Connect Long Island Partnership – Long Island Regional Innovation Grant Project

1. Connect Long Island Partnership –Long Island Regional Innovation Grant Project Regional Strategic Implementation Plan Summary Funded under a grant from USDOL

2. Funded under a grant from USDOL

3. The Six Critical Phases of Economic Transformation Funded under a grant from USDOL

4. Table of Contents (This table refers to the full Plan. Some of the items listed are not included in this presentation.) Table of Contents Executive Summary Organization Chart • Achievements and Promising Practices II. Regional Identity and Vision III. Goals and Strategies IV. Governance V. Operations VI. Leveraged Resources VII. Sustainability Attachment A: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Analysis Report Focus: Rapid Response and Business Retention Prepared by the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT) Attachment B: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Analysis Report Focus: Entrepreneurship Prepared by Center for Governmental Research (CGR) in association with the Scott Skodnek Business Development Center of Hofstra University Attachment C: Dislocation Event Log Attachment D: Long Island Regional Innovation Grant Skills Survey Attachment E: Technology Options (Researched by LIFT) Attachment F: Developing a Robust Platform for Real-Time Labor Market Analysis, Written By: EmployOn Technologies, Inc. and Burning Glass International, Inc. Attachment G: Independent Evaluation of LIRIG Project Bibliography Acknowledgements Funded under a grant from USDOL

5. Executive Summary Funded under a grant from USDOL

6. Background • Funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to the Town of Hempstead Department of Occupational Resources (DOOR), on behalf of the Connect Long Island Partnership • Connect Long Island is coordinated by the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT) and includes the region’s three Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs), the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), the Long Island – Regional Adult Education Network (LI-RAEN), New York State Empire State Development Corporation and other partners Funded under a grant from USDOL

7. Project Purpose • To enhance our regional economic transformation strategy by creating a Regional Strategic Implementation Plan to convert dislocated workers into skilled workers in our talent pipeline • Strategies contained in the Plan will also benefit economically disadvantaged adults, youth, veterans, individuals with disabilities, older workers and other underutilized workers Funded under a grant from USDOL

8. SWOT Analysis • Conducted a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats or “SWOT” Analysis in two categories • Category One, prepared by the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT), focuses on Rapid Response and Business Retention • Category Two, prepared by the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), in association with the Scott Skodek Business Development Center of Hofstra University, focuses on Entrepreneurship Funded under a grant from USDOL

9. Category One prepared by the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT), focuses on Rapid Response and Business Retention (Summary) Strengths • Regional workforce team (i.e. Connect Long Island Partnership) • Regional high tech workforce, industry and small businesses Weaknesses • Regional stovepipes • Lack of early warning network and response/mitigation trigger points Opportunities • Develop early warning process and leverage partnerships • Develop technology to implement above Threats • Failure to develop an early warning process • Continue to regionally operate in a stove pipe manner Funded under a grant from USDOL

10. Category Two, prepared by the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), in association with the Scott Skodnek Business Development Center of Hofstra University, focuses on Entrepreneurship (Summary) Strengths • Ample supply of training and financial resources • Existing and established programs provide foundation to build upon • Proximity to Greater New York provides deep well of potential • Target group possesses education, experience and skills Weaknesses • Low-to-moderate understanding of resources and their availability • Limited use of publically-funded supports for small business development • Current resource programs exhibit only moderate levels of coordination • Many rate as low the effectiveness of the region’s entrepreneurial network • Limited use of detailed data to identify specific occupational dislocations • Process not in place for evaluating potential entrepreneurs and ventures Funded under a grant from USDOL

11. Category Two, prepared by the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), in association with the Scott Skodnek Business Development Center of Hofstra University, focuses on Entrepreneurship (Summary) – (continued) Opportunities • Education to inform about available resources and how to access detailed Warn Notice data on specific occupational dislocations • Entrepreneurs express interest in accessing additional resources • Utilization of O*Net to guide resource development in targeted ways • Inform/train One-Stop counselors on entrepreneurial resources • Develop and fund a program to allocate seed money to entrepreneurs meeting specific criteria Threats • Duplication/overlap may spread resource network too thinly • Uncertainty of funding for new programs and/or process improvements Funded under a grant from USDOL

12. Purpose of Implementation Plan • Describe a regional strategic planning process to equip dislocated workers with the information and skills needed to navigate emerging career pathways in transformative industry sectors • To accomplish this, we must: • Establish and maintain partnerships • Leverage resources • Implement innovative methods Funded under a grant from USDOL

