Narrative: III. a. 2. D.

The Governor’s Workforce Development Board, GWDB has established the Career Pathways Partnership (CPP) with membership representing the core partners in this plan in addition to all the combined partners in this plan. In addition, this partnership includes: MN Department of Corrections, MN Department of Labor and Industry, community-based organizations, philanthropic organizations, labor, local and regional workforce service providers, and private sector GWDB members. There are three sub-groups focused on customers (characteristics), resources (asset mapping), and communication (developing common language with employers). The partnership meets quarterly with the sub-groups meeting as needed. In addition, this committee brings together the 23 private sector members of the GWDB to educate, inform, broaden statewide coordination within industry sectors, make recommendations and/or identify solutions to develop and expand employer champions to focus on industry sector approaches for credential attainment and skill development. In December 2017, the CPP brought forth three recommendations which were approved and strategies for implementation are in process. These recommendations are as follows: 1) Employer Engagement in Career Pathways Call to Action Vision: • Engage more employers in Career Pathways work throughout Minnesota by outlining the business case for their involvement and giving specific opportunities for employer involvement. 2) Document Successful Employer Engagement in Minnesota Vision: • Highlight successful employer engagement in Minnesota to promote promising practices in the state and to contribute to the national conversation/work on employer engagement. 3) Establish a common vision and operational approach to workforce development in Minnesota. Vision: • Establish and Implement Outcome Based Career Pathways Demonstration Projects in each Work Force Development Region. While CPP is focused primarily on goal 2 of this state plan, the committee is responsive to recommendations from other GWDB committees to ensure Minnesota the interdependence of the two goals. This is the GWDB’s strategic plan including building employer-led sector strategies across all of Minnesota’s 16 local areas and six regions of the state. The CPP is in the process of reviewing resources and the recommendations from the Racial and Disability Equity Committees which will be followed by a review utilizing the soon to be launched regional dashboard and evaluation of progress of the regional plans. The CPP will identify best practices and provide recommendations for other gaps or modifications. Minnesota was one of 14 states selected to participate in the National Governors Association Talent Pipeline Policy Academy. This academy has brought together seven key state agencies and education and has led to a shared vision with two key strategies and ten goals to address the education and workforce needs of individuals and businesses in Minnesota. The agencies represented the core and combined partners in this plan: DEED, MN Department of Education, MN Department of Higher Education, MN Department of Human Services, MN Department of Human Rights, MN Department of Labor and Industry, MN State Colleges and Universities, and the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, Chair (private sector). The policy academy partnership continues to build upon this work and has added the Department of Corrections to this core team. This partnership represents coordination and alignment across these agencies which is inclusive of senior leadership and program administrators to ensure consistency and implementation of strategies to integrate programming and service delivery. The policy academy’s work culminated in the establishment of the Career Pathways Partnership (CPP), a standing committee under the GWDB, which brings state agencies, community-based organizations, education and industry together to address workforce programs for adults with the greatest barriers to employment. In addition, three focus groups on Work-Based Learning (WBL) were conducted to better understand the challenges and opportunities for WBL initiatives and programs for 16-24 year olds, as experienced in three different Minnesota communities: Chisholm, Minneapolis, and Worthington. The outcome of these learning sessions can be evidenced in the regional work plans in southwest/southcentral Minnesota which includes strategies to address partnership opportunities in work-based learning. A final white paper from the Policy Academy which includes key recommendations has been included in the two—year work plan for the Racial Equity Committee. This GWDB has identified work-based learning as a key strategy to address the disparities gaps- race, disability, disconnected youth and gender opportunities. To ensure this work continues, the GWDB brings together at a minimum, bi-annually, the four GWDB standing committees to articulate clear, actionable strategies for WBL opportunities. Additionally, the committees will evaluate the effectiveness and impact of WBL. State agency officials who have participated feel they’ve taken important steps in building trust and an open channel of communication with regional nonprofit and public sector stakeholder/partners. This work continues through the ongoing partnership between agencies at the state level, the commitment and leadership in the CPP committee, and partnerships at the local and regional levels which are demonstrated by the outcomes in new career pathways models and apprenticeships in non-traditional sectors. At a local and regional level, outreach, alignment, and coordination of services will be determined by the local and regional boards. All of the six regions are well represented on the GWDB and these private sector members will be directly engaged (or serve on a local board) with local and regional industry sector strategies. DEED’s workforce strategy consultants are located in the six regions and provide support for the regional plans and coordinate regional strategies. Local boards provide direction to these staff and, in turn, these staff provide updates and current activities within the industry sector. Local and regional plans identified their key industry sectors, which align with industry sectors identified by the GWDB. Priority is focused on these sectors, which may change during the course of this plan based on economic conditions. The GWDB, regional partnerships, and local boards continue to identify progress and share best practices through the GWDB committees, combined plan partners and MWCA to build capacity and innovative practices. While Minnesota economic conditions have continued to remain stable and improve, the need for talent continues to tighten. Minnesota is committed to building innovative practices at local, regional and state levels to provide individuals with meaningful employment who have been on the sidelines while meeting the demands for talent on the industry side of the equation. Minnesota has several industry associations and/or partnerships including Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association, Health Education Industry Partnership, Central MN Manufacturing Association, and Minnesota State College and Universities Centers of Excellence. These partnerships further outreach, coordination, and better alignment within workforce and education. These partnerships are critical to identifying industry-recognized and valued credentials leading to meaningful employment. The six regional plans have identified industry sectors which are or have established employer-led sector partnerships. The GWDB CPP will conduct their review and release a briefing on these partnerships. The regional dashboard which will be launched second quarter of 2018 is inclusive key indicators of success of the regional sector partnerships. Under a career pathways system approach the primary coordination of services will emerge from employer engagement that drive the work of the business led sector partnerships. These sector partnerships are at varying stages of development. Minnesota contracted with Maher and Maher to provide technical assistance for the regions in identifying, establishing, and launching strategies for these sector partnerships. Some of the regions have well-established sector partnerships which are quickly moving to advanced stages and are in the process of setting benchmarks to measure their success. The CPP will be responsible for sharing of best practices and making recommendations for building capacity and/or replication if applicable in other regions. Second to the establishment and building these partnerships is developing strategies around work-based learning, apprenticeships, and industry-recognized credentials. Minnesota’s six regions are very diverse which demand customized strategies and likely regional industry-recognized credentials which have the greatest ability to impact our disparities — race, disability, disconnected youth, and gender opportunity. DEED recently “retooled” their business services strategies. DEED has six workforce strategy consultants that mirror the state’s industry sectors and the six regions. This recent reorganization brings forth opportunities for alignment and integration to implement regional plans and strategies — from supporting access to labor exchange services, to planning for workforce development needs and developing customer-centered design strategies to meet the needs of individuals and the skills demands of employers. The local boards will be responsible for developing more specific strategies and approaches through their regional and local plans. Coordination will cut across the core programs, required programs, economic development entities and secondary and post—secondary education. The strategies and approaches will be aligned with and articulated through the six elements of a career pathways system and supported at the state level by each federal title administrator.