Sectoral Approach

Sectoral approaches
"Sectoral programs tend to focus program content on skills that are fairly generalizable within one general industry (such as construction or health care). Most work with multiple employers, but generally serve participants directly rather than through the employer. In fact, many offer intensive, full-time training that is not compatible with holding a full-time job at the same time. Most sectoral programs include both hard and soft skills, but the balance of the two tends to vary."

Benefits

• Programs fill labor shortage gaps in specific sectors
• Training can be more easily adapted due to awareness of the labor market

Challenges

• Approach is based on the ever changing needs of the labor market
• Providers must know where specific needs are within their community, how many people are required to fill that gap, and how many other organizations are working to meet this need
• Providers must be prepared to move quickly and adapt to changes
• Approach requires diversification across employers
• Employers compete for workers - the sectoral approach is more successful when employers across a given industry work together to identify and meet their needs

Families Forward example: Women Achieving New Directions partnership
The Allina Families Forward project capitalized on its sectoral approach and adapted that approach to better meet the needs of its customers

• Began with a focus on training Certified Nursing Assistants
• Other organizations began to fill this gap
• The downturn in the economy decreased the need for additional Certified Nursing Assistants
• Program scanned the horizon and determined there was a need for more Licensed Nursing Practitioners and Registered Nurses
• Program was transformed into a career laddering initiative

National initiative
The sectoral approaches in Families Forward mirror a broader national trend toward sector-specific development. This approach has been studied and advanced principally by two national organizations: The National Nework of Sector Partners (NNSP) and the Aspen Institute's (insert name of AI unit). Building on a long-standing economic analysis and economic development approach, sector-based approaches in workforce development attempt to meet needs on both the "demand" and "supply" side of the labor match equation.