This resource provides employers an orientation to opportunity populations—that is, those individuals who experience barriers to education and employment—and the organizations that serve them. It is a part of a set of resources that, when combined with the introduction, make up the TPM (Talent Pipeline Management®) Resource Guide: Connecting Opportunity Populations to Better Career Pathways. Strategic and sustainable partnerships between opportunity population serving organizations (OPSOs) and businesses start with both parties developing a mutual understanding of each other’s roles, needs, and respective value propositions.
This orientation aims to help employers better connect their own pain points to the services and expertise provided by OPSOs, to create more effective, long-term partnerships. It also introduces readers to opportunity population talent and outlines some of the assets these individuals bring to the workforce—and obstacles they face when trying to access education, employment, and career advancement. By working directly with OPSOs, employers can more effectively find new, previously untapped sources of talent and build robust, sustainable talent pipelines for the future. In addition, with clearer communication and a better understanding of each other’s needs, all partners can share in the value that comes from training, hiring, retaining, and upskilling opportunity population talent.
