1. Jobs for the Future | Pathways to Prosperity Network May 11, 2016
Asset mapping training
Jobs for the Future | Pathways to Prosperity Network May 11, 2016

2. Introduction to asset mapping What we hope to learn
agenda
Introduction to asset mapping
What we hope to learn
How we go about learning it
Questions and conversation

3. Introduction to asset mapping

4. What is asset mapping?
Asset mapping is the general process of identifying and providing information about a region’s assets. It generally includes:
Tapping the expertise of key stakeholders
Research on relevant policies and programs
Analysis of labor market data
Synthesizing data and information gathered through the process
Sharing results with stakeholders

5. Needs vs. Assets Needs Assets Focuses on deficiencies
Focuses on effectiveness
Results in fragmentation of responses to local needs
Builds interdependencies
Makes people consumers of services
Identifies how stakeholders can align and leverage work already being done rather than building out new programs and services
Stakeholders have little voice in deciding how to address local concerns
Seeks to empower people

6. Why do asset mapping?
To understand and leverage existing work and programs
To reduce or eliminate duplication of efforts
To introduce regional stakeholders to the work, build engagement and buy-in, and set the stage for the launch of PtoP work in a region
To assess gaps, strengths, challenges, and opportunities that may affect program implementation/operation
Asset mapping is NOT about being prescriptive or providing a step-by-step guide to regional implementation. It is about reflecting back information and the voices of regional stakeholders in way that sets the stage for regional ownership of the PtoP work and leads to the creation of a plan for implementation that is aligned with regional strengths and needs.

7. What we hope to learn

8. Intro and PtoP overview Demographic information
Report outline
Intro and PtoP overview
Demographic information
Economic and labor market overview
Existing work organized by lever
State policy and leadership
9-14 pathways
Career information and advising
Employer engagement and WBL
Intermediaries
Planning questions/recommendations

9. Demographic information
Gathered primarily from Census and BLS websites
Racial and ethnic composition
Median family income
Poverty rate
Child poverty rate
Unemployment rate
Educational attainment
Compare with state-level data
Note equity challenges

10. Economic and Labor market information
Provide an overview of major economic development initiatives already underway
Identify large and growing industries and occupations
Consider career ladders and pathways
Education/training requirements
Credentials
Wages and salaries
Look for cross-cutting skills and occupations
Look up living wages for the region and industries and identify occupations that offer wages sufficient to support a family

11. State policy and leadership
Cross-agency coordination and collaboration
Financial incentives and sustainable funding for districts and community colleges to provide 9-14 programs of study in career and technical education that lead to diplomas, certificates, or associate’s degrees
Accountability systems weight dual enrollment courses as they weight AP and IB
State dual enrollment policies and funding
State policies related to remediation and dev ed
Major state-led workforce and economic development initiatives
State-led employer engagement and sector strategies

12. Integration of core academics and career-focused learning
9-14 pathways
Structures of existing career pathways, high school CTE programs, and postsecondary career and technical programs of study
Integration of core academics and career-focused learning
Alignment between secondary and postsecondary programs
Alignment of pathways with labor market needs
Dual enrollment programs and partnerships/MOUs across secondary and postsecondary
Remediation and secondary-postsecondary bridging programs and strategies

13. Career information and advising systems
Trends in students’ postsecondary and career interests
Availability of college and career advising and exploration opportunites starting in the middle grades
Formal programs, positions, and/or approaches for providing career advising/information at the secondary and postsecondary levels
Externship programs and other professional development opportunities for school staff
Role of CBOs and other partners

14. Employer engagement and wbl
Current state of play for employer engagement in education
Availability of work-based learning opportunities, especially internships, and capacity of employers to create additional opportunities
Potential in the employer community for collaborating in developing and engaging in pathways, including curriculum development
Role of workforce system or employer associations in engaging employers in the development of a talent pipeline

15. Capacity of intermediaries to establish metrics and evaluate the work
Organizations currently playing an intermediary role, and in what capacity
Capacity of intermediaries to convene a regional pathways steering committee
Capacity of intermediaries to monitor labor-market trends and to broker and aggregate work-based learning opportunities
Capacity of intermediaries to effectively champion and build public support for Pathways
Capacity of intermediaries to establish metrics and evaluate the work

16. How we go about learning it

17. Interviewing stakeholders
Three main stages
Desk-based research
LMI and demographic data
Reports and strategic plans
Interviewing stakeholders
3-day site visit
Phone interviews
Sharing results
Report writing
Presentation to regional stakeholders

