Trailing Spouse Initiative Aimed at Improving Retention of Specialized Employees.

(Avon, CO) – Today, Vail Valley Partnership (VVP) and High Country Human Resource Association (HCHRA) announced the launch of MyPartner Career Network, a “trailing spouse” initiative designed to make it easier for local businesses to recruit and retain specialized employees by taking a broader approach to community integration and support.

MyPartner Career Network (MPCN) allows local businesses to collaborate to help find employment, when needed, for spouses or partners of prospective high-value employees hired from out of the region, who are often costly and time-consuming to replace.

Appropriate talent for many specialized positions often doesn’t exist within the local labor market, forcing many Eagle County firms to recruit and hire from outside the region. Doing so carries a number of risks, such as increased timelines to fill open positions and potentially significant employee relocation costs. According to Worldwide ERC, a global relocation trade association, U.S. corporate relocation expenses currently exceed $12 billion annually.

Out-of-area hiring also introduces a number of variables that often work against long-term employee retention. Chief among these risks is the fact that many professionals new to the area often bring along a “trailing spouse,” a husband, wife, or partner – thrilled to move to the mountains – but left without a career. Prospective employees may be hesitant to relocate to Eagle County in-part because their partner may struggle to find suitable employment in the valley’s relatively small trade area.

Not only is it crucial for many local households to secure a dual income arrangement to account for area living expenses, but helping trailing partners find a satisfying profession is often the key to ensuring that both partners feel connected to the community.

“Hiring employees from out of the area creates many unknowns, but it’s a necessity for many companies when the right talent can’t be found locally,” said Jeremy Rietmann, business development director at Vail Valley Partnership. “This network will help local employers retain new talent for the long-term by assisting whole families in finding rewarding employment here in the valley.”

MyPartner Career Network uses a collaborative model to allow participating businesses to share the resume of a partner or spouse of a newly-hired employee who will be relocating to Eagle County, across a network of other local businesses.

Resumes will be submitted through an online form and distributed to all VVP and HCHRA members who have opted to participate in the program. Companies that receive a resume through the network agree to provide a “priority review” of all resumes received through the program, and are strongly encouraged to make an introduction for the candidate to another contact in the community that might assist in their job search and build their local network.

“HR professionals in the Valley have recognized this need for many years” said Angelo Fernandez, a board member with High Country Human Resource Association. “Employers lose professionals too often due to a spouse or partner being unable to find meaningful work within their education, skills, and experience.  That’s why High Country Human Resource Association has chosen to partner with Vail Valley Partnership on the MyPartner Career Network program.  We believe that through professional and social networking, this program will help close the gap.”

If your business has a hard time hiring and retaining quality employees for technical, managerial, or otherwise specialized positions, MyPartner Career Network can help.

All Copper level members and above at Vail Valley Partnership, and all High Country Human Resource Association members are eligible to participate in this innovative new program by opting in with Jeremy Rietmann at jrietmann@visitvailvalley.com or 970-477-4012.

To learn more about the MyPartner Career Network, visit the VVP’s Vail Valley Economic Development website at VailValleyMeansBusiness.com. Click: About Us > Our Services > MyPartner Career Network. Or, for quick access, visit http://bit.ly/1GUQCja.

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About Vail Valley Partnership:

Vail Valley Partnership is a 501(c) (6) nonprofit organization that serves as the community development organization for Eagle County, Colorado and the Vail Valley. Vail Valley Partnership (VVP) is a regional leader in sustaining and enhancing the Vail Valley as a tourism destination, dedicated to the economic vitality of the Vail Valley. With membership of 800+ organizations that spans the Vail Valley and beyond and which represents 80% of the local workforce, Vail Valley Partnership is dedicated to ensuring local business success and fostering regional economic vitality by offering local business tools & resources, promoting the Vail Valley to destination guests, and initiating economic development efforts. For more information on the Vail Valley Partnership, please visit www.vailvalleypartnership.com.

About High Country Human Resource Association:

High Country Human Resource Association is the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) local affiliate chapter covering Eagle, Summit, Garfield, Pitkin, Routt, Grand, Moffat and Lake Counties.  HCHRA elevates the HR profession in the Colorado High Country by developing HR professionals through education, collaboration and the sharing of best practices.

Learn more at www.hchra.shrm.org.