SkillWorks
SkillWorks Spring Newsletter

May 2015

Dear SkillWorks Partners, Friends and Funders:

 

Spring is here and so is the next installment of our newsletter. The latest stretch of good weather reminds us that we do live in a four season climate! Speaking of the number four, I'd like to share a brief overview of SkillWorks' latest thinking on how we'd like to measure success through our "Four 'A's of Impact: Access, Attainment, Achievement and Assets." 


 
SkillWorks has embarked on a new path to learn more about how training, education and service providers define measureable impact for the individuals and employers that they serve. Conventional metrics often only focus on the quantitative inputs and outputs of a program without always considering the various milestones or factors that show an individual's progress, a program's innovative practices or solutions, a provider's organizational accomplishments or a partners return on investment. 


 
Through the Four 'A's of Impact, SkillWorks hopes to influence how we measure success by unpacking some of the complexities of service delivery models that require working with hard to serve populations, especially in a diverse and sometimes shifting funding climate. Data collection, management and analysis is not an easy task and sometimes even harder to find common ground. SkillWorks is moving toward considering impact in a way that is less focused on data collection as an administrative or contract requirement and more focused on creating a valuable tool to support the interactions between participants, programs, providers and partners. 

 

It is critical to have feedback from the field as we move to best define a more meaningful structure of performance measurement that focuses on our success as a workforce intermediary and on opportunities to overcome the barriers and challenges faced by the programs we fund and the individuals we serve. We have and will continue to convene our grantees and other service providers, funders, thought leaders and stakeholders to discuss these issues and move us toward what we hope will be a sharper, more focused direction for SkillWorks. I encourage you to reach out and lend your insight and expertise as we conceive our role in influencing partners and funders across the SkillWorks Four 'A's of Impact: Access, Attainment, Achievement and Assets.  

 

Sincerely, 

Marybeth Campbell, Executive Director

In This Issue
UpSkill America Summit
On April 24, 2015 The National Fund for Workforce Solutions joined the nation's top business leadership groups and employer partners at a White House Summit to launch
UpSkill America - an employer-led movement dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for American workers through education and workforce development.

 

UpSkill America's coalition of business, education, and workforce training organizations is dedicated to helping more businesses expand our nation's talent pipeline by: recognizing leading employers that provide expanded opportunities for their workers; promoting the widespread adoption of business practices and policies that increase economic opportunity; and cultivate the education and workforce development efforts that support and advance those initiatives. UpSkill America's work is facilitated by the Aspen Institute Skills for America's Future.

 

The National Fund and its more than 30 partner communities are deeply committed to industry leadership within workforce development and frontline worker investment and appreciates the opportunity to promote smart investments in frontline workers in order to increase access to family-supporting careers for millions of Americans while also helping employers find the talent they need to be successful and competitive. 


SkillWorks was proud to have key Boston workforce partners in represented and recognized at the UpSkill America White House Summit this past April - Marie Downey, Founder and Executive Director of BEST Corp Hospitality Training Center; John Murtha, GM of the Omni Parker House and representative of the Greater Boston Hospitality Employers; and Joanne Pokaski, Director of Workforce Development at Beth Israel Medical Center and Chair of the Boston Healthcare Careers Consortium.

 

Also joining Boston and nation-wide representatives at the Summit were the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, Business Leaders United, and College for America. SkillWorks and our partners are excited to align with business leaders through this initiative to work toward expanding economic opportunity for American workers.

 

Check out the press release here, and learn more at upskillamerica.org.

Program Innovation: Persistence Plus

Persistence Plus engages and motivates students to college completion through a mobile platform that uses transformative behavioral interventions. By marrying the best practices in student support, the technology that students use most, and ground-breaking behavioral interventions, Persistence Plus is uniquely able to
outreach, engage, and support students from orientation to graduation.

SkillWorks is currently funding a pilot project with JVS' Bridges to College program for students attending Bunker Hill Community College to use the Persistence Plus platform. Here's what some of the students have been saying:

I have been reading and reading [the nudges]. They ask me and encourage me to tell my family about my classes and it helps encourage me while I'm studying. I remember one message about writing five mins a day before an exam: I've been trying that and it's helping...Studying with JVS for four years has been really great. It's because of JVS that I'm in college. . .

- Aguinaldo G. (Aguinaldo Gomes), student in JVS Business Services program attending Bunker Hill Community College

 

JVS participants/Persistence Plus users

[The nudges] remind me all the time about my goals and gives me a sense of triumph. In the morning I get out of bed it reminds me that I have something to achieve that day....What I like most is that every time I'm feeling a little bit down then I can look at my advice [on the phone] and it keeps me motivated. It keeps my spirit up.

- Carl C. (Carl Colas), student in JVS Bridges to College program attending Bunker Hill Community College


 

[The nudges] are definitely helpful. I learned [from a nudge] to write down my goals or what I want to learn. The question about how to help another student was great. I collected handouts for students who are sick.

