California Economic & Workforce Development - California Community Colleges

Addressing the Skills Gap Dilemma

Building California's Workforce 

Aligning labor supply (a skilled workforce) with market demands (the needs of business and industry) is becoming an ominous barrier to California's ability to compete in the global marketplace. The spring 2011 report from America's Edge, Can California Compete?, identifies a widening skills gap in the Golden State. While 47 percent of California jobs are in "middle skills" occupations that require education beyond a high school diploma, but less than a four-year college degree, the report estimates that only 38 percent of California workers have the skills to fill these positions. Additional concerns among California business leaders are the shortage of workers with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. Just six years ago, California was 14th in the nation in bachelor's degrees awarded in science and engineering; today it's ranked 45th.

 

What's the cause of the skills gap dilemma? The American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) identifies multiple underlying causes including the changing nature of jobs, the lag in educational attainment, and most recently, the large-scale loss of jobs during the recession that began in late 2007. Economists anticipate that the current recession will feature a jobless recovery-one in which firms put off hiring new workers with attempts to achieve productivity gains with existing employees.

 

There is no short-term fix in responding to these issues to advance growth and innovation in California. The immediate challenge is to address skills gaps in ways that improve a company's organizational effectiveness and contribute to its long-term success. This is our focus within EWD programs and initiatives.

 

In this edition of GROW California, we highlight the many ways in which we work with business and industry to address California's skills gap; it's our long-term commitment and contribution to keeping California businesses competitive. No matter the size or sector of your business, our programs and services support businesses in creating a workplace environment that aligns the talent needed for profitability and growth in a knowledge-based economy.

Agriculture Value Chain for California

Leading the nation as the largest agricultural producer and exporter, California agriculture is not only a $36 billion dollar industry - it's an economic powerhouse employing close to 2.5 million people, and generating an economic impact of $300 billion annually. Modern agriculture encompasses much more than farms and ranches; agricultural science touches every aspect of American society - from the individual consumer's health and safety to the nation's welfare, security and environmental sustainability. Increasingly, agricultural research is fueling innovation in many parts of the economy not generally associated with agriculture, such as energy, electronics, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. 

Agriculture Value Chain for California, an environmental scan recently released by the Centers of Excellence (COE), examines the impact of agriculture across the state, providing a unique perspective of four industry clusters: support, production, processing and packaging, and distribution; while also profiling key factors such as agriculture's economic impact, employment, outlook, workforce challenges and relationship with community colleges. Some of the report's findings include: 

• The outlook for employment across the agriculture value chain is healthy - employment estimates for the combined sectors anticipate as many as 180,000 new jobs by 2016.
• Farm, ranch and other agricultural manager jobs are estimated to increase more than 10 percent in the next five years, growth of close to 4,000 positions.
• Agriculture employers indicate a high level of importance for managers and supervisors understanding and applying local and state requirements, regulations, and incentives across all four value chain clusters (97% importance).
• Employers also indicate a level of importance for employees' understanding of agricultural products and services (59% importance).

When hiring for agricultural positions, employers placed emphasis on the need for specialized certifications; a requirement of hands-on experience whether from past jobs or internships; and the need for technical writing skills. Many employers indicated that they have difficulty with hiring employees that have adequate technical writing skills, diesel mechanic certifications, and skills needed for specialized positions. 

California Community Colleges are well positioned to address these skills gaps through customized training programs as well as through some existing curriculum offerings. The full study contains recommendations for the colleges to engage employers via partnerships and contract education. 

To view the current study, please visit www.coeccc.net. Colleges, industry partners, foundations, or workforce organizations that have inquiries or partnership interest in customized labor market research studies should contact Elaine Gaertner, COE statewide director, at elaineg@cccewd.net, or (408) 288-8611.

Growing Skills for Renewable EnergyCoalition Grooms Talent for Green Jobs

The California Employment Development Department lists thirty-seven individual pieces of legislation related to green jobs, renewable energy, and energy efficiency standards. For example, one-third of the power supplied by California's utilities must come from renewable sources by 2020, driving a need for workers skilled in energy management and auditing.

