Fairfax County Economic Success Plan recognizes that creating and sustaining a highly skilled workforce is a critical driver for economic success. However, the question is whether existing programs align with projected industry need? This initial inventory explores this question since the county's economic plan calls for coordination and efficient delivery of workforce and training programs and expanding STEM and STEAM training and preparation

1. Initial Inventory of Workforce
Development Programs that Align
with High Demand Fields
Stacy Yike, Senior Fellow
Office of Public Private Partnerships
May 1, 2015

2. Purpose
 Fairfax Chamber Strategic Planning Session (23 January)
– Creating and sustaining a highly skilled workforce is a critical driver for economic
success regionally
– Recent reports identified occupations with large replacement needs and/or new
growth
– Question raised: Do existing programs align with projected industry need?
 Fairfax County Strategic Plan for Economic Success
– Goal 5: Are we prepared to meet the workforce needs of Fairfax County?
 Create an initial inventory of workforce development, training, and
education programs offered regionally
– Focus on the occupations called out in Dr Fuller report of 23 Oct 2014
 Today: Provide a summary of the information gathered as part of the
initial inventory with recommendations
2

3. Outline
 Acknowledgements
 Methodology
 Findings
 Recommendations
 Action Steps
 Backup Slides
– Alliance for Quality Career Pathways Framework
– Existing on-line portals with regional job data
– Recent Virginia Legislation on Workforce
– Top 25 degrees awarded at George Mason University
– Top 25 degrees awarded at Northern Virginia Community College
– Career and Technical Education Certification results at Fairfax County Public
Schools
3

4. Acknowledgements
 Many thanks to all who provided valuable data, insights, and support
• Adult Community Education (ACE) of Fairfax
County Public Schools (FCPS)
• Career and Technical Education (CTE), FCPS
• Community College Workforce Alliance
• Cornerstones
• CustomInk
• Dominion
• Grace Ministries
• Fairfax Chamber of Commerce
• Fairfax County Department of Family
Services
• Heavy Construction Contractors Association
(HCCA)
• NoVaHealthFORCE
• Northern Virginia Family Service
(NVFS)
• Northern Virginia Community College
(NVCC)
• Northern Virginia Health Foundation
• Northern Virginia Regional Commission
• Northern Virginia Technology Council
• Northern Virginia Workforce Investment
Board (NVWIB)
• RBC Wealth Management
• The Commonwealth Institute
• Virginia Community College System
(VCCS)
• Washington Area New Automobile
Dealer Association (WANADA)
4

5. Methodology
 Created list of High Demand Occupations
– Based on CRA report, The Driving Forces Behind Fairfax County’s Future
Growth, Dr. Fuller, Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, October 23, 2014
– Added specific occupations from research and industry input1
 Reviewed existing regional programs supporting the identified high
demand occupations2
– Utilized on-line resources and individual discussions with experts to obtain
program information on FCPS, ACE, NVCC, GMU, and NVWIB approved listing3
– Reviewed programs for entry level occupations for both youth and adult
 Results/Data Challenges
– Correlation of certs/training offered to specific occupation (More than 1 cert for
some occupations or one certification may track to multiple occupations)
– Data on program completion rates is reported differently by providers
– Current and projected demand for given occupation can vary widely from labor
data and existing industry concern
– Limited information on linkage between local provider and local employment
5

6. Everyone Wants Workforce to Succeed
 Workforce is a hot topic:
– Career pathways to outline required skill sets
– Training programs seeking industry insight – advisory councils abound!
– Funding efforts – new funds for certifications, new grant oooprtunities
 Workforce programs on-going across the spectrum
– National Programs… TechHIRE, Programs for Vets, Dept of Ed
– State Programs… VCCS, Sec of Commerce and Education, Governor/Legislation
– Local Programs… NVCC, Skill Source Group, Nonprofits, For Profits, Industry,
Chambers, NVTC
 Concern: Widespread awareness of existing efforts is lacking -- no
central repository for dissemination of information
– More awareness would allow better leverage of existing resources
6

7. Inward Focus of Providers
 Much of the great work (and data collection) by providers focuses on
program output for their particular mission
– How many high school students proceed to college?
– How many degrees and/or certifications are awarded at what level?
– Assess capacity increase based on how many people enrolled in a given program
 Program output does not track strategic workforce issues
– Of the high school students that did not proceed to college, how many gained
employment within 6 months and in what field?
– For each type of completion (Computer Science, Pharmacy Tech, Psychology),
what percentage found relevant entry level work within 6 months?
– Assess capacity increase based on which programs have most successful ratio of
hiring success
– Average wage placement?
7

