More than 260 attend workforce leader forums

Labor markets, employment, jobs, workforce development—these topics are at the forefront of many communities throughout the seven states of the Tenth District. However, how they play out in each state and community differs greatly.  This article from Steven Shepelwich, Senior Community Development Advisor takes a look at trends and resources available.

The Kansas City Fed recently hosted forums in Albuquerque, N.M.; Denver, Colo.; Kansas City, Mo.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Omaha, Neb., to share new research on labor force conditions faced by low- and moderate-income (LMI) workers and gain insight into local workforce issues. More than 260 leaders from the community and workforce development, business and education sectors participated in the forums.

Melissa Robbins from the South Central WIB and Jasen Jones from the Southwest WIB participated in the Kansas City event in July. This article from Steven Shepelwich, Senior Community Development Advisor takes a look at trends and resources available.

The Kansas City Fed’s Workforce Development program provides community leaders and professionals with research and resources about local labor markets, effective policies and innovative programs. Integrating these efforts into employee training helps promote mutual growth between employers, the labor market and the community.

During the forums, findings from the Bank’s new research report, the Tenth District LMI Labor Force Report, provided a foundation for the discussions. This report presents analyses of trends in unemployment rates, employment projections for workers with training and experience typical of LMI individuals, and wage and job availability data.

An important contribution of the report is an analysis of unemployment rates by income group using county unemployment rates. This new method provides insight into the complex relationship of income and unemployment. Unemployment rates in LMI counties were found to be much higher than unemployment rates in middle- and upper-income counties.

A key contributor to this difference in unemployment rates is that LMI workers tend to have lower education levels and more sporadic work experience. The report reviewed national job projections and found that wages and salaries in all occupations requiring little education or experience would place a worker in the LMI category. Low-skill, direct-care jobs in the healthcare sector are increasing rapidly and provide employment opportunities for many with limited skills or experience.

Given the rapid increase in direct-care positions in the healthcare sector and their low barriers to entry, the Bank has developed partnerships focused on improving the outcomes of these positions for LMI workers. Through one partnership, the Bank is working with the New Mexico Direct Caregiver Coalition to define career paths that will expand opportunities for those who provide direct care. This approach strengthens connections among employers, education providers and support organizations to provide workers with greater access to resources and support.

In Oklahoma, the Bank is collaborating with the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City campus, and the Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board, to connect bilingual workers to high-demand jobs in the healthcare and public safety fields. This program focuses on outreach, assessment and establishing educational pathways to serve workers with limited education and work experience.

These engagements are based on the Bank’s understanding of workforce issues, its research and partnerships with local stakeholders. The Bank frames its work around activities of convening stakeholders, leading engagements with partners and developing resources for practitioners. See sidebar for a list of activities.

In each forum, participants discussed critical workforce development issues faced in their communities. The following were recurring themes:

  • Coordination of resources: Participants identified the need for holistic, community-based approaches to develop jobs and employees with the skills needed to fill these jobs. Coordination between workforce and economic and social development organizations needs to be strengthened to ensure that resources are leveraged and address local conditions.
  • Specific populations: Several LMI populations face specific barriers, such as reintegrating ex-offenders into the workforce, transitioning foster youth and individuals with mental and substance abuse into job training programs and careers. The populations often face unique challenges that limit their employment including drug use and failure to pass pre-employment drug tests.
  • Job readiness skills: Despite relatively low unemployment throughout the region, participants noted that certain groups face difficulties in becoming employed due to a lack of basic job readiness skills. Participants noted the general effect of low education levels, limited work experience and weak ties to career networks and mentors as hurdles.
  • Rural focus: Participants noted that in rural communities, workforce development approaches need to be tailored to specific workforce issues and opportunities. Limited infrastructure, sparse populations and larger geographic coverage areas increase pressure on service providers and can limit access to workforce services for clients. In addition, the types of jobs and availability often are more limited.

These issues represent significant challenges to ensuring that all individuals have access to gainful employment. The Kansas City Fed will continue to work with partners throughout the region to address these issues through its role in convening stakeholders, conducting research and developing programs and tools that support the development of a strong workforce.

 

 

Ready to Work report debuts with WIOA signing

As President Obama signed the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act into law Tuesday, Vice-President Biden’s task force also released Ready to Work:  Job Driving Training and American OpportunityThe report reflects an across-the-board review of  America’s job training programs to ensure they share a single mission: providing workers with the skills they need to secure good jobs that are ready to be filled. Ready to Work identified three consistent themes.

  • EMPLOYERS can’t find enough skilled workers to hire for in-demand jobs they must fill to grow their businesses.
  • EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS need better information on what skills those in-demand jobs require.
  • HARD-WORKING AMERICANS,whether studying, looking for work, or wanting better career paths, often aren’t sure what training to pursue and whether jobs will be waiting when they finish.

