Sustainability and Impact Virtual Policy Academy Webinar 3 of 4

Presenters

Lindsey WoolseyCorporation for a Skilled Workforce

Erin AndrewNGA Center for Best Practices

Jim TorrensNational Network of Sector Partners

Rebekah LashmanCommonwealth Corporation

Remaining Webinar

Discussion Forum – Selected Topics in Sector StrategiesThursday, September 17, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern

Sustainability: Why Now?

• “Build it to last.”• “Begin with the end in mind.”• “If you wait, it’ll be too late.”

Sustainability Challenges

• Change of administration or state leadership• Change in funding environment• Change in economy and labor market• Loss of champions or other key support• Change in capacity of regional partners• Short attention spans

For Today

Evaluation of Sector Strategies: What We Know Matters to States

Impact on Jobseekers and Workers•Increased availability of good jobs•Improved working conditions•Expanded work supports•Increased opportunities for education and training for high-demand occupations•Increased employment and wage gains

Impact on Employers and Industry•Shared costs and risks •Increased availability of skills training•Guidance on ways to improve human resource practices•Reduced turnover

Effectiveness of the Partnership•The right partners “at the table”•Industry challenges identified•Appropriate solutions designed/implemented•Plan of action, road map, goals and outcomes•Partners agree the Partnership is valuable•New and leveraged funding

Systems Change•Changes in how education, workforce, economic development and employers work together•New social and business supports •Changes in public policy •Changes in employer practices

9Two Notes: 1) NGA White Paper and Evaluation Framework offers full detailed discussion on these categories; 2) a 5th category of growing interest is “impact on community” (such as reduced poverty/unemployment)

Is There One Formula for Evaluation?

First, can we fairly compare outcomes? Consider . . .

• Over 1,000 healthcare service workers trained every year by a metropolitan sector partnership

• About 130 students per year trained and placed in employment by a solar installation sector partnership

• 3 Journeyman apprentices supplied to Grand Coulee Dam as a result of a Power Generation partnership

Second, do we assume training outcomes? Consider . . .

• A small manufacturing sector partnership that focuses on career awareness

• Or an energy partnership that develops skills standards (that can be used to develop training) but that primarily is valuable to align titles and HR selection criteria across employers

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No single formula, but there are templates to capture some consistentdata across partnerships.

From Washington State

PA INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009*

Category of Impact Describe Activity Impact?Incumbent Worker Training e.g. new/revised curriculum or new credentials based

on industry needs

Organizational Effectiveness (of the workplace/business)

e.g. mentorships, management training, career pathways, support svces, case management

Building the Pipeline e.g. career awareness, job shadowing, internships, outreach to special populations

Influencing Regional Institutions e.g. changes by lwib, one-stops, post-secondary, k-12, business associations, labor orgs, CBOs, econ. dev.

Governance, Collaboration & Sustainability (of the IP)

e.g. core competencies such as industry analysis, capacity building, planning, coordinating, implementing, self-evaluating their business impact

Annual Report also includes requests for 1) testimonials; 2) greatest success; and 3) greatest challenge

From Pennsylvania

*Note: Adapted and condensed from 7-page 08-09 Annual Report Template – PA

Overview: Pennsylvania’s Workforce Development system is increasingly focused on promoting Industry Partnerships (IPs), a key institutional innovation for meeting the skills needs of businesses, the career goals of workers and the economic development goals of the commonwealth. To help improve the effectiveness of IPs, the Department of Labor and Industry requires each IP to complete an Annual Report, also known as the High Performance Standards for Industry Partnerships.

Annual Report August 2009*Purpose: To provide an opportunity for each project to reflect on its progress toward meeting its goals and sharewhat is learned with Commonwealth Corporation. These reports offer a means to learn more about how projects areunfolding - both at the level of individual projects and across the WCTF initiative.

From Massachusetts

Category of Performance Type of Information Requested

Part I: Quarterly Update Describe activities during last Qtr, successes, innovations, challenges, next steps

Part II: Program Goals (of jobseeker or worker participants)

# participants; # un-/underemployed; # incumbent; # completers; # new credentials; # wage increase; other

On Track? Y/NWill reach goal when?

Part III: Outreach, Recruitment and Selection (of participants)

Describe any successes/challenges, changes you plan to make within each area. On scale of 1-5, rate your success with each.

Part IV: Training How are providers selected? How do they participate? Please provide your assessment of training to date. What changes will you make?

Part V: Participant Supports What types of supports do your participants need (paid release time, coaching, case management, tutoring, childcare, etc)? Describe challenges and changes.

Part VI: Partnership List partners, their roles and indicate in which types of activities they participate. Describe benefits for partners, challenges, future partner contributions.

Part VII & VIII: Employer Engagement and Biz Impact

How are employers involved? Is engagement low, medium or high? Using the “Getting Started” plan, what baseline and impact data do you have?

Part IX: Products of Project Describe progress on contractual deliverables. Describe other products such as new curriculum, new certificate program, new partnerships, others.

