Career

Development

System

COMPREHENSIVE

PLAN

for

the Workforce Development Board of

Kalamazoo & St. Joseph Counties

and

the Kalamazoo - St. Joseph

Michigan Works! Agency

January, 2001

This material was developed with the support of grant funds awarded by

the Michigan Department of Career Development.

STRATEGIC PLANNING is defined as a proactive means of positioning an organization (or system) to achieve and maintain excellence in an environment of dramatic trends and transitions. The essence of strategic planning is crafting long-term strategies that, when followed, will favorably position the organization to thrive in a future rationally anticipated through the analysis of internal and external trends and issues. (Geik)

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

To help place the contents of the Career Development System Comprehensive Plan in context, the following is offered as background.

The Michigan Department of Career Development (MDCD) has conceptualized Michigan’s Career Development System as having 3 subsystems:

  1. Career Preparation System -- delivered by K-12 School Districts, Community Colleges, Private Technical Schools, Colleges and Universities;
  2. Workforce Development System -- delivered by Michigan Works! Services, Adult Education Programs, Work First Programs, and Workforce Investment Act Programs; and
  3. Worker Enhancement System -- delivered by employer-based training programs and customized training activities.

Each Michigan Works! Area (MWA) has several governing bodies, agencies and institutions involved in establishing and delivering an array of programs and services that make up the 3 subsystems listed above. It is postulated by the MDCD that through strengthened partnerships among the organizations involved in each MWA, coordination of career development services will be enhanced, allocation of available resources will be optimized and career development system outcomes will be improved.

In an effort to move this notion forward, the MDCD has asked each of the State’s 25 Workforce Development Boards and their respective Michigan Works! Agencies to work through an extensive community-based strategic planning process involving the Career Development System partners. The thrust of this effort is "Building Strategic Partnerships for Career Development."

 

 

MISSION STATEMENT

The MISSION is a broad statement of the unique purpose for which the organization exists and the major function it performs.

 

The mission of the Kalamazoo - St. Joseph Michigan Works! Area is to develop, sustain, and continually improve a Career Development System that produces workforce members who possess the skills essential to participating in gainful employment and enhancing the region’s economy.

 

 

ASSUMPTIONS

ORGANIZATIONAL ASSUMPTIONS convey the major premises and suppositions that drive the nature of the organization’s decision-making and practices.

 

 

 

 

SIGNIFICANT TRENDS & CRITICAL ISSUES

(from the environmental scan)

CRITICAL TRENDS AND ISSUES are those internal and external factors that must be dealt with if the organization is to proceed in a manner consistent with its mission.

 

  1. We are living in a new, ever-changing globally-competitive economy -- powered by technology, fueled by information, and driven by knowledge.
  2. The Area’s employment histories and forecasts show less growth than the State’s.
  3. The Area’s worker earnings and per capita income are not keeping pace with neighboring counties.
  4. More people are moving out of the Area than are moving in; those moving in have less income than those moving out.
  5. While employers find it difficult to recruit proficient employees, some employment-related placement rates from technical/occupational programs are less than optimum.
  6. Some essential workplace skills possessed by the Area’s entry-level workers are weak or weakening.
  7. K-12 Education test scores (MEAP) are not keeping pace with State averages.
  8. Although slightly less than State averages, persistent and significant poverty levels continue to exist in the Area.

 

 

 

It should be noted that while the content of this plan constitutes products of the strategic planning process to date, establishing and strengthening strategic partnerships is viewed as an on-going effort in the Kalamazoo - St. Joseph Michigan Works! Area.

 

 

 

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

STRATEGIC DIRECTION, established by a well-crafted strategic plan, sets the course for the organization’s capacity to thrive in its rationally-anticipated future.

 

In the skills-intensive economy of the 21st Century, one thing is clear: knowing means growing. Indeed, the correlation between education attainment and income is becoming stronger and stronger. It has been difficult in the past and it will be virtually impossible in the future for individuals with low levels of education and underdeveloped workplace skills to vigorously participate in the ever-changing economy.