To address potential skills gaps and meet the needs of employers who are implementing renewable energy programs or conducting energy audits for other businesses, ATTE @ West Valley College recently developed an energy management course. Conducted in partnership with the San Benito County Workforce Investment Boards, Work 2 Future, the NUMMI Reemployment Center, and the San Benito Economic Development Corporation, the 110-hour course builds skills in energy use assessment, resource planning, technical measurement, and data collection, as well as an understanding of project management concepts, efficiency methodologies, and fuel substitution options.

The ATTE offered six classes totaling nearly 100 students. Students enrolled in the energy management class were also allowed to enroll in other ATTE classes at no cost to them. Several dozen students took additional coursework in LEED, Google Sketch-up for Solar, Solar Site Planner, and OSHA 10.

"As more companies adopt renewable energy programs and utilities look for ways to help businesses and consumers reduce dependence on traditional energy sources, the need for these skills will increase," said ATTE @ West Valley College Director David Esmaili. "Graduates of the program are ready to meet the needs of California employers as renewable energy programs are funded and implemented across the state."

After the classes ended, ATTE sponsored a job fair for the energy management students, connecting them with employers such as PG&E, Orchard Supply, and small energy management and solar companies. Employers had access to the latest talent and could interview for current openings, as well as field questions from program participants about renewable energy careers. Approximately 40 percent of program graduates are now employed.

For more information on ATTE's programs in Renewable Energy, contact Statewide Director Peter Davis at (619) 473-0090, pdavis@cccewd.net, or go to www.attecolleges.org.

Entrepreneurial Skill-Building for Business OwnersEntrepreneurship Training Boosts Ability to Succeed

According to the California Small Business Profile, produced by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, there are 711,313 small employers and 2,688,453 non-employers that make up California's roughly 3.4 million small business owners. These entrepreneurs make significant contributions to the state's economy by bringing innovative products and services to the marketplace. They are an important source of employment and opportunity throughout the state. In fact, more than 51% of California's jobs are within the small-business sector, defined as companies with fewer than 500 total employees (California Small Business Profile, February, 2011).

Many of these small business owners start their companies after they have left another career as product or service experts without realizing the financial, resource planning, procurement, sales & marketing, and management skills needed to help their businesses succeed.

The Business & Entrepreneurship Center (BEC) Program is working to encourage entrepreneurial education by building Youth and Faculty Entrepreneurship Programs throughout the state. These programs boost the capacity of existing California community colleges' faculty to educate students about entrepreneurship and small business ownership, better equipping class participants to join the ranks of small business owners in California.

p>By increasing the availability of entrepreneurial education on community college campuses, the BEC programs will build the skills of California's new and potential entrepreneurs, preparing a new wave of business owners in California to succeed personally, while creating jobs and contributing to the State's economy. To learn more about the BEC and its programs, contact BEC Statewide Director Michael Roessler at (916) 361-2964, mroessler@cccewd.net, or go to www.cccewd.net/initiative_business_entrepreneurship.cfm

STEM Skills for California WorkersBuilding Blocks for Public Safety and Green Technology Careers

According to the California Employment Development Department, 75 percent of the 50 fastest growing occupations in the state require STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills, which form the basis for decision making and engagement in our knowledge-based economy. A 2005 study by the National Center for Education Statistics shows that California is lagging behind the nation in mathematics and science proficiency, and highlighted the necessity of teaching STEM skills at all levels from primary to post-secondary.

The Environment, Health, Safety, and Homeland Security (ETC) initiative recognizes the need for strong STEM skills among jobs in both the environmental health and safety and the emerging renewable energy/green jobs field. Students take pre-requisite courses in biology, algebra, and basic chemistry prior to entering the Basic Hazmat Technician program. Additionally, the Green Technology program requirements emphasize STEM coursework in the areas of basic physics, engineering and mathematics.

"Students with proficient or higher scores in mathematics and the sciences at the secondary level possess the basic skills needed to succeed in any number of ETC certificate programs," said Statewide ETC Director Richard Della Valle. "From DOT CFR 49 (Transportation of Hazardous Materials) qualification to Building Performance Institute (BPI) certifications, STEM skills are woven throughout the fabric of the courses and certificate programs."

For more information about EWD's Environmental Training Centers and its programs, visit www.envtraining.org, or contact Richard Della Valle at (925) 672-2209, or rdellavalle@cccewd.net.

