9/5/20151 minnesota fasttrac from random acts of excellence to strategic system change presentation...
TRANSCRIPT
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Minnesota FastTRAC From Random Acts of Excellence to Strategic System
Change
Presentation to the Governor’s Workforce Development Council
Inez Wildwood, Chair, MN FastTRAC Systems Leadership TeamKathy Sweeney, DEED
Linda Lade, MnSCU
May 14, 2009
Agenda
Thank you for your leadership Review of the workforce challenges and the
FastTRAC solutions to date Identify emerging opportunities with the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Ask for your continued input and support
individually and collectively. We would like to meet with you or your reps in one month to review our emerging proposal for additional Joyce Foundation investments.
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Joyce Foundation provided a “big picture” of Minnesota’s opportunities for improvement and a willingness to partner for solutions
Joyce Foundation’s 2006 analysis and observations ofMinnesota’s priority needs; Minnesota should improve student transitions to credit-
bearing postsecondary programs from such areas as developmental (college remedial) education, adult basic education, and English literacy.
Define cross cutting adult and postsecondary education, workforce education, economic development, and human services goals and accountability measures for the advancement of low-skilled adult workers and improve data capacity to track student transitions within education and in the labor market.
Joyce Foundation investments; 2007 planning grant to Minnesota 1/07 - 6/08 (GWDC) 2008 implementation grant to Minnesota 8/08 - 12/09
(MnSCU and ABE leads, DEED staffing ) Minnesota invited to apply for an additional 2-year
implementation (2010-2011)
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Minnesota’s Workforce Challenges 2009
Reduced K-12 population after 2008 means that improving high school student educational attainment is not sufficient to solve today and tomorrow’s workforce and skill shortages
Today’s population of adults over 25 represents 2/3 of the 2020 workforce
Current unemployment and underemployment of rising percentage of Minnesota’s workforce
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Adult Minnesotan’s Occupational Preparation needs Improvement for Today’s Global Economy Current “in demand occupations” require a
high school diploma plus additional postsecondary occupational credentials…this trend will continue to grow
Twenty to sixty percent of Minnesota adults lack the functional literacy skills to be accepted into postsecondary educational programs
Inadequate educational and occupational skill preparation is a major cause of low wages and stagnant income for individuals and their families
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Educational Data; Adults in Minnesota(age 18-64*)
659,505 of the 3.2 million in the Minnesota workforce are underprepared for occupational success (1 in 5)
61,327 speak little or no English 251,210 have not completed high school (or
equivalent)
346,968 are not prepared for college or skilled work: High School diploma only, in families earning less than a living wage (not ESL)
* Center for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and National Center for Higher Education Management Systems
Minnesota FastTRAC
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Exclusive Categories
Note: Incarcerated population not separated out. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 ACS; PUMS
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FastTRAC Focus Population
Low-wage/educationally underprepared workers who are unable to compete for better jobs
Twenty percent of Minnesota’s labor force are significantly underprepared educationally
unemployed or underemployed low-income/wages lacking basic and technical skills for
competitive employment native and non-native English speakers
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Key data on Minnesota’s Adult Occupational Education and Training Systems
Three out of every four WorkForce Center (WFC) customers (universal and program enrollees) lack postsecondary occupational credentials
ABE will serve more than 75,000 adults this year; 12% of the eligible ABE population
Only 1 in 12 ABE completers go on to Higher Education
Demand for adult training services has increased significantly in WFC, ABE and MnSCU in the last six months
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Challenges Identified - MN FastTRAC
Program eligibility limitations:• Narrowly-focused workforce training dollars• Financial aid requirements and family/school/financial
constraints limit access to higher education• Limited alignment between ABE, higher education
and occupational training create a “silo” effect and are inefficient
Labor market information (skill and demand):• Shortcomings limit the communication of supply and
demand info to those involved (employers, intermediaries, and employed/unemployed workers)
Barriers to sharing and managing information:• Compartmentalized management
information systems (ABE, Higher Ed., Workforce)
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Minnesota FastTRAC Partners and Investors
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities-Office of the Chancellor (OOC) and MN Department of Education-Adult Basic Education (ABE) are the co-leads
Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) provides staffing
Governor’s Workforce Development Council (GWDC) provided start up leadership
Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Higher Education (OHE) Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) Community-based organizations Employers WorkForce Centers, Workforce Service Areas, ABE
providers, other frontline service providers Joyce Foundation
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MN FastTRAC Goals 2007- 2009
Create a state-level “stackable credentials” education and training framework for low-wage, educationally underprepared adults that integrates Adult Basic Education, occupational training, postsecondary degrees and certificate programs.
A framework provides Minnesotans access to a seamless educational system with pathways to many options
A framework enables the acquisition, recognition and portability of credentials (e.g., certificates, diplomas and degree) across education and training systems.
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Elements of FastTRAC Approach
Accelerated educational programming Career pathway development Multi-level, industry-recognized credentials Contextualized and competency-based curricula Bridge programming Flexible entry points Connections with regional demand-driven job
needs Support services specific to adult students Comprehensive student records which travel with
the student Apprenticeships, on the job training, etc. Credit for prior learning
Emerging FastTRAC Opportunities in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) $4 Billion for workforce development has been committed by the Obama
administration and the U.S. Congress (54% of ARRA created positions require at least a postsecondary credential)
The President and Congressional Leadership are using their “bully pulpits” to urge Americans to get at least one year of postsecondary education and to use any periods of unemployment to re-skill themselves
DEED leadership under Bonnie Elsey has already made commitments to use $2 million of ARRA funds to invest in additional FastTRAC work this year. $1.5 million has already been made available to local WIBs in Minnesota and another $.5 million will be available through competitive proposals in another month. DEED leadership has also put new policies in place to require WIBs to purchase skill training which incorporates the Fast TRAC approach
MnSCU leadership under Linda Baer is supporting a systemwide coordinated rapid response to the workforce training investments of the ARRA as well as to dislocated workers training needs.
