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Older Workers Committee
May 14, 2019: 10:00 AM45 Commerce Dr, Augusta Frances Perkins Room
OLDER WORKERS COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA 05/14/2019 CENTRAL MAINE COMMERCE CENTER 45 COMMERCE DRIVE, AUGUSTA FRANCES PERKINS ROOM 10:00AM - 12:00PM Dial-in #1-877-455-0244 Conference Code: 9218175360 10:00 10:15 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS/APPROVAL OF THE 03/26/19 MEETING MINUTES 10:15 10:30 UPDATE/STATE WORKFORCE BOARD (SWB) 10:30 11:15 CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT, STRATEGIC DIRECTION, SPECIFIC ACTIONS 11:15 12:00 MAINESPARK - WHAT HAVE THEY ALREADY DONE? THEN STRATEGIZE HOW TO CONTINUE 12:00 MEETING ADJOURNED NEXT MEETING: September 10, 2019 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta Frances Perkins Room 10:00am 12:00pm
OLDER WORKERS COMMITTEE MEETING
05/14/2019
Present: Don Harden, Melinda Wildes, Barbara Babkirk, Nicole Rooney, Lynda Murphy (Phone)
Staff: Joshua Howe, Cheryl Moran
Cheryl Moran opened the meeting at 10:15am with welcome and introductions.
Update/State Workforce Board (SWB)
Joshua Howe announced Peter Letourneau's resignation as Chair of the Older Workers Committee. We wish him well and will be missed. Josh stated they are not looking to replace the Chair until they get a sense of the larger Board and how to connect the subcommittees. The Board has a couple of vacant seats that need to be filled. Some of the sub-committees are chaired by Board members. Chris Quint is the new Director of the SWB. He started a month ago and he apologizes for not being here today. Josh stated they are really working on getting a cohesive vision. The new WIOA (Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act) Plan is due next year (2020). WIOA has specific requirements of the State. The Plan last time had private consulting agents and they did not receive instructions until the Plan was almost due. After instructions are received is when you start constructing the Plan. Question asked, is the SWB limited by WIOA restrictions? Response, yes and no. The broader requirement is; the Board advises the Governor regarding issues of the workforce.
Create a Mission Statement, Strategic Direction, Specific Actions
Josh stated as far as creating a mission, he suggested to wait for a new Chair and a new Chair of the SWB.
What do you want from this committee?
Suggestions:
Need; action, plans and accountability
Need; multi-level, multi-pronged level strategy
More visible campaign
Thinking about boomers and how they fit in
Medium and long-term strategy
Interaction with the SWB
Refinement of the "System" (something worth to look at)
Having the right people at the table
MaineSpark Barbara Babkirk briefly explained to the committee about MaineSpark. MaineSpark is funded by the Lumina Foundation which is channeled through FAME. The goal is to increase credential attainment up to 60% by 2025. This will create new opportunities to recruit 55,300 Maine workers who have credential values by 2025. This pertains to all populations...immigrants, recent grades, boomers, veterans, and people with disabilities (PWD). On the boomers part, people age 53 - 70 can add to the workforce. A lot of employers do not know how to recruit or retain. Most older workers resumes are not up to date. They do not know how to look for work or where to look. She mentioned the idea of starting a Boomer Caf which can be a gathering place for boomers where they can discuss topics of reengaging back into the workforce. She stated the Boomer Caf can start out as a pilot in the local libraries. She also mentioned that SHRM has put together 3 Toolkits on how to recruit and retain.
Other Future of the Silver Collar Award Josh stated the barrier right now is funding. He stated they are trying to find another funding source. Committee members spoke of changing the name. The group also decided to put this award on hold and to go into better planning for 2020.
Next meeting: members stated they would prefer September 24th or 25th if possible instead of September 10th.
Meeting adjourned at 12:00pm.
Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Moran
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