Building blocks for an employer-responsive workforce system.

              GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL FOR WORKFORCE
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Building Blocks for an Employer – Responsive Workforce System
2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2
Introduction 3
Listening to Oklahoma’s Employers 4
Our #1 Priority: What Employers Said 8
Quantifying Employers’ Priorities 9
Building Blocks for an Employer-Responsive
Workforce Development System 10
Block #1: Skills Certifications are Key to Employability 10
Block #2: Clear Message to Employers on Services Menu 12
Block #3: Sector Websites with Social Media Tools 15
Block #4: Two-year Higher Education Sites – Focal Points
For Employer Engagement 18
Block #5: Rapid Re-deployment of “Unemployment Recipients 22
Closing 25
Appendices 28
3
INTRODUCTION
On behalf of the Governor’s Council for
Workforce and Economic Development,
the Oklahoma Department of
Commerce’s Workforce Solutions
Division commissioned a study to
determine the workforce development
services most valued by employers in
Oklahoma, as well as recommendations
from employers on how such services
could best be delivered to them. The
insights and recommendations from
this study will be combined with other
current research projects on customers’
needs and presented to the Council for
review and inclusion in the draft plan of
action to be presented to the Governor.
Thomas P. Miller and Associates was
selected to conduct the employer
research. The research design included
the following components:
 Employer input sessions at multiple
sites across Oklahoma: Enid,
Lawton, McAlester, Muskogee, Tulsa,
and Oklahoma City (2);
 Guided conversations at each site to
asercertain employers’ needs,
current successful practices, and
expectations from government
services releated to recruitment,
retention, and development of their
employees;
 A written exercise in each session to
quantify employers’ desired services
from an array of possible options;
and
 An analysis of the input with a
presentation of options for action by
the Council.
The framework for each session focused
on the “Talent RACE” being faced by
each employer, with RACE an acronym
for:
 Retaining current talent.
 Attracting new employees from
other states or other employers.
 Creating talent in Oklahoma via K-12
and higher education channels.
 Expanding the skills of the
employers current employees.
The report that follows captures the
results of the input sessions and utilizes
that raw material to form the building
blooks for a workforce development
system that is highly responsive to
Oklahoma’s employers. These blocks
can be used to build the new framework
on the solid foundation that has been
laid by prior actions of the Council.
4
LISTENING TO
OKLAHOMA’S EMPLOYERS
Each employer session systematically explored employers’ opinions and perceptions
related the “Talent RACE” pipelines that serve to keep the talent pool filled for meeting
employers’ current and expected needs.
The following are key themes that emerged across the sessions. These themes were
then synthesized to form the building blocks that are presented in the next section.
5
LISTENING TO
OKLAHOMA’S EMPLOYERS
ATTRACT:
What do we need to attract the skills we require for growth?
 Majority of employers use a combination of methods
for recruitment (ex. newspaper, online, word-of-mouth,
college/university career services, social
media, etc.).
 Recruiting out-of-state for specialized positions in
health care, engineering, and finance.
 Resources provided by Chambers of Commerce and
the Department of Commerce’s Boomerang program
have helped attract former Oklahoma residents as
well as new residents.
 Employers are reducing investment in online
recruitment sites (ex. Monster, CareerBuilder) and
print advertising in newspapers; increasingly, free
social media tools are being used to recruit for talent
(ex. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook).
 Many contracting with staffing and temp agencies to
receive qualified candidates.
 Lack of familiarity with JobLink – majority were not
aware of the website and those who posted only
received a few responses from qualified candidates.
 Some employers had worked with a representative
from Workforce Oklahoma – challenge with quality of
candidates received and many noted lack of
motivation/interest in actually getting a job.
6
LISTENING TO
OKLAHOMA’S EMPLOYERS
CREATE:
What do our schools need to do to ensure a flow of talent that matches our
skill requirements?
 Employers maintain good relationships
with Career Techs for training and
identifying talent.
 Employers of all sizes have internship
programs – excellent for developing
future talent.
 Employers are collaborating more with
school districts across the state to inform
students about careers particularly in
STEM-related industries (ex. energy,
engineering).
 Incorporating employer needs into
curriculum is still a challenge – many employers feel K-12 systems are promoting 4-
year college/ university first and not providing as much information/insights on in-demand
high-wage jobs that require a certificate or two-year degree.
 Customer service and general soft skills lacking in many job candidates – need to
promote the importance of developing these skills to students.
 Degrees vs. certificates – some employers valued candidates with diverse skill set
obtained by going through a 4-year degree program; others felt right certificate/
credential more important and provides better employee.
RETAIN/ EXPAND:
What works best for helping us retain and expand the skills of our current
employees?
 Employers emphasize structured evaluation processes to determine organization fit
of employees, checking in on a month-to-month basis initially and then quarterly.
 Incorporate cross-training to expose employees to multiple areas of a business (ex.
different equipment on production line, departments within a company).
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LISTENING TO
OKLAHOMA’S EMPLOYERS
 Using mentoring programs for employees to help with integration into the company
 Provide incentives to retain employees in high-skilled, specialized positions in
health care and information technology.
 Offer good benefits to keep employees around (ex. 401k match, alternative work
schedules, education reimbursements, etc.). Larger employers have defined career
paths/ladders; some but not all small/ medium-sized employers have something
comparable in place.
 Many employers provide tuition reimbursement; however, employee participation
is low for a variety of reasons (ex. time commitment, family obligations, lack of
ambition for additional training).
 Larger employers have well-developed internal training programs – small and
medium-sized employers have more trouble with professional development due to
multiple functions required of staff.
 Online learning has mixed results – some indicated programs are not well utilized
and not well received particularly by older populations who value face-to-face
interaction; other indicated convenience of taking training program without
classroom and more cost-effective way to complete internal training for employees.
 Certification programs available where individuals can receive a portable credential
– interest is not high unless certification/credential required for employment.
 Career techs are a resource for providing additional skills to existing employees.
 Int erest in incentive and training dollars from federal sources (ex. on-the-job
training) but knowledge, on-going assistance from Workforce Oklahoma staff varies
and leaves many employers discouraged from participating in programs viewed as
heavily bureaucratic.
8
OUR #1 PRIORITY:
WHAT EMPLOYERS SAID
Employers were asked to identify their number one priority for government attention
related to their needs. Responses are shown below.
 Single contact for workforce programs
– employers want to understand what
is available and how they can access
resources. A menu of options to
employers paired with business
representatives that understand and
can sell the value and advantages of
programs would be beneficial.
Eliminating multiple points of contact
encourages participation of employers
looking for less bureaucracy and
streamlined services.
 Provide outreach to all types of
employers – small and mid-sized
business owners don’t get same
treatment as the larger employers.
 Transparency and communication of
integrated services – clarify WIA
programs and increase knowledge of
them.
 Training for veterans to translate
skills from military to civilian
community.
 Increase training/education capacity
for health care professionals in
Oklahoma.
 Share company best practices for
workforce development – provide
materials or host presentations
highlighting one company’s example
that can be used as a resources
particularly for small and mid-sized
businesses; an HR Toolkit – sharing
best practice materials through an
online clearinghouse is an option for
consideration.
 Adapt a social networking strategy to
enhance current marketing and
assistance to employers and
jobseekers
 Address problems with abuse of
unemployment insurance by
individuals – if system is cleaned up,
employers will have more respect for
it and view it as a credible resource.
 Recruit and retain talent for Oklahoma
– continue to market employers to
raise profile of state to promote
economic growth.
 Promote successes of the workforce
system to employers and general
public – there is a lack of knowledge
about where programs are working
and impact services are making.
 Emphasize importance of both
technical skills and soft skills to
students.
 Provide skills gaps assessment for
employers in industries and develop
training programs to meet common
needs building upon the aerospace
industry model.
 Change mindset of workforce system
as focused only on low-end jobs –
incorporate services that cater to a
wide range of employers and
jobseekers.
9
QUANTIFYING
EMPLOYERS’ PRIORITIES
Employers were given a scoring sheet for expressing their individual preferences for
spending a hypothetical grant to their companies for the expressed purpose of improving
the talent pool. Top priorities are as follows.
