State sector strategies can be initiated in a variety of ways. Sometimes state sector strategies are envisioned by state political leadership such as the Governor or state legislature; other times the strategy is planned and implemented by agency leadership. Sector strategies can also originate at the regional level as sector initiatives, and then "roll up" into a comprehensive, statewide framework. In other cases, the approach is driven by the private sector. No single way 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, and goals.
Here are at least four broad categories that help to conceptualize the major ways state sector strategies “get started.”
Start-Up Model
Advantages
Challenges
Regional Initiatives Roll Up Model:
Using existing regional sector initiatives to “roll-up” and develop a state level strategy or framework
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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
Capacity building – Public partner staff may know little about supporting sector strategies
If you have any questions about this website, or would like to submit a tool for the toolkit or content for the blog, please contact:
Tammy Coxen
Policy Associate, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce tcoxen@skilledwork.org
734-769-2900
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