Building Pathways for Disconnected Youth: Career Connections Summit

1. MCESA Re-Engaging Disconnected Youth Summit II Breakout Pathway 3: Career Connections “Developing and Implementing Workforce Programs for Disconnected Youth” Laura Tate-McHugh Director of Program Strategy and Integration Philadelphia Youth Network

2. Career Connections • Disconnected youth face challenges and encounter barriers to career attainment and career readiness. • All sectors must work collaboratively to build systems and partnerships that will enhance the career prospects of disconnected youth. • All sectors of society must collectivelycreate systems and approaches to help support our youth through this process.

3. Career Connections Sub-Topics DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING WORKFORCE PROGRAMS FOR DISCONNECTED YOUTH • Laura Tate McHugh; Director of Program Strategy & Integration, Philadelphia Youth Network ALIGNING, INTEGRATING, AND RE-DESIGNING WORKFORCE CONNECTION PROCESSES & SYSTEMS • Patricia Wallace; Assistant Director for Maricopa Workforce Development WORKFORCE PREPARATION THROUGH COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING • Brianna Bendotti; Maricopa Corporate College, Vice President of Workforce Solutions • Ron Stefanski: Chief Business Development Officer, ed2go, Cengage Learning • Dr. Eugene Giovannini: President of Maricopa Corporate College CREATING RELEVANT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES BY ENGAGING BUSINESSES • Caroline VanIngen-Dunn; Science Foundation Arizona Program Manager, STEM Pathways

4. WorkReady Philadelphia Philadelphia’s cross-sector partnership dedicated to improving the economic outcomes of the region's youth by attracting, aligning and investing resources in youth workforce-development strategies.

5. Governing Structure • Philadelphia Council for College Access and Success • Philadelphia Works Board • Public and Private-Sector Investments - Government - Local and national philanthropies - Greater Philadelphia employers

6. WorkReady Philadelphia • Year-round and summer programming • Career exposure and preparation opportunities • Skills mastery

7. Historical Perspective • Decreased Federal Finding • School-to-Work Opportunities Act • Strong desire to sustain progress achieved under school-to-career initiative • Clear need for one entity that could serve multiple functions • Launched in 2003 • Coordinated, city-wide portfolio of summer and year-round programs • Blended-funding to maximize resources

8. Notable Successes: 2003-2013 • 88,000+ youth experiences • 9,000+ work experiences supported by the business sector ($15M) • 130+ organizations supported in delivering high-quality, workforce preparation programming to youth

9. WorkReady Philadelphia • Youth understanding and mastery of skills needed to be successful in a 21st-century economy • Academic enrichment • Awareness of postsecondary options Learning  High School Completion  Work Experience  College and Career Readiness

10. WorkReady Program Models • E3 Power Centers • Occupational Skills Training • GED-to-College • WorkReady Summer

11. E3 Power Centers • Holistic approach to preparing out-of-school youth and youth returning from juvenile placement to achieve: • Long-term educational, career and personal goals • Self-sufficiency • Provides supports along three interrelated pathways: • Education, Employmentand Empowerment

12. E3 Power Center Educational Pathway • Broad array of educational services that support youth at varying academic levels including: • Low-literacy supports • GED-prep classes • Post-secondary access and planning

13. E3 Power Center Employment Pathway • Intensive work-readiness programming prepares participants at varying academic levels for unsubsidized employment. • Job-readiness training • Subsidized internships • Community-service opportunities • Service-learning opportunities • Job search assistance

14. E3 Center Outcomes • Increased literacy and numeracy skills • 21st century and work-readiness skills development • Attainment of a GED or High School Diploma • Post-secondary placement

15. Occupational Skills Training • Training model that offers opportunities for technical-skill development in targeted industries specifically for disconnected, out-of-school, over-aged youth (ages 17-21) who lack a credential. • Contextualized academic and vocational training in high-growth industries • Employer-recognized credentials • Experiential and industry-informed

16. Occupational Skills Training • Wrap-around services that foster participant success in attaining: • Industry-recognized credential • Employment and/or access to an advanced occupational-skills training or other higher-education institution

17. Occupational Skills Training Outcomes • Increased literacy and numeracy skills • 21st century and work-readiness skills acquisition • Attainment of secondary and industry-specific credentials • Post-secondary placement

18. GED-to-College • The GED-to-College program: • Creates a pathway for disconnected youth to earn a secondary credential • Supports them through access to and persistence in college • Targets out-of-school youth ages 17-24 who: • lack a secondary credential • test at or above the 7th grade level in literacy and numeracy

