Strong Workforce Town Halls
Board of Governors Task Force on Workforce, Job Creation, and a Strong Economy 2
Strong Workforce Town Halls 3
Goals 3
Who Should Attend? 3
Suggested Elected Officials by Region 4
Sample Invitation 5
RSVP Process 6
Suggested Agenda 6
Briefing Materials 6
Event Checklist and Support for Co-Hosts 7
After the Town Hall 7
Board of Governors Task Force on Workforce, Job Creation, and a Strong Economy
The California Community College Chancellor’s Office Doing What MATTERS for Jobs and Economy (DWM) framework provides the foundation to launch a new system-wide effort to increase individual and regional economic competitiveness by providing California’s workforce with relevant skills and quality credentials that match employer needs and fuel a strong economy. The Task Force on Workforce, Job Creation, and a Strong Economy has been created to consider strategies and recommend policies and practices that would:
1. Prepare students for high-value jobs that currently exist in the State,
2. Position California’s regions to attract high-value jobs in key industry sectors from other states and around the globe,
3. Create more jobs through workforce training that enables small business development, and
4. Finance these initiatives by braiding state and federal resources.
The Task Force is comprised of representatives from community college faculty, administration, trustee and students; the employer community; labor; public agencies involved in workforce training and economic development; K-12 education policy; and community based organizations. This effort is rolling out in three phases.
Phase One: Regional College Conversations
During December 2014-January 2015, seven to eight regional meetings will be held with community college practitioners including presidents/chancellors, chief instructional officers, career and technical education (CTE) deans and faculty with representation from contract education, regional consortia chairs, sector navigators or deputy sectors navigators, faculty senate leaders, and others. The scope of these meetings will be to consider strategies and recommend policies and practices on issues such as flexibility, regional responsiveness, partnership with industry and student portability.
Phase Two: Strong Workforce Town Hall Meetings
During February-March 2015, five town halls in regions across the state will convene leaders from business, economic development, K-12 education policy, labor, elected officials, and other community organizations to vet and build on ideas and practices that bring stronger alignment between community colleges and key industry sectors. (Two additional Town Halls will be held in late summer after the Task Force meetings). The town halls will include interactive discussions focused on how the community college system can act as a catalyst for growth in California’s regional economies. For a schedule of the Strong Workforce Town Halls, see this link.
Phase Three: Task Force Meetings
During January-July 2015, the Task Force will hold five meetings. These meetings will lead to a set of recommendations for how the community college system could improve workforce training, which can then be adopted by the Board of Governors. Throughout the spring, the broader community will be invited to respond to the draft recommendations via the use of Ideascale on the website. At the final meeting, the Task Force would review a draft final report prior to submission to the Consultation Council and the Board of Governors.
Strong Workforce Town Halls
Goals
· Mobilize natural allies—business leaders, industry associations, economic development organizations, labor, elected officials, and regional civic organizations—to develop and support a shared agenda for a sustained, system-wide focus on jobs and the economy within the California Community College System.
· Showcase regional examples of effective industry-college partnerships that demonstrate “shared investment” among employers, foundations, government, and other community partners in high-demand workforce training.
· Vet and build on specific ideas for aligning community colleges with the workforce needs of key industry sectors to inform Task Force deliberations.
Who Should Attend?
The Strong Workforce Town Halls are designed to engage a broad group of regional stakeholders who recognize the importance of aligning community colleges with the needs of key industry sectors. While the size of the Town Halls can range (regions are planning for 40 to upwards of 150 attendees), the goal is to ensure balance and diversity of participants to support a robust discussion.
· Business leaders representing major industry sectors in your region, particularly those who understand the opportunity and imperative of strengthening workforce training within California’s community colleges.
