E46: Bridging the Gap: Purpose Beyond Play's Innovative Approach to Athlete Transitions
Release Date: 09/26/2024
E65: The Mission Continues: Connecting Veterans to Careers in Healthcare
Will Works Podcast
Leaving the military can mean finding a new career, a new community, and a new sense of purpose. In this episode of the Will Works Podcast, explore how veterans can carry their experience forward into meaningful civilian work, including healthcare careers that extend far beyond doctors and nurses. Discover how leadership, teamwork, logistics, and technical skills translate into hospital roles, why mentorship matters during the transition, and how employers can better recognize and support veteran talent. Learn why listening to veterans’ lived experience is essential to building stronger...
info_outline
E64: Beyond Job Skills: Creating a Healthy, Resilient Workforce
Will Works Podcast
What does it take to build a workforce where people can truly thrive? In this episode of the Will Works Podcast, Michelle Sebasco, Deputy Director of Academic Partnerships and Continuing Education at Governors State University’s School of Extended Learning, explores the vital connection between workforce development and mental health. She discusses why technical skills are only one part of career readiness, the importance of emotional resilience and inclusive workplaces, and how programs such as Jaguar Jumps are supporting neurodivergent learners. Michelle also shares how collaboration among...
info_outline
E63: How the Joliet Chamber Helps Local Businesses Thrive
Will Works Podcast
In this episode, we are joined by Jen Howard, president of the Joliet Chamber of Commerce, and Mike Paone, executive vice president, to explore how the chamber supports businesses and strengthens the wider community. They share their professional journeys, discuss the chamber’s evolving role beyond networking, and highlight its work in advocacy, education, business visibility, and leadership development. The conversation also examines current workforce challenges, the importance of connecting employers with educational institutions, and how investments in students and emerging leaders are...
info_outline
E62: Growing Will County’s Clean Energy Workforce
Will Works Podcast
In this episode of the Will Works Podcast, Paige Kelly and Aidan Rockarts introduce the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, an initiative designed to help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits enter and grow within Illinois’ expanding clean energy economy. They explain how the program provides individualized business advising, workshops, professional services, industry connections, certification guidance, and support with areas such as marketing, accounting, legal services, and business planning. The conversation also explores the wide range of opportunities available...
info_outline
E61: Apprenticeships Beyond the Trades: Building Modern Careers
Will Works Podcast
Originally recorded during National Apprenticeship Week, this episode explores how modern apprenticeship programs are creating new pathways into meaningful careers across industries like insurance, IT, cybersecurity, and business operations. Discover how apprenticeships can bridge the gap between education and employment through paid, hands-on experience, mentorship, and career development opportunities through conversations with David Jaeger, Program & Operations Lead HR | Office of Apprenticeship at Zurich North America, and Peter Tobin, IT Apprentice. The episode also highlights the...
info_outline
E60: Mental Health at Work: Building Cultures Where People Thrive
Will Works Podcast
In this episode of the Will Works podcast, we are joined by Teena Mackey, Executive Director of the Will County Community Mental Health 708 Board, for a conversation about the growing importance of mental health in the workplace. Tune in to hear how organizations can move beyond surface-level wellness initiatives to create cultures that genuinely support employee wellbeing. Teena shares insights on recognizing signs of mental health challenges in the workplace, the importance of proactive leadership, the role of education and mental health first aid, and how compassionate workplace...
info_outline
E59: The Apprenticeship Advantage: Lessons from Germany
Will Works Podcast
In this episode featuring Jaymee Dhein and Myriam Klein, you’ll learn how Germany’s apprenticeship system actually works and why it’s often considered the gold standard for building a skilled workforce. You’ll hear how employers, vocational schools, and chambers of commerce work together to train talent through paid, hands-on learning combined with classroom education, and why vocational career paths are treated with the same respect as four-year degrees. You’ll also discover how this model supports low youth unemployment, prepares workers for advanced manufacturing and emerging...
info_outline
E58: Dreams Take Flight: How United Airlines Invests in Its Next Generation of Talent
Will Works Podcast
In this episode, you’ll hear how apprenticeships are transforming lives and careers across Illinois—with a spotlight on how United Airlines is using hands-on learning and mentorship to build the next generation of talent. You’ll meet a former apprentice who immigrated from Ukraine and, through the i.c.stars program, gained the skills, confidence, and opportunity to become a platform engineering associate at United Airlines. Her story reveals how apprenticeships can change the trajectory of a career and a life—bridging education and opportunity while helping businesses grow their own...
info_outline
E57: Building a Workforce for Everyone: Preparing Workers for a Changing Economy
Will Works Podcast
In this episode we are joined by Julio Rodriguez to explore how his personal journey—from first-generation roots and early challenges to becoming a leader in Illinois workforce development—drives his commitment to opportunity and public service. Julio shares how the power of work and mentorship carried him forward, and dives into how the state’s workforce ecosystem is evolving—through bridge programs for ESL learners, to the integration of adult education with career pathways. Julio also digs into major workforce trends like AI’s impact, clean-energy job growth, and the rising role...
info_outline
E56: Opening Doors for Young Talent: How Genesis Works Creates Career Pathways
Will Works Podcast
Jermaine Donaldson, Director of Business Development for Genesys Works, joins the podcast to discuss how the organization equips high school students from underserved communities with job training, professional skills, and paid internships. He shares how Genesys Works bridges the gap between talent and opportunity, helping young people launch meaningful careers and achieve long-term economic independence.
info_outlineThis episode features an interview with Andriana Acosta, a former basketball star and USF alum who has recently founded Purpose Beyond Play, an organization designed to help athletes transition into the workforce. Andriana shares her journey from playing college basketball to competing professionally overseas, and how an injury led her to create her innovative venture. She discusses the challenges athletes face when their playing careers end, including identity shifts and loss of structure. Andriana explains how Purpose Beyond Play aims to guide athletes through self-discovery, international travel, and community service, helping them find purpose beyond sports.