Preparing Young People for
the Workforce
Shawn Avery
Vice President
Peninsula Council for Workforce Development
Overview
Workforce Development and
PCFWD
Workforce Challenges and
the needs of the region and
business community
Programs to develop the
emerging workforce
Workforce Development
What is it?
Understanding both economic trends and the
needs of the business community to create a
talented, skilled workforce
Workforce Development
Why is it important?
Without a skilled workforce,
businesses cannot be profitable
and grow
Our citizens and emerging
workforce won’t have jobs
When businesses don’t prosper,
we lose the tax base which
contributes to our quality of life in
our region
Peninsula Council
Who are we?
Public and private sector
community leaders dedicated to
workforce issues and solutions
We invest in workforce training
and education
Results of our initiatives ensure
that a pipeline of workforce talent
is developed
Peninsula Council
Connecting people’s talent to workplace needs
Our Mission
To provide human capital solutions through
creative funding strategies and
partnerships that keeps our region globally
competitive and economically strong
Our Vision
All Greater Peninsula businesses have
access to world class workforce talent
Who do we serve?
Businesses, especially high growth sectors
Construction
Health Care
Manufacturing
Hospitality
Finance
Job Seekers
Youth
Partners in Economic Development & Education
Key Workforce Challenges
Retirement of boomers
Skills shortage
Retention
Changing generations - cultural and age differences
Learning disconnects
High school drop out rates
Drug issues
ALL IMPACTING THE
EMERGING WORKFORCE!!!
Labor Market
Skills Challenges
Employers expect young people to arrive with a
core set of basic knowledge and the ability to
apply their skills in the workplace, yet the reality
is not matching the expectation.
Skills Challenges
Employers expect young people to arrive with a
core set of basic knowledge and the ability to
apply their skills in the workplace, yet the reality
is not matching the expectation.
Skills Challenges
Employers expect young people to arrive with a
core set of basic knowledge and the ability to
apply their skills in the workplace, yet the reality
is not matching the expectation.
Skills Challenges
Employers expect young people to arrive with a
core set of basic knowledge and the ability to
apply their skills in the workplace, yet the reality
is not matching the expectation.
Skills Challenges
Employers expect young people to arrive with a
core set of basic knowledge and the ability to
apply their skills in the workplace, yet the reality
is not matching the expectation.
The Solutions
Working with your local workforce
development system, educational
institutions, school divisions helps:
businesses by saving time, money and energy in
finding and retaining a highly skilled workforce
 job seekers by connecting them with local
employers
 our community’s economic growth by preparing
our workforce
Creating Solutions
Developing programs to meet
the industry needs...
…and develop
the Emerging
Workforce
Programs to meet the Need
Financial Services Academy
Career Pathways in Advanced Manufacturing
Summer Camp Series
Career and Workplace Readiness Video Contest
Youth Career Expo
Youth Career Cafe
Financial Services Academy
A unique program developed in partnership
with our Financial Services partners (Langley
Federal Credit Union, SunTrust,
BB&T, 1st Advantage Federal
Credit Union, BayPort Credit Union,
Old Point National Bank, and
Virginia Educators Credit Union) and
Newport News Public Schools.
At the completion of the program, the Human
Resource professionals conduct interviews
with the students for summer internships
within their banks and credit unions.
Financial Services Academy
Over the 6-week program, banks, credit union,
and Youth Career Café personnel spend over 10
hours in the classroom teaching the participants
such topics as:
•Money & Banking
•Customer Service
•Written/Oral Communications
•Financial Service Sales
•Financial Service Ethics & Laws
•Interviewing Skills.
Career Pathways in Advanced
Manufacturing
Partners are developing an integrated
and coordinated Career Pathway
System for high school students and
adults at all levels, through a grant from
VCCS and the Ford Foundation, .
Partners include businesses, postsecondary education, adult education,
and secondary education (both school
divisions and New Horizons Regional
Education Center).
Career Pathways in Advanced
Manufacturing
5 Peninsula manufacturers
expanding
20,000 jobs expected
80% of hires are under-qualified
Lack one or more skills
Applied Math
Literacy
Technical Skills
Workskills
Summer Camp Series
Gaming Technology and Modeling and
Simulation Camp
Hard Hat Camp 2011
Summer Camp Series
E.C.H.O. – Exploring Careers
& Healthcare Opportunities
Advanced Manufacturing
Technology Camp
Career Exploration Camp
Career Video Contest
Goal of the Contest - To develop a video, from a
student's perspective for students, that would
increase awareness and educate young people on
the workplace readiness skills employers are seeking
when hiring for high demand careers (healthcare,
hospitality, construction, or advanced
technologies/manufacturing) on the Greater
Peninsula.
Sponsored by ECPI College of Technology and
the Peninsula Council
Youth Career Expo 2011
March 15, 2011
8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Hampton Roads Convention Center
1610 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, VA 23666
Expo Highlights
• Youth ages 17 - 21
• 180 vendors from public, private and governmental sectors
• Success Workshops
• Interview Training & Role Playing
• Employment & Internship Opportunities
• Workplace Readiness Skills
• Much, much more!
Youth Career Cafe
The Youth Career Café is a place where
youth ages 14-21 can prepare for the real
world, learn to navigate the business world,
and make school relevant.
Youth Career Cafe
Employers, educators, community based
organizations and government
representatives saw the need to address the
projected shortage in the workforce and the
lack of workplace readiness skills.
The Peninsula Council for Workforce
Development in collaboration with numerous
partners developed a business education
resource for youth named, “Youth Career
Café.”
Youth Career Cafe
• Youth ages 14-21 have access to resources
that help them gain a “real world” perspective
on life after high school
• Offering web-based workplace readiness
seminars and life skills planning tools
• Offering weekly seminars on success skills
and career cluster workshops
• Offering career counseling, testing to
determine employment job skills, tutoring and
training services
Youth Career Café
What we provide –
Career Assessment
Job Search Assistance
Financial Aid/Scholarship Research
Assistance
Career Cluster Workshops
Resume Writing Clinics
Tutoring
Resources Available
www.pcfwd.org
Click on Workforce
Initiatives or Youth
Career Cafe
Contact Us
Peninsula Council for Workforce Development
11820 Fountain Way, Suite 301
Newport News, Virginia 23606
Phone: 757.826.3327
Fax: 757.826.6706
www.PCFWD.org
Shawn Avery
Vice President
savery@pcfwd.org