workforce policy forum
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Workforce Policy ForumNational Governors’ Association
Stuart Rosenfeld
Washington DC
December 11, 2002
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
A cluster is….
…a geographic concentration of companies and institutions with systemic relationships to one another based on complementarities or similarities.
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Advantages of Clustering to Firms
• Knowledge spillover and learning (innovation and imitation)
• Proximity to services, suppliers, resources (localization economies)
• Access to specialized labor market (productivity)
• Opportunities for joint actions (scale)
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Advantages of Clustering to Students and workers
• Increased access to employment information and career ladders (Know who)
• Improved content and quality of E&T (Know what)
• Increased rates of and means for informal learning (Know how)
• Increased aspirations (No limits)
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Comments on Clusters
• Boundaries are determined by members and are not constraining
• Clusters exist in diversified economies• Clusters are grown, not purchased• Clusters are ecosystems, not
membership organizations
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Examples of clusters
• Upholstered furniture in NE Mississippi• Nurseries in Portland, Oregon• Plastics in the Berkshires, Massachusetts• Jewelry in Providence, Rhode Island• Cutlery in Maniago, Italy• Seafood processing in Nelson, New Zealand• Biotech in San Diego, California• Houseboats in Somerset, Kentucky
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Links between WFD and Clusters
• Specialized work force single most important benefit to clusters because it’s least portable/importable
• Skilled wf accelerates productivity improvements and modernization
• Institutions are catalysts for learning and innovation
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Actions for building the cluster’s Workforce from NGA Governors’
Guidebook• Develop specialized labor force• Contextualize curricula• Form industry cluster skills centers• Build partnerships between
education & clusters• Form regional skills alliances• Work with CBOs
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Corporate Centers
1960s, 70s
TechnologyCenters
1980s, 90s
ClusterCenters2000s
Driver Corporations Technology Industry
Emphasis Corporate culture Hard skills Soft skills
Major Links Economic developers
Equipment vendors
Cluster associations
Context Specific mfg process
Generic mfg process
“All aspects of industry”
Added Functions
Assessments & screening
Demonstrate technology
Shared knowledge
EconomicGoals
Recruitment Modernization Competitive-ness
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Community/Technical colleges are linchpins
• Regional focus• Pipeline for new workers• Second chance for adults• Source of skill upgrading, technology diffusion,
needs assessment, skill standards• Repository of expertise and information• Broker for networking and services• Convener for industry
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CBO Intermediaries also play key roles in making connections and building career ladders
• Garment Industry Development Corporation
• Jane Addams Resource Center• Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership• ACENet
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Arguments for Cluster Skill Centers
• Aggregate demand• Gather and disseminate information• Concentrate and assemble expertise• Serve as one-stop for industry• Focal point for innovation, curriculum
development, needs assessments• Connect to global best practices• Build links to industry
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Functions of Cluster Skill Centers
• Teach specialized skills• Benchmark best practices• Engage business leaders• Equipped with latest technologies• Monitor technology, skill changes/trends• Provide or broker related specialized services• Link students to career opportunities• Support networking among firms
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Workforce Dev. Cluster Specialization
Some community colleges and WF programs have developed cluster expertise as a result of:- high customer demand- vision of what might be- opportunity
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Programs that Target Wood or Furniture
College Program (specialty)
Catawba Valley NC Furniture Division(production)
Mt. Wachusett MA Forest/Wood Products Institute
Haywood NC Program (sawmill operation)
Finlandia MI Wood/furniture (design)
Galway-Mayo IT IR Furniture College (entrepreneur)
Inst. for Furniture IT Furniture Institute (production)
Dakota County Tech MN Program (finishing, restoration)
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Alabama Technology Network(www.atn.org)
College Cluster
Northwest Shoals CC Environmental Tech.
Alabama Southern CC Forestry, Paper, Chemical
Jefferson Davis CC Telecommunications
Sparks State Technical Electronics
Central Alabama CC Textile and Apparel
Gadsden State CC Metals
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
NSF “Cluster-based” ATE Centers
College Location ClusterSinclair CC Dayton, OH Advanced Mfg
Kirkwood CC Bettendorf, IA Agri-science
San Francisco CC San Francisco, CA Biotechnology
Maricopa CC Phoenix, AZ Semiconductor
Bellevue CC Bellevue, WA Info technologies
Chemeketa CC Salem, OR Natural resources
Monterey Peninsula Monterey, CA Marine Tech.
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Hosiery Technology Center at Catawba Valley Community College
(www.legsource.com)• Trains entry level workers and
technicians• Trains management and customers• Brokers networks• Conducts quality testing• Demonstrates new equipment• Web site for jobs, Procurement and e-
commerce Assistance• Brokers research networks
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
The Northeast Oklahoma Manufacturers’ Council, Inc.
• Formed in 1993 as a 501-C3 by OK State U Tech Branch-Okmulgee with grant from RTS
• Began with a few local core members• Grew to around 40 members and held steadily for
several years• With growth in new economy has grown to over
80+ active members today• The NEOMC, Inc. was the first organized
collaborative in Oklahoma, now there are over 25!
• Established summer mfg institute for youth• Carries out joint training, marketing, e-commerce
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Central Virginia: Advanced
Metalworking Education • Began by small group of SMEs in need of
machinists—approached college but no interest• Incorporated and hired director• Acquired equipment from vendors, offered short
term training• Named by state as Regional Technology Center• Approached new college president and merged
Center with college• Now offer credit and non-credit courses
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The Equity Challenges
• Ensuring an inclusive social infrastructure
• Connecting low income communities
• Accommodating workplace diversity
• Building career ladders, creating opportunity
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Helping people and places innovate, collaborate, and prosper. www.rtsinc.org
Regional Technology Strategies, Inc.205 Lloyd St., Carrboro, NC 27510
919-933-6699
www.rtsinc.org