The improvement of education levels and workplace skills will become an increasingly critical force for propelling the local economy into a growth pattern equal to or better than neighboring economies. Optimized learning at all levels and for all populations holds the promise of moving families out of poverty, improving per capita income, enhancing the local economy, and bettering the over-all quality of life for the region’s residents.

Learning improvement, skills enhancement, and vigorous employment for those participating in the Career Development System’s education and training activities are the prevailing themes in this plan. The Kalamazoo-St. Joseph Career Development System offers the following goals and strategies as products of its community-based strategic planning process: (1/2001)

 

 

 

STRATEGIC GOALS

STRATEGIC GOALS are statements defining the desired, measurable outcomes resulting from the organization's efforts.

 

  1. Enhanced workplace readiness skills.
  2. Improved employment and income circumstances for Workforce Development Program participants.
  3. Strengthened incumbent worker skills.

 

NOTE: Multi-year performance targets for these goals are not yet fully developed.

 

LONG-TERM STRATEGIES

STRATEGIES are significant, multi-year, general efforts toward which the organization (is or) will be dedicating resources in order to achieve its strategic goals.

 

  1. We will promote and implement valid approaches to objectively assess and thoughtfully advance workplace readiness.
  2. We will refine and expand programs and services for children, youth, and adults designed to positively influence the development of productive workplace readiness skills.
  3. We will design and implement intensified job placement services focused on yielding optimum wages and benefits for Michigan Works! clients.
  4. We will support and expand effective employer-driven, customized training activities.
  5. We will seek avenues to augment and intensify workable supportive services for those who struggle to sustain viable employment.

 

 

 

STRATEGIC ASSETS & INITIATIVES

Strategy #1: Assessing workplace readiness

 

ASSETS

Work Keys Testing Center staff - Certified with capability for Work Keys assessment, interpretation and job profiling

Work Keys Testing Center staff - Certified with capability for Work Keys assessment, interpretation and job profiling

 

INITIATIVES

Develop and promote Work Keys Testing Center services including workplace readiness skills assessment for access by secondary education, adult education, post-secondary education, and employers

Develop and promote Work Keys Testing Center services including workplace readiness skills assessment for access by secondary education, adult education, post-secondary education, and employers

 

STRATEGIC ASSETS & INITIATIVES

Strategy #2: Influencing workplace readiness skills

 

ASSETS

Technical/Occupational Programs - An array of certificate and associate degree programs designed to prepare individuals for gainful employment in technical, business, and health occupations

Technical/Occupational Programs- An array of certificate and associate degree programs designed to prepare individuals for gainful employment in technical, business, and health occupations

Dual enrollment Programs - Business and automotive courses offered in cooperation with schools in which both high school and college students are enrolled

MeToo Puppet Presentations - High-interest career awareness activities for 1st graders

Career Day at KVCC - Career/occupational information for all 8th graders

Focus on Freshman Program - An array of learning activities designed to assist 9th graders gain focus for success in high school; topics include: learning styles, goal setting, conflict management, responsibility, interest/aptitude testing, portfolio development, and service learning opportunities

Career Pathways Program - a major effort in career exploration, self-assessment, decision-making, pathway-of-interest selection, and planning for 10th grade students; includes component for aligning secondary general education curriculum with 6 "career pathways" thus increasing connections between the classroom and the world of work

Career/Technical Education Programs - Courses for 11th and 12th grade students offered in school-site settings covering 18 occupational clusters and in work-site settings covering 8 occupational areas; 60% of all 11th and 12th grade students are served

"Pathfinder" Website - Designed to connect students, educators, employers, and parents with career cluster/pathway information and internet links to assist in career decision-making and educational planning

Recently-launched pre-school services - Efforts targeted at all families with children from birth to age 6 to help children get ready for success in school and help parents effectively become their child’s first teacher

Presentations by volunteers from the business community - Activities designed to help students appreciate their role in the family, community and business sectors provided in 39 elementary schools, 10 middle schools and 19 high schools annually

