WEBINAR: Pathways to Opportunity – Best Practices for American Workforce Development in the Amtrak RFP

1. April 7, 2014 WEBINAR: Pathways to Opportunity – Best Practices for American Workforce Development in the Amtrak RFP

2. Agenda Background on Jobs to Move America, the Amtrak RFP and US Employment Plan A Worker’s Perspective: Recruiting and Training a 21st Century Workforce Best Practices in Outreach, Recruitment and Workforce Training, focus on women in non-traditional roles Snapshots of 3 Model Programs Resources for Bidders Q & A

4. The Amtrak RFP US Employment Plan

5. A Worker’s Perspective from Jose Osuna, Homeboy Industries: Recruiting & Training a 21st Century Workforce

6. A Worker’s Perspective from Jose Osuna, Homeboy Industries: Recruiting & Training a 21st Century Workforce

7. Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) Lauren Sugerman, Director, Women and Work Projects

8. The Federal Construction Projects Model GSA construction projects over $50M are designated as Mega Construction Projects which work together with the OFCCP from pre-bid meetings to more effectively promote EEO for women seeking non-traditional jobs. Higher goals for women and minorities - with contractually enforceable equal opportunity provisions Greater information sharing – workforce projection/timelines, and utilization reports Timely enforcement mechanisms Greater public visibility and involvement of unions and community organizations Additional training for relevant government and construction staff More pre-project preparation and contractor education Funding for technical assistance, site monitoring, job training and referral/retention services On-site EEO monitoring and enforcement

9. Outreach and Recruitment: Reach Your Desired Audience with a Targeted Message Go out of your way to bring in diverse applicants Cast a wide net Design outreach materials that appeal directly to targeted populations Connect to activities, institutions and organizations serving targeted populations Target by who gives the message. Get their attention with information on benefits/advantages of jobs in the specific industry Pair Outreach with Education

10. Best Practices for Industry Partnering with Training Programs Engage at all phases of the program: Ensure training program relevancy with workplace needs recruitment; assessment; classroom; field trips; and mock interviews, etc. mentorship

11. Creating an Effective and Equitable Program • Role models and mentors that are gender/race/ culture reflective • A safe and supportive place for: Breaking through stereotypes, Overcoming fear of the unknown and the foreign, Technical skill practice opportunities, Trying and practicing new things, Peer networking and support • Curriculum additions to reflect diverse populations’ experiences • Test-taking anxiety reduction strategies and practice • Spatial and mechanical aptitude exposure and practice strategies for surviving and thriving in a white, male-dominated environment • Building Core Competencies for Work Readiness

12. EQUITY ON THE JOB • Assess the workplace for barriers to equity (Bathrooms and changing facilities. Languages. Sexual/Racial/Other harassment free environment, Access to work clothes and safety equipment. Childcare, Work/family policies) • Establish Women’s Committees • Develop Mentorship Programs • Develop Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy and Program • Train Supervisory Personnel on Creating an Equitable worksite • Inclusion of goals and strategies for retaining female apprentices in affirmative action plans.

13. Beyond the Hire: Retention and Career Advancement for Nontraditional Workers • Surviving and thriving in a male-dominated environment requires: • Gender inclusive, neutral and sensitive HR practices and policy that addresses the impact of gender stereotypes and hidden biases, • Work/family supports • Cultural competency for supervisory and frontline workers • Monitoring of assignments • Site based support • Health and safety support • Facilitate informal support groups, mentoring, and networking activities. • Avoid isolating individuals from underrepresented groups: safety and support in numbers!

14. Manufacturing Renaissance Manufacturing Connect Program Dan Swinney, Executive Director

15. Central to Success… • A clear and exciting career path that starts with a job; • Precise knowledge of the skills and knowledge needed for success at the job; • An education and training program focused exactly on those skills; • A dual education approach: exposing students to the world of manufacturing as they learn through factory tours, job shadowing, and internships. • Promoting nationally-recognized and portable industry skill standards and credentials; • A regional Manufacturing Renaissance Council to ensure high performance by the public and private sectors.

16. Austin Polytechnical Academy and the Manufacturing Connect Program • A public career and college prep high school focused on all aspects of manufacturing including production, management, and ownership; • Students starting their own manufacturing company—Mech Creations. • Partnerships with 57 manufacturing companies that set standards and provide tours, job shadowing, internships, and career jobs; • Aligned with the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS)—Technology Center accredited by NIMS, 158 students have 237 NIMS credentials in three years; and a SkillsUSA state champion in programming CNC machines.

17. Austin Manufacturing Innovation Park Educational infrastructure has led to attraction of new manufacturing companies to Chicago’s West Side. MOUs with 14 companies; 500 new manufacturing jobs. Opportunity to expand existing WFD infrastructure. Adult Education and Training; and Community Development • A NIMS-based training program in APA in the evenings for adults with an 80% placement rate; and • A NIMS-base program for men returning from prison: • 100% placement; • 87% retention after 90 days. • Partnership with Community Colleges.

