Networks are fully integrated into our daily lives from the way we travel to how we create and define our social communities. Network solutions improve the efficiency of transactions, the opportunities to increase scale, and for many, provide access to services that may otherwise be unobtainable. Without question, networks are a fundamental element of business supply chains; they support a myriad of business processes including talent supply chains.

Talent supply chains are very complicated networks that require significant coordination between employers that create workforce demand, suppliers that provide human capital and organizations that teach the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the 21st century workforce. Research is clear that integrating each of these stakeholders into a network to work collaboratively toward a common goal utilizing a common approach maximizes the capital invested in human capital and improves desired outcomes.

In the city of Washington, DC alone, there are thousands of organizations providing various supports to prepare individuals for independent living and for the workforce. How does an individual sort through the maze of resources available to them and identify those applicable to their specific needs? The task is daunting. Consider organizations that offer scholarships that go unused? How does this happen? Most of these nonprofits work as stovepipes; independent operations focused exclusively on their specific mission. They may occasionally collaborate with other organizations, but such collaborations are not components of an integrated talent supply chain collectively focused on the long-term outcome of producing talent for the workforce.

Our Ascend Talent Management System (ATMS) meets this need for a network solution. By establishing a profile of available community resources and the expected outcomes delivered through these resources, we customize development paths targeted to an individual’s specific needs. With the power of technology we are able to integrate stakeholders into a talent supply chain, ensuring that individuals receive the support they need at every stage of their development in a more efficient manner.