Calhoun County Community Listening Session

Bauer Community CenterNovember 8, 2005

Regional Workforce and Economic Development

Office of Workforce and Economic DevelopmentThe Victoria College

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Victoria College Service Area

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What is a (CLS) community listening session?

• Community listening sessions allow Victoria College to listen to and develop responses to workforce and economic development needs.

• Community listen sessions are part and parcel of the state of Texas’ “demand driven”approach to a regional workforce and economic development system.

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What is the (CLS) process?

• At least two “industry cluster” representatives are at each round table.

• Each roundtable will have a facilitator to assist with verbal and written responses to questions.

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Questions and Answers

• Each roundtable will have ten minutes to answer six questions.

• The facilitator will record the answer on flip charter paper and report the same to the larger group.

• The facilitator will encourage stakeholders to exchange information about each question.

• A summary of the CLS will be provided to attendees and interested parties within ten days of the session.

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Question # 1(10 minutes)

• What is Victoria College doing that is most effective at your organization?

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Question # 2 (10 minutes)

• How can Victoria College serve your organization/community better in terms of: future employees, in-service training for current employees, civic responsibilities, partnerships with schools, businesses and agencies and transfer preparation?

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Question # 3 (10 minutes)

• What segments of your organization/community is the college not reaching and/or serving? What can Victoria College do to reach those individuals?

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Question # 4 (10 minutes)

• How will your organization change over the next five years? What should Victoria College do to prepare for those changes?

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Question # 5 (10 minutes)

• What programs (particularly vocational/workforce, occupational or technical) does your organization/community need Victoria College to provide that is not currently available? These may include training such as leadership, team building, conflict resolution, ethics [Sarbanes/Oxley], diversity and gender issues, succession planning and management, technology and project management.

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Question # 6 (10 minutes)

• Do you have any specific suggestions for ways in which we could improve our programs and/or services?

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•• Philosophies and strategies of economic development have changed dramatically over past several decades.

• The role of post-secondary education in facilitating and supporting both community and economic development has changed as well.

• There is a growing demand for affordable access to high quality post-secondary education and workforce development programs that offer educational and career development strategies for individuals and employers regardless of where they are located in the state.

• It is less costly and time- consuming when stakeholders collaborate.

Why Economic Development Collaboration?

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•• First Wave- Prior to WWII the primary economic development strategy was “smoke stack” chasing. Built on cheap land, labor and low taxes.

• Second Wave-Tax abatements, training programs and other public assistance programs to attract industry. Linkage between education and workforce began to take shape.

• Third Wave- In the 1970’s, states and regions began to adapt to the changing global economic marketplace and new economic pressures from international competitors. Focus on workplace skills (deficits in workforce), technology, modernization, and new product capital. Stopped “smoke stack” chasing and focused on retention and expansion.

• Fourth Wave-Introduction of regional and local strategies, which depend on a blending of community assets and state and private resources to generate a supportive environment for the attraction and development of new businesses.

History and Strategies

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Collaboration: The Economic Development Triangle: In pursuit of a Fourth Wave Strategy

• To be successful in economic development, it is important to coordinate investment in: educational reform, workforce development and community development. This will foster invention and innovation.

• Quality of educational system, workforce quality and investments in community and economic “health” are reinforced and increased in effectiveness by investment in higher education.

• Human capital and intellectual capital and the creation of wealth are linked together. The educational system becomes the primary infrastructure that holds all of the elements of the Fourth Wavetogether.

• Social capital describes the resources embedded in social structures (such as Rotary Clubs)) and networks rather than in individuals (see Robert Putnam’s “Bowling Alone”).

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What does successful economic and community development collaboration look like?

• Networks/consortia in which local and state government, not for profits and foundations become facilitators rather than sole providers of services to support and encourage job creation and diversification of the local economy

• Local stakeholders identify opportunities and assets and recommend how investments should be made to encourage local development

• Public dollars leverage private partnerships• Comprehensive policies and programs based on regional approaches

rather than overall statewide approach• Competition is used to test models and strategies and to encourage

public/private partnerships.• Use of investments rather than grants• An emphasis on a higher level of accountability

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Success Continued

• Consistent investment in higher education• An emphasis on the quality of K-12 education and its

effective connection to post-secondary education.

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Five Key Factors are always present in Successful, Collaborative Regions

• A highly educated and trained workforce with access to continuing education

• Access to high-quality university research and the means to translate basic research into practical knowledge and utilization

• An excellent communication and transportation infrastructure

• A physically attractive environment• Excellently managed local public services and effective use

of public resources to support economic development on a local/regional basis.

