7b Attachment Community Feedback Report
Item No. 7b attach 4 Meeting Date: July 14, 2020 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 2020 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REPORT The information in this report is based on listening sessions conducted with members of the community who agreed to be involved in strategic planning activities for the Port of Seattle's Workforce Development. This report is intended to provide a high-level analysis of the most prominent themes and issues. While it's not possible to include all the detailed feedback we received, feedback that was relevant to the strategic planning process is presented for the Port's review and consideration. PROJECT OVERVIEW A Workforce Development Policy Directive is scheduled to be presented to the Port Commission for consideration and adoption in July 2020. The new Policy Directive will guide the workforce development efforts of the Port. It will enable the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to advance the Port's This report provides a summary of community feedback received commitment to workforce development programs and will from December 2019 - March support targeted efforts that directly benefit communities 2020 about early Workforce impacted by Port activities, underrepresented communities, and Development strategic planning work for the Port of Seattle. port-related industries in King County and in Washington State. The Policy Directive will advance the Port's commitment to workforce development and is intended to: 1. Center diversity, equity, and inclusion 2. Create equitable access to economic prosperity 3. Leverage partnerships 4. Ensure a skilled workforce for the port and port-related industries 5. Demonstrate measurable outcomes As part of the Port's WFD strategic planning process, leadership and staff have conducted extensive outreach to public and nonprofit partners within the community. This community engagement report is a product of months of engagement with workforce development government representatives, community-based organizations, and clients of the workforce development programs funded by the Port of Seattle. Included at the end of this report are definitions of terms such as equity, workforce development, and wraparound services. 2 | P a g e COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW Engagement Timeline During our early strategic planning we asked partners to tell us what Port of Seattle workforce development programs were working CBO Listening Sessions well and what impact these programs December 2019March 2020 have on training a skilled workforce. Met with community-based organizations We also asked WFD partners to help who currently have a WFD contract with the us identify workforce development POS. needs, opportunities, and challenges so that we can create WFD programs that deliver the best solutions and greatest impact for local CBO Clients Listening Sessions communities. December 2019March 2020 While it is the job of the POS WFD Met with clients/students of POS-WFD team to recommend strategies for supported programs. meeting the workforce needs of the region and the Port, we value and rely on the expertise of community partners. These relationships help us Public Partners Listening Sessions understand what is important in JanuaryMarch 2020 different communities and if our strategic planning is accounting for Met with WFD partners from local and the needs of communities most regional public/government agencies. impacted by structural inequities. Report Back to Communities MayJune 2020 3 | P a g e OUR APPROACH WITH COMMUNITIES Impact of WFD programs Why we asked for feedback The WFD Policy Directive outlines the goals The development of the 2021-2023 WFD to be achieved by the WFD strategic plan. Strategic Plan will be informed by promising practices and programs the Port has The overarching goal of the Port's supported that demonstrated measurable Workforce Development program is to impact and can be brought to scale. increase equitable access for workers and to increase opportunities for them to What we asked acquire the skills and education they need In your experience with WFD programs, to secure increasingly complex and better what has worked well? compensated jobs. What could be better? Is there The Port has supported WFD programs for anything that you would change? more than two decades. We must continue Do you have specific ideas or to assess the impact of these programs to suggestions on how to improve the determine and validate their efficacy in work/programs? producing the intended results. Why not just create a During the initial strategic planning process design, the WFD team strategic plan then ask determined that stakeholder engagement would be essential to develop for feedback? programs that meet the expressed needs of job seekers while balancing the workforce needs of the Port of Seattle and port-related economic activities. In particular, the WFD team wanted input on how to strengthen the Port's workforce investments from those who develop and implement WFD programs in communities throughout the region. To leverage the workforce development opportunities provided by the Port of Seattle, we conducted listening sessions not only to gauge the impact of the Port's Workforce Development programs, but also to see if the investments had been allocated in areas that met the needs of job seekers in the region. 4 | P a g e HOW WE REACHED OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS Port staff created a list of community-based organizations the Port has supported with its funding of workforce development programs. Staff also identified workforce development stakeholders and partners in aviation, maritime, and construction that the Port has collaborated with in the past. To obtain input from a wide variety of stakeholders while performing in-depth analysis and planning in a relatively short period of time, staff organized and convened listening sessions by sector and by role. We held separate listening sessions for community-based organizations whose programs focus on aviation, maritime, and construction. We also held separate listening sessions for job seekers, students, and clients of these organizations in the aviation, maritime, and construction sectors. Additionally, we met with government workforce development representatives. WHO WE HEARD FROM Stakeholders To make sure that we heard from a range of stakeholders, we 1. ANEW held 18 listening sessions with 13 2. Highline Skills Center different groups of which five 3. Youth Maritime Collaborative were with clients/students of 4. Museum of Flight programs that the Port funds. 5. Port Jobs 6. Priority Hire Outreach, Training and Retention Partnership It was not possible for us to meet 7. Regional Pre-Apprenticeship Collaboration (RPAC) with all the organizations that 8. Regional Public Owners the Port has supported or 9. Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council partnered with; therefore, we 10. Tyee High School Internship met with organizations with 11. Urban League which the Port is currently 12. Western WA. Apprenticeship Coordinators 13. Washington Alliance for Better Schools supporting or partnering. 178 PARTICIPANTS Construction Clients 54 52% Aviation Staff 124 28% Maritime 17% 0 50 100 150 Government 5 | P a g e 3% SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS It is rare for community engagement to occur during the early stages of a strategic planning process. Typically, community engagement begins after the process is completed. We were pleased with the number of people who participated and were involved in the strategic planning process and by the quality of the responses we received. Establish a policy of transparency about Avoid duplicating efforts by partnering funding and program performance and with state and local workforce agencies eliminate structural barriers to and boards to offer evidence-based procurement and contracts. training. Allow flexible funding that supports Conduct more community outreach, wraparound services to address specifically to historically retention and completion challenges. underrepresented populations. Ensure employer readiness to Expand career pathways to increase retention. targeted in-demand careers. 6 | P a g e Key Findings Recommendations Transparency: Establish a policy of transparency about funding and program performance. 1. Make information about the flow of workforce funds (agency budgets, plans, RFPs, and awarded contracts) easily available to the public online. This would help providers and partners identify potential opportunities to fund evidence-based workforce development models. 2. Make workforce program performance information easily available to the public and link data across public service systems. This will help individuals exploring opportunities select the program that will work best for them, and thereby drive more job seekers and resources toward the higherperforming , evidence-based programs. Performance data should be presented in a user-friendly manner and broken down by training provider and program of study. Procurement Process: Eliminate structural barriers to procurement and contracts. 1. Make the certification and bidding process less cumbersome. 2. Remove barriers to entry for non-profits and small businesses by reducing insurance and bonding thresholds. 3. Increase the number of contracts available for small businesses including breaking contracts apart into more manageable pieces. 4. Simplify and expedite the contract process. 5. Make faster payments. Coordination Across Systems: Avoid duplicating efforts by partnering with state and local workforce agencies and boards to offer evidence-based training. 1. Support and coordinate policies and programs across the numerous economic and workforce development agencies to ensure a skilled workforce can support business and economic growth in the region. 2. Encourage collaboration between workforce and educational programs at the regional level to align programs with each other and regional labor market needs. 7 | P a g e Wraparound Services: Allow flexible funding that supports wraparound services to address retention and completion challenges. 1. Allocate funding to incentivize training and education completion where students receive stipends for achieving milestones and or completing a program. 2. To reduce barriers to program completion, provide program funds to pay for transportation, child care, tools, and equipment. 3. Allow funds to be used to support individuals who face challenges early in their job placement (e.g., transportation, childcare, tools, etc.). Community Outreach: Conduct more community outreach, specifically to historically underrepresented populations. 1. Engage in consistent and continuous communication with communities that are underserved. 2. Market the benefits of jobs in port-related industries to targeted populations and engage them in the development of strategies and programs. 3. Establish reliable procedures that provide partners and community members the ability to communicate with WFD staff and maintain regular contact with them. 4. Create a feedback loop between the Port's WFD program and the community. Prepare Employers: Ensure employer readiness to increase retention. 1. Conduct equity, diversity, and inclusion trainings to ensure that they have the cultural competence to work with a diverse workforce. Career Pathways: Expand career pathways to targeted in-demand careers. 1. Increase awareness of key port-related economic activities, jobs, and career pathways. 2. Facilitate industry partner engagement with public and postsecondary education to identify needed skill sets, design relevant curriculum, and enhance the programs. 3. Provide more work-based learning opportunities for students, teachers, and job-seekers. 8 | P a g e Aviation Key Feedback Overall, we heard that the partnership between Port Jobs, Airport University, and the Port of Seattle has led to increased job opportunities for women and people of color at the airport. Clients and students indicated the areas they considered to be among the most important are related to: Access to free education, materials, computers, and parking; Employment support (e.g., help with resumes, cover letters, and interview techniques); Job placement; and Support with permits. Challenges: Opportunities: Greater outreach, both in the Expand the aviation career pathways to community and at the airport. other targeted, in-demand pathway jobs within the aviation and facilities Additional language capacity at the maintenance pathway and other areas Airport Employment Center. (e.g., ground operations, safety and Expansion of Airport University (e.g., security). more classroom space, additional To achieve greater scale, create course offerings, upgraded technology, employment opportunities at the Port etc.). of Seattle. Additional Airport University Work with Airlines to serve as training scholarships. agents. Work supports (e.g., child care, transportation assistance, etc.). Greater employer (and union) engagement. "The program gave me enough skills to apply and interview for jobs at the Port against people that had 20 years of experience." "I was almost giving up on education, but this class gave me direction in life and motivation" 9 | P a g e Construction Key Feedback Overall, we heard that the Priority Hire and construction training and education partnerships between the Port of Seattle, King County, City of Seattle, King County Metro, Sound Transit, and community-based organizations have been instrumental. These partnerships have