The PittsburghRegional Compact

Allegheny Conference on Community DevelopmentRegional Investor Sector Roundtables Presentation

October – November 2007

Today’s Agenda

• Workforce background

• Sector Approach

• Pittsburgh Regional Compact

• Call to Action

The Workforce Problem

The workforce is now primarily composed of technical andprofessional occupations.

Pennsylvania Dept. of Labor and Industry

Most Important Skills Cited by Employers

High School Graduates

• Professionalism/Work Ethic

• Teamwork/Collaboration

• Oral Communications

• Ethics/Social Responsibility

• Reading Comprehension

Ranked by percent rating as “very important”

(The Conference Board, The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Corporate Voices for Working Families, andThe Society for Human Resource Management, 2006; as provided by Development Dimensions International)

The Report Card: High School Graduates

(Conference Board et al. provided by Development Dimensions International, Inc.)

Many students in SW Pennsylvania are not prepared for themodern economy.

Southwestern Pennsylvania Career Skills Study.Center for Workforce Excellence, 2002

Many students do not have the required skillsfor jobs in Energy and Utilities

Keys2Work Career Cluster Explorer, Keys2Work.com. SmartFutures

The Vision:The Pittsburgh Region asthe national leader inworkforce preparation.

The Vision: The Pittsburgh Region as the nationalleader in workforce preparation.

The Pittsburgh Regional Compact connects schools andemployers to improve career education

Big Picture Coordination; Create School/Employer Buy-in; Track Outcomes Data

Allegheny Conference

129 SchoolDistricts

100,000Employers

•Linking Educators and Employers•Internships, job mentors/shadowing•Career Education and Training

Intermediary Organizations

Intermediary Organizations … Examples:

• YouthWorks

• Urban Youth Action

• Smart Futures

• Junior Achievement

• Jewish HealthcareFoundation

• Catalyst Connection

• Pittsburgh Tech Council

• Intermediate Units

• Superintendents’ Forum

• STEM Education Center

• WIBs

• Regional BusinessOrganizations

• PRICE Program

• World Class IndustrialNetworks

Pilot Program

• JHF-Health Careers Futures: Center forCareer Learning

– Education policy for career application inacademics

– Education/Industry/Community partnerships

– Career literacy technologies

What will you sign up for?

1. Career education collaboration with schools

2. Educators in the workplace

3. Work readiness training

4. Job-shadowing/worksite tours

5. Career mentoring

6. Experiential learning

7. Internships

In addition, financial program support may be needed.

1. Career Education Collaboration

• Identify opportunities for businesses to strengthenschool performance.

• Build coalitions to advocate for school reform.

• Collaborate with schools and workforcedevelopment organizations to identify essentialskills for specific job categories.

Case Study: Career Education Collaboration

Program: CEO-to-CEO/President-to-President Breakfasts

Provider: Allegheny Conference

• Meetings are held throughout the year.• School and business leaders meet in an informal environment.• Opportunities are provided for collaboration between employers

and schools.

2. Educators in the Workplace

• Employers host a teacher for several days duringthe summer.

• Educators are provided with real worldexamples to use in the classroom.

Case Study: Educators in the Workplace

Program: Educator in the Workplace

Provider: Allegheny Intermediate Unit

• Teachers and counselorsvolunteer to “job shadow” fortwo days at a local businessor industry.

• Educators complete astructured “Educator-in-the-Workplace Log Book.”

Employers hostingeducators included:Massaro Corporation,Highmark, and AlleghenyLudlum Fire Dept.

Employers hostingeducators included:Massaro Corporation,Highmark, and AlleghenyLudlum Fire Dept.

3. Work Readiness Training

• Programs provide short and long termtraining to prepare students for internshipsand jobs.

• Youth learn essential “soft skills” to increaseemployability.

Case Study: Work Readiness Training

Program: Career Readiness Sessions

Provider: Urban Youth Action

• Instruction is provided tostudents in specific skillareas.

• Volunteers from localemployers provide instructionbased on their own expertise.

25 Highmark, and 15 PNCemployees have recentlyvolunteered to lead CareerReadiness Sessions.

25 Highmark, and 15 PNCemployees have recentlyvolunteered to lead CareerReadiness Sessions.

4. Career Awareness Activities

• Provides hands-on learning experience.

• Highlights specific skills used by employees.

• Connects academic activities to careers.

Case Study: Career Awareness Activities

Program: Job Shadowing Days

Provider: Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board (TRWIB)

• Employers host a group ofhigh school students for atour of company operations.

• TRWIB provides guidancematerials and acts as liaisonbetween employers schools.

250 students attended toursat sites including:-WQED Multimedia-Hammil Manufacturing-Omni William Penn Hotel-UPMC Wiser Institute

250 students attended toursat sites including:-WQED Multimedia-Hammil Manufacturing-Omni William Penn Hotel-UPMC Wiser Institute

5. Career Mentoring

• Provides young people with adult advice on careerdecision making.

• Creates an environment in which students can beginto actively discuss and think about career planning.

Case Study: Career Mentoring

Program: Pennsylvania eMentoring

Provider: Smart Futures

• Students are matched with anonline career mentor for ayear-long careerdevelopment conversations.

• Participating employersreceive on-site mentortraining.

UPMC, Highmark, PPG,Ariba, the FHLB, andmany others haveemployees who volunteeras eMentors

UPMC, Highmark, PPG,Ariba, the FHLB, andmany others haveemployees who volunteeras eMentors

6. Experiential Learning

• Educational contests and competitions are sponsoredand/or hosted by local employers.

• Students are given the chance to link schoolworkwith hands-on activities connected to regionalindustries.

Case Study: Experiential Learning

Program: Future City Pittsburgh

Provider: Engineers’ Society and Carnegie Science Center

• Teams of students design acity using SimCity software,build a scale model, and givea presentation of their city.

• The winning team competesin the national final inWashington, D.C.

The 2006-07 competitionwas funded by Shell OilCompany, Michael BakerCorporation, EngineersSociety of Western PA, theCarnegie Science Center,and others.

The 2006-07 competitionwas funded by Shell OilCompany, Michael BakerCorporation, EngineersSociety of Western PA, theCarnegie Science Center,and others.

7. Internships

• School year and summer Internships for highschool students.

• Interaction/mentoring with college interns.

• Business-based senior projects.

Case Study: Internships

Program: Adventures in Technology

Provider: Catalyst Connection and Pittsburgh Tech. Council

• Employers give studentsschool year and summerwork opportunities.

• Students complete schoolprojects carried out incollaboration withemployers.

Students from FranklinRegional High Schoolmade recommendationswhich have savedRespironics $20,000 in lostproductivity.

Students from FranklinRegional High Schoolmade recommendationswhich have savedRespironics $20,000 in lostproductivity.

Career education helps students succeed.

• Academic work is connected to real worldopportunities.

• Students are exposed to a wide array of careerchoices.

• Students understand what skills and experiences are

necessary for the jobs in which they are interested.

What will you sign up for?1. Career education collaboration with schools

2. Educators in the workplace

3. Work readiness training

4. Career awareness activities

5. Career mentoring

6. Experiential learning

7. Internships

In addition, financial program support may be needed.

Input and Discussion