Developing Sector Strategies

through Regional Partnerships

& Workforce Development

Boards

Dan Miller, Pathways WI

Mary Lois Bolka, Northwest WI Workforce Investment Board

About us…

Mary Lois BolkaDan Miller

The Wisconsin Regional Careers Pathways Project

goals are to increase the number of students that

complete career pathways tied to high-skill, high

demand jobs and to transform the way we design

and deliver the pathway programs for our students

to ensure they are ready for life after high school.

What are Career Pathways?

Career pathways are a series of connected education, training, and support strategies aimed at helping students achieve their own definition of success.

For kids, career pathways align education and training with the needs of the local job market, provide a range of postsecondary options, result in a high school diploma with at least one industry-recognized credential, and help students enter or advance within an occupation.

For schools, career pathways provide a specific ACP plan for some occupations. This allows schools to focus on student and curriculum activities with input and support from regional employers and higher education.

For employers, career pathways make partnership with schools possible. This allows employers to shape the future talent pipeline, foster young talent, and highlight local career opportunities.

The Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment

Board (NWWIB) is a regional body charged with

oversight of the Wisconsin Job Centers and the

employment and training programs that comprise

the workforce development system in 10 counties

of northwest Wisconsin: Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett,

Douglas, Price, Iron, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, and

Washburn.

Workforce Development

The Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board uses a "one-stop shopping"

approach to addressing workforce development issues.

The board cuts across the disciplines of economic development, education, and

employment and training programs.

The board understands that coordination of the disciplines is absolutely necessary to

create a systemic delivery of services. Committees are in place to ensure that all critical

elements of workforce development have a strong regional voice.

The current

situation

• Current Unemployment

Rate: Wisconsin 2.8% vs.

Northwest Wisconsin 3.4%

• Aging population

• Recruitment

• Retention

Making the Connection

Using Sector

Strategies to

Develop Strong

Career Pathways for

Northwest Wisconsin

College,

Aggregate and

Review Data

• What is already happening

and who are the partners?

• Asset Scan of the region

• Where do we start and what

industries do we focus on?

• Used data to determine

current in-demand

occupations and employment

opportunities

• Data is the foundation for

making joint decisions

(workforce development,

education, and economic

development)

All partners in the room =

Trust

Involvement

Consolidation

Collaboration

• Duplication is eliminated and investments are streamlined

• By coming together around a shared vision to serve the targeted sectors through an industry-led partnership, partners align their policy, process and priorities to strategically invest their resources in delivering the solutions identified by the partnership.

• NWWIB has established relationships with many regional businesses to bring to the table (promote sector meetings and facilitate new partnerships)

Convene industry

to share initial input

• Discuss key occupations and

career pathways with industry and public partners

• Define critical occupations

• Identify the main pathway

• Identify requirements at each level

• Employers have identified talent needs, challenges and obstacles as well as solutions

Develop Career

Pathway Maps with

Industry Partners

• Create visual maps of the pathways – provides a clear path with require courses, trainings, and training opportunities for students

• Specifically lists available programs through local Technical Colleges, Universities and training entities.

• Involve Education Partners to discuss training opportunities and barriers

• Industry Partners define training development and modification needs

Conduct Education

and Training Gap

Analysis

• Partners continuously working

to develop solutions

• Everyone is committed to the

vision of improved education

prosperity

• Identify and address related

resource, policy and other

needs and barriers

• Determine who is missing or

needs to be at the table

Sustainability and

Adaptability

• Foundation for a talent

pipeline that all partners

support and pledge to align

around

• Common thread that allows us

to work together

• Aligns education systems,

economic development,

workforce development, and

industry sectors

Closing the Circle

Melissa Rabska

Connects education and industry in

Northwest Wisconsin

The final key to success of Career

Pathways = commitment from educators,

employers, and STUDENTS

Inspire

Northward

• Online platform where

employers can engage with

students via online discussion

boards

• Students can also arrange:

• company tours

• career fairs

• job shadows

• Internships

• Students can explore and

learn about businesses and

career opportunities available

locally

What have we accomplished?

10 Sector Meetings

44 Industry representatives in the room

14 school districts implementing pathways currently

Career pathways are being implemented in our school districts:

• Healthcare

• Construction

• Advanced Manufacturing Technology

Nursing

• 17 Industry

Representatives

collaborated on

developing the nursing

pathway

Construction

• 16 Industry

Representatives

collaborated on

developing the

construction pathway

Advanced

Manufacturing

Technology

• 11 Industry Representatives

collaborated on

developing the

advanced

manufacturing

technology pathway

Why were we

successful?

• Rural advantage

• Dedicated partnerships

• Vested interest

• Put agendas aside

What’s next?

Questions?

Dan Miller

Assoc. Dean of Workforce & Community Development

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College

715-394-6677 ext 6339 Dan.Miller@witc.edu

Mary Lois Bolka

Sector Strategies Coordinator

Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board

715-682-7235 ext 118 mbolka@nwwib.com