JESSICA BORZA
STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Expertise: Workforce Development
Team Member Since: 2011
What attracted you to workforce development?
I love that through effective workforce development, communities can connect individuals to meaningful career pathways and provide businesses with the talent they need to stay strong and grow.
What TPMA value means the most to you and why?
High Quality. Our clients choose to spend what is oftentimes very limited funding with us to help them to achieve a desired goal. I appreciate that TPMA is committed to providing the highest quality deliverables to our clients.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by leaders who emerge in new ways through community conversations about workforce development. It’s fascinating to watch someone develop a sense of ownership and urgency around an issue and commit to leading the work, which is often not easy.
What is the most impactful project you have been a part of?
While I have many projects that would make this list, the most impactful has been the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition (MVMC), a sector partnership in the Youngstown, OH region. We assisted them in organizing, creating a strategic plan, and guiding them through implementation. MVMC has changed the education and workforce development systems, making them more responsive to the needs of business, and has also changed the way manufacturers interact with each other on various strategies and initiatives. The MVMC model has been replicated in other communities and held up by the Ohio Manufacturers Association and others nationally. We are exposing more people to good jobs in manufacturing, providing them with strong training programs to prepare them, and strengthening the economy by supporting local manufacturers in finding the workforce they need.
