Transcript Slide 1

Foundations of
State Sector Strategies
Virtual Policy Academy Webinar 1 of 3
Presenters
Martin Simon and Erin Andrew
NGA Center for Best Practices
Nancy Laprade
Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
Jim Torrens
National Network of Sector Partners
Kathy Sweeney
MN Department of Employment and Economic Development
Today’s Focus
Why State Sector Strategies?
Getting Started
Engaging System and State Leadership
Engaging Industry Leaders
Engaging Public Partners
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Thursday, August 27, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern
Topics of Interest
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Other Resources
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Targeted responses to surveys
State Sector Strategy Toolkit
Other publications
Ask for what you need!
www.sectorstrategies.org
Focus:
Why State Sector Strategies?
Getting Started
Engaging System and State Leadership
Engaging Industry Leaders
Engaging Public Partners
Why State Sector Strategies?
• Provide a policy framework for a statewide approach
• Support and leverage regional sector initiatives –
where the “rubber hits the road”
• Identify and reduce/eliminate barriers that get in
the way of regional initiatives being successful
• Provide opportunity for statewide sector
partnerships that are important to all regions of the
state (i.e. health care and manufacturing)
Why Regional Sector Initiatives?
• Address the needs of employers -- by focusing intensively on
the workforce needs of a specific industry sector within a region over a
sustained period of time, often concentrating on a specific occupation or
set of occupations within that industry
• Address the needs of workers -- by creating formal career
paths to good jobs, reducing barriers to employment, and sustaining or
increasing middle class jobs
• Bolster regional economic competitiveness -- by
engaging economic development experts in workforce issues and aligning
education, economic, and workforce development planning
• Engage a broader array of key stakeholders -- through
partnerships organized by workforce intermediaries
• Promote systemic change -- that achieves ongoing benefits for
the industry, workers, and community.
State Strategy:
Framework and
Support
Regional Sector
Initiatives
Workforce
Intermediary
Businesses & Industry
Associations
*Business
Services
*Training
Services
*Support
Services
*Recruitment
Services
Workers
13
What’s different about the sector
initiative approach?
• Sector initiatives are considered highly
responsive to industry demand when
compared to traditional job-matching and
training services because they are:
– Problem-oriented, not program-oriented;
• Must identify the core challenges (root cause)
– Address needs interdependently, not
independently; and
– Work with industries collectively, not as
individual firms.
Not another new project
or initiative… a new way
of doing business
Focus:
Why State Sector Strategies?
Getting Started
Engaging System and State Leadership
Engaging Industry Leaders
Engaging Public Partners
Getting Started
10
8
6
Have done
4
Want to do
Not a priority
2
0
Decide within
Decide within Identify regional
Identify key Prioritize a sector Identify industryone department
multiple
sector initiatives characteristics of strategy at the led workforce
to support sector departments to to support and regional sector highest levels of efforts to support
initiatives
support sector
build on
initiatives and state government and build on
initiatives
state sector
strategies
Getting Started
• No single start up model is necessarily better
than another
• The critical piece to start-up success is
developing a sector strategy that builds upon
your state's:
– Strengths
– History
– Political environment
– Vision and goals
Start-up Models
Regional Initiatives Scale Up Model
Visionary Leadership Model
Agency Staff Development Model
Private Sector Origination Model
Regional Initiatives Scale Up Model
Using existing regional sector initiatives to “scale-up” and
develop a state level strategy or framework
– Advantages
• Can use successful regional initiatives to “sell or
champion” the value of the model on a statewide basis
• Can identify specifically where the state can support
regions and “add value” to their initiatives
– Challenges
• Regions may not welcome what they view as state
“interference” in their successful initiative
• May be more difficult to weave individual initiatives
together into a statewide strategy
Visionary Leadership Model
Led by Governor, legislature or senior cabinet level appointees
– Advantages
• Visionary leadership from the top is extremely helpful in
catapulting strategy development forward
• Helps to brand as a “broad competitiveness strategy”, rather than
a “workforce” or “economic development” project
• Supports inclusion of various constituents/partners
• Originators have the ability to reallocate resources toward the
sector strategy
– Challenges
• Political considerations or goals can prevent the strategy from
having adequate time to lay a strong foundation (“not enough
ground spaded before implementing”)
• Leadership may understand the concept but not understand what
it will take to implement
• Capacity building- State and local level public partner staff may
know little about developing and implementing sector strategies
Agency Staff Development Model
Originates with senior or mid-level agency staff
– Advantages
• Staff are likely to have a deep understanding of the sector model
and its potential for success
• Staff would have access to human resources for development and
implementation work
• Staff would have some ability to reallocate resources toward the
sector strategy
– Challenges
• Would likely need some evidence of success in their state to get
buy-in and additional resources from political leadership
• May be viewed as a “project” or “program” (vs. broader systems
change) of the originating agency, resulting in challenges around
collaboration and buy-in from other units/agencies
• May not understand the true nature of a “business led and driven”
strategy
Private Sector Origination Model
Originates with private sector leadership at state level (generally
in industry sectors important to the state as a whole- e.g.
