0 Georgia Work Ready Meeting Georgia’s Economic Challenge Chris Baucom, Business Development Manager Governor’s Office of Workforce Development March 26, 2009

1 Georgia Work Ready is the implementation of the Governor’s 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 2 Workforce development infrastructure Commission for a New Georgia State Workforce Investment Board Governor’s Office of Workforce Development Education Economic Development Workforce Development

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

4 What do young adults want?  They want real world experience –Career exploration through internships and apprenticeships  Disconnect between what employers think their workers should know and what surveyed youth think they need to know in order to succeed in the workplace  78 percent shared they were interested in earning a certificate that lets employers know they have the specific job skills employers are looking for Full report available at: Youth_Forums_2008.pdf (or me and I’ll send it) Youth_Forums_2008.pdf

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

6 Georgia Work Ready Certificate  How does it benefit students and high schools? –Helps students understand work readiness skills –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 –Preparing all young adults for life long learning and career pathways

Work Ready Certificate Holders Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

Work Ready Certificate Holders Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

Work Ready Certificate Holders Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

10 Work Ready Certificates by the numbers:  39,338 Work Ready Certificates (34,194 in 2008)  376 or 1% at Platinum  7,918 or 20% at Gold  20,533 or 52% at Silver  10,511 or 27% at Bronze Georgians with Gold level certificate are able to be trained to fill 90% of today’s 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 2008 Scoreboard

11 GWR Service delivery Georgia’s 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

12 Work Ready Job Profiles  31 Certified 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

13 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

14 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 270 companies recognize Georgia Work Ready Certificates  Over 160 job profiles since Jan 2007; 133 in 2008  Used by Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia State Patrol and Office of Customer Service  Profile jobs in strategic industries

Businesses using Georgia Work Ready Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

Businesses using Georgia Work Ready Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

17 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 seeker’s certification level

18 Economic impact: average hourly wage

19 Annual jobs to be filled by skill level

20 Participating Work Ready Communities 2009 Goal of all 159 counties participating

21 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

22 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

23 Work Ready Regions Each WRR project lead by industry leader

24 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

25 GOWD coordinating talent development between industry, education and workforce

26 WRR and Education Community  Industry Network determining critical hiring needs  Industry Network profiling high demand jobs  Using information to develop new or align existing career pathway  Putting before decision makers where adjustments are needed to ‘connect the dots’ –Course names, numbers –Coordinating overlap –Maximizing both personnel, facilities and equipment resources

27 WRR career pathways developing now!  GOWD providing 7 education liaisons working with WRR teams  Training session Mar 17 th ; WRR leader meeting Mar 18th  Developing career pathways in ten WRR –Using Career pathway schematic –Using Career pathway road map  Education and industry to review/comment on draft career pathways  Outcome is articulated career pathway aligned to specific occupation  WRR grant funding to support  Identify gaps that exist, determine next steps

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29 Transformational strategy