Phased Engagement Structure
Integrating Community-Based Workforce Development Programs
The Skills Gap in American industry is a real threat to the economy. The National Business Roundtable reports 77 % of employers struggle to find employees with the right skills. While Replacing skills is a critical opportunity that is restaffing traditional positions the real critical need is preparing for the next generation of skills (e.g. 3-D additive manufacturing, robotics, and artificial intelligence for example).
The good news is that a large number of very smart people and well-intentioned organizations are creating and implementing programs to help close the Skills Gap and make life better for the citizens of their communities.
The hidden problem is a lack of community level coordination of these programs.
Industry collaborations are rationally focused on the needs of their industry. Education providers are focused on the dynamics of their accountability systems. Governmental programs are generally underfunded or restrained by cumbersome fiscal management requirements.
What we have, in business terms, is a supply chain logistics problem in the context of people – sourcing skilled workers and aligning them with the employers in their communities. In other words, we need an “Applied Workforce Logistics” provider in each community/region providing the following services:
• Strategy Development
• Program Implementation Leadership
• Fundraising & Centralized Fiscal Administration, Reporting & Accountability
• Data Management & Analysis
• Thought Leadership & Public Relations
• Consulting Services
• Career Development Counseling Systems
EXAMPLE ENGAGEMENT APPROACH
Phase 1: Inventory & Market Research
Activity: Document current activities in the region connected to potential Workforce/Industry Certification Providers.
Methodology: Document Review plus Interview 40+ key stakeholders and/or community thought leaders.
• Up to 20 in primary industry niche and education providers.
• Up to 10 community thought leaders from industry clusters outside the engagement’s primary industry cluster focus–manufacturing.
• Up to 10 regional thought leaders and/or potential funding sources to be determined.
Deliverable: Report summarizing findings from interviews, and data review with recommendations for potential program integration solutions.
Increased Access
Interviews will engage key stakeholders in the earliest conversations about the initiative to minimize the potential for missing important current programs.
Improved Alignment
Interviews will lay the foundation for alignment between education, governmental, and industry lead initiatives.
Reduced Barriers
Interviews will identify unknowns and qualify previously identified barriers to successful implementation.
Phase 2: Business Modeling
ACTIVITY: Analysis of Phase 1 Findings in the context of additional programing opportunities. Gathering of pricing and funding data from potential partners.
METHODOLOGY: Develop business model presupposes an independent entity as ongoing fiscal and administrative agent for integration relevant workforce readiness initiatives and potential provision of services currently not being delivered.
DELIVERABLE: Executive Summary & Business Plan with proforma financial models (both hard copy and digital files) and supporting documentation for relevant implementation scenarios and opportunities.
Increased Access
Business model development will focus on implementation strategies for manufacturing, logistics, and potential industry focused implementations such as aerospace and energy.
Improved Alignment
Business modeling will be the critical element of alignment of:
• financial and physical resources,
• education facilities,
• qualified education-training leaders,
• academic/industry certification programs,
• program candidates,
• employers, and
• data management-analysis infrastructure.
Reduced Barriers
Practical approaches to solve problems related to critical barriers will identified and built into the business models.