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
EMPLOYER-RESPONSIVEWORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
RATIONALE FROM EMPLOYER SESSIONS
 Specific certifications valued higher than college degree “generalists.”
 Industries must be organized around certificates – they must have currency with
employers, so employer endorsement and validation is essential.
 “Stackable Certificates” must be tied to “stackable wage increases” within companies
or geographies.
 Barriers to turning industry certifications into college credits need to be addressed.
SUPPORT FROM EMPLOYER SURVEY
 Skills certifications highest among the five Building
Block options (Q22).
 Much of the hiring planned for next year will be in
specialized areas requiring certifications – health care,
IT, manufacturing/ logistics specialties (Q5).
 Beyond basic work ethic, biggest barrier for job
seekers is lack of certifiable technical skills (Q9).
 Enhanced measurement of skills required by a job is
high priority for creating more precise matching of
certifiable skills (Q17).
OKLAHOMA’S FOUNDATION
 Council convened and managed partnerships bringing
industry associations and educators together.
 Council led initiative to create Career Readiness
Certificates – now have 40,000 individuals tested and
100+ employers with jobs profiled.
 Council created Career Readiness Certificate standard
for inclusion in Work Ready Communities initiative.
BLOCK #1: SKILL CERTIFICATIONS ARE KEY TO
EMPLOYABILITY
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DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
COUNCIL OPTIONS FOR ACCELERATING PROGRESS
 Focus limited training funds from WIA, TAA, and other federal sources on skill
certifications.
 Create an Eligible Certification Provider list to supplement or replace Eligible
Training Provider list.
 Expand the base of Career Readiness Certificates to more individual assessments and
more employer job profiles; promote the “soft skills” certification that is valued by
employers.
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
Conexus Indiana Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics Skills Map
To ensure that Hoosier students have access to the right advanced manufacturing and logistics
educational pathways, Conexus Indiana assembled a group of 35 human resource and operation
executives to determine the skills required for a successful middle-level logistics employee and for
a skilled advanced manufacturing production worker. Participating companies represented a full
spectrum of products and services from automotive to life sciences. This task force first identified
the highest demand positions, and then determined the knowledge required of successful
employees in those areas. Learners who follow the skills map begin with general industry
information then specialize in either advanced manufacturing or logistics at level three, receiving
a certification upon completing level four and an associate degree when completing level six.
Conexus Indiana is calibrating the identified skills with current high school and post-secondary
courses and working with educational partners to create new or revised programs to meet
industry needs (see Appendix –Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics Skills Map).
Source: http://www.conexusindiana.com/
Skills Certification: Basics of Tire Manufacturing Class
In partnership with Wilson Community College, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, Inc.
developed the four-week, 32-hour Basics of Tire Manufacturing class. In addition to teaching the
basics of tire-making, the program focuses on problem-solving, team-building, math, safety
techniques and basic computer skills. Upon successful completion of the class, individuals are
eligible to apply for a position with Bridgestone. The class provides Bridgestone with a constant
pipeline of qualified talent which is critical given that nearly a quarter of its employees are
expected to retire over the next few years. Leveraging Wilson Community College, Bridgestone
has developed a lasting partnership to build a qualified workforce. The model has been replicated
for pharmaceutical manufacturing positions with Wilson Community College working with Merck
Manufacturing, Leiner Health Products, Sandoz, and Purdue Pharmaceuticals to develop an
“Introduction to Pharmaceutical Manufacturing” class for potential applicants to complete.
Source: http://www.wilsoncc.edu/coned/TireManf.cfm
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
EMPLOYER-RESPONSIVEWORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
RATIONALE FROM EMPLOYER SESSIONS
 Employers have difficulty describing products and
services available under “workforce development
services.”
 Employers have high awareness of higher education
sites in their regions but are unclear about connections
between these sites and the “unemployment offices.”
 Employers have high trust level for their industry
associations and chamber of commerce for advice and
referrals.
 Employers cite lack of full-spectrum information from
business representatives of the workforce system, and
a lack of follow-up from representatives.
 Employers are increasingly using staffing/ temporary
services for initial hiring and probationary periods, as
services are clear and business arrangement simple.
SUPPORT FROM EMPLOYER SURVEY
 Workforce services are needed by employers – “Finding quality applicants to hire” is
rated second only to “General operations efficiency” as highest priority in current
environment (Q4).
 Employers cited “Clear menu of available services” as higher priority than creating
new programs, streamlining administration, or redirecting funds to employer tax
credits (Q10).
 64 percent of employers rate their understanding of the services offered by the
system as “Fair, Poor, or Don’t know” (Q13).
 56 percent of employers report that contact from a representative of the workforce
development system occurs “Never” of “Seldom” (Q15).
BLOCK #2: CLEAR MESSAGE TO EMPLOYERS
ON SERVICES MENU
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
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DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
OKLAHOMA’S FOUNDATION
 Council laid a base of research studies, reports, and issues for the employer
community.
 Council established credibility in translating sector analyses into workforce
pipelines for Healthcare, Aerospace, Manufacturing – these may be seen as “one-off
solutions” but not the system itself.
 Council promoted increased employer awareness via Work Ready Communities
model.
 Council provided navigational assistance to workers and students via
www.okcareerplanner.com – can be base for use with employers in advancement
strategies for their employees.
COUNCIL OPTIONS FOR ACCELERATING PROGRESS
 Require stronger multi-agency structures for local Business Services Teams to
coordinate services to meet employer needs.
 Create a standardized format for Business Services Team outreach and presentation
of solutions.
 Create an employer-based navigational tool for worker development (e.g.
OKEmployeeDevelopment.com).
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
The Business Resource Network
The Business Resource Network (BRN) was developed to help businesses survive and grow by
helping them identify and access a host of critical business services with as little red tape as
possible in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana Counties in Ohio, and Mercer and Lawrence
Counties in Pennsylvania. A collaboration of chambers of commerce, workforce and economic
development organizations, universities and career & technical centers, and state and local
government agencies, the BRN conducts extensive interviews with strategically identified
businesses. After learning a business’s challenges and goals, BRN Partners present that business
with a package of possible incentives, technical assistance, training and other programs designed
specifically to help that business survive and grow. This all happens through a single primary point
of contact – the Account Executive – to assure tight coordination of services and minimal
bureaucracy. There is no charge for the interview and comprehensive proposal and many services
are available at no cost. Once the business leader chooses the programs and services to pursue,
the BRN Account Executive continues to work with the business leader and participating BRN
Partners over time to deliver quality services and identify new ways to assist the business.
Source: http://www.thebrn.net/
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
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DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
Employers First Regional Workforce Consortium
The Employers First Regional Workforce Consortium is a collaboration of the Indiana Region 9
Workforce Board, Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board, Southwest Ohio Region
Workforce Investment Board, Workforce One Investment Board of Southwest Ohio and the
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Employers First began to meet in 2001, focusing on
company expansions, closures, and other issues affecting Greater Cincinnati’s workforce climate.
Regional colleagues built relationships outside traditional meeting settings. Employers host the
group and share information regarding workforce challenges. Consortium members offer details of
the services and assistance available, and also collaborate and share resources to provide the level
of service needed to meet the employer’s demands. After partnering for nearly eight years, the
Consortium applied for and was awarded a Regional Innovation Grant (RIG) to develop a
formalized regional workforce collaborative in the tri-state region.
Source: www.employersfirst.org
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
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DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
RATIONALE FROM EMPLOYER SESSIONS
 Employers, in general, are moving away from usage
of large, general-purpose jobs boards, particularly if
fee-based.
 Employers are increasingly comfortable with usage
of social media (Twitter, LinkedIn) and expect
content and links beyond basic job board.
 Employers expressed positive experiences with
sector-based planning groups involving sharing
information and tools among HR professionals.
 Employers trust industry associations and peer
employers for insights on what works.
 Small and medium-sized employers, in particular,
value help they can obtain in assessing and
screening job applicants.
SUPPORT FROM EMPLOYER SURVEY
 When hiring high-skilled talent, over half of
employers report “Internet job boards” or
“Company’s own web site” as most effective (Q12).
 Employers have a highly positive response to “Providing industry-specific sites for
employers to acquire talent” (Q19).