"Interpersonal Effectiveness Assessment" activities - A business-based problem-solving activity involving high school students

 

ASSETS (continued for Strategy #2)

Secondary Career/Technical Education Programs - Courses for 11th and 12th grade students offered in school-site and work-site settings and in cooperation with GOCC

"Career Start" Program - Career Education workbooks and curriculum activities in all K-6 classrooms

"Career Prep" Program - Career Education workbooks and curriculum activities for all 7-12 students

Career Pathways Program - a major effort in career exploration, self-assessment, decision-making, pathway-of-interest selection, and planning for 10th grade students; includes component for aligning secondary general education curriculum with 6 "career pathways" thus increasing connections between the classroom and the world of work

JTPA/WIA Youth Program - Training and preparation to assist youth facing serious barriers to employment for participation in the labor force

 

INITIATIVES

Expand Junior achievement activities to include more students

Fully implement the ‘Partners for Adult Learning’ project to innovatively serve English-as-a-Second Language students and Adult Basic Education students in St. Joseph Co,

Expand Career Pathways efforts

Refine and expand CTE programming

Expand Career Pathways efforts

Assess impact of Career Pathways activities

Refine and expand CTE programming

Implement soon-to-be-funded pre-school services targeted at at-risk children from birth to age 6 to help children get ready for success in school and to help mothers with material needs and effective parenting issues

Refine and expand Technical/Occupational programming

Refine and expand Technical/Occupational programming

STRATEGIC ASSETS & INITIATIVES

Strategy #3: Intensifying job placement services

 

ASSETS

Work First Program - Welfare to Work services to assist welfare recipients in entering the job market and becoming self-sufficient

WIA Youth Program - Job placement services to assist youth facing serious barriers to employment

Work First Program - Welfare to Work services to assist welfare recipients in entering the job market and becoming self-sufficient

Work First Program - Welfare to Work services to assist welfare recipients in entering the job market and becoming self-sufficient

WIA Adult Programs - Assist disadvantaged unemployed/underemployed adults with job seeking and placement efforts

 

INITIATIVES

Implement increased level of assessment and evaluation of each new WIA client

Deliver intensified services for WIA clients who cannot find a job within a reasonable time frame

Expand WIA Youth programming to include more intensified year-round job placement services

Provide enhanced placement services for Work First clients

Provide enhanced placement services for Work First clients

Provide enhanced placement services for Work First clients

 

 

 

 

STRATEGIC ASSETS & INITIATIVES

Strategy #4: Expanding customized training

 

ASSETS

Employer-driven training programs - Job training and skill upgrading for incumbent workers

New $11m. training facility - Houses and makes available the most advanced and cost-effective training methods and technologies for job training

Employer-driven training programs - Job training and skill upgrading for incumbent workers often funded by EDJT grants

Employer-driven training programs - Job training and skill upgrading for incumbent workers funded by EDJT grants

 

INITIATIVES

Expand the delivery of employer-driven training services on-site or at the employer’s site; characterized as best practice, demand-driven and competency-based employee training

Expand employer-driven training through GOCC-initiated county-wide business/industry "CEO Roundtable"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STRATEGIC ASSETS & INITIATIVES

Strategy #5: Augmenting supportive services

 

ASSETS

"First-Year-In-College" Program - Supportive and mentoring services for qualifying incoming students

Work First Program - Child care, transportation and associated supportive services

 

INITIATIVES

With pending grant funds, implement intensive supportive services and mentoring activities for first generation college students in an effort to increase likelihood of success in higher education

Implement recently-funded "Breaking the Barriers Project", an effort designed to provide more individualized, intensive supportive services to Work First clients to help them break through multiple barriers and increase capacity for obtaining and sustaining viable employment

 

 

 

NOTE: Efforts to build and invigorate strategic partnerships for career development will go forward after this document’s date of submission (1/31/01) to the MDCD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assembled by InsightsPlus Consulting of Kalamazoo.