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Georgia Work ReadyMeeting Georgia’s Economic Challenge

Chris Baucom, Business Development Manager Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

March 26, 2009

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Georgia Work Ready is the implementation of the Governor’s vision

“We need a system that links workforce development and education together and aligns to the economic needs of the state,

its regions and local communities.”

- Governor Sonny Perdue

Feb. 20, 2006

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Workforce development infrastructure

Commission for a New Georgia

State Workforce Investment Board

Governor’s Office of

Workforce Development

Education

EconomicDevelopment

WorkforceDevelopment

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Work Ready overview

Key elements:– Work Ready Certificate– Work Ready job profiling– Certified Work Ready

Communities– Work Ready Regions

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What do young adults want?

They want real world experience– Career exploration through internships and apprenticeships

Disconnect between what employers think their workers should know and what surveyed youth think they need to know in order to succeed in the workplace

78 percent shared they were interested in earning a certificate that lets employers know they have the specific job skills employers are looking for

Full report available at: http://www.fanning.uga.edu/files/public_publications/32/Georgia_Youth_Forums_2008.pdf (or e-mail me and I’ll send it)

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Georgia Work Ready Certificate Three assessments

– Applied mathematics– Reading for information– Locating information

Work Habits assessment only on-line Issue Certificate based on lowest level earned

3s and above Bronze

4s and above Silver

5s and above Gold

WorkKeys ScoresCertificate 6s and above Platinum

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Georgia Work Ready Certificate

How does it benefit students and high schools?– Helps students understand work readiness skills– Makes the connection between education and work– Skills gap training will help improve WRC results and

graduation test scores– Leads to increase in graduation rate

Level 5 in Applied Math and Reading for Information correlate to college readiness without remediation– Preparing all young adults for life long learning and

career pathways

Work Ready Certificate HoldersWork Ready Certificate Holders

Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce DevelopmentSource: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

Work Ready Certificate HoldersWork Ready Certificate Holders

Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce DevelopmentSource: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

Work Ready Certificate HoldersWork Ready Certificate Holders

Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce DevelopmentSource: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

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Work Ready Certificates by the numbers: 39,338 Work Ready Certificates (34,194 in 2008) 376 or 1% at Platinum 7,918 or 20% at Gold 20,533 or 52% at Silver 10,511 or 27% at Bronze

Georgians with Gold level certificate are able to be trained to fill 90% of today’s jobs

Work Ready Certificates by available workforce demographics: Technical college and college students at 23% Gold High school seniors at 17% Gold Unemployed at 17% Gold GED at 9% Gold

Georgia Work Ready 2008 Scoreboard

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GWR Service delivery

Georgia’s system of technical colleges support Work Ready via their economic development offices.

The technical colleges administer on-line assessments, provide access to gap training and offer job profiling services

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Work Ready Job Profiles

31 Certified Work Ready Job Profilers available to profile jobs to determine skill levels needed

More than 400 occupations profiled on Work Ready Web site – www.gaworkready.org

Sample certificate levels:– Aircraft structure assemblers, precision – Gold– Home health aides – Bronze– Pharmacy technician – Gold– Truck driver – Silver– Ride maintenance technician - Platinum

No cost with minimum criteria

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Using a Work Ready Job Profile Profiles have skill levels for both “entry” and “performance”

identified Used for development and training of the existing workforce

Job Title: Lead Person, Your Company, Inc. Athens FacilityNumber of SME Groups: 2Total Number of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): 11

Skill Entry Level Performance Level Range Ranking

Reading for Information 1 4 4 3-7Applied Mathematics 4 4 3-7 4Locating Information 3 4 3-6 3Teamwork N N N NWriting 3 4 1-5 5Observation 2 4 4 3-6Listening N N N NApplied Technology N/A N/A N NBusiness Writing N/A N/A N N

Work Ready job profiles at highest level needed

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Georgia Work Ready

How does it help business?– Common language with education– Ensures emerging workforce to be ‘job ready’– Reduces hiring costs and turnover– Increase productivity and reduces waste– Used to develop and promote existing workforce

Over 270 companies recognize Georgia Work Ready Certificates Over 160 job profiles since Jan 2007; 133 in 2008 Used by Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia State Patrol and

Office of Customer Service Profile jobs in strategic industries

Businesses using Georgia Work ReadyBusinesses using Georgia Work Ready

Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce DevelopmentSource: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

Businesses using Georgia Work ReadyBusinesses using Georgia Work Ready

Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce DevelopmentSource: Georgia Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

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Skills gap training – targets for instruction

Gap analysis shows how the person performed relativeto the “bar.” Training is available to close any gap.

Reflects the skills required according to

the job profile

Reflects the job seeker’s certification

level

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Economic impact: average hourly wage

$16.80

$14.26

$12.96

$11.56

$12.85

$14.39

$17.60

$15.81

$0.00

$2.00

$4.00

$6.00

$8.00

$10.00

$12.00

$14.00

$16.00

$18.00

$20.00

Bronze Silver Gold Platinum

Starting Salaries Average Salaries

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Annual jobs to be filled by skill level

37 - 2%

588 - 27%

885 - 41%

669 - 31%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Bronze Silver Gold Platinum

Certification Level

Nu

mb

er

of

Job

s

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Participating Work Ready Communities

2009 Goal of all 159 counties participating

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Certified Work Ready Communities

Counties become certified by reaching certificate goals and through step increase in county graduation rate

Two year Re-certification plan– Ensure continuation of available workforce earning

WRC– Reach goals for county businesses to recognize

WRC along with education credentials– Work Ready Community team membership to local

chamber– $2000 credit towards Work Ready outreach

materials

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Georgia Work Ready Regions Career Pathways for Emerging, Transitioning and Existing

Knowledge

Pre-K, K-12, community colleges, technical colleges,

colleges and universities

Work ReadinessFoundational Skills

Work Ready Certificates, Work Ready job profiles, Work Habits assessment

Experience

On the job, subject matter expertise, continuing

education, specialized training, career pathways

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Work Ready Regions

Each WRR project Each WRR project lead by industry lead by industry leaderleader

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Work Ready Regions Goals

Industry Network: Build an industry network throughout region of industries consistent with overall demographics

Close the Regions skills gap Certified Work Ready Communities: Coordinate and hold

accountable county team leaders Career Pathways: Working with regional education partners

develop career pathways for emerging, transitioning and existing workforce

Timely, accurate and meaningful regional workforce data Sustainability of project through sustaining Industry Network

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GOWD coordinating talent development between industry, education and workforce

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WRR and Education Community

Industry Network determining critical hiring needs Industry Network profiling high demand jobs Using information to develop new or align existing

career pathway Putting before decision makers where adjustments are

needed to ‘connect the dots’– Course names, numbers– Coordinating overlap– Maximizing both personnel, facilities and equipment

resources

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WRR career pathways developing now!

GOWD providing 7 education liaisons working with WRR teams

Training session Mar 17th ; WRR leader meeting Mar 18th Developing career pathways in ten WRR

– Using Career pathway schematic– Using Career pathway road map

Education and industry to review/comment on draft career pathways

Outcome is articulated career pathway aligned to specific occupation

WRR grant funding to support Identify gaps that exist, determine next steps

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Transformational strategy

www.gaworkready.org