 Employers place high value on web-based screening, assessment, and navigational tools
(Q18, 19).
 Survey, employer sessions, and quantified data all point to increased usage of Craigslist,
Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites for recruitment.
BLOCK #3: SECTOR WEBSITES WITH SOCIAL
MEDIA TOOLS
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
EMPLOYER-RESPONSIVEWORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
OKLAHOMA’S FOUNDATION
 Oklahoma has a functional Oklahoma JobLink board that can import job applicants
to a sector-based site.
 Council has established high credibility in convening and managing several large
sector partnerships.
 Council led the creation of navigational site for students and workers; technology
can be adapted to navigational assistance for employers.
 Department of Commerce is using social media for economic development which
can be adapted to workforce development initiatives.
COUNCIL OPTIONS FOR ACCELERATING PROGRESS
 Move the entry doors for Oklahoma JobLink to sector-based platforms.
 Expand sector-based employer sites to include industry-specific content, peer
discussions, access to tools, and links to/from industry associations.
 Create employer navigational tools for screening, assessment, advancement.
 Sponsor forums where large employers can share HR practices with small and
medium ones.
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
Kentucky Indiana eXchange
Kix.com or the Kentucky Indiana eXchange is a web portal designed for a 26-county region bi-state
region including Southern Indiana and the Louisville and Elizabethtown metro areas in Kentucky.
It is designed to help link job seekers to employment opportunities, employers to the region's best
talent and prospective students to the training and education they need to fill higher-skilled jobs
and contribute to regional prosperity. The site also looks to connect our region in an
unprecedented way leveraging the latest in social networking tools including Twitter, LinkedIn,
and Facebook.
Source: http://www.kix.com/
Richmond JobNet
The Greater Richmond Partnership’s (GRP) has social media channels for outreach on LinkedIn,
Facebook, Twitter and Flickr and also launched social media channels for its workforce program,
RichmondJobNet. Those job-specific channels include a Facebook Page and a Twitter presence. Of
more than 21,500 tweets the organization has posted, 90% have been job listings.
Source: http://www.richmondjobnet.com/
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
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DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
DFW Regional Workforce Leadership Council
The DFW Regional Workforce Leadership Council (RWLC) was formed in 2002 with a
Memorandum of Understanding between North Central Texas, Dallas and Tarrant Workforce
Boards and the Arlington, Dallas and Fort Worth Chambers of Commerce that guided the work of
developing industry clusters. Led by business, the RWLC has functioned as the convener and
connector for the formation and ongoing development of the regional clusters. The membership
also includes representatives from the targeted industries as well as the important education link.
Staffed by the local workforce boards in collaboration with area Chambers of Commerce, the
clusters are responsible for:
 Making the business case for cluster-based activity.
 Identifying key cluster stakeholders.
 Working with industry to define the cluster’s goal — particularly those that relate to
enhancing and sustaining the workforce.
 Developing programmatic responses to meet those goals.
 Tracking goal progress and measuring the results.
Source: http://dfw-rwlc.com/industry/index.asp
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
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DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
RATIONALE FROM EMPLOYER SESSIONS
 Employers currently look to 2-year institutions (Career Techs, Community Colleges,
branch campuses of 4-year schools) for responsiveness to skill development needs.
 2-year colleges and career tech centers
viewed as cost-effective entry points for
preparation for workforce and for
continuation into 4-year programs.
 Career Tech Centers, in particular, were
cited as valuable partners in creating
customized programming when needed.
 The “green jobs” movement can be used to
attract students to skills development
needed for a wide array of emerging jobs.
SUPPORT FROM EMPLOYER SURVEY
 Employers responded positively to Career Tech Centers/ 2 – year colleges as home
base for employer outreach with Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) retaining
quality assurance and regional planning roles (Q20).
 24 percent of respondents cite “Colleges/ Universities” or “Career Tech Centers” as
most effective for recruiting new employees (Q11).
 17 percent of respondents cite Workforce Oklahoma/ Job Link as most effective for
recruiting new employees (Q11); the response for post-secondary education and the
Workforce Oklahoma system combines for a powerful 41 percent most effective,
edging out the number one response of “Word of mouth – current employees.”
 Multiple responses pointed to Career Tech Centers having a “finger on the pulse of
Oklahoma’s businesses” and to their business responsiveness; some cited need for
standardizing delivery across the state and combining classroom training with
hands-on learning.
BLOCK #4: TWO-YEAR HIGHER EDUCATION SITES –
FOCAL POINTS FOR EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
EMPLOYER-RESPONSIVEWORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
OKLAHOMA’S FOUNDATION
 Workforce Oklahoma sites have been approved for operations on selected Career
Tech and Community College sites, but need to be more fully integrated with
campuses.
 2-year degree and certificate programs have been integrated into sector-based
strategies in Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Aerospace.
 Okcareerplanner.com steers workers and students to 2-year programs and industry
certifications at 2-year colleges and career tech centers.
COUNCIL OPTIONS FOR ACCELERATING PROGRESS
 Designate the 2-year colleges and career tech centers as the Workforce
Development Centers for job seekers opting for further education and training.
 Train “Career Navigators” to assist job seekers who participate in Workforce
Development Center services.
 Create a certificate program for Career Navigators (i.e. practice what we preach).
 Utilize the 2-year colleges and career tech centers as home base for Business
Services Teams for employer outreach – use WIBs to set customer service standards
and oversight.
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
Centers of Excellence – Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Centers are flagship institutions that build and sustain Washington’s competitive advantage
through statewide leadership. Each Center focuses on a targeted industry that drives the state’s
economy and is built upon a reputation for fast, flexible, quality education and training programs.
A targeted industry is identified as one that is strategic to the economic growth of a region or state.
Centers are guided by industry representatives to lead collaborative and coordinated statewide
education and training efforts to build a competitive workforce in a global economy. Centers are
designed to:
 Maintain an institutional reputation for innovation and responsive education and training
delivery to their targeted industry.
 Act as a broker of information and resources related to their targeted industry for industry
representatives, community-based organizations, economic development organizations,
community and technical colleges, secondary education institutions, and four-year colleges
and universities.
 Translate industry research into best practices.
 Provide system coordination, coaching, and mentoring to assist in building seamless
educational and work-related systems.
 Build a competitive workforce for driver industries in Washington State.
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
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NOTABLE PRACTICES:
Centers of Excellence – Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (cont.)
Examples of Centers of Excellence in Washington
 Center of Excellence for Information and Computing Technology (CoE for ICT) at Bellevue
College - partners with the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies
(NWCET) to provide services, research, programs, and events that serve Washington State
community and technical college faculty and students, as well as industry and the K-12
system. The CoE for ICT performs as an information resource and solution-provider for
model information technology education programs, best practices, up-to-date research,
information dissemination, instructor professional development in new and emerging
technologies. It also provides information on industry trends that impact employment,
education, and business growth across Washington State.
 Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy at Centralia College - provides
leadership for a growing alliance of energy industry and college partners. Together,
industry and educational partnerships provide comprehensive degree and certificate
programs, on-line courses, and regional classroom training opportunities that focus on the
future of the energy industry.
 Center of Excellence for Aerospace & Advanced Materials Manufacturing at Edmonds and
Everett Community Colleges - mission is to increase the competitiveness of manufacturers
using composites and other advanced materials through workforce training and education.
 Center for Excellence in Homeland Security at Pierce College - facilitates and coordinates
Homeland Security initiatives with a coalition of 34 community and technical colleges,
public agencies, and private sector organizations. The Center provides and brokers
dynamic education and training to prepare a skilled workforce to maintain our national
security.
 Construction Center of Excellence at Renton Technical College - a resource for industry
professionals, colleges, and others interested in preparing a diverse workforce for the
construction industry. The Construction Center of Excellence showcases innovative
educational offerings, at RTC and elsewhere, and promotes awareness of career pathways
within construction.
 Agricultural Center of Excellence at Walla Walla Community College - provides
collaborative leadership in addressing the emerging workforce and economic
development interests of rural, urban, and related agriculture in Washington State. The
Center is a hub for accessing fast, flexible services and education to meet employer needs.
