Draft Agenda
Draft Agenda
Fall 2007 Workforce New York Conference
“Expanding the Talent Pipeline”
Monday, October 22, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
| 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
NYATEP Conference Registration Open |
| 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. |
Continental Breakfast |
| 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. |
Welcome
Byron W. Brown, Mayor, Buffalo
Patricia Smith, Commissioner, NYSDOL
Gail Breen, President, NYATEP
Sam Kargbo, SUNY University Center for Academic and Workforce Development
Open Plenary Session: THE 8 LAWS OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Speaker:Edward DeJesus, Founder and President, The Youth Development
and Research Fund, Inc.
Many youth programs are finding it difficult to reach youth with a message about the importance of education, work experience, and positive attitudes. They are using 8-track strategies in a MP3 World. National youth expert, Edward DeJesus will highlight the 8 Laws of Youth Engagement. Based on focus groups with disconnected youth in five cities and a recent YDRF survey of more than 300 video gamers, DeJesus will provide attendees with ideas for the design of an effective system for youth engagement. Learn more: Visit www.ydrf.com and take the Youth Engagement Survey and learn more about the 8 Laws of Youth Engagement.
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| 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 am |
Break |
| 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
Workshop Session I: Concurrent Workshops
101) Kickin’ It with Ed: The Commitment
Speaker: Ed DeJesus, The Youth Development and Research Fund, Inc.
Edward DeJesus, one of this country’s top youth experts, will conduct an informal session about the challenges of reaching youth and young adults with workforce and educational services. He will challenge traditional notions of workforce development services and present strategies for doing what many educators and parents find impossible – reaching today’s youth with a relevant message about the need for education and work experience.
102) Say What? Problem Solving with Challenging Customers
Speaker: Dr. Steve Parese, SBP Consulting, Inc.
Hard-to-serve customers present a unique challenge to caseworkers and employers. Proud, defensive, secretive, and ultimately self-defeating, many would rather be unemployed than admit to making mistakes. This activity-based workshop teaches a 5-step interpersonal problem solving process based on principles of cognitive restructuring. Participants will have fun while mastering skills needed to better understand and communicate with their most challenging customers
103) New York State’s New Sanction/Incentive Policy
Speaker: Stephen Ryan, NYSDOL
New York State applied and was granted a waiver of the statutory and regulatory requirements under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), which will permit the State to replace the performance measures, WIA section 136(b), with the common measures. This waiver, with the implemented functional alignment policy, will continue to advance our efforts to align strategy and services to customers, and maintain consistent accountability across all workforce investment programs. In aligning with these fundamental changes in policy, NYS has issued a new Incentive/Sanction policy with a very different methodology with regards to incentivizing local areas. This workshop will discuss the methodology behind the Incentive/Sanction changes and how these changes will align with the above mentioned new policy directives, but more importantly how we collectively can provide better services to our customers.
104) Employment and Disabilities: Implications of Assessment and Planning on Long Term Successors
Speakers: Wendy Quarles and Jeffrey Dulko, Center on Rehabilitation Synergy, SUNY at Buffalo
This workshop will explore assessment and planning strategies that are a "must" when providing employment support and services to Job Seekers with disabilities. Topics will include: assessment techniques, assessment tools, community resources available, accommodating disabilities in the workplace and disability specific strategies.
