Building Louisiana’s Craft Workforce

1. Building Louisiana’sCraft Workforce LCIA Annual Meeting New Orleans October 23, 2013

2. Agenda • Demand for craft workers • Standardized, industry-based training statewide • Costs and funding for training • Roles and responsibilities • Ongoing activities • Path Forward

3. The Craft Task Force • Jorge Tarajano, Task Force Chairman, Business and Industry • Alden Andre, Business and Industry • Al Bargas, Associated Builders and Contractors - Pelican Chapter • Ken Bradford, Department of Education • Matt Campbell, Associated Builders and Contractors - Pelican Chapter • Robert Clouatre, Associated Builders and Contractors - Pelican Chapter • Kacy Edwards, Career Compass • Curt Eysink, Louisiana Workforce Commission • Art Favre, Business and Industry • Charlie Freeburg, Business and Industry • Whalen Gibbs, Department of Public Safety and Corrections • David Helveston, Louisiana Workforce Commission • Angela Latino-Geier, Associated Builders and Contractors – Bayou Chapter • Dave “Lefty” Lefkowith, Department of Education • Jeff Lynn, Department of Economic Development • Dr. Joe May, Louisiana Community and Technical College System • ClaudeidraMinor, Louisiana Workforce Commission • Dr. Jim Purcell, Board of Regents • Louis Reine, AFL-CIO • Eddie Rispone, Business and Industry • Jimmy Sawtelle, Louisiana Community and Technical College System • Julie Scott, Career Compass • Jim Szydlo, Business and Industry • Dr. Lisa Vosper, Board of Regents • John White, Department of Education

4. Construction is driving short-term growth Projections through 2014

5. Historic demand for industrial craft workers • $60+ billion of announced plant expansions and new plants • Driven by low price of natural gas and greatly improved business climate • 86,300 new crafts workers needed through 2016 • 35,000 new jobs • 51,300 jobs available because of attrition • Update by WIC in December Source: LSU Division of Economic Development, Louisiana Workforce Commission and Louisiana Economic Development

6. Demand for workers is statewide, but greatest in South Louisiana

7. High-wage, high-demand jobs

8. LCTCS craft training • Training standardized statewide • Industry-based • Cost, curriculum, duration • Agreed levels for helpers and journeymen • Partnerships with ABC, unions and high schools *Estimated without BRCC input

9. ABC, high school and union training capacity • ABC costs per student are on par with LCTCS costs • About 5,000 apprentices are enrolled at any time

10. Public funding to increase training capacity • Carl Perkins • Colleges receiving $7.08 million July 1 to respond to all high wage, high demand job training needs. Construction training is eligible and encouraged statewide • Workforce Training Rapid Response • $4.7 million dedicated this year for craft training, a 20% increase from last year • $20 million campus expansions in Shreveport and Lake Charles • $251 million Facilities with a Purpose bond issue to expand LCTCS career and technical education and training capacity approved by the Legislature. Starts in 2015. • Workforce Training Rapid Response • Up to $10 million annually for technical and two-year colleges. Some portion may be dedicated craft training each year • Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training • LCTCS colleges have applied for $24 million dollars. • Additional state funding to be considered in 2014-15 budget

11. Funds for students to offset tuition • Private industry funding • 7 cents to 12 cents per hour to ABC and direct grants to other institutions • MOUs between LCTCS and ABC, unions • Allows ABC and LCTCS Colleges to negotiate capacity building with daytime training offerings • Pell Grants • LCTCS is driving two changes to make construction students eligible for Pell Grants: • TOPS Tech • $1,186 per semester of state funding for LCTCS students with 17 on ACT or a Silver Level Certification from WorkKeys • TOPS Tech Early Start • Up to $600 of state funding per semester for each dual-enrolled high school student • Workforce Investment Act • Funding of last resort for eligible individuals with documented barriers to employment All tuition offsets expected to continue every year

12. General recruiting • Press conferences at LCTCS campuses attended by local officials, state leaders and driver employers to announce jobs and training • Focus on short training and high wages • Inclusion of these messages in all interviews • Social media and grass-roots promotions • Direct outreach to skilled individuals

13. General recruiting • Partnership with Build Your Future • General awareness and links to services for all targeted populations • LED Fast Start has and will continue to fund expansion of recruitment