 Allied Health Center of Excellence at Yakima Valley College - dedicated to addressing
Washington State’s healthcare workforce needs of today and tomorrow. Through
collaboration and cooperation with industry partners, the center provides innovative
programs to prepare qualified and competent health care professionals and leaders for the
future.
Source: http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/college/_e-wkforcecentersofexcellence.aspx
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DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
Maricopa Community Colleges’ Center for Workforce Development
The Center is the recognized leader in Greater Phoenix for the regional workforce development
initiatives that fulfill the job training needs of diverse employer communities throughout Maricopa
County. The Center plays a vital role in enhancing the region’s competitive strength by connecting the
programs, resources, and services of the ten Community Colleges and two skill centers with the
region’s employers. The Center for Workforce Development is an active partner with the Greater
Phoenix employer community. These industry partnerships include a diverse list of businesses,
industries and organizations including: Manufacturing; Aerospace; Health Sciences; Biosciences;
Education; Public Safety; and Construction.
The Center is an active partner in the region’s public workforce system with membership on both the
City of Phoenix and Maricopa County Workforce Investment Boards and the Governor’s Council on
Workforce Policy. The Center provides individual and workshop-based support services at the four
local, comprehensive One- Stop Career Centers located in the Greater Phoenix Area.The Center serves
as Maricopa Community Colleges’ liaison to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging Workforce
Committee, the Arizona Workforce Connection, and community organizations dedicated to the
Mature Worker.
Source: http://www.maricopa.edu/bwd/#
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DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
RATIONALE FROM EMPLOYER SESSIONS
 Employers often view referrals from Workforce Oklahoma offices as unemployment
compensation recipients who are unmotivated to work until compensation runs out.
 While staffing services/ temp agencies would seem to be logical places for laid-off
workers to find employment, receipt of unemployment compensation can be a
“screening out” factor for referrals of workers to employers by the agencies.
 For unemployment recipients to be viewed as good candidates for jobs, they need to
demonstrate that they have been aggressively engaged in
self-development and volunteer activities since layoff.
SUPPORT FROM EMPLOYER SURVEY
 Employers responded positively to the idea of optional
“advanced training services” motivated (Q21).
 “Lack of work ethic” is cited by respondents as the
biggest barrier for those who can’t find jobs (Q9); proof
of work ethic can be a major boost for applicants,
especially for those who may already be stigmatized by
receipt of unemployment compensation.
 Of the “Building Block” options, “Rapid Re-Deployment
of Unemployment Compensation Recipients” is rated
lowest, indicating that it is not a stand-alone goal for
employers but must be tied to higher goals of skill
certification and sector-based work readiness (Q22).
 Multiple comments are aimed at changing the
unemployment compensation system to require
recipients to engage in education and work activities, or
as one respondent stated “to reward the good job
seeker and not the shirkers” (Q21).
BLOCK #5: RAPID RE-DEPLOYMENT OF
“UNEMPLOYMENT” RECIPIENTS
23
BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
EMPLOYER-RESPONSIVEWORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
OKLAHOMA’S FOUNDATION
 WorkKeys assessments are available for laid-off workers to have skill levels
assessed against employer standards.
 Okcareerplanner.com is available for customized career paths for laid-off workers.
 Council studies have been commissioned and results publicized on the skills
demanded for emerging jobs.
COUNCIL OPTIONS FOR ACCELERATING PROGRESS
 Provide incentives for staffing services to provide developmental assistance and
subsequent referral to jobs for unemployment compensation recipients.
 Provide employers with a training voucher and/or on-the-job training award for
hiring unemployment compensation recipients.
 Promote rapid re-deployment of unemployment compensation recipients to
employers as a means of holding down employer contributor rates to the system.
 Use the Workforce Development Centers at the 2-year colleges and career tech
centers as “proof points” for motivated laid-off workers to opt-in to self-development
activities.
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
North Carolina JobsNOW
JobsNOW is an initiative requested by the Gov. Beverly Perdue, developed by North Carolina
Community Colleges and funded by federal stimulus dollars through the Division of Workforce
Development in the N.C. Department of Commerce. The program is designed to quickly train workers
to re-enter the job market in fields that are in demand locally and across the state.
The JobsNOW initiative uses a “12-in-6” approach, initially targeting 12 occupational areas a worker
can be trained in from one week to 6 months. In addition to receiving the job skills necessary to enter
a new career, those completing the program will receive the Career Readiness Certification (CRC).
The CRC is a national program that helps job applicants show proof of their basic skills to employers.
The certificate is a portable credential, allowing job searchers to use it anywhere in the United States
to demonstrate their competence in key foundational skills.
Source: http://www.lenoircc.edu/Continuing_Education/jobsNOW.htm
24
BUILDING BLOCKS FOR AN
EMPLOYER-RESPONSIVEWORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
NOTABLE PRACTICES:
Ohio Means Jobs: Project HIRE Initiative
The goal of Project Hometown Investment in Regional Economies (HIRE) is to facilitate connections
between jobseekers and employers by holding events around the state that bring companies in
targeted regional industries and job seekers with incentives for hiring and training together. Project
HIRE is a collaboration between the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), the Ohio
Department of Development (ODOD), the Ohio Board of Regents (OBOR), and the local Workforce
Investment Areas.
By packaging job seekers’ existing skills with a tax credit and additional training, these individuals
will become more attractive to prospective employers, beyond what the job seekers could have
accomplished on his or her own. The job training will be funded through the use of Ohio Learning
Accounts (OLA), which will provide dislocated workers short-term training resulting in an industry-recognized,
portable credential to expand employment opportunities. The Work Opportunity Tax
Credit (WOTC) is a federal credit administered by the state that employers can take for hiring
workers from the following disadvantaged groups: unemployed veterans, disconnected youth in
need of skills, member of a family receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), long
term family or food assistance recipient, person living in a federally designated empowerment zone,
summer youth program employee, vocational rehabilitation referral, ex-felon, and supplemental
security income (SSI) recipient.
Source: http://jfs.ohio.gov/owd/WorkforceProf/Project_Hire_OLA.stm
25
CLOSING
Oklahoma’s employers are in agreement
on the key foundational attributes they
are looking for in a pipeline of workers to
meet their current and future needs:
 Basic literacy – particularly command
of language that employees to interact
with customers in a professional
manner;
 Work ethic – a desire for ongoing self-development
and learning; and
 Teamwork – a sense of community at
the employer’s site that leads to pride
in group accomplishment beyond just
individual achievement.
Employers utilize screening devices to
filter candidates who do not possess the
foundation attributes. For candidates who
pass these filters, proof of specific,
technical skills becomes the primary
criteria for hiring. Industry-specific skills
certifications are more highly valued by
employers than generalist, or unfocused,
college degrees. In many cases, 4-year
degree holders must still go to technical
programs at 2-year colleges, career tech
centers or private training providers to
acquire the specific skills to make them
attractive candidates.
The emphasis on industry-recognized
skills certifications by employers leads
them to a natural attraction by the
entities that provide such focused, short-term,
and occupationally-specific training
packages – largely provided by the 2-year
colleges and career tech centers in the
public sector and by private/proprietary
schools that specialize in certain key skill
sets endorsed by employers and their
industry associations. Because of the
attachment and trust level that employers
have with the 2-year colleges and career
tech centers, it makes sense to leverage
that relationship in any expansion of
employer outreach efforts, and certainly
to do so in a coordinated manner with
business retention and expansion efforts
of Chambers of Commerce and the
regional workforce planning and policy
efforts of the Workforce Investment
Boards.
One result that employers desire is role
clarity among the public partners and a
simple and clear menu of services from
the workforce development system. A
consistent message from the system that
“we provide the certified skills you
endorse” is a good candidate for such an
approach.
Oklahoma is not alone in its work on
industry sectors, skills certifications, and
the “stackability” of credentials, both for
advancement with employers and
advancement in higher education.
Oklahoma is, however, more advanced
than many other states in creating
foundations of career readiness
certificates, standards for work-ready
communities, and industry sector forums
for broad talent development strategy
development.
