à



Research and Planning Coordinator

Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board
September 25, 2007
National Academy of Social Insurance


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 T TRWI
 

Workforce development encompasses:

u The necessary skills and attitudes individuals

need for a job
u Availability of transit options, including public
transportation
u Thoughtful design and collaborative planning
u Understanding and analyzing the local labor
market

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u ÿstablished through the Congressional Workforce
Investment Act (1998 ) that created more than 600
Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) across the
country
u An employer-driven, policy-making public entity
serving Allegheny County and Pittsburgh
u Board Members are appointed by the County Chief
ÿ ecutive and Mayor of Pittsburgh


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The TRWIB Board consists of 45 members ² with a cap of 65.

u Unified by a shared concern about the quality of the

workforce and the availability of good jobs in the region.
u Always a private sector majority
u A diverse group of stakeholders that represent:
² ÿmployers
² Training providers
² Labor unions
² Government agencies
² Community-based organizations


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Board committees are î
important resource:
u The Appointments & Nominations Committee
u The Communications Committee
u The ÿ ecutive Committee
u The Finance Committee
u The Labor Market Council
u The Personnel Committee
u The Program Committee
u The Public Policy Committee
u The Youth Policy Council

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T  Decision policy makers affecting the region (direct)

(e.g., Mayor, County, State, Federal)

T : ÿmployers, education, and training providers (direct)

T  Workforce, both current and future (indirect)


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 À 
 
  

u Policy Advisor
u Private Consultant
u Data Master
u Researcher
u WIA Administrator


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6ur discussion will center on three TRWIB
initiatives:

u Shifting demographics of southwestern PA and other

regions; the impact of an aging workforce
u Preparing the ne t workforce
u Labor market data and intelligence

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  Shifting demographics; an aging
workforce
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u We conducted this study in consultation with a study team

that included Carnegie Mellon·s Center for ÿconomic
Development; the University of Pittsburgh·s Institute of
Politics; Boston College·s Center on Aging and Work; and
many regional and national partners.

u 6ur goal continues to be: to inform employers; policy

makers; employers; educators; community and faith based
organizations; and training providers about our aging
workforce.

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 I
  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)

Why did we conduct this study?

Since we already knew that our region was ´old,
we set out to answer:

u Is SWPA really `
` old?

u Are we getting older?
u Which industries have the oldest workforce?
u Do industries with the oldest workforces have a problem?
u Are these industries addressing the issue?
u What strategies are needed to address the issue?

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  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)
Why did we conduct this study?

Strategic workforce planning issues

u Are the projections of population growth or decline

that e tend to the ne t 25 ² 50 years reliable?

The uncertainty poses enormous challenges for

workforce planning. But taking no action could be
risky.


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I
  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)
Study Methodology ² our approach


  
    


 

á
 

   
Specialized  

  
Sample based 
 
 
census data ÿ ploratory
and analysis on ³oldest´  
   

industries



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  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)
u 21 relatively older industries identified
u 14 were mainly private industries (All rights reserved. ÿ cerpts from the TRWIB
study
À
   
 
         
i i ( xc t O il G s) ù ù [ ,5 0 0
U tiliti s ù ù 1 0 ,3 0 0
P tr l l Pr c ts    f c t ri  ù ù ,5 0 0
P ri r   t l    f c t ri  ù ù 1 4 ,1 0 0
ir T r s rt ti ù ,9 0 0
T r s rt ti E q  i  t    f c t ri  ù ,[ 0 0
R   l E s t t ù 1 0 ,[ 0 0
 s    t, G    li  ,   R  c r  ti I   s tri s ù 1 3 ,[ 0 0
 is c  ll    s t r R  t il rs ù 8 ,9 0 0
P  rs   l   L    r  r ic  s ù 1 5 ,1 0 0
  t r V   ic l   P  rts   l rs ù 1 8 ,3 0 0
G   r l   rc    is  t r s ù 3 0 ,8 0 0
H   lt   P  rs   l  r t r s ù 1 1 ,5 0 0
     B    r   t r s ù 3 2 ,7 0 0


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  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)
Further analysis allowed us to identify si of the oldest
industries'


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  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)
Why isn·t every firm worried?
u Some are in the dark
u Some are older by design
u Some (think they) can buy their way out
u Some cannot, and are turning to or thinking of turning
to«
² Technology
² ÿ ternal workforce development partnerships
² Ceasing operations! (Small, family owned)

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  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)
Dealing with the issue: employer actions taken and to e plore'


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  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)
Dealing with the issue: employer actions taken and to e plore

u Frequent TRWIB-sponsored forums to better understand and

gauge the perspective of employers

u 6   !""#$ 
 


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  Shifting Demographics (cont·d)

‰

 `

 îî
 î` 
`
 





To see detailed study findings, please visit the TRWIB website:

www.trwib.org

Contact
à



kbutler@trwib.org
412.552.7094

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 Preparing the ne t workforce
The other end of the workforce continuum is preparing the ne t
workforce. We have done that through a number of initiatives:

â  ""%&""# 


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u More than 250 job shadow e periences
u 130 ementoring relationships
u Technical assistance for educators and guidance counselors
u Comprehensive local labor market information for guidance counselors
u Connections to more than 30 employers

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TRWI


 
u The Youth Policy Council
u Implements the Work Ready Competencies ² an assessment of work
readiness
u Supplies professional development to educators

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 Labor Market Data
Method
u *
 '
( I
  ² a set of measures to
supply a barometer of economic growth and
potential challenges ² related to the workforce

u ÿ
 )   ² an audit of the employer

perspective on workforce requirements

u I À
 


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 Labor Market Data
Method
u As a Labor Market Council (LMC) product, TRWIB
produces and distributes Promising Career Pathways
to highlight careers with employment potential to
guidance counselors in area schools.


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