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Building a Stronger Workforce

Omaha had a positive impact on a young Othello Meadows III, and now Meadows is having a positive impact on Omaha. In early January, he began serving as the first executive director of the Omaha Workforce Collaborative, a partnership of business, academic, government and workforce development funders. The Collaborative strives to address local workforce shortages by acting as a “workforce intermediary,” helping low-wage workers move into higher paying jobs while, at the same time, assisting area employers.

“It’s a win-win,” explained Meadows. “The employer gets a quality worker—formerly unskilled, now skilled—who is familiar with their practices and procedures. The employee learns new skills and earns a job that pays a livable wage, offers benefits and, perhaps, tuition reimbursement. We’re based on a ‘dual customer approach,’ trying to serve the employer and the employee.”

“The Collaborative is a great opportunity for me to use my talents and continue doing work that I find very rewarding,” he said.

That work involves improving people’s lives and, by extension, the city where Meadows grew up. He left Omaha at the age of 18 to attend college and law school in North Carolina. He found professional success, eventually opening his own law firm in Atlanta, Ga. But, he also found that total fulfillment was missing. “I was looking for something to do that I thought had more impact and fit my priorities and my values a little bit better,” said Meadows.

He is confident the community will help the Omaha Workforce Collaborative succeed. “One thing I really like about Omaha is the genuine willingness and desire, among most people in this city, to see every part of the city thrive and succeed. People may have different views on how to accomplish that, but I think there is a cooperative spirit here, especially in the nonprofit community, that makes it easier to get things done.”

Omaha is one of 21 cities selected to participate in the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. The National Fund will grant the Omaha Workforce Collaborative $150,000 annually over three years, for a total of $450,000. An additional $600,000 annually over three years will be given by the local funding partners including the Chamber, Metropolitan Community College, United Way of the Midlands and the Workforce Investment Board, with support from the City of Omaha.