Step 1: Need-focused Planning and Analysis
When planning a cross-country road trip, a traveler does not typically wait until 600 miles into it before asking fellow travelers if they want to come along, looking at a map, checking for weather conditions, and finding out if an old high school buddy can offer a place to sleep. Some planning before a major undertaking is usually helpful, if not critically important.
In this section, we highlight several key components for defining and assessing the steps that need to be taken prior to any other activity in the process:
- Define the problem
- Consult labor market information
- Determine local employer needs
- Assess current offerings / conduct gap analysis
- Identify the target population
- Resources and Tools for Need-focused Planning and Analysis
Three of the key components – Define the Problem, Assess Current Offerings, and Identify the Target Population – are applicable to any adult learning/skill building program. The remaining two – Consult Labor Market Information, and Determine Local Employer Needs – are primarily important when designing a program in workforce development or job training.