healthcare, energy extraction, automotive manufacturing)
– Advantages
• Solidifies the “business led or driven” nature of sector
strategies
• Once public partner staff gain knowledge about supporting
sector strategies, they can expand the model to develop
other industry sectors
– Challenges
• Capacity building- Public partner staff may know little about
supporting sector strategies
Getting Started:
Map and understand your existing sector initiatives
• Mapping will provide the base line data you
need to identify successes and challenges, and
build upon these initiatives to develop a
comprehensive state level strategy.
• Virtually every state has sector initiatives
underway in its regions.
• The nature and sophistication of these
initiatives will vary greatly – this variation is
important to understand
Getting Started: Other State Roles
• Identifying individuals and/or organizations
that would champion the development of a
state sector strategy
• Engaging leaders from successful regional
sector initiatives
“What steps can we take to
minimize mishaps as we
initiate/develop our sector
strategies?”
Early Pitfall:
“We are already doing that”
• Public education and training systems often mistake
their use of industry advisors for sector initiatives,
missing the key element of active partnerships with
employers and other stakeholders.
• Your response to state level partners can be:
– A state level sector strategy that coordinates the
sector-focused activities of multiple systems will
reduce duplication, close service gaps and make
better use of public dollars overall. It will also
make it easier for local areas to partner to better
serve the needs of industry and workers.
Early Pitfall:
“We just need more funding”
• You will hear from regional system leaders that
additional funding is all their programs need to
adequately meet industry and worker needs. This
may be true to some extent, but if you have mapped
and studied the initiatives in your state as a first step,
you can respond with the following points:
– State sector strategies will “add value” to local initiatives
(not discard or re-invent them) by better coordinating
funding streams and policies that affect their work;
– Sector partnerships at the local level can leverage millions
of dollars from public and private stakeholders.
Leveraging State Investments:
Four Skill Panels (Washington State)
20000
18710
$,000
15000
State
Investments
10000
Leveraged
Funds
5000
620
0
Early Pitfall:
“We tried that and it didn’t work”
• Be prepared to explain (repeatedly if necessary) why
the “sector partnership” approach is different.
Chances are they may have been missing something
important the last time around –
–
–
–
–
–
A key partner?
A neutral convener?
Engaged employers?
A clear focus on one industry?
State support?
Focus:
Why State Sector Strategies?
Getting Started
Engaging System and State Leadership
Engaging Industry Leaders
Engaging Public Partners
Engaging Leadership
10
8
6
Have done
4
Want to do
Not a priority
2
0
Identify key
state-level
partners and
roles
Engage leaders Convene stateDevelop a
from regional
level partners common vision
sector initiatives, and other leaders
and core
industry, and/or
in a multiprinciples
labor in the stakeholder team
planning process
Provide
resources for
state level
planning and
operation
Set goals and
develop concrete
plans to achieve
them
Engaging System and State
Leadership
• Successful state sector strategies rely on a
set of engaged state system leaders (such as in
economic and workforce development,
education, human services) who come
together:
– To discuss common goals in the area of state
economic vitality, and
– Who understand the value of supporting regional
sector initiatives.
