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How To Launch A Sector Partnership�TA Module 2

Bobbie Wolfe, CWDC

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Goals

Getting Started
Regional Diagnostics (Data, Partner Engagement, Industry desire/need)
Learning and Engaging the Next-Gen Model
Dig into the partners, needs, and roles for support
Employer / Industry Engagement - Identifying Champions

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Since Last Time..

Continue to practice Elevator Pitches

What challenges do you face with language?

Complete the Regional Diagnostic Template

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1: Build a Regional Sector Support Team & Make the Case for a New Approach

Core Partners
Neutral Convener(s)
Network of Supporters

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1: Build a Regional Sector Support Team & Make the Case for a New Approach
Guiding Questions:

Do key stakeholders in our region (from education, workforce development, and economic development) recognize how sector partnership(s) can act as the shared table where they can work with businesses from a targeted sector, understand their needs, and collaborate with other public partners to develop responsive/coordinated solutions?
Have we agreed on clear roles and responsibilities on the sector support team?

Who is the lead “convener” or co-conveners?

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Step 1: Build a Regional Sector Support Team & Make the Case for a New Approach

Core Partners: Select support partners who jointly take responsibility for supporting the partnership. They partner closely with convener(s) to plug in and coordinate responses.
Neutral Convener(s): One to three individuals who convene, provide backbone support, and serve as first responders. Responsible for keeping the partnership on track day-to-day while slowly and selectively bringing in partners
Network of Supporters: Broad network of community partners who are in the loop and “on call” to respond, but Select support partners who jointly take responsibility for supporting the partnership. They partner closely with convener(s) to plug in and coordinate responses. Industry agenda may or may not directly connect with mission of partner organizations.

Guiding Questions:

Do key stakeholders in our region (from education, workforce development, and economic development) recognize how sector partnership(s) can act as the shared table where they can work with businesses from a targeted sector, understand their needs, and collaborate with other public partners to develop responsive/ coordinated solutions?

Have we agreed on clear roles and responsibilities on the sector support team? Who is the lead “convener”, or co-conveners?

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 2: Define the Scope of Industry Focus

Pull regional data specific to the industry(ies) of focus
Define the industry/sector

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 2: Define the Scope of Industry Focus
Guiding Questions:

Has our regional team jointly agreed on which industry sectors merit our collective action in launching a sector partnership?

Did we use LMI data, combined with our on-the-ground knowledge about industries to make these selections? Which sector is first - OR next?

Has our regional team discussed and agreed to the note-too-small, not-too-big geographic footprint for our sector partnership?

***This is a starting point that may shift with industry input.

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 3: Prepare to Launch

Identify & Recruit Industry Champions
Identify guests and roles for the meeting
Invite Industry
Logistics

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 3: Prepare to Launch
Guiding Questions:

Have we identified and successfully recruited at least 2 CEOs in our region and target industry who will sign the invite letter and welcome everyone to the Launch?
Have we picked a date, time, and location that will work for everyone?

Ideally: Location will meet at a business facility

Have we collectively created an invite list of C-level leaders of companies in our target sector and region to invite to the Launch?

Did we get the invite out one month in advance, and do appropriate follow-ups?

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 4: Launch

Host a Launch Meeting

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 4: Launch
Guiding Questions:

Did we engage a critical mass of business leaders at the launch meeting?
Did the launch meeting result in a set of shared priorities that business leaders feel a sense of ownership over?
Did business leaders commit to specific next steps after the meeting?
Did we make time for non-industry support partners to debrief after listening at the Launch meeting?

Did we balance enthusiasm to jump in with solutions with the need to let industry-led action teams further define needs and early wins in the next 2-4 weeks?

Are we ready for next steps, including sending an executive summary of the meeting out to business members ASAP, and setting up short action team calls?

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 5: Move to Action; Organize the aftermath and implementation

Organize Action Teams
Schedule and Communicate next steps

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 5: Move to Action; Organize the aftermath and implementation
Guiding Questions:

Have we established action teams around business’ priorities?

Are action teams made up of businesses, with community partners brought in selectively for support?

Have we identified lead business champions who are taking an active role in transforming ideas into action?
Have we achieved clarity around outcomes and strategies in key areas for action?
Are community partners beginning to to see where they can add value on key priorities?

Is there a mechanism to begin engaging them in action teams?

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 6: Evolve & Sustain

Ensure industry continues to lead all agendas and action teams
Create a sustainability plan

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Step-By-Step Guide

Step 6: Evolve & Sustain
Guiding Questions:

Do Key Stakeholders involved understand the enduring value of our sector partnership?
Have we considered what organizational home is right for the partnership that ensures that the partnership continues to be industry-driven and action-oriented?
Have we developed a process for periodically assessing progress, revising priorities, and refreshing our partnership’s agenda?

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Getting The Scope Just Right

Questions to ask of yourself

Is the Geography right?
Is the Scope of Industry right?
What about employer champions? Overall membership?
Are we expanding beyond our own jurisdictional boundaries?

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Guiding Principles of Data

Starting place for a conversation
There is always too much data
There is no substitute for actual conversations with employers
No data set is perfect

There are lags
Missing data

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Which data points matter most?

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Which data points matter most?

Current Employment
Short term change in jobs (2 years)
Long term change in jobs (10 years)
Current and past Location Quotients
Current wages
Number of Establishments
Average Number of Jobs per Establishment
Job Growth Projections
Occupational Data
Your on-the-ground-knowledge

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What is my job with data?

Get everyone in the same room looking at the same data

Workforce Development
Labor Market Information specialists and regional economists
Economic Development
Education
Other Stakeholders (community based organizations, human service organizations, etc

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What is my job with data?

Discuss!

Discuss each data point
Assess which feels “real” based on what you already know
Share on-the-ground knowledge that the data does not reflect
Come to some agreement on which industry sectors really matter (jobs, quality)

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What is my job with data?

Discuss!

Discuss each data point
Assess which feels “real” based on what you already know
Share on-the-ground knowledge that the data does not reflect
Come to some agreement on which industry sectors really matter (jobs, quality)

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Questions & Reflections

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Next Steps

Review the data of your industry of focus
Industry Sector Selection: The Readiness Test Worksheet

Next Meeting:

Tuesday, January 23rd 2024

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