Participating members:
Ernest Owens, Vice Chair
Gordon Aanerud
Ginny Karbowski
Sandra Peterson

Other Participants:

Joyce Haskins, Executive Sponsor, CFL
Dan Smith, Committee Staff

1. GWDC Vision Statement
   Members were reminded that action at the October 1 Council meeting adopted the following vision statement:
   
   Minnesota; where employers and skilled workers jointly prosper.

2. Education to Employment Committee General Tasks
   Committee members discussed the general tasks assigned to the Education to Employment Committee. Recognition was made of the advisory role of the Committee in promoting concepts both to public and private education. Discussion also addressed quality indicators such as self-sufficiency, and livable wages and lifestyles. The following is proposed to replace the general tasks as previously presented (new language underlined, eliminated language struck through).

   Education to Employment Committee General Tasks
   (Preparing the Workforce)
   

   This committee will provide recommendations to prepare new and future workers for the workforce. It will identify issues and resources to promote the lifelong learning concept, including:

   • Providing K-12 schools and students with appropriate labor market information to encourage career knowledge.
   • Linking WorkForce Center System and technology with K-12 schools.
   • Encouraging public education to teach students the importance of academic, technical and soft skills in the workplace.
   • Promoting achievement to recognized graduation and skill standards.
   • Enhancing and promoting access to technology which provides career information (e.g. ISEEK).
   • Increasing the recognition of high quality, technical employment opportunities.

3. Customers and relationship to other committees, especially Life-long Learning
   Following up on questions at the full Council meeting, the Committee discussed ways to prevent overlap of effort with other committees of the GWDC. While it is recognized that the Education to Employment Committee may have some overlap with the lifelong learning committee, it is proposed that the Education to Employment Committee address learners not yet in the labor force as well as workers who have obtained neither a high school diploma nor its equivalent (e.g. GED).

4. GWDC Goals/Indicators
   Committee members discussed the charge from the full Council to review goals and indicators. Each member was asked to review the following and be prepared to discuss at the next Committee meeting.
   (Exhibit B – Roger Hale)
   1. To attain the lowest unemployment rate in America every year.
   2. To attract and retain profitable growing businesses and value added enterprises of all descriptions.
   3. To foster the best public-private job training partnerships in the nation.
   4. To help students, workers, and all Minnesota citizens achieve their highest potential.

      (Exhibit C – Bonnie Elsey, DES)

   5. All Minnesotans enjoy a comfortable standard of living.
   6. All Minnesotans access continuous and affordable life-long education.
   7. All Minnesotans access and navigate the Internet.
   8. Individuals, families, communities, schools, business and government invest in knowledge and skill acquisition.
   9. All Minnesotans access the information they need as customers and citizens to make informed choices.
   10. Minnesota Workforce Development system is as fast, responsive and flexible as the economy.
   11. Minnesota’s consumers do not recognize the differences between public and private partners in Workforce Development.

       (Governor’s Workforce Development Framework – Mini-Cabinet)

   12. Keep Minnesota businesses competitive by supporting a flexible, skilled workforce.
   13. Support efforts to increase personal income.

       (General collaboration)

   14. Employers, employees, state agencies and others work in harmony to support Minnesota’s Workforce Development Vision.

   15. Education to Employment Committee Focus
       The Committee discussed its focus, affirming its customers as new entrants to the workforce and learners without high school diplomas or equivalent. As a Committee of the Governor’s Workforce Development Council the Committee is responsible to the Council, but also believes that its advice is for the benefit of the Governor and, through its Executive Sponsor, to the Commissioner of the Department of Children, Families & Learning. Committee members believe that the results of their deliberation should be more than reports, but should result in policy formation.

   16. Information needed to support committee discussion
       The following items were presented as examples of information the committee might find helpful in its deliberations. Committee priorities will be discussed at the next meeting and requests for specific resources will be considered at that time.
       • Citizens League studies http://www.citizensleague.net
         • Help Wanted: More Opportunities than People
         • Workforce Training in the New Economy (coming soon)
       • Teacher shortage study
       • Minnesota Graduation Standards information
       • US Department of Labor study on emerging workforce preparation needs
         • Futurework: Trends and Challenges for Work in the 21^st Century http://www.dol.gov/dol/asp/public/futurework/
       • ISEEK/MCIS Training
       • Unified State Plan for Vocational-Technical Education
       • Minnesota School-to-Work Initiative plan and progress reports
       • CFL Fact Sheets:
         • Career & Technical Education Funding (State)
         • Career & Technical Education Federal Carl Perkins Basic/Tech Prep
         • Internet System for Education and Employment Knowledge (ISEEK)
         • School-to-Work Initiative
         • Vocational Education Teacher Licensure

   17. Mini-Cabinet Update
       Dan provided a brief update of the presentation made by the Mini-Cabinet before a joint meeting of the Senate Economic Development Budget Division and the House Jobs and Economic Development Finance Committee that morning. The report was primarily a summary of the Governor’s Workforce Development Framework, though it was noted that subcommittee works are in progress. Committee members expressed their concerns that the Mini-Cabinet efforts are parallel to those of the GWDC and that they do not want to be "blind-sided" by Mini-Cabinet activities. Questions were also raised regarding the intended membership of the Mini-Cabinet, especially in relation to the involvement of CFL Commissioner Christine Jax. Dan agreed to forward information on Mini-Cabinet activities to the Committee members as it became available.

   18. School-to-Work Initiative update and conference planning
       Dan announced that the School-to-Work Initiative is completing plans for a conference, January 19-21, 2000 at the Radisson South in Bloomington. Discussion has occurred to expand this School-to-Work conference to be a broader Workforce Summit, addressing the concerns of all partners in workforce development. Committee members generally concurred with the concept of a broader conference, and especially hoped that it would relieve some of the stress for school districts around opposition to School-to-Work.

   19. CFL Career & Technical (Vocational) Education Planning
       Dan announced that CFL has initiated a process to review the delivery of career & technical education in light of changes in funding adopted by the 1999 Legislature. Discussion recognized the stresses between categorical funding and class size reduction. Committee members will be kept apprised of developments.

   20. Committee Schedule
       Fridays remain a good option for most members to meet, so the next meeting of the Education to Employment Committee was set for:
       Friday, October 29, 1999
       9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
       Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning
       Conference Room W-3
       1500 Highway 36 West (near Snelling Avenue)
       Roseville