Local Area 1
Strategic Plan - Town Hall
November 20, 2014
10:00am-12:00pm
AGENDA
Introduction & Purpose
5 year Regional Strategy Preface
Supply / Demand analysis
SWOT
Regional Workforce Development Assets
Goals:
Strategies
Action Plans
Process Recap
Next Steps
Introductions
Aroostook and Washington Workforce Investment Board
Members
Northern Maine Development Commission
Attendees Introductions
Purpose
5 Year Strategic Plan Presentation
Public Comments- Due December 1, 2014
Present to AWWIB & CLEOs for Approval
Submit to SWIB-MDOL
5-year Regional Strategy Preface
In a 21st Century economy, a high performing workforce development
system is seen as the oxygen to keep a regional economy alive and
viable. Workforce and economic development must be purposefully
integrated with common goals and alignment within a regional
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS).
The Aroostook-Washington County, Maine workforce development
system is designing and implementing a Workforce Center of
Excellence (WCOE) model. This model engages on an active an
ongoing basis people, education and training providers and employers.
Each of these stakeholders has a unique role to play in the success of
a workforce development system. They all have independent interests,
acknowledging the fact that collaboration and resource sharing is the
key to success.
The 5-year strategy plan is built upon four primary goal areas:
Resource Integration
Industry Engagement
Human Capital Development
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Economic Conditions, Workforce Supply/Demand Analysis
The following section provides a regional economic baseline and supply/demand gap
analysis of the Aroostook and Washington Counties economy and workforce.
Supply
- Quanity and skills of human capital
in the region
- Capacity of workforce training and
education in the region
Demand
- Projected quantity and skills of
workforce by the regions industry
sectors over then next decade
Regional Economy Baseline
Baseline 2010
Population
Employable Population 16+
Labor Participation Rate
Total Employed
Average Wage Per Job
Total Regional Wages
Per Capita Income
Regional GDP
Bachelor’s Degrees 25+
Aroostook County
71,870
59,360
58%
34,429
$32,772
$1.28B
$31,153
$3.28B
8,903
Washington County
32,856
27,340
58.3%
15,939
$32,132
$512M
$30,727
$1.35B
2,873
AWWIB Region
104,726
86,700
58.09%
50,368
$32,600
$1.642B
$31,019
$4.63B
11,776
Labor Supply
Aroostook
2013
AWWIB
Population
Estimate
103,514
Washington
Maine Median Age
43.0
In the fall and early winter of 2013, key stakeholders and
partners for workforce development in Aroostook and Washington
counties were interviewed individually and/or participated in a
review of the existing workforce development system.
Strengths
•
Alignment of AWWIB and AWEDD regions to promote
strategic coordination of workforce and economic development
efforts.
•
The basic elements to build a 21st Century high performing
Workforce Development System all exist in the region.
•
Former silo mentality is beginning to breakdown
•
American Job Centers (CareerCenters)
Weaknesses
•
The Maine demographic and workforce trends are creating
an unsustainable condition in which Aroostook and Washington
Counties are leading the trend
•
When asked where would you go to find help if you were
seeking new employment, a common response was “Good luck with
that.” Communication to the community regarding available
resources is very limited.
•
Available workforce (WIA) funding is spread too thin among
numerous service provider with no connection to strategic goals or
performance metrics
•
Formerly prevailing silo mentality is hard to overcome
Opportunities
•
Aroostook Community Action Program (ACAP) – as a
workforce services provider they have strong contact with clients
and through case management systems can leverage multiple
services to meet client needs.
•
Leverage resources such as:
 Women, Work & Community
 Gauvin County Scholarship Fund – Aroostook
Aspirations Initiative
 Aroostook Partnership for Progress – Education to
Industry initiative (should be replicated in
Washington County)
Threats
•
School districts can be very competitive and lack a history of
collaboration
•
The region has significant Post-Secondary education resources
which are underutilized and in some cases only peripherally engaged
with the workforce development system.
•
Limited training funding
•
Childcare and Client transportation
•
Family support
Low family support for those seeking Bachelor Degree
Prevailing attitude is to move away from the region to find
work
Regional Workforce Development Assets
A survey of stakeholders in Workforce Development, Business,
Education, and citizens of our region was conducted to identify
workforce development assets in Aroostook and Washington
Counties. The following are a list of categories used in the asset
identification.
 Organizations – public, private or non-profits that are involved
in the delivery and/or support of workforce development services.
 Facility & Infrastructure – physical items or places that are
being used in the education or training of workers.
 Excellence – person, organization or facility that is recognized
locally, statewide or nationally as a leader in their field.
 People – individuals that have special knowledge, skills,
network contacts, experience or resources in the field of workforce
development.
 Knowledge – individuals or organizations that have unique or
special knowledge in a specific area or workforce development
topic.
Note: The above list is not exhaustive and is intended to highlight examples of our regional assets that are
instrumental in delivering a skilled workforce.
Goal #1: Resource Integration – Continue to build capacity in established workforce
development system which expands and leverages public, private and non-profit resources with
a common vision. In five years, the regional system will have at least 20 active workforce
stakeholders resulting in a 2 to 1 leverage of funds.
Goal #2: Industry Engagement – In 2014, the workforce system partners will engage
with private and public employers to increase participation in regional industry sectors.
Goal #3: Human Capital Development – To align and support Mobilize Maine, in five
years, the workforce development system will help build a robust workforce pool by
increasing population, growing the 25-44 age group, increasing Bachelor Degree attainment
and Associate Degree attainment of residents.
Goal #4: Innovation & Entrepreneurship – The regional workforce development
system will engage with NMDC, Sunrise County Economic Council, Aroostook Partnership for
Progress (APP) and other economic development partners to create a region-wide Innovation
and Entrepreneurship model. Entrepreneurship and workforce development programs will
increase collaboration to embed new strategic and ongoing entrepreneurship programs into
workforce services. The workforce development system partners will adopt innovative and
entrepreneurial principles to create a system-wide culture of creativity, innovation, and
flexibility in service delivery.
Goal #1: Resource Integration
see handout
Goal #2: Industry Engagement
see handout
Goal #3: Human Capital Development
see handout
Goal #4: Innovation & Entrepreneurship
see handout
Husson University,
University of Maine,
Blackstone Accelerates Growth,
BigGig and more!
The plan was submitted to MDOL in April and was conditionally
approved by the Maine State Workforce Investment Board on
May 23, 2014. Since that date, the strategic plan review
committee has met several times to refine the action items
related to the goals and strategies set forth in the plan.
Strategic Planning Sessions were held on the following dates:
July 18, 2014
September 2, 2014
September 23, 2014
October 7, 2014
Today we conducted the Town Hall Public Review Meeting
•Responses and feedback received December 1, 2014
•Present to AWWIB with answers to any public comment & request
board approval & recommend to CLEOS December 4, 2014
•Present to Chief Local Elected Officials week of December 8, 2014
•Submit to SWIB / MDOL by December 15, 2014