Skill Building for Rural Health ProvidersHealth IT Training Prepares Incumbent Workforce

According to the November 2010 Rural Health Update from the California State Rural Health Association, 36 percent of California's hospital facilities and primary care or health clinics are in designated rural areas within the state. These facilities serve nearly 5.3 million residents who are more impacted by poverty and lack of health insurance than those in urban areas.

As hospitals and clinics begin to transition to Electronic Medical Records (EMR) as a result of requirements under Health Care Reform, medical workers in rural regions may not have the skills needed to implement EMR and other Health IT applications. In addition to the obvious challenges of adequate broadband access and fewer financial resources to purchase new IT equipment, rural locations lack the IT expertise found in metropolitan health care facilities and have limited resources available for training staff.

The Health Workforce Initiative at Butte College, in partnership with the California Health Information Partnership and Services (CalHIPSO), Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), and the Tahoe Institute for Rural Health Research, piloted a Rural Hospital Incumbent Worker Health IT Training Program. Course topics included: IT Project Management, Workflow Analysis, Change Management, and Data and Health Information Exchange. Coursework for the program is completed entirely online, and participants have access to weekly support calls hosted by the California Rural Health IT network as well as personal coaching and site-specific advice from CalHIPSO.

"The reaction from the rural hospital community was overwhelming, with 138 participants from 21 hospitals/organizations enrolled in the 10-week pilot program, which is scheduled to end this month," said curriculum contributor Lynn Barr, Tahoe Institute for Rural Health. "There's interest from the Office of Rural Health Policy to replicate the model nationally."

For more information on the program, please contact Tessa Miley at 530-879-9068. For information on the Health Workforce Initiative, contact Linda Zorn at (530) 879-9069, lzorn@CCCEWD.net, or go to www.ca-hwi.org/.

Skill-Building for the Global MarketplaceCITD Programs Educate Employers and Help Grow Businesses

The California economy, with a GDP of nearly 1.9 trillion in 2010, ranks as the 9th largest in the world, according to the State's Department of Finance. California leads the nation in venture capital investments, and boasts a logistics infrastructure of 18 foreign trade zones, 39 enterprise zones, 15,000 miles of freeway, 11 cargo seaports, and 12 cargo airports. It is uniquely poised to lead in innovations and international trade transactions. However, start-up businesses and small to medium sized companies often struggle with entry into the international arena, and have difficulty identifying affordable expertise to assist with foreign trade opportunities.

"In order for businesses to meet the challenges of the global marketplace, they must understand legal issues, be aware of issues in transportation and logistics, know how to conduct market research to determine if there is a demand for the company's products," said Brooks Ohlson, Director of the Northern California and Sacramento Regional Center for International Trade Development. "California businesses need a 'globally prepared workforce' which means that workers need skills beyond those learned from traditional classrooms and curriculum."

The Centers for International Development (CITD) provide significant resources to educate California companies in all aspects of importing and exporting and prepare them to compete globally. However, in order to engage effectively in overseas transactions, employers need access to a workforce that is globally aware and who possess the job skills to help their businesses transition into the international marketplace.

CITD offers both introductory coursework in importing and exporting, as well as advanced classes in trade finance, logistics, market development, and web-based marketing programs. These unique programs enable existing workers, managers and business owners to learn new skills and tools that impact the bottom line by enabling them to identify new revenue sources and avenues for growth. "Our goal is to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses in value-added employee training, and also to help guide the entrepreneur to sustainability and success," said Ohlson.

For information on CITD resources and programs, visit www.citd.org or contact Statewide Director Jeff Williamson at (951) 571-6458, jeff.williamson@rccd.edu

CACT Helps Advanced Manufacturing Company Address Skills GapsMechatronics Program Prepares Employees for Career Advancement

Advances in computer-controlled manufacturing processes have left manufacturing workers struggling to keep pace with changes in electronics, pneumatics, and other automated production functions. Telefunken Semiconductors International, LLC, in Roseville, CA, produces integrated circuits for the automotive industry. Employees at the company needed to learn advanced manufacturing skills and receive training on new equipment, in order to meet company standards and further their chances for promotion along career paths. Through the CACT @ Sierra College, the company contracted for 22 employees to receive Mechatronics training.

According to Telefunken's Director of Manufacturing, Matthew Nadeau, the Sierra College Mechatronics program-a study of mechanics, electronics, pneumatics and hydraulics under computer control-offers a pathway to advancement. "A certificate or AA/AS degree in Mechatronics or Electronics provides our production technicians with knowledge and skills that are needed in order to be considered for promotion to the next level," said Nadeau.

