19E - CALIFORNIA'S EDGE CAMPAIGN

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2 CALIFORNIA'S EDGE California's EDGE: Keeping California Competitive, Creating Opportunity Executive Summary Today California stands at a historic crossroads. Over the next two decades, the highly skilled baby boom generation will be retiring, and many projections indicate that California's replacement workers will have lower levels of educational attainment if current trends persist. Already many California industries face critical skills shortages and some recent studies warn that soon more of the state's employers may be unable to find workers with the skills they need to remain competitive. At the same time, there is mounting evidence that California's workforce is unprepared for the jobs of the future: many young people are not graduating from high school; too few high school graduates are going on to college; and working adults have limited oppor- tunities for lifelong education and career advancement California cannot effectively address its workforce chal- lenges in a piecemeal fashion. The governor and legis- lature 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. To build a broadly shared, talent-based prosperity, California must: 1. Invest in regional workforce and economic devel- opment strategies to build prosperous communities and competitive industries. Expand funding and incentives for regional workforce planning and indus- try-based partnerships; link workforce and economic development initiatives; leverage private and public resources. 19E-5 2. Provide all Californians access to high quality post- secondary education and skills training. Increase the share of students who successfully complete a certifi- cate or degree; create multiple avenues of opportunity (four-year degree programs, two-year academic and vocational degree programs, industry-provided train- ing, union and other apprenticeships). Keep fees affordable and maintain a strong, needs-based financial aid system. Ensure that all Californians understand the opportunities available to them. 3. Provide working adults with opportunities to move up the skill ladder. Support educational institutions to design courses and services that accommodate the needs of working adults and those supporting families. Create a system that allows workers to build skills over time, by accessing a variety of institutions and pro- grams. Ensure that the system provides opportunities for Californians at many levels of skill and experience. Extend financial aid to working and returning stu- dents. Expand training opportunities for employed workers. 4. Link workforce programs and institutions to create pathways to high wage jobs. Forge disjointed educa- tion and job training programs into a coherent system of skill development that is responsive to the long-term needs of the California economy. 5. Align program goals and measures to achieve a shared vision of California's future and to ensure accountability. Set overarching goals and measure progress toward achieving them.