoring the summit, said Cathy Paredes, Senior Vice President, Inland Empire Marketing Executive for Bank of America, which employs about 2,000 in the region. Since 2018, the company has sponsored a student leaders program, offering paid internships and work experience for various non-profits. About 100 applications were received last year for four internship opportunities. Next year’s program will start accepting applications in October. (More information can be found at bit.ly/3LtRN5p).

While promoting a college education remains their main focus, schools are adapting to the new reality of some students opting for careers that don’t require a degree. Riverside high schools offer 58 career pathways, referred to as CTE (Career Technical Education), where about 85% lead to immediate employment in good-paying jobs, according to Dr. Edward Gomez, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, County Office of Education. CTE careers include graphic design, residential and commercial construction, financial services, medical assisting, pharmacy clerk, culinary management, cyber security, welding, emergency medical technician and many more. (Download the entire catalog at bit.ly/3JKZa7e).

Students choosing to enroll in college declined from a peak of 70 percent in 2016 to 63 percent by 2020. A study produced by the Hechinger Report attributed the trend to a dip in the population of college-age students, growing skepticism about the value of a college degree, and the cost of higher education now exceeding what many families can afford to pay. Meanwhile, traditionally low-wage fields have been offering starting pay well above the minimum wage.

“We need to focus on more than just college,” said former State Senator Connie Leyva in her keynote address. “There are lots of jobs that pay good wages that don’t need a college degree.” Leyva served on California’s Senate Education Committee for 8 years, 4 of those as chair. Last October she took the helm of San Bernardino public broadcasting stations KVCR TV and KVCR FM. 

During the press briefing that preceded the summit, Leyva outlined several initiatives to produce original educational programming: “KVCR is working with the (San Bernardino) County schools on a program called ‘Learn with Me.’ It will be 36 episodes. We write it, we direct it, we produce it, so it’s a very big endeavor. What’s unique about it is the fist portion is in English and the second portion is in Spanish.” The program will debut in June. KVCR also offers student internships in broadcast administration, production and fundraising.

Limited school counseling resources was cited as a key reason the discussion of career and college used to be deferred until late in high school. Now, schools have partnered with non-profits like Think Together, which offer after school programs, tutoring — and counseling.

“Schools have their hands full. So, we’re kind of ‘middleware’ that sits between the school and the workplace,” said Randy Barth, CEO.

Diego Martinez, now a mechanical engineering student at Mt. San Jacinto College, participated in Think Together program while attending West Valley High School in Hemet. “I joined the Vex Robotics group in my freshman year in high school. We designed and programmed robots that would complete certain tasks to complete with other Think Together sites in our region. Throughout my journey with Think Together there’s been a lot of interaction with the staff … I was able to get letters of recommendations for scholarships … Think Together has really supported me, all the way through high school and now in community college. I definitely wouldn’t be as far along as I am today without them,” he said. Martinez hopes to complete a bachelor’s degree at one of the University of California campuses.

Think Together also offers instruction in essential soft skills like public speaking, resume workshops and interview techniques.

“In the Inland Empire we have more apprentices per capita in our region than the rest of the State. We have more IT and cybersecurity apprentices than the Silicon Valley,” said Charles Henkels, Executive Director of Launch Apprenticeship Network. “It is an important economic development tool for our Inland Empire business community. It’s an earn-and-learn model, so it’s a win-win for both the student and employer.”

“If a student doesn’t have a plan to go college then we want to connect them to the industries that are hiring,” said Ted Alejandre, County Superintendent at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. “The carpenter’s (union) has an apprenticeship program where, at age 17-1/2, students can start off at $19/hour but then move very quickly to $25/hour.”

“The pandemic really stifled opportunities for internships and jobs, so we really want to encourage businesses to go out of their way to give our young people these opportunities,” said Dr. Angelo Farooq, Chair at California Workplace Development Board.

“Today’s summit is really more than just discussing the challenges facing our workforce. It’s about exploring innovative and effective strategies to build stronger, more inclusive and more prosperous communities in the Inland Empire and beyond,” said Riverside City Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson who secured $4.4 million in Youth Jobs Corps funding last year. The program, called “CaliforniansForAll,” offers employment for youth ages 16-30 to develop career pathways and interest towards a career in public service in the key areas of education, climate, and food insecurity. The City places Fellows in part-time positions for up to two years in municipal departments such as Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, Public Works Street Trees Division, The Office of Homeless Solutions, and the Fire Department Office of Emergency Services. 

The summit was hosted by the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce together with partner Think Together and sponsor Bank of America.

Human Resource Conference Prepares Employers for Future Pay Equity Audits

By Ken Alan, Freelance Writer for IEBJ

“Pay transparency will transform how companies manage their compensation program,” observed Juan P. Garcia, principal at Blue Whale Compensation, LLC. New pay scale disclosure and data reporting requirements were the main topics at the 2023 Inland Empire Human Resources Conference. On Tuesday, February 7th, Garcia and other presenters urged the sold-out crowd of over 250 HR professionals to ramp up for these new regulations well in advance of future state compliance audits.

As of January 1, 2023, employers with at least 15 workers must include pay ranges in job postings. While that would seem to let smaller employers off the hook, conference speakers felt they would be at a competitive disadvantage if they failed to disclose pay.

