New website development for a public-private apprenticeship initiative in Philadelphia

ApprenticeshipPHL (APHL) is a regional public and private collaboration to link registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeship programs, agencies and organizations, and public workforce systems. The idea is to link people with programs to create benefits for area residents and employers, fostering greater access to talent and opportunities for Philadelphia ApprenticeshipsPHL. The APHL partners include Philadelphia Works, JEVS Human Services, The City of Philadelphia, The Finishing Trades Institute of the Mid-Atlantic Region, District 1199c Training and Upgrading Fund, Philadelphia Youth Network, Keystone Development Partnership, The School District of Philadelphia, and Communities In Schools of Philadelphia. The collaboration with partners and leaders in the industry totals nearly $25 billion in the region.

The problem

Background

Through our partner Jarvus Innovations’ expertise and their client, which have been featured by the United States Department of Labor, we set out to expand access to apprenticeship opportunities in the community. A critical piece of work involved recruiting employers to champion and drive apprenticeships, so we led the charge to support the development of a robust communications platform. This project was completed for Jarvus’ client JEVS Human Services, and the initiative was led by our client Philadelphia Works, whose larger website we developed earlier in the year, along with some of their smaller microsites for adjacent initiatives.

What needed fixing

They had poor brand awareness and a negligible online presence in the community. They needed a clearer, focused website to connect community members with programs and services.

The Solution

We developed a robust WordPress platform supporting apprenticeship programs in Philadelphia, fostering greater access to opportunity and talent. The website makes use of whitespace, has a clear color scheme, clear visuals, and clear CTA buttons. The menus allow users to find out about the programs, its partners, find an apprenticeship, hire an apprentice, and visit success stories, as well as search functions.

Below the fold on the home page, the website shows the key success stories and information on how to get started either as an employer or as job seekers. Each menu is clear and leads users to the correct resources. The logo, branding, and color scheme create visual connections to help users connect with the brand’s aims.

For employers and job-seekers, they can hire and grow talent. Apprenticeship programs are employer-driven and are shaped from day one to a particular organization. Research shows that there’s a 1.5:1 return on investment for employers who create apprenticeship programs. The programs create family-sustaining wages and training. Job seekers can be trained in a craft, such as website development, which is a high-priority occupation. 

Design Strategy and User Experience

To help with the design strategy and user experience, we supported the design experience through added user-experience copy by creating submission forms. The project was a design handoff from another agency that Jarvus partnered with (Whitepenny) and Key Medium focused on web development. 

Digital Development

Key Medium developed the website by creating a custom WordPress theme and features specific to ApptenticeshipPHL to be able to generate leads as well as display apprenticeship success stories in a visually appealing manner.

We developed a platform to promote apprenticeship programs in Philadelphia to connect with both employers and job-seekers, from the ground-up, using schema markup, mobile-first, and included on-page SEO to create a seamlessly performing website now and in future. We also strategically promoted the website through three other adjacent initiatives in Philadelphia to be able to further raise awareness of apprenticeships and increase the opportunity for the ‘earn while you learn model’.

The results

We achieved great results.

• Received an Honorable Mention from the 2019 AVA Digital Awards and was done in conjunction with Jarvus Innovations, their design partner, JEVs Human Services, and Philadelphia Works
• Helped grow brand awareness through increased visibility online

If you’d like digital development with the WordPress content management system for your website, please get in touch today.