On Friday, August 28th, Che Watkins with Braven Atlanta joined MAX Minutes to discuss the critical role social capital plays in helping people move into a better job and achieve greater economic stability. A longtime workforce development leader, Watkins explained how relationships can be just as consequential as résumés. In fact, knowing who can open a door, offer advice or make an introduction can fundamentally change a person’s career trajectory, she advised.
Watkins pointed to Atlanta’s persistent economic mobility challenges as evidence that skills training alone is not enough. She highlighted research on economic connectedness showing that relationships between people from different income levels can play an important role in upward mobility. The challenge, Watkins stressed, is not simply encouraging people with limited networks to “network more.” It is also asking people with extensive social capital to intentionally share it through mentorships, introductions, internships, job opportunities and other meaningful connections. Social capital, she argued, does not happen by accident; it happens by design.
That philosophy is central to Braven’s work with college students, particularly first-generation and low-income students. Rather than treating networking as a numbers game for collecting business cards or LinkedIn connections, Braven focuses on turning introductions into genuine relationships. Students practice conversations in low-stakes settings, work directly with employer partners on real-world projects and learn how to follow up after an interaction. Watkins shared the example of a student who, after participating in a Braven project with an employer, confidently asked about internships. The company did not have an internship program at the time, but created one for her. For Watkins, that is what intentional social capital can look like in practice: putting someone in a room where opportunity exists and giving them the tools and confidence to recognize and pursue it.
Following are additional highlights from Watkins’ presentation.
- Skills and connections work together: Workforce training can build qualifications, but relationships can help people access jobs, promotions and second chances.
- Social capital must be intentional: Watkins argues that meaningful networks should be deliberately cultivated rather than left to chance.
- Quality matters more than quantity: The goal isn’t simply accumulating LinkedIn connections or business cards; it’s developing relationships that are genuine and active.
- Cross-class connections are critical: Expanding opportunity requires people with greater access to intentionally connect with and create opportunities for people outside their existing networks.
- Practice builds confidence: Low-stakes networking exercises can help young people and adults become more comfortable initiating conversations and following up.
- Employers have a role to play: Mentorships, internships, job-shadowing, warm introductions and real-world projects can expand access to professional networks.
- Social capital should be tracked: Organizations can measure whether introductions lead to follow-up conversations, sustained relationships and concrete opportunities.
- The work spans a lifetime: Early education, K-12, higher education and workforce organizations all have a role in building the connective tissue that helps people move toward economic mobility.
- Everyone can contribute: Watkins’ challenge to the workforce community was simple: use your own network to help someone else see a pathway or make a connection they might not otherwise have had.
Special thanks to MAX co-board lead for MAX Minutes Jacque Joyce, President & CEO, CareerRise, for hosting the session.
Click here for the presentation slides.
Click here for the recording.
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Launched in 2014, the mission of MAX is to advance economic resilience in the Atlanta region by strengthening connections, collaborations, and practices among workforce developers and organizations engaged in workforce development.
Through our webinar series, MAX Minutes, MAX seeks to bring timely insights to providers, intermediaries, and other partners in workforce. MAX Minutes features talks by key experts in the Atlanta region and beyond on important workforce matters.