Sustainability and Impact Virtual Policy Academy Webinar 3 of 4

1. Sustainability and ImpactVirtual Policy Academy Webinar 3 of 4

2. Presenters Lindsey WoolseyCorporation for a Skilled Workforce Erin AndrewNGA Center for Best Practices Jim TorrensNational Network of Sector Partners Rebekah LashmanCommonwealth Corporation

3. Remaining Webinar Discussion Forum – Selected Topics in Sector Strategies Thursday, September 17, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern

4. Sustainability: Why Now? • “Build it to last.” • “Begin with the end in mind.” • “If you wait, it’ll be too late.”

5. Sustainability Challenges • Change of administration or state leadership • Change in funding environment • Change in economy and labor market • Loss of champions or other key support • Change in capacity of regional partners • Short attention spans

7. For Today

9. Evaluation of Sector Strategies: What We Know Matters to States Two Notes: 1) NGA White Paper and Evaluation Framework offers full detailed discussion on these categories; 2) a 5th category of growing interest is “impact on community” (such as reduced poverty/unemployment)

10. Is There One Formula for Evaluation? First, can we fairly compare outcomes? Consider . . . Second, do we assume training outcomes? Consider . . . A small manufacturing sector partnership that focuses on career awareness Or an energy partnership that develops skills standards (that can be used to develop training) but that primarily is valuable to align titles and HR selection criteria across employers • Over 1,000 healthcare service workers trained every year by a metropolitan sector partnership • About 130 students per year trained and placed in employment by a solar installation sector partnership • 3 Journeyman apprentices supplied to Grand Coulee Dam as a result of a Power Generation partnership No single formula, but there are templates to capture some consistent data across partnerships.

11. From Washington State

12. From Pennsylvania PA INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009* Overview: Pennsylvania’s Workforce Development system is increasingly focused on promoting Industry Partnerships (IPs), a key institutional innovation for meeting the skills needs of businesses, the career goals of workers and the economic development goals of the commonwealth. To help improve the effectiveness of IPs, the Department of Labor and Industry requires each IP to complete an Annual Report, also known as the High Performance Standards for Industry Partnerships. *Note: Adapted and condensed from 7-page 08-09 Annual Report Template – PA

13. From Massachusetts Annual Report August 2009* Purpose: To provide an opportunity for each project to reflect on its progress toward meeting its goals and share what is learned with Commonwealth Corporation. These reports offer a means to learn more about how projects are unfolding - both at the level of individual projects and across the WCTF initiative. *Note: Adapted and condensed from 10-page WCTF – Annual Report, Round Two, Year 1, August 2009

14. Some Evaluation Resources Evaluations of Sector Initiatives Targeting Industries, Training Workers, and Improving Opportunities: Final Report of the Sectoral Employment Initiative, Public-Private Ventures, 2008: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/263_publication.pdf BEST (Building Essential Skills through Training) Benefits: Employer Perspectives, Volume 2, Issue 4, Research and Evaluation Brief, Commonwealth Corporation, 2004: http://www.commcorp.org/researchandevaluation/pdf/ResearchBrief2-04.pdf Benefits of a Sector-Based Approach, Volume 2, Issue 3, Research and Evaluation Brief, Commonwealth Corporation, 2004: http://www.commcorp.org/researchandevaluation/pdf/ResearchBrief2-03.pdf Performance and Evaluation Models for Sector Initiatives An Evaluation Framework for State Sector Strategies, product of 11-state project of the National Governors Association, The Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and the National Network of Sector Partnerships, 2008: http://www.sectorstrategies.org/system/files/EvaluationFrameworkWhitePaper.pdf Evaluating Industry Skill Panels: A Model Framework, Commissioned by the Washington State Workforce Education and Training Coordinating Board, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce with the Paros Group, June 2008: http://www.wtb.wa.gov/Documents/2008SkillPanelEvaluationReport.pdf Business Value Assessment for Workforce Development Organizations: Handbook. The Aspen Institute – Workforce Strategies Initiative, 2005: http://www.aspenwsi.org/BVA/BVA_HAND11-22FINAL.pdf

15. Question: Rebekah, the annual report example from MA shows how regional partnerships can track important benchmarks and progress. Can you give us the snapshot of what else you do at the state level to supplement this?

16. Questions for You • If you had to sit down now and outline benchmarks for your sector strategies, what would they look like? (Or if you’ve begun this work, what do they look like?) • How will you help regional partnerships benchmark and share success? • How will you share your sector strategy success at a statewide level?

18. What Capacity? • State-level: understanding sector strategies • Regional level: • Understanding the sector model • Using data to drive decision-making • Functioning as a workforce intermediary • Convening and building effective partnerships • Communications and marketing • Sharing information and best practices

19. Capacity-Building Activities • Training for state-level team • Up-front training for regional partners • Ongoing technical assistance and training for regional partners • Information and data resources • Dedicated staff • Platform for sharing information and best practices

20. PA: Industry Partnerships Industry Partnerships in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Workforce Development

23. Question: Rebekah, what has Massachusetts done to build the capacity of regional partners? How do you see these efforts as fitting into the sustainability and growth of your state sector strategy? Question:Adam, what is Montana doing to help state agency leadership understand the sector strategy framework?

24. Questions for You • Where do you see capacity-building as most needed in your state? • What issues arise for you as you consider building capacity-building of your partners? • What have you done already? What do you plan?

26. Messaging : The Role of States in Promoting Sector Strategies • Develop and Communicate: State partners should collaborate to develop and communicate a succinct message to promote their • sector strategies • Brand: States should brand their sector strategy, either by itself or as part of a broader competitiveness strategy SECTOR STRATEGIES Develop and Communicate Brand Leverage • Leverage: States should assist in leveraging and maximizing local/regional marketing resources

27. It is Important for States to Message their Sector Strategies • Why • How • Who

28. From Michigan, Massachusetts and Georgia

29. From Oklahoma – Grow Oklahoma Marketing Boards

33. Top 9 Steps: How to Best Design Promotional Tactics • Differentiate sector strategies from other things • Keep the end in mind • Gather and use outcome and impact data to support your message • Focus on “telling the story” • Do not wait to begin messaging

34. Top 9: How to Best Design Promotional Tactics • Differentiate your messages to the various constituencies • Leverage limited resources and minimize duplication • Use lessons learned and case studies to promote your strategy • Maximize the use of e-communication

35. Long-Term Planning: Winning Legislative Support Engage Business Embed in State Statute Include in State Funding • Engage business champions and advocates to support legislative efforts • Engagement should begin before the legislative planning process, but can occur during it • Examples • Pennsylvania • Massachusetts • Work with the legislature and the Governor’s Office to imbed sector strategies into various pieces of legislation • Examples • Pennsylvania • Washington State • Include sector strategies in state funding legislation and budget processes • This should occur during the budget planning process

36. Top 4: How to Best Win Legislative Support • Use national attention to your advantage • Pay attention to the needs of key industries • Don’t appear to pick winners unless it is to your advantage • Utilize major state level sector reports to leverage resources and legislative support

37. Question:Brad, Wyoming has done some work to brand and communicate your sector strategy. What have you done, what do you still hope to do, and how do you see it as important for your efforts?

38. Questions for You • Who are the key audiences in your state for information about your sector strategy? • What do they want to know? How will you get them that information? • What have you done already? What do you plan to do?

39. Remaining Webinar Discussion Forum – Selected Topics in Sector Strategies Thursday, September 17, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern