Driving Innovation to Position Maryland in a Nationally

Driving Innovation to Position Maryland in a Nationally Competitive Funding Environment Friday, September 23, 2011

Mary Alice Mc. Carthy, Workforce Analyst Office of Workforce Investment Division of Adult Services Employment and Training Administration (ETA) United States Department of Labor (USDOL)

n By June 2012, increase by 10 percent the number of people who receive training and attain a degree or certificate through the following programs: • Workforce Investment Act (WIA) adult, dislocated worker, and youth • National Emergency Grants (NEG) • Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)

Why Credentials

Career Pathways and Credentials Baccalaureate Degree Career Pathways have the goal of increasing an individual’s educational and skills attainment and employment outcomes. Career Pathway Programs are a clear sequence of education coursework and/or training credentials that include several key components.

What Do We Mean by Career Pathways? Ø Are aligned with the skill needs of regional industries; Baccalaureate Degree Ø Include secondary, adult education, and postsecondary education options; Ø Include curricular and instructional strategies that contextualize learning; Ø As appropriate, integrate education and training that combines occupational skills training with adult education services, give credit for prior learning, and accelerate advancement; Ø Lead to the attainment of an industry-recognized degree or credential; Ø Include academic and career counseling, and support services; Ø Are organized to meet the particular needs of adults, with flexible and non-semester-based scheduling, and the innovative use of technology

The Career Pathways TA Initiative n Joint DOL-DOEd-HHS Effort Baccalaureate Degree • (ETA/OVAE/ACF) n n 9 States and 2 Tribal Entitie State/Local, Cross-Agency Teams • Workforce, ABE, Community Colleges, TANF, CBOs • And Employers! n Focus on Building Partnerships and Shared Vision

Career Pathways Six Key Elements Framework Baccalaureate Degree

Career Pathways Six Key Elements Goals Baccalaureate Degree

On-Going Efforts to Support Career Pathways and Credential Attainment n n Baccalaureate TAACCCT: Building the capacity of community colleges and partners to Degree serve adult learners and job-seekers The Workforce Innovation Fund: Supporting innovative services delivery strategies and the systems change necessary to support, sustain and scale those strategies. Specifically, the WIF will invest in strategies that: • • • n Deliver services more efficiently and achieve better outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations and dislocated workers; Support both system reforms and innovations that facilitate cooperation across programs and funding streams in the delivery of services to jobseekers, youth, and employers; and Emphasize building knowledge about effective practices through rigorous evaluation and translating “lessons learned” into improved labor market outcomes and increased cost efficiency in the broader workforce system. Joint Guidance/Definitions

Minnesota Fast. TRAC Adult Career Pathways Baccalaureate Degree Judy Mortrude, State Program Administrator Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

Minnesota’s Skills Gap Baccalaureate Degree

Baccalaureate Degree “Nothing is more important to our economic future than matching worker skills to employer needs. ” – Ellen S. Alberding, President, Joyce Foundation www. SHIFTING-GEARS. ORG

2008 -2009 2010 -2011 2012 - • Incent partners to work together • Adult Basic Education (ABE) bridges to Continuing Ed Training; industry-recognized credentials without college credits • Full cost model • Partners create effective programming models, experience success, and seek to sustain and broaden • ABE bridge programs linked to integrated Career Tech Education (CTE); industryrecognized credentials w/ college credits that build into career pathways • Encouraged leveraging of funds • Baccalaureate Degree Transformative, systemic, sustainable programs that impact education and workforce development • ABE bridges to CTE credit certificates to longer career pathways in colleges • Repurpose percentage of partner funds to create sustainable base funding for Fast. TRAC adult career pathways

Adult Career Pathways Baccalaureate Degree

Integrated Instruction Example – Medical Office Career Pathway Facilitate project, coordinate progress meeting, provide technical support & networking Ensure bridge course connects; support integrated course Guide course development and implementation Recruit learners, Baccalaureate provide funding, Degree host internships Central Point of Contact Recruit learners, provide funding and support services

Baccalaureate Degree Trudy Chara, Innovation and Programs Manager Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning

Career Pathways Upper Shore as the Model n DLLR built 2 teams: Baccalaureate Degree Planning Team & Policy Team • Planning Team with necessary partners and local focus helped build a local model • Policy Team with state reps will address broader policy issues n n Attended DOL Institutes and wrote plan Conducted in-house Labor Shed Analysis Facilitated integrate career development into ABE/GED/ESL course offerings Conducted a CNA pilot program

Critical Components n n n Baccalaureate Build Local Implementation Team and a State Policy Degree Team Labor Shed Analysis and Employer Validation Drove Program Decisions Build comprehensive strategies including: • Bridge programs to support transition from one step to the next • Build programs that lead to industry certifications • Stackable Credentialing result in pathways out of poverty

Upper Shore’s Career Pathways Process: What We Learned n n n Baccalaureate Putting the right team together Degree Building a common language & understanding of each programs goals and measures Program priorities were identified by Labor Shed Analysis (data driven decision making) Career development could be integrated into ABE/GED/ESL course offerings at no cost Visits to other programs changed the result Bridge programs are critical

Continuing Challenges n n n $$$s Braiding funding - conflicting performance measures by funding title Identifying industry certifications and building pathways around them Stacking credentials Identifying multiple Career Pathways beyond Healthcare Baccalaureate Degree