California Economic & Workforce Development - California Community Colleges

The Innovations of Skills Panels

Innovative solutions and training programs based on real-time requirements

In a September 2011 study from the Public Policy Institute of California, a record-high number of residents (67%) said that the most important issue facing California is jobs and the economy. As we continue to dig out of the recession, more than 2 million Californians are still unemployed, while some employers struggle to find workers skilled enough to fill new jobs and remain competitive globally.

In May 2011, America's Edge released a report called "Can California Compete?" which highlighted increasing skills gaps in numerous occupations, especially in middle-skilled jobs - those requiring more than a high school diploma and less than a four-year degree. Our Fall 2011 e-Newsletter examined some of the ways that the Economic and Workforce Development Initiatives were helping California employers address these gaps. The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office recently announced a new strategic initiative: Doing What's Right for Jobs and the Economy. Under this commitment, one of the ways the community college system is reinforcing its ability to align the needs of employers with education and training options is by establishing Skills Panels for each of its Economic and Workforce Development Initiatives.

Skills panels create a business-driven forum to solve workforce problems in a particular industry by encouraging companies, who might otherwise be in competition, to collaborate on identifying the critical skills needed by their employees. By bringing together education, public workforce training resources, and business and industry experts, skills gaps can be identified and quantified, and plans can be made to connect workers or jobseekers with the necessary training and educational resources to close the gaps and ensure the competitive advantage of an economically vital industry.

Skills panels bring a more entrepreneurial perspective than traditional advisory boards because they focus on creating innovative solutions and training programs based on real-time requirements. While advisory panels and their subject matter experts will still have their place in curriculum development, the nimble nature of skills panels, and the unique knowledge of the industry cluster that their members bring to the group, will enable businesses to share actionable feedback on specific industry needs directly with training providers.

In the Spring issue of Grow California, we'll share how each of the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Initiatives are implementing skills panels within their industry focus, and are working with local employers to identify critical skills and incorporate them into new or existing programs.

CITD Wins NASBITE International 2012 Award

The California Centers for International Trade Development (CITD) were honored on April 20, 2012, at the 25th Annual International Conference of the National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE), receiving the State Award for Advancing International Trade.

The NASBITE Advancing International Trade Award recognizes the dedication and service of those that are contributing to the advancement of international trade in each state in the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico. Individual or program award recipients must have contributed to the advancement of international trade for four or more years, and have to be nominated by the NASBITE Board of Governors.

"NASBITE has taken the leadership role and contributed tremendous energy and passion to help colleges, universities and the business community recognize the critical need for small business international education, and the need for an industry certification," said CITD Statewide Director, Jeffrey Williamson. "Our team is proud to provide tangible resources for the business and education communities, and we have benefitted greatly from participating in and serving NASBITE over the past twenty years which makes this award even more meaningful to all of us."

For information on the CITD Initiative, visit www.citd.org or contact CITD Statewide Director Jeff Williamson, at (909) 556 6639 or jeff.williamson@cccewd.net.

Preparing for Growth

Skills Panels Identify Needs in Green Transportation Technology & Renewable Energy

California's High-Speed Rail Authority is poised to begin work on the nation's largest infrastructure project-a $6 billion investment in local rail improvement and expansion that will connect the state's large north and south "mega-regions" through the rapidly growing Central Valley using high-speed electric bullet trains. According to the Authority's recently revised business plan, the project is estimated to add 100,000 "job years" of employment to the Central Valley in the next five years; a job year is the equivalent of employing one person in a full time job for one year. Additionally, the Authority has committed to the installation of renewable energy systems on state property used for the rail system right-of-way via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the California Energy Commission.

As transportation overall shifts towards the use of electric and hybridized technology, logistics and trucking firms, as well as large scale construction and energy firms that work on the rail project, are identifying needs for workers with technical skills in everything from maintenance and upkeep of green (natural gas and electric) vehicles to installation of renewable energy technologies in existing and upcoming construction projects. To meet the diverse needs of employers in this arena, the Advanced Transportation Technology and Energy Centers (ATTE) throughout California will convene skills panels comprised of industry and union representatives, local and regional economic development organizations, education providers, and local workforce investment boards.

