The document discusses the Greater Cincinnati Foundation's Building a Demand-Driven Workforce Network initiative, a $17 million, 3-year partnership to align workforce training with the needs of employers in Cincinnati's priority industries of healthcare, construction, and advanced manufacturing. The initiative aims to train low-income adults for in-demand jobs while helping businesses access skilled workers. Through career pathways partnerships between businesses, educators, and community groups, the initiative identifies skills gaps, improves training programs, and creates career paths for adults to gain qualifications for good jobs. To date, over 2,400 individuals have completed training through supported initiatives, earning over 2,700 credentials with a 70-80% job placement rate.

1. Helping businesses and workers
succeed in a post-recession economy
National Talent Dividend Network Meeting
Cincinnati, Ohio
October 2010

2. BUILDING A DEMAND-DRIVEN WORKFORCE NETWORK
Challenge
• Economic restructuring accelerating the skills gap; fast growing “middle-
skill” jobs; nearly half of our adults lacking any education beyond high
school; 1-in-3 local employers can’t find qualified workers.
Our Response
• A three-year, $17+ million initiative to help people attain good jobs and
ensure that local businesses have the skilled workers they need.
• Led by The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the partnership was
launched in 2008 when Cincinnati was selected to be a part of the
National Fund for Workforce Solutions.
• We are a regional public-private partnership of the major workforce
development players in the Tristate area: philanthropic funders,
businesses, government agencies, the public workforce investment
system, economic development agencies, educational institutions, and
community organizations.

3. BUILDING A DEMAND-DRIVEN WORKFORCE NETWORK
Mission
Align workforce training with employer needs in priority sectors to help low-
income adults attain good jobs while helping businesses access skilled
workers.
Dual Customer Goals
• Train low-skill adults for better jobs and long-term careers.
• Help employers recruit, train, retain and advance employees to fill critical
occupational shortages.
Objectives
1. Align workforce resources and strategies across the system
2. Close skill gaps in priority industries
3. Build the capacity of the regional workforce system
4. Advance policy change to improve the system

4. BUILDING A DEMAND-DRIVEN WORKFORCE NETWORK
Primary Strategy: Career Pathways Partnerships
• Target healthcare, construction and advanced manufacturing sectors,
which together represent nearly 1-in-3 jobs in our region and have current
or projected shortages of qualified workers.
• Catalyze and support business-led partnerships between businesses,
educational institutions, and community organizations that work to close
the gap between the skills people have and the skills that employers
need by:
• Identifying in-demand occupations and the needed skills,
• Improving and coordinating training programs to respond to the needs
of employers, and
• Creating career pathways for low-income adults to get the education
they need to get good jobs that are in demand.

5. BUILDING A DEMAND-DRIVEN WORKFORCE NETWORK
Results to Date
• Leveraging Funds: $17M+ from public, private, and philanthropic
sources from local, state, and national levels.
• Building Partnerships: Over 150 partner organizations engaged in
GCWN initiatives from public, private, nonprofit sectors.
• Aligning around common goals and strategies; advancing systems
change.
• Achieving Outcomes: in two years, GCWN-supported initiatives have
helped over 2,400 individuals with 80%+ completing training and
earning over 2,700 postsecondary credentials and an estimated 70-80%
job placement rate.