Greater Metropolitan Workforce Council AGENDA Monday, February 12, 2018 McKnight Foundation 710 S. 2 nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401 8:30am 11:00am Call in Information: Dial +1 646 558 8656; Meeting ID: 763 181 713 I. Welcome (Commissioner Sivarajah) 8:30-8:35 Roll Call/Approval/Adoption of the Agenda** Approval of January 8, 2018 Minutes** II. Collaboration Model Presentation (Peter Frosch) 8:35-9:45 III. Legislative Proposals and Updates 9:45-10:15 MSPWin and the Workforce Development Fund (Bryan Lindsley) 2018 MWCA Platform http://www.mwca-mn.org (Anne Kilzer) Minneapolis Regional Chamber Proposal (Jonathan Weinhagen) DEED and the WIOA MN State Plan (Jeremy Hanson Willis) IV. Updates 10:15-10:50 Sector Skills Academy (Brant) Staffing Committee (Commissioner Carter) GMWC Bylaws (Commissioner Sivarajah) V. OTHER (Commissioner Sivarajah) 10:50-10:55 Meeting Location VI. CLOSING AND NEXT STEPS (Commissioner Sivarajah) 10:55-11:00 Next meeting March 12, 2018, 8:30am-11:00am **Denotes action needed by board
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is the workforce crisis? Minnesota s labor shortfall is expected to grow to 278,000 by 2022. With more workers leaving the workforce than those seeking jobs, we must take steps to address the state s imminent workforce availability challenge. What is the Workforce Development Fund? Revenue for the Workforce Development Fund comes from a small surcharge fee on employers through the unemployment insurance tax system. The fund is entirely under legislative control. Why do we need to modernize the Workforce Development Fund? The current Workforce Development Fund is program rich and strategy poor. It was established in 1990 to support dislocated worker retraining efforts, but has since been utilized for a variety of programs. In 2010, the Legislative Auditor found that the state s workforce training funds were administratively fragmented and lacked performance management and oversight. INNOVATION IMPROVEMENT IMPACT The state urgently needs to update how it responds to today s unprecedented workforce gap that has begun to impede economic growth and threatens the state s long-term prosperity. What is the purpose of the MNWin for Jobs legislative proposal? MNWin for Jobs proposes empowering regions to strategically address the workforce crisis. The proposed legislation modernizes Minnesota s approach to workforce by: Providing sustainable resources to local workforce development areas with increased flexibility to best serve locally-determined priority populations; Consolidating fragmented competitive grants and direct appropriations into competitive career pathway grants to be administered regionally; Dedicating regional funds for employer engagement and sector strategies; and Increasing transparency and accountability to build confidence that investments intended to close worker gaps are being targeted effectively.
What s different? Every region will see a modest increase in funding made available for uses such as: career pathways, youth training and industry sector strategies. Even though overall funding remains consistent, this increase is possible due to the consolidation of statewide competitive grants and direct appropriations. The consolidation of statewide grants allows decisions to be made at the regional level rather than by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). What s the same? DEED will continue to invest in and support mass layoffs and vocational rehabilitation. Dislocated workers are still eligible for service and continue to be served through DEED (mass layoffs) and local funds (small layoffs). The Minnesota Youth program will still be administered locally, through formulagranted funds. How does the money flow under this proposal? 1. The legislature appropriates the entirety of the Workforce Development Fund to the Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner (DEED) for the purposes outlined in SF 2434. 2. DEED retains a specified percentage of the money to perform a number of duties, including: a. Oversight of local and regional spending (developing program guidelines, outcome measurement, technical assistance, etc.); b. Conducting dislocated worker mass layoff activities; c. Administering -Youthbuild; and d. Administering vocational rehabilitation programs. 3. The remaining balance is then distributed to the 16 local workforce development boards via formulas for designated purposes. 4. Each of the 16 local boards will have increased flexibility for adult and youth programming including -serving dislocated workers - while - competitive funds will be focused on strategies that align with the local and regional plans. 5. The local boards and regional boards (link to map) will collaborate to achieve alignment with their strategic plan-through the enactment of: a. Competitive adult career pathway grants; b. Sector partnerships; and c. Competitive youth grants. INNOVATION IMPROVEMENT IMPACT
