By Victoria Budiono

The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii has launched Kama‘aina Come Home, a job placement program designed to reconnect former Hawaii residents with engineering opportunities in the islands.

The initiative, which is trademarked by the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, seeks to address the state’s ongoing workforce shortage by helping businesses connect with skilled professionals eager to return home.

Vanessa Rogers, vice president of workforce development at the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, said Hawaii has long faced a talent drain, particularly in engineering, as many professionals leave for career opportunities on the mainland.

The program is offered at no cost and provides one-on-one mentorship, access to an exclusive LinkedIn group, resources and networking events to facilitate a seamless transition back home.

“The Kama‘aina Come Home program is a shining example of how we can work together to address Hawaii’s workforce challenges by leveraging the unique talents of kamaaina who are eager to contribute to their home state,” Rogers said in a statement. “This initiative reflects our commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships that strengthen Hawaii’s economy and provide opportunities for our local talent.”

Kama‘aina Come Home takes a dual approach to address this issue: building interest in engineering careers from an early age while also creating direct pathways for professionals looking to return.

The long-term strategy focuses on career awareness and early exposure to engineering through the chamber’s Engineering Sector Partnership.

The partnership works closely with local school complexes to introduce students to engineering pathways and ensure they are prepared for the academic demands of the field — especially in math. Because calculus is a prerequisite for the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Engineering, early preparation is essential to ensuring students can pursue engineering degrees and remain in Hawaii’s workforce.

At the same time, the program also targets professionals who left Hawaii for college or work but want to return. Many students who attend college on the mainland build connections through internships and early career opportunities, making it more difficult to transition back to Hawaii. Kama‘aina Come Home helps bridge this gap by connecting them with local engineering professionals who can provide mentorship, job insights and networking opportunities. By establishing these relationships early, professionals who eventually decide to return will already have a support system in place to ease their transition home.

Kama‘aina Come Home is part of the Engineering Sector Partnership, an industry-­driven initiative launched in 2018 to strengthen Hawaii’s engineering talent pipeline. The program focuses on career awareness, math readiness and increasing women’s participation in STEM fields.

Dean Brennan Morioka, who heads the University of Hawaii College of Engineering, plays a key role in the sector partnership, according to Rogers.

Despite the UH College of Engineering’s efforts to develop local talent, the state still faces a significant workforce gap. Currently, the UH College of Engineering graduates only about 73% of the engineers needed to meet Hawaii’s workforce demand, leaving a 27% shortage. Each year, an estimated 350 engineering jobs remain open, highlighting the urgent need for more professionals in the field.

By connecting Hawaii-­born engineers on the mainland with local industry leaders, Kama‘aina Come Home helps address this gap by providing businesses with a skilled workforce that is already deeply connected to Hawaii’s culture and values.

The chamber is calling on local professionals and businesses to support returning kamaaina by offering mentorship, informational interviews, job placements and insights into Hawaii’s engineering landscape.

“We want to take advantage of our technology and social networks to establish a ‘one-stop shop’ for people at all levels of experience seeking to return to Hawaii,” Ikaika Kincaid, co-lead on the Kama‘aina Come Home program, said in a statement. “With industry representatives leading the initiative, the program will be tailored to the needs of local firms and help in finding the right people who want to serve Hawaii.”

For businesses interested in joining the initiative or kamaaina looking for opportunities to return home, visit the program’s website, join the LinkedIn group or contact McKenna Dale, the chamber’s manager of workforce development, at mdale@cochawaii.org or 808-380-2606.

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