The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) has awarded Christine Bosworth, co-founder and CEO of the award-winning business engagement organization Business U, the prestigious 2019 NAWDP Professional Development Award.
The award recognizes individuals who stand out in the effort to build our nation’s workforce system: Recipients are instrumental in designing and implementing professional development initiatives that enhance the knowledge, skills and competencies of workforce development professionals.
Business U shifts the cultural and operational mindsets of organizations using outdated approaches to engage industry, giving the organizations a competitive advantage that results in expanded opportunities for job seekers and students. As Business U’s leader, Bosworth, who holds a doctorate in educational leadership, heads the only accredited professional development training and customer relationship management (CRM) technology organization for workforce and education professionals focused on business engagement.
“I’m incredibly honored to be acknowledged by an association that puts the workforce professional at the forefront of its mission,” Bosworth said. “I encourage all practitioners in the workforce system to be a part of NAWDP as it diligently works to improve and support the workforce development field. This award would not have been possible without having my co-founding partner Celina Shands by my side and the talented teams we have built across our Business U divisions. And mostly, it is with deep appreciation and gratitude that every day I have the privilege and opportunity to learn from and work with our nation’s amazing workforce development professionals.”
Prior to co-founding Business U, Bosworth served as a commissioner and executive officer on the Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board. She chaired the Bylaws Committee as it transitioned from the Workforce Investment Act to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, federal legislation that funds a system of workforce boards to deliver employment and training strategies nationally. During her tenure on the board, Bosworth also served on the Business Services Committee, which developed strategies to engage employers with workforce development business services.
During her tenure as a member on the Recertification Committee that supported the American Job Centers serving the local area’s 4 million residents, she began to notice disconnects in the approaches used for employer outreach and the tactics applied by workforce development professionals to build, sustain and deepen relationships with industry, which sparked the founding of Business U.
“Everyone knows our beloved CEO affectionately as ‘Dr. B’ because behind her many academic awards, work accomplishments and impactful professional development innovations, at heart she is a servant leader who is highly approachable and collaborative,” Business U co-founder Celina Shands said. “Dr. B is driven by her personal experiences as an immigrant to this country. She has worked tirelessly to develop systems, programs and funding opportunities that pave a smoother path for others. Dr. B is definitely not about the accolades, but it brings all of us so much joy at Business U when her hard work is recognized.”
Key accomplishments that earned Bosworth the 2019 NAWDP Professional Development Award include:
- Thought leadership in business engagement through national studies and publications creating benchmarks for workforce professionals.
- Achievement of institutional accreditation for Business U through the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
- IACET’s 2017 Innovator of the Year in Learner Engagement Award, which recognizes those who seek out innovation for helping learners engage through a higher level of thinking in their work, despite challenges and obstacles.
- Originator of the first transformational relationship-building models for workforce professionals underpinned by servant leadership principles and relationship-development theory.
- Creation and facilitation of a national Business Engagement Community of Practice to support workforce professionals to establish benchmarks and best practices in business engagement.
- Funding and management of a free online GED-preparation course to help build a pipeline of workers for employers.
- Funder and provider of an annual scholarship program to help workforce professionals who cannot afford the cost of high-quality accredited training.
- Facilitation of panels and keynotes at national and state workforce conferences to share with audiences the application of best practice models.
- Developer of a customized CRM platform (B2B Engage®), built specifically for workforce and education professionals to expand reach with employers and create more opportunities for job seekers and students.
- Recipient of two global Davey Awards for B2B Engage®.
Bosworth will be recognized at NAWDP's Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas on May 6, 2019, as part of its celebration of the 2019 Advancement of the Profession Awards. She also will facilitate two workshops with Business U co-founder Celina Shands on managing business services and engaging employers in the work-based learning continuum.
“The NAWDP Professional Development Award is about acknowledging exceptional individuals who have created and implemented professional development training initiatives with substantiated measurements demonstrating a significant impact in an organization or community,” NAWDP CEO Melissa Robbins said. “NAWDP could not be more grateful for leaders like Dr. B. We cherish the opportunity to recognize her for the innovations she has implemented across our system and continues to do.”
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