Younger Workers Committee Meeting

March 1, 2017: 9:30 AM
Frances Perkins Room, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

YOUNGER WORKERS COMMITTEE AGENDA 03/01/17 Introductions Approval of 10/27/16 meeting minutes The main focus of this meeting will be discussion in reference to the following questions with the LWIB Directors: 1. What are the LWB?s currently doing to engage industry and sectors in their area? Are there ways we can combine organizational efforts/boards/meetings? 2. What credentials are preferred by employers? Are we seeing a regional difference? Is there a way to create consistency among employers? 3. What education/degrees are preferred? Are there preferred educators? Is there a way to create consistency among educators? 4. Should we as a committee focus on one specific industry to improve or focus on statewide? Our committee has been discussing credentialing and degrees and how they apply statewide. We would like to see if there are ways we can work better together statewide. Meeting Adjourned Next meeting Thursday, April 27, 2017 from 9:30 ? Noon in the Frances Perkins Room, MDOL Central Maine Commerce Center in Augusta.

YOUNGER WORKERS COMMITTEE MEETING

03/01/2017

Present: Denise Smith, Rachel Knight, Meg Harvey, Lisa Obermeyer, Scott Good (phone), Mike Jordan (phone), Anne Wheeler (phone)

Guest: Joanna Russell, Executive Director - Northeastern Workforce Development Board, Jeff Sneddon, Executive Director - Central/Western Maine Workforce Development Board (phone)

Staff: Garret Oswald, Cheryl Moran

Denise Smith opened the meeting with welcomes and introductions and asked for approval of the October 27, 2016 minutes. Rachel Knight motioned. Meg Harvey seconded. Minutes approved unanimously as written.

The main focus of this meeting will be discussion in reference to the following questions with the LWB Directors: 1. What are the LWB?s currently doing to engage industry and sectors in their area? Are there ways we can combine organizational efforts/boards/meetings? 2. What credentials are preferred by employers? Are we seeing a regional difference? Is there a way to create consistency among employers? 3. What education/degrees are preferred? Are there preferred educators? Is there a way to create consistency among educators? 4. Should we as a committee focus on one specific industry to improve or focus on statewide?

Denise - Our committee has been discussing credentialing and degrees and how they apply statewide. We would like to see if there are ways we can work together statewide. We will start the conversation by answering the questions on the agenda and ultimately as a committee, take some action steps. Question #1 Joanna Russell ? Our Region is made up of 5 counties; Aroostook, Washington, Hancock, Piscataquis and Penobscot. We are engaged in 3 industry sectors; 1) healthcare (which is the largest), (2) manufacturing and (3) IT (because of the TechHire Grant). The other industries we have pulled in include construction, hospitality & tourism and forestry. In each Region there are Regional Partner Advisory Groups or RPAG?s which are sector focused. These groups are used to identify the employer?s needs and skill gaps. We?ve been actively working on our local strategic plan in order to be in compliance - 175 people have provided input. We are getting ready to submit our local plan to Garret Oswald, Director of the State Workforce Board for approval. On March 14th, we will host a ZOOM teleconferencing meeting from 11am ? 1pm at Eastern Maine Community College, Northern Maine Community College and Washington County Community College where all RPAG partners will come together. Please send questions if you are unable to attend. Joanna stated they also have a youth advisory committee. What has been a challenge is trying to achieve a unified policy. She suggested that committee members attend their Board meetings which are held in person 4 quarters out of the year or they can ZOOM teleconference. Jeff Sneddon stated his Region covers Androscoggin, Franklin, Oxford, Kennebec and Somerset Counties. They work with employers on curriculum development and with the Department of Education (DOE) on curriculum design. Jeff also noted that employers work with the CareerCenters with an outcome resulting in OJT?s and apprenticeships. Manufacturing, which is big in Region 3 and Healthcare, are the 2 main industry sectors. Currently, they have a medical assistant program with Maine General. There will be a Career Expo (Totally Trades added) where they try to assist high school seniors and CTE?s that do not plan to pursue secondary education.
Jeff announced on March 14th, they will have a second meeting with employers on work experience and training in reference to the Verso layoffs to see if they qualify for the Trade Act etc. Denise Smith ? What are employers looking for? Skills? Joanna Russell stated there is a difference; urban vs rural. Credentials will be called the same but how they hire will be different. For example, Maine General may have a much higher requirement. We need to communicate out to our partners. It is a struggle trying to get the credentialing correct with healthcare.
Jennifer Kimble stated Maine Medical Center believes there will be more flexibility. Jeff Sneddon stated that is why it is critical to work with employers. Manufacturing is changing and evolving such as an increase in automation. Joanna Russell stated what needs to happen is willing to vet our programs to make sure its fits their credentialing. Denise Smith strongly stated we will not have a workforce if we do not get involved with our youth. Our youth is our future since we are the oldest aging workforce in the Nation. Questions #2&3 Joanna Russell asked consistency, in what? Denise Smith ? What is acceptable? We need to create consistent language. Joanna Russell ? Employers needs will constantly change. Employers are not willing to wait. They need skilled workers now. Meg Harvey stated she is looking at the national assessments/national standards. Garret Oswald stated there are tremendous differences nationwide in consistency. He stated that he will share 2 documents on ?Connect Credentialing? in reference to the conference he recently attended in DC, The National Governor?s Conference (NGA). He pointed out that Connect Credentialing recognizes the value of the shorter term training. Anne Wheeler stated freelance in this country will be very difficult due to the lack of health insurance as oppose to Europe. Garret Oswald ? We need to do a better job with entrepreneurship because they are projecting this will make-up 1/3 of the workforce. Question #4 Joanna Russell stated we need to get better with IT since it is trending especially when talking about young Mainers. Career Pathways ? This is an area that we have not really begun to address. We need more conversations and customize to the local areas. Garret Oswald ? We need to have some kind of infusion of quality. Denise Smith ? We need to educate the communities and push the information out there. Joanna Russell ? Rural vs urban ? once again, there will be different requirements of hiring. 1. Leadership ?succession planning ? communication challenges 2. Baby Boomers to Millennials Scott Good stated there are not enough qualified people. The hospitals are getting engaged because they realize this. Garret Oswald ? Employers are coming up with solutions on their own. They are not waiting. They are stepping up which is a seismic change. Meg Harvey ? L. D. 1627 ? Alternative pathways to graduation, she?s currently working on. Garret Oswald suggested as a committee, you need to shepherd the RPAG?s to identify credentials ? can be freelance or full-time employed.
Garret strongly stated that we need benefits counseling in order to make things work here in Maine which targets all populations such as seasonal workers, older workers, people with disabilities, youth etc. Jennifer Kimble stated she would like to have a conversation with the LWB?s on disability at the local level on the role not specific to vocational rehabilitation. For example, how does it trickle down at the local level? Joanna Russell stated professional development is on the table (by opening up the conversation) for the workforce system. She would like to see us collaborate and become a triage team to help young adults, people with disabilities, etc. If we are to be successful, we need to change.

Meeting adjourned.

Next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 27th from 9:30 ? Noon in the Frances Perkins room, CMCC Augusta.

Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Moran

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