Linda Kavanagh is Director, People Services at Cox Communications. She is also a member of SDWP’s Workforce Investment Board and Chair of SDWP’s Adult Programs Committee. Here she describes what motivated her to join the WIB and the workforce issues she is most passionate about.
SDWP: What motivated you to join the WIB?
Kavanagh: Joining the Workforce Investment Board was a natural fit for me. I have been working with the Career Centers (now AJCCs) since 1996 when Cox launched telephone service. At the time we were working to develop our outreach partnerships to enhance our talent acquisition strategies. The Workforce Investment Board is a great way to be part of the larger workforce picture here in San Diego.
SDWP: What issues are you most passionate about as they relate to workforce development?
Kavanagh: Shining the light on AJCC services. It’s one of San Diego’s best-kept secrets. I want to work to get more businesses and job seekers to engage with the AJCCs.
SDWP: Tell a brief story about a person, event or project that you were involved with that underscored your passion for these issues.
Kavanagh: Our company recently partnered with Matt Sanford at the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation to put together informational sessions for our employees following an organizational change. The sessions were quite informative about all of the assistance available to them through the AJCC locations. However, we still found that a good portion of the employees who attended the sessions did not utilize the services available through the centers. In speaking with some, they didn’t have a clear understanding of the AJCC services. That hit it home for me—we can do more to showcase the important resources available at the AJCC sites.