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REGISTER: 8THIRTYFOUR Skills Survival School Founding Cohort

Surviving the Skills Crisis

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Quote that says: The workplace has changed, and we have to acknowledge and accept that the old way of doing things is just not how this generation operates. - Kim Bode, CEO of 8THIRTYFOUR, SBAM Focus Magazine and a logo of 8THIRTYFOUR Skills Survival School

The workplace has changed, and we have to acknowledge and accept that the old way of doing things is just not how this generation operates.Kim Bode, CEO of 8THIRTYFOUR, SBAM Focus Magazine

Every single thing an employee does or does not do has a direct impact on your company’s growth. When they cannot communicate clearly, solve problems independently, or navigate basic workplace dynamics, it costs you time and money.

One-day workshops don’t fix this, and neither does a single online course. Companies with strong skill development programs retain 58% more employees, and mentorship programs specifically increase retention by 38%. Employees who feel supported by their manager are 63% less likely to actively look for a new job.

We built 8THIRTYFOUR Skills Survival School because the problem required a different approach, one that addresses the mental and emotional alongside the professional, and is integrated because it has to be.

Who It’s For

8THIRTYFOUR Skills Survival School is for employers who are tired of seeing good hires leave or having to find replacements after yet another one didn’t pan out. It’s designed for early-career employees navigating their first few years in a job who were never taught the unspoken norms of the professional world, or set up for success before they reached your company. 

It’s built for the business owner or manager who needs a program that actually transfers into daily work and shows measurable results, not just a certificate at the end.

How It Works

It’s a 90-day, cohort-based integrated learning program starting with an EQ assessment to establish a measurable baseline for both the employee and their manager. 8THIRTYFOUR Skills Survival School then moves through four in-person half-day sessions, five scenario-based eLearning modules, and six structured mentor meetings with someone from inside the employee’s own organization.

The format is intentional and each component reinforces the others. In-person sessions create shared context and practiced skills, and eLearning modules extend that work through branching scenarios where employees make decisions and see the consequences. Internal mentorship is where learning transfers into actual daily work, with a mentor from their own company meeting with them throughout the program. Reflection is built into every session and module, so employees can track their growth from beginning to end.

The skills covered across the program include:

  • Workplace professionalism and self-awareness
  • Written and verbal communication
  • Active listening
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Conflict resolution
  • Emotional intelligence and workplace dynamics
  • Internal career development and professional growth planning

Employers will also have access to a dashboard with visibility into whether their employee is completing the modules, their assessment scores, and mentor meeting milestones throughout the entire 90 days.

The program closes with a capstone where each employee creates an internal career development plan, mapping out how they plan to grow where they’re at now. They’ll present that plan to their mentor and their manager.

We then follow up 30 and 60 days later to assess progress.

What Employees Walk Away With

Employees leave with a clear understanding of how they actually show up at work versus how they think they show up, and what that gap costs them and the people around them. They also leave with a plan. Instead of building a case to leave, they build a path to grow where they are, and employers have the data and visibility to see that growth throughout the entire 90 days.

69% of employees are more likely to stay for three years if they experience strong onboarding and development. (SHRM)

The cost of doing nothing is one we cannot afford.

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Recent Musings

Something on Your Mind?

Introducing our second speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. 

Meet Cheryl Bergman, Executive Director of the @miwomenscomm.

Cheryl is a statewide policy leader driving economic opportunity and better health outcomes for women across Michigan. Appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019, she brings together employers, healthcare experts, advocates, and policymakers to tackle the issues that actually move the needle - economic security, affordable childcare, and midlife women's health.

Before this role, Cheryl helped elect Michigan's first woman U.S. Senator and first woman Governor, and served as Senior Advisor on Governor Whitmer's 2018 campaign.

She's exactly the voice this conversation needs.

Join Cheryl and our powerhouse lineup of industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. 

Link in bio to register - spaces are going fast.
We love this trend, so we thought we’d jump on it and ask the team some “hard-hitting questions” to end the week. 

We’re a team made up of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Find out who knows the most about the classics. Any guesses?
We've received so many questions from new grads about breaking into a competitive market as a young professional. It starts with one thing according to @bodespeaks: being the salesperson of YOU. Emulate the leaders in your industry and show up where they show up.

It's not who you know, it's who knows you
Use the playbook of people you admire
Show up consistently and be seen
A handwritten note beats 100 LinkedIn messages, always.

See more Bode wisdom at her YouTube channel linked in our bio.
Meet our first speaker spotlight: Dr. Karen May, DC, CCSP, CCIP.

Dr. May owns and operates @mhneuropathycenter, and she's joining us for Uncomfortable Community Conversations: The Pause on September 24th to talk about something we don't talk about enough. 

Her career has spanned from elite sports medicine, including a stint as team physician for USA Bobsled and Skeleton as well as caring for pregnant moms and newborns and helping women navigate life’s transitions, always grounded in a belief in food as medicine and the body’s own capacity to heal. In 2017, that expertise was tested when a rare surgical complication left her fighting nerve damage in her own body. 

Drawing on decades of clinical practice and training, she rebuilt her health from the ground up — and has since helped thousands of people do the same. With over 20 years in holistic health care, she speaks today as both physician and peer.

Join us for The Pause on September 24th. Link in bio.
“It has been an incredible experience - getting to connect with women business owners from all across Michigan, learn from experts on planning for growth, and learn to lead to the best of my abilities for myself and my team.”

- @rcdutcher, CEO of @red66.marketing 

We’re looking for business owners who thrive in collaborative environments and can fully commit to the program—attending all in-person sessions, participating in one-on-one coaching, and engaging in every aspect of the nine-month fellowship. Participants who gain the most come ready to contribute, learn, and problem-solve alongside other committed business leaders.

Applications close on September 15.
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