“Using Skills Panels in Addressing Industry Needs”

“Using Skills Panels in Addressing Industry Needs”

AWS – Weld-Ed Education ConferenceLas Vegas, NVOctober 6, 2008

Bob Visdos & Workforce Institute 571-214-5239

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Business & Industry Services at Worksystems, Inc.

Metals & Transportation

Equipment

Retail/Hospitality

Healthcare

InformationTechnology

SmallBusiness

Development

CreativeServices

Info System Analysis/Gaps

WSI B&I

Sector/Cluster

PartnersInfo System Analysis/Gaps

WSI B&I

Sector/Cluster

Partners


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Developing Demand Driven Services

Process

Input/Info from Sector/Cluster

Input/Info from Partners Analysis of Data Gap Analysis Identify Solutions Recommend

Products/Services as part of solution

Deliver needed solution Evaluate effort (using

business measures)• Return On Investment• Productivity

improvements• Retention• Improved bottom-line• Other

Typical solutions address:

Quality improvement Increased bottom line Increased productivity Increased pool of quality

applicants


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Developing Demand-Driven Services

Staff are assigned to specific clusters or industries Staff work with industries to identify needs

• Short-term• Mid-term• Long-range

Staff work with partners and One-Stops to identify solutions, typically in the following areas:

• Productivity improvements• Workforce enhancements• Quality improvements• Increased bottom-line


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The organization will need to strongly involve business leaders in key sectors in the identification of current and future needs of their company, industry, the sector and sub sectors including supply and distribution chains.

Advisory councils work, but one of the most successful models is the Washington State WIB Skills Panels model that has been established with key sectors throughout the state on a regional basis.


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Advisory Committees vs. Skill Panels

Advisory Committees Industry or sector specific Address industry or sector

needs Membership is typically

employers from the industry or sector

Limited involvement in industry data collection, gap analysis and new program design

Maybe involved in curricula review

Skill Panels Involves industry

representatives, talent development providers, economic development, local elected officials, the public workforce system and possibly organized labor

Rely heavily on the collection of “forward data” from the industry to determine needs

Performs gap analysis of needs versus supply pipeline

Actively involved in plotting regional strategies to meet industry needs that include all partners.

Produce products


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Skill Panels are typically centered around sectors or industries.

NAWB and the National Network of Sector Partners define sector initiatives based on:

1. Focusing attention on the needs of multiple employers in a specific industry or sector (in a specific community or region)

2. Serves dual customers3. Building in-depth knowledge of the industry and

designing multiple solutions to address the industry or sectors needs

4. Promoting community change that achieves win-win solutions for employers and workers in the industry


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Sector initiatives are not one or two-year targeted initiatives that build an advisory committee of employers, meet quarterly to review curriculum or interview students and possibly conduct a job fair.

Sector initiatives especially those using skill panels are long-term, using multiple strategies that require a substantial investment of employer time and that of other key partners.

The strategic value and success of skill panel based sector initiatives increase as work matures.


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Types of industry challenges: Difficulty recruiting or retaining entry-level employees Extremely high turnover among key positions A lack of workers with the flexibility and/or support to work

the shifts that current business demands Employees without sufficient technical skills to adequately do

the job A large gap between the skills of job applicants and those

required for critical positions lacking trained workers A large number of immigrant or other workers in entry

positions who are limited English proficient or have limited literacy skills

Key employees critical to business success who are reaching retirement age without a skilled workforce following behind them

Closure of high school or vocational programs that provide entry level workers for the sector


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Types of industry challenges - continued: Major changes in technology affecting the business for

which employees lack the needed technical skills to make the shift

A lack of flexible skills among current employees to accommodate product changes required to remain competitive

The need for workers without the transportation to move between multiple sites where work is now taking place in the sector

A lack of human resources capacity among small-to medium-sized employers that makes recruiting and advancing workers difficult

A lack of training slots or a shortage of qualified instructors at local education and training institutions causing a “Bottleneck” for workers trying to advance.


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Designing new programs and services using Skills Panels

Several Washington State workforce boards piloted the concept of “Skills Panels” to address sector and industry needs.

The panels are comprised of representatives from the industry/sector, local community/technical colleges, economic development, and are staffed by local Board or One-Stop staff.