14. Task Force recommendations to drive success • WIC and LWC • Oversee plan and implement tracking and reporting mechanisms • WIC must re-emphasize the importance of career and technical education in high schools • State • Consider additional funding for craft training in the 2014-15 state budget and beyond • Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance • Continue to enhance LA Connect to provide a user-friendly experience with connections to Louisiana Star Jobs

15. Task Force recommendations to drive success • Department of Education • Prioritize Carl Perkins funding specifically to include craft training • Continue to drive development and adoption of enhanced career track diploma • Catalyze the continued adoption of La Connect • Ensure career coaching is provided to all middle and high school students • LCTCS • Continue momentum at campus level to ensure LCTCS meets the demand for quality training to industry specifications by prioritizing funding and leveraging training capacity at ABC, high schools and unions

16. Task Force recommendations to drive success • Plant owners, contractors and their associations • Drive training of existing workforce: helpers to journeymen • Work to drive down high attrition rates • Maintain or enhance existing levels of funding for craft training • Post all jobs with LWC in HiRE/Star Jobs • Ramp up outreach to high school students • Help recruit instructors • Schools and school boards – business and industry role • Make NCCER or the equivalent training available to every Louisiana high school student • Provide career coaching to every middle and high school student to make them aware of high-wage, high-demand career opportunities and pathways to success • Ensure full use of LA Connect to expose students to employers, colleges, education and training, and financial aid

17. Task Force recommendations to drive success • Local elected officials • Work with Workforce Investment Boards and other stakeholders to ensure alignment with the needs of your cities and parishes • Grow local employment by engaging business and industry in Star Jobs and La Connect to recruit, train, and hire local residents • Congressional delegation • Enact changes in law, specifically related to Pell Grants, to enable greater flexibility to respond to state and local needs

18. Workforce Investment Council’s path forward • A great deal of work remains to be done by all stakeholders • Steering Committee members: • Jorge Tarajano, Chairman • Alden Andre • Curt Eysink • John White • Joe May • Jeff Lynn • Jim Purcell • Louis Reine • Focused sub-committees • Bring in additional stakeholders • Leverage everyone possible

19. Implementation structure

20. Team membership

21. Training team • Re-brand value of 2-year degree • Capture success stories • Support recruitment of instructors and students • 8 Colleges enrolled 500+ students in summer training • Working with industry to hire 100 instructors • MOU’s with ABC to use facilities for daytime LCTCS students • Working with LA Congressional delegation to expand Pell • Testified before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce • Advanced Rapid Response funds to spur training Objectives Activities

22. High school team • Drive development and implementation of policy framework that supports the goals of the Craft Task Force: • Access to career & technical education for all high school students • Enhance LA Connect • Provide career coaching to all high school and middle school students • Formed two groups • CTE sub-group is meeting with counselors, career coaches, and CTE supervisors to: • Overcome barriers to career coaching • Grow CTE programs (enrollment, instruction, facilities, curricula) • Strong support for new Diploma model and Jump Start • LA Connect sub-group has commitments form vendor and partners to improve LA Connect Objectives Activities

23. Recruitment team • Inform parents & grandparents about craft career opportunities • Develop a comprehensive recruitment plan targeting • Students • Former students • Under-employed • Veterans • Government aide recipients • Louisiana expats • Others • Held work sessions with: • CTE supervisors • Local WIB and one-stop staff; 18 local recruitment plans • Incorporating feedback into comprehensive marketing strategy • Continuing development and customization of Build Your Future materials and Louisiana-specific website Objectives Activities

24. Retention team • Develop a retention plan to reduce attrition rates to 5 percent by June 2014 • Work with business and industry to understand reasons for high attrition • Determine disposition of workers when they leave construction industry • Surveying Industrial Contractors Council of ABC to understand general characteristics of attrition from contractors • Survey and best practices out within a couple of weeks • Studying attrition rates using LWC wage records • 11% for industrial construction; 6-7% in manufacturing • Additional analysis on where they went Objectives Activities

25. Takeaways • Drive training of existing workforce: helpers to journeymen • Work to drive down high attrition rates • Maintain or enhance existing levels of funding for craft training • Post all jobs with LWC in HiRE/Star Jobs • Ramp up outreach to high school students • Help recruit instructors

26. Questions and Comments