Social Impact & Innovation
Driving Product Innovation: Developing a Strategic Playbook for Upskilling Immigrants and Refugees in Data and AI
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“AI has the potential to transform every industry; however, businesses are still struggling to find employees with the skills necessary to create, train and work alongside intelligent machines.” - Forbes
Introduction
Background
Our client, a national non-profit dedicated to workforce inclusion, focuses on integrating highly-skilled immigrant and refugee (I&R) professionals into the U.S. economy by removing employment barriers. Recognizing the growing demand for Data and AI skills, the client sought our help to design and implement a playbook aimed at upskilling and reskilling this community. This initiative equips them with the expertise needed to thrive in the competitive job market, enhancing their employability while addressing the talent gap in the tech industry.
Challenge
The client lacked a systematic approach to creating and scaling effective Data/AI training programs. Additionally, they faced challenges in reducing participant attrition and ensuring that immigrant and refugee professionals gained the practical experience necessary to secure employment in the field.
My Role
As the Product Manager Lead and primary point of contact, I spearheaded the design, implementation, and piloting of the upskilling playbook for the client’s Data/AI training initiative. I led the project from inception to completion, developing the project timeline, execution plan, and roadmap to ensure seamless delivery. I oversaw day-to-day activities, managing stakeholders, and maintaining the highest quality standards for all deliverables. I engaged directly with client trainers to identify pain points and facilitated design thinking sessions to co-create innovative solutions. Additionally, I managed the client relationship and presented final deliverables to key stakeholders, including the client’s CEO, ensuring alignment and satisfaction throughout the project lifecycle.
Project Timeline: 4 Months
Primary Stakeholders: Client’s CEO, Training Leads, External Partners (including Google and the Head of Admissions at an accredited U.S. university).
Tools Used: Miro, Microsoft Teams (Planner), Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
The Process
Leveraging design thinking, I structured the project into three phases: Discover, Development, and Strategy. This approach allowed us to thoroughly understand trainers’ needs in upskilling I&R professionals in Data and AI, and co-create solutions with stakeholders (Discover). We then gathered insights from the Discover phase to develop a comprehensive upskilling playbook (Development) and created a strategic plan to implement and pilot the playbook effectively (Strategy). This structure enabled us to refine our approach, remain adaptable, and ensure that the final deliverables were both practical and aligned with the client’s workforce integration goals.
DISCOVER
Conducted user research using design thinking methodologies to identify process pain points and define the future state vision for upskilling programs.
Hosted in-depth 1:1 interviews with key client stakeholders and three skilling partners (Accenture, Cisco, Splunk) to gather insights and align on objectives.
Facilitated design thinking workshops with six internal stakeholders, including training managers and coaching community of practice leads, to collaboratively explore challenges and opportunities.
Developed detailed candidate profiles based on insights from interviews to inform the design and implementation of tailored training solutions.
DEVELOPMENT
Redefined program processes and procedures, including automating components of the candidate selection process to enhance efficiency and scalability.
Developed a comprehensive playbook that standardized the creation and implementation of Data/AI skilling programs, reducing the workload required to launch new programs.
Provided detailed guidance on participant selection, helping to reduce attrition and improve the overall effectiveness of the skilling programs.
Established reporting and analytics frameworks to measure the success of skilling programs, enabling continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making.
Crafted tailored learning journey recommendations for key roles in the Data/AI space, ensuring alignment with industry standards and the needs of employers.
EXECUTION STRATEGY
Developed a comprehensive pilot execution plan, including a detailed timeline and step-by-step activities, ensuring the client could independently run the pilot program after the Accenture team transitioned off.
Created standardized templates for key communications and surveys, enabling consistent and effective stakeholder engagement throughout the pilot phase.
Conducted a risk assessment and developed mitigation strategies, proactively addressing potential challenges to ensure a smooth and successful pilot execution.
Identified and secured key partners to support the pilot program, including Google, which provided a grant for the launch, and an accredited university, which offered participant shadowing opportunities for hands-on experience. I facilitated conversations to align all parties with the project goals and ensure smooth collaboration throughout the pilot.
Outcome
Equipped the client with a comprehensive execution strategy and pilot launch plan, ensuring the successful implementation of the playbook and driving impactful outcomes in upskilling and workforce integration.
Enhanced the client’s agility in upskilling immigrants and refugees in Data/AI, allowing for quicker adaptation to market demands and a higher volume of trained professionals.
Improved the training experience by integrating hands-on opportunities, industry insights, and mentorship, leading to a higher program completion rate among participants.
Accelerated time-to-hire by improving coordination between the client’s internal teams and fostering stronger relationships with corporate partners, effectively streamlining the integration of upskilled immigrants and refugees into the hiring pipeline.
Strengthened partnerships with accredited universities, facilitating the development of Data/AI expertise among immigrants and refugees, and better preparing them for the job market.
Facilitated and strengthened partnerships between the client and accredited universities, enabling the development of targeted Data/AI expertise for immigrants and refugees, securing critical support essential for success in the job market.