· Industry associations and Chambers of Commerce
· Regional economic development organizations
· Labor leaders
· Civic organizations
· K-12 Education
· Youth organizations
· Legislators - state level (see following page)
Suggested Elected Officials by Region
Los Angeles
Roger Hernandez / Assemblymember - Chair, Labor and EmploymentKevin de Leon / Senator
Bob Huff / Senator
Carol Liu / Senator - Chair Education Committee
Jimmy Gomez / Assemblymember - Chair Appropriations Committee
Ian Calderon / Assemblymember - Chair Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media
Richard Bloom / Assemblymember - Chair, Budget subcommittee on resources and transportation
Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer / Assemblymember, Chair, Budget Subcommittee on public safety
Patrick O'Donnell / Assemblymember - Chair, Education
Ed Chau / Assemblymember - Chair, Housing and Community Development
Roger Hernandez / Assemblymember - Chair, Labor and Employment
Jacqui Irwin / Assemblymember - Chair, Veterans Affairs
San Diego
Toni Atkins / Assemblymember - SpeakerShirley Weber / Assemblymember - Chair, Budget committee
Sacramento
Kevin McCarty / Assemblymember - Chair, Budget Subcommittee on Education FinanceSilicon Valley
Kansen Chu / Assemblymember - Chair, Human ServicesRichard Gordon / Assemblymember, Chair Rules Committee
San Joaquin Valley
Henry Perea / Assemblymember - Chair Agriculture CommitteeInland Empire
Jose Medina / Assemblymember - Chair, Higher Education CommitteeEduardo Garcia / Assemblymember - Chair Jobs, Economic Development, Economy Committee
Bay Area
Mark Leno / SenatorTony Thurmond / Assemblymember - Chair, Budget subcommittee on health and human services
Rob Bonta / Assemblymember - Chair, Health
Sample Invitation (to be customized)
Dear NAME,
You are invited to attend the Strong Workforce Town Hall hosted by (insert organization). As a regional leader in (insert region), we hope you will join us for this important conversation.
As you know, the 112 California Community Colleges play a vital role in preparing workers for jobs and strengthening the economy. But more needs to be done to ensure that California’s workforce is prepared to meet demand of high-growth industry sectors.
The Board of Governors has commissioned the Task Force on Workforce, Job Creation and a Strong Economy to surface a set of ideas on how the system can play a stronger role in closing the skills gap and meeting the needs of employers in terms of skills. You are invited to provide your feedback and share your ideas on how the community college system can more effectively meet regional workforce needs.
Location
Date
Time
We hope you will join us for this important conversation. Please RSVP at ______.
Best regards,
Co-Host name and signature
RSVP Process
Each co-host will be in charge of inviting individuals from their network (e.g., business leaders, community leaders) to attend the town hall. The co-host may use their own RSVP system or collect RSVP’s through the Vice Chancellor’s office.
In addition to the regional invitations, the Task Force will broadcast an invitation to the Town Halls to their networks. (A list of Task Force members can be found at: http://doingwhatmatters.cccco.edu/StrongWorkforce/TaskForceBOGMembers.aspx )
If space is limited, we will establish a maximum number of attendees to ensure we have appropriate space for everyone registered.
Suggested Agenda
Note: Each town hall will be 2 hours long but they will not all start at the same time. Please adjust the agenda timing accordingly.
8:30-8:45 Welcome and Opening
· Opening remarks from co-hosts, key legislators
· Introductory video highlighting the opportunity to align community colleges with the needs of key industry sectors
8:45-9:15 Opening Panel Discussion: What will it take to prepare a strong workforce?
· Introduction of the Task Force and its three-stage process for identifying policies and practices that will strengthen community college alignment with the needs of key industry sectors.
· Moderated panel discussion with up to three business and community college leaders to:
o Review and build on the key themes identified during regional college conversations, identifying which are most critical to addressing workforce needs of the region’s economy
o Discuss what regional leaders are doing now to support stronger industry partnerships with community colleges to prepare a strong workforce
9:15-10:15 Facilitated Discussion
· Breakout groups vet and build on ideas from regional college conversations in facilitated discussion
· At the end of the discussion, participants are invited to complete a written form offering additional ideas and suggestions
10:15-10:30 Closing and Next Steps
· Legislators report out on discussion
· Closing and Next Steps from Vice Chancellor Van Ton-Quinlivan
Briefing Materials
A briefing packet will be prepared for each Town Hall and made available electronically (printing is at the discretion of co-hosts). Briefing packets will include:
· Summary of Regional College Conversations results (ideas of policies and practices that bring strong alignment between community colleges and key industry sectors)
Event Checklist and Support for Co-Hosts
To support you in planning and executing the Town Hall, we will provide:
· Invitation/RSVP management (optional)
· Day-of facilitation
· Talking points for panelists, elected officials, and other speakers
· Briefing materials to be distributed electronically in advance of the event
We ask that co-hosts ensure that day-of logistics are in place, including:
· Audio/visual equipment (at least 2 handheld microphones as well as a podium microphone; projector for both video and PowerPoint)
· Flip chart paper/markers
· Name tags
After the Town Hall
We plan to continue the conversation with regional leaders as the Task Force meets, submits its recommendations, and as those recommendations move into implementation. To support that process, we ask that you share a PDF roster of all those who attended the Town Hall. This will allow everyone who attended to be subscribed to the Doing What Matters e-update which will communicate progress of the Task Force.
Questions?
Contact Francie Genz () or John Melville ()
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