allowed stakeholders to coordinate workforce development efforts. Clients and students indicated the areas they considered to be among the most important in the construction programs are related to: "They take us to apprentice Employment support (e.g., help with resumes, cover letters, and interview techniques); programs and give us a feel Support with skills training in pre-apprenticeships; and for what the real world looks Support with work permits and credentials. like." Challenges: Opportunities: Greater community outreach. Continue to partner with other regional Workforce projections associated with public owners to develop a pipeline of Port priority hire/apprentice utilization, so skilled construction workers to meet that programs can align their efforts with current and future needs driven by Port projected demand. and other public infrastructure projects and broaden access to training and jobs Pre-apprenticeship training program for target populations and priority reforms (e.g., increased accessibility of communities. classes in terms of times and location, integration/contextualization of language Fully implement the Port's priority hire skills, community college partnerships, policy and program and evaluate its etc.). impact. Funding for pre-apprenticeship training Identify opportunities to establish programs. apprenticeships within the Port's internal workforce. More supportive services, including during apprenticeships (e.g., tools and work Continue funding for construction worker clothes, relicensing, transportation, child outreach, training, and retention services, care, etc.), to help with retention and with a focus on target populations and completion. priority communities, as part of the effort to develop a pipeline of skilled Other retention support (e.g., navigation construction workers. and mentoring). Policy: Allow organizations to do screening Tracking of results. for jobstrust the partners. Lack of transparency. Policy: Change educational Contracting takes too long. requirementsthis would allow more Lack of accountability. people of color to qualify for internships "It doesn't matter how good we do in the program; the desirable trades have a waiting list." 10 | P a g e Maritime Key Feedback Overall, we heard that the Youth Maritime Collaborative (YMC) has been successful in organizing and offering a series of experiential and career connected learning events to K-12 students that introduce youth to maritime careers and career pathways. This multi-agency partnership has allowed stakeholders to coordinate maritime workforce development efforts. YMC partners have developed a resource database of key partners for career connected learning, service learning, field trips, guest speakers, workshops, support/wraparound services, academic support, and career and college navigation. Additionally, YMC has organized and/or attended industry events for maritime employer outreach and recruitment. Clients and students indicated the areas they considered to be among the most important in the maritime programs are related to: Experiential learning; Wraparound supports that allow them to participate and learn; Service hours credits; and Employment readiness support (e.g., help with resumes, cover letters, and interview techniques). Challenges Community outreach, specifically reaching historically underrepresented "The plan that we wrote together is a start populations. but the one piece that is missing is that wrap- Increasing the number of maritime around services and the connective tissue. internships and providing interns stipends One good thing that Port Townsend does and wraparound supports. well, is have a thread of maritime curriculum Active Port engagement and commitment from K-12. We need opportunities for (e.g., using its influence with maritime students to explore before high school and create a beyond plan." employers to engage them in the strategy, increase the number of internships, etc.). Opportunities Maritime employer readiness for interns. Increase capacity for Youth Maritime Maritime career connected learning Collaborative by collaborating across opportunities that span the continuum organizations and creating stronger (e.g., awareness, exploration, partnerships with public agencies and preparation, work experience, and skills industry leaders. training and education), and help youth Conduct landscape analysis of youth move along the continuum, not just one- serving institutions. time events. Build relationships with employers to Employers are not ready for youth, hire students. specially youth of color. "They are trying really hard to make it appealing, but I'm not interested because it is grunt work." 11 | P a g e Definitions "Career Pathways" means an integrated collection of programs and services intended to develop community members' core academic, technical and employability skills; provide them with continuous education, training; and place them in high-demand, high-opportunity jobs and careers. "Economic Development Programs" means occupational job training and placement, job advancement and job retention, pre-apprenticeship training, or occupational education programs associated with port tenants, customers, and local economic development related to port tenants or port-related economic activities that are sponsored by a port and operated by a nonprofit, private, or public entity. The Port of Seattle refers to these as "workforce development programs." "Equity" means fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people while striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups. Improving equity involves (1) increasing justice and fairness with the procedures and processes of institutions or systems and (2) a fair, intentional distribution of resources. For example, racial equity considers root causes of inequities and results in the elimination of racism in all policies, practices, attitudes, and cultural messages at the structural, institutional, and individual levels. "Workforce Development" means the composite of strategies and services, including career connected learning, K-12 education, worker and employer training and job matching that help connect and retain regional workers to careers within the Port and port-related economic activities, and that help ensure area businesses have access to the skilled workforce they need to thrive and grow. "Wraparound Services" means those services and support systems including but not limited to, public transportation assistance, clothing, tools, food assistance, child-care and monetary compensation as allowable by law, regulations and funding sources, that promote access and stronger alignment of workforce, education, vocational rehabilitation, and other human services systems. -END- 12 | P a g e
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