Strategies for Workforce Innovation with Dr. Minah Woo

In this episode of Real Talk, Real Growth, host Linda Ostovitz welcomes Dr. Minah Woo, Vice President of Workforce Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at Howard Community College. They discuss how the college partners with businesses to build talent pipelines through job fairs, short-term certifications, internships, advisory committees, and registered apprenticeships. The two also discuss the “shrinking workforce” driven by an enrollment cliff and retirements, emphasizing retention, culture, generational differences, and relationship-building, including in hybrid work.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:33 Defining Workforce Innovation

04:50 Helping Employers Hire

08:33 Apprenticeships Explained

10:23 Apprenticeship Results

12:03 Shrinking Workforce Reality

16:50 Generations and Culture

20:37 Remote Work and Connection

22:52 AI as a Workforce Tool

26:17 Rethinking Retirement

28:58 Untapped Talent Pools