ERIC ED355894: The Bottom Line.

28 Pages·0.5 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
HE 026 337
ED 355 894
AUTHOR
Haugland, Marlene; And Others
TITLE
The Bottom Line.
INSTITUTION Oregon Workforce Quality CPuncil.
PUB DATE
Jan 93
NOTE
28p.
PUB TYPE
Evaluative/Feasibility (142)
Reports Viewpoints
(Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.)
(120)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS Communications; Delivery Systems; Economic Factors;
Education Work Relationship; Elementary Secondary
Education; Futures (of Society); Higher Education;
*Labor Force; *Long Range Planning; Needs Assessment;
Private Sector; Public Sector; School Business
Relationship; *State Legislation; State Programs
*Oregon
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This document evaluates the present needs and future
shape of the Oregon workforce and recommends strategies for both
public and private sectors and for communication. The first section
provides a background to the issues of the state's changing economy
by describing global and national economic changes and recent state
legislative responses, and giving an analysis of the beneficiaries of
change. The report goes on to describe the work of the Oregon
Workforce Quality Council and its three-part (public, private, and
communication) strategy. Three final sections address each of these
areas. The goals of the public sector strategy are: Oregon schools
with world class academic standards, smooth transition from school to
work, training and placement aimed at high-wage jobs, and employers
accessing a full range of business services. The vision for the
private sector includes high-skill jobs in all areas of the state,
high-performance firms, high level investment, cooperation between
labor, business, and education, and expansion of the apprenticeship
model in new industries and jobs. The communication vision entails
taking a long-range view of expectations, engaging citizens in an
effort to change the way business is done, and demonstrating that
bottom-up solutions work best. An appendix gives bench mark
priorities in tabular form, a list of regional workforce committees,
and an annotated list of public sector partners. (Contains 16
references.) (JB)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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opinions slated in
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"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE
GRANTED BY
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Oregon Educational
Coordinating Comm
2
RESOURCES
10 THE EDUCATIONAL
INFORMATION CENTER (ERICI."
.-111111Elms.
OREGON WORKFORCE
QUALITY 001-.!NCIL
225 WINTER STREET NE
SALEM, OR 97310
[phone]
Vern Ryles, Jr., Chair
Andrea Dobson, Vice-Chair
Thomas Bartlett
Kevin Concannon
Diane Davidson
Jon Egge
Kurt Engeistad
Margaret Hal lock
Robert Johnson
Wally Mehrens
Morton Michelson
Dale Parnell
Norma Paulus
Steve Petersen
Jennie Portis
Mary Wendy Roberts
Larry Sanchez
Mary Spilde
Beverly Stein
Suzan Turley
Marilynne Keyser, ex officio
Marilyn Johnston
Administrator, 1991-92
Camille Preus-Braly
Administrator, 1993
CIPr
3
!!1,4,1,1gli
"AP
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE CALL TO COMPETE
The Changing Oregon Economy
1
2
Getting the Competitive Edge
3
The Legislative Response
4
Who Benefits
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION
Oregon Workforce Quality Council
6
How We Approached Our Work
PUBLIC SECTOR STRATEGY
al
'
.
I
9
Vision for 2010
9
.N
Legislative Directives
i
10
What We Have Accomplished
12
Where We Are Going
4
PRIVATE SECTOR STRATEGY
15
Vision for 2010
15
Legislative Directives
16
What We Have Accomplished
17
Where We Are Going
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
C
19
Vision for 2010
19
Legislative Directives
20
What We Have Accomplished
20
Where We Are Going
APPENDIX
22
Oregon Benchmark Priorities
23
Regional Workforce Quality Committees
24
Public Sector Partners
26
References
Most Oregonians have come face-to-face with the
reality of our state's changing economy, and
they are not comfortable with what they see.
Oregonians still remember the painful experience of the
THE CHANGING
long and deep recession in the early 1980s. Nearly 100,000
OREGON
jobs, many of them in the high wage forest products
ECONOMY
industry, were lost.
The purchasing power of many Oregon families declined
below the national
as per capita income fell sharply
300,000 new jobs
average in 1979. Despite the creation of
during the late 1980s, the income gap has not closed. The
job growth has been greatest in the trade and service
with
sectors where wages and benefits have not kept pace
the manufacturing sector.
REAL PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME
1971-1997
$2
.
$2
5
d
Project,
U.S.
5
5 :
Oregon
THE CALL
I:
T
;
$1
?
COMPETE
$1
)
i
I
I
t
i
i
r
il
1997
1986
1991
1983
1980
1977
1974
1971
Source: State of Oregon Employment Division
The very foundation of Oregon's economy is being shaken
by the globalization of economic competition, the increas-
ing importance of computer technology and communica-
tions and the shift from high-wage blue-collar jobs to
professional, technical and managerial jobs.
During the decade of the 1990s, 92 percent of all new jobs
will be in sales, management, professional, technical and
service occupations.
5
4
.J
0
OREGON PERCENT JOB GROWTH
than they have today, and an
1990-2000
equal number believe that
front-line workers will have
more responsibility in
25
24
25
ensuring that quality. After
22
concern for their families,
21
Oregonians said that job
cn 20 -
.n
opportunities and economic
-
15
security was their highest
Z 15
priority, followed by educa-
12
"-c5
a)
tion and skill development.
co 10
Forty-five percent think that
-
a)
c..)
Oregon is doing a bad or
a)
5
a.
5
somewhat bad job in ensuring
3
these values for our citizens.
0
I
I
1 1 1
Sales
Operators
Manage-
Precision
Service
Profes-
Clerical
Ag/
/Fab./
Forestry
menu
sional/
& Craft
Workers Laborers
Technical Admin.
GETTING THE
Source: State of Oregon Employment Division
COMPETITIVE
EDGE
available jobs, displacing
school is connected to what
While only 76 percent of
To take our place in today's
existing workers whose skills
work they will do when they
Oregon high school students
highly competitive global
have not been upgraded.
graduate, the jobs of the
complete their formal
marketplace, Oregon must
education.
future will demand significant
create a healthier business
There is a growing realization
education beyond high
climate, encourage economic
that these economic shifts
school. Most professional,
However, focusing on schools
diversification, and reinvent
will require a dramatic
technical and managerial jobs is only part of the equation.
the way our schools teach.
change in Oregon's workforce
Eighty-five percent of the
will require a two-year or
the way our companies
and the way companies
workforce in the year 2000
four-year college degree.
organize work and the way
organize work and use the
Even sales jobs will require at and 45 percent of the work-
our employment and training
least one year of additional
skills of front-line workers.
force in 2010 are already
programs serve our economic
training. For those jobs
employed today. The existing
objectives. Oregon stands on
In a recent survey conducted
where a high school diploma
skills of those workers will
the threshold of the 21st
not be enough to ensure their
by the Oregon Business
may be all that is required, it
century facing a crucial
success in the jobs of the
Council, Oregonians con-
must be more than a certifi-
economic choice.
firmed their grasp of the
cate of attendance.
future.
changing economy and its
We can choose to respond to
implications for them and
The mix of who gets the jobs
Oregon's efforts to reform our
global -conomic competition
educatioi d system must be
their families. Sixty-five
in the year 2000 may change.
and technological changes by
percent of Oregonians believe
New entrants, if they possess
accompanied by a revolution
adopting a low-skills, low-
that to produce higher quality
the skills needed, will have a
in the way we attract our
wages approach that keeps
products, workers will need
competitive advantage and
young people to learning and
production costs down by
more skills in6he next decade
may grab a larger share of the
ensure that what they learn in
2
S
The Legislature created the
moving jobs overseas,
THE
Oregon Workforce Quality
substituting technology for
LEGISLATIVE
Council to bring government,
workers, contracting out or
RESPONSE
business and labor leaders
using part-time, temporary
together to:
workers.
The 1991 Legislature, in
Raise business and labor
Or, we can choose a strategy
passing the Oregon Work-
awareness of and commitment
that increases productivity
force Quality Act, confirmed
to restructuring our schools,
and assures quality through a
the importance of a better
improving existing worker
educated and prepared
highly-skilled, flexible
skills and changing business
workforce using competitive
workforce as a critical
management practices to keep
technology. This high-skills,
economic development
Oregon economically competi-
high-wages approach puts a
strategy. Building on the work
tive;
premium on quality crafts-
of Governor Neil Goldschmidt
manship, continuous im-
and the Oregon Progress
Support restructuring of
OREGON WILL
provement and worker
Board, the Legislature and
1111
the public school system to
HAVE THE BEST
newly-elected Governor
involvement.
raise the level of student
EDUCATED AND
Barbara Roberts embraced
PREPARED WORK-
achievement;
Oregon can ignore globai
this vision: Oregon will have
FORCE IN THE
economic competition at our
the best educated and
NATION BY THE
Promote professional
peril. Inaction will mean a
prepared workforce in the
YEAR 200 AND A
technical education and
workforce plagued with low
nation by the year 2000 and a
training programs that lead to
WORKFORCE EQUAL
workforce equal to any in the
skills and under use of high
high-wage jobs;
. \O ANY IN THE
skills that exist; a lack of
world by 2010.
2010.
WEHLO
BY
worker confidence in Oregon
I Provide cost-effective
as a place to work; and a
The Legislature identified the
coordination and accountabil-
continuing necessity for
,eed to use taxpayers' dollars
ity of existing employment and
workers to convert family
wisely in providing education
training programs; and
hours into wcrk hours to
and training for Oregonians,
meet family income needs
while recognizing that
Develop strategies for
government can not and
and avoid dependency on
improving the level of business
should not do it alone.
government programs.
investment in worker training.
Although the public sector
Oregon has chosen the high-
provides most of the formal
Recognizing that state-level
education for our youth and
skills, high-wages strategy.
goals and policies must be
many job training and
implemented in local commu-
retraining programs for
nities to be successful, the
unemployed Oregonians,
Legislature called for the
most adult workers must
creation of regional workforce
depend upon their employers
quality committees (regional
to upgrade their skills. Very
*ft
committees) throughout the
few employers provide such
state. Led by tile private
opportunities.
sector, the regional commit-
tees will help ensure that
7
3
strategies to improve each
in dynamic and changing workers, and a large pool of
region's workforce are
work environments.
skilled workers from which to
customer driven, cost
choose.
effective, and responsive to
The foundation is now in
unique regional needs. place to pursue the goal of
FOR WORKERS, personal and
having a nationally and
family self-sufficiency,
increased self-esteem,
internationally competitive
The 1991 Legislature also
passed Oregon's Educational
workforce in Oregon. Much
increased wages and benefits,
remains to be done. A major
and increased job mobility.
Act for the 21st Century,
advocating a fundamental effort must be made to
restructuring of Oregon's
increase the commitment of
FOR OREGON, a competitive
elementary and secondary employers to upgrade the
workforce, increased per
schools. Based on the belief
skills of those already at
capita income, less depen-
that all students can learn
dency on government, a
work.
when offered appropriate
reputation for quality, and a
opportunities, the Legislature greater return on taxpayers'
In addition, there is consider-
-.
called on schools to hold
able evidence that the way
investments in education and
- =
-
themselves and their students
training programs.
work is organized is just as
it
important to worker produc-
to world class standards.
tivity and satisfaction as the
Students will be expected to
Unparalleled collaboration is
Mr
needed among educators,
workers' skill levels. Work
earn a certificate of initial
mastery at the end of 10th must be reorganized to
employers, business inves-
tors, workers and government
grade and a certificate of
empower front-line workers
leaders to achieve the full
advanced mastery in one of
and use leading-edge technol-
benefits available to us. The
ogy to increase productivity
six broad occupational
most successful workforce
categories within the next and keep Oregon businesses
two or three years. A variety
development strategies will
competitive.
fall short of our goals if better
of work-place learning
jobs are unavailable or if
experiences will allow
students to apply what they betters jobs come at the
expense of the quality of life
learn.
WHO BENEFITS
Oregonians have chosen for
themselves.
Students leaving Oregon's
high schools of the future will
If the initial spirit of collabora-
tion and broad ownership of
Your action is needed now.
be well prepared for an entry-
the vision by both the private
Everyone has a role in
level job, an apprenticeship
and public sectors continues
changing Oregon's
program, community college
and grows, Oregon could
bottom line.
training, or a college or
approach and achieve:
university education. Be-
cause the average worker
may change careers four to
FOR BUSINESS, reduced
initial and retraining costs,
six times, all options must
increased productivity
provide students with the
through more highly trained
skills to apply what they learn
8
4
a
The Workforce Quality Council's membership is
purposeful. The majority of the members are from
the private sector because business and labor must
be in a position to take the lead in achieving Oregon's
vision for a high quality workforce. Top level state
OREGON
officials who oversee workforce agencies are represented
WORKFORCE
to ensure they have an ownership of and commitment to
QUALITY
the strategies the Council develops.
COUNCIL
The Council is made up of 21 members. The governor
appoints 14 members who represent:
Business (5)
Labor and community-based organizations (5)
State Legislature (1)
Local elected official (1)
Local education (1)
/
General public (1)
It
The remaining seven serve because of the positions they
hold:
Gcvernor or designee
ex officio
Chancellor
BUILDING
State System of Higher Education
THE
Director
Department of Human Resources
FOUNDATION
Commissioner
Office of Community College Services
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Department of Education
Director
Economic Development Department
Commissioner
Bureau of Labor and Industries
9
5
The Oregon Workforce
To coordinate the delivery
HOW WE
Quality Act which created the of all education, training,
APPROACHED
employment, apprenticeship
Council charged it with
OUR WORK
and related programs to
achieving these six goals:
eliminate needless duplica-
To provide comprehensive
tion and assure the efficient
In developing a work plan for
education and training
and effective provision of
the first 18 months of opera-
programs, especially profes-
these services;
tions, the Council reviewed
sional and technical pro-
the Oregon Progress Board's
To ensure the equitable
grams, for students and
benchmarks and the legisla-
workers that equal the
distribution of quality
tive directives included in
highest international stan-
education, training and
three related pieces of
dards of achievement;
employment services state-
workforce legislation passed
wide, especially to distressed
by the 1991 Legislature The
and rural areas, and areas
To promote continuous
Oregon Workforce Quality Act
public and private investment
serving the economically
(HB 3133), The Educational
in improved management
disadvantaged citizens of this
Act for the 21st Century (HB
le
state; and
practices, competitive
3565) and The Workforce
production processes and
2000 Act (HB 3474). The
To achieve the bench-
worker training;
Council selected 10 bench-
marks established by the
marks related to education
Oregon Progress Board that
To develop the capacity of
and training to focus our
relate to education and
and provide significant
-
efforts. These benchmarks
opportunity for business and
training.
are listed in the appendix of
labor to direct the develop-
this report.
ment and delivery of state
education and training policy,
Our workplan unfolded
programs and standards;
around three strategies:
II
A public sector strategy
A private sector strategy
A communication strategy
10
6