It takes more than launching a training program here or there to support economic growth, business retention, and job creation. Multiple stakeholders each offer critical resources, but too often don’t communicate or collaborate in a way that maximizes impact and minimizes cost. This session will share approaches, tools, and data that will enable communities to identify and leverage the range of community assets, and position people and skills as a key feature in regional economic development planning. Joel Simon, Vice President, Workforce and Economic Development, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, Chicago, IL Regional Council Board

1. 1
Healthy
Workforce
Ecosystem

2. CAEL’s Mission
To ensure meaningful learning,
credentials and work for every adult.
2

3. Intermediary
Functions,
Institutional
Support, Career
Advising,
Regional & City
Strategies
Corporate
Services
Workforce &
Economic
Development
Higher Education
Services
Policy
CAEL Divisions

4. Aligning workforce and education
with economic development
Collaboration among regional
stakeholders
Leveraging the value of learning
and the learning ecosystem to
support and spur economic growth
4
CAEL’s Workforce and Economic Development Focus

5. Good
Economy
Good
Jobs
Skilled
People
5

6. •Linking Learning and Work

7. •Linking Learning and Work
Illinois was….

8. •Linking Learning and Work
Illinois is…

9. The more you know…..
9
Know your
Community
Know your
Community
Learners Needs
Know your
Economy
Know your
Economy
Jobs Skills
Know your
Partners
Know your
Partners
Intelligence Influence
Know your
Role
Know your
Role
Value Advocacy

10. 10
A Straight Path to Success is Rare These Days

11. 11
The Winding Path to
Contemporary
Student Success

12. What We All Want
New and
Better Jobs
Prosperous
Communities
Access to
Resources
Skilled
Workforce
Satisfied
Businesses
Increased
Quality of
Life

13. Do we have the
right delivery
infrastructure?
Are we teaching
the right things?
Is the learning
valued by current
or potential
employers?
Can our programs
and content reach
the right mix of
learners?
13
Key Questions: What Do We Need To Know?
Which economic
sectors are
growing?
How can we
transition
declining
industries into
growth areas?
How do our
graduates align
with growth
sectors?
What is keeping us
from attracting
new employers?
Economic Developers Ask:
Workforce Professionals and Educators Ask:

14. What could go wrong?
• We create jobs, but not the opportunity
to prepare for them
• We teach to yesterday’s opportunities,
or no opportunity in particular
• We create learning opportunities that
people don’t know about, for careers
that they don’t know exist
• We fail to tap our full talent base
• We over-supply high profile areas,
ignoring other opportunities
14

15. So what do we do?
15

16. CAEL Workforce and Economic
Development
16
Intro /
Baseline
Inventory
Supply
Demand
Analysis
Strategy
Creation
Tactics and
Implementation
Sustainability

17. • Synthesizing Economic Data
– Long-term projections
– Real-time Labor Market Intelligence (LMI)
– Employer stakeholder input
• Using Intelligence
– Program development
– Promotion/awareness
– Calibrating enrollment effort to match
opportunity
Supply/Demand Analysis:
Guide workers and learners towards the most
viable, valuable jobs in their communities

18. Exercise
• What is good intel?
• Where can we get it?
• Who can make good use of it?
• How best can we use it?
18

19. Industry Targeting

20. 20
Growth and Worker Shortages

21. 21

22. Understanding Learning
Options
• Program Content
• Validating Skills and Knowledge
• Knowing / Doing
• Context
• Soft / Hard Skills
• Employer/Industry Specific vis
Broadly Applicable
22
• HAMMER
NAIL

23. Community
College
Public
University
Private
University
For Profit
Institution
Apprenticeship
K-12 System
Workforce
Investment
Board
Online
Learning
Employers
Career and
Technical
Educatoin
23
Roster of Players

24. Educational Asset Inventory – Kansas City Example
24

25. Exercise
• What do you have to work with?
• What is their sweet spot?
– Disciplines
– Levels
– Learners
• Shared Accountability, Decision Making
25

26. Career Awareness
26
• Career Awareness

27. Demystifying Opportunity

28. •Linking Learning and Work
28

29. • Job Abundance
• Advancement
• Wage
• Stability
Exercise: Opportunity “Need to Know”
29

30. Engaging a Broader Talent Base
30
• Working Adults
• Veterans
• Underserved Communities

31. WHY ARE WE TALKING
ABOUT ADULTS?
92%
Adults with
Some College
and No Degree
36,011,451
8%
High School
Graduates for
2013-2014
3,037,040
•Source for High School Graduates:
National Center for Education
Statistics 2013-2014
•Source for Adults with some college
and no degree: Lumina Foundation A
Stronger Nation Report, 2016.

32. • Time
• Money
• Relevance
• Fear
Working Learners:
Roadblocks and Opportunities
32
• Tuition assistance
• Prior Learning
• Transferable Skills
• Fear

33. Adult
Learning
Focused
Institution

34. •Linking Learning and Work
34

35. Creating a Skilled and
Resilient Workforce
• Redeploying skills in new ways
• College credit for non-college
learning
• Alternative credentialing
• Advising
35

37. 37
What does it add up to?

38. 38

39. 39

40. 40
www.cocareeractiontools.com

41. 41

42. 42

43. Exercise: What We’ve Learned….
43

44. • Comprehensive – Strategy into Action
• Energy AND Synergy
• Multi-Institution and Stakeholder
• Talent/Education as key focus of
Economic Development Strategy
• Connecting low income and minority
communities to broader growth
agenda (inclusive development)
Regional Alignment Strategy

45. Industry Analysis and Alignment Process
Analysis Outputs
Supply vs.
Demand Skill
Needs
Skill Gaps
Over &
Under
Alignment
Program
Areas
Program
Output
Program
Outcomes
Alignment
Recommendations
Program
Modifications
Identification of
Skills and Training
Needs
Career Pathway
Development
Inputs

46. Building the Strategy
Content Communication Collaboration Capacity

47. Ways
to
Engage
Community
Partners?
Regional
Strategy?
Target Sector
Identification
Data Needs
Career
Information
Economic
Relevance of
Programs?
Leadership
Positioning?
Creating the Right Plan
for You

48. A New Community Compact for
Learning
Economic
Developer
Education and
Workforce
Development
EmployersWorkforce
48
• Customer Service Model & ROI
• Stronger Industry Alignment & Flexibility
• Final 20% During Onboarding
• Support for Continuing
Education
• Consumer  Investor Mentality
• Awareness of Career
Pathways
• ROI Consumer Model
• Value Lifelong
Learning

49. 49
A Straight Path to Success is Rare These Days

50. 50
The Winding Path to
Success

51. Joel Simon
jsimon@cael.org
312.499.2678