105) Improving One Stop Employer Services Through Strategic Planning
Speakers: Melissa Wavelet, NYC Department of Small Business Services; Lou Miceli, Workforce Professionals Training Institute; Diane Edelson, Grant Associates; Tanya Collins, Delta Airlines
The New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) created a strategic planning process to improve how its six one stops work together to meet the hiring needs of employers. SBS will describe the planning process, the Workforce Professionals Training Institute, a technical assistance provider, will describe their role in supporting implementation, Grant Associates, the Queens one stop provider, will share its experience implementing the strategic plan, and an employer will describe its’ experience receiving services from the Queens Center. |
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. |
Networking Luncheon Session |
| 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. |
Plenary Session: “Expanding the Talent Pipeline: Perspectives from Education, Workforce and Economic Development”
Speakers: Patricia Smith, Commissioner, NYSDOL; Daniel Gundersen, Upstate Co-Chairman, Empire State Development Corporation; Timothy McElheran, Superintendent of Schools, Victor Central School District; Dr. Sherryl Weems, Executive Director, Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center |
| 2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. |
Break |
| 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. |
Workshop Session II: Concurrent Workshops
201) Delivering the Work Readiness Credential Model
Speakers: Maureen Krause, Erie Community College One Stop Center; Michele Urbanczyk, SUNY at Buffalo, Center for Academic and Workforce Development; Maryann Kruk, SUNY at Buffalo, Educational Opportunity Center; Dr. Sherryl Weems; Terry Patterson, Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center
The Buffalo & Erie County Workforce Investment Board, the Erie Community College One Stop Center and the SUNY at Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) have partnered to develop a model to prepare young people to take the National Work Readiness Credential Exam. The model includes One Stop Center staff development provided by the Work Readiness Credential experts at EOC, a series of test preparation workshops to prepare youth to take the exam, remediation activities for those who are unable to pass any or all sectors of the test on the first attempt and portfolio development once youth earn the credential.
202) Workers in the Pipeline Need Basic Literacy Skills
Speakers: Martin Murphy, Long Island RAEN; Robert Purga and Susan Lyons, NYSED
Recognizing the critical role basic literacy skills play in employment and career advancement, the New York State Education Department funded NYATEP to conduct regional workshops across the state to explore and develop WIA partner linkages to increase and deliver adult basic skills services. Today's workshop will provide an overview of the 2006-2007 NYSED statewide initiative to further link adult literacy providers and other WIA regional partners. Partner-specific successes and continued challenges will be highlighted to date. Additionally, the 2007-2008 NYSED literacy linkage initiative planning will be discussed.
203) Unspoken Rules of Work: What Employers REALLY Want
Speakers: Dr. Steve Parese, SBP Consulting, Inc.
The culture of the workplace can often seem like a foreign land to those with little experience or exposure to its unspoken rules. Lacking an intuitive understanding of employer expectations, many entry-level workers react personally rather than professionally to interpersonal issues with coworkers and supervisors. This highly interactive, humorous workshop will explore three reasons why some new workers (especially those with barriers to employment) have such a hard time fitting in... and why they just don't seem to get it!
204) TAA In Focus
Speakers: Mary Blais, John Brooks, and Robin Holmes, NYSDOL
It’s been three years since the initiation of the integration of TAA with services under WIA. Join us as we take a look back at how far we’ve come and where we are headed. This session will look at the TAA Legislation initiatives, Federal and State Fiscal and Programmatic Reporting requirements (FISCAL FOLKS – TAKE NOTE) and entertain questions from the audience.
205) Communicate, Connect & Collaborate with Web 2.0
Speakers: Victoria Gray, NYS Department of Labor
The rules of youth engagement have changed. The rise in online social networking has driven a shift in how youth communicate, connect and collaborate. Learn about the Web 2.0 technologies that everyone is buzzing about and how these tools can help you tune in and turn on youth. You’ll walk away with examples and ideas to develop your own blog, wiki or podcast.
|
| 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
NYATEP Membership Meeting
(NYATEP Members and Associate Members Only) |
| 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. |
Networking Reception |
| |
Dinner On Your Own |
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
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|
| 7:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. |
NYATEP Conference Registration Open |
| 7:15 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. |
Continental Breakfast |
| 7:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. |
Q&A with New NYSDOL Workforce Development Leadership
Grab a cup of coffee/continental breakfast and join your colleagues in an informal question and answer session with Bruce Herman, NYSDOL Deputy Commissioner, and Karen Coleman, NYSDOL Director of Workforce Development and Training. Hear about new initiatives from NYSDOL, gain perspectives from NYSDOL’s new workforce development leadership, have your questions addressed, and take this opportunity to introduce yourself. |
| 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. |
Workshop Session III: Concurrent Workshops
301) CEO’s Rapid Rewards Program: Using Incentives to Promote Employment Retention
Speaker: Jennifer L. Bryan, Center for Employment Opportunities Learning Institute
The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO),addresses the relationship between work and crime by providing comprehensive employment services to people coming home from prison and jail, including immediate, paid transitional work. CEO’s Rapid Rewards Program is an employment incentive program that offers critical support to help offset the high costs of transportation and food that make it difficult for many individuals to remain employed at low-wage jobs. Every month, participants can receive some combination of mass transit fare cards, supermarket vouchers and/or movie tickets when they provide copies of their pay stubs. In this workshop, we provide an overview of how CEO’s Rapid Rewards Program helps participants remain employed.
