Partnership Addresses Kentucky’s Talent Pipeline Needs February 10, 2017 By Derek Redelman Read Time Strada Article Career Connection Employers Equity & Oppo... Policy Engagement & ... ... Engage with any chamber of commerce in the country these days, and you’re certain to hear its members’ concerns about the workforce. In my previous role, heading up education and workforce issues for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, no issue was more persistently at the top of our agenda. Sure, a lot of our members would identify some other issue as their highest concern — whether it was health care, a range of regulatory issues, labor rules, taxes or something else. But on the whole, across any state or regional business community, no issue was more persistent than their concerns about education and the workforce. Moreover, those concerns have real consequences — real numbers that affect bottom lines, employment and, ultimately, the economy as a whole. Just last year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were nearly 6 million unfilled jobs in our country. And numbers like that seem to persist, to a significant degree, regardless of overall economic conditions. During the height of our recent “Great Recession” — when unemployment rates in some states, like USA Funds®’ home state of Indiana, were flirting with double-digit numbers — 40 percent of the employers in the state reported they could not find qualified workers to fill vacant positions. More recently, as unemployment rates declined, the Indiana Chamber reported that percentage had increased to 45 percent. So it should be little surprise that those representing businesses, including chambers of commerce, have taken such a keen interest in education and workforce issues. At the national level, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has been a leader on such issues, from preschool to academic standards to workforce issues and more. The Manufacturing Institute, a branch of the National Association of Manufacturers; the Business Roundtable; and the Business-Higher Education Forum are among other organizations focusing on education and the workforce. Affecting changeAt statehouses across the country, chambers of commerce often are the most consistent, and sometimes the loudest and most effective, advocates of education reform and improved higher education and workforce systems. Moreover, their political action arms often are responsible for electing the legislators who drive these reforms. And in many states, chamber foundations add to these efforts with research and other special initiatives. The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce ranks among the most active and effective chambers in its work on education issues. So it is with great anticipation that USA Funds is providing a grant to the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce to help establish a Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center. Through that new center, the Chamber will engage the business community to help advance several initiatives for addressing the needs of employers. Among those efforts are: Creation of additional business collaboratives, in concert with the Talent Pipeline Management initiative that USA Funds is supporting with the U.S. Chamber. Assistance to employers who serve on state and local workforce boards or participate in other workforce or educational leadership roles. Increased focus on data, including the supply/demand tools that USA Funds has helped to initiate through our college value-focused work. Engagement of government and education leaders to help ensure better communication and cooperation between suppliers of talent and those who hire their trainees and graduates. Announcing our partnershipOn Jan. 25 I had the pleasure of attending and speaking to the Kentucky Chamber’s 2nd Annual Workforce Summit in Lexington. The capacity audience included an impressive group of workforce training and education providers, small-to-large employers, and key government leaders. Presentations and discussions focused on: Workforce trends. Employer needs. Improving opportunities for military veterans. Employer engagement. Workplace learning and apprenticeships. Improved use of workforce data. USA Funds announced our commitment to the Chamber’s efforts at the event’s lunch, which also included the introduction of Beth Davisson as executive director of the new Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center. The Chamber recently hired Beth from a large pool of candidates, and she brings a terrific set of skills to this work. She previously served in both workforce and human resource leadership roles, and she has been recognized as a “Top Business Leader Under 40” and among the “Top 20 People to Know in Human Resources.” Dave Adkisson, from left, and Beth Davisson of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce join Redelman at the Kentucky Chamber’s 2nd Annual Workforce Summit. Developed in partnership with Anna Gatlin Schilling, USA Funds’ vice