FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2025
CONTACT
Aron Wehr
Greater Omaha Chamber
402.978.7920
awehr@omahachamber.org
Todd Smith
CEO, Symphony Workforce Foundation (Find the Why!)
todd@symphonyworkforce.org
Greater Omaha Chamber and Symphony Workforce Foundation Partner to Connect Industry and Students
OMAHA, Neb. – The Greater Omaha Chamber and the Symphony Workforce Foundation today announced a formal partnership to deploy the Find the Why! (FTW!) platform across the Chamber’s network of nearly 3,000 businesses and area school districts. Designed to engage students from 7th grade through undergraduate programs, the initiative uses real-world industry challenges, proprietary micro-credentials, and employer-aligned assessments to create a high-value, high-engagement pathway from classroom to career.
By directly connecting youth to Omaha’s 12 major industry verticals, the platform aims to position Omaha as the country’s premier hub for workforce innovation—retaining Nebraska talent while recruiting the best and brightest from ten surrounding states.
“Nebraska is where young people can build their Career Plan A, B, or C,” said Todd Smith, CEO of Symphony Workforce Foundation and architect of the Find the Why! platform. “This partnership ensures they have the data, the micro credentials, and the proof of purpose to be discovered by companies that are ready to invest in their potential.”
A “Discover and Be Discovered” System for Talent
Find the Why! is a gamified, data-driven platform built around the concept of Discover and Be Discovered. Students explore career paths through problem-solving competitions and skill-building challenges aligned to real employer needs. As they progress, students earn verified micro-credentials, complete durable skills assessments, and can attain their One Source Verified Credentials, including background screenings and immunization when applicable to a given industry.
Participants advance through three levels of proprietary micro-credentials:
- Level 1: Day-one readiness micro credentials
- Level 2: State-endorsed industry micro credentials certifications
- Level 3: Company-specific history and strategic direction micro credentials unlocked only after students’ demonstrate employer-aligned FTW! digital resume matches an employer designed employment offer.
Each step updates the student’s FTW! digital resume and signals verified intent, interest, and capability to hiring partners. Employers can tag internships and job offers to specific credentials, assessment data metrics ensuring only qualified, motivated students see them.
Teams of 1–4 students compete for tens of thousands of dollars in cash prizes and job offers—turning career discovery into a high-stakes opportunity for personal growth and economic mobility.
Leadership Support
“This is exactly the kind of initiative Omaha needs,” said Heath Mello, President & CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. We are building Omaha into a city of the future—where cutting-edge tools like Find the Why! help grow, retain, and attract talent across our region. This is workforce development with vision, data, and purpose.”
“One of the things I’ve always wanted to do is be a mentor and example for young people. I hope they believe their dreams are possible—and this partnership shows them that big opportunities exist right here in Omaha,” said Mayor-Elect John Ewing Jr.
In addition, Nebraska’s Governor Jim Pillen, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and Department of Career and Technical Education are bringing the use of Find the Why! on a state level.
A Trusted Model with a Growing Footprint
Originally developed in Nebraska, Find the Why! is already active in 41 states and has become a proven engine for aligning education, employers, and economic development. Its central question—“What problems do you want to solve?”—replaces the outdated “What do you want to be?” and speaks directly to students’ passions.
The program’s integration into school districts across the Greater Omaha region is accelerating. Omaha Public Schools—the largest district in the state—is scaling its FTW! participation in 2025, driven by the platform’s stackable industry micro credentials, industry valued assessments , and One Source Verified Credential. School leaders cite the platform’s ability to bridge education with industry as a key reason for its expansion.
Employers can sign up immediately to begin engaging with vetted, micro credential credentialed students in a secure, data-driven environment.
Driving Brain Gain—and a Future-Ready Workforce
This partnership is central to the Chamber’s new Brain Gain and Destination: OMA strategies, which aim to reverse outmigration, grow local talent, and raise Omaha’s national profile as a career destination. With nearly 49,000 unfilled jobs in Nebraska, workforce innovation is a statewide priority—and FTW! offers a replicable model.
Programs like Back to Omaha and the Big O! Opportunity Expo will now be enhanced by the platform’s real-time insights, behavioral assessments, and employer-student match tools.
“This is not just a workforce solution—it’s a movement,” said Smith. “Our students are building digital resumes with data employers trust. If a credential or activity doesn’t offer value to business, it doesn’t go on the platform.”
###
About the Greater Omaha Chamber
The Greater Omaha Chamber is one of the country’s largest, strongest chambers with nearly 3,000 members and a 5-star accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The mission of the Greater Omaha Chamber is to champion a thriving business community and a prosperous region through visionary leadership and collaboration.
About Symphony Workforce Foundation
Symphony Workforce Foundation is a Nebraska-based nonprofit committed to rethinking education-to-employment pipelines through the Find the Why! platform. FTW! blends AI, industry-driven micro-credentials, and real-world challenges to empower students and employers to find the right fit—on purpose and at scale. Visit SymphonyWorkforce.org for more.