u.s. department of education office of vocational and adult education mpr associates, inc. business...

U.S. Department of Education • Office of Vocational and Adult Education • MPR Associates, U.S. Department of Education • Office of Vocational and Adult Education • MPR Associates, Inc.Inc.

Business and Literacy Partners: Community Partnerships for Adult

LearningNational Coalition for Literacy

May 10, 2007

www.c-pal.net

Community Partnerships • OVAE/ MPR Associates, IncCommunity Partnerships • OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc..

AgendaAgenda

C-PAL OverviewC-PAL Overview

www.c-pal.netwww.c-pal.net

Guide for BusinessesGuide for Businesses BackgroundBackground

Business Advisory GroupBusiness Advisory Group

Key FindingsKey Findings Dissemination Dissemination

Next StepsNext Steps


C-PAL OverviewC-PAL Overview

Explore how partnerships Explore how partnerships can enhance adult can enhance adult education programs and education programs and reach more learnersreach more learners

Share resources that Share resources that support community-based support community-based adult education adult education http://www.c-pal.net/http://www.c-pal.net/


C-PAL PartnershipsC-PAL Partnerships

HI

CA

WA

ID

UTNV

AZ

MT

WY

CO

NM

ND

SD

NE

KS

OKAR

IA

MN

MO

TX LA

MSAL GA

FL

SC

NCTN

KY

IL

VAWV

MI

WI

VT

NH

ME

NY

PA

OHINNJDEMD

OR

MARICT

AK

HI

CA

WA

ID

UTNV

AZ

MT

WY

CO

NM

ND

SD

NE

KS

OKAR

IA

MN

MO

TX LA

MSAL GA

FL

SC

NCTN

KY

IL

VAWV

MI

WI

VT

NH

ME

NY

PA

OHINNJDEMD

OR

MARICT

AK


C-PAL Guide for BusinessesC-PAL Guide for Businesses

Rationale Rationale Response to needs of providers and Response to needs of providers and

businessesbusinesses

Interagency AE Coordinating GroupInteragency AE Coordinating Group

PurposePurpose

Assist businesses that would like to be more Assist businesses that would like to be more involved in AE and workforce developmentinvolved in AE and workforce development

Content informed by:Content informed by: Literature scanLiterature scan

Business advisory groupBusiness advisory group

Study of business-driven partnershipsStudy of business-driven partnerships


Business Advisory Group Business Advisory Group

Dollar GeneralDollar General Half Price BooksHalf Price Books IBMIBM Johns Hopkins Hospital & Health SystemsJohns Hopkins Hospital & Health Systems National Association of Manufacturers/CWSNational Association of Manufacturers/CWS Pitney BowesPitney Bowes United Way of the MidlandsUnited Way of the Midlands Indiana Chamber of CommerceIndiana Chamber of Commerce U.S. Chamber of CommerceU.S. Chamber of Commerce UPSUPS


Findings: Business InvolvementFindings: Business Involvement

Businesses play an active role in community partnershipsBusinesses play an active role in community partnerships

Many are adopting corporate responsibility plansMany are adopting corporate responsibility plans

Education is one of top social issues businesses supportEducation is one of top social issues businesses support

Businesses see connection between education and Businesses see connection between education and workforce developmentworkforce development

Some businesses would like to be more involved in adult Some businesses would like to be more involved in adult education/workforce development but don’t know where education/workforce development but don’t know where to startto start

Number 1 priority of providers: find more ways to engage Number 1 priority of providers: find more ways to engage businesses in adult education and workforce development businesses in adult education and workforce development programsprograms


Findings: Reasons for PartneringFindings: Reasons for Partnering

Business objectivesBusiness objectives Addressing employers’ needs for highly skilled workersAddressing employers’ needs for highly skilled workers Reducing costs of employee turnover Reducing costs of employee turnover Ensuring employees have required English language Ensuring employees have required English language

skillsskills Improving safety performance Improving safety performance Increasing sales by creating/maintaining customer baseIncreasing sales by creating/maintaining customer base

Corporate responsibilityCorporate responsibility Addressing altruistic concernsAddressing altruistic concerns

Recognizing the connections between literacy and Recognizing the connections between literacy and economic development and a strong community, and economic development and a strong community, and lack of literacy and social illslack of literacy and social ills


Offering workplace literacy and skills training to Offering workplace literacy and skills training to prospective and current employees prospective and current employees

Serving on advisory groupsServing on advisory groups

Collaborating with providers on curriculumCollaborating with providers on curriculum

Advocating for adult literacyAdvocating for adult literacy

Hiring graduates of partner programsHiring graduates of partner programs

Providing funding and in-kind support to national Providing funding and in-kind support to national organizations, coalitions, and adult education/workforce organizations, coalitions, and adult education/workforce development programsdevelopment programs

Volunteering as tutorsVolunteering as tutors

Developing technical tools, e.g., hardware and software Developing technical tools, e.g., hardware and software for adult learners, instructorsfor adult learners, instructors

Findings: Business Partner Findings: Business Partner RolesRoles


Training and upgrading skills of future and Training and upgrading skills of future and incumbent workersincumbent workers

Improved corporate culture and moraleImproved corporate culture and morale

Increased employee retention; improved Increased employee retention; improved worker satisfactionworker satisfaction

Fewer problems for managersFewer problems for managers

Better understanding of worker skill needs Better understanding of worker skill needs

Strengthened reputation and imageStrengthened reputation and image

Findings: Benefits to Findings: Benefits to BusinessesBusinesses


Increases capacity; reach more adults with Increases capacity; reach more adults with literacy and skill needs literacy and skill needs

Leverages public dollars with private dollarsLeverages public dollars with private dollars

Increases visibility in community; makes it Increases visibility in community; makes it possible to compete with other causespossible to compete with other causes

Broad coalition of voices have a greater impact on Broad coalition of voices have a greater impact on policy makers and publicpolicy makers and public

Addresses community problems, e.g., need Addresses community problems, e.g., need for qualified entry-level employeesfor qualified entry-level employees

Helps parents support children’s learningHelps parents support children’s learning

Findings: Benefits to Findings: Benefits to CommunityCommunity


Selecting partnersSelecting partners

Providers don’t know how to approach businessesProviders don’t know how to approach businesses

Businesses need help identifying good providers; often Businesses need help identifying good providers; often turn to intermediaries (employee associations, literacy turn to intermediaries (employee associations, literacy coalitions)coalitions)

Language and cultural differences between business Language and cultural differences between business and adult educationand adult education

Gaining management supportGaining management support

Creating staff buy-inCreating staff buy-in

Lack of capacity of providers (waiting lists, unstable Lack of capacity of providers (waiting lists, unstable infrastructure)infrastructure)

Partner accountabilityPartner accountability

Findings: Partnering Findings: Partnering ChallengesChallenges


Do our findings resonate with your Do our findings resonate with your experiences working with businesses?experiences working with businesses?

What are some similarities?What are some similarities?

What are some differences?What are some differences?

Key FindingsKey Findings


Two strandsTwo strands Workforce - human resource needsWorkforce - human resource needs Corporate philanthropyCorporate philanthropy

““Making the case” Making the case”

Short vignettes describing ways businesses can Short vignettes describing ways businesses can partner for each strandpartner for each strand

ToolsTools

Self-assessment tool to direct user to appropriate strand; Self-assessment tool to direct user to appropriate strand; may include “asset mapping” to identify business may include “asset mapping” to identify business strengths that match community needsstrengths that match community needs

MOU template, checklist of questions to ask partners, etc.MOU template, checklist of questions to ask partners, etc.

ResourcesResources

Plans for the Business Plans for the Business GuideGuide


Partnerships with adult education and Partnerships with adult education and workforce development are needed to workforce development are needed to address workforce shortages (e.g., Maryland)address workforce shortages (e.g., Maryland)

Investment in adult education supports K-12 Investment in adult education supports K-12 Literacy impacts an employer’s bottom line Literacy impacts an employer’s bottom line ROI: small investment in adult education can ROI: small investment in adult education can

bring large returnbring large return Capture attention of businesses by…Capture attention of businesses by…

Compelling statistics Compelling statistics Powerful stories about successful business-driven Powerful stories about successful business-driven

partnershipspartnerships

Making the CaseMaking the Case


Structure around workforce problems that can Structure around workforce problems that can be addressed through partnerships. Frame by be addressed through partnerships. Frame by probing questions…probing questions…

Are you having trouble hiring skilled workers?Are you having trouble hiring skilled workers?

Need to convince businesses so they can help Need to convince businesses so they can help make the case to policy makersmake the case to policy makers

In Maryland, businesses were essential to educating In Maryland, businesses were essential to educating lawmakers about the need for adult educationlawmakers about the need for adult education

Impart a sense of urgencyImpart a sense of urgency

Making the Case (Cont’d)Making the Case (Cont’d)


Dissemination Ideas Dissemination Ideas

Develop and disseminate marketing piece to Develop and disseminate marketing piece to inform businesses inform businesses

Distribute to intermediaries, e.g., WIBs, Distribute to intermediaries, e.g., WIBs, community colleges, AE networks, Chambers, community colleges, AE networks, Chambers, business associationsbusiness associations

Disseminate via the mayors and governorsDisseminate via the mayors and governors Present at national conferences, e.g., Present at national conferences, e.g.,

associations of business marketing associations of business marketing professionals/human resource professionalsprofessionals/human resource professionals

Place articles in national business magazines Place articles in national business magazines and adult learner stories on YouTube, etc.and adult learner stories on YouTube, etc.


Dissemination Questions Dissemination Questions

While primary audience is businesses, would While primary audience is businesses, would your members or affiliates use the Guide? If your members or affiliates use the Guide? If so, how?so, how?

What would make it more useful to adult What would make it more useful to adult educators?educators?

How could it be disseminated to affiliates, How could it be disseminated to affiliates, members, businesses, and others who may be members, businesses, and others who may be interested?interested?


Next StepsNext Steps

Identifying more business-driven partnershipsIdentifying more business-driven partnerships

Collecting information from these partnerships Collecting information from these partnerships and 2003 business-driven partnerships (WAGE, and 2003 business-driven partnerships (WAGE, CLCP, Midlands Literacy Initiative) for vignettesCLCP, Midlands Literacy Initiative) for vignettes

Talk further with Business Advisory Group Talk further with Business Advisory Group membersmembers

Develop detailed outline of the GuideDevelop detailed outline of the Guide

Flesh out contents of the GuideFlesh out contents of the Guide

Target completion date: September 2007Target completion date: September 2007

u.s. department of education office of vocational and adult education mpr associates, inc. business...

Documents

adult education programs

adult education mpr

businesses guide

businesses response

adult education http

cpal partnerships

adult literacy advocating

adult learners