2015-2016 council recommendations - alabamaworks! · 1 letter to governor robert bentley 2 2015 -...

2015-2016 CounCilreCommendations

January 29, 2016

table ofContents

1 Letter to Governor robert bentLey

2 2015 - 2016 CounCiL MeMbers

3 exeCutive suMMary

•Background

•MissionandAdvisoryDuties

•SummaryofWork

•SummaryofRecommendations

•Conclusion

4 aLabaMa WorkforCe systeM experienCe DesiGn pLan

•StrategicSummary

• IAm…TheNewAlabamaWorkforceSystem

•ExperienceDesignPlan

5 appenDix

•A-RegionalWorkforceCouncilInformationSheet

•B-WorkforceDataQualityCampaign,August2015Research

letter to governorrobert bentley

Governor robert bentLey

AlabamaStateCapitol600DexterAvenueMontgomery,AL36130

Dear Governor bentLey:

OnbehalfoftheAlabamaWorkforceCouncil,wethankyouforyourcommitmenttocreatinghigh-wage,high-

demandjobsinAlabamaandforpreparingfuturegenerationsofAlabamiansforcareersinourstate’smany

thrivingindustries.WeappreciatetheopportunitytoserveyouandthepeopleofAlabamatofurtherthecollective

goalofstrengtheningourworkforceandtrainingprogramstoensureAlabama’sskilledlaborforceremains

competitive.

Underyourguidance,theStateofAlabamahasseensignificantgrowthandinvestmentinbothoureconomyand

workforce.ThroughyourcreationoftheCollegeandCareerReadinessTaskForceandthentheestablishmentof

theAlabamaWorkforceCouncil,theCouncilhasbeentaskedwithdevelopingrecommendationstosupportand

enhancethestate’seffortsbyfosteringanopendialogueamongeducation,business,andindustry.

ThisreportistheproductofayearofhardworkbythemembersoftheAlabamaWorkforceCouncil.During

thistime,eachmemberhasbeenengagedinconversation,research,anddeliberationamongthemselvesand

industryandeducationexpertstodeveloprecommendationswiththegoalofimprovingeducationaloutcomesand

promotingworkforceandeconomicdevelopment.

Wearepleasedthatsomeoftherecommendationspresentedinlastyear’sreporthavebeenadoptedintolawand

presentthisreportinanadvisorycapacityforyourconsideration.Again,wethankyouforyourleadershipandthe

opportunitytoserveonbehalfofourstatetoensurethatallAlabamiansarecollegeandcareerreadyandthatour

workforcedevelopmentprogramsaremeetingthestate’smostpressingneeds.

Sincerely,

Zeke sMitH GeorGe CLark

Chairman,AlabamaWorkforceCouncil Vice-Chair,AlabamaWorkforceCouncil

CC:

MembersoftheAlabamaLegislature

MembersoftheAlabamaStateBoardofEducation

MembersoftheAlabamaCommunityCollegeSystemBoardofTrustees

MembersoftheAlabamaCouncilofCollegeandUniversityPresidents

letter to governor robert bentley // 4

January29,2016

2015-2016alabama workforCe

CounCil members

Zeke sMitHaLabaMa poWer

Birmingham

GeorGe CLarkManufaCture aLabaMa

Montgomery

rep. aLan bakerstate representative

Brewton

toM batesevonik inDustries- retireD

Mobile

Dr. toMMy biCestate DepartMent of eDuCation

Montgomery

Mike brunerinternationaL paper

Decatur

MaC buttraMforMer state representative

Cullman

eD CastiLeDepartMent of CoMMerCe

Montgomery

biLL CatonassoCiateD GeneraL ContraCtors

Irondale

Dr. pHiLip CLeveLanDDepartMent of eDuCation offiCe of Career & teCHniCaL eDuCation

Montgomery

norMan CroWD.t. & freiGHt CoMpany

Tuscaloosa

MiCHaeL Davistoray Carbon fibers aMeriCa, inC.

Decatur

CHairMan viCe CHairMan

2015-2016 alabama workforCe CounCil members // 6

CHuCk DiLauraneptune teCHnoLoGy Group, inC.

