19E - CALIFORNIA'S EDGE CAMPAIGN

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KEEPING CALIFORNIA COMPETITIVE, CREATING OPPORTUNITY 7 California's EDGE: A Policy Agenda California cannot effectively address its workforce challenges in a piecemeal fashion. The Governor and Legislature must implement a broad, coherent, and well-integrated workforce investment strategy that addresses the skill needs of employers and provides opportunities for all California residents. Other states are leading the way. Some far-sighted states have made real strides toward the creation of such an integrated system. To compete in the global economy and build a broadly shared prosperity, California must: I. Invest in Regional Workforce ~nd Economic Development Strategies to Build Prosperous Communities and Competitive Industries Problem: California is not one economy but a set of economic regions. The economic assets and liabilities, and therefore the economic and workforce development needs, of these communities vary widely across the state. Nationally, there is growing recognition of the importance of aligning economic and workforce development strategies and resources with the needs of regional economies. California has taken limited but important steps in this direction. Many of California's Workforce Investment Boards and community colleges have developed programs around the needs of key industry sectors and have begun building durable public-private partnerships. Unions, employer associations, community-based organizations, and others have also launched inn~va- tive workforce programs based on an understandmg of the competitive challenges facing their regions and localities. To support this work, California has made some investments at the state level. Now California needs to build on these efforts and bring them to scale, as some other states are doing. Solution: Strengthen California's regional economies by committing to an agenda of regional growth and development based on public-private partnerships and workforce tale~t. Invest in the capacity of organizations to do regIOnal and local planning and collaboration. Leverage both public and private funding. Policy Recommendations: 1. Expand funding and incentives for regional workforce planning and regional industry-based partnerships. 2. Invest in the capacity of local/regional institutions (including Workforce Investment Boards, employer organizations, unions, community-based organiza- tions) to connect employers, unions, individuals, and educational institutions. 3. Link workforce and economic development initia- tives. 4. Leverage all available resources, including employer contributions, philanthropic investment, and federal and state discretionary funds. II. Provide All Californians Access to High Quality Postsecondary Education and Skills Training Problem: Today and in the future, Californians with a high school diploma or less will be less able to enter high wage jobs than in the past; nor can these work~rs . power a globally competitive economy. Yet Cahforma has failed to provide all residents access to high quality postsecondary education and skills training. Available programs do not meet the needs of many students- particularly those seeking alternatives to the four-year degree. Young people are often faced with the anach- ronistic "college prep" versus "vocational education" dichotomy. In addition, many Californians are unaware of their options because counseling and career guidance are generally unavailable. Low-income students face financial barriers to access and success. Solution: Provide all Californians access to high quality postsec- ondary education or training; increase the share of students who successfully complete a certificate or degree; create multiple avenues of opportunity: four-year degree 19E-10