ABE Leadership under Barry Shaffer has increased their support of referrals from WorkForce Centers for training services for persons who need basic computer skill training.
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More Information
For more information on the MinnesotaFastTRAC initiative, www.cte.mnscu.edu
For more information on additional DEED initiatives,www.deed.state.mn.us/workforce/prosperity
For more information on additional MnSCU initiatives,www.stimulusprojectmnscu.edu
Contacts:Mary Schmidt, [email protected] Anne Marie Leland, [email protected] Sweeney, [email protected]
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FastTRAC Policy Agenda Continues to Evolve FastTRAC’s state teams develop policy agenda and action
plan - Systems Leadership Team- Stackable Credentials Team- Student Support Services Team- Data and Information Team
Seven incubators test innovations in bridge programming and student support services for adults to inform policy agenda
Related MN initiatives influence policy agenda- Educational Training Collaboratives - Perkins- NGA Sector Academy- ABE Transitions
National and state experience offers lessons- Washington IBEST - Wisconsin RISE- Other Shifting Gears states
Technical assistance from Joyce Foundation
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FastTRAC is Aligned with Federal Stimulus Priorities and Discretionary Funds
FastTRAC is consistent with U.S. Dept. of Labor GuidanceLetter for formula and discretionary WIA funds: Under such a dual-customer approach, seamless career
pathways are developed and offered, and support services and needs-based payments are available, making it far easier for young people and adults, particularly those most in need, to advance and persist through progressive levels of the education and job training system as quickly as possible and gain education and workforce skills of demonstrated value at each level…close alignment with jobs and industries important to local and regional economies [page 3]
To provide career assessments, remedial and occupational training and job search assistance [page 5]
WIA funds may be used for adult education, including basic or English language education…as long as they are provided in connection with occupational skill training. [page 7]
Priority is low income individuals, and ensure that supportive services are made available to support their employment and training needs [page 7]
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Preliminary Recommendations for Embedding FastTRAC Policies into Education and Training Systems
Help fill support service funding gap as supportive services are too restrictive to adequately respond to demand
Be flexible to work with employers and programs for part-time/temporary jobs (“family-supporting wage” may not be realistic in near term) or alternatives while participants wait for jobs
Basic, work-readiness, soft skills training remains priority
Continue to identify industries with entry level jobs and the skills needed
Explore potential roles for Workforce centers, namely: OJT placement, provision of training dollars and support services for eligible participants; making FastTRAC program WIA-eligible
Focus on alignment on assessment, placement and curriculum between ABE and MnSCU occupational skills training opportunities
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Findings for Building the Framework…Regarding Curriculum and Delivery
Short-term (8 hours to 12 weeks per course) Modular Online optionso Hands-on learning that incorporates actual work
tasks, some OJTo Curriculum targets soft skills in combination with
occupational skillso Contextualized learning, vocabularyo Student cohorts (incumbent and new entrants)o Curriculum already availableo Customized Training for trainer options
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Findings for Building the Framework…Impact of the Recession
More applicants, not more qualified applicants (math and reading aptitudes)
more requests/enrollments in ABE more requests for short-term training
Employers have less time to invest in partnership and fewer incumbent workers to send to training
Participants dropping out due to multiple barriers Fewer support service funds available because more
demand for scarce resources Fewer FT manufacturing placements so trainings on
hold; healthcare holding up for time being Longer job-searches
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Findings for Building the Framework… Regarding Program Financing and Sustainability
Temporary funding (grants) is the norm for all programs, both for programming and for student support services
Making connections with ABE helps expand funding base
MJSP is helpful but insufficient (too restrictive as currently administered)
Few examples of MnSCU institution reducing tuition cost
Few examples of employers providing cash (scholarships); tuition reimbursement and in-kind is norm
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Findings for Building the Framework…Regarding Partnerships
Partnerships are organic; a program is about relationships: reaching agreement on who will do what and holding each other accountable
Every incubator had a strong MnSCU institution as a partner (financing/tuition, counseling, facilities, instruction, curriculum development)
Most partnerships had a strong non-profit CBO (who sometimes was also an ABE provider) that focused on support services, outreach to employers, delivering training, among other things
Getting a stronger connection to ABE was most common effort for strengthening the partnership, including additional funding (need to assess ABE role in “basic skills development”, referral and recruitment)
Only one incubator had a WFC at the core or lead partner; WFC/WIBs roles were more typical for referrals, program-eligible supports, and job search assistance
ABE providers in greater MN have part-time staff, limiting ABE availability
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Next Steps for MN FastTRAC
Draw lessons from ETC grantees Draw lessons from ABE and WFC
inventory of coordination/collaboration Monitor FastTRAC Supplement (ARRA
funds) $1.5 million to local WIBs Issue RFP for FastTRAC programming Formulate policy agenda (due July ’09)