- Hector R. (Hector Rosales), student in JVS Business Services program attending Bunker Hill Community College to become a medical interpreter.


 

Demographically, these students spanned ages from early 20s to late 40s.

Spring Grantees

SkillWorks is proud to add the following organizations and projects to our list of grantees this past quarter:

  • MassBudget: $10,000 to maintain the Massachusetts Jobs & Workforce Budget tool and hosta series of workshops to educate audiences about the state workforce development system, how effective workforce development programs can benefit our overall economy, and how the system can be improved.
  • YouthBuild Boston: $50,000 in Year 2 funding for their pre-apprenticeship training program.

Click here to learn more about our Phase III Workforce Partnership grantees.

 

Other Initiative Updates
Youth/Industry Partnership Initiative (YIPI)
This past quarter, SkillWorks went to Chicago to meet with other regional collaboratives that are participating in the YIPI project, including: SkillUP in Seattle, WA; Workforce Solutions Collaborative in Metro Hartford, CT; and learning communities: Central Iowa Works in Des Moines, IA; and Bay Area Workforce Funding Collaborative in San Francisco, CA. Also participating in the meeting were national funders - the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, Jobs for the Future, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. During this meeting, YIPI collaboratives and learning communities shared lessons learned from this project, as well as challenges and best/promising practices. On March 18th, SkillWorks also presented at the Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC)'s March meeting on the goals, strategies, and progress of the YIPI project so far. Program staff from YouthBuild Boston, Year Up, and AACA's BEEMS program shared their organizations' learnings as part of the YIPI project as well.
SkillWorks Coaches Group 
has recently been in conversations with the United Way of
SkillWorks College Navigator/Coach, Zeida Santos
Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
around holding joint meetings of SkillWorks' coaches and United Way's Financial Stability coaches in order to grow the network of coaches and facilitate additional learning and sharing of best practices. The first joint meeting, was held on May 12th, included 35+ coaches and was be facilitated by SkillWorks' facilitator Martha Oesch and Tammy Gooler Loeb of United Way.
 
SkillWorks' coaches have also been working on developing representative participant case scenarios and coaching timelines that describe each participant's demographics, presenting issue(s), coaching activities/strategy applied, support services provided, and what achievements each participant experienced along the way to better present and understand the continuum of services offered, the varying degrees of support and time needed by different participants, and ultimately, to present a clearer and qualitatively and quantitatively measureable picture of the impact of coaching services. Coaches from BEST Corp's Hospitality Training Center, and IMPACT Employment Services at Pine Street Inn presented their case scenarios at SkillWorks' grantee convening on May 5th.

Career Readiness Initiative

During this past quarter, participating organizations, including SkillWorks grantees have been submitting user agreements and workplans detailing how they plan to incorporate the Career Ready 101 suite into their programs/curricula. Additionally, after a lengthy process, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development's (EOLWD) contract and statement of work with ACT
has been finalized, signed, and duly executed. Now EOLWD can begin setting up the Career Readiness Initiative learning labs, and rolling out the rest of the ACT Career Readiness tools. EOLWD has also begun activating Career Ready 101 licenses for those organizations that have submitted their Career Readiness Initiative User Agreements.

CWC Conference
On May 7th, SkillWorks Executive Director Marybeth Campbell attended the Commonwealth Workforce Coalition's 12th Annual Conference, Sharing Skills~Building Connections: Career Ready for Today and Tomorrow both as a sponsor and panel moderator. Marybeth led a panel of coaches discussing coaching across a continuum of services. Participants must navigate services across a continuum of providers, often each with it's own coach who works with the participant. This session explored models for how different service providers are using a holistic approach to meet participants' individual needs through enhanced coordination of coaching services across the continuum. To learn more about SkillWorks' coaching model, read our Coaching For College and Career: A SkillWorks Toolkit

Public Policy Advocacy
FY 2016 Budget
After losing $15 million in spending for job training due to 9C cuts earlier this year, work on restoring this funding in the FY16 state budget continues. SkillWorks partners and other workforce development stakeholders have been holding legislative and Administration meetings focused on increasing appropriations for Sector-Based training, School to Career Connecting Activities, YouthWorks, Employment Services Program, One Stop Career Centers and Adult College Transition Services. 

Keep a close eye on the Workforce Solutions Group's website and newsletter and follow @WSG_40 on twitter for budget updates and advocacy alerts! 

The Workforce Solutions Group held their State House legislative briefing on January 13th, which was attended by Representative Wagner, Senator Wolf, and other key legislators. On April 8th, WSG hosted the Youth Pathways Advocacy Day at the State House, emphasizing the importance of allocating funding toward efforts that prepare teens for college and career success.

