Overarching Components
Expand Capacity and Close System Gaps by Working with Local Partners
Partnerships are also important for addressing any gaps in the current system of education and training. Building a strong pipeline of skilled workers requires a system whose various components are seamlessly connected. A study of six states by the National Governors Association found that some of the most common gaps were between the secondary and postsecondary systems, between education and workforce programs, and between these programs and the skill demands of the workplace (Simon & Hoffman, 2004). Partnerships among the various stakeholders and key players can help to create stronger connections that allow for better transitions from one provide to the next and that better meet the needs of employers.
Women Employed’s Bridges to Careers for Low-Skilled Adults: A Program Development Guide (Henle et al, 2005) provides a matrix of the different kinds of partners and their possible roles:
ORGANIZATION |
POTENTIAL ROLES |
Adult education programs (community colleges, community-based organizations, public school system) |
Techniques for teaching lower-skill adults; Basic literacy, math, and computer skills training; English as a Second Language (ESL); Assessment tools |
Community-Based Organizations |
Marketing and recruitment; Case management; Support services and support services navigation; Work readiness and job placement; Vocational and occupational skills; ESL and vocational ESL; Adult education (reading, writing, and math); Computer skills; Job training |
Community Colleges |
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Orientation to postsecondary education; Interest and capacity assessments; Educational and career advising; Support service navigation |
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Sector-specific occupational programs; Specific courses that may be adapted to the bridge program framework, e.g., computer applications, customer service basics |
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Capacity to customize training for specific employers and industries; Employer connections; Adjunct faculty and trainers |
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Associate and Applied Associate degree programs; Occupational certificates, licenses, and other industry-recognized credentials |
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Basic literacy and math skills |
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Information and application assistance |
Employer Associations (Chambers of Commerce) and Industry Associations |
Program review and feedback; Industry and career ladder information; Skill information; Labor market data; Marketing; Employer recruitment and coordination |
Employers |
Skills identification; Job advancement information and requirements; Program review and feedback; Jobs, internships, and project learning; Instructors, role models, mentors; Referrals to program; Training facilities, equipment; Workplace-based incumbent worker training; Funding (tuition reimbursement, etc.) |
Labor Unions |
Identification of competencies and industry information; Employer outreach; Program review and feedback; Referrals to program; Skills training; Apprenticeships; Certifications; Funding |
One-Stop Career Centers |
Job search skills; Job information; Training vouchers |
Social Service Agencies |
Support services; Case management; Financial assistance (e.g., food stamps, dependent care, transportation); Referrals |
State Agencies |
Labor market information and analysis; Economic and workforce trend analysis; Identification of target industries; Connection to employers; Resource development and allocation; Evaluation |
Universities |
Labor market information and analysis; Curriculum and instructional design; Evaluation and continuous improvement |
Workforce Boards |
Identifying sectors of importance to regional economy; Mapping job requirements and advancement paths; Planning and budgeting; Policy development |
Workforce Intermediaries |
Program design assistance; Best practice models; Advocacy; Resource development; Conducting focus groups; Evaluation |
Curriculum development is one activity where recruiting partners can add real value. Developing curriculum requires planning, knowledge about the content and about learning methodologies, incorporation of evaluation methods, and continuous improvement based on what is learned from the evaluation. Colleges and universities have considerable expertise in curriculum development, and so partnerships with these educational institutions often are advisable. Though you can develop a curriculum on your own with the input of employers, and though this may be effective for the adult learners that you are serving, developing partnerships with community colleges and universities as you are creating your program will give the learners a great number of options. The institutions can design the curriculum so that it provides the learner with college credit, and they can help to link trainees with degree-granting programs after they complete the initial skill building program. This will encourage low-skilled workers to continue to work towards the credentials they will need for further career advancement.
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