Corporate Advisory Services  

Problem: John Deere, a leader in heavy-duty equipment for agriculture and construction, wanted a new learning and development program that would expand its talent pool and offer participants a nationally recognized credential. 

JFF’s Solution: We designed and developed a national apprenticeship program for agriculture equipment technicians and heavy construction equipment mechanics. 

Impact and Outcomes: Since 2019, 159 people have taken part in more than 15 apprenticeship programs launched in partnership with John Deere dealers. The workers learn on the job while adding value to the dealerships that employ them. 

Problem: Biotech company Genentech needed to build a stronger and more diverse STEM talent pipeline. 

JFF’s Solution: We worked with Genentech and a network of K-12 teachers and school leaders, along with other education partners and biotech industry experts to develop a curriculum that would prepare students for biotech jobs. Offering free instruction and training, the program expands access to biotech education and lab facilities. It also provides professional development to teachers and fosters employer engagement, including volunteer opportunities for employees. 

Impact and Outcomes: This program has reached more than 600,000 students and teachers in California, introducing students from low-income backgrounds to new career paths and helping teachers incorporate industry-aligned curricula into their lesson plans. We are now working with Genentech to scale this program nationally. 

Problem: A leader in the transportation, distribution, and logistics (TDL) industry, Prologis wanted to develop a qualified and engaged talent pool made up of members of populations facing systemic barriers to advancement while building new career pathways and expanding economic advancement opportunities in the communities it does business in. The company’s goal was to build a training platform that would be a competitive differentiator establishing Prologis as an employer of choice in the eyes of jobseekers while also serving as a resource for current Prologis employees and employees of customer companies interested in advancing their skills. 

JFF’s Solution: JFF conducted a customer and stakeholder analysis of workforce development needs. We then designed a learning and development platform called the Prologis Learning Academy and worked with Prologis to test, implement, and scale the program through regional community partners. 

Impact and Outcomes: Insights from the rollout of the new program allowed Prologis and JFF to address underlying barriers limiting access to employment and advancement opportunities in the TDL industry. This led to a strategic shift toward industry-wide collaboration to improve learning and development outcomes for all TDL companies and their employees, positioning Prologis as an innovative talent leader. 

Problem: Google aimed to develop a more inclusive talent pipeline for the tech industry, with a focus on expanding opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and Latine workers, and women of all backgrounds. 

JFF’s Solution: We worked with Google to develop and implement training courses in which participants build in-demand IT skills. We have since helped scale these offerings into what is now known as the Google Career Certificates program, which offers flexible online training and instruction that lead to certificates in six high-growth fields. For nearly two years, JFF has managed a learning community for core partners, provided customized technical assistance, and conducted research to understand effective implementation approaches, including how the certificates can expand on-ramps to technology careers for members of populations that are underrepresented in the IT workforce. 

Impact and Outcomes: JFF supported the expansion of the certificate programs to more than 100 community colleges nationwide and to more than 50 domestic and international nonprofits. 

Problem: Verizon’s Corporate Social Responsibility team wanted to understand the impact of the company’s Small Business Digital Ready Initiative. Launched in 2021, the initiative was designed to provide 1 million small businesses, predominantly enterprises owned by women and people of color, with resources to thrive in the digital economy. 

JFF’s Solution: We designed and implemented a multiyear impact measurement system with real-time monitoring and impact evaluation to inform decision-making, and we co-created a theory of change with Verizon and its partners. We now regularly conduct deep dive impact inquiries, collect impact data twice a year from the more than 200,000 businesses participating in the Small Business Digital Ready Initiative, and provide a real-time impact monitoring dashboard. 

Impact and Outcomes: Verizon and its partners can now more effectively communicate their impact to senior leaders, direct resources and efforts, and create new content and resources to serve small businesses.