18. Role of state and regional leads
Leads identify stakeholders to be interviewed and handle logistics of scheduling, etc.
Leads sit in on all interviews
Situate the work in state and regional contexts
Promote regional ownership of the work and avoid positioning JFF as the keeper of knowledge
Questions state and regional leads want answered are incorporated into the process
Pre-briefing for site visit to learn more about stakeholders to be interviewed and relationships
As external observers, we can provide political cover and initiate difficult conversations

19. Geographic boundaries Census designations Governance/service areas
Defining a region
Geographic boundaries
Census designations
Governance/service areas
Workforce areas
State, local, and county governments
K-12 or community college districts
Areas based on regional labor market
Labor shed
Commuter shed

20. Doing the initial research
Desk-based research
Workforce and economic development reports and studies
Relevant federal, state, and local policies and programs
Education/training and community-based organizations and programs
Trade associations
Major employers
Labor market information
Identify gaps in information
Identify key stakeholders to be interviewed

21. Key sources of information
Topic
Key sources
Regional workforce and economic development initiatives
Chambers of Commerce; WIBs; economic development organizations; industrial development authorities; sector associations and other industry organizations; metropolitan planning organizations
Relevant state and local policies and programs
State government (especially departments of education, labor, and economic and workforce development), state-level governing body for higher education (if one exists), and local government websites
K-12 education
State department of education (including school report cards); district and school websites; state and local nonprofit organizations with an education focus
Postsecondary education
State-level governing body for higher education (if one exists); college and university websites
Labor market
BLS; state LMI shop; EMSI; Burning Glass; etc.

22. Engaging key stakeholders
Site visit to conduct in-person interviews (and phone interviews if necessary)
Stakeholders identified by state and regional leads
Create focused interview groups
Address gaps in available information
Test understanding developed based on desk-based research
Ask open-ended questions and make it a conversation, not an interrogation
Creating connections among people who aren’t necessarily talking to each other

23. Stakeholders to be interviewed
K-12 education (superintendent, district CTE director, high school principals)
Postsecondary education
Business/industry
Workforce and economic development
Intermediaries
CBOs
Local government

24. Organized around PtoP implementation levers Usually about 40 pages
Sharing results
Report
Organized around PtoP implementation levers
Usually about 40 pages
Tool for state and regional leads
Presentation to regional stakeholders
Slides and executive summary
Building buy-in
Starting conversation about regional work plan
Opportunity for regional stakeholders to connect can be just as (or more!) important as anything we say in the report or presentation

25. Content considerations
Be constructive (but not so positive that it’s unhelpful!)
Get input from regional leads
Fact checking
Regional relationships
Framing next steps
Recommendations
Questions for future planning

26. TEL FAX
88 Broad Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA (HQ)
122 C Street, NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001
505 14th Street, Suite 900, Oakland, CA 94612

27. Questions for employers
Demand: In your industry, what sectors are creating the most demand for workers, or are experiencing shortages of qualified workers?
Current employer engagement: How are you and other employers engaged in workforce initiatives?
Education partners: How are the K-12 and community college systems doing as partners or suppliers of skilled workers?

28. Questions for educators
Employer engagement: How are employers engaged in educational programs and how are those relationships managed?
Career information and advising: What career information and advising do students get?
Program growth and alignment with area initiatives: How are you identifying opportunities for program growth? What are the college/district’s processes for adapting existing or creating new programs?

29. Questions for intermediary organizations
Intermediary roles: What organizations are assisting and supporting educators and employers in working together?
Education partners: What are the K-12 and community college systems doing to prepare people for career opportunities in your local area?
Employer groups and champions: What employers have played, or could play, important roles in career education and workforce development?
Environmental and policy factors: What other factors affect the region’s capacity to build career-oriented education and workforce development programs?

30. Questions for economic developers
Strategies: What are your economic development strategies overall? What are the greatest needs for workforce development from the perspective of economic development and job creation?
Intermediary roles: What organizations are assisting and supporting educators and employers in working together?
Employer groups and champions: What employers have played, or could play, important roles in building work-based learning and career education?
Education partners: What are the K-12 and Community college systems doing to prepare people for career opportunities aligned with labor-market demand?

31. Questions for all stakeholders
Are there examples of successful collaborations across stakeholder groups in the area? If so, what are they?
What systems-level or institutional changes are needed to support greater collaboration in our area?