Workforce Development Subcommittee
September 23, 2008 Meeting Minutes
Members Present
Alvaro Cortes
Sandra McBrayer, Subcommittee Chair
Dennis Petrie
Lori Ward
Others Present
Kathie Scott, California Department of Education (CDE) liaison to the Subcommittee
Members Absent
Amy Christianson
Arron Jiron
Darci Smith
Commencement
Sandra McBrayer (Chair), opened the meeting at 1:00 p.m.
Introduction of Members
The Chair introduced Dennis Petrie, the newest member of the Workforce Development Subcommittee (WDS). Mr. Petrie is the Deputy Director of the Employment Development Department (EDD), Workforce Services Branch. Mr. Petrie oversees various programs, including but not limited to: the one-stop career centers, the Workforce Development Act, the Veteran’s Employment and Job Training Act, the Governor’s initiatives in workforce development, and the Mature Worker program.
Approval of Minutes from the June 25, 2008 Meeting – Action
Alvaro Cortes motioned to approve the June 25, 2008, minutes, Lori Ward seconded the motion, and the members approved the WDS minutes without changes.
Chair Report
Partnership with the California Community Colleges Update
The Chair provided an update on the partnership with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO). This partnership is often referred to as “grow your own.” The CCCCO released a request for proposals for $1.5 million to fund five pilot sites at $300,000 each to recruit Workforce Investment Act (WIA)-eligible youth enroll them in a community college, and with education and additional training, employ these youth in after school programs. The college curriculum will be contextualized for after school programs. Eight community colleges applied for this opportunity, and five were funded. The five community colleges include: San Diego City College, San Jose City College, Peralta Community College District in Oakland, State Center Community College District in Fresno, and Hartnell College in Salinas.
The Chair provided members with an example from the San Diego City College project. There are 30 students enrolled in this first cohort. San Diego City College staff have contextualized English, beginning mathematics, and professional growth classes.
At the next meeting the Chair will provide members with an update on the five college sites.
Lori Ward asked about the funding cycle. The Chair explained that this program is a two year cycle, and there is $1.5 million for five sites for two years.
Dennis Petrie commented he believes there are meaningful connections to be made between WIA-eligible youth and the After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program. He stressed that the members need to look at ways to target under-serving schools so we can provide workers for these programs. Mr. Petrie further informed members it would be beneficial to present information about after school programs at the California Workforce Association quarterly board meeting in early December (11 and 12). In addition, he suggested the Chair may want to present information about after school programs at the youth conference in February 2009.
Legislative Update
The Chair provided members an update about Assembly Bill 1526, a trailer bill to the FY 2008-09 Budget Act. Assembly Bill 1526 would drastically change the annual ASES appropriation. She explained that currently the ASES Program has a $550 million continuous appropriation. The Assembly would like to change this so the annual ASES appropriation would be determined by the Legislature, which would be very difficult for ASES grantees because they would not know from year to year what their funding level would be.
This bill is on its way to the Governor and would result in a ballot initiative on November 4th if it is signed by the Governor. This bill would also allow the Legislature to make amendments to Proposition 49 as they see fit, and these amendments may not be what were approved by voters.
Presentation by the Urban Teaching Fellowship Organization
Jonathan Mooney, a consultant with the South Bay Center for Counseling (SBCC) in Los Angeles, provided members with a presentation about the Urban Teaching Fellowship (UTF). He also provided members with a handout “Building an After School Teacher Pathway in Los Angeles.” Mr. Mooney has worked in the after school arena for approximately ten years. In addition, Mr. Mooney founded an after school program that became a national model while he was attending Brown University. This program matched college students and youth with learning disabilities in an after school setting.
Mr. Mooney explained that SBCC is part of Beyond the Bell in Los Angeles. SBCC believes that jobs in after school programs are meaningful and can raise people out of poverty. Mr. Mooney explained the after school jobs are both good and bad. These jobs can be a challenge for employers because on any given day about 35 percent of the after school workforce in Los Angeles is vacant – that’s over 3,000 jobs. The solution to the challenge is to link after school employment to an ongoing career pathway to the high wage and high growth teaching industry. After school programs offer advantages to students since they are part-time and students can earn ten to twelve dollars per hour. After school employers benefit because WIA-eligible youth make good teachers and they can connect with low income students. Mr. Mooney explained that teachers from the local community make the most dedicated teachers.
The UTF is funded by the Packard Foundation and a California Gang Reduction, Intervention, and Prevention (CalGRIP) grant through EDD. The UTF program includes: the California State University, Dominguez Hills, the California State University, Los Angeles; community-based organizations; and local employers.