Oklahoma is well-positioned to be a
flagship state in the advancement of a
national platform for certification
championed by organizations such as ACT
and the Joyce Foundation:
26
CLOSING
ACT, BREAKING NEW GROUND: BUILDING A NATIONAL WORKFORCE SKILL CREDENTIALING
SYSTEM, 2011
“ Imagine a national workforce credentialing system in which:
 The skills and abilities of every worker could be validated so that their capabilities could be
matched with the most appropriate job.
 Employers, everywhere, would have confidence in an evidence-based hiring process; new hires
would be qualified and ready to work from the very beginning, having their skills and
qualifications validated.
 Those aspiring to various careers would know and understand the necessary competencies
expected for those jobs and would know which set of credentials and education and training to
pursue.
 Those public and private workforce readiness organizations and social service agencies, whose
mission is to prepare unemployed citizens for the workforce, would be able to use a common
credentialing system as a key developmental tool to certify their clients as ready for entering
the workforce.
 The education pipeline (K–12, two-year, and four-year institutions) provided articulated and
experiential-based learning opportunities aligned with the skills necessary to be work ready.
 A national system of career pathways and collaboratives would revitalize regional economic
development efforts and offer individuals a clear line of sight toward job mobility and an
understanding of the credentials needed at each level of their pathway.
And imagine a national workforce credentialing system where we thoughtfully and purposefully set
up a unifying framework with the conditions, resources, and federal and state policies to get there.
Our challenge is to move beyond anecdotal successes to systemic, transformational change.”
JOYCE FOUNDATION, SHIFTING GEARS: STATE INNOVATION TO ADVANCE WORKERS AND
THE ECONOMY IN THE MIDWEST, JULY 2010
“The Joyce Foundation’s Shifting Gears initiative promotes regional economic growth and
opportunity by improving the skills of the workforce in five Midwestern states: Illinois, Michigan,
Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. (A sixth state, Indiana, participated in the initial phase of Shifting
Gears but is not currently involved.) Launched in 2007 and supported by a combined investment of
nearly $16 million in Joyce Foundation and matching state funds, Shifting Gears is helping states to
scale up and sustain innovation in adult education, workforce development and postsecondary
education. By focusing on state policy change, Shifting Gears is designed to spark lasting reform that
enables more adults—particularly those who enter the workforce with lower basic skills or limited
English proficiency—to earn postsecondary credentials that lead to good jobs.”
“Through Shifting Gears, Midwestern states are helping to map the way to state and federal policy
reform that helps more lower-skilled adults earn the postsecondary credentials that employers
value. The states are creating new paths to marketable credentials and connecting basic skills
services more closely to what adults need for college and career success. Despite bleak nationwide
economic and state fiscal environments where demand by adults for education far outstrips
resources and supply, the Shifting Gears states have made significant progress toward their goals.”
27
CLOSING
As the Council develops its action plan for
the upcoming 3-5 years, it must do so
with the recognition that this is likely to
be one of the most volatile periods we
have seen in our lifetimes – both in terms
of economic and social shock waves, and
in terms of constraints on public funding
of workforce and education programs.
The squeeze that we find ourselves in
between increasing issues and decreasing
funding argues that we must be leaner,
more organized, more flexible, and use
more sophisticated technology as our
platform for moving forward.
With many of the blocks in place and now
in development, it will also be important
to invest in the mortar (or connective
tissue) that holds the blocks together.
Common strategic goals, sharing of
information and prioritization of
investments for greatest impact become
key ingredients for us to deal with the
volatility.
In the short term, we are currently seeing
a last wave of “stimulus funding” that is
bringing capacity-building resources for
community colleges to create stackable
certificates, for workforce boards to
define career pathways, and for a broad
range of partners to make “green jobs” a
real destination for job seekers in the new
economy. Oklahoma should seize these
opportunities to build a sustainable
planning and action platform for the hard
times that will follow.
“Building Blocks for an Employer-Responsive
Workforce System” prepared by:
1630 N. Meridian St., Suite 430
Indianapolis, IN 46202
www.tpma-inc.com
28
APPENDIX
Listening to Oklahoma’s Employers:
Meeting Your Service Expectations
Purpose of Today’s Session
• Listen to your specific needs for recruiting, retaining,
and advancing talent in your workplaces
• Move beyond what you need to why it is important
and how services can best be delivered
• Combine your responses with those of employers in
5 other groups around the state
• Identify leverage points in our current collection of
workforce, education, and training services
• Recommend system design changes to meet your
needs
Oklahoma’s Mission: Grow New Jobs
Growing a knowledge‐based economy requires a
knowledge‐based workforce.
Our economic development partners develop new jobs
through application of the “ACRE” principles:
• Attract them from other places
• Create them through innovation & entrepreneurship
• Retain existing job base
• Expand the number of jobs with existing employers
Oklahoma’s Full Spectrum of Talent
Our definition of “full spectrum” of talent in the
Oklahoma workforce development system includes:
• 2‐year & 4‐year colleges
• Career & technical education
• Oklahoma Workforce Centers & service partners
• K‐12 system & partners in youth development
• Special programs for target populations: veterans,
disabled, aging, ex‐offenders & others
• State training incentives for new & existing workers
EMPLOYER
TALENT
POOL
RETAIN your current talent
EXPAND the skills of your
current workers
ATTRACT talent from other
states & other employers
CREATE talent via K‐12 &
higher education pipelines
Exercise #1: What services do you need to
maximize talent in each pipeline?
For each pipeline we will discuss:
• What are your primary needs?
• How are you meeting these needs currently?
• What specific services do you desire? Which ones
would seem appropriate with public funds?
• How would you like to have the services delivered
to you?
Retain Current
Employees
• What are your greatest NEEDS related to retaining
talent?
• How are you addressing these needs NOW?
• What TYPE OF ASSISTANCE would be most
valuable in maximizing talent retention?
• What would be the best way for you to ACCESS
these services?
• What do you desire from PUBLIC AGENCIES?
Attract New Employees
• What are your greatest NEEDS related to
attracting talent?
• How are you addressing these needs NOW?
• What TYPE OF ASSISTANCE would be most
valuable in maximizing talent attraction?
• What would be the best way for you to ACCESS
these services?
• What do you desire from PUBLIC AGENCIES?
Create New Employees
via Education System
• What are your greatest NEEDS related to creating
talent?
• How are you addressing these needs NOW?
• What TYPE OF ASSISTANCE would be most
valuable in maximizing talent creation?
• What would be the best way for you to ACCESS
these services?
�� What do you desire from PUBLIC AGENCIES?
Expand the Skills of My
Existing Employees
• What are your greatest NEEDS related to
expanding talent?
• How are you addressing these needs NOW?
• What TYPE OF ASSISTANCE would be most
valuable in maximizing talent expansion?
• What would be the best way for you to ACCESS
these services?
• What do you desire from PUBLIC AGENCIES?
• Allocate your $1 million on the worksheet
provided
• Group discussion on highest rated services
o Why would you spend the most money on
these?
o How would you like these services
delivered?
Exercise #2: Spending $1 million in 10 minutes
If the State of Oklahoma could focus
multi‐department attention on one
service that would help you the most,
what would it be?
Closing Discussion
Thanks for sharing your
time and insights!
THANK YOU!
