WEBINAR: Pathways to Opportunity – Best Practices forAmerican Workforce Development in the Amtrak RFP

April 7, 2014

Agenda

Background on Jobs to Move America, the Amtrak RFP and US Employment Plan

A Worker’s Perspective: Recruiting and Training a 21st Century Workforce

Best Practices in Outreach, Recruitment and Workforce Training, focus on women in non-traditional roles

Snapshots of 3 Model Programs

Resources for Bidders

Q & A

The Amtrak RFPUS Employment Plan

A Worker’s Perspective from Jose Osuna, Homeboy Industries: Recruiting & Training a 21st

Century Workforce

A Worker’s Perspective from Jose Osuna, Homeboy Industries: Recruiting & Training a 21st

Century Workforce

Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW)

Lauren Sugerman, Director, Women and Work Projects

GSA construction projects over $50M are designated as Mega Construction Projects which work together with the OFCCP from pre-bid meetings to more effectively promote EEO for women seeking non-traditional jobs.

The Federal Construction Projects Model

Higher goals for women and minorities - with contractually enforceable equal opportunity provisions

Greater information sharing – workforce projection/timelines, and utilization reports

Timely enforcement mechanisms Greater public visibility and involvement of unions

and community organizations Additional training for relevant government and

construction staff More pre-project preparation and contractor

education Funding for technical assistance, site monitoring, job

training and referral/retention services On-site EEO monitoring and enforcement

Outreach and Recruitment: Reach Your Desired Audience with a

Targeted Message

Go out of your way to bring in diverse applicants Cast a wide net Design outreach materials that appeal directly to

targeted populations Connect to activities, institutions and

organizations serving targeted populations Target by who gives the message. Get their attention with information on

benefits/advantages of jobs in the specific industry

Pair Outreach with Education

Best Practices for Industry Partnering with Training Programs

Engage at all phases of the program: Ensure training program relevancy

with workplace needs recruitment; assessment; classroom; field trips; and mock interviews, etc. mentorship

Creating an Effective and Equitable Program

• Role models and mentors that are gender/race/ culture reflective

• A safe and supportive place for: Breaking through stereotypes, Overcoming fear of the unknown and the foreign, Technical skill practice opportunities, Trying and practicing new things, Peer networking and support

• Curriculum additions to reflect diverse populations’ experiences

• Test-taking anxiety reduction strategies and practice• Spatial and mechanical aptitude exposure and practice

strategies for surviving and thriving in a white, male-dominated environment

• Building Core Competencies for Work Readiness

EQUITY ON THE JOB

• Assess the workplace for barriers to equity (Bathrooms and changing facilities. Languages. Sexual/Racial/Other harassment free environment, Access to work clothes and safety equipment. Childcare, Work/family policies)

• Establish Women’s Committees• Develop Mentorship Programs• Develop Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy and Program• Train Supervisory Personnel on Creating an Equitable worksite• Inclusion of goals and strategies for retaining female apprentices in

affirmative action plans. 

Beyond the Hire: Retention and Career Advancement for Nontraditional Workers

Surviving and thriving in a male-dominated environment requires:• Gender inclusive, neutral and sensitive HR practices and policy that

addresses the impact of gender stereotypes and hidden biases, • Work/family supports• Cultural competency for supervisory and frontline workers• Monitoring of assignments• Site based support • Health and safety support• Facilitate informal support groups, mentoring, and networking

activities.• Avoid isolating individuals from underrepresented groups: safety and

support in numbers!

Manufacturing Renaissance Manufacturing Connect Program

Dan Swinney,Executive Director

Central to Success…

A clear and exciting career path that starts with a job;

Precise knowledge of the skills and knowledge needed for success at the job;

An education and training program focused exactly on those skills;

A dual education approach: exposing students to the world of manufacturing as they learn through factory tours, job shadowing, and internships.

Promoting nationally-recognized and portable industry skill standards and credentials;

A regional Manufacturing Renaissance Council to ensure high performance by the public and private sectors.

Austin Polytechnical Academy and the Manufacturing Connect Program

A public career and college prep high school focused on all aspects of manufacturing including production, management, and ownership;

Students starting their own manufacturing company—Mech Creations.

Partnerships with 57 manufacturing companies that set standards and provide tours, job shadowing, internships, and career jobs;

Aligned with the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS)—Technology Center accredited by NIMS, 158 students have 237 NIMS credentials in three years; and a SkillsUSA state champion in programming CNC machines.

A NIMS-based training program in APA in the evenings for adults with an 80% placement rate; and

A NIMS-base program for men returning from prison: 100% placement; 87% retention after 90 days.

Partnership with Community Colleges.

Austin Manufacturing Innovation Park

Educational infrastructure has led to attraction of new manufacturing companies to Chicago’s West Side.

MOUs with 14 companies;

500 new manufacturing jobs.

Opportunity to expand existing WFD infrastructure.

