0 Georgia Work Ready Debra Lyons, Director Governors Office of Workforce Development July 10, 2009

1 Georgia Work Ready is the implementation of the Governors vision We need a system that links workforce development and education together and aligns to the economic needs of the state, its regions and local communities - Governor Sonny Perdue Feb. 20, 2006

2 Workforce development infrastructure Commission for a New Georgia State Workforce Investment Board Governors Office of Workforce Development Education Economic Development Workforce Development

Who IS Georgia Work Ready Georgians Georgia businesses Georgia Chamber State Workforce Investment Board Alliance of Education of Agency Heads Georgia state agencies Local organizations – public and private 3

4 Work Ready overview Key elements: –Work Ready Certificate –Work Ready job profiling

5 Georgia Work Ready Certificate Three assessments –Applied mathematics –Reading for information –Locating information Work Habits assessment only on-line Issue Certificate based on lowest level earned 3s and above Bronze 4s and above Silver 5s and above Gold WorkKeys ScoresCertificate 6s and above Platinum

Certificates and Wallet cards 6

Work Habits Available with on-line assessments Assesses individuals Work Habits Provides analysis in green, yellow and red –Green – Strengths that employers value –Yellow – Areas for improvement –Red – Strongly encouraged to develop action plan to change Results only available to individual May list strengths on their resume 7

8 Georgia Work Ready Certificate How does it benefit Georgians? –Helps them understand work readiness skills and what is meant by moving to a more knowledge based workforce –Makes the connection between education and work –Skills gap training will help improve WRC results and graduation test scores –Leads to increase in graduation rate –Level 5 in Applied Math and Reading for Information correlate to college readiness without remediation

9 Work Ready Certificates by the numbers: 63,896 Work Ready Certificates (34,194 – 2008; over 24,000 in 2009) 604 or 1% at Platinum 12,777 or 20% at Gold 33,350 or 52% at Silver 17,165 or 27% at Bronze Georgians with Gold level certificate are able to be trained to fill 90% of todays jobs Work Ready Certificates by available workforce demographics: Technical college and college students at 23% Gold High school seniors at 17% Gold Unemployed at 17% Gold GED at 9% Gold Georgia Work Ready 2009 Scoreboard

10 GWR Service delivery Georgias system of technical colleges support Work Ready via their economic development offices. The technical colleges administer on-line assessments, provide access to gap training and offer job profiling services

Work Ready Certificate Holders Source: Georgia Governors Office of Workforce Development

Work Ready Certificate Holders Source: Georgia Governors Office of Workforce Development

Work Ready Certificate Holders Source: Georgia Governors Office of Workforce Development

14 Work Ready Job Profiles 36 ACT WorkKeys authorized Work Ready job profilers available to profile jobs to determine skill levels needed More than 400 occupations profiled on Work Ready Web site – Sample certificate levels: –Aircraft structure assemblers, precision – Gold –Home health aides – Bronze –Pharmacy technician – Gold –Truck driver – Silver –Ride maintenance technician - Platinum No cost with minimum criteria

15 Using a Work Ready Job Profile Profiles have skill levels for both entry and performance identified Used for development and training of the existing workforce Job Title: Lead Person, Your Company, Inc. Athens Facility Number of SME Groups: 2 Total Number of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): 11 Skill Entry Level Performance LevelRangeRanking Reading for Information Applied Mathematics Locating Information TeamworkNNNN Writing Observation ListeningNNNN Applied TechnologyN/AN/ANN Business WritingN/AN/ANN Work Ready job profiles at highest level needed

16 Georgia Work Ready How does it help business? –Common language with education –Ensures emerging workforce to be job ready –Reduces hiring costs and turnover –Increase productivity and reduces waste –Used to develop and promote existing workforce Over 300 companies recognize Georgia Work Ready Certificates Over 225 job profiles since Jan 2007; 133 in 2008; over 50 in 2009 Key businesses include Georgia Power, AGL, Best Buy, NCR, WellStar Health systems, others….. Used by Georgia government Profile jobs in strategic industries

Businesses using Georgia Work Ready Source: Georgia Governors Office of Workforce Development

Businesses using Georgia Work Ready Source: Georgia Governors Office of Workforce Development

19 Work Ready skills gap training: Targets for instruction Gap analysis shows how the person performed relative to the bar. Training is available to close any gap. Reflects the skills required according to the job profile Reflects the job seekers certification level Available at technical colleges, WIA one stops, public libraries

20 Work Ready overview Key elements: –Work Ready Certificate –Work Ready job profiling –Certified Work Ready Communities –Work Ready Regions

21 Participating Work Ready Communities 2009 Goal of all 159 counties participating 12 counties Certified!

22 Certified Work Ready Communities Counties become certified by reaching certificate goals and through step increase in county graduation rate Two year Re-certification plan –Ensure continuation of available workforce earning WRC –Reach goals for county businesses to recognize WRC along with education credentials –Work Ready Community team membership to local chamber –$2000 credit towards Work Ready outreach materials

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24 Georgia Work Ready Regions Career Pathways for Emerging, Transitioning and Existing Knowledge Pre-K, K-12, community colleges, technical colleges, colleges and universities Work Readiness Foundational Skills Work Ready Certificates, Work Ready job profiles, Work Habits assessment Experience On the job, subject matter expertise, continuing education, specialized training, career pathways

25 Work Ready Regions Each WRR project lead by industry leader

26 Work Ready Regions Goals Industry Network: Build an industry network throughout region of industries consistent with overall demographics Close the Regions skills gap Certified Work Ready Communities: Coordinate and hold accountable county team leaders Career Pathways: Working with regional education partners develop career pathways for emerging, transitioning and existing workforce Timely, accurate and meaningful regional workforce data Sustainability of project through sustaining Industry Network

Bio-technician career pathway 27

28 Transformational strategy and the Georgia Work Ready brand GWR and Recovery

Questions? Contact information: –Debra Lyons, director, Governors Office of Workforce Development – –Web site: 29