Enid, Oklahoma
Name/Title Company Industry
Autry Technology Center Training 100
Continental Resources, Inc. Oil & Gas 500
AdvancePierre Foods Food Manufacturing 2,000
Hospice Circle of Love Health Care 30
KJ Productions Film 7
Envirotech Engineering 30
Aerosock, Inc Manufacturing 7
Cherokee Strip Regional
Heritage Center Tourism 7
Security National Bank Banking 54
OG&E Utilities 3,200+ (statewide)
Enid Regional Development
Alliance Economic Development 2.5
Lawton, Oklahoma
Name/Title Company Industry
Fort Sill CPAC US Army 3,000
Wyle‐CAS Inc. Military support 30
Bennett Office Equipment Document management 30
Firman Agency Insurance Insurance 3
Comanche County Memorial
Hospital Healthcare 1,800
Platt College Education 25
Burger King Fast Food 210
Assurant Warrenty/C.S. 268
PSO Eletric utility 75
Lee Sanger Insurance Insurance 5
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Company Industry # of Employees
Cherokee Nation Multiple industries 10,300
RD MedTech Healthcare 7
Mazzio’s Pizza Food Services/Restaurant 45
Interstate Properties Real Estate 4
State Farm Insurance 4
Bacone College Higher Education 255
Indian Capital Technology
Center Education/Training 200
Oklahoma Manufacturing
Alliance Manufacturing/Non‐profit 30
Advantage Controls Manufacturing 100
Capella Health Healthcare 800
Muskogee Public Schools Education (K‐12) 853
Northeastern State University –
Muskogee Campus Higher Education 25
ONEOK Energy 32 (locally)
OK Gas & Electric Energy 270 (locally)
City of Muskogee Government 465
Muskogee Chamber of
Commerce Business advocacy/non‐profit 6
OSU Institute of Technology Education/Training 250‐500
Oklahoma City
Company Industry # of Employees
Call Okie Call Center 62
Bank of Oklahoma Financial Finance 1,000
AgriLawn Lawn Service 40
St. Anthony Hospital Healthcare 2,500
Chesapeake Energy Oil and Gas 10,000
Express Personal Services Staffing 300 local
Companion Health Services Healthcare 500
Rose State College
Education/Workforce
Development 1,000
Catalyst Behavioral Services Behavioral Health 100
Dobson Technologies Telecommunications 125
Coppermar Bank Banking/Finance 250
American Fidelity Assurance Insurance 1,000
OGE Energy 3,450
SandRidge Energy, Inc. Energy 2,000
Ben E. Keith Food Distribution 350
The Hartford Insurance 700
i2E Non‐profit <20
Oklahoma Bankers Association Industry Association <20
Greater Oklahoma City
Chamber Employer Association 50‐75
Tulsa
Company Industry # of Employees
American Airlines Aerospace/Transportation 6,700 (Tulsa)
Parkside Hospital Healthcare 220
Bank of Oklahoma Financial Financial Services 4,500 (Tulsa, other states)
IC Bus of OK, LLC Manufacturing 1,400
John Zink LLC Engineering/Manufacturing 600 (Tulsa)
Borets‐Weatherford Oilfield Services 40 (Tulsa)
Part‐time Pros/Tulsa Med‐Pros Professional/Healthcare 90 (Tulsa)
Williams Energy 5,000+ (Tulsa, other states)
Tulsa Chamber
Economic Development –
Workforce/Nonprofit 50+
ONEOK Energy/Natural Gas 5,000 (statewide)
SERVA group
Oil and Natural Gas
Manufacturing 50+
TDW Engineering/Energy Services 550 (Tulsa)
Jump Technology Services Information Technology 12 (Tulsa and OKC)
The $1 Million Question:
Allocate $1 million among options according to your current needs and priorities
SERVICE ALLOCATION
Web site development for our company’s screening and hiring
Create employer‐friendly process for accessing available talent
Job profiling of my current jobs to define skills precisely
Assessment tools for new hires to ensure they are “work ready”
Develop an industry‐specific “work ready” certification for new hires
Labor market information customized to my hiring needs
General marketing of my company to raise image and awareness
Job announcements in newspapers and trade journals
Hiring temps from staffing service for entry‐level openings
Assistance from staffing service for hiring management/supervisors
Purchase of off‐the‐shelf courses to fill skill gaps of new hires
Other:
Increased HR staffing at my company
Assessment tools for current employee development
Purchase of industry‐specific training leading to industry certifications
Purchase of courses available at current 2‐ or 4‐year schools
Customized on‐line training for my employees
Supervisory and management training
Literacy and English‐as‐a‐Second‐Language training
Career pathways planning for my current employees
Tuition re‐imbursement funds (or advances) for my current employees
Conferences/ seminars
Hire in‐house trainer for delivery of company‐specific training
Other:
TOTAL $1,000,000
Investment Amount Frequency
Average
Investment
General marketing of my company to raise image and awareness $6,966,000 38 $183,316
Tuition re‐imbursement funds (or advances) for my current
employees $5,620,000 35 $160,571
Supervisory and management training $5,235,000 47 $111,383
Assessment tools for new hires to ensure they are “work ready” $4,655,000 38 $122,500
Assessment tools for current employee development $3,320,000 38 $87,368
Job profiling of my current jobs to define skills precisely $3,295,000 27 $122,037
Develop an industry‐specific “work ready” certification for new hires $3,115,000 19 $163,947
Create employer‐friendly process for accessing available talent $3,050,000 22 $138,636
Purchase of industry‐specific training leading to industry
certifications $2,910,000 25 $116,400
Purchase of courses available at current 2‐ or 4‐year schools $2,845,000 21 $135,476
Conferences/ seminars $2,820,000 30 $94,000
Customized on‐line training for my employees $2,755,000 29 $95,000
Web site development for our company’s screening and hiring $2,660,000 21 $126,667
Hire in‐house trainer for delivery of company‐specific training $2,600,000 29 $89,655
Increased HR staffing at my company $2,470,000 18 $137,222
Career pathways planning for my current employees $2,425,000 23 $105,435
Purchase of off‐the‐shelf courses to fill skill gaps of new hires $1,840,000 15 $122,667
Labor market information customized to my hiring needs $1,605,000 15 $107,000
Job announcements in newspapers and trade journals $1,361,000 17 $80,059
Literacy and English‐as‐a‐Second‐Language training $1,100,000 11 $100,000
Assistance from staffing service for hiring management/supervisors $740,000 8 $92,500
Hiring temps from staffing service for entry‐level openings $590,000 7 $84,286
Survey Summary - Employer
Input on Oklahoma’s
Workforce System Design
1. What industry are you respresenting?
Other Comments
 Non-profit organizations (9 responses)
2. How many employees work for your company in Oklahoma?
3.1%
13.7%
9.3%
1.2% 1.2%
23.0%
6.2%
13.0%
8.7%
0.6%
26.1%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
13.8%
20.8%
28.3%
37.1%
1-10
11-50
3. What is your company’s primary location in Oklahoma?
4. What is the highest priority for your company this year?
Other Comments
 Effective succession planning; and capturing knowledge of older workers moving
towards retirement
 Competing successfully for federal grant funding to enable our research to continue
at its present level, or more optimistically expand in scope
54.5%
20.7%
8.3%
2.8%
11.7%
7.6%
2.8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Oklahoma
City
Tulsa Southeast
Oklahoma
Northwest
Oklahoma
Southwest
Oklahoma
Northeast
Oklahoma
Eastern
Oklahoma
46.3%
7.5%
5.0%
22.5%
5.0%
25.6%
11.3%
9.4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
General
operations
efficiency
Managing
financial &
legal issues
Acquiring
capital
Finding
new
markets
for our
products &
services
Developing
new
products
Finding
quality
candidates
to hire
Upgrading
the skills
of existing
employees
Other
5. Do you plan to hire over the next three years?
If hiring, please explain the top occupations/positions you will need, and
approximate number of hires in each:
 Qualified Welders (40-70), Assembly technicians (30), Sheet metal Operators (5),
Machinist (5)
 Truck Drivers, Rig hands, Roustabouts
 We will be hiring manufacturing productions staff, probably about 30 people
 Machining, quality control, machine tool technology,
 Production Technicians, Maintenance technicians and Engineers
 Nurses, clinical health facility surveyors, administrative support
 Marketing/Communications - 5; Accounting - 10; Sales – 5
 RN, CNA, PT, PTA, OT, OTA, Information Systems personnel, MRI Tech
 A&P Mechanics, Engineers, Machinists, Composite/Bonding
 Licensed mental health clinicians and bachelor level in the field of mental health.
Probably 10 minimum between now and 12/12
 Entry level production and test technicians. The count is unknown at this point.
 Research Technicians are needed. These are typically BS level bioscientists that
conduct experiments in our labs. We typically hire about 50 per year. IT
professionals are needed. This is a combination of individuals with at least a BS
degree and relevant experience in bioinformatics or general business applications.
We will hire approximately 5.
 Right now we are hiring both replacements and expanding our business. We have a
few service positions open (4), many manufacturing (30), and a good number of
professional engineering (12).
