Global Non-Profit Poised to Recruit and Train ‘Army of Tracers’

Washington, D.C., April 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- COVID-19 has disrupted millions of people’s lives across the U.S. and the world. As a step in our recovery, contact tracers are needed to map out active cases -- a key component for our society to resume normal activities and stabilize the economy. Therefore, Generation USA is seeking partners to help deploy its data-driven methodology and proven reskilling curriculum to train contact tracers all over the U.S. 

“Generation is doing what we do best,” says Generation USA CEO, Sean Segal. “We’re developing curricula, processes, and systems that rapidly recruit, train, and place individuals in these critical positions. We were created and built for the hard work that is needed ahead.”

Looking at the new economic landscape driven by the pandemic, Generation is seeking partners from local and state health departments, businesses, nonprofits, community colleges, and organizations to create new programs to train people for a role that health officials deem critical for this next phase of the pandemic, contact tracers.  As unemployment insurance claims around the U.S. reaches an estimated 4.4 million, the contact tracer role could provide a significant amount of jobs for almost every region of the country. 

Uniquely positioned to lead the charge, Generation’s activity-based curriculum combines soft skills with technical learning modules. The organization’s differentiating approach also offers social supports during training and up to 12 months on the job. This support system employs professional mentors who work with learners to get ahead of the challenges they’ll face while working like anxiety, stress, and work-life balance -- particular challenges contact tracers could face in this role. Nearly 70% of the curriculum includes practical applications, proven to showcase a mastery of the skills needed. And Generation’s programs lead to jobs -- the organization establishes partnerships with hiring employers in advance of training anyone, ensuring placement. In fact, more than 76% of learners are placed within a year of graduation.

“We teach something we call ‘behavioral skills and mindsets.’ They’re embedded into all of our curricula --  attention to detail, persistence, empathy, communication skills, and future orientation, integrated with the technical content a contact tracer will need like data collection, interview techniques, responding to frustrated people or those who may have experienced loss, and following up with patients,” says Generation’s Regional Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Dana Lee. “It’s the combination of these elements that make Generation’s methodology particularly meaningful and well-suited to train for this position.”

Repeatedly, Generation’s partners affirm learner’s successes, citing the methodology and curricula as a key indicator. “We know when we interview people from Generation, we know that they’ve already gone through training,” said an employer partner Deborah Muhammad of Novant Health in Charlotte, North Carolina.  “They’ve got some basic things down that we’re going to need. That makes it a whole lot easier for us.”

Globally, Generation has already launched COVID-19 response upskilling programs with partner coalitions in Italy and Mexico, with several more countries in the pipeline. These programs are showcasing expert content from public health institutions and academic and medical experts, with Generation developing the online learning experiences. 

Tia Dubuisson, president of Belle Fleur Technologies in Miami has hired 17 Generation graduates for their internship program. She says Generation graduates’ camaraderie, communications, and technical skills are impressive. “They’re dedicated. They’re truly serious and they already know their strengths and weaknesses coming to the job,” she said. “Day one, we could just get going.”

“4.4 million people in the U.S. have filed unemployment claims. There are estimates we need to train anywhere from 100 - 300,000 contact tracers across the country,” says Segal. “With the right partners, we’re confident we can help bridge the gap and assist thousands of workers on the road to recovery.”  

For more information on a partnership with Generation, please go to usa.generation.org/contact-tracer and submit your information. 

For more information from the CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/open-america/staffing.html

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Today, more than 75 million young adults are out of work globally, and three times as many are underemployed. At the same time, 40 percent of employers say a skills shortage is leaving them with entry-level vacancies. Generation is a workforce development nonprofit with the mission to transform the education to employment system to prepare, place, and support people into life-changing careers that would otherwise be inaccessible. To date, over 37,000 individuals have graduated from the Generation program, which prepares them for careers in 101 cities across twelve countries. Generation works with more than 3,100 employer partners and a wide range of implementation partners and funders. The organization was founded as an independent nonprofit by McKinsey & Company in 2014. For more, visit usa.generation.org 

Jessica Rood
Generation USA
jessicar@generation.org

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