+ Massachusetts’ Career Readiness Initiative Cheryl Scott Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development National Fund for Workforce Solutions Conference June 18, 2014 1 MA Career Readiness Initiative Context  Unemployment is most acute and chronic for individuals with the least amount of education and technical skill  1/3 of students entering public higher education require literacy and math remediation (higher at community colleges)  Over 20,000 individuals on wait lists for adult education classes  Lack of alignment across basic skill pathways across systems and resources: multiple assessments, retesting, no correlation to job requirements 2 + MA Career Readiness Initiative 3  Objectives: Supplement basic skills delivery for low-skilled individuals through statewide implementation of ACT Career Ready  Improve work-based skills and job matching  Align and coordinate across basic skills pathways (Adult Education, Workforce Development, and Community Colleges) through shared tools  3 + 4 Massachusetts Model • 100 Learning Labs • (OSCCs, community colleges, ABE programs) • Assess and Remediate • Improve individual’s skill Career Ready 101 National Career Readiness Certificate Plus • NCRC+ Testing Sites (OSCC & community colleges) • Test Literacy, Numeracy, Work Behavior • Credential • Job Analysis • 16 Staff • Analyze competencies of real job openings (MA and nationwide) Job Match 4 + 5 Partners and Resources Funders & Key Stakeholders Contribution Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development • Department of Career Services (OSCCs & WIBs) • Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board (Steering Committee) $250k Community College & Workforce Development Transformation Agenda Grant (TAACCCT grant) $200k Department of Higher Education $50k Dept. Elementary and Secondary Education (Adult Education System) $50k SkillWorks $50k The Boston Foundation (capacity building grant) $150k + 6 CRI Workplan Early Engagement & Procurement (Oct 2013 – June 2014) Learning Lab & Testing Sites (July 2014 – Oct 2016) Employer Engagement (Oct 2014 – Oct 2016) Outcomes & Evaluation • Steering Committee Formed • Survey and focus groups • Contracting & Procurement • Career Ready 101 training & staff development (Summer – Fall) • Training & deployment of testing sites (Fall – Winter) • Convene regional user groups, blending learning workshops • Employer focus groups • Employer outreach & champion identification • Job profiler training & rollout • Analyze regional, system, and statewide data trends • Make policy recommendations (Jan 2015 – Oct. 2016) Next Steps • Work Ready communities • Expanding scope (re-entry, school to career) + 7 Results & Outcomes   Outcomes/Results to be Measured  Individuals improving skill level through Career Ready 101  Individuals certified work ready (NCRC+)  Direct enrollment in post-secondary (no remediation)  Individuals who obtain and retain employment  Employers using NCRC+ in hiring process  Return on Investment (ROI) Process Measures Across Systems  Partners coordinating around common service delivery and training models (intra- and inter-system)  Partners coordinating across stakeholders providing common certifications (NCRC) + Contact 8 Cheryl Scott Director, MA Workforce Investment Board cheryl.scott@state.ma.us careerreadiness@state.ma.us (617) 626-7112 8