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Voices March 20, 2020

PR and the pandemic: charting a challenging course

By DAVID CHAUVIN // CNN had the results of the Florida Democratic Primary as its top story for maybe 10 minutes – results that would seem to have effectively ended the historic presidential campaign of the once-transcendent Bernie Sanders and solidified Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee. Nary a blip in our public consciousness. And just one of the astonishing changes crystalizing what coronavirus has done to the national conversation. All news is now COVID-19,…

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Voices January 3, 2020

Online hiring practices, 2020 Census loom large for LI

By ROSALIE DRAGO // Ah, the start of a new year, when people (and companies) consider some major decisions that could improve both prosperity and quality of life (or business). If entire regions could make New Year’s Resolutions, I’d recommend these two workforce development-related commitments for Long Island: develop and deploy an Island-wide strategy that helps employers clear barriers created by online applications (more skills-based hiring, less “degree inflation”), and leverage the networking capabilities of…

Voices December 20, 2019

For struggling students, recovery where credit is due

By HARRY AURORA // Educators are keenly aware that the underachievement of a student isn’t always a true representation of the student’s capabilities. Poor academic performance, sporadic attendance and antisocial behavior aren’t habits that develop overnight, nor is any student wholly responsible for finding him or herself in that situation. Research has indicated that students develop poor academic and social habits at a young age. Therefore, educators have a profound responsibility to identify, understand and…

Voices December 13, 2019

Employers sink or swim as the ‘Silver Tsunami’ rises

By TERRY LYNAM // For years, business owners and anyone who follows the business world have been preparing for Millennials – and soon after, Gen Z – to enter and transform the workforce. But in all the excitement over young people changing the way we work, we’re losing sight of another fundamental shift in workforce demographics. The American workforce is, in fact, getting older. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 25 percent of…

Voices December 6, 2019

On whiskey in winter: Some like it hot

By AMBROSE CLANCY // It was raining horizontally, with sleet, driven by a December gale. We could hear the sea pounding the concrete strand one street away as we ducked down an alley with the sharp smell of turf fires on the wind. No one was around, except the two village dogs crouched in a doorway, just their noses sticking out to the wind. Soaked, shivering, we made it into the safe harbor of the…

Voices November 22, 2019

As channels evolve, brands need a grip on social media

By DAVID CHAUVIN // Thanks to the proliferation of social media, the relationships brands share with their target audiences have changed drastically. Researchers suggest that consumer/brand relationships psychologically mimic personal relationships; professionals measure how consumers feel about a brand based on categories including Passion, Commitment, Intimacy and Trust. This relationship is measured by the Brand Relationship Quality Index. Without giving away the secret sauce, I can say marketing teams use this measurement to develop messaging…

Voices November 8, 2019

When workforce development met entrepreneurism

By ROSALIE DRAGO // This has certainly been a busy year for workforce development – especially if you know what workforce development truly is. In 2019, in this space, we’ve discussed key tools for robust and impactful workforce development, including equitable and inclusive growth strategies; leveraging relationships between economic developers, employers and high-school educators; and evaluating the work-first and college-first paths. But we haven’t focused specifically on one of the most critical components of workforce…