WIB News - November 2010 Issue
NGA Forum and Development Conference Draw Wide Audience
Workforce and economic development professionals from across the state attended the National Governors Association Forum on Increasing Postsecondary Credential Attainment for Adults, and the 15th Annual Minnesota Development Conference on Sept. 29-30 in St. Paul.
The NGA forum kicked off the first day, with Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Dan McElroy welcoming attendees. Commissioner McElroy spoke about the gap between what employers need and the skills and competencies of workers. A report, “Strengthening the Skills of Our Current Workforce: Recommendations for Increasing Credential Attainment Among Adults in Minnesota,” was the basis for many of the speakers’ remarks.
The recommendations focus on these four areas:
- Enabling Minnesota’s low-wage workers to successfully upgrade their skills and attain postsecondary credentials while working and supporting a family;
- Making increased skills for working learners a key priority for Minnesota’s workforce partners;
- Using data systems to improve outcomes for working learners; and
- Reducing the cost of postsecondary education so that low-wage workers have opportunities improving their skills and credentials.
Be sure to sign up as a supporter of the recommendations.
The recommendations will be included in the Governor’s Workforce Development Council (GWDC) 2011 Policy Advisory, which outlines ways to improve Minnesota’s workforce training and education system.
The development conference immediately followed the NGA forum.
Keynote speaker Mike Kennedy, chief financial officer of SAGE Electrochromics Inc., gave an overview of the company and explained why it came to Minnesota and chose Faribault for its new manufacturing facility. SAGE produces energy-saving electronically tintable glass used in building windows and skylights.
Kennedy spoke about the package of incentives that convinced the company to build a new facility adjacent to its headquarters in Faribault.
The company’s expansion in Faribault will add 160 permanent manufacturing and technology jobs in southern Minnesota, as well as more than 200 construction jobs while the facility is being built.
The event also featured an additional keynote session, 30 breakout sessions and an exhibit hall. Topics ranged from community finance legislative initiatives to social media strategy to expectations for the workforce system.
Jenn Pettit, special events coordinator at DEED, said the dual visibility of the NGA forum and the development conference helped keep up attendance. The majority of people went to both the events.
The forum was sponsored by the NGA Center for Best Practices and DEED, with funding from the Lumina Foundation.
Major sponsors of the development conference were AgStar and U.S. Bank.
Pictured: Mark Lofthus, business and community development director, DEED; Anna Schumacher, director of operations, Sertich Consulting, and Bonnie Elsey, workforce development director, DEED.
Access Press Honors Kuntz
Steve Kuntz (pictured), a placement specialist with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Vocational Rehabilitation Services, received the 2010 Charlie Smith Award from Access Press. The award recognized Kuntz for his commitment to helping people with disabilities find meaningful employment.
“Steve is most deserving of this award,” said DEED Rehabilitation Services Director Kim Peck. “He is tireless in his efforts to break down barriers to employment for persons with disabilities.”
Kuntz shared credit with his colleagues and other groups that help people with disabilities find jobs.
“It truly isn't about an individual accomplishment,” he said. “It’s about the whole team. That includes Vocational Rehabilitation Services, community rehab partners, schools and their disability services, and most importantly, the people that we serve.”
Among Kuntz’s accomplishments is a program that puts people with disabilities into WorkForce Center resource rooms. Participants in that program help job seekers learn to use online resources while getting the work experience they need to further their own careers. The program began with 12 youth interns in 2007 and became so successful that it has been expanded to include adults. Between 2007 and 2010, 71 participants worked in resource rooms in 26 WorkForce Centers statewide. Approximately 70 percent found full-time employment following the internship.
“This guy is absolutely tireless and relentless to ensure that people with disabilities have meaningful work,” said Rod Haworth, Kuntz’s supervisor at DEED. “It’s really through his energy and innovation that we have been able to create programs that give more people opportunities.”
He has advocated for people with disabilities throughout his career. Prior to joining DEED, he helped people with disabilities in his other positions at Goodwill/Easter Seals, TBI Metro Services (now Opportunity Partners) and the Courage Center.
The award is named after Charlie Smith, founding editor of Access Press. Kuntz said the award is especially meaningful to him because he and Smith were good friends and served on the Access Press board together.
Access Press is a St. Paul newspaper that covers news and issues of interest to the disability community. Published on a monthly basis since May 1990, the paper is one of only 12 disability-focused newspapers in the country.
Photo courtesy of Access Press
Minnesota Receives $60,000 Career Pathway Grant
Minnesota has received a $60,000 Career Pathway grant from the U.S. Department of Labor-Employment Training Administration (ETA) to send participants to a pathway out of poverty institute and an institute on attaining post-secondary credentials to further Minnesota’s FastTRAC initiative. Minnesota was one of 11 states and tribal nations to receive the grant, which will support Minnesota’s efforts to shape the FastTRAC project’s future.
Minnesota’s goals include:
- Learning how to create custom support services as part of programs that succeed, and finding ways to fund the programs;
- Finding ways to engage more leaders from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (MnSCU);
- Identifying and expanding roles of workforce development partners, while promoting the adoption of model programs;
- Discovering ways to identify and replicate best practices;
- Determining how Adult Basic Education (ABE) can improve its ability to meet the needs of a future FastTRAC program on each MnSCU campus;
- Identifying funding sources to sustain FastTRAC efforts in Minnesota; and
- Deciding what legislative changes should be advocated to support adult career pathways.
The Friends of the Ramsey County WIB will receive $21,000 of the grant to be used for strengthening its Medical Career Pathways FastTRAC project. Currently, the WIB is developing future processes for this model program, and the institutes will provide technical assistance for this effort.
