Career Pathways: Linking Education, Training, and Careers in Local Communities

California Workforce AssociationYouth ConferenceJanuary 28, 2014

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Welcome & Overview

Vinz KollerDirector of Training and Technical Assistance

Social Policy Research Associates

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Career Pathways Initiative - Partners

U.S. Department of Labor, ETA

U.S. Department of Education, OVAE

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, ACF

Jobs for the Future

Social Policy Research Associates

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Initiative Background - Grantees

Gila River Indian CommunityKansas

KentuckyMaryland

MinnesotaMontana

New MexicoOhio

PennsylvaniaTucson Indian Center

Virginia

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Cross Agency Teams

• Workforce Investment Board• Community College(s)• Adult Basic Education Providers• TANF Providers• Community-Based Organizations

Key Agency Partners: Local Level

• State Workforce Agency• Adult Basic and Postsecondary Education• Economic Development• Human Services

Key Agency Partners: State Level

Technical Assistance Strategy – Team Institutes

· Two Career Pathway Institutes

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Definition of Career Pathways

Career Pathways have the goal of increasing an individual’s educational and skills attainment and employment outcomes while meeting the needs of employers.

Career Pathway Programs are a clear sequence of education coursework and/or training credentials with employer-validated work readiness standards and competencies.

Career Pathways Concepts

Sector Strategy

Stackable Educational/Training Options

Contextualized Learning

Integrated Education & Training

Industry Recognized Credentials

Multiple Entry & Exit Points

Linked/Connected/Blended Learning

Designed for Working Learners

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Implementation Challenges

Partnership challenges• Competing priorities• Rotating team members

Leadership changes• State-level leadership & administration changes• Team leadership changes

Transition to understanding the model• Time to get team member buy-in• Time to clarify goals and starting point

Competing models/measures• Different federal & foundation models• Different performance measures

Why?

For Example: Career Pathways Logic Model

Six Key Elements FrameworkBuild Cross-Agency

Partnerships & Clarify Roles

Identify Sector or Industry & Engage

Employers

Design Education & Training Programs

Identify Funding Needs & Sources

Align Policies & Programs

Measure System Change &

Performance

Career Pathways: Six Key Elements

• Key cross-agency partners at the local and state levels are engaged, agree to a shared vision, and gain support from political leaders. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and formalized.

Build Cross-Agency Partnerships &

Clarify Roles

• Sectors and industries are selected and employers are engaged in the development of career pathways.

Identify Sector or Industry & Engage

Employers

• Career pathway programs provide a clear sequence of education courses and credentials that meet the skill needs of high-demand industries.

Design Education & Training Programs

• Necessary resources are raised and/or leveraged to develop and operate the career pathway system, and education and training programs.

Identify Funding Needs & Sources

• Pursue state and local policy and administrative reforms in order to promote career pathway system development and to support implementation.

Align Policies & Programs

• Assess system-wide change and measure performance outcomes to ensure continuous improvement.

Measure System Change &

Performance

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Technical Assistance Strategy – Customized Tools & Resources

Six Key Elements Framework

Customized Strategic Planning Toolsets

Career Pathways Toolkit

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Technical Assistance Strategy – Community of Practice

https://learnwork.workforce3one.org/page/home

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Technical Assistance Strategy – Webinars

· Career Pathways: What, Why, and How? https://www.workforce3one.org/command/view.aspx?look=5001027448313677241&mode=info&pparams=

· Using Real-Time Labor Market Information to Support Credential Attainment and Career Pathways https://www.workforce3one.org/view/5001107429765257509/info

· Career Pathways TAT Webinar Series: Building Cross-Agency Partnerships https://www.workforce3one.org/command/view.aspx?look=5001104843457641130&mode=info&pparams=

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Practitioner Perspective

Laura CantuExecutive Director

LA Youth Opportunity Movement

Boyle Heights

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LOS ANGELES RECONNECTIONS CAREER ACADEMY (LARCA)

Local Career Pathway Initiatives

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Los Angeles Reconnections Career Academy (LARCA)

· Workforce Innovation Fund - $12 million over a three year period.

· Goal is to serve 1200 youth ages 16-24 high school drop outs cross 6 sites in Los Angeles.

· Career Pathways have been developed in three areas: health care, construction and green technology.

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LARCA

· Youth enrolled in program will – Return to school and complete high school diploma

or GED – Exposed to a career pathway in health care,

construction or green technology leading to stackable and recognized credentials.

– Work Experience

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Career Pathway Readiness Assessment

· All 6 sites completed the Career Pathway Readiness Assessment and Identified the following elements that they needed more support:– Identify Sector and Industry and Engage

Employers– Design Education and Training Programs

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Identify Sector and Industry and Engage Employers

· Identify intermediaries in health care, construction and green technology

· Labor Market Analysis· Identify specific occupations that were

emerging and growing· Connect to employers

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Design Education and Training Programs

· Contextualizing GED programs and Alternative High School Programs – YouthBuild – Construction and Green Technology

¨ Los Angeles Conservation Corp and Coalition for Responsible Community Development

– GED – Health Care · Identifying Program of Study within pathway

that is flexible and stackable

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Questions – Insights – Take Aways?

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California Career Pathway Trust Fund

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Pathfinder Pre-RFP Competition

The Challenge:· How will Career Pathways improve the well

being of your community?· What are your targeted Career Pathways? How

did you choose them?· Who are your key partners and what are their

roles?· What is unique about your approach?

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Trust Fund Resources

http://linkedlearning.org/policy/california-career-pathways-trust/

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Trust Fund Resources

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Questions – Insights – Take Aways?

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Contact

Vinz KollerDirector of Training and

Technical AssistanceSocial Policy Research

AssociatesVinz_Koller@spra.com

831-277-4726

More Workshops at CWA 2014:Engaging Young People Using Social MediaTuesday, 4:15-5:15Safer Commuities and Better Options for Young People: Reducing Gang Violence through Human Centered DesignWednesday – 10:15 – 11:30

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Accounting Path

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ACCOUNTING CLERK CERTIFICATE

PAYROLL CLERK CERTIFICATE

BUSINESS ASSISTANT

CERTIFICATE

ACCOUNTING A.A. DEGREE

E M P L O Y M E N T

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Energy Management Path

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ENERGY MANAGEMENT TECHNICIAN (EMT)

A.A. DEGREE

EMTRESOURCE

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT A.A. DEGREE

EMTRENEWABLE ENERGY

TECHNICIAN A.A. DEGREE

E M P L O Y M E N T

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Health Information Technology Path

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MEDICAL INSURANCE CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL SECRETARY CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL CODING

CERTIFICATE

REGISTERED HEALTH INFO TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATE

E M P L O Y M E N T

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Health Information Technology Path

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MEDICAL INSURANCE CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL SECRETARY CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL CODING

CERTIFICATE

REGISTERED HEALTH INFO TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATE

E M P L O Y M E N T

2

= number of school quarters

+1 +1 +2 +6Leads to A.S.

Leads to B.S.

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Health Information Technology Path

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MEDICAL INSURANCE CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL SECRETARY CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION CERTIFICATE

MEDICAL CODING

CERTIFICATE

REGISTERED HEALTH INFO TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATE

E M P L O Y M E N T

2

= number of school quarters

+1 +1 +2 +6Leads to A.S.

Leads to B.S.

$29,000 -- $41,000 $55,000 -- $70,000

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Build Cross-Agency Partnerships & Clarify Roles

Kentucky • Initiative provided opportunity for partners to understand the role

each could play• Culminated in completing an Accelerating opportunities grant

Montana• Held statewide summit involving cross system partners• Led to successful collaboration with Perkins adult –focused

efforts

Virginia• Learned how to best utilize each other at the institutes• Created a detailed model that they disseminated statewide that

clearly defined the roles of each partner in the process

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Identify Sector or Industry & Engage Employers

Gila River• Healthcare and Hospitality

New Mexico• Outreached to the employer alliance advisory committees• Conducted surveys and focus groups to understand healthcare sector needs for

employment.

Virginia• Economic development council data expedited buy-in from community colleges• Partners and are looking at developing programming for in-demand careers.

Maryland• Conducted a laborshed analysis• Led to unexpected employer engagement

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Design Education & Training Programs

Tucson Indian Center• Developed a complete behavioral health pathway and started

recruiting for the first cohort

Maryland• Integrated career pathways ideology into the local college

system.

Pennsylvania• Completed designing two pathways – advanced manufacturing

and healthcare• Developed a service provider guide describing career pathways

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Identify Funding Needs and Sources

Kansas• Strong partnerships and shared mission/vision led to new funding

Ohio• Developed communications plan to engage stakeholders and developed a

sustainability plan that includes long-term funding strategies.

Minnesota• Increased sustainability efforts and looking into developing a braided funding

model

Tucson Indian Center• Leveraged additional funding for the pathway through the Pima Community

College and One-Stop• New partnerships led to quick sign-off on new funding opportunity.

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Align Policies and Programs

Minnesota• Developed administrative check-list for partners that

summarizes the steps necessary for constructing effective pathways

Montana• Partners have focused on learning about existing initiatives

and strategizing about stronger cross-agency collaboration

New Mexico• As part of a larger policy reform, exploring strengthening

coordinating with ABE partners through revision of their statewide WIA policies.

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Measure Systems Change & Performance

Pennsylvania• Conducted research prior to launching new

strategies, to determine the value of career pathways and level of buy-in among stakeholders.

Minnesota• Developing a data-tracking system that collects

in-depth information about individual FastTRAC students (including use of public assistance programs, job titles, and wages).