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BASIC SKILLS AND THE ARRA

BASIC SKILLS AND THE ARRA. Presentation for July 6, 2009 Center for State Innovation Webinar on Advancing Basic Skills Through ARRA Evelyn Ganzglass Center for Law and Social Policy eganzglass@clasp.org. Skill Requirements of Jobs .

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BASIC SKILLS AND THE ARRA

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  1. BASIC SKILLS AND THE ARRA Presentation for July 6, 2009 Center for State Innovation Webinar on Advancing Basic Skills Through ARRA Evelyn Ganzglass Center for Law and Social Policy eganzglass@clasp.org

  2. Skill Requirements of Jobs • Between 2004 and 2014, 24 of the 30 fastest-growing jobs are expected to be filled by people with postsecondary education or training (either a certificate or degree). Many are “middle-skilled” jobs • 27 % of stimulus jobs require an AA certificate or some college; 27% a BA or more; 46% high school or less • Of those not requiring a degree, 45% require at least 1 month of formal classroom training and 33% require 1 or more years of apprenticeship training

  3. Workforce skills don’t meet demand • Yet nearly half of the U.S. workforce has only a high school education or less • 30 million adults (14%) can only perform simple and concrete literacy tasks; 63 million adults (29%) can only perform simple everyday literacy tasks (NAAL 2003) • 61% of first-time students in community colleges must enroll in at least one remedial “developmental education” course before earning college credits

  4. Skills and Labor Market Success • WA study found that the “tipping point” for a substantial earnings increase from community college is at least one year of postsecondary vocational credits plus a credential • Those with the least skills hit hardest by job losses • In June 2009, the unemployment rate for those with less than a high school diploma was 15.5% • 9.8% for those with a high school diploma • 4.7% for those with a BA or higher

  5. How to help low-skill workers gain marketable credentials? • Create pathways (aka Stackable Credentials, Programs of Study) that make it easier for low-skill workers to advance over time to higher levels of education and employment • Link workforce education and training programs and connect them to jobs important in regional economies • Form partnerships with employers who offer good jobs with advancement potential • Crosswalk assessments, entry and exit standards

  6. Where does the GED fit in? • GED is not enough; rather focus on postsecondary access and success • Adult education/workforce heavily focused on GED attainment, but majority don’t earn GED and few GED grads ever earn postsecondary credentials • Create more basic skills/ELL options that help students achieve their workforce goals and offer faster, more targeted ways to get there, even without a GED

  7. Workforce Bridge Programs • Create short, intensive workforce bridge programs as first steps in career pathways for those with low basic skills and limited English proficiency • At least 7 states (AR, KY, MA, OH, OR, WA, WI) have career pathway efforts • Half a dozen states have workforce bridge initiatives (IL, IN, MN, KY, OR, WA, WI) • Many states have region/sector initiatives that include career pathways

  8. Workforce Bridge Programs • Remediation is often provided in context of exploring career and postsecondary options, occupational training • Reading, writing, math and English instruction is customized to students’ occupational goals • Instruction is accelerated in compressed programs • Delivery modes are flexible, including the use of technology to enhance learning • Provide student support (mentors, advisors, tutors) • Sometime combined with work experience

  9. Workforce Bridge Programs • Some models are sequential-students move into credit-bearing postsecondary courses after completing bridge programs • SE Arkansas College Fast Track 2 semesters of remediation in 1 leading to allied health courses • Others integrate instruction and co-enroll students • I-BEST (WA) vocational and ABE/ELL instructors co-teach; FTE, adult ed, WIA Title I

  10. WIA Options Under ARRA • Increase investment in training • Impose a percentage floor • Increase training for low-skill individuals • Raise ITA cap, longer-term training • Expand access to programs that work • Contract for cohort training • Enhance community college capacity • Fund integrated basic skills/ELL programs, alone or with adult education (co-enroll)

  11. WIA Options Under ARRA • Build on-ramps through regional, sector-based partnerships • Map career pathways in regionally important sectors • Use state capacity to analyze labor markets • Identify promising sectors and occupations • Align entry/exit criteria between steps in pathways • Embed support for career pathways and bridge programs into on-going programs

  12. Resources www.clasp.org www.shifting-gears.org

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