Arlington Chamber of Commerce “Center for A Competitive Workforce” American Chamber of Commerce Executives July 24, 2013

1. Arlington Chamber of Commerce “Center for A Competitive Workforce” American Chamber of Commerce Executives July 24, 2013 Presentation Wes Jurey President & CEO, Arlington Chamber of Commerce

2. Our Premise • We’re living in a globally competitive yet integrated, knowledge based, innovation driven economy • The education of our future workforce is vital to our sustainability as a community, region, and country • The jobs we’re creating increasingly require a post secondary education and/or technical training beyond high school • The current generation could be the first generation to be less educated than the generation before

3. Building Public Private Partnerships • The Chamber, as an employer intermediary • The Chamber, as a convener

4. I. Ford Foundation Initiative Partners • U.S. Chamber of Commerce • National Association of Manufacturers • Jobs For the Future

5. Grant Challenge • Define role of Employer Intermediary in Education & Workforce Development • Develop models that are: • Sustainable • Replicable • Scalable Once grant funds are expanded

6. El Paso Community Challenge • Loss of Garment Industry • 22,000 jobs • 11% of labor force • Implementation of SRI/DRI Plan • Need to retrain workers for jobs to be created

7. Approach • Creation of Center for Workforce Development • Abandoned Levi Strauss Facility • 100,000 square feet • 59 stakeholder tenants • Finance Resources Secured • DOL $45 million grant • EDA grant • EDI grant • NAD Bank Loan • Chamber Owned/Operated

8. Outcome • Total jobs grew from 140,947 to 166,738, a 38.8% increase in net job gain over the decade, despite the actual loss of 22,000 jobs in the garment industry

9. II. 2nd Round Ford Foundation & Department of Labor Partners • U.S. Chamber • National Association of Manufacturers • Jobs for Future Additional Funders • Annie E. Casey Foundation • Mott Foundation

10. ArlingtonCommunity Challenge Lack of alignment among/between: • Universities • Community College Districts • Independent School Districts

11. Grant Challenge • Define roles of Employer Intermediary in Education & Workforce Development • Develop Models that are • Sustainable • Replicable • Scalable • When the grant funds are expended

12. Approach • Established Center for Continuous Education and Workforce Development • Built, operated by UT Arlington • Local Workforce Board Commitment to lease, creating primary workforce center • Housed – All primary stakeholders in Tarrant County

13. Initial Outcomes • Dual Credit Established in all Arlington high schools up to 32 credit hours • First University 4 year degree in Texas for $10,000 announced by TCC/UTA • Regional Workforce Leadership Council established

14. III. Regional Workforce Leadership Council Public Private Partnership Example • Workforce Investment Boards (3) • Chambers of Commerce (3) • Business representatives (from primary clusters)

15. North Texas Regional Challenge • Lack of a cohesive approach to the development of a competitive workforce • 3 Workforce Investment Boards • 27 Colleges & Universities • 113 Chambers of Commerce

16. Solution Industry Clusters Formed: • Aerospace • Healthcare • Infrastructure • Logistics • Technology

17. IV. Texas Workforce Commission Grant Grant Challenge • Identify the primary challenges faced by Advanced Manufacturing in terms of securing a competitive workforce North Texas Regional Challenge • Lack of skilled positions in Aerospace Industry • Machinists • Welders • Findings • Lack of training capacity

18. Solution Established Regional Task Force • Dallas, Tarrant County Workforce Boards • Dallas, Tarrant County College Districts Results • Manufacturing Consortium established • Training Capacity created

19. V. Champion Education • The Arlington Chamber established “Champion Education” as a formal public private partnership between the Chamber and our Independent School Districts • Champion Education was established to focus on 3 strategic goals: • To create community awareness: of both educational achievements and an understanding of the issues and challenges facing public and higher education • To act as a catalyst: for the integration and alignment of efforts among and between business, public & higher education, and workforce development • To establish initiatives: resulting in enhanced student achievement, attainment, and retention

20. Challenges • 50.7% of students at risk • No Entrepreneurial Culture • Poor public perception • High dropout rate • Academic Achievement Discrepancy

21. Solution 4 Phase Initiative • What’s Your Big Idea – Grades 3-6 • Partners in Education – Grades 7-8 • Seamless Pathway – Grades 9-10 • The Career Ladder – Grades 11-12

22. Unmanned Aircraft Systems Consortium Purpose To develop the UAS Industry, from concept/design/prototype development to experimental flight/production/manufacture Partners U.S. Department of Defense U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Department of Interior

23. Premise • DoD currently buys 70% of all UAV’s manufactured in the world • DoD currently spends $1.9 Billion • DoD projects $36.9 Billion (2020) • Homeland Security agencies have strong interest • First Responder Community interest • USDA interest for agricultural use • DOI interest for land management

24. Challenge • Lack of Workforce Training & Curriculum Solution • Curriculum Development • Texas Workforce Commission • Higher Ed Coordinating Board • Governor’s Office of Economic Development • Universities/Colleges/School Districts • Industries

25. Developing Strategic Partnerships • Relationship Building – must take place at all levels • Engagement – integration of employers (and the organizations that represent them) with public, higher education, adult education, publicly funded workforce investment • Foundation for partnership based on Trust • Importance of Systemic Change (not MOUs)

26. Systemic Change: “Walking the Walk” The path to strategic partnerships • The tipping point • Focus on commonality • Define the relationship(s) • Integrate your organizational charts

27. How to Engage • Start at the top • Face to face • Full disclosure (open kimono) • Defined case for support • Put the “M” word on the table (face up) (No one said it would be easy)

28. When To Engage • At the beginning • In the planning stage • In the selling stage • In the implementation stage • In the evaluation stage (This isn’t your father’s MOU)

29. Things You Can Do… • Be the convener • Define the incentive – for each partner • Identify and define your economic drivers/industry clusters at state and regional levels • Identify and define the primary stakeholders – your potential partners • Define your expectations of them, and what they can expect from you – discuss the “M” word • Educate members, funders, investors, constituents, public • Remember: employer organizations provide a structured, organized framework for employer engagement and involvement • Get started