Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 1
West Michigan Strategic Alliance
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) InitiativeFunded by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor
Greg Northrup, President, West Michigan Strategic Alliance www.wm-alliance.org, 616.356.6060
Phil Rios, Project Manager, WIRED West Michigan, www.wiredwestmi.org, 616.331.6968
The ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) Presentation, Revised: January 15, 2008
Bill Guest, WorkKeys Innovation Champion, 616.430.0828, [email protected]
Rachael Jungblut, WorkKeys Program Manager, GRCC, 616.234.3623, [email protected]
Liz Stegman, Program Administrator, 616.234.3471, [email protected]
The National Career Readiness Certificate(Powered by WorkKeys®)
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 2
The NCRC Value Equation
Need – Definition of “qualified candidate” for 21st Century work.
Approach – Use the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate.
Benefits - The NCRC is proven to be aligned to employer needs and proven to be valid, reliable, and cost effective.
Competitive position – Job alignment tools & DOL ETA approved tests.
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 3
West Michigan
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 4
WMSA Region
• Allegan
• Barry
• Ionia
• Kent
• Muskegon
• Newaygo
• Ottawa
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 5
M-MIT Region
• Bay• Clinton• Eaton• Genesee• Huron• Ingham
• Lapeer• Livingston• Midland• Saginaw• Sanilac• Shiawasee• Tuscola
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 6
What is our common language?
Employers say “New hires need more math.”
Educators ask “How much more?”
Employers say “We need better reading skills.”
Educators ask “How much better?”
We all know these can be endless discussions.
This communication problem extends throughout the entire Workforce Development System.
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 7
Why a Career Readiness Certificate?We need a trusted common language.
What do we mean by Qualified Candidates?• New hires
• Promotions and internal moves
• Career development programs
• Occupational training
• Job specific training
How do we measure qualifications?
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 8
WorkKeys is a measurement tool.
WorkKeys quantifies skills in the following categories:
• Applied Mathematics
• Applied Technology
• Business Writing
• Listening
• Locating Information
• Observation
• Reading for Information
• Teamwork
• Writing
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 9
The WorkKeys Measurement SystemThe WorkKeys Measurement System
Assess job requirements - Assess individual skill levels - Train to eliminate gaps
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 10
Career Readiness Certificate in ContextCareer Readiness Certificate in Context
Reading forInformation
Job Specific Training
Occupational Training
AppliedMathematics
LocatingInformation
WorkKeys Measures Foundational Skills
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 11
The Career Readiness Certificate and Jobs
WorkKeys Skill Levels: Bronze Silver Gold
Reading for Information 3 4 5
Applied Mathematics 3 4 5
Locating Information 3 4 5
Job Readiness* 30% 65% 90%
* Job Readiness indicates the % of jobs in the occupational
database that holders of these certificates are qualified to apply for.
The CRC isa credential.
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 12
What Every WorkerWhat Every WorkerMust KnowMust Know
Reading for Information
Applied Mathematics
Locating Information
MVC
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 13
RI 3 Simple clear text
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 14
RI 4 Policies & procedures
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 15
RI 5 Details & jargon
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 16
AM 3 Cash register math
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 17
AM 4 Calculate an average
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 18
AM 5 Lowest phone bill
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 19
LI 3 Read a gauge
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 20
LI 4 Read a laundry slip
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 21
LI 5 Read bar graph
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 22
The NCRC WorkKeys Core Assessments
Harder than it looks:
• Timed
• Proctored
• Many experience test anxiety
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 23
A Common Skills Currency
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 24
How do we get every employer to use the
same target?
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 25
“Employers work to make things: predictable, uniform, and certain.
Predictability, uniformity, and certainty are universal goals of executives. The
NCRC does this for the hiring process.”
Mac MacIlroy, President MMA
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 26
West Michigan
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 27
How do we improve our workforce?
• Assess foundational skills
• Use KeyTrain software
• Provide learning coaches for support
• Use practice tests in KeyTrain
• Issue Career Readiness Certificates
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 28
Career Readiness Certificate StepsCareer Readiness Certificate Steps
Reading for Information
Job Specific Training
Occupational Training
Applied Mathematics
Locating Information
The Learner’sPerspectiveSteps toSuccess
Goals
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 29
Michigan Merit Examination (MME) Summary Table
* The new Michigan Merit Examination will be utilized in all Michigan Schools beginning the Spring of 2007
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 30
Master Degree
Bachelor Degree
Associate Degree
Some College
High School Diploma
Some High School
NOTES: Unemployment and earnings for workers 25 and older, by educational attainment; earnings for full-time wage and salary workers
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Education and Training PayEducation and Training Pay
$1,064
$396
$900
$554
$622
$672
2.9%
3.3%
4.0%
5.2%
5.5%
8.8%
Unemployment Rate in 2003 Median Weekly Earnings in 2003Unemployment Rate in 2003 Median Weekly Earnings in 2003
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 31
Pay by Combined CRC Score
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Combined CRC Score with Profile Count
Pay
$ 26,689 24,160 29,576 34,973 43,394 49,691 49,082 52,461
9336
101009
11959
121751
13452
14329
15347
1670
Notes: $23,000 at “9” and $50,000 at “15” results in a gain of $4500 per point. Data is based on RI, AM, and LI scores from the ACT Occupational Database (with 5 or more Profiles) and Median income data from the O*NET. Example: 3, 3, 3 = 9; 5, 5, 5 = 15; etc.
DRAFT
Combined ScoreQty. of Profiles
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 32
Example Occupations for CRC HoldersExample Occupations for CRC Holders
BRONZE
SILVER
GOLD
ONET Code ONET Title AM LI RI Total Annual
37-2012.00 Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 3 3 3 9 $17,000
53-7051.00 Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 3 3 3 9 $26,750
51-9121.01 Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters 3 4 3 10 $26,510
43-5041.00 Meter Readers, Utilities 3 4 3 10 $29,720
51-5023.09 Printing Press Machine Operators and Tenders 3 4 4 11 $30,430
33-3012.00 Correctional Officers and Jailers 3 4 4 11 $33,680
49-9021.02 Refrigeration Mechanics 4 4 4 12 $36,670
33-2011.01 Municipal Fire Fighters 4 4 4 12 $38,690
23-2011.00 Paralegals and Legal Assistants 4 4 5 13 $40,450
33-3051.01 Police Patrol Officers 4 4 5 13 $45,600
25-4021.00 Librarians 5 4 5 14 $46,940
11-9151.00 Social and Community Service Managers 5 4 5 14 $48,330
17-3023.01 Electronics Engineering Technicians 5 5 5 15 $47,140
17-3023.02 Calibration and Instrumentation Technicians 5 5 5 15 $47,140
47-1011.01 First-Line Supervisors - Construction Trades 5 5 5 15 $50,980
13-2011.01 Accountants 6 5 5 16 $51,310
11-9033.00 Education Administrators, Postsecondary 5 5 6 16 $69,400
11-9021.00 Construction Managers 6 5 5 16 $70,770
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 33
16% None, 17% Bronze, 43% Silver, 24% Gold
Unskilledwork with
hands
Skilledwork with
head & hands“technicians”
Professionalswork with
head
Today we live in a world of networked automation. We need technicians capable of running it.
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 34
Emerging Workforce(K-12 and Colleges)
Transitional Workforce(MWAs and Agencies)
Incumbent Workforce(Employers)
Employers(Chambers & EAs)
DemandSupply
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 35
Employer Demand – Market Channel Partners
1. High Schools (K-12 System)
2. Colleges and Universities
3. Michigan Works Agencies (MWAs)
4. Private Employment Agencies
5. Chambers of Commerce
6. Economic Development Agencies
7. Employers Associations
8. Literacy and Adult Education Organizations
9. State Agencies and Partners
10. National Agencies and Partners
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 36
Employer Letter of CommitmentBasic Commitments:□ We will ask job applicants “Do you have a Career Readiness Certificate?”□ We will recognize the Career Readiness Certificate in hiring, promotion, and
employee development practices for selected positions.□ We give WIRED West Michigan permission to use our name in public awareness
efforts to promote the Career Readiness Certificate.
Extraordinary commitments:□ We will include Career Readiness Certificate preparation programs in our tuition
refund plan and/or provide assistance and an incentive for our employees.□ We will provide special treatment for individuals with Career Readiness
Certificates, such as, taking five minutes to warmly greet them when they fill out an application.
□ We will provide financial support for a promotion campaign, such as, a billboard or advertisement.
□ We will promote this program with our supply chain and recognize those suppliers that make this commitment to employee development.
□ We will test and certify ______ % employees. We employ _______ employees. □ We will track and report data for purposes of statistical summaries for our region.□ We will join and utilize the ACT Job and Talent Bank.
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 37
West Michigan Long-term Goals (2007-2012)
1. Gain and document 500 employer commitments with a signed Letter of Commitment (LOC) by December 2008.
2. Gain commitment of all high schools in West Michigan to add Locating Information to the MME and offer ACT National Career Readiness Certificates to all students. This is 10,000 to 15,000 certificates per year.
3. Gain commitment of our six regional Michigan Works! agencies to utilize WorkKeys and the Career Readiness Certificate as a means of defining “qualified applicants” for all job placements in West Michigan.
4. Issue 50,000 Career Readiness Certificates to incumbent and displaced workers by 2012.
5. Participate in and support the state-wide movement led by the Michigan Career Readiness Certificate Advocates (MiCRCA).
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 38
The NCRC Value EquationWe need a common definition for “qualified candidate,” someone ready for work in the 21st Century (brains vs. brawn). We have a shortage of skilled workers and a surplus of unskilled workers. We need to “skill up” our workforce to provide the quality of workers employers need.
Our approach is to use the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate as the cornerstone of our regional definition of a qualified candidate. Employers drive demand, schools & workforce agencies train workers.
The benefits to this approach are that the NCRC is a based on WorkKeys a product of ACT proven to be aligned to employer needs and proven to be valid, reliable, and cost effective. Reading, math, and locating information are the top skills needed in 85% of jobs.
The ACT NCRC is superior to competitive approaches and alternatives because it is the only solution that: 1) provides tools to measure the needs of specific jobs, AND, 2) is approved for government agencies as a valid and reliable skills assessment (employer-gov. intersection).
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 39
Questions&
Discussion
www.michigancrc.org
“We” vs. “They”
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED)Slide 40
Career Readiness Certificate & WorkKeys Partners
• Career Readiness Certificate• Michigan: www.michigancrc.org• ACT National: www.careerreadinesscertificate.org• CRC Consortium: www.crcconsortium.org
• ACT WorkKeys, www.act.org/workkeys• Steve Anderson, 563.391.3742, [email protected]• John Nelson, 319.321.9705, [email protected]
• KeyTrain, www.keytrain.com• Rick Harris, 888.480.4883, [email protected]• Justin Saylor, 877.842.6205, [email protected]
• The Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL), www.cael.org• Pam Tate, President, 312.499.2680, [email protected]• Joel Simon, Consultant, 312.499.2678, [email protected]