Sector Based Career Pathway Development A Regional Action Plan for the Memphis, TN Region

Problem Identification Regional Labor Study Conducted 2006 Identified Strengths and Challenges and Target Industries Identified large hidden labor force Identified clear disconnect between education and business needs Large portion of population living in poverty Workforce Development efforts chaotic and disjointed Impending demographic shifts exacerbate critical challenges

Proposed Solutions Develop Career Pathways and training programs geared to targets Ensure standardized curriculum and assessment Address immediate needs with existing industries by engaging them in a meaningful way Develop a Regional Workforce Alliance that includes EDOs, WIBs, Educators and business to address challenges Align resources to maximize leverage

Next Steps Working closely with local employers to address immediate and long range needs Partnering with E AR WIRED region to assimilate work being done in Logistics and Manufacturing West TN Workforce Alliance is in development Asset Mapping for West TN region Identifying next steps for resource development and sustainability Developing relationships with ETA and WIRED regions

Lessons Learned All stakeholders do not currently share equal interest or vision Many times politics supercedes “the right thing to do” Business Orgs and social services can have difficulty seeing eye to eye This is not an “instant fix” situation

How you can help Examples of best practices and successes Relationship building in the right channel with the right message Ideas on how to address political challenges