"The new skills panels will allow us to develop and deliver innovative, industry-focused workforce training programs that teach specific skills needed by employers in these emerging technologies," said ATTE Statewide Director, Peter Davis. "The groundwork has been laid in our existing Community College technical training programs, but having ground-level industry partners on the skills panels will allow us to tailor these programs to the real-time market needs. It is also a critical opportunity to expand past traditional geographic boundaries to ensure consistent technical training throughout California."

For more information on establishing business and industry partnerships with ATTE to help fuel expansion at your company, visit www.attecolleges.org or contact ATTE Statewide Director, Peter Davis at (619) 473-0090 or pdavis@cccewd.net.

Biotechnology Success Story

BioScience Workforce Summit Puts Skills Panels Into Action

The Biotechnology Initiative currently employs industry-driven skills panels to help design training programs that respond to regional needs. These skills panels are an evolution of the advisory committee model, and are a more proactive approach that now includes industry, economic development professionals, local workforce investment boards, educators, recruiters and HR professionals, and public policy officials. By convening this diverse group of stakeholders, the Biotechnology Initiative creates a comprehensive view of bioscience workforce issues in the region, includes a variety of perspectives, and promotes communication, partnerships, and creative problem solving among these diverse entities, all of whom are invested in bioscience industry competiveness and local prosperity.

A specific example of the skills panel approach is the Bioscience Workforce Summit held in Los Angeles last spring. This Summit was co-sponsored by the L.A./Orange County Biotechnology Center; the Biotechnology Initiative Center for the greater Los Angeles area; SoCalBio, the biotechnology industry trade association for the region; Griffols Biologicals, a major biomanufacturing company; and the bioscience HR recruiting firm, MannKind Corporation. The Summit was opened with the acknowledgement from industry leaders that "one of the most significant keys to corporate success is the quality of our workforce." It convened government officials and policy makers, industry leaders, Southern California Workforce Investment Board representatives, along with educators from colleges in the region. Discussions included national bioscience workforce projects and federal funding opportunities; best practices in curriculum and program development; workforce development, retention and recruitment; needed skills and traits in employees; and ensuring good paying jobs and a qualified workforce are available now and in the future.

The Summit was a huge success with over 150 attendees, including corporate CEOs. Outcomes included three community colleges starting new bioscience programs; growth of new programs in the Inland Empire region; a number of colleges collaborating on federal grant applications; donation of equipment and supplies to college programs; and meaningful networking opportunities among educators and bioscience company decision makers. A 2012 Southern California Bioscience Workforce Summit is scheduled for this July.

Earlier skills panels convened by the Biotechnology Initiative resulted in new and successful training programs specifically targeting the biomanufacturing sector. Programs were developed at L.A. Valley College and L.A. Trade Tech College, and addressed the needs of major biomanufacturing firms in the region, including Griffols Biologicals and Baxter. "Our initiative has already seen the value that skills panels can play in identifying the specific skills needed by the employers in a region," said Biotechnology Initiative Statewide Director, Jeffrey O'Neal. "Employers have accessed hundreds of workers directly out of our training programs. These former students found good paying jobs in biomanufacturing that used their newly acquired skills right away and put money back into local economies."

For more information on the Biotechnology Initiative and its use of skills panels to ensure a prepared workforce, visit www.cccbiotech.org, or contact Biotechnology Initiative Statewide Director, Jeffrey O'Neal at (916) 484-8052 or onealj@cccewd.net.

Small Businesses Drive Economic Expansion

Skills Panels Planned to Help Business Owners Succeed

According to the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, small businesses accounted for 65 percent (9.8 million) of the new jobs that were created between 1993 and 2009. The potential for innovation among small business is tremendous, as they account for 16.5 times more patents per employee than large firms. In their hiring transactions, small business owners and entrepreneurs search for employees with everything from retail and customer service skills to highly specialized technical knowledge. However, the challenge for many business owners is experiencing a level of growth that will allow them to generate job creation within the economy.

The Business and Entrepreneurship Centers (BEC) exist to better enable small business owners to contribute to their local economies by meeting their needs in the areas of business assistance, training, access to business capital, and regulatory simplicity. By including experienced small business owners who understand and can address the challenges of their roles, along with business development experts and educational leaders across numerous industry sectors, the BEC is in the process of developing Regional Skills Panels to assist in this quest.

"These locally driven skills panels can quickly address immediate needs of the regional small business community and work together to identify the resources available to meet their needs," said BEC Statewide Director, Michael Roessler. "When they are ready to hire employees, our educational and workforce partners will help them tap into the local labor pool and identify the critical workforce talent they need to take their business to the next level."

