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issue 18 - JULY 2008 |
kathy.sweeney@state.mn.us |
In this Issue:
- Working Together to Build a Globally Competitive State
- ETC Grants Foster Collaboration Between ABE and WorkForce Centers
- FIRST Forums Jump Start Sustainable Collaborations
- Bookmark the Minnesota Regional Prosperity Initiatives Web Site
- Minnesota Participates in National Innovation Institute; One of Three States Selected
- WIRED Initiative in Minnesota Moves Ahead; Kittridge Takes Director’s Position
- Updates
Working Together to Build a Globally Competitive State
By Workforce Development Director Bonnie Elsey, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
I've just returned from a whirlwind three days at the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Workforce Innovations conference. It was so exciting to see how well Minnesota was represented! DEED staff conducted or participated in six presentations, including the super session called "Driving Transformation: Strategic Integration throughout the Workforce Investment System.” Our local partners were also well-represented. One of the most gratifying moments was when HIRED received a DOL "Recognition of Excellence award" for its groundbreaking M-Powered program (http://www.nam.org/s_nam/doc1.asp?CID=201492&DID=238315) which was originally funded with a Job Skills Partnership grant. M-Powered is a shining example of a successful sector project, the power of partnerships, demand-driven training, and our state's efforts to invest in skills training that is tailored to the needs of industry.
Minnesota has much to be proud of. Here are some recent highlights:
- Once again Minnesota met or exceeded its performance goals in Workforce Investment Act programs. I am proud of how everyone from DEED administrative staff to local operators run WIA Title I, Job Service, Dislocated Worker, Rehabilitation Services, State Services for the Blind and all the other service delivery programs.
- In April, Minnesota was one of three states selected to participate in Rutgers University's National Technical Assistance and Research (NTAR) Leadership Center. This will allow us to expand an existing program that moves youth with disabilities into the manufacturing sector to a model that does the same with adults. We also plan on expanding this model into other high-growth sectors.
- Minnesota has received important federal grants over the last few months that give us more valuable resources to develop skill training and build sustainable partnerships. Here is a partial list:
- Two federal Regional Innovation Grants (RIG) were recently awarded--a $250,000 award to the Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training to help workers in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin prepare for new jobs or upgrade their skills by aligning workforce and education goals with economic development goals, and $250,000 to Workforce Development Inc. for the "seven rivers" region in southeast Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa to create collaborations with education to build the area workforce's potential.
- DEED was one of nine state agencies selected to receive a DOL demonstration grant for dislocated workers. DEED received $2 million to help dislocated workers over the age of 50 start small businesses.
- Just a few days ago, the Joyce Foundation notified us that Minnesota has been granted $500,000 to implement strategies to train low-income workers into high-demand industries. This project is a collaborative effort with Adult Basic Education (ABE), Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU), Department of Human Services and DEED.
- MnSCU was awarded a $1 million grant from DOL under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative to equip workers with skills and certifications that are in demand in the energy sector.
In addition to aggressively going after grants, DEED is continuing its strategy of funding local and regional initiatives. DEED has recently partnered with ABE and awarded 18 Employment and Training Collaboration (ETC) grants across the state for skill training in various high-demand occupations. DEED also announced the availability of four new Framework for Integrated Regional Strategies (FIRST) grants in addition to the nine that have already been awarded.
There is a common thread to these recent activities. They all support our strategy of building a globally competitive workforce in Minnesota. They support collaborative efforts between private business, workforce development, economic development and education so everyone is aligning their resources around industry needs.
To view more information about the grant programs, go to DEED’s regional prosperity Web site at http://www.deed.state.mn.us/workforce/prosperity/.
ETC Grants Foster Collaboration Between ABE and WorkForce Centers
Nineteen partnerships throughout Minnesota received nearly $400,000 in Employment and Training Collaborative (ETC) Grants, funded by the Minnesota Department of Education – Adult Basic Education (ABE) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) – Workforce Development Division. The grants aim to support programs in which WorkForce Center (WFC) partners and Adult Basic Education programs team up to provide skills-related training for occupations that are in demand by business.
“State staff from both ABE and DEED are excited about the enthusiasm and great ideas from local ABE and WFC partners,” said Kathy Sweeney, DEED strategic projects manager.
These partnerships are innovative because they represent the first time that ABE and the WorkForce Center System have partnered to focus on occupational preparation in regional high-demand industries. (Individual WorkForce Centers have partnered with ABE before, but only on a case-by-case basis.)