president for National Engagement and Strategic Communications, our investment in Kentucky also represents a new approach to investments in state leadership. Whereas previous state engagements have provided direct support to governors’ offices, this grant extends that work to a nongovernmental organization with direct connections to and support of a key education constituency: the state’s employers. . . . Whereas previous state engagements have provided direct support to governors’ offices, this grant extends that work to a nongovernmental organization with direct connections to and support of a key education constituency: the state’s employers. . . . Importantly, however, the demonstrated partnership already developed between the Kentucky Chamber and the state’s new governor, Matt Bevin, played an important role in the decision to support these efforts. As I told the attendees at lunch on Jan. 25, it’s quite impolitic in the middle of basketball season for a Hoosier native to speak so well of our neighbors to the south. But it is with great pleasure — and also high expectations — that USA Funds initiates this partnership with our neighbors in Kentucky. Group 13 Group 11 Group 12 To create a PDF of the webpage, choose in opened window 'Save as PDF' option in 'Destination' select or something like that and click to save or print button. Got it Derek Redelman Vice President, Research & Policy Strada Education Network Learn More In the news from Strada November 1, 2023 Community college, dental insurer come together to address dental hygienist shortage The community college learning lab and dental clinic is now a newly refurbished space where dental hygiene students refine their technique on mannequins outfitted with realistic incisors, molars, and cuspids. The clinic was remodeled through a partnership with Delta Dental of Rhode Island and supported by a $400,000 grant from Strada Education Foundation. Strada Article Advocacy Employer Alignment Philanthropy Work-Based Learning ... November 16, 2022 Listening to Alumni About How Education Enriches Lives A rich mixture of skills gained in college improves post-completion outcomes for graduates Strada Article Our Priorities Public Viewpoint Research ... October 7, 2022 Strada Future Leaders Fellowship A 12-week internship for individuals who are bold, curious, motivated team players — and passionate about advancing equity. Strada Article Equity & Oppo... Our Priorities ... September 12, 2022 Strada Scholar D’Vontae Scott Delaware State sophomore accounting major eyes and a different career path after viewing a wealth of options. Strada Article HBCU Initiative Our Priorities Philanthropy ... September 12, 2022 Strada Scholar Jeremy Jackson Sophomore engineering ‘rock star’ learns to become a leader while following in the HBCU grad footsteps of his parents and brother. Strada Article HBCU Initiative Our Priorities Philanthropy ... September 9, 2022 Strada Scholar Keante’ Lewis As a natural leader, student embraces opportunities to work in her field and build campus community Strada Article HBCU Initiative Our Priorities Philanthropy ... September 7, 2022 Strada Scholar Imani Burke With a passion for writing and teaching, student seeks ways to teach while she’s still learning Strada Article HBCU Initiative Our Priorities Philanthropy ... May 13, 2022 Examples From the Field: University of Minnesota Rochester At the innovative Rochester campus of the University of Minnesota, our vision is to “inspire transformation in higher education through innovations that empower graduates to solve the grand health challenges of the 21st century.” Strada Article Beyond Completion... Our Priorities Philanthropy ... May 13, 2022 Examples From the Field: University of Oregon Ducks Rise: Empowering Underrepresented Minorities and Low-Income Students Through Research Internships and Intentional Student Experiences Strada Article Beyond Completion... Our Priorities Philanthropy ... May 13, 2022 Examples From the Field: University of Texas System Developing In-Demand Skills Among Undergraduates for Better, More Equitable Post Completion Outcomes Strada Article Beyond Completion... Our Priorities Philanthropy ... May 13, 2022 Fulfilling the Promise of Higher Education Access to college isn't enough. Neither is completion of degrees. It's time to focus on outcomes Strada Article Beyond Completion... Our Priorities Philanthropy ... April 7, 2022 ‘I Didn’t Know I Had All This in Me’ Credit for prior learning helped Loyce Shelley see herself in a new way — and complete her degree. Strada CAEL Article Adult Learners Career Connection Collaborative Completion Employers Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education On Purpose Our Priorities Engagement & ... ... March 2, 2022 How Local Partners Can Rebuild the Workforce Equitably Even before the pandemic, employers struggled to find the skilled labor they needed to fill jobs. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Our Priorities ... February 23, 2022 Growing Fairly: How to Build Opportunity and Equity in Workforce Development The labor market in the United States faces seemingly contradictory challenges: Many employers have trouble finding qualified applicants for current and future jobs, while millions of Americans are out of work or are underemployed—their paths to living-wage jobs blocked by systemic barriers or lack of adequate skills. Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Adult Learners Career Connection Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education Our Priorities ... February 1, 2022 How Credentials Can Create Opportunity for More People The origin story of Grow With Google, like so many initiatives at the global technology company, begins with data. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Degree and Creden... Navigating Education Adult Learners Employers Nondegree On Purpose Our Priorities Research ... January 5, 2022 5 Ways To Integrate Career Connection Into College Experience Recent Strada research points to a striking disparity between first-year students’ aspirations for career planning in their undergraduate years and seniors’ actual experiences. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Our Priorities Public Viewpoint Research ... December 2, 2021 4 Ways To Build Better Education-Workforce Partnerships More than 18 months into the pandemic, the employment headlines can seem like an algebraic riddle: If U.S. employers are seeking workers to fill 10.9 million jobs, how can 8.4 million workers be unemployed? Strada CAEL Article Connections to Ca... Employer Alignment On Purpose ... November 17, 2021 How To Make Sure Education After High School Is Worth the Investment Economist Beth Akers insists she’s not a college debt crisis denier. College is expensive — more than double the cost today compared to the 1980s. And too many students pay too much for it, she said, not only in relation to what they can afford now, but also to what they will earn after graduation. Strada Article Degree and Creden... On Purpose Our Priorities ... November 4, 2021 How To Set Students Up for Success After Graduation As provost and later president at the University of Utah, Ruth Watkins called out the “hollow promise” a university delivers to college students who have access to higher education but leave without completing a degree. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Quality Coaching Research Research Team Work-Based Learning ... October 21, 2021 How To Better Serve Latino Students Deborah Santiago’s parents always made clear she and her three siblings would go to college. Strada Article Navigating Education Advising Lessons Earned On Purpose Our Priorities Engagement & ... ... October 7, 2021 How the HBCU Experience Builds Leaders Roslyn Clark Artis grew up in southern West Virginia, the only African American in her graduating class. The daughter of a coal miner, she dreamed of becoming a lawyer and applied to every public university in her home state, hoping to find an affordable route to college. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Degree and Creden... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose ... September 22, 2021 6 Ways Our Conversations Are Shaping What We Know Strada CAEL Inside Track Article Connections to Ca... Degree and Creden... Navigating Education Advising Advocacy Employers Lessons Earned On Purpose Our Priorities ... September 8, 2021 6 Ways to Upskill Women for In-Demand Jobs Strada CAEL Inside Track Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Our Priorities Technology ... August 25, 2021 How To Connect 2-Year Students to a 4-Year School — and a Career Nationwide, about 80 percent of students enrolling in community college say they intend to continue at a four-year college or university to earn a bachelor’s degree. But only 15 percent of community college students achieve that goal within six years. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employer Alignment Employers On Purpose Quality Coaching ... August 12, 2021 3 Ways New Philanthropy Models Help More People Faster Strada Article Degree and Creden... On Purpose Our Priorities Philanthropy ... July 29, 2021 Things To Know Now About the Future of Nondegree Credentials Strada Article Connections to Ca... Degree and Creden... Employers On Purpose Our Priorities Public Viewpoint Research ... July 14, 2021 How Student Supports Can Reverse Enrollment Declines Strada Article Connections to Ca... Degree and Creden... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Our Priorities ... June 22, 2021 ‘Concerned, Worried, and Anxious’ — Insights From Recent High School Grads Strada Article Navigating Education Advising On Purpose Our Priorities ... June 8, 2021 What Will Reconnect Disrupted Learners to Education? Strada Article Degree and Creden... Navigating Education Advising On Purpose Public Viewpoint Quality Coaching Research ... May 26, 2021 How Community Colleges Can Lead Our Economic Recovery Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Quality Coaching ...