1. 1 Successfully Engaging Employers Presented by Gary Yakimov Director of Business and Industry Strategies Corporation for a Skilled Workforce September 16, 2009

2. 2 Overview Industry Strategies Mean Business Launching the Industry Network Today’s Team Time

3. 3 Industry Strategies Mean Business Without employers, there simply is no industry strategy Employers are partners, drivers of the initiative, and customers Driven by high-level employers Industry-only launch meeting

4. 4 Employer Outreach Considerations Employers are not a homogenous group Diverse outreach/engagement – big, small, supply chains Keep in mind what employers worry about….  All Employers – Economy, cost, regulations, global competition, competition for skilled labor  Small Employers – No/limited HR and/or multi-functional positions; no/limited: profit margins, resources for training, entry into new markets and/or supply chains  Big Employers – Scale of workforce needs, layered management and HR, corporate or local office; supply chain management

5. 5 Who are You Talking To and About What? CEO’s tend to like “visioning” about the overall industry, something they don’t get to do on an everyday basis nor with peer business leaders HR Leaders will know about specific vacancies/turnover Front-line supervisors or plant managers will know about specific skill-education-knowledge needs or the impact of technological advances on work processes Front-line workers can best describe the day-to-day work activities and skill needs of a particular position Industry association leaders can bring a broad perspective about what they are hearing from their members

6. 6 Engaging Employers At & Beyond “The Table” In-Person meetings are important but not sufficient for a successful employer engagement strategy  Engage business leaders before convening them  Keep in mind, CEO’s may be too busy to “sit at your table” but you can engage them otherwise through personal contact and getting them to support the initiative  Role of business champions outside the room Talk to national and state industry associations to determine members active in or concerned about workforce competitiveness  Attend trade association meetings or trade shows related to the industry  Attend business association award events  Arrange tours of key companies in the industry  Attend public policy or community meetings that affect the target industry; and  Consider union-related leadership Reference – Sector Toolkit

7. 7 Forming an Industry Network Focus your efforts on the high priority needs of employers Use data and findings from information-gathering efforts to make the case (e.g. biz survey) Understand and respect the culture of private industry (e.g. start with employers-only) Bring something to the table (alignment, synergy) Plan and design ways to document outcomes (e.g. ROI)

8. 8 Launching the Industry Network What Employers Should Hear From You That the goal of an industry partnership is to better organize the public sector (including workforce development, education and training, economic development) to meet the needs of their industry; That industry partnerships are employer-led, and that because their company is an important member of the local industry, their input will be highly valuable to the identification of common challenges across firms and the development of customized solutions to benefit all firms; That you know something about their industry (how it works, their priorities, trends, and some challenges), but want to know more; That industry partnerships have been shown to work in their industry. Share stories of other industry initiatives that have had positive impact for employers, including outcomes that they can appreciate (higher productivity, reduced turnover, etc); and That you are part of a team in this industry partnership, and immediate next steps include...

9. 9 Today’s Team Time Describe current employer engagement efforts  (e.g. do you know who to speak to, have you spoken to them, with what approach/result, etc.) To what extent have you begun reaching out to employers in your industry? What are the strengths, opportunities, and challenges in working with employers (in your targeted industry) in your region? What would you like to hear/learn more about regarding industry networks and employer engagement?

10. 10 Contact Information Gary Yakimov Director of Business and Industry Strategies Corporation for a Skilled Workforce 301.765.0437 gyakimov@skilledwork.org