Sector Initiatives and Career Pathways: Lessons from Towards Employment s WorkAdvance Initiative

Transcription

1 Sector Initiatives and Career Pathways: Lessons from Towards Employment s WorkAdvance Initiative Webinar 2014 NNSP Virtual Conference December 11, 2014

2 Jim Torrens Program Manager National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP) Insight Center for Community Economic Development Jack Mills Director National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP) Insight Center for Community Economic Development

3 Rebecca Kusner Director of Policy and Special Initiatives Towards Employment Mike Hoag Vice President of Workforce Development WIRE-Net Tim Duffy President Cleveland Industrial Training Center John Baker Production Manager Hose Master

4 Open and close your Panel Check your audio Submit text questions Note: this webinar is being recorded. After the webinar, links to the recording, slideshow, and supporting materials will be sent to the address you provided. They will also be posted to the virtual conference resource page:

5 @NNSP #NNSPVC

6 Participate in online discussion and networking about apprenticeships and sector initiatives after this webinar.

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8 Sector & career pathways initiatives: Better together All career pathways should incorporate sector strategy principles; in states/communities with a specific sector strategy initiative and a specific career pathway initiative, the two should be connected Not all sector initiatives will include a career pathway; however, more comprehensive and advanced sector initiatives should include this approach Sector initiatives and career pathways share some common core elements, but differ on others (see table)

9 Sector & career pathways initiatives: Better together Sector Initiatives Career Pathways Sector-focused based on good LMI X X Engage employers by industry sectors/ clusters rather than individually or by occupation X Level of engagement varies Supported by a strong cross-agency/organizational partnership X X Managed by a workforce intermediary X Some CPs Responds to a variety of employer needs (i.e., marketing, customized training, analyzing business processes) Most SIs Provide education/ skill services within context of CP Provide a clear path to stacked credentials and career advancement (including for lower-skilled individuals) Some SIs X Provide career navigation and support services Some SIs X Promote system change X (ideally) X (ideally)

10 NNSP Virtual Conference Thursday December 11, 2014

11 AGENDA Welcome and thank you Overview of Towards Employment, WorkAdvance, and why we highlighted partners Introduction of partners Partnership Perspectives The Work The Impact Next Steps

12 TOWARDS EMPLOYMENT Since 1976, TE has assisted over 120,000 disadvantaged adults (535 in 2013) transition off of welfare, out of prison, or off of the streets and into employment. Since 2004, we placed more than 2,000 individuals with a criminal record into full-time employment (372 in 2013) with above industry-standards job retention performance and less than 5% recidivism of our grads In addition we have helped more than 12,000 working poor gain skills for a better job.

13 OUR APPROACH Prepare for a job: Job readiness training, supportive services, literacy, technical training, credentials Get a job: Job search and placement services Keep the job: Retention support Move into a career: Coaching and advancement supports Increase opportunities: through policy advocacy and system change efforts

14 Background: WORKADVANCE National initiative being implemented at 4 sites Funded by the Social Innovation Fund and led by the Mayor s Fund to Advance New York City and the NYC Center for Economic Opportunity with MDRC Brought to Ohio by Fund for Our Economic Future Towards Employment was selected to implement in Cleveland and Youngstown

15 Model: Sector specific, career pathway program Ongoing post-employment services Builds upon prior research Connect sector strategies to low-income populations WORKADVANCE Working in manufacturing and healthcare in NEO Target population is over 18, under 200% of poverty, earning <$15/hour if working

16 Implementation: WORKADVANCE Focus on core strengths of community partners Integrate approach into the broader workforce system to assure sustainability Braid funding for components of the model Measure long term outcomes

17 CURRENT PARTNERS

18 GOALS Deliver quality programming Demand driven training resulting in credentials Employment starting at >$10/hour Ongoing coaching for wage increases >5% Build data Random Assignment research design Evaluation implementation, impact, and cost Over 2,500 people in national sample

19 Inform policy conversations Demonstrate improved outcomes to guide development of workforce programs Share outcomes widely at multiple levels of government Improve workforce system Build partnerships for sustainability Increase focus on career pathways and sector specific approaches across service delivery (i.e. beyond just targeted technical training) GOALS

20 PARTNERSHIP: OUR STRATEGY

21 THE CASE STUDIES

22 THE NEED The Great Recession hit Northeast Ohio Hard but we are rebounding! Manufacturing employment in the region has grown by more than 7% (8,400 jobs) since 2010 Many Northeast Ohioans are not adequately prepared to meet this need: 47% of Northeast Ohio adults have no education past high school and lack relevant job skills Companies continue to report challenges with hiring

23 THE WORK Description of partner Description of engagement with WorkAdvance Partnership evolution and lessons learned

24 Results of the work THE IMPACT System changes Impact upon WorkAdvance/Towards Employment TE does a good job to ensure the quality of their candidates, which provides value for our members. John Colm Executive Director, WIRE-Net The advantage of this partnership is TE students are ready to succeed. Tim Duffy President, Cleveland Industrial Training Center We re filling hard-to-fill skilled positions. And the backfill candidates from Towards Employment are strong. It s a major win for us. John Baker Production Manager, Hose Master

25 THE NEXT STEPS Immediate next steps Ongoing partnership Expanded opportunities

26 APPLYING THESE LESSONS How can you apply what we discussed today to your work and what will it take to make that happen? More info: Rebecca Kusner Director of Policy and Special Initiatives

27 Join us immediately after the webinar for online discussion and networking about apprenticeship and sector initiatives. To participate, search for the NNSP group in LinkedIn or visit for more information.

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29 After the webinar.

30 Thank you! Jim Torrens Program Manager National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP) Insight Center for Community Economic Development Jack Mills Director National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP) Insight Center for Community Economic Development

31 CC photo credit: woodleywonderworks