System leaders must:
Develop a "strategic framework”
•
This framework should:
– Articulate a common vision and core principles
– Identify key partners and their roles
– Identify potential state level resources available
to move your strategy forward
– Recognize strengths and challenges
– Identify champions
System leaders must:
Create a common vision and core principles
• The joint vision should be a statement that maintains
the individual integrity of systems or agency
missions, but that moves systems toward a common
goal.
• Core principles could include such things as:
– The sector initiatives will be regionally designed and led by
employers.
– The State will support sector initiatives through policy and
funding.
– Agencies will be committed to re-allocating existing
resources to support sector initiatives.
– The sector initiatives will be data driven.
State leaders can also:
Influence others
Communicate and promote sector strategies
Leverage and align state resources
Provide resources for state level planning and
operations
System leaders can:
Influence Others
• Influence their peers or colleagues in other
agencies or branches of government, and help
them to understand the value of sector
strategies.
• Even where there is no formal line of
authority, leaders can build upon their
established relationships or use the “bully
pulpit”.
State leaders can also:
Influence others
Communicate and promote sector strategies
Leverage and align state resources
Provide resources for state level planning and
operations
State leaders can also:
Influence others
Communicate and promote sector strategies
Leverage and align state resources
Provide resources for state level planning and
operations
State leaders can also:
Influence others
Communicate and promote sector strategies
Leverage and align state resources
Provide resources for state level planning and
operations
State leaders can also:
• Communicate and promote sector strategies
– “Get the message out” about the value of sector strategies
• Leverage and align state resources
– Existing program funds can be realigned to meet the
common goals of a sector strategy
– For instance, economic development or community
college funds that previously supported training activities
for individual companies can be realigned to support
sector initiatives.
• Provide resources for state level planning and operations
– States should strongly consider providing some base line
funding to support the planning and operations of the
strategy – the many hours of convening, planning,
negotiating, facilitating, researching, coordinating and
implementing.
“What are effective ways to
engage policy makers in Public
Education, Higher Education and
Industry?”
Lessons Learned
• Change the nature of the supply side focus to
all workers, not just the 5% historically served
by the public workforce system
• Broaden the financial support of sector
strategies beyond WIA funding
• Maximize the use of gubernatorial leadership
for visibility and traction
Lessons Learned
• Be inclusive in the membership of your sector
strategy steering team and use their time
wisely
• Include deputy level staff in the leadership
steering team planning meetings
• Position your sector strategy as a “new way of
doing business” that is here to stay
Lessons Learned
• Align and link effective legacy programs with
your sector strategy
• Manage transitions in political, administrative
and business leadership
– Develop “champions” among key industries’
businesses, representatives of labor, and regional
leaders
– Document your track record and results
– Brand the sector strategy and its initiatives as an
all-inclusive, broad competitiveness strategy
Focus:
Why State Sector Strategies?
Getting Started
Engaging System and State Leadership
Engaging Industry Leaders
Engaging Public Partners
Engaging Industry
10
8
6
Have done
Want to do
4
Not a priority
2
0
Engage state-level industry
associations and other business
and/or union leaders
Connect industry associations and Engage industry associations and
other business and/or union
other business and/or union
leaders with state-level partners leaders in promoting or advocating
for sector strategies
Engaging Industry Leaders
• We often think of business engagement as occurring
primarily at the regional level, but there are two
major categories of engagement at the state level:
– Strategy development level: State level business
associations and state Chambers of Commerce can be very
valuable in bringing a private sector perspective to the
state strategy development
– State initiative or task force level: Engagement of business
associations or groups of industry leaders in a targeted
industry for state level initiatives (i.e. health care or
manufacturing)
Roles of Industry Leaders
• Acting as champions of sector strategies
– State level business and industry leaders can promote the
benefits of the sector approach to their peers, members
and constituents at the regional level.
• Identifying workforce needs
– If recruited and engaged pro-actively, state-level business
and industry leaders can help the public partners better
understand the strengths, challenges and needs of
potential target industry sectors, particularly related to a
skilled workforce.