Why are there five formulas? One size does not fit all. The five formulas proportionally distribute funds across Minnesota based on factors relevant to the purpose of each funding stream. This approach allows resources to be locally driven, more flexible, and more adaptive to changing economic conditions. What happens to the current direct appropriations? The intent is to provide each region with a sustainable source of funds to address top workforce priorities. Currently, direct appropriations funded through the Workforce Development Fund are not sustainable, as they are appropriated annually. MNWin for Jobs proposes the current funds used toward direct appropriations, distributed at the state level, be consolidated and administered at the regional level. This results in an increase in funds to all regions. General Funds will still be available to support additional workforce development initiatives. What is the purpose of new regional workforce entities? Under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), six regional workforce entities have been created across Minnesota. Five cover greater Minnesota, incorporating two Workforce Development Areas each, and one covers the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro area, incorporating six Workforce Development Areas. INNOVATION IMPROVEMENT IMPACT The federal intention was to bring people together to identify critical economic sectors and unmet workforce demands within each region, and focus resources more strategically on addressing those local and regional needs. What are career pathways? Career pathways efficiently combine basic skills instruction, training, and comprehensive support that help empower people to advance through the workforce to meet employer s critical needs. Programs are flexible to meet the specific needs of regions, industries and individuals, but all programs have three guiding principles: Employer involvement aligning training with necessary job-skills, and placement after pathway completion; Coordination between local labor market information, training and market needs; and Flexibility to allow individuals to enter and exit the program based on their needs, and creative solutions like stacking credentials, all building toward a successful career.
Why are career pathways effective? Career pathways are effective and efficient because they focus on training for highdemand careers, and coordinate existing funding to ensure participants have the education and holistic support necessary to be hired in careers with family-supporting wages. 88% of career pathways participants who completed college credit or credential. 75% of people who completed career pathway gained related employment. IMPROVEMENT
MINNESOTA IS IN A WORKFORCE CRISIS. Due to the low unemployment rate and increasing retirements we need to fill an additional 278,000 jobs over the next four years to simply maintain our economic growth. 76% of Minnesota employers already experience difficulty finding employees; at the same time we have critical gaps in our labor force. Urgent steps must be taken toward priorities like closing the skills gap, reducing disparities and strengthening local and regional economies. This crisis impacts all corners of Minnesota and all economic sectors. For example, in the Mankato area there are only.7 workers for every open job and the northwest region currently has over 10,000 open jobs. To bridge this gap, we must modernize our workforce approach to be even more inclusive of all Minnesotans and grow Minnesota s economy. MNWin for Jobs empowers regions to strategically address the workforce crisis. The Workforce Development Fund was created nearly 30 years ago as a resource specifically designed to assist workers impacted by mass layoffs. Today our economic challenges are very different. Minnesota needs to reimagine how this fund can best be used to respond to today s unprecedented workforce gap. Minnesota must invest with new unifying principles: Innovation, Improvement, and Impact. INNOVATION IMPROVEMENT IMPACT demands flexibility. Local leaders need resources to address critical gaps, to leverage other investments and to encourage strategic partnerships. means a renewed focus on current and projected needs within each region. Minnesota should target workforce development investments to address the most pressing employer shortages, to build sector strategies, and to support the most promising career pathways for jobseekers. stems from alignment between employers, local governments, training providers and non-profit partners. SF 2434 helps Minnesota tackle the workforce crisis head-on by modernizing the distribution and oversight of the approximately $116 million distributed from the Workforce Development Fund per biennium to strategically and effectively address critical local and regional workforce needs. SF 2434 will: Sustain investments in local workforce development with increased flexibility to best serve priority populations; Consolidate current competitive grants and direct appropriations into competitive career pathway grants to be administered regionally; Dedicate regional funds for employer engagement and sector strategies; and Increase transparency and accountability to build confidence that worker gaps are being addressed effectively.
Metro Regional Board Meeting February 12, 2018
MNWIN FOR JOBS is a partnership of Minnesota businesses and community leaders committed to empowering regions to strategically address the current workforce crisis.
