Making a Market forCompetency-Based Credentials:Effective Employer Engagement

Second in a series of three webinars:Webinar 3: What Can Colleges Do?

Nov. 5th

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Today’s Presenters

Dr. Keith BirdCSW

Brent Weil Manufacturing

Institute at NAM

Troy NutterPuget Sound Energy

& PNCECE Partnership

ModeratorMelodee Mabbitt, CSW

Upcoming Report

Making a Market for Competency-Based Credentials

Thanks to the Surdna Foundation for their support of this important work

Slides available at www.skilledwork.org

What is a competency-based credential?

Accurately assures competencies, based on skills and knowledge of the holder

Awarded based on demonstration of those competencies

Aligns with specific industry standards and founded on the skills/competencies needed by employers

Current State of Play… In a nutshell

Competency-based credentialing as a concept resonates widely

Large-scale adoption and use needs: Transparency (common language, registries) Interoperability (quality assurance, data

infrastructure) Making the Return on Investment clear to

employers, job seekers, and educators

Building the Market: Five Key Elements

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Employers as Strategic Partners… Beyond Business Advisory Committees

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Employers as Advisors Employers as Strategic Partners

Attend Business Advisory Committee meetings once or twice a year to provide high level curriculum input and discuss labor market opportunities

Are engaged in numerous ways:• Identifying critical competencies • Curriculum and assessment design• Work- based learning• Internships (students and faculty)•Providing adjunct faculty and equipment•Mapping Career Pathways

Respond to surveys and report placement data

Help design surveys, use their connections to increase the survey response rate, and partner in designing the success metrics.

Work one-on-one with the workforce units in colleges to get their individual (customized) training needs met.

Work with colleges (both technical/academic and workforce units)and their partners over time to address workforce development needs, especially in sector/cluster approaches among groups of employers in industries important to the regional economy.

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Employers as Advisors Employers as Strategic Partners

Hire graduates as needed from existing programs.

Work with colleges to identify and map career pathway opportunities for students/workers, fill program gaps as necessary, and establish an adequate pipeline of qualified workers.

Talk about the importance of higher skills and advise on curriculum.

Work with colleges and provide subject matter experts (SMEs) to identify the competencies and skill standards needed; design relevant curriculum and assessments; and develop and use market relevant credentials.

Participate sporadically on an “as needed” basis when asked by college or program staff.

Are engaged on an ongoing basis in program design and refinement, and hire the graduates of the program on a regular basis because they have confidence in their skills preparation.

The Evolution of the Business-Education Partnerships

“Off the shelf” course offerings

Needs assessment/customized training

Organizational development approach (“Trusted Partner” – often one on one)

Deep engagement in an industry- shared ownership of standards, curriculum and assessments

(Provide solutions through cross industry and regional sector partnerships)

Industry (Sector) Partnership “Sustained Employer

Engagement” 7 Success Factors

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7 Success Factors1. Strategic recruitment of employers

2. Ensure that the partnership is employer led and driven

3. Have diversified and regular contact with employers, including face-to-face meetings

4. Align your activities and tactics with your strategic goals and the core workforce challenges of your industry• Solutions driven, not program driven

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7 Success Factors5. Understand the critical role of the

convener/intermediary in building and maintaining employer engagement (“glue”)

6. Understand the role of funding, leveraging and incentives to engage employers

7. Identify, measure, and communicate outcomes; and ensure that employers clearly see the value of their engagement

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Siemens business units see value in its use of competency-based credentials

Well-Trained, Work-Ready Technical Workers. The Siemens Mechatronics Systems Certification emphasizes in-demand industrial skills, troubleshooting, and hands-on practice, providing employers with knowledgeable workers, who are able to easily move into a variety of production, technician, and/or engineering roles.

Objective Certification of Workers’ Technical Skills. The certifications provide an objective, industry-aligned assessment of mechanical, electrical, and digital technical skills, troubleshooting, and mechatronic systems thinking.

Cost Savings on Training and Education. Companies and industries can receive much-needed skilled technical workers while drawing on local education and training resources instead of always relying on private training companies.

Brent WeilSenior Vice President The Manufacturing Institute

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The Manufacturing Institute is the authority on the attraction, qualification, and development of world-class manufacturing talent.

Manufacturers Need New Workforce Strategies

Top sources for new employees

52%

40%

40%

32%

26%

18%

15%

14%

8%

6%

Word of mouth

Staffing agencies

Online Job Boards

Newspaper Ads

Company recruiting function

External search firms

Company Websites

Tech schools

Community colleges

Other

The Manufacturing Institute & Deloitte - October 2011

Competency-based, customized education and training for the manufacturing workforce

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Founding Partners

Partners

Lower recruiting costs Lower entry-level training costs Improved employee retention Improved opportunities for advancement Improved employee engagement and input Lower relocation costs Improved workplace safety

Values Associated with Credentialing

Certified Students Certified Instructors Certified Schools

Quality Workforce

National Impact Requires State and Regional Champions

October 4, 2013October 4, 2013

http://www.mfgday.com/

The Manufacturing Institute Website: www.themanufacturinginstitute.org Employer Resources Certification Information Webinar Series Join our Mailing List

The M-List: www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/Skills-Certification/M-List/M-List.aspx

Employer Toolkit: www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/Skills-Certification/Employers/Employers.aspx

Resources

Brent WeilSenior Vice President

The Manufacturing InstituteE-mail: bweil@nam.org

www.themanufacturinginstitute.org@TheMfgInstitute

Contact Information

Troy Nutter Manager, Operational Training for Puget Sound

Energy On PNCECE Board for 8 years Primary roles on Board:

Chair, DOE Smart Grid Training Grant Governance Board

Chair, DOL WIRED Grant Executive Leadership Team

Industry representative

Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy: A Centralia College (WA) Partnership

cleanenergyexcellence.org

Formed in 2004 as the Center of Excellence for Energy Technology with Centralia College as convener– now serves five states

Deep industry engagement: Involves major power generation plants (coal, hydro, and wind), plus major public utilities around the state

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Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy: A Centralia College (WA) Partnership

cleanenergyexcellence.org

Key partners are Labor, community colleges, workforce boards, and industry experts

Products include articulated “skills standards” for key occupations, shared purchase of key curriculum, a revised apprenticeship program, and the creation of a hands-on training facility at an un-used nuclear power plant

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Value of establishing and using skill standards

Industry workforce planning Apprenticeship Direct link/alignment between college courses

and work based apprenticeship Common language Contextualization Military skill crosswalks

How do credentials and credentialing fit into the skills standards picture? Portable tool with value We (industry partners) are all in this together –

we all want quality workers. We create synergies by working together.

Conversation among partners is as valuable as the products.

We share common concerns and develop solutions through a strategic approach.

What will the partnership (Center) be pursuing in the future?

Identify the foundational skills that apply across all of our skill standards—those competencies that are common across all occupations.

Work with K-12 to integrate those foundational skills into their curriculum through contextualization.

Additional skill panels across the industry to expand our deeper understanding of the competencies required.

Questions?

Next Webinar

Making a Market for Competency-Based Credentials: What Can Colleges Do?

November 5- 1:00 – 2:15 ETPresenters:

Maria Coons, Harper College, IL Barbara Hins-Turner, Pacific NW Center of Excellence

for Clean Energy, Centralia College, WA Becky Nickoli, Ivy Tech, IN Jeannine La Prad and Keith Bird, CSW

•NCWE Conference Session- Oct.17- Milwaukee