18. Los Angeles Trade-Technical College Leticia Barajas VP Academic Affairs and Workforce Development

19. LATTC Overview • LATTC over 89-years of career technical training – Regional in scope • Over 15,500 students each term (Over 85% Latino, African-American students)

20. LATTC & Metro Partnership • Over 15,500 students each term (Over 85% Latino, African-American students) • Workforce Partnerships Metro Diesel & Related Technologies, Rail Technical Training and Manufacturing

21. LATTC & Metro Partnership • Recruiting Opportunities: LATTC provides over 500 construction, manufacturing & transportation-related completers each term to local/regional employers • Incumbent Worker Training • Provide services regionally for public and private business/agencies

22. Workforce Training Model • Innovative Training Model: combination of on-site/on campus training opportunities that integrate use of technology, as appropriate at any time during the year • Pool of Technical Curriculum Developers and Faculty customize training leading to credentials (pre-apprentice stackable degrees & credentialing) • Areas of Specialty: Machine Shop/CNC, Welding, Transportation, Electronics/Electrical Systems, etc.

23. LATTC & Metro Partnership • LATTC over 89-years of career technical training – regional in scope • Over 15,500 students each term (Over 85% Latino, African-American students) • Workforce Partnerships - Metro Diesel & Related Technologies, Rail Technical Training and Manufacturing • Recruiting Opportunities: LATTC provides over 500 construction, manufacturing & transportation-related completers each term to local/regional employers

24. Workforce Training Model • Innovative Training Model: combination of on-site/on campus training opportunities that integrate use of technology, as appropriate at any time during the year • Pool of technical curriculum developers and faculty customize training leading to credentials (pre-apprentice stackable degrees & credentialing) • Areas of Specialty: Machine Shop/CNC, Welding, Transportation, Electronics/Electrical Systems, etc.

25. WRTP/BIG STEP Center of Excellence Clearinghouse Model and Industry Led Approach Earl Buford, Executive Director

26. The “Marketplace Model” As a workforce intermediary, WRTP/BIG STEP coordinates among and between labor and management to assess and plan for current and future industry needs within sectors Industry assessments done in cooperation with employers and labor inform the development of employer services, which in turn enables us to connect these opportunities into openings aligned with our community network of partners The “marketplace model” is in opposition to the old model driven primarily by government policy/workforce development entities and social service agencies’ client needs; we connect BOTH models WRTP/BIG STEP teaches the technical skills required to bring participants to the “finishing point” immediately before employment, and is the “beginning point” into industry careers, apprenticeships and jobs We are Industry Led, Worker Centered and Community Focused

27. Center of Excellence

28. Mission • Improve the ability of employers and unions to recruit, retain, and develop qualified community candidates for careers in skilled trades and industries • Assess job-ready candidates from a wide range of referral partners • Prepare qualified candidates for employment and advancement opportunities • Place community residents into targeted trades and industries

29. Pipeline • Create a central clearinghouse for the assessment, preparation, and placement of job ready candidates • Enable employers and unions to meet the staffing and diversity objectives of their respective trades or industries • Enable public sector agencies and community partners to refer job ready candidates for training and placement

30. Construction Project Assessments • WRTP/BIG STEP is in the preliminary phase of its Construction Needs Assessment and has, for example, secured preliminary numbers/data regarding the following: • Laid off workers per trade • Workers from the City of Milwaukee • Workforce retirement ages • Available classifications • Even with years of experience in the construction industry and with the WRTP assessment model, applying that assessment model to the construction industry is an extremely complex endeavor • For example, in Southeastern Wisconsin alone, there are 18 different local unions and 18 different apprenticeship committees that we need to align

31. Entry-Level Construction Skills (ELCS) Training Model • Under the Entry-Level Construction Skills (ELCS) program, WRTP/BIG STEP is able to help participants at all points on their career pathways to advance. • ELCS modules can be tailored by trade and classification and are flexibile in terms of delivery, location, and levels taught: • ELCS 1 is an exposure course that targets those who are unfamiliar with the construction industry, but who want to learn more about it, or eventually advance in the sector. This non-credentialed exploratory module provides participants an introduction to the trades and the world of work. • ELCS 2 is for those participants who meet minimum requirements for training. • ELCS 3 is for qualified apprenticeship candidates who have not yet been hired by an employer in order to begin an apprenticeship. • ELCS 4 is the most advanced ELCS module and targets current journey workers or apprentices. ELCS 4 helps upgrade these experienced workers’ skills, particularly as they relate to the new skills in the green economy.

32. What’s this? How can we facilitate these stakeholders to get Milwaukee residents to work on public projects? Public Projects with Residential Requirements Unions WRTP/BIG STEP You need to go to an apprenticeship. I don’t understand. Where are the jobs? We don’t hire. See the union. We don’t do the hiring. Go to the employer. Employers Public Project Job Sites Milwaukee Community We’re not taking applications. Apprenticeship Programs We just do training. We have a public project with local hiring mandates. Skilled Workers from Surrounding Communities Community Based Organization Politicians

33. Industry Driven MC3 Multi Craft Core Curriculum WIA Workforce Investment Act Training Funds DOT

34. BlueGreen Alliance Zoe Lipman, Senior Policy Advisor

35. Evaluating the Amtrak RFP andUS Employment Plan

36. Resources for Bidderswww.jobstomoveamerica.org

37. Resources for Bidderswww.jobstomoveamerica.org U.S. Employment Plan Worksheet

38. Resources for Bidderswww.jobstomoveamerica.org

39. Q & AHow to submit a question • On your computer screen, look for a toolbar on the right side • Click the tab with the speech bubble icon, and you’ll see a Chat window • Type a brief question into the field • Click on drop-down menu below your question, next to the words “Send to” • Select my name - Rudy Gonzalves - from the menu • Click “Send”

40. www.jobstomoveamerica.org