Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 1 Minnesota Shifting Gears: a system and policy change initiative to advance low-wage, low skilled workers

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 2 The Project Joyce Foundation $10 million, 3-year venture capital effort to improve state adult education and postsecondary policies Initiative includes: Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin Desired result: a better educated and more competitive workforce in the Midwest

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 3 The Purpose Improve adult student transitions (ages 25-54) from ABE to post secondary Strengthen links between supply and demand to advance low-wage workers Develop cross-cutting agendas for state agencies for systems and policy change

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 4 The Partners Business and Industry Governor’s Workforce Development Council Jobs Now Coalition MN Department of Education- Adult Basic Education MN Department of Employment and Economic Development MN Department of Human Services MN State Colleges and Universities

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 5 Population Focus Adults with low basic skills with some work experience who may or may not be employed currently, have high school diplomas, or be fully proficient in English Low Wage/Low Skill – The lowest 25 th percentile of wage distribution of earners ages and is adjustable based on the actual wage per state region

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 6 Long-Term Impact Goal To increase the percentage of workers with credentials valued by local employers, that lead to higher individual earnings.

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 7 MN Planning Focus A statewide system and policy change effort to address the question: “How can we create an easily accessible path for low-wage, low- skilled workers to advance within the education and training infrastructure and in demand- driven occupations?”

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 8 Why This is Important # of HS graduates peaks in 2009 with steady decline for next two decades It will take 21years of high school graduates combined to equal the same number of current working age adults who don’t have a college degree.

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 9

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 10 Key Findings 1.Random acts of excellence- limited, if any systemic support for replication of employer driven industry sector projects. 2.Transitions between ABE, ESL and postsecondary need “bridge programs” and assessment alignment to reduce remediation and to provide dual enrollment opportunities for contextual learning. 3.Need for better data connections to investigate the relationship between wage rates and stability of employment by funding a comprehensive study of the wage data set over time.

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 11 Focus 1.Create a state-level framework to develop “stackable” credentials that can be used by regional entities of the Minnesota post- secondary and workforce education and training systems. The framework will include, at a minimum, adult basic education, non-credit education and training and for-credit education and training.

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota Assure that seamless curriculum and support services exist to enhance student transitions from adult basic education to post- secondary education and training.

Shifting Gears An initiative with the Joyce Foundation and Minnesota 13 Thank you Brenda Norman, Executive Director Governor’s Workforce Development Council