Small businesses who are interested in serving on a regional skills panel, or who would like to learn more about receiving assistance from the Business & Entrepreneurship Center Program, should visit www.buildcalifornia.org or contact BEC Statewide Director, Michael Roessler at (916) 361-2964 or mroessler@cccewd.net.

Skills Panels and Environmental Training

Meeting Needs for Critical and Emerging Occupations

Events such as hurricanes, natural disasters, and terrorism threats have increased awareness of the importance of maintaining a safe and healthy water supply, and properly disposing of contaminated water through treatment and filtration. While some may think of water and wastewater management as being a primary responsibility of government, there are many private sector businesses involved in the treatment, testing, and management of a clean water supply. For example, manufacturing companies using plastics or other chemicals must safely remove residual polymers from wastewater prior to dumping. Food and beverage manufacturers have a critical requirement to filter and test water prior to its use in preparing their products.

The Environmental Training Centers (ETCs) have consistently worked with industry representatives to understand the training requirements for companies involved in any type of water management. With the implementation of skills panels, the ETC will develop additional relationships with union representatives, workforce investment boards, and regional or statewide economic development organizations to further understand specific and emerging skills requirements of both public and private sector employers. "The focus on developing skills panels is very timely," said ETC Statewide Director, Richard Della Valle. "We had already identified a need for revised and updated curriculum in water management, and the skills panels will allow us to create educational programs that will lead to credentials or micro-credentials the industry needs."

Della Valle also shared another area for skills panel development with geospatial (GIS and GPS) technology. According to Open Geolocation Consortium (OGC) President/CEO Mark Reichardt, "New location technologies are fundamentally changing the way business and government organize and make decisions." The explosion in the availability of location data is creating a place-based world, and employers will need workers with skills in using this information for decision-making and analysis. The US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation reports that GEOINT (geo-intelligence) jobs are outpacing the supply of education personnel. Through the use of skills panels that convene industry leaders and experts, along with workforce investment boards, educational partners, and economic development, the ETC plans to develop certifications and curriculum to help meet this growing need.

For more information on programs offered by the ETC, visit http://www.envtraining.org/ or contact ETC Statewide Director, Richard Della Valle at (925) 858-6602 or rdellavalle@cccewd.net.

Doing What's Right for Healthcare

Existing Skills Advisory Committee Responds to Employer Needs

According to Monster's 2012 Healthcare Outlook, the healthcare industry will continue to be a reliable source of job creation throughout 2012 and beyond. An aging population, combined with an aging workforce, new technology requirements, and regulatory matters will drive employers' needs for a skilled labor force. The Health Workforce Initiative (HWI) has created and continues to implement a successful structure for a statewide advisory committee that is in alignment with the strategic initiative around skills panels. HWI conducts three meetings annually of a statewide skills advisory committee. Through its bylaws, the committee allows for a minimum of 12, and a maximum of 25, voting members. These voting members consist of statewide business and industry representatives from major medical centers, governmental appointees, health care related associations, secondary/ROP programs, community college allied health faculty and program directors, and others as appointed by the committee. Each HWI regional center also convenes an advisory committee to guide the programming of the center.

As industry makes requests, HWI programming is aligned to respond to the identified need. The following are some examples of industry requests from previous advisory meetings:

• Request for more training on cultural and linguistic competency. HWI has completed nine of 17 modules for integration into any community college allied health program on this topic. These modules are now available at http://www.ca-hwi.org/.
• Request for more primary care practitioners. HWI is in the process of developing an Ambulatory Care RN curriculum that can be used as a post licensure training program for RN's interested in primary care.
• Request for more BSN-prepared nurses. This has been included in the HWI workplan since February 2011 when representatives attended the Community College Baccalaureate Association Conference in San Diego. At that time Assembly Member Marty Block introduced AB 661 to allow community colleges to offer Baccalaureate Degrees. HWI has testified at hearings, participated in curriculum development, and continues to monitor this process.

HWI utilizes the DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) Job Analysis process to respond to identified industry needs for emerging occupations. Similar to the Skills Panel concept, a DACUM panel consists of expert workers to define their occupation in terms of successful task performance. An industry advisory panel is also convened to validate the skills and competencies required for this job/occupation. The HWI website contains a listing of the DACUM Job Analyses completed by the Initiative at http://www.ca-hwi.org/.

