PREPARING HOUSTON TO SKILL UP

Transcription

1 PREPARING HOUSTON TO SKILL UP Addressing the Skills Mismatch to Meet Employer Demand in High-Growth Industries UpSkill Houston: What s New? What s Next? November 12, 2014 Gloria Cross Mwase, Program Director, Jobs for the Future PARINGHOUSTON TO SKILL UP ESSING THE SKILLS MISMATCH TO MEET EMPLOYER DEMAND IN HIGH-GROWTH INDUSTRIES

2 PREPARINGHOUSTON TO SKIL ADDRESSING THE SKILLS MISMATCH TO MEET EM DEMAND IN HIGH-GROWTH INDUSTRIES CHASE IS ADDRESSING THE SKILLS MISMATCH $250 million, 5-year, workforce readiness and demand-driven training initiative Helping to build economies that grow by investing in people Using data to support existing regional efforts PREPARINGHOUSTON TO SKILL UP ADDRESSING THE SKILLS MISMATCH TO MEET EMPLOYER DEMAND IN HIGH-GROWTH INDUSTRIES HOUSTON 23

3 MIDDLE-SKILL OPPORTUNITIES ARE RISING 24

4 BUT TALENT PIPELINE FACES CHALLENGES Demand The Link Supply Employers Education/Training Providers Jobseekers Need to grow skilled workforce, not poach Need more sector-based strategies that collectively identify job requirements more consistently Need to leverage existing partnerships across sectors Need stronger alignment with employer demand Need diverse program models for diverse populations Need to connect high school and noncredit programs with credit level and higher degrees Need strategies to improve programs and measure success Low educational attainment Increased need for work experience Financial circumstances as barrier to education 25 25

5 HOUSTON CAN BUILD ON EXEMPLARY WORK Early College High Schools U P S K I L L H O U S T O N I S T H E BRI D GE T H AT CLO S E S T H E G A P Early College High School! 26

6 RECOMMENDATIONS: WHAT CAN YOU DO TO UPSKILL HOUSTON? EMPLOYERS will need to: Work through Sector Councils to develop a sector-based approach to expanding talent pipeline. Share information to help education and training providers align their programs with demand. Increase capacity of education providers to offer internships, apprenticeships, and other work-based learning opportunities that lead to credentials that employers seek. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDERS will need to: Develop fast-track programs that meet the needs of diverse students. Design stackable short-term credentials that can be aligned into higher level career pathways. Meet the needs of youth and adults that need basic academic skills instruction as well as professional training. COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS will need to: Provide comprehensive supports (career advising, basic literacy instruction, employability skills, transportation, child care) to help students persist and complete education and training programs. 27

7 RECOMMENDATIONS: WHAT CAN YOU DO TO UPSKILL HOUSTON? UPSKILL HOUSTON will need to: Support Sector Councils by providing tools and resources. Build capacity of education and training providers, especially around using real-time labor market information. Expand talent pool by targeting women, people of color, veterans, ex-offenders, and long-term unemployed. Ensure accountability for short and long-term results. Engage additional stakeholders to share resources and information. Develop braided funding strategies to fund to incubate strategies and sustain systemic efforts. PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDERS will need to: Target program investments to ensure mutual benefit for employers and workers, fill gaps in delivery system, and catalyze involvement of other partners. STATE AGENCIES will need to: Leverage resources and expand scale by connecting with existing talent pipeline initiatives. 28