The Job Training Alliance held their legislative briefing on March 5th to advocate for increased funding for training providers. The JTA also continues to work with a consultant to develop and implement a policy strategy focused on the recapitalization of the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund (WCTF), and increasing the Boston linkage fee, which supports the Neighborhood Jobs Trust (NJT). JTA is also working with another consultant that continues to work on an SROI emphasizing the benefits and cost savings of industry-driven job training. This report should be complete and submitted to SkillWorks by this Summer.
SkillWorks & Workforce Resources

SkillWorks' new one-page fact sheet

 

The Connection Center

 

Inside the Black Box: What Makes Workforce Development Programs Successful? (Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, 2012)


Build Ladders and Raise the Floor: Workforce Strategies Supporting Mobility and Stability for Low-Income Workers (Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and PHI - Quality Care through Quality Jobs, April 2014)

It's been a busy few months! We're looking forward to continuing our work to ensure that every resident has the opportunity to get a good job and make a good living, and every business has a skilled workforce.
 
Sincerely,

Marybeth Campbell, Executive Director

 

SkillWorks Logo


Thank You to Our Phase III Funders

Funders List
Participant Spotlight: Josue Morales

Josue Morales is a Year Up graduate who was referred to Zeida Santos, the SkillWorks College Navigator, in the summer of 2011. Josue had been in and out of higher education for about 10 years, ever since graduating from East Boston High School, and he was very motivated to finish this time. Zeida helped Josue with the transition to 
 

In September 2011, Josue started his degree in Business, Finance Option, at BHCC. Semester after semester, he showed motivation and commitment. He joined the Phi Theta Kappa Honor International Society. He was unemployed so he decided to go to school full time. SkillWorks helped Josue with transportation expenses, textbook purchase and helped him secure an internship at NStar (now Eversource). He was also nominated for and awarded the "outstanding achievement in pursuing my education and workforce goals" award from SkillWorks.

 

Josue completed his Associate's degree in May 2013. Zeida Santos helped Josue in his transfer process to a four year college. He chose to transfer to the College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University, where he has just completed all the requirements with honors for his Bachelor of Science in Finance, Accounting Management.

 

Congratulations, Josue!

 

Josue saw the importance of having support during his higher education journey. He kept in contact with Zeida and requested help when needed it. He became a mentor for X-Cel Education, helping other students navigate the college process. Josue helped Zeida's clients at Northeastern. He made sure they got help from admission counselors and explained the journey to new students.

 

The Connection Center is OPEN!

Connection Center 

Ruggles T Station 

First Floor 

Walk-ins Welcome 

 

Monday-Thursday 

from 12 PM-8 PM 

Friday 12 PM- 5 PM 

 
The Connection Center, operated by X-Cel Education, is a one-stop resource center for Greater Boston's
Opportunity Youth.

 

Located conveniently inside the Ruggles T Station on the Orange Line, the Connection Center matches each youth with his or her own Success Coach. In many cases, Success Coaches are former OY who are now armed with

connections to college and career readiness programs, vocational programs, and many other local innovators who promote alternative pathways for youth looking to make a positive change in their lives.

 

Whether it's a career, a college application, or simply a way out, the Connection Center can help youth find a path to success and independence!

 

Check out the newly launched website for more information!

 

  

#GetOYConnectedTODAY  

Congratulations to Friends of SkillWorks!
Success Boston

After receiving a $2.7 million grant from the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) last fall for their Success Boston Initiative Coaching for Completion program, the Boston Foundation announced the grant recipients that will be taking part in this exciting expansion of the Success Boston Initiative. Click here for the press release and list of grantees, and check out the Success Boston website to learn more.

Boston Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC)
On May 8th at the Aspen Institute's Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund convening, it was announced that Boston, along with 6 other communities, had been awarded Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grants for having developed successful programs making an impact with Opportunity Youth. Read the press release here & check out the article in the Boston Business Journal on the OYC, SIF award, and the Connection Center!



The Boston Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC) is a group convened by the Boston Private Industry Council and Boston Opportunity Agenda aimed at building and strengthening pathways to postsecondary education and careers for Opportunity Youth - young adults between the ages of 16-24 who are disconnected from education and the workforce. The central component of the OYC is the Connection Center, mentioned above. 

Upcoming Events

SkillWorks and our grantees and partners are involved in a number of upcoming, exciting events!

  • June 11: SkillWorks Funders Group meeting
  • June 24:JVS Healthcare Training Institute Celebration
Check out our NEW fact sheet!

Connect With SkillWorks!

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About SkillWorks: Partners for a Productive Workforce
SkillWorks is an ambitious effort on the part of philanthropy, government, community organizations, unions, and employers to respond to Massachusetts' workforce crisis.  SkillWorks' goal is to create a workforce development system that helps low-skill, low-to-moderate income residents move to family-sustaining jobs and helps employers find and retain skilled employees.  It is the largest public/private investment in workforce development in Boston's history.