Narrative: II. b. 2.

In order to realize our vision for a stronger workforce development system, Minnesota’s WIOA Plan will focus on two primary goals:

1. Reduce educational, skills training and employment disparities based on race, disability, disconnected youth or gender.
2. Build employer-led industry sector partnerships that expand the talent pipeline to be inclusive of gender, race and disability to meet industry demands for a skilled workforce.

Minnesota’s decision to include gender opportunity is based on several data points and analysis contained in earlier sections of the plan. The opportunity to move females forward into livable wages is best demonstrated in the construction sector which only 14% employed in this sector are women. It is also demonstrated by the data shows high workforce participation rate for females, but wage and occupation data that show women’s earnings are significantly lower forcing them to work more than one job. This is most prominently illustrated by the fact that the female Hispanic workforce participation rate is the highest among racial categories but educational attainment and earnings are significantly less. Intentional strategies to move individuals out of poverty and often working more than one job will result in greater opportunities for gender as well as race.

We believe that the best way to achieve these two goals is by continuing Minnesota’s investment in building a robust career pathway system that aligns with the purposes of WIOA and the needs of Minnesota’s businesses and workforce.

Minnesota is committed to addressing the needs of individuals with barriers by identifying the disparities based on the data presented in this plan. While Minnesota continues to experience extremely low unemployment rates overall, there are populations experiencing two to three times the average unemployment rate. Minnesota’s call to action will address the disparity gaps within racial, disability and disengaged youth populations to improve outcomes of education attainment and employment outcomes. Additionally, through the business led sector partnerships, a greater focus will be placed on access to career opportunities for disparately impacted populations, including gender based inequities. Minnesota was one of fourteen states in the NGA Talent Pipeline Policy Academy, Minnesota’s team represented six state agencies and higher education (MnSCU) which provided an opportunity to identify the needs of a current and future talent pipeline. It was because of this cross agency team of senior leaders; commissioners and deputy commissioners that led to the vision for this state plan. Minnesota’s state agency partners whom are represented in this plan continue to move from aligning programs to an integrated approach to support the workforce system. Minnesota was recognized as an early adaptor of career pathways which this plan focuses on.

The career pathways system is grounded through the vision and goals of this plan. The commitment to career pathways is evident at multiple levels; state, regional, and local areas. Minnesota continues to build upon our experience to develop strategies beyond our local areas to become embedded throughout the six established regions within the state. Each of the six regions within Minnesota have approved regional plans and strategies to support the goals of our state plan. These plans build upon existing career pathways with a focus on serving individuals with the greatest barriers to employment. The plans identify a minimum of two industry sectors to establish or develop additional capacity through employer-led partnerships. Less than two years has passed since the regional plans have been approved but all six regions have demonstrated significant progress. The regions have developed a regional governance structure, made significant progress in their community outreach, established employer-led partnerships and are in the process of developing career pathways models to meet the needs of the individuals served and establishing benchmarks to measure their outcomes. Minnesota’s Pathways 2 Prosperity serves these particular populations and Minnesota’s state investment ($35M) in equity grants provides further investment for training for youth, communities of color, and individuals with other barriers to employment. Minnesota’s vision to meet the needs of these individuals as well as the needs of industry will be our goals for the next four years. In 2016, the GWDB adopted this plan as their four year strategic plan. The board has established two additional standing committees to address and identify strategies, policies and oversight to support the goals. The Racial Equity and Disability Equity Committees represent board members and stakeholders at state, regional and local levels. The GWDB continues to provide oversight, technical assistance, and communication around best practices within the regional plans.

