1. THE KANSAS STORY Workforce Initiatives Positioning Kansas for Competitive Advantage Zoe Thompson Director, Workforce Training and Education Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Board of Regents November 19, 2014

2. Governor Brownback’s Vision for a Competitive Kansas Economic Strategic Plan Respond to Business Agency Collaboration

3. Statute Policy Procedure Incremental Decisions Support Comprehensive Policy Changes

5. Operational Connection is Vital Connection must be structural and survive an administration or person Must connect workforce/economic development and education agencies Must share common vision and goals 5

6. Big Changes to Funding for Community & Technical Colleges  Old funding model – no relationship to course or program delivered  New funding model – based on cost to deliver course or program  Based on a variety of costs including instructor costs, extraordinary costs, instructional and institutional support costs  Results – increased $$ for courses that cost more to deliver

7. SYSTEM WIDE, INDUSTRY DRIVEN PROGRAM ALIGNMENT

8. High School Students Earn College Credit – SB155 8

9. Year 1Year 2Year 3Cumulative Enrollment106999411733118* College Credentials1844567101350 Industry Credentials1191108615143791 12 credit hour Pathway3414503251116 Number Employed366247229842

10. Legislative Support for AO-K  2014 legislative session included: AO-K Proviso - $500,000 for tuition support GED Accelerator - $1.9M for incentives for colleges ► $500/student for GED attainment ► $170/student for cost of taking GED exam ► $1000/student for career technical education credential

11. Employer Engagement Supports Industry Credential Attainment  Three levels of engagement Supporter, Partner, Champion  All levels begin with Kansas Department of Commerce Skills Pledge  Higher level of recognition follows more “engaged” use of industry credentials

12. Industry Driven Initiatives Support the Governor’s Strategic Economic Plan for Kansas Companies sign the Kansas Department of Commerce Skills Pledge recognizing and prioritizing industry credentials Workforce AID (Aligned with Industry Demand) responds to company demand for a skilled, credentialed workforce

13. Workforce AID STATE LEVEL SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT ED = Director of Workforce Training and Education SKILLED EMPLOYEES WITH INDUSTRY AND COLLEGE CREDENTIALS KANSAS COMPANIES Federal/State Training Resources Community and Technical Colleges KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE KANSAS BOARD OF REGENTS Private Resources

14. FIND, TRAIN AND DELIVER FIND  Identify talent need/quantity/timing  Partner with companies  Recruit qualified participants TRAIN  Employability and Technical Skills  Industry credentials- NIMS, MSSC, AWS, etc.  College Credit DELIVER  Skilled Workforce

15. PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS KEY TO SUCCESS Companies Colleges KANSASWORKS Private Staffing Agencies

16. IMPACT ON THE KANSAS ECONOMY IN 2014 (FEB-OCT) 12 training projects across the state Nearly 100 participants completed training with industry credentials/college credit 92% with full industry credentials=employed Average starting wage = $14.44+/- Over $2,500,000 impact on the Kansas economy in just nine months

17. Thank You, Questions, Contact Us Zoe Thompson Director, Workforce Training & Education, Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Board of Regents zthompson@kansascommerce.com 785.296.0205 17