The Future of Nebraska’s Workforce Starts with Connection
Building a strong workforce doesn’t start with a job posting. It starts with relationships.
Across Nebraska, employers are recognizing that meaningful connections with young people — before they enter the workforce — can shape career pathways, strengthen talent pipelines, and help the next generation see a future for themselves in our communities.
One example of this approach in action is the Employer Excellence Scholar Connection, an event hosted in February by the Greater Omaha Chamber. The event brought Omaha business leaders together with high-potential students from the University of Nebraska at Omaha for something intentionally different from a job fair: conversation.
No recruiting tables. No résumés. Just people getting to know one another.
Why Conversations Matter More Than Résumés
Traditional hiring processes often begin with a résumé — a document summarizing where someone has already been. But for students early in their career journey, that snapshot rarely tells the full story.
As Dell Nared Jr., Chief Workforce Excellence Officer at the Greater Omaha Chamber, explains:
“Résumés tell you where someone has been, but conversations tell you who they are becoming.”
Events like the Employer Excellence Scholar Connection create space for authentic dialogue between students and employers. Instead of focusing on GPA or job titles, conversations center on interests, values, career paths, and the real questions young people have about work.
For students, this approach helps them feel seen as individuals with potential — not just candidates on paper. For employers, it opens the door to discovering curiosity, perspective, and talent that might otherwise be overlooked.
And most importantly, it’s where trust begins. Trust is what turns a brief conversation into a lasting professional relationship.
Building Relationships Before the Job Offer
Workforce development isn’t just about filling open positions. The strongest talent pipelines are built long before a company needs to hire.
According to Nared, meaningful relationships with students start with presence and consistency.
Employers who show up early — attending events, offering guidance, and engaging with students before there is a job on the table — create opportunities for connection that go far beyond recruitment.
That might look like:
- Remembering a student’s name and story
- Following up after a networking event
- Offering advice about career pathways
- Inviting students to visit a workplace
- Simply being available as a sounding board
These small moments build confidence and clarity for students as they navigate the transition from college to career. Over time, they add up to something much bigger: a workforce pipeline built on relationships rather than transactions.
Mentoring as a Workforce Strategy
Mentoring is one of the most powerful ways to bridge the gap between education and employment. When students have access to mentors in the workforce, they gain insight that classrooms alone cannot provide — from navigating career decisions to understanding workplace culture and expectations.
From a workforce perspective, mentoring has a ripple effect:
- Students develop confidence and career clarity
- Employers strengthen leadership and coaching skills
- Communities retain more local talent
As Nared says, mentoring doesn’t just attract talent — it helps retain it.
When young people build meaningful relationships with professionals in Nebraska, they are more likely to envision a future here and stay connected to opportunities in the region.
At scale, mentoring creates a stronger ecosystem where education, employers, and community partners work together to prepare the next generation not just to fill jobs, but to grow, lead, and stay.
How MENTOR Nebraska Supports Workforce Mentoring
At MENTOR Nebraska, we believe mentoring is a powerful strategy for strengthening both young people and the workforce.
We work with employers, chambers, schools, and community organizations to build mentoring initiatives that connect young people with professionals and career pathways.
Companies can partner with MENTOR Nebraska to:
- Launch or strengthen workplace mentoring programs that connect employees with students or young professionals
- Train supervisors to lead with a mentoring mindset using evidence-based practices from the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™
- Host workshops that support youth workforce readiness through structured mentoring experiences
- Organize mentoring connection events that introduce employees to Nebraska’s future workforce
- Host mentor recruitment opportunities that connect employees to mentoring programs in the community
By integrating mentoring into workforce strategies, companies invest not only in their future workforce but also in the communities they call home. In doing so, they help young people see what’s possible and contribute to a stronger, more connected future for Nebraska’s workforce.
Interested in getting involved in workforce mentoring?
MENTOR Nebraska can help your company build meaningful connections with the next generation of talent. Learn more here.
