Podcasts about national skills coalition

Originally uploaded April 11th, reloaded April 25th. Chris Holman welcomes Jeran Culina, Manager, Business Leaders United at National Skills Coalition, Middleville, MI. Welcome Jeran, tell us about Business Leaders United? What is your role at National Skills Coalition and how are you currently connected in the state of Michigan? What is the current state of workforce at the federal level? Why is this important for business to be connected into? How can a business get involved in your work? » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Watch MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ About BLU Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships (BLU) is comprised of employers from a range of industries across the nation who are concerned about our nation's skills mismatch, who are working with local partners to train and hire community residents for skilled jobs, and who want our country's policymakers to follow suit and invest - aggressively and effectively - in the skills of America's workers. BLU provides a common platform from which these diverse business leaders can jointly communicate to national policymakers, the press, and the American public about the effective industry-based strategies they've developed which could serve as models for a more comprehensive national skills policy.

Teri Sand, SHRM-CP, PHR, CBSP, CRP, Business Services Manager, Capital Area Michigan Works!, Lansing, MI, but serving Ingham Eaton, and Clinton Counties THEME: Teri discusses the Going PRO Talent Fund, an initiative that provides competitive awards for training that enhances talent, productivity and employment retention. Question: What is the Going PRO Talent Fund and how does it work? ● The Going PRO Talent Fund provides financial support to employers with training needs through award funding. ○ Candidates who will be a good fit for the Going PRO Talent Fund include companies looking to train new employees, employers who have a critical issue in their sector they want to increase education around or organizations who want to teach key skills to improve workflow. ● Going PRO brings many benefits to Michigan's employers and their team members. For example, the Going PRO Talent Fund… ○ Helps ensure Michigan's employers have the talent they need to compete and grow, while also ensuring individuals have the skills they need to work. ○ Expands and improves employees' skills while developing their opportunities for growth. ○ Addresses skill shortages by supporting an increase in credentials, certificates and degrees through employer-responsive training. ● Going PRO's collaboration with Capital Area Michigan Works! achieves employer demand-driven development that addresses talent shortages by focusing on skills that companies need most. ○ For example, The National Skills Coalition released data finding that 89% of jobs require digital skills and one-third of workers lack the foundational digital skills necessary to enter and thrive in today's market. ■ If an organization saw a similar skills gap, the Going PRO Talent Fund could support training to increase those digital skills. ■ Going PRO supports training that will close critical skill gaps and increase economic opportunity, workforce readiness and job retention. Question: How has the Going PRO Talent Fund impacted businesses and what are some of the outcomes of the trainings they fund? ● According to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, since 2014, Going PRO has distributed 7,480 awards that averaged $39,547 per award and $1,412 per person in Michigan. ○ In 2023, Capital Area Michigan Works! awarded $5,760,445 in Going PRO Talent Funding to local businesses. ○ In 2024, the Going PRO Talent Fund distributed 821 awards statewide, totaling $44,971,808 across 780 businesses. ● Several local companies have shared their success stories and have improved their workflow statistics after receiving awards from Going PRO. ○ Block Imaging is a second-generation family business that provides refurbished medical imaging equipment, parts and services to support healthcare providers worldwide. New hires emphasized how smooth the onboarding process was and the quality of training they received; the funding Block Imaging received allowed them to incorporate more hands-on training hours and experiences for their team. Since collaborating with Going PRO, Block Imaging has increased the gross margin per team member by $1,000 per month. ○ BEKUM America is a designer and builder of extrusion blow molding machines. After utilizing Going PRO funds for apprenticeships, new hire training, classroom training and skilled trades training, BEKUM was able to support the success of 11 current apprentices, three new apprentices and 16 skilled trades employees. Question: How is funding allocated and what is required for an award? ● Funding is provided for training that fills a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer, is short term and leads to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry. Question: How can employers get involved and apply for awards?

In this episode of Work in Progress, I am joined by Andy Van Kleunen, founder and CEO of the National Skills Coalition. We sat down in the "Bucky Dome" on the Aspen Institute campus at the Aspen Ideas Festival to discuss what is being done to upskill workers to fill the 10.1 million open jobs across the country. Since 2000, the National Skills Coalition (NSC) has been advocating for what it describes as "a national commitment to inclusive, high-quality skills training so that more people have access to a better life, and more local businesses see sustained growth." Founder and CEO Andy Van Kleunen explains that the NSC was created as a reaction to what was happening in federal policy at the time. "There was kind of a bipartisan decision that training didn't matter for low-income folks or folks who'd been laid off from their jobs or young people who were just out of high school." 23 years into the mission, he says, he believes that there is a consensus that training is integral to economic mobility and prosperity. Here is some of what he told me: "I think there's bipartisan agreement. The dynamic around why it is that we, as a country, should be investing in working people and why we should be looking particularly at folks who are not in that traditional high school-to-college full-time pipeline has changed dramatically. "We have a labor market that is desperate for skilled people to fill a bunch of open jobs. Even coming out of recession, we still have shortages of skilled workers in really key industries. Now, it's just a matter of getting some consensus about what government can be doing in partnership with industry and education trading providers to provide that. "It's not that the private sector doesn't understand that we need to be investing in training in order to stay ahead of the tech logical curve. We need to get industry to start to invest in some of the folks at their entry levels because those are skilled jobs as well. Those jobs are becoming increasingly skilled, becoming increasingly digital. "92% of the jobs today have some either explicit or implicit digital skill requirement. That's basically every job in the economy. We are not investing in every worker to be able to be ready for all of those jobs. And I think industry needs to take that seriously and start to think about how to invest in their entry level and mid-level workers to help keep them ahead of the curve. And then government needs to do its part to make sure that we're building a pipeline of folks who can move into those jobs. "We're going to have a whole $3 trillion worth of federal investment that's going to be going into communities to finally rebuild our infrastructure in a number of different ways, which is going to create even more skilled jobs. I think everybody recognizes we've got a challenge and that we need to do something about it." Van Kleunen offers more specifics on these and many other aspects of the ongoing efforts – and opportunities – to upskill workers for good, family-sustaining jobs in today's workforce. You can listen to the full podcast here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 278: Andy Van Kleunen, Founder & CEO, National Skills CoalitionHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlExecutive Producers: Joan Lynch and Melissa PanzerTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Download the transcript for this podcast here.You can check out all the other podcasts at this link: Work in Progress podcasts

In this episode of Work in Progress, I am joined by Andy Van Kleunen, founder and CEO of the National Skills Coalition. We sat down in the "Bucky Dome" on the Aspen Institute campus at the Aspen Ideas Festival to discuss what is being done to upskill workers to fill the 10.1 million open jobs across the country. Since 2000, the National Skills Coalition (NSC) has been advocating for what it describes as "a national commitment to inclusive, high-quality skills training so that more people have access to a better life, and more local businesses see sustained growth." Founder and CEO Andy Van Kleunen explains that the NSC was created as a reaction to what was happening in federal policy at the time. "There was kind of a bipartisan decision that training didn't matter for low-income folks or folks who'd been laid off from their jobs or young people who were just out of high school." 23 years into the mission, he says, he believes that there is a consensus that training is integral to economic mobility and prosperity. Here is some of what he told me: "I think there's bipartisan agreement. The dynamic around why it is that we, as a country, should be investing in working people and why we should be looking particularly at folks who are not in that traditional high school-to-college full-time pipeline has changed dramatically. "We have a labor market that is desperate for skilled people to fill a bunch of open jobs. Even coming out of recession, we still have shortages of skilled workers in really key industries. Now, it's just a matter of getting some consensus about what government can be doing in partnership with industry and education trading providers to provide that. "It's not that the private sector doesn't understand that we need to be investing in training in order to stay ahead of the tech logical curve. We need to get industry to start to invest in some of the folks at their entry levels because those are skilled jobs as well. Those jobs are becoming increasingly skilled, becoming increasingly digital. "92% of the jobs today have some either explicit or implicit digital skill requirement. That's basically every job in the economy. We are not investing in every worker to be able to be ready for all of those jobs. And I think industry needs to take that seriously and start to think about how to invest in their entry level and mid-level workers to help keep them ahead of the curve. And then government needs to do its part to make sure that we're building a pipeline of folks who can move into those jobs. "We're going to have a whole $3 trillion worth of federal investment that's going to be going into communities to finally rebuild our infrastructure in a number of different ways, which is going to create even more skilled jobs. I think everybody recognizes we've got a challenge and that we need to do something about it." Van Kleunen offers more specifics on these and many other aspects of the ongoing efforts – and opportunities – to upskill workers for good, family-sustaining jobs in today's workforce. You can listen to the full podcast here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 278: Andy Van Kleunen, Founder & CEO, National Skills CoalitionHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlExecutive Producers: Joan Lynch and Melissa PanzerTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Download the transcript for this podcast here.You can check out all the other podcasts at this link: Work in Progress podcasts