For further information on the ways Health Workforce Initiative is aligning skills with employer requirements, visit http://www.ca-hwi.org/ or contact HWI Statewide Director, Linda Zorn at (530) 879-9069 or lzorn@cccewd.net.

Skills Panels in Manufacturing

Bringing Key Players Together for Workforce and the Economy

In advanced manufacturing, perhaps more than any other industry, employers are facing unprecedented difficulty in accessing skilled workers. A recent World Economic Forum report, The Future of Manufacturing, states, "An estimated 10 million jobs with manufacturing organizations worldwide cannot be filled today, due to a growing skills gap. Despite the high unemployment rate in many developed economies, companies are struggling to fill manufacturing jobs with the right talent."

The College of Sequoias Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT@COS) is a strong believer in the benefits of collaborating with workforce partners to help engage employers in discussions around needed skills. By partnering with the Advanced Manufacturing Committee of the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County (TCWIB), the CACT@COS has been able to work with a consortium of manufacturers in Tulare County to provide customized training in specific areas as identified and prioritized by multiple employers.

The TCWIB's Advanced Manufacturing Committee is comprised of HR professionals, plant managers and small business owners who meet quarterly to discuss needs of the manufacturing community in Tulare County. "This committee allows employers to take a central role in discussing specific workforce needs with other manufacturers, workforce professionals, community leaders, and educators across the county," said TCWIB Executive Director, Adam Peck.

College of Sequoias began to take an active role in the Manufacturing Consortium when it received an official designation as a CACT (Center for Applied Competitive Technologies). "When I started working at COS, the first thing I was told to do was to establish an advisory board for my program," said CACT@COS Director, Louann Waldner. "But, I knew I needed a deeper connection with business and industry than just an advisory." Waldner turned to the Tulare Workforce Investment Board who was developing "sector committees" for the high wage industries in Tulare County.

"Helping manufacturers isn't about having them come and listen to us 'report out' at a meeting," said Waldner. "The benefit of coming together is listening and figuring out ways to collaborate." Listening and collaborating is exactly what the employers, the TCWIB and CACT@COS did. Employers identified several skills gaps of their incumbent workers including troubleshooting using programmable logic controllers (PLC), as well as gaps in front-line leadership/supervisory training and lab/quality assurance skills at a foodservice manufacturer.

The TCWIB identified funding as one of the limiting factors in employers taking part of any type of training and worked to obtain a multi-employer Employment Training Panel (ETP) contract from the State of California. For PLC training, the CACT focused on visiting with maintenance supervisors, HR managers, and plant managers to assess the needs of the workers and ultimately designed an assessment tool that helped gauge the skill level of the incumbent workers, so that they could be "placed" in the training that provided the worker and employer the greatest return-on-investment. The employers approved the curriculum, identified the employees and continue to give feedback on all parts of the process.

For the pilot effort, eight manufacturing employers participated in the effort, training over 60 people in three short-term PLC trainings and a customized front-line supervisory training. The lab skills training is being developed with input from three different food manufacturing plants and the training will be piloted during summer 2012.

"The impact a program like this can have, if we are able to continue to do it, equates to real dollars to business," said Provisions Food Company HR Manager, Kevin Rowland. "Developing these skills in our workers not only reduces the need for outside, very high-priced contractors, but delivers needed training that reduces downtime and costs to correct problems," he concluded.

For more information on how the CACT initiative is engaging manufacturers across the state to identify workforce needs through skills panels, visit www.MakingItInCalifornia.com, or contact statewide CACT Director Jose Anaya at (310) 973-3165 or janaya@cccewd.net . Louann Waldner, CACT Director at College of the Sequoias, may be reached at (559) 737-4838 or louannw@cos.edu.

Doing What's Good in New Media

Discovering Skills Requirements Regionally

The Interactive Internet and Media Applications for Business (iima4biz) Initiative has three Regional Centers that have developed employer, educational, and workforce partnerships with the local community to identify necessary skills in the new media industry, and develop training or workshops for employees that will help them develop the required skills.

The iima4biz center at L.A. Valley College, named IDEAS, has focused on the regional entertainment industry by developing a close relationship with, and workshops for, the 'below the line' craft unions and guilds associated with production. Unions represented include Local 33 Hollywood Stagehands, AFTRA, Local 800 Art Directors Guild, and Local 892 Costume Designers Guild. Craftspeople on the panel include animators, agents, development executives, on-camera talent, and post production talent.