Among the 18 partnerships that are recipients of funding, two stand out as examples of successful collaboration: They are the Stearns-Benton and Central Minnesota Literacy Consortium-ABE; and the Northwest PIC WorkForce Center and Northwest Service Cooperative-ABE.
Stearns-Benton and Central Minnesota Literacy Consortium-ABE
The Stearns-Benton Employment and Training Council and its partners Gold’n Plump in Cold Spring and Central Minnesota Literacy Consortium-Adult Basic Education (District 742 Community Schools) are recipients of nearly $25,000 to help provide funding for an Occupational English and Process Improvement Class at Gold’n Plump. The project will serve 20 production workers at the Cold Spring poultry processing plant who are English language learners. Participants will learn about company goals, as well as vocabulary used in the chicken processing industry. The 24-week class will overlap different work shifts to accommodate employees’ schedules. The class will be offered this fall.
"We think this is a great opportunity and are really pleased to participate,” said HR Manager Janelle Kasparek of Gold'n Plump's Cold Spring plant. “Our goal has always been to enhance communication and develop individual capabilities, and this gives us another way to do that. It's a win-win for both our people and Gold'n Plump: It provides individuals with both the language skills they need and the confidence to use them, and it gives us more people to potentially advance to higher-level positions."
The program will use curriculum developed by the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership, through a U.S. Department of Labor grant. Two earlier classes were offered by ABE at Gold’n Plump from 2005 to 2006 and 2006 to 2007.
Collaborative of the Northwest PIC and Northwest Service Cooperative-ABE
This partnership is using the grant of $22,000 to develop curriculum that will enable participants to be pre-certified in math skills to enter college-level welding classes. “Welding instructors find that the students often don’t have the necessary math skills to succeed in college-level welding classes,” said Rodger Coauette, Northwest PIC executive director. The funding will cover the cost of preparing the curriculum and purchasing the materials to teach it. Instructors from the Northland Community and Technical College and ABE are developing the basic math skills curriculum now, with a goal of having it ready to be taught by ABE instructors later this summer, if possible.
“It would be great if we could have students enrolled in the program in August so they could be taking college-level welding classes in the fall,” said Kirsten Fuglseth, the ABE director. The curriculum will be taught through the Northwest Service Cooperative – ABE, which encompasses 23 school districts, including Grand Forks, Thief River Falls, Crookston and Warroad.
“This grant gave us the opportunity to collaborate more effectively and meet our goal of serving adults who wish to enter the welding profession, but may not have the necessary math skills,” said Fuglseth.
The partners include the Northwest Service Cooperative-ABE, the Northwest Private Industry Council, Northland Community and Technical College, and WorkForce Centers in Thief River Falls and Crookston.
Other Grant Recipients
A list of the other 16 recipients of the ETC grants (with the grant funds they have been awarded) is below. They are grouped by the type of training program each will be offering.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Health Care Training Programs:
- Hennepin North WFC, Robbinsdale ABE, Adult Options in Education and Golden Living Centers: $21,001.21
- Southwest Private Industry Council (PIC), Southwest ABE Consortium, and Minnesota West Community and Technical College: $24,202.75
- Rural Minnesota CEP Northwest and Mid-Central ABE Consortia: $24,202.75
- Minneapolis South WFC and Lincoln Adult Education Center: $24,202.75
Food Service Training Programs:
- Minnesota WorkForce Center-Midway, Rehab Services, St. Paul College and St. Paul Adult Learning: $24.444.78
Retail Training Programs:
- Central Minnesota Workforce Investment Board (WIB);Willmar, WEST, Cambridge-Isanti ABE; Pine Tech Employment and Training; Special Programs/DEED; Kandiyohi County (Referring partners include Stearns-Benton Employment and Training Council; WorkForce Centers in Willmar, Mora, Litchfield, St. Cloud, Hutchinson, Monticello and Cambridge.): $24,202.75
Manufacturing Training Programs:
- Anoka County WFC and Metro North ABE Consortium: $24,009.13
- Central Minnesota WIB and West ABE-Monticello: $24,202.75
- South Central Workforce Service Area, Mankato Area ABE, and Minnesota WFC – Mankato: $24,202.75
- Minneapolis South WFC and Minneapolis ABE: $24,190.16
- Dakota-Scott Workforce Services and South Suburban ABE: $4,840.55
- Minnesota WorkForce Center-Midway and St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium: $24,202.75
- Hennepin County WIB, Osseo Area ABE, Hennepin County Technical College, and local business partners: $21,661.46
- Hennepin County WFCs-WIB, South Hennepin ABE (SHAPE), Normandale Community College, and Hennepin County Community College: $16,177.12
- Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA), Northeast Minnesota Office of Jobs and Training, AEOA Adult Basic Education, and area community colleges: $24,202.75
- Scott County WFC, Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative, and Dunwoody College of Technology: $23,476.67
FIRST Forums Jump Start Sustainable Collaborations
Regional leaders, let the “strategic doing” unfold -- and put these dates on your calendar.