13. Articulation with Connect Long Island Partnership The LIRIG Implementation Plan is closely aligned with NYSDOL’s Regional Economic Transformation Strategies through a Sector or Cluster-Based Approach (Request for Proposals Number 13N) Both the LIRIG and the 13N Projects operate under the umbrella ofour overarching transformation strategy, the Connect Long IslandPartnership The Connect Long Island Partnership is coordinated by LIFT, under the auspices of the Executive Committee Funded under a grant from USDOL

14. Funded under a grant from USDOL

15. Section I: Achievements and Promising Practices Funded under a grant from USDOL

16. Achievements and Promising Practices • Established a Regional StrategicImplementation Plan to help satisfy industry skill demands with dislocated and underutilized workers • Implemented the LIRIG Worker Skills Supply Survey at regional rapid response events • Cross-referenced worker skills supply survey data with industry demand data generated under the 13N Regional Transformation Grant Project • Applied mapping technology to identify industry locations and worker skill clusters (For a demonstration visit www.connectli.com) • Applied of emergency management principles and techniques to evaluate and improve our rapid response process • Posted of the Dislocation Event Log for strategic planning • Conducted analysis and planning to develop a significant portion of our talent pipeline through entrepreneurial training Funded under a grant from USDOL

17. Achievements and Promising Practices (continued) • Enhanced our regional leadership and collaboration through the Connect Long Island Partnership, evidenced by our success in forming grant project consortia and in accessing grant funds for the benefit of the region • Positioned Long Island to react quickly and effectively to opportunities for innovation created by the Recovery Act • Identified technology options that will support transformation activities • Developed the Green and Lean and YouthLink Projects (Funded under New York State Department of Labor Grants described in Section II below) • Implemented new curricula for Summer Youth Employment and Training Programs, developed by Paxen Learning Corporation, including: From STEM to Stern – Long Island’s Future and Green Jobs in the Economy Funded under a grant from USDOL

18. Section II Regional Identity and Vision Funded under a grant from USDOL

19. Definition of Region • Region defined as Nassau and Suffolk Counties • Possesses a separate economic identity, distinct industry characteristics, and a workforce that constitutes more than 1.4 million workers (New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) Division of Research and Statistics) Funded under a grant from USDOL

20. Regional Strategic Vision We envision a regional economic transformation on Long Island that will be achieved through the efficient leveraging of the Connect Long Island Partnership to create and maintain • A sturdy foundation for innovation, entrepreneurship and investment • Business and industry growth and prosperity • A highly talented workforce that engages all workers to their fullest potential • Education and training curricula and courses of study that meet the demands of evolving career pathways • Wages that are commensurate with the local standard of living and that support a high quality of life • A cost effective, attractive, environmentally friendly healthy place for workers to advance in their careers, raise families and contribute to our future Funded under a grant from USDOL

21. Actions Required by Connect LI to Achieve Regional Vision • Secure adequate funding • Foster a business growth environment with training, support and incentives for entrepreneurs • Establish a strong working relationship between the planning and operational functions of partner organizations • Maintain solid partnerships with business • Ensure total quality management supported by a robust data collection, management information and analysis system Funded under a grant from USDOL

22. What Long Island Will be Best at if our Vision is Realized • Developing, retaining and attracting a highly talented workforce Funded under a grant from USDOL

23. Regional Opportunities that Connect LI is Currently Pursuing • Expanded and targeted education and workforce development services to dislocated workers, unemployed adults, youth and underutilized workers • A transparent system for growth that can identify a multiplicity of opportunities, facilitating a flow of human capital to the most viable options • Closer working partnerships with business and industry to contextualize curriculum development, education and training • Creation of career pathways for our workforce • Application of new technology to increase access to and efficiency in the delivery of reemployment and lifelong learning services Funded under a grant from USDOL

24. Transformation of Connect LI To benefit from regional Opportunities, Connect LI must function as a transparent working partnership, beyond simple coordination, that engages industry, education, economic development, workforce development, organized labor, faith-based and community-based organizations Funded under a grant from USDOL

25. Connect Long Island’s Major Regional Assets • 24 degree-granting colleges • 37 economic development agencies • Several incubator projects and Centers of Excellence • Regional Economy Transformation Strategies through a Sector or Cluster Based Approach (NYSDOL RFP #13-N) • NYSDOL RFP for Emerging and Transitional Worker Training – Bid #: Q-37 • NYSDOL RFP for Disconnected Youth Training – Bid # 46-Q • New York Makes Work Pay Project, funded by a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/New York State Office of Mental Health Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, which is jointly operated by the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University and the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University Funded under a grant from USDOL

