The

of a

Successful

Workforce Readiness Program

Workforce Readiness Workforce Readiness

Creating Communities that Work.

Advancing the profession of Human Resource Management.

Building a strategic alliance between business and education.

SHRM realizes the importance and the growing impact of workforce readiness in SHRM realizes the importance and the growing impact of workforce readiness in all all facets of business, industry, community and educationfacets of business, industry, community and education.

Over 70 million “baby boomers” will retire over the next decade. The economy is picking up and companies are hiring. HR professionals are seeing applicants with huge skill gaps trying to enter or re-enter the workforce.

Workforce Readiness includes the preparation of a qualified workforce through the Workforce Readiness includes the preparation of a qualified workforce through the public schools, vocational and technical colleges, adult education opportunities, public schools, vocational and technical colleges, adult education opportunities, remedial employee training, and continuing professional development. Such efforts remedial employee training, and continuing professional development. Such efforts mandate collaboration between business/industry, local, state, and national mandate collaboration between business/industry, local, state, and national government, educators, and the local community.government, educators, and the local community.

Helping to facilitate the successful collaboration of these stakeholders is the focus Helping to facilitate the successful collaboration of these stakeholders is the focus of the Workforce Readiness Core Leadership Area.of the Workforce Readiness Core Leadership Area.

Workforce ReadinessWorkforce Readiness

Benefits for the StudentBenefits for the Student

Connects students to the “real” world of work

Promotes independent learning and higher-level skills such as interpersonal and team communications

Offers student the opportunity to find employment in industry and service fields that require higher-level skills

• Bottom line: Bottom line: Greater Greater OpportunityOpportunity

Benefits for EducationBenefits for Education

Opportunity to share education successes

Shared Community and Industry involvement in Education Reform

Greater access to valuable teaching resources

Development of curriculum that is directly relevant to career placement and employment success

Benefits for the CommunityBenefits for the Community

Increase the quality of community life through school system improvement

Higher standard of living

Stronger economic and tax base

Greater ability to attract and sustain industry and business

Stronger community - education - industry relationships

Benefits for BusinessBenefits for Business

Improved interpersonal and entry-level skills

Reduced training and remediation costs

Increased productivity

Reduced employee turnover

Effect a better match between current and future job market needs and the career awareness and workforce skills of high school graduates

Benefits for HR ProfessionalsBenefits for HR Professionals

Tight labor markets, rapid business Tight labor markets, rapid business growth, and rising turnover have forced growth, and rising turnover have forced HR staffs to devote themselves to finding HR staffs to devote themselves to finding and attracting qualified employees.and attracting qualified employees.

• 83% of HR executives surveyed in 2004 83% of HR executives surveyed in 2004 listedlisted recruitment, recruitment, selection, and placement among their top selection, and placement among their top three priorities for 2005.three priorities for 2005.

Getting StartedGetting Started

Inventory and Assess your Internal ResourcesInventory and Assess your Internal Resources

Determine your Organization’s Commitment levelDetermine your Organization’s Commitment level

Determine potential program Collaborators and Support Determine potential program Collaborators and Support NetworkNetwork

• PersonnelPersonnel• ExpertiseExpertise• Financial and / or Physical Financial and / or Physical ResourcesResources

• Long-range commitmentLong-range commitment• Short-term support or sponsorship of a program / activityShort-term support or sponsorship of a program / activity• Congruence between Organization objectives and Congruence between Organization objectives and Educational goalsEducational goals

• Internal support network; volunteers, management, project Internal support network; volunteers, management, project “manager”“manager”• Community agencies; Chambers, Economic Development, PTA, Community agencies; Chambers, Economic Development, PTA, etc.etc.• School Board, Superintendent, Principals, Teachers (Unions), School Board, Superintendent, Principals, Teachers (Unions), ParentsParents• Other BusinessesOther Businesses

Getting StartedGetting Started

Determine the most Strategic use of all Internal and Determine the most Strategic use of all Internal and External ResourcesExternal Resources

Develop a Strategic Alliance between all members of Develop a Strategic Alliance between all members of your Support Networkyour Support Network

• Where can your program make the most significant impactWhere can your program make the most significant impact• How can you maximize the collaborative effort while How can you maximize the collaborative effort while minimizingminimizing redundancy and wasteredundancy and waste• What are the goals and objectives of the program; WHY What are the goals and objectives of the program; WHY are you are you choosing THIS effort choosing THIS effort

• PlanningPlanning• Communication; Business vs. Educational culture and jargon Communication; Business vs. Educational culture and jargon • Develop a Shared Mission and Vision StatementDevelop a Shared Mission and Vision Statement• Expectations; Everyone understands each others goals andExpectations; Everyone understands each others goals and objectivesobjectives• Determine your Alliance structureDetermine your Alliance structure