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Among the various case studies and rationale, the report contains a seven-point Job Training Checklist to guide administrative reforms to ensure that what’s working best becomes what all Americans can expect from federally funded employment and training programs. Each of these checklist elements is based on evidence of what’s working, summarized in What Works in Job Training: A Synthesis of the Evidence.

  • ENGAGING EMPLOYERS: Work up-front with employers to determine local or regional hiring needs and design training programs that are responsive to those needs.
  • EARN AND LEARN:  Offer work-based learning opportunities with employers – including on-the-job training, internships and pre-apprenticeships and Registered Apprenticeships – as training paths to employment.
  • SMART CHOICES:  Make better use of data to drive accountability, inform what programs are offered and what is taught, and offer user-friendly information for job seekers to choose programs and pathways that work for them and are likely to result in jobs
  • MEASUREMENT MATTERS:  Measure and evaluate employment and earnings outcomes.
  • STEPPING STONES:  Promote a seamless progression from one educational stepping stone to another, and across work-based training and education, so individuals’ efforts result in progress
  • OPENING DOORS:  Break down barriers to accessing job-driven training and hiring for any American who is willing and able to work, including access to job supports and relevant guidance.
  • REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS:  Create regional collaborations among American Job Centers, education institutions, labor, and non-profits.

The U.S. Department of Labor and many workforce development associations are eager to get to work on the opportunities ahead. DOL issued an administrative notice (TEN 5-14), Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Announcement and Initial Informational Resources, to get the ball rolling on conference calls, input channels, important deadlines, and more related to implementation.

Local Workforce Investment Boards in Missouri are proactive as well. Five WIBs joined forces to bring together a training event in Branson next week. Diving Into WIOA is slated for July 30-31 featuring Rochelle Daniels.

 


 

 

National CWRC symposium heads to Missouri

savethedatecwrcoct2014ACT’s Work Ready Communities initiative selected Missouri for the second annual Best Practices Symposium. Affording Communities a Competitive Advantage is the theme for the conference, slated for October 7th and 8th at Crown Plaza Hotel in Downtown St. Louis.

Register Now

ACT launched the symposium to inform and educate participants on building common frameworks that link, align and match their workforce development efforts. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about how successful ACT WRC states and counties are leveraging the WorkKeys System and NCRC to build an economic development strategy.

Who Should Attend?

  • Economic developers
  • Business and industry leaders
  • Chamber of Commerce leaders
  • State, county and local policy makers
  • Educators
  • Workforce development professionals

Registration is now open. For more information, contact ashley.wilson@act.org.

KC Fed Reserve to host workforce forum

The Federal Reserve Bank out of Kansas City is hosting four regional forum events targeted to workforce leaders. In addition to events planned for Omaha, Oklahoma City, and Denver, the Kansas City event is set for July 29th from 11:30 to 1:30.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank, this forum will present community leaders with information on employment and workforce development issues affecting low- and moderate-income workers. The Federal Reserve’s new research publication on the low- and moderate-income workforce will be presented along with an economic forecast for the region. Other Federal Reserve resources and initiatives that support workforce development goals will be discussed.

11:30 to Noon – Registration and Lunch Buffet

Noon to 12:10 – Welcome and Overview

12:10 to 12:45 – LMI Labor Markets and Regional Economic Forecast

12:45 to 1:00 – Workforce Development Resources and Tools

1:00 to 1:30 – Discussion of Local Workforce Issues

1:30 – Adjourn

This information will provide workforce professionals, community and economic development leaders and employers tools to support their organization’s mission. The forum is targeted to Leaders and staff of workforce investment boards, community and economic development organizations, community colleges, workforce readiness and employment programs, chambers of commerce, and employers. The forum is free though reservations are required. The forum is slated for the bank’s KC headquarters at 1 Memorial Drive Kansas City, MO.  RSVP to Annette Phillips by email.

Workforce alignment essential for future of economic development

In the next ten to fifteen years, EDOs will be responding to changes and shifts that cannot be quantified today. While it is impossible to know with certainty what these disruptions will be, at a macro level there are existing trends – demographics, technology expansion, shifting global roles, and climate change – that act as signals for what may happen.

Looking Around the Corner: The Future of Economic Development is a new research paper from the International Economic Development delves into the implications of these emerging trends, considering the ways that economic developers can maintain competitiveness in a changing global economy.

The report’s writers offer an insightful on the role of workforce development to the future of the economic development profession.

In many communities, economic development is already aligned with the workforce  development system. In the future, this link will be even more essential. Economic developers  will need to take on the role of convener, connecting the workforce development community  with business and education sectors to establish sustainable systems for talent development. Furthermore, economic developers will need to develop systems to cater to outlying populations, specifically immigrants and baby boomers.

The full report is available to IEDC members.  Others may download the executive summary free of charge from IEDC.

Pilot seeks to expand competency based learning in Missouri colleges

Businessman-create-idea-system-for-business-conceptCouncil for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Competency Based Education (CBE) Jumpstart program tapped the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) and the Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) as one of 14 partners nationwide. According to a press release by MDHE, the program aims to increase completion rates at the state’s two- and four-year colleges and universities. CBE Jumpstart focuses on competency-based education and credit for prior learning, which can reduce the amount of time required to earn a degree. The two Missouri agencies will be working collaboratively with higher education institutions in the state to implement the program.

Competency-based education allows students to learn at their own pace based on their mastery of the knowledge and skills needed for a degree. Credit for prior learning programs award college credit based on students’ knowledge and skills, including experience acquired during military service.

The Jumpstart Program will provide training for staff working to establish the knowledge and skill levels students must demonstrate to earn a degree. The work includes the development of new ways to assess student learning at the college level.

Colleges and universities in Missouri are in the early stages of developing competency-based education programs. The programs focus on adult and nontraditional students, including veterans, who have gained knowledge and skills through prior employment and military service. Students demonstrate their learning through a variety of assessments and often can move on to advanced courses more rapidly as they work toward a degree.

Competency-based education is one way Missouri can help students complete a postsecondary degree and create the educated workforce we need,” said David Russell, commissioner of higher education. “By 2018, nearly 60 percent of the jobs in our state will require a two- or four-year degree or professional certificate.”

Currently, students participating in two programs at Missouri community colleges – MoHealthWINs and MoManufacturing WINs – can earn college credit through competency-based education and credit for prior learning. The Jumpstart Program will provide further support for the MoWINs programs, which offer low-cost training for high-demand health care and manufacturing industries.

“The Jumpstart training will provide an excellent opportunity to ensure that the work our community colleges are doing in MoHealthWINs and MoManufacturingWINs has a lasting impact,” said Zora Mulligan, director of the Missouri Community College Association.

Missouri will begin the Jumpstart Program training this fall.

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Missouri NCRC Employer Summit set for May 22nd

MO-CWRCA special summit May 22nd seeks to bring together supporting employers across the Show-Me State that endorse the National Career Readiness Certificate and Missouri Certified Work Ready Communities. The Employer Summit helps equip Missouri firms to hire the right people for the job, save dollars in training, and increase productivity.

The 10:00 to 2:00 summit event showcases employers and their experiences with WorkKeys, NCRC, and Job Profiling. The Governors Office Building at 200 Madison in Jefferson City is the location for the summit. Supporting employers will also receive an invitation for a special reception at the Governors Mansion on the 22nd.

Firms not already registered as a supporting employer may do so easily online. More information on Missouri’s CWRC initiative may visit ded.mo.gov/getcertified.

PBS NewsHour examines NCRC

logo-pbs-newshourWednesday’s PBS NewHour aired an extended featured on the National Career Readiness and the NCRC’s role in preparing students for the workforce. For American industry, finding employees who have all the requisite skills is a big challenge, and hiring people who don’t stack up can cost businesses a great deal of money. Special correspondent John Tulenko from Learning Matters reports on a certification test that aims to boost U.S. students’ workforce readiness through WorkKeys and the NCRC.

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Workforce3one adds tools for WIBs

wf3onewibstoolWorkforce3 One rings in the new year with a new and exciting addition: Workforce Investment Boards Solutions. This webpage is designed specifically for State and Local Workforce Investment Board (WIB) members and staff – both newly-appointed and seasoned Board members. The resources are classified in three general areas that reflect various levels of Board engagement with workforce development, service to business, and the important task of regional economic development.

  • Grant Steward – Compliance Resources
  • System Builder – Partnerships and Leveraging Resources
  • Regional Backbone – Resources for Boards Taking the Lead on Major Systemic Changes

Participants will find the basic Board building blocks – sample founding documents, contracts, and partnership agreements – as well as documentation of successful strategies and practices that buttress an individual Board’s work and expand its contributions to the healthy growth of local and regional labor markets. Boards and staff can use these resources to achieve the strategies and customer service objectives in the current five-year State WIA and Wagner-Peyser Strategic Plans, as well as to develop career ladders, improve sector strategies, and assist the long-term unemployed.

Raising the bar together

A community’s workforce is of fundamental importance for economic growth. To meet the needs of today’s companies, and to sufficiently educate workers for the demands of the knowledge economy, economic development organizations must collaborate with workforce development organizations and other stakeholders, including their partners in business and education. [Read more…]