July 11, 2023 – On Tuesday, June 14, 2023, The Employment & Training Administration US Department of Labor, in partnership with Workforce GPS, hosted a webinar entitled “Breaking Barriers for Returning Citizens: Yes WIOA Can.” The webinar focused on the fact that over 600,000 people a year are released from prisons across the US. When released, those individuals face limited job and housing opportunities. Without proper opportunities to reintegrate, people are often rearrested.
Workforce GPS says, “The goal of the webinar was to discuss innovative strategies on ways to engage and support Returning Citizens to return to the workforce, including highlighting programs which assist with the challenges they experience and offer the support required for success.”
1100+ people attended the webinar, including HR leaders, CEOs, and Dept of Labor and Workforce Development leaders nationwide.
One speaker at the webinar, Trent Griffin-Braaf, CEO and Founder of Tech Valley Shuttle, shared his personal narrative, connecting the webinar’s goals with his real-life story. As a formerly incarcerated person, Trent faced challenges related to felony discrimination in employment, transportation, and housing when he was released from prison. He was forced to rely on public transportation and accept temporary employment for over a year.
His opportunity in the hotel industry as a part-time house person cleaning toilets and driving a hotel shuttle opened a new path for him. Within five years, he rose to the position of General Manager. In 2016, Trent founded Tech Valley Shuttle leveraging his hospitality network and experience. Over time, his company transformed from a hotel shuttle service to a community transportation supplier with a mission to combat poverty through transportation solutions and employee empowerment.
During the webinar, he shared his challenges as an ex-offender trying to find employment. He discussed how organizations can become Employers of Choice, especially for ex-offenders and other underserved populations. He provided strategies to grow businesses and become an Employer of Choice, such as hiring people with criminal records, providing them with training and support, focusing on employee engagement and satisfaction, creating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, offering competitive compensation and benefits, and providing opportunities for growth and development.
According to Griffin-Braaf, the benefits of being an Employer of Choice include attracting top talent, improving retention rates, and enhancing brand reputation. Being an Employer of Choice can help address social issues like poverty, recidivism, and diversity and inclusion and improve your organization.
Trent Griffin-Braaf has used these strategies in his business and reaped the rewards. Trent has been mentioned in Bloomberg Business Week, Forbes 1000, and the New York Times for his work. He was also recently named the 2023 SBA Upstate NY Small Business Person of the Year for expanding his ride services during the pandemic, filling a critical community need. His company, Tech Valley Shuttle, is the first black-owned business to be named one of the best places to work by the Albany Business Review.
Trent Griffin-Braaf hopes to share his insights with more and more businesses across the United States.
“I enjoy showing other HR Leaders and C-Suite Executives how to build an organization that can become an Employer of Choice for returning citizens,” says Griffin-Braaf, “Since the webinar, I’ve been contacted by HR leaders across the country to hear more about the benefits of hiring returning citizens, and even started to coach one out of California. I’m excited to see the shifting perception of returning citizens in the workforce.”
About Trent Griffin-Braaf
Trent Griffin-Braaf is the CEO and Founder of Tech Valley Shuttle. He has grown his business from a hotel-based transportation agency in 2016 to a fully customizable company specializing in workforce transportation. He now owns two of the larger Black-owned businesses in the Capital Region. Trent has been highlighted in Bloomberg Business Week, Forbes 1000, and the New York Times for his work. He was also recently named the 2023 SBA Upstate NY Small Business Person of the Year for expanding his ride services during the pandemic, filling a critical community need. Trent was formerly incarcerated, and since his release, he has dedicated his career to creating opportunities for others in the same position through Tech Valley Shuttle. His ultimate goal is to be a resource for others by shifting how organizations perceive and hire from underrepresented groups.
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