the kentucky experience: a public policy approach to building a statewide crc initiative may 5, 2006
TRANSCRIPT
The Kentucky Experience: A Public Policy Approach to Building a Statewide
CRC Initiative May 5, 2006
HOUSE BILL 1
Postsecondary Education
Improvement Act of 1997
enacted May 30, 1997
established the
Kentucky Community
and Technical
College System
• Access to certificate, diploma, and degree programs
• Training a workforce to meet the needs of new and existing industries
• Remedial and continuing education
Kentucky’s 2020 Goals for KCTCS
KCTCS 16 CollegesKCTCS 16 Colleges
AshlandAshland
BigBig SandySandy
HazardHazard
MaysvilleMaysville
Northern Northern KentuckyKentucky
JeffersonJefferson
Bowling GreenBowling Green
HendersonHenderson
HopkinsvilleHopkinsville
SomersetSomerset
ElizabethtownElizabethtown
SoutheastSoutheast
OwensboroOwensboro
BluegrassBluegrass
West KentuckyWest Kentucky
MadisonvilleMadisonville
The Kentucky Employability
Certificate (KEC) --
A Public Policy Approach
Three Approaches
Public Policy- Lead at state level by Governor’s office or other key leaders
Local Initiative Driven- Local initiatives are successful and lead to statewide approach (California)
Business champion(s) driven- State and local policy discussions are initiated
If only you would send me applicants that have good math and communication skills, the ability to learn, and a good work ethic, I’ll train them…
Slide courtesy of The Pawleys Group
Goals of the KEC
Kentucky employers recognize the KEC as a meaningful credential
Kentucky citizens recognize the value of the KEC in terms of making them more employable
Public agencies develop a “pool” of certified workers
1999 Policy Origins Policy Origins
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Workforce Development Summit
Common LanguageCommon Metric
Original Major Kentucky Original Major Kentucky PlayersPlayers
Kentucky Community and Technical
College System
Cabinet for Workforce Development Adult Education (KYAE) Kentucky Workforce Investment Board
2000 Additional Policy Additional Policy Consensus – Consensus – Kentucky General AssemblyKentucky General Assembly
Senate Bill 1 – Adult Education Reform
Moved Adult Education to the Council on Postsecondary Education
Called for a statewide competency-based certification for workforce skills
2000 Operational OriginsOperational Origins
$400,000 Empower KY funds for 7 Local Pilots
1,500+ Participants Partners:
• Cabinet for Workforce Development• Adult Education• KCTCS• One Stops• Community Based Organizations• Job Corps• Business & Industry
2000 Building Building CapacityCapacity
KCTCS Profiling Project to profile all occupational and technical programs
$300,000 in KYAE funds allocated for WorkKeys assessments & $40,000 for
Kentucky Employability Certificates
Utilizing WIA incentive funds to build curriculum infrastructure in one-stops
Primary Sponsors Primary Sponsors IdentifiedIdentified
• Kentucky Workforce Investment Board
• ACT, Inc.