*Note: Adapted and condensed from 10-page WCTF – Annual Report, Round Two, Year 1, August 2009

Some Evaluation ResourcesEvaluations of Sector Initiatives

Targeting Industries, Training Workers, and Improving Opportunities: Final Report of the Sectoral Employment Initiative, Public-Private Ventures, 2008: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/263_publication.pdf

 BEST (Building Essential Skills through Training) Benefits: Employer Perspectives, Volume 2, Issue 4, Research and Evaluation Brief,

Commonwealth Corporation, 2004: http://www.commcorp.org/researchandevaluation/pdf/ResearchBrief2-04.pdf

Benefits of a Sector-Based Approach, Volume 2, Issue 3, Research and Evaluation Brief, Commonwealth Corporation, 2004: http://www.commcorp.org/researchandevaluation/pdf/ResearchBrief2-03.pdf

Performance and Evaluation Models for Sector Initiatives

An Evaluation Framework for State Sector Strategies, product of 11-state project of the National Governors Association, The Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and the National Network of Sector Partnerships, 2008: http://www.sectorstrategies.org/system/files/EvaluationFrameworkWhitePaper.pdf

 Evaluating Industry Skill Panels: A Model Framework, Commissioned by the Washington State Workforce

Education and Training Coordinating Board, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce with the Paros Group, June 2008: http://www.wtb.wa.gov/Documents/2008SkillPanelEvaluationReport.pdf

 Business Value Assessment for Workforce Development Organizations: Handbook. The Aspen Institute –

Workforce Strategies Initiative, 2005: http://www.aspenwsi.org/BVA/BVA_HAND11-22FINAL.pdf

Question: Rebekah, the annual report example from MA shows how regional partnerships can track important benchmarks and progress. Can you give us the snapshot of what else you do at the state level to supplement this?

Questions for You• If you had to sit down now

and outline benchmarks for your sector strategies, what would they look like? (Or if you’ve begun this work, what do they look like?)– How will you help regional

partnerships benchmark and share success?

– How will you share your sector strategy success at a statewide level?

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What Capacity?

• State-level: understanding sector strategies• Regional level:

– Understanding the sector model– Using data to drive decision-making– Functioning as a workforce intermediary– Convening and building effective partnerships– Communications and marketing– Sharing information and best practices

Capacity-Building Activities

• Training for state-level team• Up-front training for regional partners• Ongoing technical assistance and training for

regional partners• Information and data resources• Dedicated staff• Platform for sharing information and best

practices

PA: Industry Partnerships

Industry Partnerships in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Workforce Development

Question: Rebekah, what has Massachusetts done to build the capacity of regional partners? How do you see these efforts as fitting into the sustainability and growth of your state sector strategy?

Question: Adam, what is Montana doing to help state agency leadership understand the sector strategy framework?

Questions for You• Where do you see capacity-

building as most needed in your state?

• What issues arise for you as you consider building capacity-building of your partners?

• What have you done already? What do you plan?

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Messaging : The Role of States in Promoting Sector Strategies

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SECTOR STRATEGIES

Dev

elop

and

Com

mun

icat

e

Brand

Leverage

• Develop and Communicate: State partners should collaborate to develop and communicate a succinct message to promote their sector strategies

• Brand: States should brand their sector strategy, either by itself or as part of a broader competitiveness strategy

• Leverage: States should assist in leveraging and maximizing local/regional marketing resources

It is Important for States to Message their Sector Strategies

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• Why

• How

• Who

From Michigan, Massachusetts and Georgia

From Oklahoma – Grow Oklahoma Marketing Boards

Top 9 Steps: How to Best Design Promotional Tactics

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1. Differentiate sector strategies from other things

2. Keep the end in mind3. Gather and use outcome and impact data to

support your message4. Focus on “telling the story”5. Do not wait to begin messaging

Top 9: How to Best Design Promotional Tactics

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6. Differentiate your messages to the various constituencies

7. Leverage limited resources and minimize duplication

8. Use lessons learned and case studies to promote your strategy

9. Maximize the use of e-communication

Long-Term Planning: Winning Legislative Support

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Engage BusinessEngage Business

• Engage business champions and advocates to support legislative efforts

• Engagement should begin before the legislative planning process, but can occur during it

• Examples

- Pennsylvania

- Massachusetts

Embed in State StatuteEmbed in State Statute

Include in State FundingInclude in State Funding

• Work with the legislature and the Governor’s Office to imbed sector strategies into various pieces of legislation

• Examples

- Pennsylvania

- Washington State

• Include sector strategies in state funding legislation and budget processes

• This should occur during the budget planning process

Top 4: How to Best Win Legislative Support

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1. Use national attention to your advantage2. Pay attention to the needs of key industries3. Don’t appear to pick winners unless it is to

your advantage4. Utilize major state level sector reports to

leverage resources and legislative support

Question: Brad, Wyoming has done some work to brand and communicate your sector strategy. What have you done, what do you still hope to do, and how do you see it as important for your efforts?

Questions for You• Who are the key audiences

in your state for information about your sector strategy?

• What do they want to know? How will you get them that information?

• What have you done already? What do you plan to do?

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Remaining Webinar

Discussion Forum – Selected Topics in Sector StrategiesThursday, September 17, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern