jtorrens's blog

Register at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/817689448

Do sector strategies provide an effective career advancement model for immigrant workers?

In this NNSP webinar, Colin Austin of MDC, Inc. examines key characteristics of sector strategies and how they apply to Latino immigrant job-seekers. Drawing on a recent report produced with the assistance of NNSP’s Strategic Venture Fund, Colin analyzes a recent demonstration project, Latino Pathways, and describes what worked and what fell short.

As a comparative study, Colin reviews and applies lessons from Targeting Industries, Training Workers, and Improving Opportunities, a report by Public/Private Ventures on the Sectoral Employment Initiative, and adds new findings that relate to the immigrant workforce.

Please join us for this report from the field about how sector strategies are being applied in today's labor market.

For MDC's report: http://www.insightcced.org/uploads/nnsp/Latino Pathways Report.pdf.

For more about Latino Pathways: http://www.mdcinc.org/programs/work.aspx#latino.

Join NNSP for a webinar on energy efficiency occupations, May 20, 2009.

In 2009, the San Francisco Bay and Greater Silicon Valley Centers of Excellence studied eight energy efficiency occupations that are most relevant to community colleges. Employers in the 12-county Bay Area are projected to add as many as 13,000 new jobs over the next three years in this cluster of occupations.

This webinar will present findings from the study related to demand and growth in eight energy efficiency occupations based on survey responses from more than 700 firms that hire energy efficiency workers. In addition, the webinar will compare employment demand with existing and planned community college programs to prepare workers for these occupations and will identify gaps in existing training. Finally, the webinar will suggest strategies community colleges and other institutions can use to respond to identified industry needs.

Title: Workforce Trends and Needs in the Energy Efficiency Sector
Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PDT

Space is limited. Reserve your place now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/520375936

For more information about the Centers of Excellence Energy Efficiency Study see: http://www.coeccc.net/energy/

Every field needs visionary, energetic people to explore new ideas and set future directions. To support the next generation of innovative leaders in sectoral workforce development, the Sector Skills Academy was created to provide a unique opportunity for peer learning, skills development, and professional growth.

Designed for leaders from community-based organizations, community colleges, labor-management partnerships and business associations, the Academy is a year-long program involving workshops, mentoring, technical assistance, and peer support. During three 3-day workshops, participants will hear from leading sectoral practitioners, share ideas and experiences, and gain exposure to innovative ideas and creative leaders in today's sectoral development field.

As an integral part of the Academy, each participant will reflect on and refine his/her vision, strategy and implementation plan for a specific sectoral initiative, compatible with his/her own organization's vision and goals. Applicants should be involved in a current sector initiative or developing a new initiative and have the authority within their organization to lead such an effort.

The Academy's fifth class of approximately 25 participants will begin in October 2009. Applications to the Academy will be accepted through May 20, 2009. To learn more about the Academy, visit: www.sectorskillsacademy.org.

Ready to apply? Download an application now.

The Sector Skills Academy is a joint project of the Aspen Institute's Workforce Strategies Initiative and Public/Private Ventures, with principal support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

In 2009, the San Francisco Bay and Greater Silicon Valley Centers of Excellence studied eight energy efficiency occupations that are most relevant to community colleges.

This environmental scan’s findings are based on survey responses from more than 700 firms that hire energy efficiency workers in the 12-county Bay Area. Employers are projected to add as many as 13,000 new jobs over the next three years in this cluster of occupations.

The Centers of Excellence continue to research energy efficiency occupations in California. In the next few months, an overview of the statewide results and additional regional scans will be released.

For more information:  http://www.coeccc.net/energy/

Join us for a webinar on the growing green economy, April 30, 2009.

Seattle Jobs Initiative (SJI) and the National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP) present a report on the growing green economy and its impact on jobs and career pathways.

The report, supported by an NNSP Strategic Venture Fund grant and continuing work initiated by the City of Seattle, examines local industries that are turning green and what this change means for local employers, workers, and available skills training.

Topics include: policy, advocacy, investment and economic development, industry sectors, jobs, labor market challenges, workforce preparation, and recommendations for green sector approaches, with special attention throughout on the energy efficiency sector in the Puget Sound region.

Space is limited. Reserve your place now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/577584841

By Ravinder Mangat

NNSP has developed a tool – the Recovery Act Summary by Industry Sector – to identify potential funding available to initiatives working in particular industry sectors from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The workbook categorizes ARRA investments by industry sector, such as construction, healthcare, and information technology. It also lists investments in "green" industries, such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Each industry break-out is further sub-divided, with descriptions of programs, specific activities, and level of funding available. Also included is our initial assessment of whether sector initiatives may directly apply for funds.

While this tool is intended to help sector initiatives and supporters identify funding opportunities, it also offers an overview of ARRA’s potential impact on specific industries, such as construction, in which the recovery investments are likely to generate significantly increased economic activity and workforce demand.

To view the Recovery Act Summary by Industry Sector, click here.

The infusion of funds from the Recovery Act has prompted the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to require WIA/Wagner-Peyser Act State Plan modifications from all states. In a webinar held earlier today, ETA provided an overview of its guidance on the submission process for State Plans and waiver requests for PY 2009.

The PowerPoint presentation can be found here:  http://www.workforce3one.org/view/2110908641287227698/info

A recording of the webinar should be posted to Workforce3One within a few days.

Click "Read more" below to read a summary of the webinar.

 What will the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) mean for sector initiatives and supporters around the country? Questions we are hearing at NNSP:

• How will new funding for industry-focused workforce development, such as in healthcare, energy, and transportation construction, be distributed?
• How can local workforce areas use their supplemental allocations?
• What’s the timeline for release of funds?

Following is our current knowledge of the ARRA’s workforce provisions. Read quickly! By tomorrow, there will no doubt be new developments.

Click "Read more" below for information and commentary.

NNSP has developed a new resource for the sector field:  the Map of Sector Initiatives and Supporters.

The map locates sector initiatives and supporters of sector work on a map of the United States.  In addition, it allows users to search for organizations by industry concentration, organization type, or state - or any combination thereof.

Are you on the map?  Are your state's sector initiatives?

Click here to view the map and make sure.

Click here to:

• Confirm that the information we show for you is correct,
• Let us know of changes to your profile, or
• Add yourself (if you are not yet on the map).

Please suggest others for us to invite to be included.  We also welcome your thoughts about how you'd like to see the map develop.  The more information it contains, the more useful it will be to everyone.

The construction sector in Colorado, in common with many states across the country, faces serious skills shortages. In Colorado, this trend will be exacerbated by a major long-term transit construction project in the metro Denver area. A new NNSP report discusses the role of sector initiatives in addressing these issues.

The report can be accessed here.

The report begins by analyzing labor market information and presents the projected high demand occupations in the sector. It then provides an assessment of which of these occupations are both part of a career pathway and pay a self sufficiency wage. It also identifies issues constraining Colorado’s capacity to meet the demand in these occupations. This section also includes a list of occupations specific to the transit construction industry.

The report includes examples of construction sector initiatives that have successfully addressed recruitment and skill development issues, and outlines general design principles for sector initiatives to effectively target workforce challenges across a wide range of industry sectors. The report concludes by suggesting improvements to the construction industry’s overall approach to recruiting workers, aimed at bridging the long term skills shortfall.

This publication was made possible through the generous financial support of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the Colorado Workforce Development Council.