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Formally established in 2018, Frontier Co-op’s Breaking Down Barriers to Employment initiative aims to address systemic barriers to employee success and economic mobility by providing important support services including access to subsidized childcare options, transportation, second chance hiring practices, and apprenticeship and skills training programs with the aim of ensuring employees and program participants are successful not only within our co-op, but the wider community.
As an employer in rural Iowa, we recognize that each employee faces their own unique set of challenges and circumstances – including barriers to personal and professional growth and success. Because of this, we strive to provide a variety of options that meet employees where they’re at – so they can utilize the programs that they need to succeed.
At Frontier Co-op, we believe everyone deserves a second chance, which is why we’ve partnered with the Sixth Judicial District in Iowa to adopt Second Chance Hiring Practices. As part of this approach, we do not ask about prior felony convictions on job applications, and background checks only reveal past charges after the interview process. Unless the convictions involve violent crimes or sex offenses, candidates remain eligible for hire. Anonymity is key to the program’s success, ensuring that supervisors, peers, and management are unaware of past convictions, allowing employees a true fresh start based on their hard work and dedication, free from bias.
Our apprenticeship program was born out of a recognition of a need in our community for skills building in a manufacturing setting, and our partnership with Willis Dady Homeless Services. Today, their team identifies clients they feel would be good candidates and provides the personal and housing support they need, meanwhile Frontier Co-op provides employment opportunities for these individuals. Our team trains these apprentices to work in a food-safe manufacturing facility, then at the end of their apprenticeship they are eligible to become full employees, or they can take their experience here to their next endeavor.
Childcare has been an important benefit for Frontier Co-op employees and an integral component of our culture from our very beginning in 1976. Originally, founders took turns doing various jobs in the company, and providing childcare and organic meals for the staff were vital to running the company. Today, childcare is as important as ever to our growing workforce. Accessible and affordable childcare options are rare and competitive for parents anywhere, but especially hard to find in rural communities like Norway, Iowa.
This program is another perfect example of how Doing Good, Works. Our community benefits from Willis Dady’s ongoing programming, and our employees benefit from a safe and reliable transportation system that takes them to and from work each day. Subsidized by Frontier Co-op, employees pay just $5 per day round trip for the more than 20-mile commute.
I've been rejected by employers because of my history and so that's why I think I'm so grateful and thankful for Frontier... Now I have my own place, I just bought a new car, I have support, I have hope. I have positive influences in my life, positive people. Getting out of that bad, negative environment and those people. Here I was able to start over and start fresh.