The program recruited 60 WIA-eligible youth out of 400 applicants who were at risk of succumbing to gang activity. Students are selected via an industry-driven screening. They are given a basic skills test, and based on the results of the test, they are moved into a three-month basic skills bridge class. In the bridge program, they receive basic skills remediation, basic and personal skills development, and job training. They also receive industry-driven training in the after school field by the Long Beach YMCA. Upon graduation with an expedited associate of arts program, students can enter a participating state college as a junior on the teacher track. At the same time they work in an after school program as line staff to hopefully become program administrators. Students will complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in teaching and become certified teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Mr. Mooney informed members they are experiencing a 96 percent retention rate, and all students in the UTF program have shown improvement by an average of three grade levels. Mr. Mooney feels the UTF program is successful because it is broad-based, and includes a strong partnership with community-based organizations, accesses youth not currently in WIA system, and includes a blended and balanced funding stream. It is important that this program includes a career pathway and is not a job training program. The program also includes an educational curriculum that is contextualized for a teaching career.
Mr. Mooney explained the next step is to do an outcome-based assessment and the program will be tracked for next four years. The program also goes beyond the teaching profession to include careers in social and community work. They plan to expand to six community colleges in Los Angeles with 200 teachers per year at each college, or 1,200 each year.
Presentation by Children Now and Fowler/Hoffman
Steve Fowler, a consultant with the Fowler/Hoffman Foundation, gave members an update about their workforce activities related to the California Workforce Investment Network (CalWIN). The Fowler/Hoffman Foundation, with financial support from the Packard Foundation, provides services to approximately ten members of CalWIN. Fowler/Hoffman works with groups such as CalWIN in an effort to take pilot projects to full scale and to end with a trained workforce of thousands.
Mr. Fowler would like to receive input from the WDS and the Advisory Committee on how CalWIN efforts could be improved. CalWIN is a five-year funding commitment from the Packard Foundation, and they are approximately half way through.
Kimberly Mundhenk of Children Now provided WDS members with an update. Children Now’s goal is to make children the top priority throughout the nation. Children Now facilitates public support on children’s issues by disseminating information and bringing public policy issues to the collaborative. Children Now is global in nature.
Ms. Mundhenk explained that after school employment can provide great jobs for certain people at certain times. After school jobs offer competitive pay with few barriers to entry. Jobs are also plentiful and after school program schedules allow flexibility. In addition, after school programs help workers develop job and life skills. Employees not only work in the educational and social work fields, but they also develop basic job, management, and leadership skills.
Children Now believes that after school jobs should be made more attractive to potential workers. Career pathways, better salary, benefits, and professional development make jobs attractive. These pathways also help to recruit and retain after schools workers.
Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce is critical. In addition, after school programs should actively seek partners to bring one time or ongoing support and collaboration to the program. Ms. Mundhenk provided members with some examples of work being done by CalWIN. After school programs can capitalize by employing baby boomers and mature workers in their programs. The number of after school programs has escalated significantly, increasing the number of jobs available to approximately 137,000. One of the CalWIN members, the Encore After School Initiative, targets retired baby boomers. Mature workers are a source of qualified and diverse individuals who can enhance the after school workforce by the life skills they bring to programs.
Another CalWIN member, the Central Valley After School Foundation, uses a “perks” program to provide incentives to after school employees. This initiative establishes partnerships with local businesses to provide after school employees with discounts. This foundation uses various marketing tools to help after school programs in Region 7 recruit and retain staff. In addition, the foundation uses job fairs to help potential applicants find work in after school programs.
Another CalWIN member, the California School-Age Consortium (CalSAC) offers potential applicants career pathways to work in after school programs. CalSAC recruits potential employees, screens them, and recruits them to participate in a career pathway program. This initiative uses a summer bridge program, employment placement, and support in college to help students continue on a career pathway. CalSAC demonstrates how career pathways can be an integrated part in improving the after school workforce.
Children Now will be releasing a workforce brief later this fall to highlight these initiatives and career opportunities. Mr. Fowler explained that the strategy of partnerships enables the after school field to understand how to reach out to community. Children Now is also working with Workforce Investment Boards, and participates in various workshops, and conferences. Children Now is doing well building partnerships with the California Community Colleges, but they are having some difficulties reaching out to four-year colleges. The California State University and the University of California systems are highly decentralized, and that makes it difficult.
The next stage is to come together in the fall of 2009 for an after school workforce summit. Mr. Fowler asked for input from the WDS and Advisory Committee on the summit.
There was a brief discussion on how to get information about various workforce development efforts to the public. It is important to get information widely distributed and go beyond workshop presentations. The group discussed how to tap into EDD resources and programs and also how to involve the Regional Leads.
Next Meeting
The Chair asked the members for topics to be included on the agenda for the next WDS meeting. Topics for the next WDS meeting are:
- Community College Partnerships update
The next WDS meeting will be on December 3, 2008, in Sacramento, at 1:00 p.m.
Public Comment
None.
Adjournment
There being no further business, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 2:05.p.m.
