The New Bridge Builders

Your Chamber's Strategic Advantage in Talent Development

In the modern economic landscape, a region's prosperity increasingly hinges on its talent pipeline. For chambers of commerce, merely facilitating networking is no longer enough; they must evolve into active bridge builders and strategic leaders dedicated to closing the persistent skills gap. The path to this elevated role is paved with data-driven action, and a partnership with the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) provides the necessary architecture. By moving beyond passive surveying to strategic employee engagement, chambers can position themselves as the essential nexus connecting employers, education providers, and the workforce, driving both company success and regional economic growth. This model transforms the chamber into an indispensable engine for talent development. 

Bridging The Talent Gap (BTTG) Employee Survey

Strategic partnerships with chambers of commerce are distinguished by a key CAEL resource: the Bridging The Talent Gap (BTTG) Employee Survey. This tool fundamentally redefines the chamber’s relationship with its member businesses by transforming the chamber from a general advocate into a data-driven consultant.

The BTTG survey is a deep dive into the hearts and minds of frontline workers, gauging their education goals, their awareness of existing education benefits, and the specific barriers preventing utilization. Critically, it allows for customizable queries, tailoring the outreach to address emerging workforce needs. This is the bridge in action: it connects the C-suite’s talent needs directly to the aspirations of entry-level employees. Research consistently shows that education benefits are not just a perk, but a strategic investment that boosts recruitment, retention, and productivity. By administering the BTTG survey, chambers can provide members with the essential, granular data needed to maximize this investment, shifting the perspective from benefits as an expense to a quantifiable strategic return. Furthermore, the survey helps illuminate chronic issues, such as the finding that, on average, less than 50% of employees are knowledgeable about their company’s education benefits—a foundational barrier that only a targeted, systematic approach can overcome.

Detroit Regional Chamber Collaborates with CAEL

The success of the Detroit Regional Chamber's collaboration with CAEL for the Detroit Regional Health Care Talent Collaborative serves as a powerful case study for regional leadership. By commissioning the BTTG survey for Henry Ford Health, the chamber moved from insight to direct intervention. Following the initial survey, a second deployment was executed with a strategic, proactive approach, leading to a remarkable 700%+ surge in participation. This increased engagement was the springboard for tangible workforce development outcomes.

Based on the aggregated findings, the chamber and CAEL delivered action step recommendations and immediate impacts. For instance, interest gauged through the survey led directly to the enrollment of 30 Henry Ford Health team members in a medical coding cohort. More broadly, the chamber used the survey responses to connect 328 team members to the statewide Michigan Reconnect program and utilized the Detroit Reconnect education navigator to provide one-on-one, institution-neutral support to 493 interested team members. This high demand for navigational services led the chamber to secure funding for a dedicated navigator position, a move that is now being planned for other health systems in the region. This is the hallmark of a true regional leader: identifying a systemic need, implementing a data-driven solution, and scaling the infrastructure to provide ongoing support for workforce advancement. 

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By leveraging CAEL's expertise and the BTTG methodology, chambers of commerce can immediately establish themselves as the preeminent regional authority on workforce development.

This strategic partnership is more than a service offering; it is a blueprint for enduring influence. It empowers chambers to fulfill their highest calling: securing the long-term economic vitality and competitive advantage of its entire region.

For more information on how your chamber of commerce can partner with CAEL to make an impact in your region or community, please contact us or sign up for our newsletter.

Recognizing that adult learners are the backbone of the U.S. economy, CAEL helps forge a clear, viable connection between education and career success, providing solutions that promote sustainable and equitable economic growth. CAEL opens doors to opportunity in collaboration with workforce and economic developers, postsecondary educators, employers and industry groups, and foundations and other mission-aligned organizations. Learn more at cael.org.