Uplift: Workforce development. They help companies: Upskill employees for career advancement.
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brenda Johnson.
CEO of Collaborative Training Company (CTC)
🧩 Main Topics Covered 🏢 What CTC Does
- CTC is a professional services consulting firm focused on workforce development.
- They help companies:
- Upskill employees for career advancement.
- Support new hires, especially those without traditional corporate experience.
- Define what “fit” means in their organization and help new hires acclimate.
👥 Not a Staffing Firm
- CTC does not do individual job placement or talent coaching.
- They work with companies after hiring to ensure employee success and retention.
- They partner with organizations that provide individual coaching.
🧠 Bridging the Corporate Culture Gap
- CTC helps new hires from non-corporate backgrounds (e.g., warehouse, retail) adjust to corporate environments.
- They use mentorship programs and employee resource groups to support retention.
🤖 AI and the Future of Work
- Brenda sees AI as a tool, not a replacement for human creativity.
- She emphasizes the importance of adding a personal touch to AI-generated work.
- AI may replace some jobs, but it also creates new roles in programming, maintenance, and oversight.
🎓 Rethinking the Four-Year Degree
- Many companies are removing degree requirements to widen their talent pool.
- Brenda helps companies:
- Reevaluate outdated job descriptions.
- Focus on skills-based hiring.
- Identify core competencies rather than relying on degrees.
🌍 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
- Brenda challenges the narrow view of DEI as only race and gender.
- She expands the definition to include:
- Neurodiversity (e.g., autism)
- Generational diversity
- Accessibility needs
- LGBTQ+ inclusion
- She stresses that companies that embrace true diversity will thrive, while those clinging to outdated models may struggle.
💡 Key Takeaways
- Mentorship and support are critical for retention and success.
- AI is a complement, not a replacement, for human insight.
- Skills-based hiring is the future—degrees are not always necessary.
- True diversity is broad and essential for business success.
- Systemic change require
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