Tallassee

JeD DoWnsQuaLiCo steeL

Webb

Dr. WiLL fernianyuab HeaLtH systeM

Birmingham

bLaine GaLLiHerWinDoM GaLLiHer & assoCiates

Montgomery

DaLe GreerCuLLMan eConoMiC DeveLopMent aGenCy

Cullman

Jason Harpertennessee vaLLey autHority

Guntersville

aLLen HarrisbaiLey-Harris ConstruCtion

Auburn

Dr. Mark HeinriCHaLabaMa CoMMunity CoLLeGe systeM

Montgomery

Jennifer HiMburGaLfa

Montgomery

MiCHeLLe HurDLeairbus aMeriCas, inC.

Mobile

pHiLip “CHap” JaCksonCoosa CoMposites, LLC

Pelham

Donny JonestusCaLoosa CHaMber of CoMMerCe

Tuscaloosa

ranDy JorDanbryant bank

Mountain Brook

Dave kinGDynaMiCs, inC.

Huntsville

Mike kitCHensaCipCo

Birmingham


sanDra kobLasaustaL usa

Mobile

Jerry MaysforMer Mayor of pHiL CaMpbeLL

Muscle Shoals

tiM MCCartneyMCCartney ConstruCtion

Gadsden

Dr. Joe Mortonbusiness eDuCation aLLianCe

Montgomery

kasey MyersGkn aerospaCe, aLabaMa fueL systeMs

Tallassee

Mike oatriDGeHonDa ManufaCturinG of aLabaMa

Lincoln

CLeve pooLepioneer eLeCtriC Cooperative, inC.

Greenville

ranDy roGersevonik inDustries

Mobile

Gary savaGeb.L. Harbert Corporation

Birmingham

Dr. art tiptonsoutHern researCH institute

Birmingham

fitZGeraLD WasHinGtonaLabaMa DepartMent of Labor

Montgomery

terry WaterstHe assoCiation of eDison iLLuMinatinG CoMpanies

Birmingham


keitH WeiLGoLDen DraGon Copper tubinG

Pine Hill

exeCutivesummary

exeCutive summary // 10

baCkGrounD

TheAlabamaWorkforceCounciliscomprisedofbusiness

executivesfromsomeofthemostimportantindustries

andorganizationsinthestateofAlabama.TheCouncil’s

goalistofacilitatecollaborationbetweengovernment

andindustrytohelpAlabamadevelopasustainable,

top-notchworkforcethatiscompetitiveonaglobalscale.

Sinceitsinception,theCouncilhasbeencommitted

toanalyzingimportantissuesrelatedtoworkforce

developmentandmakingsoundrecommendationsthat

willhelptocreatemoreandbetteropportunitiesforall

Alabamians.

In2013,GovernorRobertBentleyestablishedtheCollege

andCareerTaskForce,whichwascomprisedofleaders

fromeducation,industry,andgovernment.Onekey

recommendationbytheTaskForcewasforthestateto

establishtheAlabamaWorkforceCouncil.

In2014,theLegislaturecreatedtheAlabamaWorkforce

Councilandmemberswereappointed.TheCouncilwas

taskedwith:

u Developingrecommendationstosupportand

enhancethestate’seconomicandworkforce

developmenteffortsbyfosteringanopendialogue

amongeducation,business,andindustry.

u AdvisingandsupportingtheStateSuperintendent

ofEducation,theChancelloroftheAlabama

CommunityCollegeSystem,andthePresidentsof

Alabama’sfour-yearinstitutions.

u Promotingcoordinationacrosspre-Kthrough12th-

grade,two-yearcolleges,four-yearcolleges,and

businessandindustryontheregionalandstate

levels.

InJanuary2015,theAlabamaWorkforceCouncil

presenteditsfirstsetofrecommendationstoGovernor

Bentley,theLegislature,andothers.Manyofthose

recommendationswereimplementedintolawduringthe

2015LegislativeSession.Onerecommendationresulted

intheCouncilbecominganofficialgovernmentagency,

whichishousedinthenewWorkforceDevelopment

DivisionoftheDepartmentofCommerce.

TheCouncilanditsmembersremainedhighlyengaged

throughout2015,workingdiligentlywitheducation,

industry,andgovernmentstakeholders.TheCouncil

hasalong-termviewtowardbuildingacomprehensive

structurethatwilltransformAlabama’sworkforceand

economy.