WE ARE IN A WORKFORCE CRISIS. Total projected need for workers to maintain statewide GDP growth Worker Gap: 278,000 Total projected workers expected to be employed Developed by Erin Olson at RealTime Talent, 2017.
TO BRIDGE THIS GAP We need to modernize our strategies across many policy areas, including workforce development PRODUCTIVITY MIGRATION + net flow YOUTH Maintain levels ADULTS Existing within region
THIS PROPOSAL IS THE FIRST STEP to address the workforce crisis head on by modernizing the distribution of the entire Workforce Development Fund. YOUTH Maintain levels ADULTS Existing within region
THIS PROPOSAL Invests with unifying principles: Innovation Improvement Impact
THIS PROPOSAL Sustains investments in local workforce development areas with increased flexibility to best serve priority populations.
THIS PROPOSAL Consolidates current statewide competitive grants and direct appropriations into competitive career pathway grants to be administered regionally
THIS PROPOSAL Dedicates regional funds for employer engagement and sector strategies
THIS PROPOSAL Increases transparency and accountability to build confidence that worker gaps are being addressed effectively.
The Workforce Development Fund could be more effective. There are 278,000 reasons to improve.
We ask for your support for SF 2434 to modernize the Workforce Development Fund.
GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL A proposal for activating a regional approach to workforce development 2/12/18 DISCUSSION DRAFT McKinsey & Company 1
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR THIS DISCUSSION We select 4-8 specific near-term tasks to activate the Greater Metropolitan Workforce Council 2
RECALL: WE START WITH GOALS FOR THE COUNCIL OUTLINED IN REGIONAL PLAN 1 Establish Regional Leadership Approach (Regulation 679.510 a.1.i/v) 2 3 Establish an Agreement for Negotiating local levels of Performance (Regulation 679.510 a.1.viii) Identify & Implement 3 Regional Services (Career, Training and/or Support) Alignment Goals (Regulation 679.510 a.1.ii/vi) 4 679.510 a.1.vii) Goal # 4 Coordination with Economic Development Services and Providers (Regulation 679.510 a.1.vii) 5 Coordination with Economic Development Services and Providers (Regulation Identify the Populations Experiencing Inequities in Educational and Employment Outcomes (State Plan Goal #1) 6 7 Create 1-3 Business Led Sector Partnerships (Regulation 679.510 a.1.iii/iv/vii and State Plan Strat. Element #1) Stakeholder Engagement (State Plan Strategic Element #2) 8 Submission of Local Plans that Align with the Regional Plan (Regulation 679.510.2.ii) McKinsey & Company 3 3
RECALL: WE AGREED UPON THE PRIMARY ROLE OF THIS BODY GOVERN ADVISE WORK We ensure effective local implementation of Regional Plan We learn about local WIB implementation of Regional Plan We define & execute the regional-scale work of the Regional Plan This Council holds local WIBs to account for performance and intervene to force corrections This Council provides support to local execution in the form of verbal guidance This Council coordinates, prioritizes, takes action items away from monthly meetings We are the voice of employers, residents & taxpayers We are friends of the Workforce System We are a team, a working regional collaboration 4
RECALL FROM JANUARY: GETTING STARTED DOING THE WORK OF THE REGION FIRST ORDER QUESTIONS What are the specific tasks to get us started? Who is responsible for doing what? How do we coordinate our activities? McKinsey & Company 5 5
DRAFTING TEAM Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah Commissioner Toni Carter Peter Frosch Eric Muschler Nicole Swanson Bryan Lindsley Elizabeth Tolzmann Andrea Ferstan Brant Ingalsbe Anoka County Ramsey County GREATER MSP McKnight Foundation Anoka County Job Training Center MSPWin Ramsey County Twin West Chamber of Commerce Greater Metropolitan Workforce Council Meetings & conference calls January February today 6
GREATER MSP HIGH-PERFORMANCE COLLABORATION MODEL PROVEN STRUCTURE Through day-to-day experience implementing the regional economic development strategy 2014-17 GREATER MSP developed this model to build and operate high-performing crosssector collaborations. The model solves for the common problems we consistently encountered in cross-sector efforts targeting complex problems: A shared vision and clear problem definition create the focus and foundation for the entire effort A leadership group is critical but large groups don t execute Action is needed in multiple areas complex challenges never have just one area of work Data is used to identify the priority strategy areas Strategy teams need to be aligned against an overarching strategy but focused and accountable to their own area Strategy teams are project-based, expected to deliver concrete deliverables quarterly STRATEGY TEAM A Small teams focused on executing specific projects STRATEGY TEAM B LEADERSHIP GROUP CORE TEAM Shared Vision & Clear problem definition 7 STRATEGY TEAM C STRATEGY TEAM D McKinsey & Company 7 SOURCE: GREATER MSP 2017