Roles of Industry Leaders
• Identifying opportunities and barriers
– State level business associations can help the state level
public partners identify the legislative, public policy, and
practice opportunities and barriers that either facilitate or
hinder an industry’s ability to be competitive.
• Political advocacy
– State Chambers of Commerce and business associations
can be critical allies in advocating funding for sector
strategies with state legislatures. Individual business
leaders can also play a crucial role in working with state
legislatures to support the development (or eliminate the
barriers or disincentives) of sector strategies
Key Considerations when Engaging
Business Leadership
• Respect businesses’ time constraints
– Structure the business engagement carefully, making the
best use of the business or association leader’s time,
expertise, and resources
• Add value by using sector data and analysis
– Provide early base line labor market data and analysis that
acts as a foundation for early discussions and goal setting.
• Coalesce business leaders around core principles
– Include business leaders as you develop the core
principles of your state sector strategy, so that the core
principles are demand driven and earn the buy-in by the
state and regional business community.
Key Considerations when Engaging
Business Leadership
•
Use an intermediary
–
•
Just as regional sector initiatives require an intermediary
to convene and coordinate, so does state level sector
activity. An intermediary can provide significant
assistance to help facilitate and move the state-level
strategy forward.
Leverage existing relationships in industry
associations and networks
–
Many industries have active associations or groups that
meet to identify and solve common industry problems.
Public sector partners interested in developing sector
strategies should reach out to existing business groups to
leverage these existing relationships.
Focus:
Why State Sector Strategies?
Getting Started
Engaging System and State Leadership
Engaging Industry Leaders
Engaging Public Partners
Engaging Public Partners
• All levels of authority across multiple systems
must be engaged in designing and
implementing the sector strategy in order to
ensure effective policy direction, program
design and support to regions implementing
sector partnerships.
Roles of State Level Public Partners
• Fleshing out the policy framework
– Once the leadership team establishes the vision, core
principles and sector framework, a team of cross-agency
management staff will need to flesh out the framework
into a strategic action plan - with action steps, persons
responsible, resources needed, timelines, etc.
• Identifying promising practices
– Successful regional sector initiatives exist around the
nation. State staff can provide valuable support to their
regional initiatives by identifying promising sector
initiatives within their own state, in other states, and even
globally.
Roles of State Level Public Partners
• Getting cross-system management “on the same
page”
– Partner management staff play a crucial role in
communicating (and communicating again and again) the
common vision and strategic framework to mid-level
supervisors, support and field staff.
• Providing technical assistance and mentors to
regions
– State partner staff can provide key technical assistance to
their regions. This can take the form of sector academies ,
one-on-one technical assistance, webinars, or resources
provided on web sites, among other forms.
Roles of State Level Public Partners
• Funding regional sector initiatives
– One of the important roles for senior level management is
to decide how state level (including federal discretionary)
funds will be distributed to regions to support sector
partnerships.
• Staffing sector steering committees or task forces at
the state level
– When states have state level sector initiatives in sectors
that are important statewide (such as Health Care and
Aerospace in Oklahoma), senior management staff often
provide staff support or act as intermediaries to these
state level partnerships.
Tips to Engage State-level Public
Partners
•
Be inclusive but strategic
–
•
As you plan your sector strategy, consider which public
partners to “bring to the table.” Err on the side of
inclusion but also consider having a smaller “core team”
to begin the early development work; then enlarge the
team after you have a framework outline.
Provide opportunities to develop relationships
and camaraderie
–
It is much easier to reduce turf battles when people
know each other in a more personal way. Two day
academies or planning sessions can provide an
opportunity for informal receptions or a shared dinner
experience.
Tips to Engage State-level Public
Partners
• “Spade the ground” and be deliberate about your
roll-out
– Before you begin rolling out your sector strategy to the
regions, be sure you have provided the technical
assistance necessary for the regions to be successful.
– Planning grants can be an effective strategy
• Include middle managers in the development and
implementation phases
– Since you need middle managers to buy-in to the sector
concept, it is important to engage them early in the
development process.
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