Two progress reports from FIRST grant recipients are due at DEED Wednesday, July 30 and Friday, Oct. 31. The final report will be due Friday, Jan. 30, 2009.
In response to several requests, DEED will be issuing instructions that will allow you to extend your FIRST grant period up to June 30, 2009. DEED will send an e-mail announcement as soon as the instructions are finalized.
Not sure what to include in your final report? Check off goals and strategies defining the region’s competitive advantages; high-growth, high-wage industries and occupations projected; and the transformative “strategic doing” you’re engaged in.
At two forums, FIRST grant recipients heard from Commissioner Dan McElroy, Workforce Development Director Bonnie Elsey, and Rick Maher, a change management consultant, about the power of regional collaborations in fueling sustainable strategies that align to create economic prosperity.
The goal of the forums was to provide participants with information on the expectations of their work and their unique opportunity for innovation. The forums took place on April 22 in Bloomington and April 23 in Sartell.
Commissioner McElroy spoke about aspects of sustainable collaborations that can be achieved by the various regional consortiums:
- Increased communications and understanding of the talent and resources of the entities within the region;
- Increased commitment to “strategic doing” – common strategies that leverage each others resources for a common outcome within a specific time frame.
He encouraged partners to explore:
- Ways to streamline processes and serve customers better;
- Ways to decrease cost and overhead;
- Ways to use the talents of seniors and other volunteers, so that older workers are “free to work” but work differently during their retirement years.
Elsey encouraged leaders to open their network to others who have knowledge, skills, passion and resources so that strategies are aligned and resources targeted to achieve regional prosperity. “Data should drive decisions for prioritizing what ‘clusters’ or industry sectors define the region, as well as identify what emerging sectors need attention in development. Education and workforce need to align their resources to prepare workers for these jobs,” Elsey said.
The goal of FIRST is to bring together leaders who have a stake in economic and workforce development to develop strategies for regional prosperity.
Go to http://www.positivelyminnesota.com/workforce/first/transform.htm to access resources and see a recap from the forums.
As noted in Bonnie Elsey's column, DEED is soliciting proposals for a second round of FIRST grants. For more information, visit www.deed.state.mn.us/workforce/first/index.htm.
Bookmark the Minnesota Regional Prosperity Initiatives Web Site
A new web site has been launched to keep economic and workforce development professionals informed about Minnesota’s regional prosperity initiatives at http://www.deed.state.mn.us/workforce/prosperity/index.htm. One of Minnesota’s key strategies for 2007-2010 is to "strengthen regional economies by rewarding sectoral strategies and planning regionally." This page contains links to a number of regional prosperity initiatives that the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is engaged in or leading to accomplish this strategy.
“This web site is a great way to keep up-to-date on the latest happenings pertaining to Minnesota’s prosperity initiatives,” said David Niermann, assistant workforce development director of DEED.
Currently you can view:
- Announcement of availability of FIRST Grants
- “Driving Transformation Sessions Recap and Resources”; and
- A map showing some Minnesota regional economic prosperity initiatives
The web site also features additional information about the Framework for Integrated Regional Strategies (FIRST) grants, Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grants, Minnesota Sector Partnerships and more. Comments or suggestions about the new web site can be sent to david.niermann@state.mn.us.
Minnesota Participates in National Innovation Institute; One of Three States Selected
A Manufacturing Camp for young adults with disabilities, piloted last summer in Hennepin County, forms the basis of Minnesota’s participation in a prestigious new national institute that aims to help states expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
The State Leaders Innovation Institute (SLII) is offered by the National Technical Assistance and Research Center (NTAR) at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, as part of a nationwide initiative to promote the integration of state workforce development policies with broader economic competitiveness goals.