19. GED-to-College • Focuses on connecting pre-GED programming to post-GED success in college by exposing out-of-school youth to the following: • Academic, professional and social-development activities • Transition support to post-secondary education and/or employment • On-going support to advocate and navigate the social, financial, academic, and bureaucratic challenges encountered once matriculated

20. GED-to-College Outcomes • Increased basic skills • Attainment of GED as their secondary credential • Successful enrollment in college as their preferred post-secondary placement

21. WorkReady Summer • Educationally-enriched work opportunities to in-school and out of school youth ages 14-21. • Six-week (120 hour), paid work experience that fosters the acquisition of the 21st Century skills through work-based learning. Learning  High School Completion  Work Experience  College and Career Readiness

22. WorkReady Summer Components Service Learning Teaching and learning strategy in which youth address real-world issues relevant to their community. Work Experience Intended for youth with limited or no work experience. Internships Offer employment and career-exposure opportunities for youth with prior work experience and a basic understanding of workplace competencies.

23. System-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model Best Practice 1: Cross-Sector Collaborative Lead by a Strong Backbone Organization system • Separate organization(s) with staff and a specific set of skills to: • Serve as the backbone for the entire initiative • Coordinate participating organizations and agencies

24. System-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model • Best Practice 2: • Developing Key Connections • City-wide, cross-sector partnership • Businesses • Philanthropies • Government • Non-Profits • Private Sector

25. System-Level Best Practices • Best Practice 3: • Capitalizing on a Diverse Funding Portfolio system

26. System-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model • Best Practice 4: • Promoting Career Connections through Contextualized Learning Opportunities • Contextualized work experiences

27. System-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model • Best Practice 5: • Utilizing Technology to Enhance the System • Better maximization and allocation of resources • Increased efficacy • User-friendly learning opportunities • Debit cards • Online applications

28. Program-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model • Best Practice 1: • Building Capacity in Youth Workforce Development • Training Opportunities for Providers • Includes Professional Development in: • Program-implementation • Program-enhancement workshops • Peer-teaching opportunities

29. Program-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model Best Practice 2: Measuring Attainment through 21stCentury Skills Assessment • Creativity and Innovation • Critical Thinking • Communication • Collaboration and Teamwork • Initiative & Self-Direction • Productivity & Accountability • Flexibility & Adaptability

30. Program-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model • Best Practice 3: • Adaption and Individualization of Program Services • Youth Case Management • Wrap-Around Services

31. Program-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model Best Practice 4: Promoting a Post-Secondary Culture and Support for Transitional Planning • Industry specific work experiences •   • Credential or job placement

32. Program-Level Best Practices of the • WorkReady Model • Best Practice 5: • Intentional Celebration and Recognition of Youth Success • E3 Graduation • WorkReady Summer Expo • Awards Ceremony

33. Opportunities for Implementation, • Replication and/or Expansion • Building better connections between workforce and academics through contextualized/project-based learning strategies • Capitalizing on employers desire – and need – for a 21st Century skilled workforce • Partnerships with public agencies serving the same youth – blending of funds with Family Court, DHS, etc. • Increased support at the federal level for “special populations”

34. Challenges of Implementation, • Replication and/or Expansion • Youth-level barriers to employment • Criminal records, low educational functional levels, transportation, child care, etc. • System-level sustainability • Remaining flexible to changing employment trends and specific needs of employers • Building and sustaining relationships with new employer partners • Identifying pipelines to family-sustaining wages

35. Other Ideas for Implementation, • Replication or Expansion • Capitalize on existing programs and strategies – employer-based training programs, etc. • Be flexible and willing to target services to specific populations • “Sell” your program to partner agencies who may need support or have access to funding for services • Tell the story! Be prepared to talk about your impact • Do not exclude education!

36. Other Ideas for Implementation, • Replication or Expansion • Single point of entry for private-sector investment in the system • Staff dedicated to employer engagement and relationship management across the system • (e.g., Business-Partnership Unit) • Centralized Operations • Single point of entry for all youth via an on-line application • Employing a uniform enrollment processes for all youth • Utilizing a uniform worksite screening process • Maintaining a central database (PYNDEX) • Providing a centralized payroll service for all youth across the system

37. Survey Links and Shared Results Page Links Career Connections Survey http://tinyurl.com/careerconn https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CareerConnectionz (Use this one in case the tiny URL does not work) Career Connections Shared Results http://tinyurl.com/cconnresults https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-TZKQSNYL/ (Use this one in case the tiny URL does not work)