Boston Workforce Development Initiative Systems Reform

1. Boston Workforce Development Initiative Systems Reform

2. A Workforce Systems Change Approach Is much more than running an excellent workforce development project with excellent practices; it • Is comprehensive: it has substantial impact on the system’s outcomes • Achieves scale: a significant number of low-income individuals and employers benefit from the changes; and • Is sustainable over time; there is a reliable funding stream and new practices are institutionalized

3. Drivers of the Labor Market The Flow of Financial Resources Policies and Regulations Information Signals Institutional Competencies and Norms Political and Civic Will

4. Goals (reformed drivers) • Financial resources promote long-term investment in the employability and skills of low-income that meet the employer needs and lead to advancement to family self-sufficiency • Policies and regulations support provision of work-related training and supports that help low-skilled, low-income individuals get, keep, and move up in jobs and acquire skills that pay family-supporting wages • Information signals convey the reality of the labor market and are broadly accessible in a manner that ties low-skilled, low-income individuals to employers with opportunities for advancement

5. Goals (reformed drivers) Continued • Workforce development institutions are competent in the practices that effectively support the advancement of low-skilled, low-income individuals and the workforce needs of employers • Political and civic will is deeply committed to meeting the needs of low-skilled, low-income worker advancement providing incentives to employers to invest in them

6. Increase financial resources for skill upgrades • Restructure educational and training organizations • Integrate workforce development, services and income supports • Change employers’ workplace practices • Develop a system of portable credentials • Create mechanisms to bring in key stakeholders Strategies for Changing Drivers

7. System Drivers Goals (changed Driver) Strategies for Changing the Driver Funder Actions Workforce Partnerships Policy/Advocacy Capacity Building Financial Resources Financial resources promote long-term investment in the employability and skills and of low-income people that meet employer’s needs. Increase financial resources for skill upgrades Integrate human services, workforce development, and income supports Change employers’ business and workplace practices • Blends public and private WFD dollars • Combine multiple foundation grants • Leverage nat’l foundation grants • Leverage Public dollars • Promote leverage of employer training dollars • Career management to include family self-sufficiency plan and income supports Advocate blending of WFD dollars for sector-based advancement efforts Help CBO’s improve career management strengths to include supports Policies and Regulations Policies and regulations support provision of work-related supports that help low-income Americans get, keep, and move up in jobs and acquire skills that pay family-supporting wages. Integrate human services, workforce development, and income supports Change employers’ business and workplace practices Create mechanisms to bring in key stakeholders Convince city and state to invest in sector-focused advancement projects • Have employers provide release time for employees • Develop credit for employer approved training • Build support for WFD Intermediaries • Build support for career ladder programs Support CBO’s participation in policy development Information Signals Information signals convey the reality of the labor market and are broadly accessible. Restructure educational and training organizations Develop a system of portable credentials • Flow dollars to Workforce Partnerships to act as intermediary meeting dual customer needs • Invest in PIC as overall intermediary • More closely link employer and service provider at the workplace Build support for WF Intermediaries TA to CBO’s to improve employer responsiveness Labor Market Institutional Competencies Workforce development institutions are competent in practices that effectively support the success of low-income people in the labor market, and connect with current and potential employers to meet their needs. Increase financial resources for skill upgrades Restructure educational and training organizations Change employers’ business and workplace practices Develop a system of portable credentials Create Workforce Partnerships as a way to change competencies • Develop on-site courses • Create flexible course schedules • Develop credit for employer approved training • Advocate for more flexible community college programming • Build support for WF Intermediaries Build capacity of CBO’s to participate in WF Partnerships Help CBO’s identify added value to WF Partnerships Political and Civic Will Political and civic will is deeply committed to ensuring low-income people have opportunities to succeed in the labor market, and public polices provide incentives to employers to invest in low-income people. Create mechanisms to bring in key stakeholders Bring together private, public policy makers in Initiative Promote success or partnerships by employer and employees • Advocate for WFD as a critical public investment • Create a forum for consensus on WFD policy Help CBO’s participate in policy/advocacy work Changing Labor Markets: A Systems Approach to Reform