workforce rosenfeld

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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org

Workforce Policy ForumNational Governors’ Association

Stuart Rosenfeld

Washington DC

December 11, 2002

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A cluster is….

…a geographic concentration of companies and institutions with systemic relationships to one another based on complementarities or similarities.

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Advantages of Clustering to Firms

• Knowledge spillover and learning (innovation and imitation)

• Proximity to services, suppliers, resources (localization economies)

• Access to specialized labor market (productivity)

• Opportunities for joint actions (scale)

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Advantages of Clustering to Students and workers

• Increased access to employment information and career ladders (Know who)

• Improved content and quality of E&T (Know what)

• Increased rates of and means for informal learning (Know how)

• Increased aspirations (No limits)

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Comments on Clusters

• Boundaries are determined by members and are not constraining

• Clusters exist in diversified economies• Clusters are grown, not purchased• Clusters are ecosystems, not

membership organizations

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Examples of clusters

• Upholstered furniture in NE Mississippi• Nurseries in Portland, Oregon• Plastics in the Berkshires, Massachusetts• Jewelry in Providence, Rhode Island• Cutlery in Maniago, Italy• Seafood processing in Nelson, New Zealand• Biotech in San Diego, California• Houseboats in Somerset, Kentucky

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Links between WFD and Clusters

• Specialized work force single most important benefit to clusters because it’s least portable/importable

• Skilled wf accelerates productivity improvements and modernization

• Institutions are catalysts for learning and innovation

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Actions for building the cluster’s Workforce from NGA Governors’

Guidebook• Develop specialized labor force• Contextualize curricula• Form industry cluster skills centers• Build partnerships between

education & clusters• Form regional skills alliances• Work with CBOs

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Corporate Centers

1960s, 70s

TechnologyCenters

1980s, 90s

ClusterCenters2000s

Driver Corporations Technology Industry

Emphasis Corporate culture Hard skills Soft skills

Major Links Economic developers

Equipment vendors

Cluster associations

Context Specific mfg process

Generic mfg process

“All aspects of industry”

Added Functions

Assessments & screening

Demonstrate technology

Shared knowledge

EconomicGoals

Recruitment Modernization Competitive-ness

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Community/Technical colleges are linchpins

• Regional focus• Pipeline for new workers• Second chance for adults• Source of skill upgrading, technology diffusion,

needs assessment, skill standards• Repository of expertise and information• Broker for networking and services• Convener for industry

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CBO Intermediaries also play key roles in making connections and building career ladders

• Garment Industry Development Corporation

• Jane Addams Resource Center• Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership• ACENet

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Arguments for Cluster Skill Centers

• Aggregate demand• Gather and disseminate information• Concentrate and assemble expertise• Serve as one-stop for industry• Focal point for innovation, curriculum

development, needs assessments• Connect to global best practices• Build links to industry

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Functions of Cluster Skill Centers

• Teach specialized skills• Benchmark best practices• Engage business leaders• Equipped with latest technologies• Monitor technology, skill changes/trends• Provide or broker related specialized services• Link students to career opportunities• Support networking among firms

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Workforce Dev. Cluster Specialization

Some community colleges and WF programs have developed cluster expertise as a result of:- high customer demand- vision of what might be- opportunity

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Programs that Target Wood or Furniture

College Program (specialty)

Catawba Valley NC Furniture Division(production)

Mt. Wachusett MA Forest/Wood Products Institute

Haywood NC Program (sawmill operation)

Finlandia MI Wood/furniture (design)

Galway-Mayo IT IR Furniture College (entrepreneur)

Inst. for Furniture IT Furniture Institute (production)

Dakota County Tech MN Program (finishing, restoration)

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Alabama Technology Network(www.atn.org)

College Cluster

Northwest Shoals CC Environmental Tech.

Alabama Southern CC Forestry, Paper, Chemical

Jefferson Davis CC Telecommunications

Sparks State Technical Electronics

Central Alabama CC Textile and Apparel

Gadsden State CC Metals

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NSF “Cluster-based” ATE Centers

College Location ClusterSinclair CC Dayton, OH Advanced Mfg

Kirkwood CC Bettendorf, IA Agri-science

San Francisco CC San Francisco, CA Biotechnology

Maricopa CC Phoenix, AZ Semiconductor

Bellevue CC Bellevue, WA Info technologies

Chemeketa CC Salem, OR Natural resources

Monterey Peninsula Monterey, CA Marine Tech.

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Hosiery Technology Center at Catawba Valley Community College

(www.legsource.com)• Trains entry level workers and

technicians• Trains management and customers• Brokers networks• Conducts quality testing• Demonstrates new equipment• Web site for jobs, Procurement and e-

commerce Assistance• Brokers research networks

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The Northeast Oklahoma Manufacturers’ Council, Inc.

• Formed in 1993 as a 501-C3 by OK State U Tech Branch-Okmulgee with grant from RTS

• Began with a few local core members• Grew to around 40 members and held steadily for

several years• With growth in new economy has grown to over

80+ active members today• The NEOMC, Inc. was the first organized

collaborative in Oklahoma, now there are over 25!

• Established summer mfg institute for youth• Carries out joint training, marketing, e-commerce

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Central Virginia: Advanced

Metalworking Education • Began by small group of SMEs in need of

machinists—approached college but no interest• Incorporated and hired director• Acquired equipment from vendors, offered short

term training• Named by state as Regional Technology Center• Approached new college president and merged

Center with college• Now offer credit and non-credit courses

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The Equity Challenges

• Ensuring an inclusive social infrastructure

• Connecting low income communities

• Accommodating workplace diversity

• Building career ladders, creating opportunity

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Regional Technology Strategies, Inc.205 Lloyd St., Carrboro, NC 27510

[email protected]

919-933-6699

www.rtsinc.org

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