Jason Blakeburn

About Jason Blakeburn

Experienced workforce professional and instructor/trainer • Proactive, self-motivated problem solver and team leader• Dynamic and creative critical thinker with advanced research and writing skillsI am a philosopher, educator, sailor, and cyclist. I have lived, worked, and studied in the US, Canada, and Europe. I am a keen collaborator and team leader. Since moving to Houston 2 years ago, I have been on a journey to discover a new career path. Joining Workforce Solutions has been an important bridge that has allowed me to hone my human resources and program administration skills.I am now looking for the next step in my career transition from academia to industry. I would love to work as part of a dynamic team of professionals who passionately pursue complex problems as a public communicator, instructor and trainer, or human resources role. I currently work with the Work Based Learning Team for BakerRipley at Workforce Solutions where I recruit and place young adults in two paid internship programs, Work Based Learning and Summer Earn and Learn. To be eligible for Work Based Learning the youth must have some kind of barrier or challenge to employment. The Summer Earn and Learn program is a partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the focus of which is to provide employment opportunities for youth with disabilities. I mentor these youth throughout their entire work experiences from the initial application and interview through new hire onboarding and their first paycheck to the end of the internship and their transition to their next step. In addition to the necessities of compliance and payroll, I mentor the interns as they develop the requisite soft skills for employment. I also develop and maintain relationships with local businesses who employ these interns, finding and developing talent to improve their workforce. Before I became a workforce development professional, I was an international philosopher and religious studies scholar. I conducted research & analysis, led teams to teach university level courses with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and measured my student’s outcomes. I fostered collaboration among international researchers and provided administrative and logistical support. Working as part of diverse coalitions of international researchers as well as developing my own in-depth research programs, I am highly self-motivated and organized with the flexibility to work remotely with minimal supervision. I also collaborate well with skilled professionals from around the world.

Experience

1. Talent Acquisition Specialist

   Tri Delta

   Aug 2025 — Present · Houston, TX, US

   The Talent Acquisition Specialist is a member of Tri Delta’s People and Culture Team. This role will implement Tri Delta’s staff sourcing, recruiting, hiring, and onboarding activities across the Tri Delta enterprise. They will also identify opportunities to build diverse and inclusive applicant pools, promote brand awareness, establish trust and rapport with hiring managers, and work to provide a recruiting and onboarding experience that reflects Tri Delta’s high standards.Recruit and perform talent acquisition activities, including resume and phone screens, candidate interviews, recommending candidates and driving the interview processProactively working to anticipate and fill upcoming positions, working to minimize vacancy timeCommunicate regularly with hiring managers to address all staffing needsCollaborate with managers to maintain accurate staffing records, especially during times of heavy staff transition at the beginning and end of each academic semesterManage onboarding activities for new and transferring employeesCollaborate with Tri Delta’s marketing and communications team to craft graphics and messaging to use in the recruitment processOperationalize and maintain recruitment platforms and partnershipsUtilize Tri Delta’s human resources information system to manage position openings and candidates from posting through to position fulfillmentManage recruiting costs within a set budget, ensuring all expenses are coded appropriately and in a timely mannerTrain managers on the hiring processOversee employee compliance training and trackingMaintain position structure and job descriptions in the company’s HRIS

Education

• Boston University

  Master of Theological Studies, Philosophy and Religious Studies

  2012 — 2014

• Oklahoma City University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Philosophy and Religious Studies

  2008 — 2012

• KU Leuven - Hoger Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte / Institute of Philosophy

  International Research Scholar, German Idealism & Philosophy of Religion

• McGill University - Faculty of Arts

  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Philosophy and Religious Studies

  2016 — 2022

• Boston University

  Master of Sacred Theology (STM), Philosophy and Religious Studies

  2014 — 2016

Skills

• Nonprofits
• Research
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Higher Education
• Community Outreach
• Event Planning
• Outdoor Recreation
• Microsoft Office
• Sailing Instruction
• Public Speaking
• Customer Service
• Microsoft Word
• Leadership
• Microsoft Excel
• Teaching