Mission anD aDvisory Duties

The Alabama Workforce Council concentrates its efforts on:

u Enhancingeducationandindustrycollaborationon

anongoingbasis.

u Promotingaccess,articulation,andcommunication

alongtheeducationalpipeline.

u Ensuringappropriatedevelopmentofessential

professionalskills(alsoknownas“softskills”or

“essentialworkplaceskills”).

u Raisingawarenessofandpromotingaccessto“high

potential”careerpathways.

The advisory duties of the Council include:

u Reviewingwaystostreamlineandaligntheexisting

workforcedevelopmentfunctionsofthestate.

u Evaluatingthebestwaystoincreaseawarenessof

andeducatestudentsaboutavailableopportunities

inindustry.

u Consideringwaystocreateafeedbackloopfor

industryandeducation.

u Evaluatingpublic/privatepartnershipstocreate

industry-fundedscholarshipsforcommunity

colleges,vocationalprograms,anddualenrollment

programs.

u Assessingthevalueofincreasingthemarketing

associatedwithcareerreadinessandskilledcraft

trades.

u Evaluatingthestandardsformembershipand

operationoftheRegionalWorkforceDevelopment

Councils.

u Consideringrealignmentofcountiesineach

RegionalWorkforceDevelopmentCounciltomeet

theneedsofemployers.


suMMary of Work

InJanuary2015,theAlabamaWorkforceCouncil

approveditsfinal2014-2015recommendationsand

submittedaformalreporttotheGovernorandthe

Legislature.Immediatelyafterthesubmissionofits

report,theCouncilshifteditsfocustotheimplementation

ofthoserecommendationstofurtherencouragethe

improvementofeducationaloutcomesandthepromotion

ofworkforceandeconomicdevelopment.Manyofthese

recommendationsresultedinactionbytheLegislature

duringthe2015RegularSession.TheCouncilhasbeen

involvedwiththefollowingactivitiesduringthepast12

months:

u Recommendedadditionalfundingforcareer

coaches.

ResulTs:

• $700,000inadditionalfundingwasincluded

intheFY2016EducationTrustFundbudget

toemploynewcareercoaches.Anadditional

$500,000wasallocatedasaconditional

appropriationforthecareercoachprogram.

• Thestateincreasedthenumberofcareer

coachesfrom36in2014to68in2015.

u Recommendedestablishingamorestreamlined,

centralized,andaccountableorganizationalstructure

forthecoordinationandmanagementofworkforce

developmentprograms.Alsosupportedtheefforts

ofthestate’sleadershiptoassessthestructureof

theWorkforceInvestmentBoards.

ResulTs:

• Legislationwaspassedtoconsolidatethe

primaryworkforcedevelopmentfunctionsofthe

stateintotheDepartmentofCommerce.This

legislationcreateda“WorkforceDevelopment

Division”withintheDepartmentofCommerce.

• TheWorkforceInvestmentBoards,Alabama

CareerCenters,IncumbentWorkerTraining

program,AlabamaIndustrialDevelopment

Training,andtheAlabamaWorkforceCouncil

arenowhousedwithinthisnewdivision.

• Thestate’seconomicdevelopmentandsmall

businessfunctionsweretransferredtothenew

“BusinessDevelopmentDivision”withinthe

DepartmentofCommerce.

• Legislationwaspassedtocreatean

independentgoverningboardfortheAlabama

CommunityCollegeSystem.


u Recommendedthecodificationandfundingofthe

RegionalWorkforceDevelopmentCouncils.

ResulTs:

• LegislationwaspassedtocodifytheRegional

WorkforceDevelopmentCouncilsandto

transferthemtotheWorkforceDevelopment

DivisionwithintheDepartmentofCommerce.

BackgroundinformationabouttheRegional

WorkforceDevelopmentCouncilsisavailablein

AppendixA.

u Recommendedestablishingastatewidelongitudinal

datasystem.

ResulTs:

• GovernorBentleyissuedExecutiveOrderNo.

6onMay21,2015toestablishtheAlabama

P-20WLongitudinalDataSystemandthe

AlabamaOfficeofEducationandWorkforce

Statistics,anindependentofficethatishoused

attheDepartmentofLabor.TheOfficeof

EducationandWorkforceStatisticswillbe

governedbyanadvisoryboardthatwilloversee

theoperationsofthedatasystem.TheOffice

willbeledbyanappointedChiefPolicyOfficer.

