FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To help you get the most out of this site, we've compiled a list of the most common questions we've been asked – and answered. If you can't find the answer to your question, let us know your question and we'll get back to you as quickly as possible!
Talent Solutions Connector is a directory that was created to allow employers to share their positive experiences with talent solutions providers, and make new connections to services already available. Built for employers, by employers, Talent Solutions Connector helps employers find, train, and retain the talent that will propel their business to success. The tool was built with diversity and inclusion in mind, highlighting programs and resources that may be untapped due to difficult circumstances. Talent Solutions Connector is limited to services available in Cook County.
The audiences for Talent Solutions Connector are employers who have workforce dilemmas and are looking for free or subsidized solutions to those challenges in a way that mutually benefits employers and workers. It is also for talent solution providers who can present their services and assist with matching employers with the resources they need.
The types of services that are currently listed in Talent Solutions Connector are: Recruiting & Hiring, Training & Development, Employee Retention, Employer Peer Networks, and Solution Navigators. Each of these categories seeks to address the variety of workforce challenges that employers may face, including staffing, training, and retaining diverse talent, as well as networking with peers to learn about and collaborate on mutually shared workforce challenges.
Employers use the directory to discover and connect with available resources to solve a variety of talent challenges. They can find service providers who can help them with recruiting, hiring, training, and retention. Talent Solutions Connector provided educational material to help employers learn what type of services are best for them. Employers can also learn from other employers by reading employer endorsements of services and connecting with the many employer tables in the Chicagoland area.
Service providers use Talent Solutions Connector to publish the services that they can provide to employers. Service providers keep their information up to date so the most current information is available. Service providers are categorized by the type of service they provide, the industry(ies) they serve and the details about their service.
Talent Solutions Connector is mutually beneficial for employers, workers, and service providers. The directory provides all of the information that employers need regarding how a service can be used and the positive connections that can be made. Service providers have a place to showcase the programs they offer to employers so underserved workers can have a fair shot at employment. It’s a win-win for all who use and invest in the tool.
The creation of Talent Solutions Connector was made possible by the collaborative work of Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance, Cook County’s Bureau of Economic Development, Origami Works Foundation, and an engaged group of employers. The Talent Solutions Connector is one of the earliest projects of the Network for Employer-led Workforce Solutions (NEWS). NEWS strives to link employer partnerships in the Chicagoland area.
To get in the directory, go to Talent Solutions Connector’s Contact Us page. Here, you can submit a service, make a general inquiry or share feedback. Once you submit, you will be promptly contacted about next steps.
You can help promote Talent Solutions Connector by sharing it with your colleagues, employers you may know and service providers that need visibility. You can also invite someone from the team to a meeting to present Talent Solutions Connector and give a demonstration. You can also provide feedback to help make the directory better. We are always looking for ways to improve, and you can be a part of that.
Talent Solutions Connector was created with employers in mind. The tool helps employers find and retain talent like you through connections with service providers. While this tool was not specifically designed for job seekers, we can direct you to two sites that may assist you: If you're interested in learning about training programs that lead to careers, visit Chicagoland CareerPathways. Career Pathways connects job-seekers who are looking for an alternative to a traditional 4-year degree with training programs. If you are looking for immediate employment opportunities, visit Illinois workNet’s Virtual Job Fair portal.