Earl Buford, President & CEO

Earl Buford, President & CEO

Improve the ability of employers and unions to recruit, retain, and develop qualified community candidates for careers in skilled trades and industries

Opportunity o Launched the Center (COE) in 2005 to address unprecedented boom in construction and reemergence of skills shortage in manufacturing omarquette Interchange ommsd water quality projects oelm Road Power Generating Station ocity Hall, Manpower, Potawatomi & other projects obucyrus International and other major manufacturers and suppliers

Marketplace Model o As a workforce intermediary, WRTP/BIG STEP coordinates among and between labor and management to assess and plan for current and future industry needs within sectors o Industry assessments done in cooperation with employers and labor inform the development of employer services, which in turn enables us to connect these opportunities into openings aligned with our community network of partners

o This marketplace model is in opposition to the old model driven primarily by government policy/workforce development entities and social service agencies client needs; we try to connect BOTH models o o WRTP/BIG STEP teaches the technical skills required to bring participants to the finishing point immediately before employment, and is the beginning point into industry careers, apprenticeships and jobs We are Industry Led, Worker Centered and Community Focused

As a workforce intermediary,wrtp/big STEP coordinates among and between labor and management to assess and plan for current and future industry needs within sectors WRTP/BIG STEP has also worked around the state to provide technical assistance to a wide range of organizations.

Clearinghouse Model Joint Apprenticeship Committees Workforce Development Agencies Community Based Referral Partners High Schools and Technical Colleges Family & Friend Referrals Funding (Public, Private, and Philanthropic Resources) WRTP/BIG STEP Center of Excellence Multiple Training Providers Construction Manufacturing Utility Other Emerging Sectors

Mission o Improve the ability of employers and unions to recruit, retain, and develop qualified community candidates for careers in skilled trades and industries o Assess job-ready candidates from a wide range of referral partners o Prepare qualified candidates for employment and advancement opportunities o Place community residents into targeted trades and industries Pipeline o Create a central clearinghouse for the assessment, preparation, and placement of job ready candidates o Enable employers and unions to meet the staffing and diversity objectives of their respective trades or industries o Enable public sector agencies and community partners to refer job ready candidates for training and placement

o Inclusive approach enables any public sector agency, educational institution, or community based organization to refer candidates o Clearinghouse creates central resource for employers and unions to achieve workforce development and diversity objectives o WRTP funds Urban League and other community based partners that refer candidates, particularly for MMSD and DOT projects o Formed Urban Skilled Trades Connection (USTC) youth outreach initiative with Milwaukee Public Schools

Industry Relations Governance model is Labor-Management o WRTP Board of Directors: o Labor (AFL-CIO, Building Trades, Steelworkers, Machinist, Labor Council) o Management (Harley, Master Lock, We Energies, Payne & Dolan, NECA, AGC, AT&T) o Sector Steering Committees: Construction, Manufacturing, Hospitality o Relationships, Relationships

WRTP/BIG STEP focuses on several distinct, interrelated areas that correspond to the multiple disparate areas involved in employment training. These include: Field work and employer/industry services Training and Placement services Partner Coordination and Community Outreach Technical Assistance and Consulting Services (national and statewide) Triada Staffing Services WRTP/BIG STEP is able to align a variety of funding sources to pay for programs

Socially responsible staffing agency Follows WRTP/BIG STEP s model of providing businesses with employees trained in specific skills to meet their exact staffing needs Provides these employees under temporary staffing model allowing more flexibility for businesses Improves the quality of employment by providing benefits to employees that have not had them in the past Signed agreements with Steelworkers, Machinists, and AFSCME

Referral of pre-selected skilled workforce Leadership team development Meeting facilitation Resource development strategies Workplace mentoring programs Positive attendance workshops Pre-employment training courses Industry specific essential skills Industry promotion and awareness Many more

WRTP/BIG STEP has been active throughout the state (and nationwide) aiding organizations to: Create or refine industry partnerships Create relationships with unions and industry Implement sector-focused training and apprenticeship preparation

Manufacturing Needs Assessment o The most recent phase of the Manufacturing Needs Assessment was completed in January 2010 o Response to the Assessment is ongoing o 298 companies and affiliated unions were surveyed statewide o Assessment and corresponding follow up work was conducted in a number of areas, including: o Modernization o Energy o Training

Construction Needs Assessment o WRTP/BIG STEP is in the preliminary phase of its Construction Needs Assessment and has, for example, secured preliminary numbers/data regarding the following: o Laid off workers per trade o Workers from the City of Milwaukee o Workforce retirement ages o Available classifications o Even with years of experience in the construction industry and with the WRTP assessment model, applying that assessment model to the construction industry is an extremely complex endeavor o For example, in Southeastern Wisconsin alone, there are approximately 18 different local unions and 18 different apprenticeship committees that we need to align

Milwaukee is a pilot city; WRTP/BIG STEP is an important partner Goal is to complete a comprehensive retrofit of Milwaukee s building stock while strengthening the economy and democracy as well as creating career pathways to family supporting jobs Illustrates WRTP/BIG STEP s role as an effective workforce development intermediary connecting community partners, labor, and business

Madison START Program Apprenticeship Preparation Green Bay TrANS Technical assistance for WisDOT road building training course Chicago Replication Racine First Choice Apprenticeship Preparation

The WRTP/BIG STEP training program includes: Assessment of every participant who comes to WRTP/BIG STEP seeking aid Placement of already qualified workers in immediate employment opportunities Enrollment of candidates in pre-employment training certification programs Assessment, career counseling, and tutoring of apprenticeship candidates in preparation for the apprenticeship exam of their choice

BIG STEP Apprenticeship Preparation Program Urban Skilled Trades Connection Youth Employer-driven training classes, such as: Roadbuilding Skills Training Waste Water Training Welding Entry Level Manufacturing Skills

Entry-Level Construction Skills (ELCS) Training Model o Under the umbrella of its Entry Level Construction Skills (ELCS) program, WRTP/BIG STEP is able to help participants at all points on their career pathways to advance o The following ELCS modules can be tailored by trade and classification and also have flexibility in terms of delivery, location, and levels taught: o ELCS 1 is an exposure course that targets those who are unfamiliar with the construction industry, but who want to learn more about it, or eventually advance in the sector. ELCS 1 also provides community partners the opportunity to learn more about the industry. o ELCS 2 is for those participants who meet minimum requirements for training. The primary goal of ELCS 2 is to supplement transitional jobs and job training and qualify participants for an apprenticeship program. o ELCS 3 is for qualified apprenticeship candidates who have not yet been hired by an employer in order to begin an apprenticeship. o ELCS 4 is the most advanced ELCS module and targets current journey workers or apprentices.

Residential Preference Program (RPP) Communities in Need (COIN) MPS WisDot TrANS Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Workforce Development and Training Program (MMSD WDTP) WHEDA Some of the construction sector trainings result in certifications such as Trans and ELCS Carpenters. 22

Public/Private Ventures Study: Preliminary Results o WRTP/BIG STEP was part of a recent gold standard study sponsored by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and conducted by Public/Private Ventures o Preliminary study (random selection control v. treatment group) conclusions included that participants in sector focused training programs like WRTP/BIG STEP: o Earned 18.3% more than control group members o Were more likely to work and worked more consistently in the second year, also, earned more pay than other groups o Were significantly more likely to work in jobs that offered benefits o WRTP/BIG STEP only group to work with labor o Recommendations included that officials invest in job training that is industry focused or employer linked, as it can have positive outcomes for participants

January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007 Employment Sector Placements Average Wage Construction 474 $14.85 Manufacturing 87 $14.61 Summary Total 561 $14.58 January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 Employment Sector Placements Average Wage Construction 207 $14.85 Manufacturing 45 $13.94 Summary Total 252 $14.69 January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 Employment Sector Placements Average Wage Construction 147 $20.92 Manufacturing 18 $13.68 Other 5 $11.20 Summary Total 170 $14.21 Please note that these numbers are subject to change as WRTP/BIG STEP secures additional data. WRTP/BIG STEP is, for example, in the process of entering new data from the Elm Road Generating Station project. Preliminary reports show 600 placements that will be attributed to a number of years. Therefore, outcome numbers for each of the years above will change as additional data is entered. Placements in 2008 and 2009 are reflective of the poor economy. WRTP/BIG STEP expects that placements in the future will meet or exceed placements in 2007, particularly with the influx of stimulus funded projects. 24

Earl Buford, President & CEO ebuford@wrtp.org Rhandi Berth, Vice President rberth@wrtp.org WRTP/BIG STEP 3841 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53208 www.wrtp.org 414-342-9787 WRTP/BIG STEP @wrtpbigstep