• TheCouncilcontinuestoresearchandpursue

additionalstepsforfundingtheestablishment

ofthedatasystemandtheOfficeofEducation

andWorkforceStatistics.

u Beganresearchtocreateastatewideawareness,

branding,andmarketingstrategy.

u Laidthegroundworktodevelopa“one-stopshop”

onlineresourceforAlabamaworkforcedevelopment

information.

u HostedameetingattheMercedes-Benzplantin

Vance.Duringthatmeeting,Councilmembersheard

areportfromtheRegion3RegionalWorkforce

DevelopmentCouncilexplainingtheimportantrole

thatregionalcouncilsplayinthestate’sworkforce

developmentsystem,aswellastheirsuccesses

creatinganindustry-drivenregionalsolutionfor

workforceneeds.

u FormedaStrategicImplementationCommitteeto

focusonthemanagementandimplementationof

theCouncil’srecommendations.TheCommittee’s

effortsincluded:

• ServingasaresourcetotheDepartmentof

Commerceinconnectionwiththeestablishment

oftheWorkforceDevelopmentDivision.

• Assistingeffortstodevelopnewworkforce

developmentresources.

• Creatingaworkinggrouptoformacareerfair

andtradeshowstrategy.

• Providingadviceinconnectionwiththereview

ofrealignmentoptionsforthestate’sWorkforce

InvestmentBoards.

• Meetingwithindustryexpertstoevaluatestates

withsuccessfulworkforcedevelopmentefforts.

• CollaboratingwiththeGovernor’sSteering

CommitteeonWorkforceDevelopment.

ResulTs:

• TheresearchandworkoftheStrategic

ImplementationCommitteeresultedin

theCouncilvotingtoretaintheIDEAS

Group,aconsultantbasedinOrlando,

Floridathatreviewed,analyzed,andmade

recommendationsonmovingAlabama’s

workforcedevelopmentsystemforward.IDEAS

specializesinmediaandexperiencedesignand

wasformedthroughamanagementbuyout

ofseveralDisneybusinesses,combining

them,cuttingcosts,improvingcreativity,and

extendingcapabilities.

• Overathree-monthperiod,IDEASconducted

meetings,interviews,andinformational

sessionsacrossthestatethatinvolvedmore


than1,000peoplefromallaspectsofthe

workforcespectrumandrepresentedadiverse

setofAlabamians.

• TheIDEASGroupreviewincludedananalysisof

Alabama’sinterconnectedprovidersofworkforce

services,includingallofthegovernmental,

educational,andprivate-sectorcomponents

thattrain,prepare,andmatchjobseekerswith

employers(collectivelyreferredtointhissection

andtheIDEASGroupExperienceDesignPlanas

the“AlabamaWorkforceSystem”).

• TheIDEASGroupproducedaplanbasedupon

theinformationgatheredfromtheirworkin

Alabama.TheExperienceDesignPlanwas

presentedtotheCouncilonJanuary20,2016,

andisincludedaspartofthisreport.

u AsaresultoftheCouncil’sworkin2015,andthe

involvementofthebusinesscommunityinthestate’s

workforcedevelopmentinitiatives,Alabamawas

oneoftwostatesfeaturedinanAugust2015report

bytheNationalWorkforceDevelopmentQuality

Campaign(SeeAppendixB).

suMMary of reCoMMenDations

Thefollowingisanoverviewoftherecommendations

thattheAlabamaWorkforceCouncilissubmittingtothe

Governor,theLegislature,theStateBoardofEducation,

theAlabamaCouncilofCollegeandUniversityPresidents,

andtheAlabamaCommunityCollegeSystemBoardof

Trustees.

MembersoftheCouncilhavereviewedanddiscussedthe

findingsoftheExperienceDesignPlan.Themembers

believethedeterminationsmadeintheplanvalidatetheir

recommendationsandthatthereisanopportunityto

furtherrestructure,streamline,andclarifytheAlabama

WorkforceSystem’sfunction.Thereisalsoanopportunity

tocreateabrandthatencompassesallofthestate’s

currentdisparateproviderandprogrambrandsandis

unique,relevant,respected,andeasilyunderstood.