WHAT S AHEAD GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL LEADERSHIP VISION STRATEGY GOALS TASKS The following slides show a preliminary and illustrative attempt to distribute the goals and action steps from the Regional Plan into strategy areas where a dedicated team of individuals and organizations take ownership and accountability for results. STRATEGY TEAM Goals Tasks STRATEGY TEAM LEADERSHIP GROUP CORE TEAM STRATEGY TEAM Goals Tasks STRATEGY TEAM You will also see a set of potential specific tasks that would focus the strategy teams on action starting immediately (mid-february). Goals Tasks Goals Tasks 8 SOURCE: GREATER MSP
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL Leadership group Shared Vision This table (all of us) METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL Provide all residents of the region opportunities to attain family-supporting careers while meeting the needs of employers who fuel our economy. The shared vision we created last fall 9
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL Leadership group STRATEGY TEAM MEMBERS (informal) Implement Existing Regional Plan STRATEGY TEAM Data for Decisions DUTIES (to-date) Shared Vision Core Team Brant Ingalsbe Core Team Captain Commissioner Sivarajah Anoka County Andrea Ferstan Twin West Chamber Peter Frosch STRATEGY TEAM GREATER MSP Develop Sector-Based Approach Bryan Lindsley MSPWin Eric Muschler McKnight Foundation Nicole Swanson Anoka County Job Training Center Elizabeth Tolzmann Ramsey County METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL CORE TEAM Create agendas for GMWC monthly meetings; Develop proposal for activating GMWC work; Secure necessary short-term STRATEGY funding TEAM & Align staff; for Performance Create short-term budget for GMWC; Manage communication across sectors, partners; 10
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL Leadership group Shared Vision Core Team STRATEGY TEAM A Implement & Enhance Regional Plan METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY TEAM C Prepare Data for Regional Decision- Making Strategy Teams CORE TEAM STRATEGY TEAM B Maximize Regional Sector Strategies STRATEGY TEAM D Create Strategic Partnerships & Alignment 11
GETTING STARTED: IT S ALL ABOUT THE TASKS GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL 1. Choose 1-2 tasks in each Strategy Areas to launch the work STRATEGY TEAM A Implement & Enhance Regional Plan STRATEGY TEAM C Prepare Data for Regional Decision-Making 2. Identify a small team of individuals/ organizations to own those tasks TASK METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL TASK 3. Select a Captain to support and drive each Strategy Team STRATEGY TEAM B Maximize Regional Sector Strategies CORE TEAM STRATEGY TEAM D Create Strategic Partnerships & Alignment TASK TASK TASK preliminary 12
PROPOSED: GOALS & TASKS 1 of 5 GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY Implement & Enhance Regional Plan STRATEGY TEAM Develop Data for Regional Decisions GOALS (8) Align strategy implementation at the local level for regional impact and advance to meet regional goals. METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL Address and help mitigate workforce system limitations for those experiencing economic and racial disparities CORE TEAM TASKS Create preliminary inventory STRATEGY of experienced TEAM and anticipated barriers to implementing Regional Plan Deadline: March GMWC meeting Develop Sector-Based Approach Identify at least 3 ideas for creating Regional Services (goal #3) STRATEGY TEAM Create Strategic Partnerships & Alignment Deadline: March GMWC meeting 13
PROPOSED: GOALS & TASKS 2 of 5 GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY GOALS Maximize Regional Sector Strategies (6) Create 1-3 business-led sector partnerships Develop regional sector strategy for 6 identified sectors METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY TEAM Data for Decisions (4) Coordination with Economic Development Services and Providers CORE TEAM TASKS Recruit participants for Skills STRATEGY Academy TEAM (e.g. trade associations, employers) Deadline: March GMWC meeting Develop Sector-Based Approach Set Directly Responsible Individual (DRI) for each sector (this person convenes partners & provides regular updates to GMWC) and secure resources / authorities to support them STRATEGY TEAM Align for Performance Deadline: April GMWC meeting 14