The panels are charged with providing in-depth information regarding their industry/sector, employment trends, future trends and technological advancements that impact the industry.

Panels meet on an on-going basis (usually quarterly in the first year) until such time as they have accomplished their primary goals and objectives, then they meet periodically.


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Through the Skill Panel the collaborative effort: builds in-depth knowledge of the industry establishes relationships with multiple

employers conducts research to monitor the industry’s

changing needs coordinates community resources to address

industry staffing and competitiveness needs, and

invests in potential and current workers in the industry to create enhanced opportunities.


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Information from the Skills Panel is used to develop new programs and services to address the defined needs of the sector/industry. By participating in the process some organizations

may become presumptive provider of the new demand-driven education and training services (this is especially true for community colleges), or they may decide that a collaborative approach between many talent development providers is the best strategy.

Through the Skill Panel participating talent development organizations are often identified by the employers as key players in addressing the on-going needs of their existing workforce and a primary resource for future workers that are trained to meet their needs.


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Examples of possible sector services that maybe developed as a result of the Skill Panel efforts: A training institute that provides new entrants to

the field and current entry-level employees with stronger occupational skills

A career information campaign Front-line supervisor training from multiple

companies on how to retain employees Soft skills training for the unemployed, helping

them to better understand what is needed to succeed in the industry

Training of older workers on computer literacy related skills that are needed in the industry


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Examples of possible sector services – continued The development of a non-profit temp agency to screen

potential workers and ease the placement of workers into industry

A career ladder/pathway effort that uses a “move up and backfill” strategy to upgrade incumbent workers into intermediate and advanced skilled positions and then backfill the vacated positions with newly trained individuals.

Developing new apprenticeships or the tailoring of current apprenticeships to a targeted population.

The creation of a pipeline development strategy to move future workers into occupations in a given sector or industry, including recruitment of youth, adults and incumbent workers.

Strategies to quickly move dislocated workers into employment in high growth, high wage sectors/industries.


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Tracking outcomes

Reduced recruitment costs Lower training costs Reduced turnover Lower production and/or waste costs Greater promotion-potential of entry employees Higher quality customer service Increased earnings Increased work hours Greater access to employee benefits (health care,

annual leave) Improved job retention


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Resources to aid you in developing your sector initiatives

The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) – DC

The National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP) – SF Aspen Institute Workforce Strategies Initiative Public/Private Ventures (PPV) AFL-CIO Working for America Institute U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training

Administration


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Purpose of the Weld-Ed Skill Panel

The purpose of the skills panel is to gather “forward” industry workforce needs data for welders, welding technicians and welding engineers.


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Questions the Skill Panel is Exploring

1. The short-term hiring needs of the welding industry (up to 2 years).

2. The mid-term hiring needs of the welding industry (3-6 years).

3. The long-term hiring needs of the welding industry (7+ years).

4. What impact are baby boomer retirements having on the welding workforce?


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5. What technological improvements or new welding/material joining techniques will impact future employment?

6. What technological advancements in welding equipment will impact future employment?

7. What other factors will impact the future of the welding and materials joining industry?


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8. What other national trends will impact the industry?

9. What domestic factors impact competitiveness in the welding/materials joining industry?

10. What global factors impact competitiveness in the welding/materials joining industry?


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11. What role could economic development play in improving the industry’s competitiveness?

12. What role could government sponsored programs such as those from the U.S. Department of Labor play in improving competitiveness?

13. Have there been any educational programs offered by colleges, universities, or equipment manufacturers that have significantly impacted your industry?


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How will the Skill Panels data be used?

The employment information that is gathered will be analyzed and the identified needs will be matched against existing welding and materials joining courses and programs that are offered by the education community.

The employment information will also be shared with the educational community to create awareness of the industry’s need.

The employment information will also be shared with government and foundations to make them aware of the needs of the industry.

New curricula that is needed will result in Weld-Ed or one of its educational partners seeking funds from NSF or other sources to develop the curriculum.


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The economic development information will form the basis for strategies for the economic development/chamber of commerce community to support the needs of the industry.

That information will also be used to help facilitate and inform an on-going dialogue between the industry and economic development community.