Edwin Parra works for Anting-Johnson Company Skilled Trade Recruiting, Onboarding and Career Development for Atlanta Field Division. Coordinate and Facilitate Trade Divisions for the Metro Atlanta area. Assist Construction Management in Safety Implementation and Risk Reduction. Developed and implemented Pre-Apprenticeship Programs with local High School and Tech School Trade Progams. Developed, Implemented and Manage Accredited Apprenticeship Programs for Atlanta Field Divisions. In partnership with Business Leaders United and the National Skills Coalition, advocaced for Skilled Trade policies & Initiatives on a Local and Federal Level. ABOUT PODCAST Skill Stadium podcast is the voice of the skilled trades. Every Tuesday morning, we feature guests from all over the world with the following backgrounds: Business Owners Hiring Managers Skilled Trades Professionals Trade School Administrators Career Coaches Skilled Trades Influencers The purpose of the podcast is to share stories, career advice, and job opportunities in the skilled trades. You are invited every week to listen in on a conversation with people who are passionate about the skilled trades. You get the information you cannot google, from real people doing the work. Skill Stadium Links Website www.skillstadium.com Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/skill-stadium/id1530074050 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SkillStadium4Jobs Instagram www.instagram.com/skillstadium/ Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SkillStadium Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/skillstadium/?viewAsMember=true Twitter https://twitter.com/SkillStadium TikTok www.tiktok.com/@skillstadiumtradesjobs

In the season finale of the All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast, host Marc Goldberg facilitates a panel discussion with leaders in Oregon who were instrumental in landmark legislation that funds Benefits Navigators at all 24 public community college and universities to help students access benefits and resources that will support them to complete college and gain careers with economic mobility. The panelists include: Venus Barnes, Organizer-Community Food Justice at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Elizabeth Guzman Arroyo, Statewide Pathways to Opportunity and Community College STEP Consortia Director, Dan Haun, Director of Self Sufficiency Programs at the Oregon Department of Human Services, Emma Kallaway, former Government Relations Director at Portland Community College and Kate Kinder, State Strategies Director at the National Skills Coalition.These colleagues share their reflections on what led to the passage of Oregon House Bill 2835 highlighting the role student voices and broad-based coalition had in compelling policymakers to pass this inclusive, student-centered policy. Panelists also describe the implementation of the Benefits Navigators bill to date and related wins from Oregon's 2022 short legislative session.  

Van Ton-Quinlivan, CEO of Futuro Health and host of the show, is also author of the new best-selling book, WorkforceRx: Agile and Inclusive Strategies for Employers, Educators and Workers in Unsettled Times. In this episode, Van welcomes some of the nation's leading workforce development experts to discuss which strategies and insights from Chapters Three and Four resonated most with them. Check out their lively discussion about giving employers a role in shaping curriculum, making education and training more affordable and flexible, finding an ecosystem of willing partners and much more from this powerful new playbook for the future of work.  Joining Van are: Rachel Unruh, Chief of External Affairs with the National Skills Coalition; Amy Wallace, former Deputy Director at the California Workforce Development Board; Debra Jones & Lynn Shaw, former system leaders with the California Community Colleges; Flannery Hauck, Director with SEIU-UHW; Kai Drekmeier, Chief Development Officer with Inside Track; Fred Freedman, Chief Executive Officer of Pima Medical Institute; and Katie Nielson, Chief Education Officer of EnGen.

Van Ton Quinlivan, CEO of Futuro Health and host of the show, is also author of the new best-selling book, WorkforceRx: Agile and Inclusive Strategies for Employers, Educators and Workers in Unsettled Times. In this episode, Van welcomes some of the nation's leading workforce development experts to discuss which strategies and insights from Chapters Three and Four resonated most with them. Check out their lively discussion about giving employers a role in shaping curriculum, making education and training more affordable and flexible, finding an ecosystem of willing partners and much more from this powerful new playbook for the future of work. Joining Van are: Rachel Unruh, Chief of External Affairs with the National Skills Coalition; Amy Wallace, former Deputy Director at the California Workforce Development Board; Debra Jones & Lynn Shaw, former system leaders with the California Community Colleges; Flannery Hauck, Director with SEIU-UHW; Kai Drekmeier, Chief Development Officer with Inside Track; Fred Freedman, Chief Executive Officer of Pima Medical Institute; and Katie Nielson, Chief Education Officer of EnGen.

This special edition of the All In: Student Pathway Forward podcast is focused on federal policy with a featured guest who is one of the strongest legislative champions in Congress for community colleges and workforce development, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, serving Oregon's 1st congressional district. Congresswoman Bonamici discusses how her federal policy work supporting community college students and workers has been shaped by her own community college student experience at Lane Community College. The Congresswoman talks about her leadership on current legislation that addresses the unmet financial need of community college students and emphasizes the different paths a student or worker can take to thrive including community college and workforce development programs but also registered apprenticeships.  Katie Spiker, the Managing Director of Government Affairs at the National Skills Coalition, provides a valuable update from the Hill on the historic passage of the infrastructure bill and describes the status of the Build Back Better Act. She offers a helpful summary of what funding can assist higher education students, workers, apprentices and small and medium sized businesses in these two key pieces of legislation. Katie also shares how important it is for community college students, faculty, staff and champions to continue to advocate for legislation towards an inclusive economic recovery. The interviews with Congresswoman Bonamici and Katie Spiker were recorded prior to the House of Representatives passing the Build Back Better Act on Friday, November 19. 

National Skills Coalition CEO Andy Van Kleunen shares how the Biden administration can ensure that America's historically underserved populations most benefit from the president's ambitious Build Back Better infrastructure plans. Photo courtesy of the National Skills Coalition

September is here and as the federally funded Pandemic Unemployment Benefits come to an end over 8 million Americans will be out of money and need to get back to work. Despite the growth in job openings across the country, many Americans and New Yorkers don't have the necessary skills or supports like childcare, to get a good paying job. Unfortunately, Congress continues to put funding for job training, adult education and upskilling on the back burner. Rumors are that funding once thought to be as high as $100 Billion could be cut completely from negotiations. Katie Spiker from the National Skills Coalition gives us the run down on what is happening in D.C. and why we need to keep up the advocacy on investing in workforce.

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, Diana Caba, assistant vice president for policy and community engagement for the Hispanic Federation joins me to discuss the digital skills gap in the Latino community and what is being done to close that gap. "The dire need for digital skills is a longstanding issue for communities of color in general. And before the pandemic, the digital divide has been especially detrimental to the economic prospects of Latinos of all ages," says Caba. "The Latino workforce is growing exponentially," she adds, "(and) a lot of those workers are lacking critical digital skills to be able to work, to be able to progress in their careers, to be able to increase their financial security." Latinos are 14% of today's workforce and will account for as many as seven out of 10 workers entering the workforce by 2025, but they also currently represent 35% of workers without digital skills and 20% of those with limited digital skills, according to the National Skills Coalition. This disconnect means that Latino workers without in-demand digital skills will have fewer opportunities to compete for the best-paying jobs. "This stems from a variety of different issues from K-12 education and access to opportunities. There's so much to be said in regards to that, but I think that we can all agree that the devastation the pandemic has caused has shed light on these deep-rooted inequities, but has also offered the opportunity to see that digital access is no longer a luxury." To address the digital skills gap, a few years ago the Hispanic Federation created the Latino Digital Accelerator initiative, which enhances and expands the digital workforce activities of Latino-led and Latino-serving nonprofit organizations across the nation. "The intention of the Digital Accelerator is to be able to support Latino-serving organizations that are doing the work, that are in the community with the resources and expertise for them to grow their digital skilling initiatives, that in turn will prepare Latinos for the workforce of today and tomorrow, and the idea of creating a coalition of organizations working in this area to then further inform other groups that want to do this in their communities," Caba explains on the podcast. The Hispanic Federation is currently working with 24 community-based organizations (CBOs) in 10 states and in Puerto Rico. "We have provided them with seed funding to either start a digital skilling program or enhance their digital skilling programs that they currently have, again, through the workforce training work that they do. "In additional to the capital, we have developed a basic digital skilling and job preparedness curriculum, which was created also with input from the CBOs that we're working with and also additional research and also combining that with free tools that can be incorporated. It's part of our essential services that we provide to the organizations that we provide capacity building for." As Caba explains, "We are very fortunate to receive the support of Google.org and also continue to work with other entities interested in digital skilling for Latinos. The long-term vision for the Digital Accelerator, of course, is to establish a pipeline that leads to well-paying jobs." "The future belongs to those who are connected." You can learn more about the Digital Accelerator and the work the Hispanic Federation is doing to close the digital skills gap by downloading the podcast here, or wherever you get your podcasts. Download the transcript for this podcast here. Episode 198: Diana Caba, Hispanic Federation, Assistant VP for Policy and Community EngagementHost and Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, editor-in-chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlExecutive Producers: Joan Lynch, Melissa PanzerMusic: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4.0. You can check out all the other podcasts at this link: Work in Progress pod...

My guest in this episode of Work in Progress is Andy Van Kleunen, the founder and CEO of National Skills Coalition, a national organization which describes its mission as "fighting for inclusive, high-quality skills training so that people have access to a better life, and local businesses see sustained growth." NSC is a diverse group of stakeholders—business leaders, community leaders, community colleges, and industry intermediates—all trying to figure out how to reskill the workforce, says Van Kleunen, "so we can get more folks into the good jobs that are available in a very rapidly changing economy." As a group, NSC makes recommendations to state and federal leaders that they hope will influence policy and spending on skills training and education. Van Kleunen says it all comes down to investing in people. "The job market that those folks are going back into is very different than the one they faced back in March 2020. So we're very worried about the fact that with all of the great things that Washington has done to bring support and rescue to businesses and local workers who've been really challenged by this pandemic, we've done virtually nothing up until now to actually invest in the futures of those millions of workers who are currently out of the labor market, and are going to have a really tough time getting back in unless we invest in them now to get them ready for a very different economy." Van Kleunen says that we've seen how the challenges of the last 18 months have disproportionately impacted workers of color, workers without a bachelor's degree or even any kind of post-secondary training, low-wage workers, older workers, and women. Some of these workers and job seekers will need short-term training, others would benefit from a longer-term strategy and collaborative partnerships among various stakeholders. "I do think the American Jobs Plan that the Biden administration has proposed as part of its infrastructure strategy is very explicit about wanting to have those kinds of partnerships there to figure out both employment strategies for new workers that are coming into skilled work, but also how we're thinking about our unemployment policies and how it is that we're trying to transition workers if it's not back into the industry from which they left into new industries locally. And so I think that that partnership idea has really taken hold," he adds. Van Kleunen says he's encourage by signs that investing in people—investing in training for workers—is a bi-partisan issue. "It resonates with Republican and Democratic and Independent voters. We did a recent poll, 89% of U.S. voters want to see workforce training be part of any infrastructure job creation package coming out of Congress this year. They see that as an essential part." "I'm also encouraged by the fact that the kind of partners that we're bringing together, who don't typically work together on policy—business leaders both large and small, labor unions, colleges, and community organizations—they've done a great job of coming together to work on this stuff. And so I think that that's where we've got a great opportunity to move this conversation forward, not just with what we do here in 2021, but in some years to follow." You can listen to the full podcast here, or wherever you get your podcasts.Download the transcript for this podcast here.You can check out all the other podcasts at this link: Work in Progress podcasts Episode 195: Andy Van Kleunen, National Skills Coalition founder & CEOHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlExecutive Producers: Joan Lynch and Melissa PanzerMusic: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4.0. Program Alert! Andy Van Kleunen is among the guests when WorkingNation president Jane Oates moderates a Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and AARP virtual panel discussion about solving some of these long-term unemployment i...

My guest in this episode of Work in Progress is Andy Van Kleunen, the founder and CEO of National Skills Coalition, a national organization which describes its mission as “fighting for inclusive, high-quality skills training so that people have access to a better life, and local businesses see sustained growth.” NSC is a diverse group […] The post Investing in people and closing the skills gap in a changed economy appeared first on WorkingNation.

In this Intro episode, I have the chance to speak with Melissa Johnson from the National Skills Coalition and Kate Kinder from Portland Community College to set the stage for this new podcast centered on elevating Oregon community college student voices to shape inclusive policies, programs and partnerships. The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is a part of Oregon's SkillSPAN advocacy work with National Skills Coalition and tied to the broad statewide Pathways to Opportunity coalition that is helping students maximize benefits and resources to complete college and gain economic mobility. Listen in to hear some really helpful context setting and overall insights from Melissa and Kate before I begin chatting with Oregon community college students in upcoming episodes.

Unemployment is at an all-time high in the Philly Metro region -- and across the country-- so what does a post-COVID labor market look like? Who has been hit hardest and how do we get them back to work? Deb Sacca shares her journey of underemployment, unemployment, and a job search during a global pandemic. Fatima Martin of PA Careerlink, a one-stop career center, helps unpack the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Katie Spiker of the National Skills Coalition illustrates who has been hit hardest economically by the pandemic and shares a path towards an inclusive economic recovery. Nicole Tranchitella of Accenture discusses the important role of employers in the region's recovery. Produced by JEVS Human Services PWPvideo

As a longtime observer of the Washington political scene and a “go-to” expert on workforce and education policy issues, Andy Van Kleunen thinks that despite the country's deep political divisions, it's possible to make generation-defining investments in education and training to spur major employment growth. “There’s not a lot of partisan divide on investing in the retraining of somebody who’s been laid off and now has to look for a new occupation. We’re talking about 80 to 90 percent approval for greater public investments in those kinds of efforts.” Drawing on lessons learned from previous recovery efforts, Van Kleunen believes more needs to be done this time to make sure economic gains are inclusive from a racial and socio-economic standpoint. The organization he leads, National Skills Coalition, also urges policymakers to follow what they have found to be the most effective formula for increasing skills and growing jobs: let localities and states in the nation's 300-400 regional economies bring stakeholders together to determine where investments should be made. In this timely conversation with Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan, Van Kleunen taps into the knowledge gained from his national network of business, education and labor leaders to share the most effective formulas for economic development in this unique political moment.

As a longtime observer of the Washington political scene and a “go-to” expert on workforce and education policy issues, Andy Van Kleunen thinks that despite the country’s deep political divisions, it’s possible to make generation-defining investments in education and training to spur major employment growth. “There's not a lot of partisan divide on investing in the retraining of somebody who's been laid off and now has to look for a new occupation. We're talking about 80 to 90 percent approval for greater public investments in those kinds of efforts.” Drawing on lessons learned from previous recovery efforts, Van Kleunen believes more needs to be done this time to make sure economic gains are inclusive from a racial and socio-economic standpoint. The organization he leads, National Skills Coalition, also urges policymakers to follow what they have found to be the most effective formula for increasing skills and growing jobs: let localities and states in the nation’s 300-400 regional economies bring stakeholders together to determine where investments should be made. In this timely conversation with Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan, Van Kleunen taps into the knowledge gained from his national network of business, education and labor leaders to share the most effective formulas for economic development in this unique political moment.

As a longtime observer of the Washington political scene and a “go-to” expert on workforce and education policy issues, Andy Van Kleunen thinks that despite the country’s deep political divisions, it’s possible to make generation-defining investments in education and training to spur major employment growth. “There's not a lot of partisan divide on investing in the retraining of somebody who's been laid off and now has to look for a new occupation. We're talking about 80 to 90 percent approval for greater public investments in those kinds of efforts.” Drawing on lessons learned from previous recovery efforts, Van Kleunen believes more needs to be done this time to make sure economic gains are inclusive from a racial and socio-economic standpoint. The organization he leads, National Skills Coalition, also urges policymakers to follow what they have found to be the most effective formula for increasing skills and growing jobs: let localities and states in the nation’s 300-400 regional economies bring stakeholders together to determine where investments should be made. In this timely conversation with Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan, Van Kleunen taps into the knowledge gained from his national network of business, education and labor leaders to share the most effective formulas for economic development in this unique political moment.

Host Rachel Unruh talks with National Skills Coalition CEO Andy Van Kleunen about the state of our workforce, the lessons we've learned from the recessions of our distant - and not-so-distant - past, and how National Skills Coalition envisions an inclusive economic recovery that benefits every worker and every industry in the post-pandemic economy.Sign up for our post-election analysis webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k6PkBcSEQWWsP2V5AM5UlwLearn more about Skills for an Inclusive Economic Recovery: https://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/covid19Support the show (https://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/action/donate)

The clock is ticking down for a massive federal stimulus package to support Americans and businesses as much of the country continues to struggle with the impacts of COVID-19. For this episode we are joined by Stephanie Martinez-Ruckman, Legislative Director for Human Capital at the National League of Cities and Katie Spiker, Director of Government Affairs for the National Skills Coalition who will break down: what the debate is, where there is agreement, and just how far we need to go before job training and workforce services are included in the package whether it be HEROES or the new HEALS acts.

On today’s episode of Upskill With Edtech we are lucky enough to have two esteemed guests, one of whom is Jaime Fall, Director of UpSkill America at the Aspen Institute, an employer-led movement to expand opportunity for America’s workers and communities by promoting training and advancement practices to help workers progress in their careers and move into better-paying jobs. We also have Molly Bashay, a State Policy Analyst with the National Skills Coalition, who is working to advance skills policies through research and analysis of state workforce policies, advocacy assistance and policy implementation support. The conversation defines the term "skills gap” and making clear that there are a multitude of skills gaps that need to be addressed and overcome. The guests also identify various resources and organizations working hard to help create an equitable and informed workforce of learner workers. The Upskill With Edtech podcast series is produced by Getting Smart as part of ISTE’s SkillRise initiative. Our editor and music man is Trevor Stout. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen. For additional valuable ideas about edtech, adult learning, and upskilling, check out SkillRise.org, where you can download the SkillRise framework and find other great resources. You can also keep up to date by following our Twitter feed @SkillRiseOrg or you can join the conversation in our Workforce EdTech LinkedIn Group. Thanks for tuning in!1:00 Brandon introduces our guests2:15 Jaime speaks to the notion that there are multiple skills gaps and helps to define the term3:30 Molly continues to define skills gaps5:30 Our guests talk about the barriers to skills acquisition and growth8:05 Jaime talks about Upskill America and how they are helping learner workers prepare10:00 Molly discusses National Skills Coalition’s work to combat the skills gap12:42 What does it mean to be a working learner?13:45 Molly and Jaime discuss the ways in which policy can support work learners15:50 Innovations in workplace design and working models17:05 Jaime highlights some organizations that are providing great workaround services for family support and educational resources18:05 Molly adds to Jaime’s list of resources and tools.19:55 Molly discusses the notion that apps may be able to aid in the transition to a digital workforce21:45 Jaime discusses the promise of video training and virtual reality training

Melinda Mack chats with Katie Spiker, Director of Government Relations at the National Skills Coalition about WIOA, TANF, funding job training, future of work, apprenticeship and what to potentially expect in the State of the Union.

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Show ID: 35386]

Ethnic and racial diversity is a key strength in workforce development as well as moral imperative. How can we better match skills to opportunity? Molly Bashay, state policy analyst for the National Skills Coalition, explains how better workforce policies are needed to advance equity. Series: "Career Channel" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 35386]

In this episode, our host Kristin Wolff talks with Jenna Leventoff, Senior Policy Analyst for the Workforce Data Quality Campaign (WDQC) in Washington DC, and long-time thought partner, data advocate, and master documentarian of all things workforce data. Jenna offers an insider’s view of major trends in past, present, and future in education and workforce data. She cites a treasure trove of resources for data champions seeking to make higher and better use of their data and even share a preview of resource under development at the National Skills Coalition and WDQC. For more information: · National Skills Coalition & Workforce Data Quality Campaign: https://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/national-initiatives/workforce-data-quality-campaign ·EMSI: https://www.economicmodeling.com/higher-education/ ·Burning Glass: https://www.burning-glass.com/research/ ·Monroe Community College: https://mccediws.com/ ·Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Data Exchange: https://www.wiche.edu/longitudinalDataExchange · New York University’s Administrative Data Research Facility (ADRF): https://cusp.nyu.edu/news/administrative-data-facility-enables-cross-state-data-sharing/ · US Department of Education’s Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Grant Program: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/slds/ and US Department of Labor’s Workforce Data Quality Initiative: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20190722 · SWIS: https://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/news/blog/states-should-participate-in-swis-to-obtain-out-of-state-wage-data · Tennessee’s College and Career Success efforts: https://ccrscenter.org/ccrs-landscape/state-profile/tennessee · Registered Apprenticeship (US): https://www.apprenticeship.gov/become-apprentice · Minnesota Grad Employment Outcomes Tool: https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/graduate-employment-outcomes/ · Michigan School Data (Report Card): https://www.mischooldata.org/ · Kentucky Center for Statistics: https://kystats.ky.gov/ Social: · Twitter: @SkillsCoalition · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nationalskillscoalition/ Post-Script: During the production of this podcast, Jenna accepted a new position with Public Knowledge, where she will no doubt expand her own expertise and enrich the organization’s technology and legal chops! We wish her continued success and happiness! You can find her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-leventoff-810b5b27/ _______ Disclaimer: This podcast was produced by Social Policy Research and Workforce 180 with support from the US Department of Labor. The views expressed are those of the speakers and should not be attributed to the US Department of Labor or other public agencies (state, federal, or local). Mentions of trade names, commercial products or organizations does not imply endorsement of same by the US Government or representatives.