PROPOSED: GOALS & TASKS 3 of 5 GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY TEAM Implement Existing Regional Plan STRATEGY Prepare Data for Regional Decision-Making METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL GOALS (5) Identify the Populations Experiencing Inequities in Educational and Employment Outcomes Analyze and disseminate labor market information (LMI), functioning as a credible source on labor market conditions in the region STRATEGY TEAM Develop Sector-Based Approach CORE TEAM STRATEGY TEAM TASKS Develop Sector-Based Approach Create supply/demand analysis for each sector team (e.g. LMI data, training outcomes, share of worker gap) DEADLINE: March GMWC meeting Develop picture of current budget sources & uses to answer what s happening now? DEADLINE: April GMWC meeting 15
PROPOSED: GOALS & TASKS 4 of 5 GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY TEAM Implement Existing Regional Plan STRATEGY Create Strategic Partnerships & Alignment METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL GOALS (4) Coordination with Economic Development Services and Providers (7) Stakeholder Engagement STRATEGY TEAM Develop Sector-Based Approach CORE TEAM STRATEGY TEAM TASKS Develop Sector-Based Approach Align formal and informal partners to ensure workforce development, education and training achieve maximum impact for individuals and businesses Create map of stakeholders (partners, customers, investors, regulators, etc) critical to Regional Plan implementation DEADLINE: April GMWC meeting Develop Memorandum of Collaboration agreement with at least 2 primary stakeholders identified in the map (e.g. DEED/CareerForce; GREATER MSP Partnership; Center for Economic Inclusion; Met Council) DEADLINE: May GMWC meeting 16
PROPOSED: GOALS & TASKS 5 of 5 GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY STRATEGY TEAM CORE TEAM Implement Existing Regional Plan GOALS (1) Establish regional leadership approach (2) Establish an Agreement for Negotiating local levels of performance Establish performance criteria for the region based on needs of customers (job seekers, employers) STRATEGY TEAM Data for Decisions TASKS STRATEGY TEAM Develop Sector-Based Approach a Provide frameworks to help Strategy Teams quickly execute tasks DEADLINE: End of February (ongoing as needed) Draft set of values to guide GMWC (e.g. equity) DEADLINE: May GMWC Meeting Develop Operational Plan for GMWC 2018-19 (budget; host organization; staffing plan; funding sources; bylaw review, including possible region-wide MOU with local boards) STRATEGY TEAM Align for Performance preliminary DEADLINE: June GMWC Meeting 17
ACTIVATION PHASE Moving to action on a regional workforce approach GMWC meeting Strategy Team meetings/calls Assess learning; reevaluate Strategy Teams & overall approach February March April May Select tasks & set teams Identify resources needs Strategy teams report out on progress, including early learning & any resource needs Strategy teams present deliverables Strategy teams present deliverables 18
FOR DISCUSSION & DECISION: TASK LIST Implement & Enhance Regional Plan Maximize Regional Sector Strategies Prepare Data for Regional Decision- Making Create Strategic Partnerships & Alignment Create preliminary inventory of experienced and anticipated barriers to implementing Regional Plan DEADLINE: March GMWC meeting Identify at least 3 ideas for creating Regional Services (goal #3) DEADLINE: March GMWC meeting Recruit participants for Skills Academy (e.g. trade associations, employers) DEADLINE: March GMWC meeting Set Directly Responsible Individual (DRI) for each sector (this person convenes partners & provides regular updates to GMWC) and secure resources / authorities to support them Create supply/demand analysis for each sector team (e.g. LMI data, training outcomes, share of worker gap) DEADLINE: March GMWC meeting Develop picture of current budget sources & uses to answer what s happening now? DEADLINE: April GMWC meeting Create map of stakeholders (partners, customers, investors, regulators, etc) critical to Regional Plan implementation DEADLINE: April GMWC meeting Develop Memorandum of Collaboration agreement with at least 2 primary stakeholders identified in the map (e.g. DEED/CareerForce; GREATER MSP Partnership; Center for Economic Inclusion; Met Council) DEADLINE: April GMWC meeting DEADLINE: May GMWC meeting 19