• Signed by Governor
KEC Original KEC Original EndorsersEndorsers
Kentucky Community and Technical
College System
Cabinet for Workforce Development
Kentucky Adult Education
Council on Postsecondary Education
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management
Associated Industries of Kentucky
Kentucky State District Council of Carpenters
Kentucky Employability Kentucky Employability Certificate… Certificate… The BasicsThe Basics
Based on 3 WorkKeys skill areas: Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics and Locating Information
Three types• Gold (Level 5)
• Silver (Level 4)
• KCTCS Program Specific
2002 Building Building InfrastructureInfrastructure
Regional Training Sessions throughout the Commonwealth for local staff • KCTCS Colleges
• Kentucky Adult Education
• One Stop Partners
2003 The KEC Officially Rolls The KEC Officially Rolls OutOut
March – Issued 1,200 KEC’s to individuals in Owensboro
May – Statewide KEC kickoff in
Owensboro featuring Unilever and Owensboro Mercy Health System
2005 Additional Policy Additional Policy ConsensusConsensus
Kentucky Long Term Policy Research Center Further develop a “certified workforce”
initiative utilizing a statewide approach to certify competencies for both adults and high school students
Business Forum on Kentucky Education Promote and institutionalize the use of
industry-based credentials, such as the KEC…
2006 Additional Policy Additional Policy ConsensusConsensus
Senate Bill 130
• ACT College Entrance Test and WorkKeys assessments for high school students
• WorkKeys assessments focused on Applied Math, Reading for Information and Locating Information (KEC focus areas)
National Level Policy
Monday press conference on ACT report on Act and WorkKeys – same skills needed for success in postsecondary education and jobs that pay a living wage
Data supports CRC concept
2006 Building Building Infrastructure Infrastructure Searchable Data BaseSearchable Data Base
www.e3.ky.gov (Rolled out in 2006)• Statewide Database • All statewide partners involved• Employ Kentucky Operating System
(EKOS)• Designed for employers and individuals• Interactive, searchable database
KEC – By the KEC – By the NumbersNumbers
Issued 7,321 certificates • 2,007 Gold• 4,275 Silver• 1,039 KCTCS Occupational Specific
KEC - By the KEC - By the NumbersNumbers
180 WorkKeys profiles conducted for 74 KCTCS program areas
Over 375 companies or organizations were represented by participating as Subject Matter Experts in the profiling process
Highlights of KCTCS Highlights of KCTCS InitiativesInitiatives
KCTCS• Integrating WorkKeys into workforce
training programs• Leveraging funds• Career Pathways• $12M Trust Fund “Push”
• Profiling for companies for targeted selection
• Bellwether Award Recipient, 2005• Five Value Added Resale Centers
Highlights of KYAE Highlights of KYAE InitiativesInitiatives
Kentucky Adult Education• Educational and Career Advancement Projects
(ECAP)• $340,000 IN KYAE funds allocated for adult ed
eligible students• 11 pilot projects• Provided targeted training and instruction
leading to the issuance of the KEC• 10,776 WorkKeys Assessments administered• 1,170 KEC’s issued
Highlights of Local Highlights of Local InitiativesInitiatives
Owensboro Community and Technical College• City/County Initiative – Skills, Inc.• Owensboro Medical Health System
(OMHS)• Partners include Kentucky Adult Education and
Kentucky Community and Technical College System
• OMHS has seen its turnover rate drop by 32%• Over 600 employees have participated in the
program
Highlights of Local Highlights of Local InitiativesInitiatives
Gateway Community and Technical College• Served over 1,000 local high school
students• First college in the state to collaborate
with secondary partners in issuing the KEC
• Integrated into the Expanding Horizons Initiative
Highlights of Local Highlights of Local InitiativesInitiatives
Madisonville Community College Profiled seven jobs in the coal mining industry Companies requiring new employees to submit WorkKeys scores with their job applications DACUM profile used to develop
curriculum
Key Principles and Steps Key Principles and Steps for for SuccessSuccess
Must have leadership from the top
Must fully train staff who will promote and deliver services
Develop partnerships with critical influencers/impression makers on the demand side (Chambers,etc.)
Demand Driven- Develop and nurture long term relationships with businesses and sector partners (clusters)
Key Principles and Steps Key Principles and Steps for for SuccessSuccess
Public partners must collaborate…collaborate… collaborate
Identify business champions and facilitate business to business exchanges
Do not sell the CRC or WorkKeys… sell solutions to workforce challenges
Outcomes……Outcomes……
Effectively maneuvered political/administrative transitions
Elimination of many of the ‘turf issues’ with service delivery agencies
Service delivery agencies have a better understanding of respective programs
Developed more partnerships/collaboration among all service delivery agencies resulting in better services to business and industry
Future Plans
Establish Policy and Users Group (to include secondary partners as a result of SB 130)
Establish business and industry advisory board
Enhance marketing efforts
Work with employers to develop ROI analyses and case studies
The Kentucky Journey
“Random Acts of Progress”
“Best Practices”
“Strategic Systems”