Institute participants from the state include:
Bonnie Elsey, director of Workforce Development, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); Mark Toogood, director of Transition to Economic Stability Division, Department of Human Services; Linda Lade, system director for College Transitions, Office of the Chancellor, MnSCU; Cynthia Muna, Perkins coordinator; Barry Shaffer, state ABE director, Minnesota Department of Education; Brian Paulson, program manager of basic needs, Greater Twin Cities United Way; Anne Marie Leland, state program administrator for FastTRAC Initiative, DEED; Judy Mortrude, state program administrator, FastTRAC Initiative, DEED; and Vickie Choitz, senior policy analyst, Center for Law and Social Policy.
Institute participants from local areas are:
Patricia Brady, director of Workforce Solutions, Ramsey County; Mary Jo Gardner, CEO of the Ramsey County WIB; Kristine Halling, supervisor of St. Paul Public Schools ABE; Peggy Kennedy, chief academic and student development officer at Saint Paul College; Becky Brink Ray, director of skills training, Goodwill Easter Seals of Minnesota; and Mary Russell, manager of leadership support and organization effectiveness for HealthPartners.
The fall institute will be Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 in Washington, D.C., while the spring institute is yet to be scheduled.
Minnesota Awards $1 million for FastTRAC
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Minnesota Department of Education–Adult Basic Education, and Greater Twin Cities United Way awarded a total of $1 million to 10 adult career pathways projects in the state under the FastTRAC initiative.
DEED received 27 grant requests totaling more than $3 million in response to the request for proposals. The applications were reviewed and the projects selected by DEED, the Minnesota Department of Education–Adult Basic Education, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities–Office of the Chancellor, Minnesota Department of Human Services, Greater Twin Cities United Way, Minnesota Workforce Council Association and the Governor’s Workforce Development Council.
FastTRAC Grant Awards
Pathways to Healthcare Careers, $101,900
The project will focus on teaching academic skills required for employment as home health aid workers, certified nursing assistants or trained medical administration workers.
Ramsey County WIB Healthcare Initiative, $66,928
Participants will receive training to help them earn certificates required to become medical records clerks.
SC (South Central) Bridge to Integrated Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training, $84,257
The project will offer basic skills instruction for nursing and contextualized instruction in reading, industry-specific vocabulary, writing and math.
Student Transition and Academic Readiness Track (START), $104,842
Participants will receive help in improving their reading, math and computer literacy skills.
West Metro Pathway to Healthcare Careers, $112,500
The funding will be spent on entry-level training for nursing assistants and for teaching computer skills to health care professionals.
Riverland Production Technician, $109,692
The project will provide academically challenged students with safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration classes and certification testing leading to a Production Technician I certificate, which is valued by employers and college admission offices.
Introduction to CNC Manufacturing, $93,335
The project will adapt machine theory courses for specific student needs. The program flexibility enables students to earn certificates in a variety of manufacturing areas.
Industrial Maintenance for Manufacturing and Renewable Energy Futures, $104,767
The funding will provide incumbent workers with fundamental courses for certification in industrial maintenance.
Child Development Initiative, $101,779
The project will offer adult education, training, career planning and other support services for participants who are planning careers in child development.
Business-Critical Technology Skills for Employment, $120,000
Participants will receive technology classes and other business-related training to help them succeed in their careers or in college.
For more details, including project partners, click here.
More Youths Served Thanks to Recovery Act
Thanks to Minnesota’s 2009 WIA Youth Recovery Act, the state nearly tripled the number of youths who participated in the Youth Employment Program in 2010. Minnesota served 6,749 youths with funding from the Recovery Act and 5,125 youths with funding from regular WIA.
“It’s especially noteworthy because, at the same time, unemployment rates for Minnesota youths were at the highest level in a generation,” said Kay Tracy, director of Youth Development at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
Minnesota added local models of work readiness measurement and training support, under the Recovery Act. The work readiness training focused on attendance, punctuality, teamwork, communication skills and problem solving. More than 90 percent of the youths successfully completed their individual work-readiness goals.
Additional results for the program funded by the Recovery Act:
- 93 percent of youths successfully completed the summer youth program.
- 94 percent of youths attained a work readiness skill goal.
Media coverage on youth employment programs and success stories from across the state for 2009-2010 are available here.
Mark Your calendar for MWCA Winter Meeting
Save the date! The Minnesota Workforce Council Association (MWCA) will hold its annual winter meeting on Thursday, Dec. 16, at the Welcome Center at St. Cloud State University. Agenda details are still pending, but organizers anticipate a full-day event. Further information will be sent via the MWCA distribution list and posted on the MWCA website as it becomes available. If you have questions, please contact Anne Olson, MWCA director, at 651-789-4323 or aolson@mncounties.org.
Key Program Contacts
Key Publication Contacts
Kathy Sweeney
WIB Newsletter Director
651-297-5151
Kathy.Sweeney@state.mn.us
Irene Connors
WIB Newsletter Editor
651-259-7162
irene.connors@state.mn.us
We Need Your Feedback
We're trying to make this newsletter as timely and useful as we possibly can and, to accomplish that goal, we need to know what you want to know. We need and welcome any feedback you can offer – especially concerning topics of broad statewide or regional interest to the WIBs and all other partners. To register your questions, comments, complaints and suggestions, simply send an email to Kathy.Sweeney@state.mn.us. We'll do our best to address your concerns directly and use your feedback to help us develop articles for future editions of the newsletter.