StartR - Smart Retail Work

Team Leader

Quiana Cloud

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

One-line solution summary:

Upskilling workers with tech skills in their current industry through startup externships opportunities.

Pitch your solution.

StartR is committed to solving the problem of access to new skills by workers that are replaced by technology and automation. Not only can the workers offer insight related to new technology that may help improve their work environment or industry, but they can also work directly with under-represented startups to learn new skills related to their industry in the area of tech. Our solution can be scaled in each city while working directly with the startup community and local workforce initiatives.

Film your elevator pitch.

What specific problem are you solving?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and as of October 2020, there were nearly 11.1 million unemployed Americans. There were 3.2 million temporary unemployed Americans. These unprecedented numbers are highly related to the global pandemic, lack of resources, and preparedness. Those impacted are workers in retail, hospitality, small businesses, and businesses in general that are unable to survey or employed workers that are unable to continue working via remote work for example.

https://www.bls.gov/news.relea...

What is your solution?

StartR connects under-skilled and unemployed workers that were employed pre-COVID with startups in the area that have or are working on a solution to solve a problem within that worker's industry. For example, StartR would connect a hospitality professional with a under-represented startup in the food space and develop a 3 to 6-month externship that provides new skills, specifically tech skills that would allow the worker to either continue working with the startup or apply for new opportunities in their industry.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

To understand these population's needs, StartR would work directly with the department of labor to review and gather demographic and industry-specific data. The data will allow us to make informed decisions about the industry and how to best serve the population. We'll work closely with the startups to develop an externship that provides specific tech skillsets needed to advance in their industry or with the startup.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Increase access to high-quality, affordable learning, skill-building, and training opportunities for those entering the workforce, transitioning between jobs, or facing unemployment

Explain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge and your selected dimension.

The StartR solution falls into two categories. Not only will the program help to provide hands-on training for many affected by COVID-19, but it will also spotlight under-represented (Black, Indigenous, and Latinx entrepreneurs and innovators) startups that help showcase or develop industry-specific solutions. Startups are nimble, agile, and able to pivot more quickly than large corporate organizations. Providing an externship with a thriving startup will allow the worker to gain invaluable hands-on tech experience and design thinking processes.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Atlanta, GA, USA

If your solution is already being implemented in the US, in which US state(s) do you currently operate?

Georgia

Are you planning to expand your solution to at least one US state? If so, please provide an overview of your expansion plans. What is the market opportunity for your business or product here?

Yes. StartR can kick-off the program with ease here in Atlanta, GA. We'd partner with organizations like Google for Startup and the GA Department of Labor and/or Workforce Development to begin the project.

In which US state(s) will you be operating within the next year?

Georgia

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Prototype: A venture or organization building and testing its product, service, or business model

Who is the team lead for your solution?

Quiana Cloud

How many people work on your solution team?

FT - one

PT - two

Contractors - at least two to three

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: What is your approach to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization?

We'll align with other diverse organizations to open up opportunities in their virtual communities.

About Your Team

Solution Team:

Quiana Cloud