Changing the Workforce System Equation: A Work in Progress

1. Changing the Workforce System Equation: A Work in Progress WIRED65 Regional Workforce Partners/ The National Fund for Workforce Solutions

2. National Fund for Workforce Solutions • A collaboration between the nation’s top foundations and a nationwide network of companies, workforce intermediaries, government agencies, and foundations. • Provides seed money to regional sites to build a localized approach.

3. NFWS Approach • Create regional funding collaboratives • Organize workforce partnerships • Develop strategies for specific industry sectors • Build career pathways • Coordinate local workforce programs

4. Partnership of 4 WIBs, 26 counties KentuckianaWorks (fiscal agent) Lincoln Trail Lake Cumberland Region 10 (Southern Indiana) National Fund for Workforce Solutions Grant-WIRED65 Counties

5. WIRED65 Regional Workforce Partners - Sector Focus • “New Auto” (manufacturing & repair) • Healthcare • Food & Beverage Manufacturing

6. NFWS Grant – Overall Goals • Establish Funding Collaborative for Workforce Programs • Establish Industry-Led Partnerships in the 3 Sectors • Systems Change

7. NFWS Grant Outcomes-2 years • 200 enrolled in sector-based training, education • 175 credentials earned • 175 job placements in sector jobs • 80% six-month retention • 100 incumbent workers served • 80 participants receive wage increases

8. Funding Collaborative • NFWS required a local match • Local private funders must form a funding collaborative • For the first time, private funders begin: • Identifying which of their grants are workforce related • Thinking collectively about their funding and its overall impact on workforce

9. Funding Collaborative Members • James Graham Brown Foundation • Gheens Foundation • Community Foundation of Louisville • PNC • JP Morgan Chase • Making Connections Network (Casey) More will be recruited in the region.

10. Industry-Led Partnerships • Expand efforts to identify skill shortages and training initiatives for workers at all levels. • Identify career pathways and market skill-development opportunities to working adults, particularly those on the bottom rungs of career ladders. • Design and implement training to meet the needs of employers with a particular focus on training designed to move lower-skilled workers onto career paths.

11. Partnership-Automobile Repair • Partnership with Greater Louisville Automobile Dealers Association to address shortage of auto repair techs • JCTC leveraging AOK grant to address this need • GLADA service managers reviewing curriculum • NFWS project will cover tuition • GLADA will hire graduates

12. Partnership-Food & Beverage • Greater Louisville Inc. identified sector need for food & beverage manufacturers • NFWS project partnered with JCTC to develop pre-hire training • Those completing training were guaranteed interviews and 80% were hired

13. Other Activities • Considering implementation of National Association of Manufacturers “stackable credentials” system • NCRC as base credential plus MSSC “Certified Production Technician” • Developing manufacturing career pathway with other credentials

14. Systems Change • Create ongoing methods to better understand and respond to employer demand • Better align skills of jobseekers to needs of employers • Work collaboratively with economic development and education partners to make the right training available for high growth jobs • Create ongoing private funding for workforce development efforts