Partnership design
Clear employer and partner roles, shared commitments, job quality expectations, and ways to resolve issues together.
Workforce development & partnerships
Getting people hired is only half the work.
Kokoro designs and helps launch workforce partnerships that connect people with quality jobs and equip employers to develop, retain, and advance their talent.
Discuss a partnershipA stronger workforce creates more possibilities.
We help organizations build practical, equitable pathways that recognize transferable skills and create the conditions for long-term career success.
For workforce organizations
Strengthen employer partnerships and create clearer pathways to employment.
For education providers
Connect learning to real hiring needs and improve employment outcomes.
For larger employers
Build adaptable, resilient teams and retain the talent you hire.
Why this matters
Hiring isn't the finish line.
Training and placement matter. But without the right onboarding, managers, HR practices, and opportunities to advance, promising hires can struggle to stay and grow.
As work changes, the ability to build authentic relationships, learn, adapt, and apply new skills matters more than ever. Employers need systems that recognize and develop those capabilities, not just credentials.
01 · Prepare
Recognize transferable skills and connect learning to real roles.
02 · Hire
Make job entry accessible and onboarding effective.
03 · Grow
Support retention, development, and advancement.
What you get
A partnership built to work in practice.
We co-design the program with the people who will deliver it, including the employer teams responsible for supporting new hires.
Career pathway design
Role competencies, transferable skills, training touchpoints, and work-based learning tied to real hiring needs.
Employer readiness
Assess and strengthen hiring, onboarding, manager coaching, and internal development practices so new hires can succeed.
Pilot launch and handoff
A realistic launch plan, feedback loops, success measures, practical tools, and preparation for partners to sustain the work.
The scope and deliverables are tailored to each partnership. Kokoro designs and supports launch; ongoing training and program operations remain with delivery partners.
What success looks like
More than placements. Lasting progress.
A successful partnership should work for participants and employers. Together, we define what quality employment looks like and how we'll know the approach is working.
- Employers prepared to welcome and develop people from different backgrounds
- Stronger onboarding and improved retention
- Clearer routes to skill development and advancement
- Partnerships that learn, improve, and continue beyond a pilot
Depending on the project, measures may include 90-day and 12-month retention, job quality, manager readiness, participant experience, advancement, and continued employer participation. These are measures to design around, not claimed Kokoro results.
What partners say
Experience from both sides of the partnership.
“Kokoro has helped me improve job retention by seeing the potential in every person. Kokoro’s insights have helped me better understand my team’s baseline and the training opportunities they needed to be successful. Because of this we have seen more employees reach their goals and have greater job satisfaction. Everyone is a winner in this situation.”Matt Ford · Warehouse Manager, JD Foods
“Kokoro’s workshops helped build our clients' confidence by helping them recognize their strengths, how their skills can transfer to the workplace so they knew how to sell themselves to an employer. Kokoro also gave our clients a safe space to identify weaknesses and barriers to success.”Addie Carr · Social Services Director, Neighborhood Industries
How we work
Designed with you. Built to last.
Our work starts with real hiring needs and the day-to-day realities of the people implementing the program. We use practical tools, live challenges, and peer learning to help partners build the capacity to continue independently.
Foundation
Define roles, job quality expectations, and the competencies people need.
Application
Co-design and test tools and processes using real scenarios.
Transfer
Build internal coaching and implementation capacity for long-term use.
What does partnership design involve?
Mapping the pipeline from baseline skills to retention, clarifying who does what, assessing employer readiness, and agreeing on job quality and accountability practices.
What tools might we receive?
Depending on scope, tools may include a Role Breakdown Template, Employer Readiness Checklist, competency framework, onboarding and training touchpoints, feedback mechanisms, and pilot success measures.
Who delivers the training and ongoing program?
Kokoro designs and helps launch the partnership, working with employers and training providers. Delivery partners run ongoing instruction, participant support, and program operations.
Let's work together
Let's build what's next.
Create more opportunities for people and stronger outcomes for your organization.
Let's talk →