SkillWorks: Partners for a Productive Workforce successfully promotes workforce development in the city of Boston due to a community of non-profit agencies, employers, philanthropic organizations and participants. It's a priority for us to keep you informed on the work of the initiative so that together we can provide creative leadership for and solutions to our region's workforce challenges. |
SkillWorks Hosting College Credentials Conference on Thursday, July 31st
On Thursday, July 31st, SkillWorks: Partners for a Productive Workforce is hosting a conference that brings community college leaders from across the country to Boston to share innovative efforts that help working adults earn college credentials. This forum is part of SkillWorks' efforts to build bridges between the post-secondary education and workforce development systems and to highlight the important role of post-secondary education in helping the working poor achieve family economic self-sufficiency.
At "The Road to Economic Well-Being: How Working Adults Can Gain College Credentials," panelists from Oregon, North Caroline, Kentucky, Colorado and Massachusetts will share best practices for helping working adults, particularly those with GEDs and basic skills, successfully transition into and complete college-level work. The event is being co-sponsored by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley.
Panel discussions include:
"Seamless Pathways: Adult Basic Education to College"
"Adult-Friendly College Designs"
"Gaining Credit for Learning at Work"
Confirmed Speakers are:
* Elaine Baker, Community College of Denver
* Lisa Delano-Botelho, Bristol Community College
* Kate Dins, Portland Community College
* Cindy Fiorella, Owensboro Community and Technical College
* Judy Lindamood, Bunker Hill Community College
* Pat Phillips, Davidson County Community College
* Fred Rocco, Bristol Community College
* Ann Withorn, UMass Boston
Where:
Channel Point Conference Center
51 Sleeper Street
Boston, MA
Parking is available in nearby lots for about $12/day but lots fill up quickly. The Conference Center is easily accessible from South Station (on the Red Line
or commuter rail) or the Courthouse stop on the Silver Line.
Date:
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
Time:
Registration, breakfast and networking: 8 am to 8:45 am
Program: 9 am to 12:30 pm.
Registration to this event is closed. There is a waiting list so if you have RSVPed to this event and cannot make it, please e-mail SkillWorks Director Loh-Sze Leung at skillworks@tbf.org. For directions, please click on the link to the Channel Point Conference Center.
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Workforce Partnership Proposals Advance
Congratulations to those workforce partnerships who have been invited to submit full applications to SkillWorks Phase II:
- The Early Education STEPS Project (led by Action for Boston Community Development)
- Union Management Hotel Training Center (led by Boston Education, Skills & Training Corp.)
- LPN On-Site College Project (led by Bunker Hill Community College)
- Green Building Trades (led by YouthBuild Boston)
- Healthcare Training Institute (led by JVS)
- Financial Services Workforce Partnerships (led by International Institute of Boston)
- Workforce Partnership for Green Career Pathways (led by JFY Networks)
- Year Up Financial Services Partnerships (led by Year Up)
- Financial Services Partnerships (led by YMCA Training Inc)
- Emergency Medical Careers Partnership (led by Northeastern University)
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RFP for Phase II Capacity Building Providers
The Request for Proposals for SkillWorks Phase II Capacity Building providers is available at our Web site, www.skill-works.org or can be downloaded from this e-mail. Proposals submitted on this RFP are due to Loh-Sze Leung, SkillWorks Director, on Friday, September 5th.
Please feel free to forward this information to any individual or organization you think might be interested in providing a proposal. |
Legislative and Policy Update - Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund
Thanks to the good work of people like you, on
July 13 Governor Patrick signed the $28 billion FY 2009 budget,
which included $3 million for the Competitiveness Workforce Trust
Fund. The Fund has been instrumental in providing education and
training for hundreds of workers across the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. With continued emphasis on providing and promoting
skills, we can ensure that Massachusetts remains economically
competitive while also making sure that low income individuals have
opportunities for family-sustaining jobs. The budget also
included funding for other important workforce development initiatives,
including Adult Basic Education, One-Stop Career Centers, and the
Employment Service Program. We would like to particularly
thank the main supporters of the Competitiveness Workforce Trust Fund,
including Senate Chairman Tom McGee and cosponsors Senators Montigny,
Wilkerson, Hart, Petrucelli, Galluccio and Tucker for their efforts. Additionally, we must thank Representative Torrisi and all those who co-sponsored the amendment in the Massachusetts General Court. For more information on the Competitiveness Workforce Trust Fund, please click on the Commonwealth Corporation's Web site.
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Director's Remarks
SkillWorks has had a busy and productive month and half since the Phase II launch in early June. Thanks to all of you who submitted pre-applications for SkillWorks Phase II workforce partnerships funding. It was very competitive; we received many quality proposals and were sorry that we could not advance everyone to the next round. Congratulations to those partnerships who were selected! We have also been hard at work planning for this week's college credential forum, co-sponsored by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. The response has been overwhelming, making us think that we will need to revisit this topic in the future. Finally, we received the good news that the legislature approving $3 million for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund in the FY09 budget. Thanks to the Workforce Solutions Group for their leadership on this issue and to all of you for your ongoing support. I hope that you are all enjoying your summers and we look forward to providing a fuller update in the fall!
Loh-Sze Leung
Director |
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SkillWorks Funders
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The Annie E. Casey Foundation
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The Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund and the Frank W. and Carl S. Adams Memorial Fund, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee
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Boston 2004
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The Boston Foundation
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The City of Boston's Neighborhood Jobs Trust
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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The Hyams Foundation
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The Clowes Fund, Inc
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The Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust
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The John Merck Fund
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Microsoft Corporation
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The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Foundation
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The National Fund for Workforce Solutions
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The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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The Rockefeller Foundation
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State Street Foundation
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The William Randolph Hearst Foundation
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United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley |
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SkillWorks Partnerships
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Boston Health Care and Research Training Institute
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Building Services Career Path Project
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Community Health Worker Initiative of Boston
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Hotel Career Center
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Partners for Career and Workforce Development
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Partnership for Automotive and Career Education
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Workforce Solutions Group
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