Even prior to the pandemic (which has led to even more pressing worker shortages), Belden was building talent pipelines in unique ways, such as our internship program for current college students and the Early Career Leadership Program (ECLP) for recent graduates.

Our Pathways to Employment program—established in 2018—is another example of how we take distinctive approaches to recruit and retain workers. The program helps fill employment opportunities that remain vacant when applicants fail the drug tests we require in order to meet safety and technical requirements.

At our plant in Richmond, Indiana—a town of approximately 36,000—we’ve seen the first-hand impact of drug addiction. We needed to add capacity to our production lines because customer demand was increasing, but pre-employment drug screen failures were also going up, which was jeopardizing our ability to hire skilled, substance-free workers.

After we noticed this increase, we consulted with a prominent substance-abuse expert on how to address the issue. Together with program partners Meridian Health Services, Centerstone Behavioral Health, Ivy Tech Community College and Manpower, Belden developed a pilot project called Pathways to Employment to help potential team members who struggle with addiction get on the road to recovery so they can join the workforce.

Pathways to Employment is an 18-month program that offers a second chance to applicants who fail the pre-employment drug screen that’s part of our onboarding process. Instead of automatically being turned away, they’re offered the opportunity to participate in a personalized drug rehabilitation program. If they successfully complete the program—along with committing to a substance-free lifestyle—then employment at Belden is possible.