The Sierra College Mechatronics program is one of only a few in the nation and highly regarded for its rigor and applied learning labs, using over $1 million in industrial quality equipment, explained Mechatronics Department Chair Tony Osladil. "Mechatronics graduates have been scooped up by local employers such as Anheuser Busch, Ceronix, City of Roseville, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Michrom Bioresources, Nestle Water Bottling, Schilling Robotics, Sierra Pacific Industry, Vannelli Foods and many others," said Osladil. "For students, the Mechatronics skills can be used in a variety of industries and work environments to design, maintain and repair automated equipment; these are well paid jobs that are here to stay."

According to Nadeau, the popularity of the Mechatronics program led Telefunken to contract with Sierra College to offer the class for Telefunken employees. "The employees who have taken this class have shown an increased level of interest in their daily tasks," said Nadeau. "They now have a better understanding of 'what's behind' the systems and components. Technicians are also motivated by getting closer to meeting the requirements for promotion to the next level within our company."

For more information about the CACT @ Sierra College, go to go to www.sierracollegetraining.com. For more information on EWD's Centers for Applied at (310) 973-3165 or janaya@cccewd.net.

Building Skills in Use of Mobile and Interactive ApplicationsExpanding Program Educates Industry Verticals

With mobile devices poised to outpace computers as the primary way to access the Internet by 2014, companies across all industries are grappling with how to embrace this trend and use it to connect with their customers or stakeholders.In the entertainment industry, more than 22 iPad applications provide tools for filming, editing, and production; in medicine and healthcare, interactive applications are changing patient care as providers have access to management systems for prescriptions, appointment and health histories. The small business sector is inundated with applications for marketing, customer service, and automation; and state and local governments are providing more resources on-line to constituents.

Workers in these organizations need to understand what applications are available to increase efficiency, productivity, and customer communications; furthermore, they need skills in using these mobile applications in order to transition from traditional desktop technologies.

The Interactive Internet & Mobile Applications for Business Initiative, or iima4biz, is addressing the internet application and mobile technology skills needed by the workforce in these different industries. This newly redefined initiative provides unique industry-focused conferences, workshops, on-line videos and curriculum to educate workers in these industries on how to maximize available mobile and interactive technologies, whether to engage with customers or to streamline business processes.

In September 2011, iima4biz will host a conference for the Legislative staff of California's Assembly and Senate to learn the latest from expert speakers regarding the use of interactive internet and mobile applications in government. Similar conferences, video and skills workshops will be developed for the entertainment and health care industries, as well as a continuation of the existing iima4biz workshop for small business.

Access to workshops and information can be found at www.iima4biz.org, or contact Statewide Director Steve Wright at (805) 496-8583, or swright@cccewd.net.

Closing the Workplace Skills GapWpLRC Programs Boost Literacy and Basic Skills

In a report by the National Commission on Adult Literacy, 90 million adults lack the literacy skills needed to complete postsecondary education and training. The lack of these skills, coupled with the current recession, creates a grim outlook for economic and workforce development in California and throughout the United States.

How are businesses expected to fill the 50 million new jobs predicted by 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) when workers lack the basic credentials to fill them? To ensure workers have the skills needed to fill these positions and get the economy back on track, the Workplace Learning Resource Centers (WpLRC), along with business and industry, community colleges and other EWD initiatives are working together to create training programs that address these needs.

"We work closely with industry to understand and address the challenges businesses face in hiring qualified workers and to support employee professional development," said WpLRC Statewide Director Bruce Whistler. "This includes addressing the literacy and basic skills gap as well as creating programs that are relevant to the 21st century business."

The WpLRC provides customized training programs and offers a series of Foundation Programs focused on today's most relevant business topics. These programs including Generational Diversity with an emphasis on improving communication and managing conflicts between generations; the Next Skills Institute that addresses workplace skills such as listening, technology, communication and teamwork; and the Leadership Academy designed for individuals wanting to learn the skills needed to become strong, responsible, and solutions-driven leaders.

To learn more about how WpLRC addresses workplace skills gaps, contact Bruce Whistler at (650) 641-0161, bwhistler@cccewd.net, or go to www.wplrc.org.