It’s been 65 years since the Automobile Information Disclosure Act, more commonly known as the Monroney window sticker, required car dealers to reveal equipment and pricing information on new automobiles. Over the years, similar disclosures and protections were put in place for home buyers. Still, it wasn’t until 2019 when Colorado became the first state to put wages in the spotlight — arguably our most significant personal finance decision. California now follows Colorado, New York City, and Washington State in mandating pay transparency disclosures.

The law requires companies to post “the salary or hourly wage range that the employer reasonably expects to pay for the position.” Still, recruiting experts SB Sheryl Moore, COO and Vilma Brager, senior partner at Insight HR Consulting LLC, cautioned employers against posting narrow ranges as a means to discourage candidates from asking for the top salary.

Garcia said, “Companies are basing compensation on market conditions rather than the ‘similar work rule,’ which makes them uncompetitive.”

Once a pay range has been published, employers will need a good reason to extend pay beyond those boundaries, according to Allyson K. Thompson, partner and attorney at Kaufman Dolowhich Voluck. Employers encountering these conundrums should consult with legal counsel.

Recruitment and retention challenges were also highlights of the presentations. Brager & Moore urged employers to think beyond the traditional job posting websites and to leverage strategies like employee referral bonuses. They advocated using behavioral interviewing and leadership assessment testing, such as the Myers-Briggs “personality inventory.”

The COVID-19 pandemic gave workers a chance to experience the benefits of remote work, and now getting them to return to the office remains a critical recruitment and retention challenges. “The workforce was able to work and get things accomplished in 2020 and now that employers are pulling them back into the (office,) they’re saying, ‘why do I need to do that?’ said Moore. “There’s so much stress in (commuting), and they’re saying, ‘I got so much more work done with a flexible schedule.’” 

Moore confirmed that many employers make the mistake of posting a job as “remote,” when they really mean, “hybrid.” “When I see ‘remote,’ I think it means working from home 100 percent of the time,” she said.

Brager & Moore offered several ideas for employee retention, including onboarding with on-the-job training and a 30- and 60-day check-in with the manager. They suggested employers consider mid-year performance reviews rather than just annual reviews. Town Hall meetings with the CEO were also recommended to enhance employee engagement.

Respecting employee privacy was another recurring theme. Speakers broadly advocated keeping interviews focused on the skills and responsibilities required for the job while avoiding questions that intrude into off-work activities. New California labor laws protect reproductive health decisions and off-the-job use of cannabis. Employers cannot ask for specifics about personal health issues when employees ask to take sick leave, but they can ask for a doctor’s note. Expanded bereavement leave limits what personal information employers can request. 

Conference attendees were particularly interested in the rapidly evolving changes in coronavirus-related labor laws. “Cal/OSHA, not the California Department of Health, is your reference point for health & safety data,” said Thompson, who offered a roadmap to COVID compliance information starting at www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus. “From there, visit your city, county and state health department websites, then go to the CDC,” she said, adding that California supplemental paid leave concluded on December 31, 2022.

Copies of the PowerPoint slide decks are available to attendees by contacting the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce at info@iechamber.org. The 2023 Inland Empire Human Resources Conference was organized and produced by the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by San Bernardino County, Insight HR Consulting, Maniaci Insurance Services, Inc., Paycor, Vestwell, Now CFO, and Strategic Retirement Partners.

2023 Inland Empire Human Resources Conference

The 2023 Inland Empire Human Resources Conference promises to prepare businesses to be proactive against litigation, workplace disputes, risk mitigation, California labor law and regulatory compliance. The event will be held on Tuesday, February 7, from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Jessie Turner Community Center, 15556 Summit Avenue in Fontana. 

“The conference will be beneficial for all employers, leaders, and HR Professionals who want to stay up to date on labor laws and learn about the best practices for retention and recruitment,” said Vilma Brager, COO of Insight HR Consulting. “Insight HR Consulting is partnering with the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce to provide the tools and resources business need to thrive.”

More than seven major employment law changes took effect just this year — including disclosing salary ranges, paid sick leave, sexual assault claims and more.

“Compliance with the constantly changing employment laws in California is essential. The state of California presumes that every employer, regardless of size is aware of new laws and is taking steps to implement changes where necessary,” said Allyson Thompson, Attorney and Partner at the law firm of Kaufman Dolowhich Voluck.

Key topics of discussion will include:

• 2023 Labor & Employment Law Update
• Employee Retention & Engagement
• California’s Pay Transparency Bill

Speakers Include:

• Vilma Brager, COO, Insight HR Consulting, LLC
• Edward Ornelas, President & CEO, Inland Empire Chamber of Commerce (IERCC)
• Allyson K. Thompson, Parnter, Attorney, Kaufman Dolowhich Voluck
• Alyson Boyd, Major Market Sales Executive, Paycor
• Brittany Huerta, Employee Benefits Consultant
• Vanessa Casillas, CEO, Changing Lives Staffing
• Juan P. Garcia, Principal, Blue Whale Compensation

Tickets are complimentary for members of the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce with pre-registration. Early bird registration for non-members is $10, and tickets will be $45 after early bird registration ends. Parking is free. To register, please visit the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce website at hr.iechamber.org.

The Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce, San Bernardino County, Insight HR Consulting, Maniaci Insurance Services, Inc., Paycor, and Strategic Retirement Partners sponsor this event.