Over the past two years the Career Pathways Partnership completed extensive research around career pathways models, policies to support a career pathways system, and submitted recommendations to the GWDB. This committee relies heavily on the private sector members of the board all of whom represent key industry sectors and representative of the six regions. These private sector leaders are core to the development of industry recognized credentials, supporting career pathways, offering work-based learning experiences and identify gaps within their sectors and regions of the state. Together these committees are core to developing recommendations to support and expand best practices as well as identifying similar barriers that racial and ethnic communities face in addition to individuals with disabilities. A strength of these committees is the board members and the stakeholders is their ability to not isolate the two goals of this plan as two separate strategies but rather focus on the interdependence of these two goals. Minnesota’s economic future is dependent on every individual and their skills to support our industries. The identification of industry sectors in the six regions requires strong partnerships and understanding of their communities and the industries.

An addition to this modified plan is the priority to address gender opportunity gaps. Workforce participation by gender in some of the industry sectors identify significant gaps. Addressing these gaps and focusing on populations with the greatest barriers will continue to move individuals forward to earning a family sustaining wage. Developing strategies that address these gaps will include intentionality and focus around race, disability, disconnected youth, and gender. The six regions are instrumental in the implementation of strategies while informing the GWDB and the respective committees of their challenges and successes. Together they will identify best practices, examine the barriers and collectively make recommendations for solutions toward achieving our goals. Over the next two years the priorities will continue to focus on developing career pathways based on building the competencies and skills needed to fill occupations in demand within our growing sectors. The six regions have identified sectors which align with the five state sectors. The priority will be focused on developing industry recognized credentials that move individuals along a career path that fulfills the demands of industry while providing opportunity for employment and livable wages. Minnesota will continue to focus on industry sectors in; construction, healthcare, manufacturing, natural resources and professional and business services. A modification to Minnesota’s plan will include an intentional priority to address gender disparities within these sectors. These sectors have multiple occupations that allow individuals to continue to develop their skills while moving out of poverty into livable wage occupations. Minnesota continues to be recognized as a national leader in the growing healthcare sector. Through the federal DOL Apprenticeship grant and state funded initiatives, over 275 new apprenticeships have been filled in this non-traditional sector. Minnesota is a partner in the White House Initiative and Hope Street for career pathways, CareerSTAT National Fund for Workforce Solutions and the Democracy Collaborative. These national partnerships with our Minnesota anchor institutions will continue to expand across our six regions. The Career Pathways Partnership is evaluating how these models can be replicated and adapted to other sectors across Minnesota.

The combined state plan partners are instrumental in identifying and leveraging resources to support these innovative approaches at local and regional levels. The healthcare sector across the state and their partnerships, have developed training models (Career Pathways) that support individuals at all levels but also developed the training that allow for individuals to get off and on the "ramps" to skill development which lead to credential and/or degree attainment. The CPP membership represents all partners of this combined plan with three sub- groups being led by Adult Basic Education, CTE, DLI, and Dept. of Human Services (TANF/Snap E & T). In addition, community-based organizations play a major role by identifying the needs of their communities whether it be transportation, childcare, housing, remedial education or ESL, or culture differences. This partnership is able to identify the needs of all individuals served through the program partners but also opportunities for incumbent workers whom provide opportunities for entry level positions for someone entering the workforce. A successful career pathway model allows for individuals, even out of school youth, to move into employment, receive the necessary training leading to credential attainment, receive support services, and provide future opportunity for forward growth in other occupations by building on previous experience and credentials. This partnership supported by the GWDB is one example of supporting this plan in addition to sector partnerships and regional partnerships being established through the six regional plans. To ensure alignment, transparency, and progress, the GWDB twenty-three private sector members meet quarterly with the CPP to educate, inform, strategize, and develop solutions to support a career pathways system for the state. Eleven of these members serve on local workforce boards also providing leadership and input to local and regional needs. The GWDB takes the responsibility for dissemination of best practices and sharing across regions. The GWDB, as an advisor to the Governor, will provide recommendations and/or solutions that may have an impact on better outcomes or removing barriers for these individuals. The combined partners (also represented on the GWDB) will review the outcomes and progress of the regional plans annually to evaluate progress or need to modify plans.