42.4%
38.0%
13.3%
11.4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Yes – mostly
replacement jobs
Yes – expanding
our workforce
Do not anticipate
hiring
Unsure – may if the
economy improves
6. How do you rate the State of Oklahoma’s effectiveness in providing assistance to
employers for meeting their talent/workforce development needs?
What is the best service the state provides?
 JobFit (8)
 Workforce Oklahoma (7)
 CareerTech (5)
7. How do you rate the quality of the workforce available for your company to hire in
Oklahoma?
What positions are the most difficult for you to fill?
 Engineering-related occupations (9)
 Health-care positions that require specific licensure (i.e. Registered Nurses, Physical
Therapists, Speech & Language Pathologists, etc.) (7)
 Welders (5)
5.0%
37.7%
30.8%
12.6%
13.8%
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don’t know
6.3%
46.8%
36.1%
10.1%
1.3%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don’t know
8. How do you rate the quality of education and training provided in Oklahoma?
What educational entity helps you the most?
 Career Techs (24)
 4-year universities (16)
9. What do you view as the biggest barrier for those who can’t find jobs?
10.1%
49.1%
35.2%
4.4%
1.3%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don’t know
19.6%
34.8%
42.4%
13.3%
17.7%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Lack of jobs
available for
workers who
have skills
Lack of
technical skills
for workers
seeking jobs
Lack of work
ethic of job
seekers
Lack of basic
skills – such as
reading and
math
Other
10. What do you rate as the highest priority for action by the State of Oklahoma in
meeting employers’ workforce needs?
Other Comments
 More "just-in-time" training and education programs are needed for workforce re-training
 Identify broad scale employer needs and develop training programs and funding for
CareerTech to meet those needs
 Have dedicated recruiters that are paid for by the state. Placement fee, depending
on job, should go back into the state programs for employees.
 Educate, train, and employ staff at the state agencies to better serve their customers.
Many lack the knowledge of the various programs available to best assist employers.
 Market Oklahoma as an opportunity to live and find a job.
44.2%
20.5%
23.7%
16.0%
9.6%
17.3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Present
employers a
clear menu of
services that
are available
Streamline the
administration
of state
services for
employers
Create new
programs that
address
specific skill
shortages
Reduce the
number of
programs and
put more
funding into a
few high
priority ones
Redirect funds
to tax credits
for employers
to purchase
assistance
Other
11. When hiring entry level workers, what method is the most effective in recruiting
new employees?
Other
 Temp/Staffing Agencies (8 responses)
12. When hiring high-skilled, high-salary positions, what method is most effective in
recruiting new employees?
Other
 Recruiting/Staffing Agencies (16 responses)
40.1%
15.9%
24.2% 24.2%
18.5% 17.8%
12.7% 12.1% 11.5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
21.0%
33.1%
14.0%
33.8%
16.6%
8.9%
13.4%
18.5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
13. How do you rate your understanding of the services offered by Workforce
Oklahoma One Stop Career Centers and Job Link (the state’s free job board)?
Other
 Job Link (9 responses)
 Job Fit (5 responses)
14. Which of the following best describes your experience with Workforce Oklahoma
One Stop Career Centers and Job Link?
8.2%
29.6%
32.1%
18.9%
13.2%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don’t know
19.6%
33.5%
19.0%
28.5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Familiar, but have
not tried it
Have utilized it
successfully
Have utilized it, but
unsuccessfully
Not familiar with it
15. How often are you contacted by a representative of the workforce development
system broadly defined as Workforce Oklahoma Centers, Career Tech Centers,
Colleges and Universities, Department of Human Services, Department of Vocational
Rehabilitation services, etc.?
16. How would you rate the level of urgency by Oklahoma’s employers for solving
skill deficiencies of workers and job applicants?
17.7%
22.2%
27.2%
28.5%
4.4%
Frequently
Occasionally
Seldom
Never
Don’t know
24.1%
32.3%
10.1%
37.3%
2.5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Critical for a
large number of
occupational
skills
Important for
selected
occupational
skills we need
We have access
to most skills
we need
We can train
people
ourselves – the
urgency is with
basic skills and
work ethic
Other
17. Findings from recent employer input sessions indicate that skills certifications
are key to employability. If the state could focus on one strategy to address this, what
should it be?
18. Findings from recent employer input sessions indicate that employers often lack
a clear menu of workforce development services available from the state. If the state
could focus on one strategy to address this, what should it be?
24.8%
12.7%
15.3%
21.0%
41.4%
8.3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Focus limited
training
funding on
obtaining skills
Provide
assistance to
employers in
assessing skill
requirements
precisesly
Provide more
precise skill
profiles of job
applicants
Provide
assessment of
job applicants'
"work ethic"
Enhance the
ability to
measure skills
required by a
job and better
match those
with the skills
of the available
workforce
Other
31.2%
25.5%
38.2%
15.3%
6.4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Require
integration of
state business
services into a
single menu of
services for
employers to
choose from
Create a
standardized
format for
integrated
agency
outreach to
employers and
presentation of
solutions back
to them
Create an
employer-based
on-line
navigational
tool for worker
assessment and
development
Present forums
for employers
to find
information
and hear other
employers’
success stories
Other
19. Findings from recent employer input sessions indicate that employers are
increasingly using social media tools and industry sector-based resources to recruit
talent. If the state could focus on one strategy to help employers with these tools,
what would it be?
43.9%
38.9%
17.2%
12.1%
4.5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Provide Industry-specific
sites for
employers to
acquire talent
Create employer
self-service tools
for screening,
assessment and
current
employee
development
Provide online
networking
where employers
can share
successful HR
practices
Sponsor forums
where large
employers can
share HR
practices with
small and
medium-sized
employers
Other
20. Findings from recent employer input sessions indicate that Career Tech Centers
and 2-year higher education institutions are focal points for employer engagement.
If the state could focus on one strategy to strengthen these connections, what should
it be?
32.0% 30.1%
43.1%
7.8%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Designate the Career
Tech Centers and 2-
year college sites as
the Workforce
Development Centers
for job seekers opting
for further education
and training
Better train employees
who provide
employment guidance
and counseling so that
they better
understand
employers’ needs and
can better assist job
seekers in applying for
positions
Utilize the Career Tech
Centers and 2-year
college sites as home
base for employer
outreach, and utilize
local Workforce
Boards (who are
business led) to set
customer service
standards, and engage
employers in setting
priorities for training
Other (please specify)
21. Findings from recent employer input sessions indicate that there is a need for
rapid redeployment of those individuals who are unemployment insurance
recipients. If the state could focus on one strategy to address this, what should it be?
22. As you review the system “Building Blocks” detailed above, which do you view as
the highest priority?