26. Existing Regional Assessment and Asset Mapping Tools • Dislocation Event Log, posted to the web, under a password protected section (The log can be accessed by local workforce investment board directors and other key stakeholders. The purpose of the password protection is to ensure discretion in cases where layoffs are not yet confirmed.) • A soon to be implemented Layoff Aversion model that uses the term “Dashboard” to describe a range of information indicators, including Dunn & Bradstreet financials, to serve as early alert indicators • 13N Industry Survey • LIRIG Worker Skills/Education Survey Funded under a grant from USDOL

27. Regional Assets that Can be Leveraged within an Achievable Timeframe • 13-N survey data and training funds • Local One-Stop systems, including American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds • HempsteadWorks Green and Lean Grant (Q-37) • HempsteadWorks YouthLink Grant (46-Q) • National Emergency Grant (NEG) Funds • K through 12 and postsecondary college and university systems • Economic development programs and funding Funded under a grant from USDOL

28. Section III Goals and Strategies Funded under a grant from USDOL

29. Outcomes Existing skills of workers in our talent pipeline can be evaluated Gaps between skills supply and industry demand can be easily assessed Strategies and Activities Require uniform entries into the New York State One-Stop Operating System (OSOS), throughout the Long Island Region and New York State if possible, to record worker skills Administer surveys to gather skills data from workers and record in a standardized reporting format Post skills data on a regional web site, and/or on a link to local web sites accessed by the Connect Long Island Partnership Goal 1 - Creation of a web-based inventory of the skills of dislocated workers and other underutilizedworkers Funded under a grant from USDOL

30. Outcome Customers experience uniform rapid response services and referral to One-Stop Systems Strategies and Activities Convene a Rapid Response Operations Work Group to increase uniformity of services Require the Rapid response Work Group to report to the Connect Long Island Executive Committee on a regular basis Use employee dislocation data more strategically to target prospective entrepreneurs Aggressively inform and educate existing and budding entrepreneurs programs available to them Goal 2: Alignment of the service process for affected employees across the Region Funded under a grant from USDOL

31. Outcome Customers experience uniform rapid response services and referral to One-Stop Systems Strategies and Activities Ensure One-Stop counselors have adequate training in available programs, services and funding opportunities regarding entrepreneurial activities Establish a more effective up-front evaluation mechanism for potential entrepreneurs Leverage new technology to improve access to services and increase efficiency in service deliver, including: Skills Matching and Referral Technology (SMART 2010); PBS Literacy Link; LinkedIn; etc. Implement of virtual and in-person Discovery and Social Networking Workshops for workers to discover their skills and utilize new technologies Goal 2: Alignment of the service process for affected employees across the Region (continued) Funded under a grant from USDOL

32. Outcome Transparency of the talent supply and industry demand Strategies and Activities Write a new computer program to be utilized by the Long Island Region, or purchase software to perform this function Utilize automated tools for research, including: Burning Glass Technologies; O’Net Skills Profiler, etc. (See Attachment E – Technology Options) Goal 3 -Development of a computer program to cross-reference the skills inventory with industry occupational demands identified by the Connect Long Island Partnership Funded under a grant from USDOL

33. Outcomes Closer, more productive relationship among industry, the workforce, education and economic development Quicker and more efficient job matching Quicker and more efficient diagnosis of skills gaps Better articulation between worker supply and industry demand Strategies and Activities Mobilize partners to plan services in response to data findings Establish a process for on-going cycle of data collection, reporting, analysis, action and evaluation Utilize the USDOL Competency-Based Model to identify the skills required for specific industries, to create an inventory of the skills that workers possess and then to overlay the two to identify gaps and design training to fill those gaps Goal 4 - Publication of a web-based, updatable skills gap report Funded under a grant from USDOL

34. Funded under a grant from USDOL

35. Combination of the Specific Outcomes described Goals I through IV above. Combination of the Strategies and Activities described Goals I through IV above. Goal 5 - Transformation of our reemployment system into a regional innovation system that aligns economic development, education and workforce initiatives Funded under a grant from USDOL

36. Alignment of Education, Workforce and Business • In addition to the goals described above, alignment of the three systems of education, workforce, and business can be achieved through a commitment by all three that the Connect Long Island transformation initiative will be integrated with their individual planning and operations activities • These three systems can work together to create contextualized curricula for education and training, facilitate navigation of workers to education and training, share information and to provide opportunities for workers to gain skills and to apply those skills in the workplace, while earning livable wages Funded under a grant from USDOL