Amid an aging workforce, the retirement of baby boomers, and declining birth rates, the United States is expected to face a shortage of 8 million workers between now and 2027. At the same time, immigrant-origin adults are predicted to be main source of future labor force growth over the next two decades. Yet as the labor market seeks greater education and skills, 30 million adults who are immigrants or the children of immigrants lack postsecondary credentials. This webinar discusses a new MPI report offering a first-ever demographic profile of this population and analysis of the significant payoff credentials could bring in terms of workforce participation and wages.   Speakers include:  Michael Fix, Senior Fellow and former President, Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Jeanne Batalova, Senior Policy Analyst and Manager of the Migration Data Hub, MPI Courtney Brown, Vice President of Strategic Impact, Lumina Foundation Brenda Dann-Messier, Commissioner, Office of Postsecondary Education, Rhode Island Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, Director of Upskilling Policy, National Skills Coalition

In a new podcast episode, the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Lisa Hamilton talks with the National Skills Coalition’s Brooke DeRenzis and Rob Garcia about building and sustaining a skilled labor force build and why this work is so important for America’s children, families and future. At the time of this interview, Garcia worked with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more about this CaseyCast episode, visit https://www.aecf.org/blog/theres-more-skilled-work-than-workers-and-thats-a-problem/.

On Wednesday's St. Louis on the Air, host Don Marsh facilitated a conversation about the limitations facing American immigrants seeking employment and new policies being implemented to diminish these barriers. Joining the conversation were Anna Crosslin, president and CEO of the International Institute of St. Louis; Amanda Bergson-Schilcock, director of upskilling policy at the National Skills Coalition in Washington, D.C.; and Eduardo Sequeira Hernandez, a recent Costa Rican immigrant serving now as a cloud compliance specialist for Nestlé Purina.

In this episode, Dr. Anjalé Welton from OCCRL talks with Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, the Director of Upskilling Policy at the National Skills Coalition, about policy trends and resources that support adult learners.

We’re plugged in at home, but when it comes to the workforce, it turns out some are lagging behind. In some sectors, the way we live has advanced beyond the way we work and learn. We’ll hear from leaders in retail who are creating systems and partnerships that bring work – and the workforce – into the future: Karin Norington-Reaves, CEO of Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership; Andy Van Kleunen, CEO of National Skills Coalition; and David Scott, SVP of Talent at Walmart.

We often hear that good jobs require college. For many, however, the road to a college degree presents more challenges than opportunities. The costs of a four-year degree have soared, often leaving students with crippling debt, whether or not they are able to complete their degrees. At the same time, not as many jobs require a four-year degree as we once thought, meaning many students face the same low-wage job opportunities they faced before. We need another approach. This event highlights a book by Dr. Katherine Newman and Hella Winston, Reskilling America: Learning to Labor in the Twenty-First Century. In it they argue that by committing to a targeted investment in vocational training institutions, we can provide opportunities for individuals to develop skills, access middle skill jobs, avoid crippling debt, and meet technical skill needs in critical industries. Opening comments about the book are followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Newman and experts in policy, education and training, and business. This event features Katherine S. Newman, Michael G. Johnson (CEO of Johnson Talent Development), Andy Van Kleunen (Chief Executive Officer, National Skills Coalition), and Sandi Vito (Director, 1199SEIU/League Training and Upgrading Fund). This event is part of the Working in America series, an ongoing discussion series hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program that highlights an array of critical issues affecting low- and moderate-income workers in the United States and ideas for improving and expanding economic opportunities for working people. For more information, visit as.pn/workinginamerica. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.