Minnesota has been selected, along with Connecticut and Maryland, to participate in SLII. The institute provides specialized technical assistance and leadership support to states, like Minnesota, that are already taking innovative approaches to disability employment and are widely seen as national leaders in workforce participation for adults with disabilities. SLII offers an opportunity to tap into NTAR’s nationally recognized research and technical assistance resources to adapt and expand the Manufacturing Camp model into the state’s broader workforce and economic development initiatives.
Minnesota’s 2007 Manufacturing Camp introduced 18 young adults with disabilities to the possibilities of a career in manufacturing by offering hands-on learning activities and shop floor tours. The camp provided access to training and internship programs that manufacturers viewed as credible pathways into a high-demand and well-paying industry. The curriculum has now been adapted and expanded to four camps in the summer of 2008 and is also being adapted for use in camps for older adults who have barriers to employment.
In presenting the Manufacturing Camp model as the basis for its NTAR proposal, Minnesota emphasized that the camp is the result of a public/private collaboration that involved Pathways to Employment (Minnesota’s Medicaid Infrastructure Grant), along with several partners including the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association, and the National Association of Manufacturers.
A high-level leadership team consisting of Minnesota state policymakers will travel to Rutgers’ New Brunswick, N.J., campus in late July for a three-day team-building and strategy development session to exchange ideas with national experts, state and local peers, employers, and key federal partners. The 17-member leadership team—representing economic development, workforce development, and disability employment—will receive specialized technical assistance, leadership support and other resources to help pioneer innovative approaches to improve employment for adults with disabilities.
Kathy Sweeney, strategic projects manager for DEED’s Workforce Development Division, is Minnesota’s team leader. Click here to view Minnesota’s full roster.
The State Leaders Innovation Institute is part of the NTAR Leadership Center’s national efforts to improve employment for adults with disabilities by connecting state workforce policies to state and local economic growth and development goals. Several demographic and workforce trends — including the aging of the workforce — reinforce the need for states and employers to develop stronger partnerships that result in making employment available to adults with disabilities in states’ high-growth industries. Despite multiple government efforts and compelling reasons for hiring people with disabilities, they remain disproportionately out of the workforce. According to Census Bureau data, only 38 percent of Americans with disabilities aged 21-64 were employed in 2005, compared to 78 percent of Americans without disabilities.
Established in September 2007 through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the NTAR Leadership Center is housed at the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers. For more information about the NTAR Leadership Center and the State Leaders Innovation Institute, please visit www.ntarcenter.org.
WIRED Initiative in Minnesota Moves Ahead; Kittridge Takes Director’s Position
Teresa Kittridge has been appointed executive director of the “Renewable Energy Marketplace-An Alliance for Talent Development” initiative (formerly known as the “Ag Innovation Triangle”). A key purpose of the project is to increase sustainable economic vitality in the region by assisting its businesses in meeting their talent development requirements to compete in the renewable energy industry. The initiative is funded by a $5 million U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant. Visit http://www.positivelyminnesota.com/workforce/wired/ag/agwired.pdf
to view the project proposal for this initiative.
Kittridge’s experience includes seven years as president of Compass Point & Picture Window Books of Mankato, and three years at the Rural Policy Research Institute in Washington, D.C., where she served as its director of national policy programs. She was an employee and officer of the Minnesota House of Representatives for 20 years, from 1978 to 1998.
“My leadership experience in the public and private sectors has prepared me well for this position,” said Kittridge. “At the Rural Policy Research Institute, one of my top priorities was building public and private collaborations. The work also involved research on how public policy affects rural Americans.”
Kittridge grew up in rural Minnesota. She was born in Worthington, spent much of her youth in Butterfield and graduated from high school in Mankato.
The first priority of Kittridge is to meet with potential members of the initiative’s Leadership Board. A meeting planned for the permanent Leadership Board will take place this month.
Governance
The participant, leadership and executive groups of the initiative are created to ensure that the communities of west central, south central and southwest Minnesota and their renewable energy and related industries have a goal-setting role in the Alliance.
Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council (PIC) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) are responsible to the federal government for the use of the funds. Consequently they must reserve the rights to approve activities to ensure they are consistent with the grant document and with federal regulations.
The groups of the initiative are:
- Leadership Board: It consists of 26 members. Its purpose is to provide input on program strategies, goals and timetables to achieve the shared objectives of the Alliance. The chair will be a business leader selected by the Leadership Board and will also chair the Executive Committee. The board will meet twice per year. It include members from the renewable energy industry, manufacturing/biosciences/agriculture industry, workforce development, education (two or four-year), economic and community development/foundations; K-12 education, labor and applied research.
