Economic and Workforce Development Collaborative Approaches to Address Employer Needs

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Economic and Workforce Development -
Collaborative Approaches to Address Employer Needs

• Judith K. Resnick
• Connecticut Business Industry Association
• July 10, 2002

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• CTs statewide business association with
  10,000 members supporting the states business
  community through
• Governmental Affairs, Legislative and public
  policy support
• Economic and business information
• Support Services - HR information, training and
  consulting
• Products - insurance, energy, recruitment

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Education Foundation - helping to promote the
  development of CTs workforce through education
  and training
• K-12 School/Education Reform - STC, skill
  standards, technology innovation
• Workforce Development - CBTN, Employer Services,
  Hitachi, higher education linkages

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• CBIA Partnerships in Workforce and Economic
  Development
• U.S. DOL Incumbent/Dislocated Worker Skill
  Shortage Demonstration Grant
• Hitachi Making Work Work Work Grant
• CT Business Training Networks - DECD
• Capital Region Workforce Development Board -
  Employer Services
• NAM Retention/Advancement Demonstration Project

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Connecting economic and workforce development
  the context
• Primary goal in economic development practice
  create and retain jobs
• Traditional Economic Development Tool Kit
  location services, tax incentives, permitting,
  grants and loans, etc.
• Traditional approaches building positive
  perceptions through marketing incentives to
  offset location and cost disadvantages

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• The Context (continued)
• CHANGE from 1995 era lingering concerns re
  recession
• CHANGE to limited site locations and tight
  labor market and/or skill shortages
• Key concerns - availability, skills and quality
  of workforce match needs of business?

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Workforce development is now a prominent element
  in economic development policy
• As site locations become scarce,business costs
  become more competitive, and unemployment remains
  low, workforce is seen as a key component in
  economic development deals
• Workforce development now a powerful tool to
  attract/retain business a deal maker

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• U.S. DOL Incumbent/Dislocated Worker
  Demonstration Grant
• Skill Shortage Grant
• 2.2m - train 500 incumbent workers, 120
  dislocated workers
• Sectoral Focus Precision Manufacturing and
  Photonics/Telecommunications
• 22 Company Partners - include PW, JDS Uniphase,
  Trumpf, Hamilton Sunstrand

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Other Partners
• CRT Manager of One Stop
• Capital Region Workforce Development Board
• Higher Education - 4 community colleges
• CT Tooling and Machining Association

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• CT Business Training Networks
• 125 contract with CT Depart. of Economic and
  Community Development as part of states Industry
  Cluster Program
• Create industry driven training and education
  system
• Manage grant program to establish training
  networks of 5 or more small/mid size companies
• Marketing, development, technical assistance to
  training networks and industry clusters

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Eleven training networks established
• 5 manufacturing networks (metals, springs, metal
  finishing, electronics)
• 3 IT networks
• Retail/wholesale (ICIC)
• Automotive
• Bio-Science

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Partners
• Economic Development Associations
• Chambers of Commerce
• Colleges and universities
• Workforce Investment Boards
• Trade Associations

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Sub-contract with CRT, manager of Capital Region
  One-Stop
• 208 K contract to link employers to WIA and
  state workforce development system
• Sector Based Account Representative system
  (manufacturing, financial services/IT, health
  care)
• Outreach to employers in 30 town region

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Partners
• Capital Region Workforce Development Board
• Community Renewal Team (CRT)
• Capital Region Education Council (CREC)
• Community Colleges
• CT Department of Labor
• Local economic development organizations

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Services Provided
• Account representative system - sector focus
• Facilitation of labor exchange recruitment,
• Rapid Response representation for company
  lay-offs
• Assistance with identification of training needs
• Brokering of information and services
• Job Profiling

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Lessons learned
• Leverage existing relationships
• Develop relationships with local/state ED
  organizations (join, show up, invite them in,
  educate everyone re mission, roles)
• Build alliances with others that have
  complimentary/key products and services No one
  can do it all! Stick to your knitting!
• Employer Associations as intermediaries-
  credibility, track record in representing and
  meeting the needs of business

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Economic and Workforce Development Promoting
Collaborative Approaches

• Lessons Learned (continued)
• ED/WD Collaborations allow labor market/sectoral
  information to be shared - everyone working from
  the same page!
• Collaboration leverages and influence
• Collaboration is more efficient (messages are
  delivered once, extra hands to help)
• Be sure that your business processes are user
  friendly (run like a business)