Forsyth Tech Community College built its Future-Ready Workforce Alliance employer-led and fee-based. Reynolds American is the inaugural employer member: jointly developing training for 200 advanced manufacturing roles at its Tobaccoville plant, and acting as an ambassador recruiting other local businesses into the alliance. Programs come as packages (mechatronics, data analytics, HR), not one-off partnerships. Flexible short-term credentials, faculty externships, apprenticeships. The result: completion jumped from 19% to 45% over six years.
The playbook, in three steps. One: pick your anchor, the biggest employer in your market with the worst hiring headache. Two: get them co-designing the training, not advising it. Co-designed programs mean co-owned outcomes. Three: make them the recruiter. One flagship partner bragging about your program beats a hundred cold calls.
Evidence: 200 roles, a completion rate that more than doubled, and a college president who does not have to pitch anymore. The anchor sells the alliance. Find your Reynolds.