State Workforce Investment Board - 9/20/07

The State Workforce Investment Board

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Noon – 3:00 pm

The Governor’s Mansion

391 W Paces Ferry Rd NW

Atlanta, GA 30305

 

Agenda

 

Chairman Mark Musick                                     Opening Comments

Commissioner Michael Thurmond, DOL              Remarks

Dr. Charles Knapp, Chairman

Report from the New Commission on the Skills for the American Workforce:"Tough Choices or Tough Times"

Governor Perdue                                             Remarks to the SWIB

Ron Jackson, Commissioner, DTAE                   Work Ready Service Delivery

Debra Lyons                                                   Work Ready Regions

SWIB Members                                               Board Discussion

Chairman Mark Musick    

Appointing Work Ready Region Review Team

Chairman Mark Musick & Debra Lyons              Closing Thoughts

 

Next Meeting:

November 15, 2007

Executive Committee - 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Full Board Meeting - 10:30 am – 1:00 pm

 

 

Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

State Workforce Investment Board

Governor’s Mansion

September 20, 2007 Meeting

 

Meeting Minutes

 

Board Attendees:

Governor Perdue                         Mark Musick                        Debra Lyons

Commissioner Thurmond             Susan Holmes                      Allen Rice

Mike Harrison                             Jackie Rohosky                     Bruce Coles

Wendell Dallas                           Kenneth Cannestra                Marsha Moore          

Ronald Jackson                           C.E. Gus Whalen                   Rep. Terry England  

Valencia Adams                          Bebe Heiskell                        C.B. “Bix” Rathburn

Frank Barron                              Roger “Bo” Ryles                    Tim Connell

Susan Holmes                             Tony Calloway                       Charlene Sizemore

Tim Mescon                                 Danny Sparks                       Melvin Davis

Joyce Blevins                               Richard Ray                          Sue Snow

Karen Hampton                            Bill Swaim                             Debbie Dlugolenski

Tom Daniel                                       

 

Guest:

Dr. Charles Knapp                            Helen Parker                         Butch Jones

Larry Weatherford                             Jennifer Rippner                   

 

Staff:

Stefanie Reese                                 Patt Stonehouse                   Mary Margaret Garrett

Fred McConnel                                 Amanda Cook
__________________________________________________________________

 

Opening & Welcome

Mark Musick, Chairman of the Workforce Investment Board, called the meeting to order and welcomed attendees and special guests.  Chairman Musick introduced the Work Ready video that highlights Georgia’s nationally recognized Work Ready Initiative.

 

Comments to the State Workforce Investment Board by Commissioner Michael Thurmond, GDOL

Commissioner Thurmond thanked the Governor for hosting this impressive meeting.  Commissioner Thurmond underscored the importance of the Coordinating Council working together to support the Work Ready Initiative and noted that Georgia has showcased Work Ready at the meeting of hundreds of training professionals from the SETA (Southeastern Training Association) region.

 

Report from the New Commission on the Skills for the American Workforce by Dr. Charles Knapp

Dr. Charles Knapp presented excerpts from the report “Tough Choices or Tough Times”.  He described the work of the Commission and challenges to the education system.  He spoke about building a new system for the 21^st century, how students should move on to post-secondary education when they are ready and that age can be by 16 for many, thus eliminating two years of high school and saving resources and time.  He spoke on investing in early childhood education beginning at 3 and 4 years of age, adding income to teachers pay to attract higher quality teachers, improving the quality of the school curriculum, and creating a lifelong learning GI Bill to help workers with educational expenses.  Dr. Charles Knapp specifically cited Georgia’s Work Ready Program as an initiative that is on the right track in developing an educated and skilled workforce.

 

Remarks to the State Workforce Investment Board by Governor Sonny Perdue

Governor Perdue enthusiastically applauded the Work Ready video.  He stated that he wished that Georgia had this program in place before he was elected.  On a serious note, the Governor stated that the SWIB had exceeded his expectations – with its focus on preparing people to propel them in their lives, providing economic opportunities and helping to match up the right people going in the right direction.  Governor Perdue commented that Work Ready is a legacy an asked that the Board continues to over see the successful implementation.  Governor Perdue stated that in the near future, the limiting quality in economic development will not be land capital; it will be a human element.  He stated that the SWIB & GOWFD are doing exceptionally well and to keep up the good work.

 

Work Ready Service Delivery by Commissioner Ron Jackson, DTAE

Commissioner Ron Jackson, DTAE presented the Delivery System for the Work Ready Initiative.  He stated that about ¾ of the technical colleges have Certified ACT Profilers on staff and additional staff would be added by October and the remainder as soon as possible.  He spoke about the industry profiles and stated that approximately 35 had been completed and approximately 25 more are to be scheduled.  These new profiles are added to the several thousand that now exist and are available to Georgia businesses.  Commissioner Jackson stated that more than 8,850 assessments had been completed by nearly one thousand persons since January 2007.  He stated that the technical colleges are key members of the local teams for the Certified Work Ready Communities.  He spoke about front line staff being briefed and able to provide exceptional customer service.  Pam Griffin is the coordinator between GOWFD and the colleges and regular meetings are conducted via conference calls and face-to-face statewide.  He noted that an effort is underway to link the Work Ready website to all the technical college websites.

 

Work Ready Regions by Debra Lyons, GOWFD

Debra Lyons thanked all for participating in the Board meeting, and especially the Governor.  She stated that she needed to let everyone know that it is budget season and that the Governor was very gracious to hold this meeting even when his time is limited and to invite us to meet at the Mansion to thank everyone for all you do and have done.

 

Debra Lyons gave a Work Ready overview touching on the key program elements such as:  Work Ready Certificates, Work Ready job profiling, Certified Work Ready Communities, and the Work Ready Regions.  She stated that the initial goals for the Work Ready Communities will assist more than 94,000 Georgians to earn the Work Ready Certificate, and more than 1600 Georgia youth to earn a high school diploma. 

 

Debra Lyons spoke about multiple counties working together to develop regional talent pools aligned to existing and regional strategic industries – which include creating regional solutions to improving regional high school graduation rates, increasing college graduation rates in the strategic industry majors, upgrading skills of existing regional strategic industry workforce, improving science, technology, engineering, and math education, retraining dislocated workers, and engaging at-risk and out-of-school youth.  She stated that competitive regional grants for $500,000 are being made available to drive new thinking and to develop talented regions.  She stated that the regions will use the SWIB Strategic Plan as a guideline when developing these grants packages.  She spoke briefly on the county scorecards and identifying/eliminating the skills gap in Georgia.  A map was shown of the potential Work Ready Regions and Debra Lyons stated that the actual regions will be determined by the grant applications.  She spoke briefly on the Work Ready Region return on investment and measuring work ready certificate success.

 

Appointing Work Ready Region Review Team

Chairman Musick stated that the Work Ready Region Grants would be coming in and that we needed to ask for volunteers to serve on a review team.  He stated that the commitment would only be for a one day meeting and a reading assignment to prepare for the review meeting. 

 

Closing Thoughts

Chairman Musick announced the next board meeting will be held on November 15, 2007.  He thanked the executive committee for the teleconference meeting held in August and their participation.

 

Debra Lyons stated that in honor of Board members hard work and dedication to the Board that business cards had been made for Board members and were located along with the Certified Work Ready Community Pins near each members name plate.

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:15pm