Good for Our Workforce, Our Employers & Our Community.
Much More Than Job Training or Intern Placement
Career Nexus is a collaborative effort involving employers, educational and training institutions, nonprofits and job seekers, designed to match interns with businesses that provide meaningful work-based learning opportunities best-suited to their strengths, interests and skills. There’s no other program quite like it.
Here’s How It Works
Young adults apply to participate in the Career Nexus program. Once accepted – they will complete an interest and skills assessment, then complete the Career Nexus: Work Readiness Certificate soft skills training. We then match them with high-quality paid internships and other work-based learning opportunities with our engaged network of employers, based on a wide range of factors including interest, education, aptitude and more.
Positively Affecting The Future
By increasing opportunities for work-based learning and strengthening relationships between employers and referral partners, Career Nexus is preparing a talented, diverse workforce for high-demand, good-paying jobs in the greater Fresno region while giving employers access to a more robust workforce pipeline.
Our Connections & Funding
Career Nexus is a community initiative of the Fresno Business Council, and one of 19 initiatives of Fresno DRIVE – an effort supported by the Central Valley Community Foundation to develop an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable economy for the greater Fresno region. Initial three-year funding for Career Nexus has been provided by the James Irvine Foundation, along with additional funding through partnerships with the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board and City of Fresno to underwrite designated paid internships.
“Career Nexus is about more than internships. It’s about opening doors for Fresnans and connecting them with employers who see their potential, believe in them, and provide life-changing training and economic opportunity.”
– Ashley Swearengin, President and CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation.
Why Is CAREER NEXUS Needed?
While other internship programs are experiencing successes, too many students, especially those from low-income and marginalized communities, lack matched skills to existing jobs in the region, the connections to access the support they need, and the awareness of career opportunities within our region. The result? Employers with great positions available, but few qualified local candidates to fill them.
Career Nexus’ unique formula provides:
- The full capabilities and resources needed to bring to scale what’s needed to transform the region.
- A collaborative ecosystem of partners mission-focused under Fresno’s Community Values.
- Pre-requisite and requisite coursework for intern life and employability skills, leading to a Career Nexus: Work Readiness Certificate.
- Onboarding and guidance for employers to be prepared to offer meaningful, work-based learning opportunities.
- The digital platform to guide interns and match them with employers, which is powered by IMAGO, the nation’s leading education technology company specializing in social emotional learning (SEL).
Career Nexus improves upon historical systems by establishing an innovative ecosystem that prepares a talented, informed workforce pipeline to fill existing – and future – career opportunities across many industries in our region. Career Nexus works alongside employers to design meaningful, work-based learning opportunities and identify the continuous skilling, reskilling and upskilling needs for their industry. Career Nexus aims to shift the existing workforce ecosystem approach by connecting all efforts under one funnel to affect broad, long-term change in our community.
About Career Nexus Employer Partners
Career Nexus collaboratively works with employers to develop high-quality, paid internships that are relevant to the intern and have value to the employer. Internships are underwritten with the goal of increasing work-based learning opportunities and enhancing career pathways. Internship pilots began in late 2020, initially focusing on small- to mid-size manufacturers, healthcare organizations and public institutions. Career Nexus will be expanding to include more employers in our next internship cohort planned for summer and fall 2021.
About CAREER NEXUS Interns
Career Nexus interns must complete an intern interest form and then be accepted into Career Nexus. Interns will engage in an assessment encompassing aptitude, attitude, interest and skill, then complete 25 hours of employability and life skill learning coursework leading to a Career Nexus: Work Readiness Certificate once their 100+ hours of internship experience is completed. Through this certificate process, interns are exposed to emerging technologies and a variety of skills helpful for a successful life and employability. The certificate coursework is completed online through a digital platform powered by IMAGO, the nation’s leading education technology company specializing in social emotional learning (SEL).