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Future Workers

• Will come from the millennium or “slacker” generation• Will need more developmental and remedial education• Will work in a “knowledge” based economy• Will be more ethnically diverse• Will have an average of six to seven careers• Will live and work a lot longer than workers today• Will be multi-tasked • Will be less loyal to their company/employers• Will have a shorter attention span• Will be highly mobile• Will need lots and lots of “soft skill” training• Will be more apt to question everything

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Just the Facts

• Texas has nearly 3,800,000 undereducated adults• Texas has to double the number of college students by the

year 2015 (close the Gaps) if the economy is to remain strong and viable (500,000 new students will need to be enrolled by then).

• Texas ranks near the bottom in the US in literacy• The Golden Crescent Workforce Board is actively seeking

collaborative relationships to address workforce and economic needs of the region.

• The Golden Crescent Workforce Solutions has funds available to train incumbent workers in computer classes, customer service and safety.

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College Service Area

• Eight county service area less white (older-35+ years)

• Hispanic population growing rapidly (younger-0-34 years majority)

• Black population showing almost no real increase.

****(Data obtained from 2000 US Census and Fall, 2001 Strategic Insight, Victoria College)

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College Service Area (Continued)Outcomes• 2000 public high school graduates: 48% White, 43 %

Hispanic, 8% Black• Of the1998 Freshman class (dropout %): 26% White,

65% Hispanic, and 59% Black• Half of all entering 1998 minority freshmen dropped

out of school before graduation.

• From Texas Public School Attrition Study

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Outcomes (Continued)• Income disparity (Median incomes): Whites $48, 402,

Hispanics $30.041, Blacks $28, 142.• Below poverty level: Whites 8%, Hispanics 23%,

Blacks 30%.• Nearly ½ of all minorities have no H.S. diploma/GED• About 19% of Whites have a Bachelors or higher.

Only 4% of Blacks and Hispanics do.• Golden Crescent Region 2000 Census Data

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State of Texas

• By 2030 Texas Population: Whites 36.4%, Hispanic 46.2%, Black 9.5%

• By 2030 Texas Population over age 65: Whites 23%, Hispanics 10.4%, Blacks 13.6%

• Increasing Urbanization • Rapid growth in many areas (particularly by Hispanics)• By 2030 the Texas population will be larger than the US

population at the start of the civil war• US Census 2000 Data

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Texas (Continued)

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College and Community ImpactAs far as our community is concerned, consider the following

quote from an article in the October 2002 issue of Texas Monthly Magazine that VC President Dr. Jimmy Goodson recently shared with all Victoria College faculty and staff. “The issues raised by Steve Murdock are the most important questions facing Texas. How are the Texans of today going to prepare the Texans of tomorrow to learn to read and to qualify for good jobs? Increasing the socioeconomic opportunities for the non-Anglo population is not a liberal issue or a conservative issue; it isn’t a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It is a survival issue for Texas”

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College and Community Impact

• "In manufacturing, 88 percent of companies say they're having trouble finding qualified applicants to fill at least one kind of job in their operation. One in five companies says, today, it literally cannot expand its operation, even though the markets are there, because they don't have workers with the right skills."

• Former President William Jefferson Clinton "Remarks by the President on Closing the Skills Gap" January 28, 1999 1999 White House Education Press Releases and Statements

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In an attempt to encourage higher education in our region The Victoria Chamber of Commerce is introducing A Sure B.E.T. Business and Education Together

One way to participate in the program is by granting employees leave to visit schools and encouraging them to do so. This time can be spent mentoring students, participating in current business/education programs or assisting the school in any other manner in which would enhance the quality of education.

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What is The Victoria College doing to foster collaboration?

• Recommitted to regional workforce and economic development• Hired a Vice President Workforce of Economic Development• Allocated staff and resources • Implementing master plan to include new allied health and continuing

education buildings• Expanding program offerings• More proactive, collaborative and visible throughout region• Conducting regional “listening” sessions.• Working more closely with K-life long learning• Obtaining workforce grants and other sources of funding• Recently received a TWC Skills Development Grant• Strengthening relationships with all stakeholders

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A sampling of Victoria College Workforce Programs

• Vocational and Associate Degree Nursing (100% placement)• Computer Programming/Web Specialization• Electronics Technology• Local Area Network Administration• Child Care Development• Instrumentation Technology• Emergency Medical Services• Police and Fire Academies• Wide Area Telecommunications• Process Technology• Electronics Technology• Continuing Education Courses• Adult Education/GED/ESL

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Collaboration and Cooperation

• It is a Win–Win-Win for all concerned.

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Thanks

• Questions, comments. etc.

• Dr. Craig T. Follins• VP, Workforce and Economic Development• The Victoria College• 361-582-2510• craig.follins@victoriacollege.edu