37. Evaluation of Regional Strategic Implementation Plan • Evaluated by the Center for Essential Management Services (CEMS), a contractor retained to provide a professional evaluation (See Attachment G) • In addition to the performance metrics that will be used to assess the extent to which we are successful in implementing our Plan will include feedback from the Connect Long Island Partnership and the analysis of economic indicators Funded under a grant from USDOL

38. Section IV Governance Funded under a grant from USDOL

39. Leadership • The leadership team for the LIRIG Project is the Connect Long Island Executive Committee • The Executive Committee will evaluate the progress made toward achieving each of its goals on an annual basis • All key stakeholders will be engaged in the decision-making process through clear lines of communication, including in-person meetings, e-mail, surveys, etc. • Decisions in key areas will be made by the Executive Committee in consultation with the full partnership Funded under a grant from USDOL

40. Leadership Objectives • Clearly defined roles for the leadership and operations of the Connect Long Island Partnership • Increased access to information regarding industry skill demands, worker skills, skill gaps, available education and training • Increased skills among the underutilized segments of the workforce, including mature workers, disconnected youth, individuals with disabilities, limited English proficient (LEP) individuals, etc. • Greater transparency of data and information • A closer connection between Rapid Response, labor exchange, and retraining • Improved layoff aversion capability • Operational services within One-Stop Centers that are responsive to strategic planning activities Funded under a grant from USDOL

41. Strategies to Achieve Leadership Objectives • Focused planning meetings of the Connect Long Island Partnership and Executive Committee • Programming or purchase of a skills data base system • Establishment of a transformation web site or web links • Development of venues for key stakeholders to meet and achieve alignment • Leveraging of new and additional resources • Partnerships with supporting initiatives, such as the Strategic Early Warning Network • Proactive strategic planning to prepare our region to benefit from emerging industry sector, such as the “green” sector • Strengthening and alignment of our regional entrepreneurial programs • Elimination service barriers created by separate “smokestacks” or “silos” Funded under a grant from USDOL

42. Governance Agreement • Interventions/course corrections will made through the consensus of the Connect Long Island Executive Committee • Our governance will be documented by an agreement among the parties of the Executive Committee and our partner organizations • Provisions will be in place for appealing decisions or dispute resolution through the process described in our agreement Funded under a grant from USDOL

43. Section V Operations Funded under a grant from USDOL

44. Internal Communication • Meetings of the Executive Committee • E-mail, web site postings, teleconferences, etc. • The Executive Committee will disseminate information to the partners Funded under a grant from USDOL

45. External Communication • External communication with the broader region, the average citizen, and the media will be accomplished the reports, web postings, etc. • Web-based surveys will be utilized for obtaining feedback/input from the broader region Funded under a grant from USDOL

46. Section VI Leveraged Resources Funded under a grant from USDOL

47. Programs/Funding to be Leveraged • Workforce Investment Act WIA Title I-B: Adults, Dislocated Workers and Youth) • Job Corps • Wagner-Peyser Act • Trade Adjustment Assistance and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Transitional Adjustment Assistance • Activities Authorized under Chapter 41 of Title 38 Local Veterans Employment Representatives and Disabled Veterans Outreach Programs • Programs Authorized under State Unemployment Compensation Laws • WIA Title II Adult Education and Literacy Act • Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 • Title V of the Older Americans Act • Post Secondary Vocational Education Activities Authorized under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act • Employment and Training Activities under the Community Services Block Grant • TANF Programs Authorized under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act • Programs authorized under the National and Community Service Act • YouthBuild • Other Appropriate Programs, including Programs relating to Transportation and Housing, etc. • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Funded under a grant from USDOL

48. Grant Development • Additional grant funding and leveraged resources will be developed in accordance with the Connect Long Island transformation strategy Funded under a grant from USDOL

49. Examples of Grants Pursued to Date • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/New York State Office of Mental Health Medicaid Infrastructure Grant • NYSDOL RFP for Emerging and Transitional Worker Training – Bid #: Q-37) • NYSDOL RFP for Disconnected Youth Training – Bid # 46-Q • USDOL American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Solicitation for Energy Partnership Grants, Funding - # SGA/DFA PY 08-18 • USDOL ARRA of 2009 Solicitation for State Energy Partnership and Training Grants # PY-08-20 • USDOL ARRA of 2009 Solicitation for Health Care Sector Grants, Funding # SGA/DFA PY 08-18 Funded under a grant from USDOL

50. Section VII Sustainability Funded under a grant from USDOL