8. What is “Demand”?
 Lots of labor data available via public resources (current/projected)
– Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) Community Profiles
– State Council of Higher Education Virginia (SCHEV)
– Center for Regional Analysis and other research studies
 Industry statements and study of job boards provide conflicting
picture of existing and projected needs
– High demand for living wage jobs in welding, heavy construction, electricians
– Emphasis on 2-year nursing degree declining; BSN new focus
 Lacking strong communication channels between industry and
providers to bring clarity
8

9. High Demand Occupations
CRA Report (Fairfax)1
• Software Developer, Apps
• Computer System Analyst
• Software Developer, Syst
• Computer Support Spec
• Customer Service Reps
• Secretaries/Admin Asst
• Bookkeeper
• Office Clerks
• Management Analyst
• Market Research Analyst
• Accountants/Auditors
• Registered Nurse
• Home Health Aide
• Nursing Assistant
• Medical Assistant
9
VA Wizard (Fairfax) 2
• Electricians
• Computer Support Specialist
• Maintenance/Repair Worker
• Supervisor: Construction
• Supervisor: Office/Admin
• Customer Service Reps
• Plumbers and Pipefitters
• Auto Service Technicians
• Telecom Equip Installers
• Supervisor: Maintenance
VEC (LWIA XI/XII) 3
• Information Security
• Personal Care Aides
• Interpreters
• Dental Assistant
• Dental Hygienist
• Home Health Aides
• Medical Secretary
• Physical Therapist
• Medical/Lab Techs
Virginia Skills Distribution in 20184:
High 36%, Middle 44%, Low 20%

10. Pipeline Gaps Unclear
 In general, local training available for most high demand occupations
– Lots of STEM efforts underway, less clear on correlation
– FCPS has robust introductory trades program, but many high schoolers are taking
the class for awareness versus career focus
 In some cases, capacity does not seem to meet demand or no clear
mapping of courses to career
– Classes exist in welding and auto tech, but low throughput
– Construction & Sales are largely on-the-job training
 Local training NOT available for some occupations
– Telecom and electrical equipment installers
 Pipeline “leaks” vary depending on occupation/industry
– Few applicants? Applicants technically unqualified? Applicant employability?
– Gap between training/certification and entry level requirements?
10

11. Supply/Demand Examples
11
Field FCPS/ACE NVCC GMU Demand
Business/
Finance
~250 ~1271 ~300 ~2000
Computer ~655 ~479 ~390 ~2500
Nursing ~800 175 204 ~120 (BSN)
Welders ~27 5 0 100/Dominion
300/Peninsula
Construction ? ? ? 2,000/MGM

12. Positive Pipeline Models
 NoVaHealthFORCE
– 7 health care employers, 5 education providers, -- advised by CEO Roundtable
that meets 2x/year, facilitated by NVWIB and NVCC.
– Funded through Virginia General Assembly Nursing Grant: $2.7 million plus
$2.7M employer funds since 2006
– 33% increase in region-wide nursing admissions and 56% increase in number of
nursing graduates since 2006
 Virginia Peninsula Career Pathways
– Driven by Newport News Shipbuilding (Hunter-Ingalls) to ramp up recruiting and
training due to large number of projected retirements
– Comprehensive inventory of manufacturing careers with 14 companies, public
schools, and community partners
– Focus on re-engineering/expanding career pathways to meet the demand for a
highly qualified technical workforce in high demand jobs.
– Grant funding from National Science Foundation and Ford Foundation
12

13. Recommendations
 Promote awareness of workforce needs & high demand occupations
– Utilize career pathways to connect training with job awareness
– Market high demand occupations to everyone: parents, youth, guidance
counselors, career transitions, immigrant populations, nonprofit programs
– Share resources with industry and encourage/facilitate connections to leverage
and support help across the pipeline versus individual sectors
 Facilitate industry-led pipeline teams to build collaborative solutions
– Identify pipeline leaks and implement solutions across sectors
– Expand methods/models of delivery to best serve multiple workforce segments
– Streamline process for private sector to engage training providers
• Identify necessary skills; establish workforce experience opportunities
– Current legislation calls this to urgency – requires industry lead/funds
 Develop measurable metrics to support planning/resource allocation
– Regional collaboration on data collection and analysis in a unified framework
– Include data on credentials achieved, employment results, wages received, and
professional mobility to assess effectiveness of training programs
13

14. Actions Moving Forward
 Regional Efforts – Should We?
– Combine efforts to host one cross-sector forum to collaborate
– Identify champions for high priority sectors and initiate pipeline teams
– Leverage existing career tools among providers/industry/population across
the entire region
 Fairfax County Public Sector – How?
– Develop OJT/internships for high demand openings in our workforce
– Promote awareness of opportunities for training/employment in high
demand occupations among providers/industry/population
– Facilitate small scale pipeline partnerships between industry with entry
level jobs and nonprofits with clients needing jobs
• Apply for WIOA funding for employment readiness training
14

15. Office of Public Private Partnerships
www.fairfaxcountypartnerships.org
Fairfax County
www.fairfaxcounty.gov
Contact: Patti Stevens
Patricia.Stevens@fairfaxcounty.gov
703-324-5171
15

16. 16
Department of Labor: Six Key Elements

17. Virginia Tools to Leverage
 Existing On-line Portals with regional job data
– VA Wizard (VCCS Foundation)
• Provides job seeker information on high demand jobs, skills needed, training available,
local companies with that occupation, and costs of training
– VAWorkConnect.com (Virginia Employment Commission)
• Robust list of regional jobs, associated job training as well as links to
community, financial, and unemployment services
– Career Clusters (VA Department of Education)
• Robust career planning tool for students, parents, guidance counselors
– Training providers directory (NVWIB)
• Online tool listing providers and programs with workforce training that are approved for
WIB Individual Training Vouchers. Includes public providers such as NVCC ad GMU, as
well as multiple non-profit and private providers
– Dream It. Do It. Virginia. (Manufacturing Skills Institute)
• Features advanced manufacturing, but lists 943 occupations across all fields.
• Provides job seeker info to explore careers & find training. Contains job board for all
occupations as well as sophisticated student loan budgeting tool
– Skills to Succeed Inventory (Ford Foundation/VCCS)
• Identifies high demand skills and programs that meet those needs
– Community/Regional Profiles (VEC)
• Robust labor data including largest companies, largest % jobs, etc17

18. Legislation – workforce focus
 Governor’s Virginia Economy Workforce Initiative providing strong
guidance to align local supply to meet employer demand through
career pathways and training solutions
– Creating WIOA-led state and local structures to identify and prioritize credentials
most needed
– Developing tools to track attainment of those credentials
– Source: EO 23, EO 26, HB 1986/SB 1372, HB 2033
 State Budget supports these initiatives
– Non-credit certification training: financial aid programs for people pursuing high
demand certifications; piloting at six state community colleges
– Business-led workforce solutions: provides grants to business-driven consortia to
develop or expand workforce solutions such as sector strategies, career
pathways, apprenticeships, and incumbent training. Private sector match required
for grant eligibility.
18

19. 19
Program Total % of Total
Psychology, General (42.0101) 361 7%
Accounting (52.0301) 270 5%
Biology/Biological Sciences, General (26.0101) 268 5%
Information Technology (11.0103) 261 5%
Criminal Justice/Police Science (43.0107) 254 5%
Rhetoric and Composition (23.1304) 244 5%
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (51.3801) 204 4%
International Relations and Affairs (45.0901) 198 4%
Political Science and Government, Other (45.1099) 190 4%
Business Administration and Management, General 184 4%
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and 179 4%
Finance, General (52.0801) 173 3%
Economics, General (45.0601) 164 3%
English Language and Literature, General (23.0101) 136 3%
Visual and Performing Arts, General (50.0101) 130 3%
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, 125 3%
History, General (54.0101) 113 2%
Health Teacher Education (13.1307) 108 2%
Community Health and Preventive Medicine (51.2208) 103 2%
Marketing/Marketing Management, General (52.1401) 83 2%
Computer and Information Sciences, General (11.0101) 76 2%
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (30.0501) 74 1%
Civil Engineering, General (14.0801) 66 1%
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies (24.0101) 64 1%
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 63 1%
Top 25 degrees at GMU (2014)

20. 20
Top 25 degrees at NVCC (2014)
Program Total % of Total
General Studies (24.0102) 1,486 20%
Business Administration and Management, General (52.0201) 1,004 14%
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other (24.0199) 822 11%
Social Sciences, General (45.0101) 614 8%
Humanities/Humanistic Studies (24.0103) 439 6%
Biological and Physical Sciences (30.0101) 371 5%
Information Technology (11.0103) 311 4%
Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other (52.0299) 266 4%
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (51.3801) 175 2%
Engineering, General (14.0101) 151 2%
Child Care Provider/Assistant (19.0709) 150 2%
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration (43.0103) 137 2%
Computer Science (11.0701) 117 2%
Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) (51.0904) 116 2%
Accounting and Related Services, Other (52.0399) 116 2%
Computer and Information Sciences, General (11.0101) 114 2%
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician
(47.0201)
81 1%
Visual and Performing Arts, General (50.0101) 60 1%
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician (47.0604) 55 1%
Electrical, Electronic and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician (15.0303) 54 1%
Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant (51.0808) 49 1%
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician (51.1004) 43 1%
Legal Assistant/Paralegal (22.0302) 39 1%
Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer (51.0911) 36 0%
Dental Hygiene/Hygienist (51.0602) 32 0%