Advancing skill levels between productions is the only way that Los Angeles can stay competitive, as other states and countries attempt to attract the industry that has employed thousands in and around L.A. for 80 years. IDEAS is strongly supported by the LAVC Media Arts Department.

The one-year-old iima4biz Center at Hartnell College in Salinas, named the New Media Center, has tackled the needs of this 75 percent Hispanic agricultural community, by developing small business workshops and conferences on the effective use of web technologies in both English and Spanish, which is spoken by 40 percent of the adult participants. The workshops address digital literacy issues and help bring older workers up to speed. The aggressive use of student internships has furthered the Center's ability to bridge the skill gap between youth who are comfortable with technology and older workers who have never had the opportunity to fully learn it.

The iima4biz Center at North Orange County Community College District has developed workshops in response to the skills sought by local employers in web design and digital arts. Responsive programs with the Anaheim Police Department and other local businesses have helped focus the curriculum development. Optimizing resources with other EWD Initiatives, the Orange County Digital Media Center has operated one of the most successful contract education programs in the California Community College system.

Statewide, iima4biz learns from each center and identifies skill gaps from prominent research institutions like PEW Internet Research; non-profits like Tu-Technologia, who work exclusively with the Spanish language businesses; and MPICT (Mid-Pacific Information Communication Technology) focusing on the larger ICT industry. Developing effective programs that can be utilized by these centers and any other community colleges throughout California is the goal of the statewide program.

For more information on how the iima4biz initiative is addressing the new media skills needs of employers throughout the state, visit www.iima4biz.org, or contact Statewide Director, Stephen Wright at (805) 496-8583 or swright@cccewd.net.

Skills Panels for Workplace Learning

Collaboration is the Key to Meeting Business Needs

A poll taken by the Kaufmann Foundation at the Inc. 500 Conference found that 40 percent of employers say that the biggest barrier to growth for their companies is the lack of workers with appropriate skills to fill available jobs. The Workplace Learning Resource Centers (WpLRC) recognize this challenge and have implemented a number of strategies to ensure workers are prepared to enter the workforce and remain competitive in the future. Many of these strategies focus on collaboration and partnerships that bring educators, businesses, workforce and economic development groups together. By working together the needs of business and regional economies are heard and then integrated into community college training programs.

The new strategic direction towards skills panels is a natural fit for the WpLRC. "Collaboration and partnership is the key to creating a highly skilled workforce and will continue to be essential to the community college education model in the future," said WpLRC Statewide Director, Bruce Whistler. "Creating flexible programs that allow employees to use their newly acquired skills immediately provides the greatest benefit. This is especially true when the programs are flexible enough to allow employees to acquire additional skills while working at the same time,"

One example of how the WpLRC is already moving toward this future model is through its Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) Center and its long-term partnership with the United States Navy. The VCCCD Center maintains a strong partnership with the United States Navy, and works closely with them to create training programs for military and civilian personnel in Ventura County including a 62-Unit Business Management Certificate and AA Degree. The certificate is a direct result of collaborative efforts and serves as a pre-cursor to the growing trend for customized employee degree programs. Courses are currently offered on site and structured to meet the needs of working professionals.

"We are so pleased with our ongoing relationship with the United States Navy and the success of the Business Management Certificate Program," said VCCCD Center Director, Terry Schukart. "This program is an excellent example of how collaboration with our business partners provides benefits to not only the employer but to the workers and the community overall." Since the programs launch in 2004, 194 Civilian Contractors who work for Navy Base Ventura County have enrolled in the program, with 18 fully completed and another set of students scheduled to complete later this year. The VCCCD Center will continue its long-term partnership with the United States Navy and leverage the benefits of collaboration to create a highly skilled workforce.

To learn more about developing collaborative training modules for your organization, please contact Terry Schukart at tschukart@vcccd.edu for Ventura County, or WpLRC Statewide Director Bruce Whistler at bwhistler@cccewd.net.

Growing California Jobs

EWD Programs Support Business

As the U.S. economy continues to show improvement, recent figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that California has led the nation in job creation, adding over 233,000 jobs year over year through November 2011. The businesses creating these new jobs, many of which are in the technology, entertainment, healthcare, international trade, and tourism sectors, seek trained workers who are prepared to meet job requirements. The California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program (EWD) supports businesses statewide through its comprehensive array of employment training and business assistance programs. EWD preserves jobs and creates new ones by training workers to meet business needs in days, not months. From 2002 to 2009, EWD programs annually assisted an average of 41,000 businesses, 107,000 students and trainees, and placed 4,300 individuals in jobs.