APPENDEX A - PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTIONS OF STRATEGY TEAMS GREATER METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY TEAM A Implement & Enhance Regional Plan Description: Track and further develop Regional Plan; Provide direction and advice on progress of the regional strengths & weaknesses in implementation, learning and working toward revisions that hold the vision of the Regional Plan and increases capacity to implement it. METROPOLITAN WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY TEAM C Prepare Data for Regional Decision-Making Description: The data team will work to provide deeper analysis of existing data available on tracking, performance, and a population level and market orientation to workforce development. It will also provide other Strategy Teams with data and analysis as requested and available. STRATEGY TEAM B Maximize Regional Sector Strategies Description: Focus on Sector Partnerships; determine how to best advance sector work, engage employers, direct participants into training, get the right sector LMI data, convene partners in each sector to develop region-wide sector strategy, organize Sector Skills Academy. CORE TEAM STRATEGY TEAM D Create Strategic Partnerships & Alignment Description: Identifying and bridging key partnerships with other systems and entities that can and should be connecting resource, influence, and time toward building a 21 st century regional workforce system (i.e. economic development, community colleges, nonprofit training providers, ABE, etc.) 20
ROLES FOR INDIVIDUALS (AND ORGANIZATIONS) IN EACH AREA OF THE MODEL CORE GROUP METRO WORKFORCE COUNCIL STRATEGY TEAMS Recommend and drive overall strategy for MWC Lead work of Strategy Teams; share learning, networks, and resources across Teams Create and manage integrated communications approach for initiative Identify new opportunities to elevate to full MWC, and to Strategy Team leaders Create agendas for MWC; support their work, especially elected members of MWC Actively participate in monthly sessions Champion the vision and work of the MWC in public forums Provide guidance to Core Group as requested on acceleration & sequencing of actions CEO TABLE Align resources of their organization against specific actions that drive toward the vision Work together to identify shared challenges, develop new projects & solutions Build and execute specific, time-limited projects that solve problems, create value and drive toward the overall vision Identify and align resources to support project execution Identify new project ideas for Core Team consideration Communicate work of the Strategy Team to broader community COORDINATION LEADERSHIP EXECUTION McKinsey & Company 21 SOURCE: GREATER MSP
MWC ACCORDING TO REGIONAL PLAN The regional workforce board will be a strong voice on workforce development for the metro, rooted in the local authority provided by federal law (WIOA). The board will meet at least four times annually. The primary charge of the regional governance board is to identify strategic opportunities where the public sector workforce system can lead or support initiatives that meet the needs of dual customers -- business and job seekers. The regional governance board will: Analyze and disseminate LMI, functioning as a credible source on labor market conditions in the region; Advocate for resources (both for the public sector workforce system and other systems like K-12, higher education, etc.) whose work directly impacts the ability of people to be successful in the labor market; Goal # 4 Coordination Align strategies with Economic implemented Development at Services the local and Providers level for (Regulation regional 679.510 impact a.1.vii) and advocate for investments to meet regional goals; Develop strategies where a regional approach is warranted (for example in targeted sectors); Address and help mitigate workforce system limitations and workplace issues for those experiencing economic and racial disparities, particularly for African Americans and American Indians; Ensure that businesses have access to a skilled workforce and a racially diverse candidate pool with the competencies needed to make them globally competitive; and, Align formal and informal partners to ensure workforce development, education and training resources achieve maximum benefit for individuals and businesses in the region. The regional workforce board will have primary responsibility for fulfilling this two-year plan, and shaping regional planning beyond the time horizon provided here.
THE REGIONAL PLAN The Regional Plan provides parameters for this body, but it does not specify how we are all to accomplish these ends that s for us to figure out. The Regional Plan is fundamentally a challenge for us all to work in ways we never have before. So let s not expect this to be clear, quick or easy. The Regional Plan is a foundation for us to start from, it provides guidance, but it does not hold all the answers.