Workforce Development Champions
The San Diego Workforce Partnership’s five strategic pillars—inclusive business growth, job quality, outcomes-focused funding, population-specific interventions and 2Gen—frame how we are working to transform our community between now and 2025.
This lofty vision for San Diego County cannot be achieved alone. Along the way, we are excited to honor individuals and organizations committed to transforming lives through work. Get to know them below.
First Promise Care Services
2019 winner — Job Quality
First Promise Care Services was selected as the 2019 winner given their commitment to living wages and career development.
First Promise is a trailblazer in providing quality care to our aging communities. Dyna Jones, CEO of First Promise Care, has taken the concept of job quality to new heights by providing leadership and career opportunities to all her employees, including the “Empowering Caregivers to be Leaders” program. To date, 30 home health workers and CNAs have completed the program.
In September, 2019, First Promise Care decided that it was important to respond to industry workforce needs and invest in their workers. First Promise raised their CNA wages from $12.50 an hour to $15 an hour, well above the national median wage of 13.72 an hour. Jones continually finds ways to invest in the workforce. She is currently developing an internal upskilling program for her home health workers to become CNA’s. Dyna stated that she started as a home health worker and would never imagine the journey she is on now. She wants to provide those same career opportunities to the health care industry and her employees.
Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant
2019 winner — Inclusive Business Growth
Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant was selected as the 2019 winner as they exemplify an organization’s ability to run a successful business while doing good by (growing and developing) their employees.
Ponce’s embodies inclusive business growth in a variety of ways. They extend opportunity widely by constantly promoting from within, which leads to employee retention and quality of life for their employees. In fact, the average career length at Ponce’s is eight years!
Every staff member starts at the same level and has access to opportunities to grow and they have removed barriers between front and back of the house by promoting cross training. Employees are considered first before hiring management from the outside and their commitment to cross-training really makes this a possibility. By valuing and investing in their talent, Ponce’s is able to keep staff who develop deeper customer relationships, which lead to overall business success.