Building Stronger Workforce Ecosystems: Key Strategies for Effective Partnerships

Anything worthwhile takes hard work, but it's always easier with support. Workforce ecosystem players understand this better than anyone, especially when launching workforce initiatives and building talent pipelines. 

At Merit, we know that this work can’t be done alone. It requires scalable, impactful partnerships. In our ecosystem, everyone is treated as a friend—a core principle that guides us at Merit. Interoperability is critical to that vision, allowing tools to bridge gaps between fragmented systems and data silos. With the right tools, cross-agency collaboration and partnership become manageable, providing a clear, end-to-end view of the talent pipeline.

Creating impactful partnerships requires thoughtfulness. Before your next big workforce initiative, consider a few key questions to create a pathway for success.

Factors to Consider for Ecosystem Partnership

1. What's our value add?

Every successful workforce partnership starts with knowing exactly what you bring to the table. Each player in the ecosystem offers something unique. For instance, an electrician employer knows the specific skills needed for a job, while an apprenticeship program coordinator understands how to engage and motivate young people. Each organization has its strengths, adding value and perspective to the collaboration. So, ask yourself: What’s my strength? Or How have I made a difference in past partnerships? Knowing your value lets you approach new opportunities with confidence and purpose.

2. What’s our capacity?

Another essential component to consider in workforce partnerships is internal and external resources. Consider the support your partner might expect from you during an initiative, such as weekly meetings or agenda settings. If, say, a workforce player such as a local apprenticeship program is also underway with its annual review of training manuals for the program, it may not be the best time for them to engage in a new partnership. 

Sometimes, partners within the ecosystem also have internal bottlenecks. For instance, if they’re in the middle of training and hiring a new team to administer classes at a local community college, that could slow down or limit their ability to engage in a new initiative fully. The good news is that workforce partners will always be available when the timing aligns—you just need to recognize when the moment is right for you.

3. Who else might support this?

As mentioned previously, complex workforce initiatives are more manageable with support. Think about workforce partnerships like ingredients in a recipe—each player brings a valuable role to the final outcome. The most impactful collaborations are often when multiple organizations work together to drive change. Interoperable solutions can empower these partnerships by integrating systems and data across organizations; we can create a seamless flow of information that enables more effective coordination and resource-sharing.

In any new partnership, we may ask ourselves if there are additional organizations, programs, or agencies we can bring to the table. By considering these elements, we open the door to a larger, more integrated ecosystem that fosters innovation and ensures that all partners contribute meaningfully to workforce development.

Putting it Altogether

By now, we’ve covered that building effective workforce partnerships requires a balance of self-awareness, capacity, and collaboration. Let’s break down the key factors that can drive actionable change in your next initiative.

• Recognize your strengths
• Write down a list of the strengths your organization, agency, program, etc., has to bring to the table. List past experiences where other organizations highlighted your expertise.
• Assess your resources and timing.
• List the high-priority items your organization is working on right now, if the items can’t wait, it may not be the best time to start an initiative and ecosystem partnership. If it can wait, go forth and conquer. 
• Invite additional partners to the table.
• Reflect on previous partnerships and players who could add value. Remember that the best outcomes come when multiple organizations collaborate. 

Utilize our ecosystem partnership worksheet to have these tips on hand the next time you set the table for your workforce initiative.