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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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