TheExperienceDesignPlanincludedinthisreport

articulatestheactionsrequired,timelinesfor

implementation,potentialfundingmechanisms,

governancestructures,andotherrelevantinformationfor

eachrecommendationlistedbelow.

u Thestateshouldfund12additionalcareercoaches,

whichwouldresultinthestatebeingatfullcapacity

of80careercoachesandwouldplaceonecareer

coachineachhighschoolatleastonedayperweek.

u ThenewAlabamaWorkforceSystemmustbedriven

bybusinessandindustrydemandandcriteriafor

skillsandtalent.Astrongnetworkofeffective,

funded,andempoweredregionalworkforceentities

(currentlyRegionalWorkforceDevelopmentCouncils)

shouldbetaskedwiththecentralroleofbridging

businessneedswitha“talentsupplychain.”Eachof

thesenewentitiesshouldbeledbyapaidexecutive

directorwhoreportstoaboardofregionalbusiness,

industry,andeducationleadersandbesupportedby

theDepartmentofCommerce.

u ConsolidationoftheRegionalWorkforce

DevelopmentCouncilsandthealignmentof

thoseconsolidatedregionswiththeeffortsof

localcommunitycollegesisessentialtoeliminate

redundancies,enhanceeaseofuse,andassure

accountabilitytothebusinesscommunity.

u Aneasytonavigateandcomprehensivestatewide

educationandtrainingresourcesystemshouldbe

developedtoenableeach“supplypoint”(including

K-12,two-yearcolleges,four-yearcollegesand

universities,AlabamaIndustrialDevelopment


Training,AlabamaTechnologyNetwork,

careercenters,andprivatetraining

companies)toexcelatmeetingbusiness

needs.

u Anew,online“one-stop”resourcemust

beestablishedtoserveclearandfocused

needswhilebeingaccessiblebybusiness,

government,education,andpublicusers.A

newglobaldatabaseisrecommendedasan

analyticaltooltobenchmarkperformance

andprovideinsightintousers.

u Anew,unified,anduniversalbrandfor

theAlabamaWorkforceSystemshouldbe

createdandimplemented.Thebrandshould

encompassthestate’sdisparateprovider

andprogrambrandsandbecomplementary

toco-brandedpartners.

ConCLusion

Theadvisoryrecommendationsinthisreportarethe

culminationofmonthsofhardworkoninitiativestohelp

Alabamiansdeveloptheirpersonalpotentialthroughan

effectivecareerpathway.TheCouncilisproposingthese

recommendationstohelpgrowthestate’seconomy,

increasetheavailabilityofskilledlabor,andpreparethe

nextgenerationofstudentsforsuccessfulcareersinthis

state.

ItisimportanttotheCouncilthatpreparingfor

employmentisacontinuousjourneyforallAlabamians

thatbeginsatthepre-Klevelandneverends,assuring

thatallworkersareproperlyequippedatallpointsalong

thecareerpathway.TheCouncilmembersbelievethat

theRegionalWorkforceDevelopmentCouncilsmust

playacentralroleintheoverallworkforcedevelopment

systemsothatbusinessandindustrydrivesthesystem

byarticulatingtheirworkforceneeds,andaregional

effortallowsbusinessandindustrypartnerstomatch

theirneedswithbest-fittrainingandeducation.The

developmentandimplementationofastatewide

workforcedevelopmentbrandwillprovidethestate(for

thefirsttimeever)withaclear,accurate,consistent,

sustainablestorythatwillembodythevaluesofAlabama

andthemessagethatmustbesharedwithworkersand

otherstakeholders.

Awell-trainedworkforceisthefutureofbusinessand

industryinAlabama.Councilmembers,asbusiness

leadersinthisstate,arerecommendingtheseactionsto

createamoresustainableworkforcethatwillenablethe

statetoprovidemoreemploymentopportunities,higher

educationalachievementandskillattainment,andmore

dynamiceconomicgrowth.WebelieveinAlabama,its

people,anditsfuture,andwearepleasedtosubmit

theserecommendationsforyourconsideration.

alabama workforCe system experienCe

design plan

regional workforCe CounCil

information sheet

appendix a

workforCe data Quality

Campaign, august 2015

researCh

appendix b

2015-2016 council recommendations - alabamaworks! · 1 letter to governor robert bentley 2 2015 -...

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