GOVERNOR’S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

Chair’s Report
April 23, 2003

Highlights from January through April 2003

Activity in support of developing vision and policy direction for Minnesota’s workforce system

1.      The GWDC completed and distributed several products outlining vision, direction, and key elements of Minnesota’s workforce development system.  These included:

• Preeminence Minnesota 2003 Portfolio Report and accompanying brochure articulates three primary workforce challenges and several suggested solutions to keep Minnesota’s economy strong and Minnesota’s workers prosperous.
• 2003 Minnesota WorkForce Center Strategic Plan delivers the statutorily required update to the state Legislature outlining recent developments on the continuous improvement path for Minnesota’s WorkForce Centers under the guidance of local and state agency leadership.
• Updated Inventory of Publicly-Funded Workforce Development Programs (aka, Gunther Report) and an accompanying illustration that details each of the workforce development programs and services available in Minnesota from federal and state sources.  This update improves upon an original study mandated by the state Legislature in 1999.

2.      Roger Hale and Vice-Chair Don Gerdesmeier held meetings with new Pawlenty Administration leaders and key legislators to review the written products and introduce the GWDC to those unfamiliar with our work.  GWDC members also testified in key legislative committees to introduce our written products and articulate our current direction.  In these meetings and testimony, members reiterated our Preeminence Minnesota workforce challenges and potential solutions:

Challenges to be met

a)         Meeting the broad need for more workers with more skills in Minnesota’s economy;

b)         Helping Minnesotans advance in their careers and earn more; and,

c)         Continuing to support a “system” that efficiently and effectively helps both employers and jobseekers.

Solutions to pursue

a)      Create greater mobility in the labor market;

b)      Find additional people to enter the labor market; and,

c)      Encourage a workforce with the skills to succeed in Minnesota’s economy, which can be done by: i) identifying industries and occupations that are “critical” to Minnesota’s economic growth; ii) developing a long-term statewide economic strategy that builds on state assets; and, iii) focusing efforts to strengthen productivity of Minnesota businesses

3.      GWDC members and staff have been involved in a series of meetings in support of MDES’ Policy Planning and Measures Office to develop “Meaningful Measures” for Minnesota’s workforce system.  This follows discussion at previous GWDC meetings about the need to consolidate or at least better organize the many federal, state, and in some cases, local measures in use across our workforce programs.  Preeminence Minnesota envisions a common set of measures and indicators that would allow us to gauge our state’s economic growth and progress over time.

4.      Consistent with GWDC discussion in January 2003, two GWDC committees have focused their respective agendas on meeting health care workforce needs, and helping new Minnesotans integrate into the workforce.  These themes are part of the Preeminence Minnesota 2003 Portfolio Report and will also be highlighted at the GWDC Spring Leadership Institute (May 20-21, 2003 in Saint Cloud).

5.      Roger Hale and GWDC staff have fulfilled requests for a variety of speaking engagements with audiences including adult educators, philanthropic foundation staff, economic development professionals and others.

Strengthen Local Workforce Councils and other Stakeholders as Strategic Community Leaders

6.      Through Families Forward (McKnight-funded initiative), the GWDC held forums on health care workforce shortages and cultural competency for employers.  Both forums were attended by a variety of stakeholders from throughout the state, some of whom will bring their knowledge back to discussions of local community responses on these issues.

7.      GWDC staff fulfilled requests for letters of support and individual meetings in support of community-led training and employer-focused initiatives.

8.      Planning continues for the GWDC Spring Leadership Institute to be held May 20-21, 2003 in Saint Cloud.  This year’s event is expected to bring together nearly 200 local leaders for discussion and learning around the three critical challenges outlined in Preeminence Minnesota.