Time Structures, Inc., recently completed an independent analysis of the economic impact derived from EWD programs and found that of 2,244 businesses accessing EWD business assistance programs, each assisted business was able to create an average of 1.4 more jobs compared to similar businesses not receiving this type of help. A total of 3,152 jobs were created, many of which were at smaller businesses-those with fewer than 50 employees and who employ the majority of California workers.

In addition, the study showed that workers who accessed EWD training programs either acquired the skills needed to earn a promotion, or filled open jobs at businesses requiring more highly skilled workers. The training, at an average cost to the state of $589.00 per worker, generated additional tax revenue of $450.00 based on their increased earnings, nearly offsetting the entire cost of the programs.

In this edition of GROW California, we highlight the many ways in which EWD works with business and industry to create jobs in our state. EWD is committed to identifying business requirements and creating programs that help companies access resources and make investments in human capital, resulting in increased profits, expanded productivity, and the ability to compete globally.

EWD Industry Study

Job Growth in Waste/Wastewater Agencies Through 2015

California's demand for water continues to increase as the state's population grows. As such, water and waste management efforts are crucial to not only the health and welfare of Californians but the economic vitality of the state. Industries from agriculture to healthcare are impacted by the distribution and maintenance of clean water.

Water distribution and treatment functions are performed by a variety of water and wastewater agencies or utilities that need qualified professionals to carry out these processes and to maintain water systems and equipment. However, due to a number of factors, including anticipated retirements of incumbent workers and a growing need for services, these professions are projected to experience labor shortages in the near future. According to a recent Center of Excellence study examining seven mission-critical occupations in Southern California, there will be as many as 4,400 new and replacement job opportunities for water and wastewater operators, mechanics, electricians and maintenance technicians over the next three years in this region alone.

The challenges that water and wastewater employers face in the current economic environment demonstrate a need for creative workforce preparation solutions developed in partnership between the industry and community colleges. A variety of training and education options are needed in order to (1) increase the number of qualified applicants entering the workforce and (2) ensure that incumbent workers are proficient and up-to-date in water and wastewater competencies, skills, and technologies.

Among the key workforce and hiring needs are:

• 65% of employers reported difficulty hiring Electronic Maintenance Technicians/Instrument Technicians.
• A majority of employers reported difficulty in hiring Water and Wastewater Treatment Operators.
• Water quality analysts and water conservation specialists are becoming more common in the industry and could create job opportunities for those seeking employment in these industries.

Community colleges are already well positioned to address these employer needs. Twelve colleges in the seven-county Southern California region have developed core competencies in providing water and wastewater education and training. Some of the upcoming challenges include accommodating all interested students in the available classes, as well as developing business and industry partnerships that match hiring organizations with trained and available workers. The complete industry report and related studies may be viewed at www.coeccc.net/water.

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 (408) 288-8611 or elaineg@cccewd.net.

PG&E Contribution (Gift) Improves Job Opportunities

California Corporate College, a project of the Economic and Workforce Development Program's Training & Development Initiative, recently received a charitable contribution from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). Corporate College has delivered training to PG&E employees enabling them to acquire new skills in hybrid vehicle maintenance at eight PG&E locations, and retraining meter readers into new occupational areas, providing them with improved opportunities for employment both inside and external to PG&E. This training was provided in six of PG&E's service areas around the State.

PG&E awarded the charitable contribution in the amount of $36,000 to California Corporate College to enable Corporate College to be able to continue to work with Career Technical Education programs throughout the community college system in order to meet the occupational training needs of incumbent workers in need of upskilling and retraining.

Catherine Swenson, Initiative Director for Training & Development, and Director of the California Corporate College, expressed gratitude to PG&E for recognizing the value of Corporate College as a single point of contact into the community colleges to businesses needing training services in multiple college service areas. Ms. Swenson has been a member of the PG&E PowerPathway advisory team representing the community colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program for the past three years, providing her with insight into the challenges faced by industry when trying to work with multiple community colleges for their training needs. "This funding will help us continue to improve our reach into the colleges and to provide our businesses with the skills they need for their workforce."

For more information, please contact Catherine Swenson, cswenson@cccewd.net.

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.

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.