- Alliance Participants: Its anticipated membership is 80 to 100 persons, and it will meet once per year. Its purpose is to provide the Leadership Board with broad recommendations and input on program strategies and to link the Alliance with the community. The goal is to attract members who represent industry in the region.
- Executive Committee: It consists of eight members. The chair is a business leader selected by the Leadership Board. It will meet monthly or when called upon by the chair.
The eight regular members consist of two members from the renewable energy industry, one from the University of Minnesota or Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) System, two from manufacturing/biosciences/agriculture, one from a foundation, one from the Southwest Minnesota Workforce Investment Council, and one from DEED. Its purpose is to provide leadership for executing the plans of the Alliance.
Prior to April 14, 2008, the Minnesota WIRED initiative had been led by a six-member interim executive leadership board consisting of representatives from Southwest Minnesota Workforce Council; Southwest Minnesota Initiative Foundation; Minnesota State University, Mankato; Minnesota West Community College; the private sector; and DEED.
Current Activities
Work is underway to identify a set of performance measures. Measures include job creation, wage growth, training in high demand occupations, patents, investment in research and development, and more. Once baseline measures are developed results will be monitored over time. Researching options for asset mapping of the initiative’s coverage area is also underway.
Next Steps
The Leadership Board and Executive Committee positions have been filled, but soon there will be openings for positions on their action teams. Action teams will develop the Request for Proposal for the grant itself. The four action teams will each focus on one of the following: regional leadership and identity, talent development, break-through research, and entrepreneurship and business growth.
If you’re interested in working on an action team send an e-mail to tkittridge@mac.com.
Save Sept. 24-25 for Minnesota Development Conference
Save the date for the 13th Annual Minnesota Development Conference on Sept. 24 and 25 at the Northland Inn, Brooklyn Park.
This year's conference, “Minnesota Momentum: Driving Competitive Development,” takes a look at the development that has taken place within the state, and how to maintain a competitive edge in an ever-changing society. The conference will look at how to grow and sustain Minnesota's momentum as a worldwide competitor.
Keynote speakers, concurrent breakout sessions, and roundtable discussions will focus on how workforce developers, educational leaders, and economic developers all play a role in “driving competitive development.” Keynote speakers will also address business trends and where Minnesota fits in relation to these trends.
For more information about the conference visit http://www.positivelyminnesota.com/events/DevConf.htm.
Be an Exhibitor at the Veterans Career Fair
Reach out to hundreds of veterans who are seeking to change careers or find new jobs at the Veterans Career Fair, Thursday, Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Earle Brown Heritage Center at 6155 Earle Brown Drive in Brooklyn Center. There are still opportunities to be an exhibitor or a sponsor at the event. For more information, contact Veterans Employment Representative Gary Quernemoen at gary.quernemoen@state.mn.us. The event is organized by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development -Veterans Employment Service.
Mark Your Calendar for the MWCA Summer Meeting
Plan to attend the Summer Meeting of the Minnesota Workforce Council Association, Tuesday, Aug. 5, to Thursday, Aug. 7, at “The Suites Hotel” (formerly called the Hawthorne Suites) in Duluth. The event will feature presentations by Ricki Kozumplik, owner, Accelerating Higher Achievements Consulting, who will cover topics including:
- Five habits of highly effective boards;
- Moving from management to leadership;
- Board assessment; and
- Ways to identify and address community workforce development issues.
A joint evening reception with members of the Governor’s Workforce Development Council is also featured.
An announcement will be posted at the Minnesota Workforce Council Association web site (http://www.mncounties3.org/mwca/) with more details soon. (Click on “Meeting Dates & Agendas.”)
For more information on “The Suites Hotel” visit www.thesuitesduluth.com.
Key Program Contacts:
Kathy Sweeney Stephen Larson Connie Ireland Burke Murphy |
Rick Roy Jim Wrobleski Joan Danielson |
Key Publication Contacts:
Kathy Sweeney |
Irene Connors |
We Need Your Feedback
We're trying to make this newsletter as timely and useful as we possibly can and, to accomplish that goal, we need to know what you want to know. We need and welcome any feedback you can offer – especially concerning topics of broad statewide or regional interest to the WIBs and all other partners. To register your questions, comments, complaints and suggestions, simply send an e-mail to Kathy.Sweeney@state.mn.us. We'll do our best to address your concerns directly and use your feedback to help us develop articles for future editions of the newsletter.
Thanks.