The workforce consortium
Gro-Work only works because schools, employers, and community organizations do it together: schools know the students, employers know the openings, and we do the connecting, preparing, and following up in between. Everything below is free to partners.
For employers
Join the consortium and stop sorting through applications from people who were never a fit. We send you candidates who have finished five hours of preparation and want the work.
- Free job posting and matching — no fees, ever
- Prescreening and referral — you meet prepared candidates, not raw applications
- HR community supports — help thinking through hiring practices and fair-chance hiring
- Employee retention assistance — we stay with the person after day one, which is where most placements are lost
- Job fairs — including our Annual Workforce Summit & Job Fair
- Employee community service placement — meaningful volunteer projects for your team
We ask one thing in return: a monthly conversation. You tell us what is open and what is coming, we bring referrals, and together we track how placements are actually going at 30, 60, and 90 days.
For schools
Your students get a workforce program you do not have to build or staff — mentorship, real preparation, and a path to employment that starts before graduation.
- Prevention-based learning modules supporting youth growth and development
- Employment opportunities communicated to your students through this platform
- Community linkage — access to essential services: food, clothing, housing
- Job preparation — resume, cover letter, and references built with each student
- Job skills training — communication, problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking, conflict resolution, work ethic
- Mentorship through PASE™ (Planting a STEM for Excellence!™) with an engagement plan per student
- Application and placement assistance, including summer employment, internships, and job shadowing
We meet monthly to refine what we are offering to fit your student body, identify students for mentorship and program activities, and flag any need for essential services.
The partner directory
Schools, employers, and community organizations working with Gro-Work across Central Ohio.
Community organizations
Public agencies, trade organizations, faith communities, and neighborhood groups are part of this too — as referral partners for essential services, as hosts for training and family nights, and as employers in their own right.