24.3%
31.6%
45.4%
7.9%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Provide employers
with a training
voucher and/or on-the-
job training
awards for hiring
unemployment
compensation
recipients
Promote rapid re-deployment
of
unemployment
compensation
recipients to
employers as a
means of holding
down employer
contributor rates to
the system
Provide optional
“advanced training
services” for
motivated
unemployment
compensation
recipients to prove
their commitment
to meeting
employers’ needs
Other (please
specify)
32.3%
22.6% 22.6%
18.7% 18.1%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Skills
Certifications
are Key to
Employability
Clear Message
to Employers on
Services Menu
Industry Sector
Websites that
Include Self-
Service Tools
and Social
Media Options
Establish Focal
Points for
Employer
Outreach and
Employer
Services
Rapid Re-
Deployment of
Unemployment
Compensation
Recipients via
Accelerated
Assistance
Trends in Oklahoma Online
Job Sites
27
From 2008-2010 at the state level, the sites that showed the largest gain in share of job posting volume
(among top sites) were Job Circle, Beyond.com and Career Mag; the largest decline in share was for Tulsa
World and JobCentral
Source: Wanted Technologies Data, 2008-2010
List based on top 15 job sites based on 2010 results
Oklahoma Online Job Sites │ State of Oklahoma
Job Sites, Oklahoma 2008 % of Sites 2009 % of Sites
Change
2008-09 2010 % of Sites
Change
2009-10
Craigslist 86,580 29.3% 84,691 31.0% -2.2% 107,069 31.0% 26.4%
Beyond.com 1,156 0.4% 16,030 5.9% 1286.7% 36,287 10.5% 126.4%
Career Mag 2,289 0.8% 16,855 6.2% 636.3% 35,491 10.3% 110.6%
JobsOK 21,109 7.2% 20,794 7.6% -1.5% 27,893 8.1% 34.1%
Tulsa World 38,615 13.1% 23,792 8.7% -38.4% 22,879 6.6% -3.8%
Monster 36,599 12.4% 19,626 7.2% -46.4% 21,397 6.2% 9.0%
JOBcentral 40,248 13.6% 19,145 7.0% -52.4% 20,784 6.0% 8.6%
CareerBuilder 21,062 7.1% 16,519 6.1% -21.6% 17,030 4.9% 3.1%
Absolutely Health Care 4,916 1.7% 11,273 4.1% 129.3% 11,207 3.2% -0.6%
JobCircle 2 0.0% 1,426 0.5% NA 10,717 3.1% 651.5%
Retirement Jobs 8,590 2.9% 7,467 2.7% -13.1% 9,787 2.8% 31.1%
Yahoo! HotJobs 11,561 3.9% 13,896 5.1% 20.2% 8,037 2.3% -42.2%
Preferred Jobs 11,142 3.8% 7,422 2.7% -33.4% 7,149 2.1% -3.7%
Job.com 2,940 1.0% 4,900 1.8% 66.7% 4,967 1.4% 1.4%
Data Frenzy 8,421 2.9% 9,126 3.3% 8.4% 4,331 1.3% -52.5%
Totals 295,230 272,962 -7.5% 345,025 26.4%
Oklahoma Online Job Sites │ Oklahoma CityMSA
28
In the Oklahoma City MSA, the highest percentage change in job posting volume 2010/2009 was for
JobCircle (805.3%), Career Mag (181.9%), Lat Pro (174.8%) and Beyond.com (155.7%)
Source: Wanted Technologies Data, 2008-2010
List based on top 15 job sites based on 2010 results
Job Sites, Oklahoma City 2008 % of Sites 2009 % of Sites
Change
2008-09 2010 % of Sites
Change
2009-10
Craigslist 42,471 37.7% 46,181 40.0% 8.7% 62,851 39.2% 36.1%
JobsOK 28,723 25.5% 20,427 17.7% -28.9% 19,472 12.2% -4.7%
Beyond.com 476 0.4% 5,372 4.6% 1028.6% 13,735 8.6% 155.7%
Career Mag 705 0.6% 4,731 4.1% 571.1% 13,339 8.3% 181.9%
JOBcentral 7,152 6.3% 8,210 7.1% 14.8% 10,981 6.9% 33.8%
Monster 10,683 9.5% 6,567 5.7% -38.5% 8,081 5.0% 23.1%
CareerBuilder 8,677 7.7% 6,999 6.1% -19.3% 7,992 5.0% 14.2%
JobCircle 0 NA 624 0.5% NA 5,649 3.5% 805.3%
Preferred Jobs 1,729 1.5% 3,298 2.9% 90.7% 3,424 2.1% 3.8%
Lat Pro 88 0.1% 1,111 1.0% NA 3,053 1.9% 174.8%
backpage 1,038 0.9% 1,628 1.4% 56.8% 2,973 1.9% 82.6%
Yahoo! HotJobs 4,477 4.0% 3,336 2.9% -25.5% 2,691 1.7% -19.3%
Retirement Jobs 867 0.8% 1,921 1.7% 121.6% 2,635 1.6% 37.2%
Job.com 3,326 3.0% 3,835 3.3% 15.3% 1,934 1.2% -49.6%
Dice 2,241 2.0% 1,312 1.1% -41.5% 1,322 0.8% 0.8%
Totals 112,653 115,552 2.6% 160,132 38.6%
29
From 2009 to 2010, in the Lawton MSA all sites except Beyond.com, Career Mag, backpage and Monster,
showed a decline in job posting volume; with the steepest decreases in percent change for American
Classifieds (-64.2%), Absolutely Heath Care (-57.8%) and Employment Guide (-42.9%)
Source: Wanted Technologies Data, 2008-2010
List based on top 15 job sites based on 2010 results
Oklahoma Online Job Sites │ LawtonMSA
Job Sites, Lawton 2008 % of Sites 2009 % of Sites
Change
2008-09 2010 % of Sites
Change
2009-10
Craigslist 6,282 50.8% 6,034 44.1% -3.9% 4,862 32.8% -19.4%
Beyond.com 19 0.2% 763 5.6% 3915.8% 2,078 14.0% 172.3%
Career Mag 67 0.5% 713 5.2% 964.2% 1,666 11.2% 133.7%
backpage 0 0.0% 146 1.1% NA 1,529 10.3% 947.3%
JOBcentral 608 4.9% 809 5.9% 33.1% 1,103 7.4% 36.3%
CareerBuilder 589 4.8% 571 4.2% -3.1% 564 3.8% -1.2%
Preferred Jobs 313 2.5% 588 4.3% 87.9% 527 3.6% -10.4%
Job.com 434 3.5% 566 4.1% 30.4% 409 2.8% -27.7%
Monster 576 4.7% 315 2.3% -45.3% 384 2.6% 21.9%
USAJOBS 687 5.6% 624 4.6% -9.2% 373 2.5% -40.2%
Yahoo! HotJobs 353 2.9% 509 3.7% 44.2% 364 2.5% -28.5%
American Classifieds 1,074 8.7% 853 6.2% -20.6% 305 2.1% -64.2%
Absolutely Health Care 578 4.7% 644 4.7% 11.4% 272 1.8% -57.8%
Data Frenzy 523 4.2% 355 2.6% -32.1% 272 1.8% -23.4%
Employment Guide 271 2.2% 196 1.4% NA 112 0.8% -42.9%
Totals 12,374 13,686 10.6% 14,820 8.3%
Source: Wanted Technologies Data, 2008-2010
List based on top 15 job sites based on 2010 results
30
From 2008-2010, the fastest growing job sites for employment opportunities in the Tulsa MSA were
Beyond.com, Career Mag and Workplace Diversity
From 2009 to 2010, the greatest net increase in job posting volume was for Craigslist (+8.326),
Beyond.com (+5,635), Career Mag (5,594) and Workplace Diversity (+3,006)
Oklahoma Online Job Sites │ TulsaMSA
Job Sites, Tulsa 2008 % of Sites 2009 % of Sites
Change
2008-09 2010 % of Sites
Change
2009-10
Craigslist 26,448 23.7% 27,662 32.5% 4.6% 35,988 32.7% 30.1%
Tulsa World 39,593 35.6% 18,708 22.0% -52.7% 20,445 18.6% 9.3%
Beyond.com 305 0.3% 4,593 5.4% 1405.9% 10,228 9.3% 122.7%
Career Mag 775 0.7% 4,121 4.8% 431.7% 9,715 8.8% 135.7%
JOBcentral 6,747 6.1% 5,317 6.2% -21.2% 7,664 7.0% 44.1%
CareerBuilder 7,848 7.0% 5,901 6.9% -24.8% 5,513 5.0% -6.6%
Monster 9,042 8.1% 3,959 4.7% -56.2% 4,952 4.5% 25.1%
Workplace Diversity 40 0.0% 1,245 1.5% 3012.5% 4,251 3.9% 241.4%
Nation Job 4,028 3.6% 2,251 2.6% -44.1% 2,123 1.9% -5.7%
Yahoo! HotJobs 4,155 3.7% 2,461 2.9% -40.8% 1,931 1.8% -21.5%
Preferred Jobs 1,559 1.4% 2,614 3.1% 67.7% 1,889 1.7% -27.7%
Job News USA 3,489 3.1% 1,022 1.2% -70.7% 1,864 1.7% 82.4%
Retirement Jobs 1,028 0.9% 1,608 1.9% NA 1,306 1.2% -18.8%
Job.com 2,967 2.7% 2,623 3.1% -11.6% 1,202 1.1% -54.2%
Dice 3,341 3.0% 1,053 1.2% -68.5% 1,009 0.9% -4.2%
Totals 111,365 85,138 -23.6% 110,080 29.3%