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The information that is gathered about trends, domestic and international factors that influence competitiveness will be analyzed and used to inform the industry, government and legislators regarding positive and negative influences on the industry.

It is hoped that this information will also form the basis for on-going dialogues between AWS, the industry, related associations, and appropriate federal government agencies and Congress.


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How will the Skill Panel data be used?

The overall information will be used to form the basis for the report on the “State of the Welding Industry in the United States”.

The report will also include regional information that will be gathered by the five regional skill panels.

This effort will take 18 months (beginning today). We anticipate that the national panel will meet two

more times in person as well as by conference call every 4-6 weeks.

We also anticipate breaking the Panel into subcommittees to address some of the issues and activities as we move through the Skill Panel process.


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Factors to Consider

Long-term demand for workers Short-term demand for workers Supply of trained workers Other considerations affecting

balance Wages Retirements Industry image Availability of instructors


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Welding Occupations Welders

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (51-4121) Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters,

Operators, and Tenders (51-4122)

Welding Technicians Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other (17-

3029)

Welding Inspectors Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

(51-9061.00)

Welding Engineers Materials Engineers (17-2131)


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Short-Term Projections

Short-term projections have been derived from information from the “Job Central” employment database.

This database replaced “America’s Job Bank” and is operated with funds from Fortune 1000 companies.

47 of the 50 states have their employment opportunities listed on this database as part of their public workforce development system.


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Short-Term Projections

The following jobs snapshot is from Job Central on May 9, 2008: Welders – 5,500 listed on an average day, 950

new jobs listed per week Welding Technicians – 440 listed on an average

day, 70 new jobs listed per week Welding Inspectors – 150 listed on an average

day, 20-25 new listings per week Welding Engineer – 365 listed on an average

day, 60 new listings per week.


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National Long-term Outlook

Welders (data for both welding occupations) Employment Growth of 5% Projected Employment 484,100 by 2016 Annual Average Openings 11,910 (due to

growth and replacement needs Average Wage $16.00 per hour or $33,000

annually


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Engineering technicians, except drafters Employment Growth of 2% Projected Employment 83,400 by 2016 Annual Average Openings 1,760 (due to

growth and replacement needs Average Wage $ 26.08 per hour or $54,200

annually Estimated that Welding Technicians make

up about 35% of the occupation


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Welding Inspectors Negative Employment Growth of -7% Projected Employment 456,800 by 2016 Annual Average Openings 7,280 (due to

growth and replacement needs) Average Wage $ 15.86 per hour or $32,980

annually


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Welding Engineers Employment Growth of 4% Projected Employment 22,500 by 2016 Annual Average Openings 590 (due to

growth and replacement needs Average Wage $ 37.90 per hour/ $ 78,840

annually


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Short-term Outlook

National short-term projections not available

State short-term projections vary by: Availability Time frame Industry vs. occupational


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Short and Mid-term Outlook

Short-term outlook is best indicated by observable factors:

Planned economic development activity

Industry growth/decline Planned infrastructure revitalization Natural disasters


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Welding Industry

2 out of 3 welding jobs or 66% are found in Manufacturing

Fabricated Metal Product (232) Metal Working and Machinery (233) Transportation Equipment (236 )Another 10% are found in

Construction Specialty Trade Contractors (238)


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Supply of Trained Workers

Welding Technologies Programs 692 Schools in 47 States reported

9658 program completers Apprenticeship Programs

reported1890 completersApproximate total of 10,000 trained

per year


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Supply/Demand Comparison

National openings – over 12,000

National program completers – 10,000

Programs in Welding Technologies also is part of the supply for Welding Technicians and Inspectors


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Most Reported Program Completers

Georgia Texas Oklahoma Florida North Carolina

Kentucky Washington California Illinois Arkansas


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Welding Skills Comparison

Common and advanced types of welding

Variety of materials Automated welding Cutting Brazing and Coating New technologies


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Questions and Contact Information

Questions?

Contact information:Bob Visdos, President

Workforce Institute, Inc.10919 N. Williams Avenue

Portland, OR 97217571-214-5239

[email protected]

Documents

“Using Skills Panels in Addressing Industry Needs”