Adult Education and Training; and Community Development

Los Angeles Trade-Technical College

Leticia BarajasVP Academic Affairs and Workforce Development

LATTC Overview

LATTC over 89-years of career technical training – Regional in scope

Over 15,500 students each term (Over 85% Latino, African-American students)

LATTC & Metro Partnership

Over 15,500 students each term (Over 85% Latino, African-American students)

Workforce Partnerships Metro Diesel & Related Technologies, Rail Technical Training and Manufacturing

LATTC & Metro Partnership

Recruiting Opportunities: LATTC provides over 500 construction, manufacturing & transportation-related completers each term to local/regional employers

Incumbent Worker Training Provide services regionally

for public and private business/agencies

Workforce Training Model

Innovative Training Model: combination of on-site/on campus training opportunities that integrate use of technology, as appropriate at any time during the year

Pool of Technical Curriculum Developers and Faculty customize training leading to credentials (pre-apprentice stackable degrees & credentialing)

Areas of Specialty: Machine Shop/CNC, Welding, Transportation, Electronics/Electrical Systems, etc.

LATTC & Metro Partnership

LATTC over 89-years of career technical training – regional in scope

Over 15,500 students each term (Over 85% Latino, African-American students)

Workforce Partnerships - Metro Diesel & Related Technologies, Rail Technical Training and Manufacturing

Recruiting Opportunities: LATTC provides over 500 construction, manufacturing & transportation-related completers each term to local/regional employers

Workforce Training Model

Innovative Training Model: combination of on-site/on campus training opportunities that integrate use of technology, as appropriate at any time during the year

Pool of technical curriculum developers and faculty customize training leading to credentials (pre-apprentice stackable degrees & credentialing)

Areas of Specialty: Machine Shop/CNC, Welding, Transportation, Electronics/Electrical Systems, etc.

WRTP/BIG STEPCenter of Excellence Clearinghouse Model and Industry Led Approach

Earl Buford, Executive Director

As a workforce intermediary, WRTP/BIG STEP coordinates among and between labor and management to assess and plan for current and future industry needs within sectors

Industry assessments done in cooperation with employers and labor inform the development of employer services, which in turn enables us to connect these opportunities into openings aligned with our community network of partners

The “marketplace model” is in opposition to the old model driven primarily by government policy/workforce development entities and social service agencies’ client needs; we connect BOTH models

WRTP/BIG STEP teaches the technical skills required to bring participants to the “finishing point” immediately before employment, and is the “beginning point” into industry careers, apprenticeships and jobs

We are Industry Led, Worker Centered and Community Focused

The “Marketplace Model”

Center of Excellence

Improve the ability of employers and unions to recruit, retain, and develop qualified community candidates for careers in skilled trades and industries Assess job-ready candidates from a wide range of

referral partners Prepare qualified candidates for employment and

advancement opportunities Place community residents into targeted trades and

industries

Mission

Create a central clearinghouse for the assessment, preparation, and placement of job ready candidates Enable employers and unions to meet the staffing

and diversity objectives of their respective trades or industries

Enable public sector agencies and community partners to refer job ready candidates for training and placement

Pipeline

WRTP/BIG STEP is in the preliminary phase of its Construction Needs Assessment and has, for example, secured preliminary numbers/data regarding the following: Laid off workers per trade Workers from the City of Milwaukee Workforce retirement ages Available classifications

Even with years of experience in the construction industry and with the WRTP assessment model, applying that assessment model to the construction industry is an extremely complex endeavor

For example, in Southeastern Wisconsin alone, there are 18 different local unions and 18 different apprenticeship committees that we need to align

Construction Project Assessments

Under the Entry-Level Construction Skills (ELCS) program, WRTP/BIG STEP is able to help participants at all points on their career pathways to advance.

ELCS modules can be tailored by trade and classification and are flexibile in terms of delivery, location, and levels taught:

ELCS 1 is an exposure course that targets those who are unfamiliar with the construction industry, but who want to learn more about it, or eventually advance in the sector. This non-credentialed exploratory module provides participants an introduction to the trades and the world of work.

ELCS 2 is for those participants who meet minimum requirements for training.

ELCS 3 is for qualified apprenticeship candidates who have not yet been hired by an employer in order to begin an apprenticeship.

ELCS 4 is the most advanced ELCS module and targets current journey workers or apprentices. ELCS 4 helps upgrade these experienced workers’ skills, particularly as they relate to the new skills in the green economy.

Entry-Level Construction Skills (ELCS) Training Model

Where are the jobs?

Politicians

We have a public project with local hiring mandates.

Public Project Job Sites

Employers

We don’t hire. See the union.

Apprenticeship Programs We just do

training.

UnionsYou need to go to an apprenticeship.

We don’t do the hiring. Go to the employer.

WRTP/BIG STEP

Public Projects

with Residential Requireme

nts

Skilled Workers from Surrounding Communities

Community Based Organization

We’re not taking applications.

Milwaukee

Community

What’s this?

I don’t understand.

How can we facilitate these stakeholders to

get Milwaukee residents to work on

public projects?

Industry Driven

MC3 Multi Craft Core Curriculum

WIA Workforce Investment Act Training Funds

DOT

BlueGreen Alliance

Zoe Lipman, Senior Policy Advisor

Evaluating the Amtrak RFP andUS Employment Plan

Resources for Bidderswww.jobstomoveamerica.org

U.S. Employment Plan Worksheet

Resources for Bidderswww.jobstomoveamerica.org

Resources for Bidderswww.jobstomoveamerica.org

Q & AHow to submit a question

1. On your computer screen, look for a toolbar on the right side2. Click the tab with the speech bubble icon, and you’ll see a Chat

window3. Type a brief question into the field4. Click on drop-down menu below your question, next to the words

“Send to”5. Select my name - Rudy Gonzalves - from the menu6. Click “Send”

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