ICW Monthly Conference Calls
Join ICW the the Second Wednesday of every month to hear from experts on the latest education and workforce research, reports, activities, legislation, and events.
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET
Dial-in # 1-866-238-0637
 Add the 2009 Calls to Your Outlook Calendar
Next Call: Wednesday, January 14
How Businesses Can Embrace the Charter School Movement
The rise of charter schools in the last decade has presented the business community with an opportunity to engage in education reform in new and effective ways. Recently, at its anual Summit in Philadelphia, PA, ICW released "Corporations, Chambers, and Charters: How Businesses Can Support High-Quality Public Charter Schools." This call with focus on some of the takeaways from the report, while a panel of experts will provide examples of how business and chamber leaders can support high-quality charter schools, both in their local communities and on a national scale.
Speakers Include:
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Nelson Smith, President, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
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2008 Conference Call Archive:
Dec.10: Policy Primer: K-12, Postsecondary, and Workforce Development Federal Policies
Nov. 12: Spotlight on the 2008 Community Competitiveness Award Winner
Oct. 8: Wading into the Talent Pool:
What the Multi-Generational Workforce Means for Local Economic Competitiveness
Sept. 10:Your Regional Vision: Turning Ideas into Consensus and Action
July 9: Community Colleges and Industry Partners: Models for Regional Solutions
June 11: Digital Skills: A Business Imperative
May 14: Charter Schools: An Employer Guide and Promising Practices
Apr. 9: Career and Technical Education: A Workforce Solution
Mar. 12: Skills2Compete: A National Campaign for Middle Skill Jobs
Feb. 13: Evaluating the Return on Investment (ROI) in Early Childhood Programs
December 10: Policy Primer: K-12, Postsecondary, and Workforce Development Federal Policies
Get up to speed on current education and workforce training policies including NCLB, HEA, Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, the Workforce Investment Act, and more. Learn the status of these bills, proposed changes, Congress' agenda, and the inside scoop on policymaking in Washington.
Speaker:
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Vic F. Klatt, III, Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc. and Former GOP Staff Director for the House Education and Labor Committee
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Arthur Rothkopf, Senior Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
 Listen to the December 10, 2008 audio file
November 12: Spotlight on the 2008 Community Competitiveness Award Winner
Being a competitive community means putting together successful partnerships. This year's Community Competitiveness Award-winning community, Louisville, Kentucky, discusses two of its initiatives, the HIRE Education Forum and the Metropolitan College program.
Speakers included:
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Kathy Zandona, Director, Education, Greater Louisville Inc. – The Metro Chamber of Commerce
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Sam Mannino, Manager, Education and Workforce Development, Greater Louisville Inc. – The Metro Chamber of Commerce
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Lynn Howard, Louisville Metro Office of Policy and Management
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Dana Shumate, Coordinator, Business Involvement, Jefferson County Public Schools
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George Poling, Executive Director, Metropolitan College
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Larry Mand, Vice Chancellor for IT and Community Engagement, Indiana University Southeast
Listen to the November 12, 2008 audio file
Additional Resources:
October 8: Wading into the Talent Pool: What the Multi-Generational Workforce Means for Local Economic Competitiveness
The American workplace is as diverse as ever, with workers from four generations – Traditional, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Generation Y – having their own values, goals and communication styles in the workplace. For employers, generational dynamics affect morale, productivity, recruitment and retention. Likewise, communities need to think about how to manage their regional talent strategies. A panel of speakers will address regional talent strategies with regard to young professionals as well as the 50+ workforce, while also examining how employers turn their workforce diversity into an asset.
Speakers Included:
- Molly Foley, Lead Consultant, Next Generation Consulting
- Mary Sue Vickers, Director, 50+ Initiative, American Association of Community Colleges
- Stanton Smith, National Director, Next Generation Initiatives, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP
September 10: Your Regional Vision: Turning Ideas into Consensus and Action
One of the biggest challenges when trying to "move the needle" on workforce and education reform is building consensus among a wide range of community stakeholders. Making partners out of these advocates requires focus, actionable goals and measureable results. Not to mention the ability to frame issues for multiple audiences. Yet, it is these collaboratives that present the greatest opportunity for community change. But, no two partnerships work the same. In advance of ICW's Workforce & Education Summit in Philadelphia in October, two communities discussed their experiences forming coalitions, moving them into the action stage, and achieving outcomes.
Speakers Include:
- John Wade, CEO, Rochester (MN) Chamber of Commerce
- David Butler, Executive Director, Linking Education and Economic Development (Sacramento CA)
Listen to the Sept, 10 2008 audio file
July 9: Community Colleges and Industry Partners: Models for Regional Solutions
The U.S. economy is facing a shortage of "middle-skilled workers", or workers for jobs in the middle of the skilled labor market that require some training past high school, but not a four-year degree. These jobs, in industries such as health care, construction, and manufacturing, make up half the job openings for the next 5-10 years. Therefore, community colleges can play a vital part in developing this portion of the workforce, and enabling regional economic development. Learn about the innovative models at three forward-thinking community colleges across the U.S., their strategies for implementation, and their outcomes.
Speakers Include:
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Dr. Joe May, State Director, Louisiana Community & Technical College System
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Preston Morgan, Senior Director for Workforce Development, Illinois Community College Board, State of Illinois
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Dr. Keith Bird, Chancellor, Kentucky Community & Technical College System
June 11: Digital Skills: A Business Imperative
U.S. economic growth and competitiveness depend on the effective application of digital technologies in all sectors of the economy. Business, now more than ever, has an urgent need to develop a comprehensive agenda for digital skills development. Join ICW as we discuss how all workers must be prepared with the necessary skills - particularly digital skills, to compete in the 21st century.
Speakers Include:
- Rick Herrmann, Director U.S. Strategic Field Programs, State Education & Local, Intel
- Mary McCain, Senior Vice President, Techvision21
- Brenda Kempster, President, The Kempster Group
Background Information:
May 14: Charter Schools: An Employer Guide and Promising Practices
This month's speakers will discuss the charter school movement, business engagement in charter schools, and why charter schools show so much promise for education reform in the country. The first charter school opened its doors in St Paul, MN over 15 years ago. Today, there are more than 4,100 charter schools serving over 1.2 million children across 40 states and the District of Columbia. Learn what makes charter schools so successful and how communities are preparing their future workforce with quality public education charter schools.
Speakers Included Representatives from the following organizations:
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Eileen Sweeney, Director, Corporate Foundation and Philanthropic Relations, Motorola
Listen to the May 14, 2008 audio file
Apr. 9: Career and Technical Education: A Workforce Solution
This month's call will showcase the latest initiatives in national, state, and local career and technical education (CTE), and how CTE is a workforce solution to America's current skills gaps. This call will also include a "lightning rod rally" at the end when members of the audience can share what they are doing in CTE and help stimulate new programs.
Speakers Include:
Background Information:
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NGA
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ACTE
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State Directors for CTE
Mar. 12: Skills2Compete - A National Campaign for Middle Skill Jobs
Every U.S. worker should have access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school—leading to a vocational credential, industry certification, or one's first two years of college—to be pursued at whatever point and pace makes sense for individual workers and industries. Every person must also have access to the basic skills needed to pursue such education.
Skills2Compete is a non-partisan campaign to ensure our workforce has skills needed to meet business demand, foster innovation, and grow broadly shared prosperity. We encourage America to address U.S. competitiveness in a way that includes the vast majority of America's future workers—that is, adults already in the workforce—and the largest portion of jobs in the U.S. economy—that is, jobs in the middle of the skilled labor market which require some training past high school, but not a four-year degree.
Speakers Included:
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Rachel Unruh, Communications Director, The Workforce Alliance
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Erick Ajax, Vice President, E.J. Ajax and Sons, Inc.
Background Information:
Finding the Forgotten Middle: A New Approach for Workforce (PDF)
presented by: Andy Van Kleunen, Rachel Unruh, and Erick Ajax
Bios:
Andy Van Kleunen is founding Executive Director of TWA, which he helped create with other leaders from the workforce development field. He was previously the Director of Workforce Policy for the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute, where he worked with employers and advocates to improve job quality and training opportunities for low-wage workers within the nation's long-term care industry. He also has over 14 years experience in community organizing and development.
Rachel Unruh is the Communications Director for TWA, where she oversees organizational communications as well as the Skills2Compete communications campaign. She previously served as Director of Community Relations and Senior Policy Associate for Women Employed in Chicago, where her work included two successful campaigns to expand state funding for postsecondary education for Illinois' low-income adults.
Erick Ajax is the Vice President of E.J. Ajax and Sons, Inc. a third generation contract manufacturer of progressive metal stampings with 50 full time employees located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Erick worked in the telecommunication industry for five years before joining his family business E.J. Ajax and Sons in the early 80's. Today Erick is responsible for human resources, employee safety, education, professional development and all sales and marketing for his company.
Feb. 13: Evaluating the Return on Investment (ROI) in Early Childhood Programs
Discussion topics included:
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The Impact of early childhood education on today's workforce
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The cost benefit from investment in early childhood programs
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Boeing's integrated education strategy for talent
Speakers included:
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Joyce Walters, director, Global Community Investing and Global Corporate Citizenship, The Boeing Company
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Rob Grunewald, associate economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Background Information:
 PowerPoint: Key to Long-Term Success: Early Childhood Investments
presented by: Joyce Walters
PowerPoint: Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return
presented by: Rob Grunewald
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