302) New York State’s Brain Drain
Speakers: Kevin Jack, NYS Department of Labor
New York’s First Lady, Silda Wall Spitzer, has hosted the "I Live New York" summit meeting on September 18 at SUNY Cortland to examine the causes for the exodus of talented young people from the State. This flight of the "next generation" has been cited as a serious workforce and economic development challenge, especially in the Upstate region. This data driven workshop will present some of the numbers behind the headlines, examine potential implications for the New York State workforce, and look at possible solutions offered at the Summit.
303) Defining "High Quality" - Creating Quality Standards for Workforce Development Organizations
Speakers: Tim Ford, NYC Employment and Training Coalition; Kathleen Masters, Church Avenue Merchants Block Association (CAMBA); Virginia Cruickshank, F.E.G.S.
New York’s workforce development practitioners – including entities like community based organizations, community colleges and union affiliated training programs – play an important role in providing high quality education, training and employment services to unemployed and underemployed New Yorkers. While there is a strong commitment to high quality service throughout the system, there is a growing interest among these entities to identify key standards and indicators that articulate quality practices in program management, organizational development and service delivery systems. Building on this interest, the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) has launched a new initiative that will focus on enhancing the capacity of workforce entities through the creation of a set of quality standards. As part of this initiative’s research phase, NYCETC is hosting this workshop to provide workforce practitioners from around the state an opportunity to discuss and provide input on the standards and our collective definition of high quality service.
304) Drawing on Competencies to Grow the Regional Economy
Speakers: Stephen Mitchell, Director Workforce Quality
Matthew Hurlbutt, Finger Lakes Wired
This workshop will present research on successful firms that help to answer, “What makes an economy successful?” Briefly, while technical competencies are important, it is management competencies that set the outstanding companies apart. Also important are enabling competencies that disseminate both management and technical competencies and encourage the growth of the region as a whole. This session will share how Finger Lakes Wired is establishing economic/workforce development strategies to support these competencies and facilitate growth in all companies.
305) Building and Sustaining a Regional Workforce Development Network
Speakers: Michele A. Zieziula and Kristin Arendash, Regional Center For Workforce Excellence; Nicholas Schultz, Strategy Solutions, Inc.;
Felix Folletti, Carpenters District Council; William Liddle, Franklin Industries; Julie Graff, Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership
The Northwest Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board has developed an active, effective Regional Workforce Development Network that joins economic development, workforce investment, education, government, community resource providers and employers to serve workforce needs in northwest PA. This interactive presentation will feature the architect of this nationally recognized network as well as a panel of partners from various sectors within the region. Audience participation is encouraged, as the presenters will share insights into how the recognized best practice can be tailored and implemented in any area.
306) SHARE Network: Sharing How Access to Resources Empowers
Speaker: Erica Sager Pelman, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, USDOL
During this workshop, we will cover the two core components of the U.S. Department of Labor's SHARE Network Initiative: online Resource Directory and "Access Points" and how states and local areas across the country are adapting these strategies to increase access to the One-Stop system, workforce development services, and the job market for struggling individuals. Participants will explore how adapting these models to your specific needs can strengthen your service delivery and community connections through collaboration with faith-based and community organizations. Participants will also learn about the new opportunity that will be available to partner with the U.S. Department of Labor and the New York Department of Labor to replicate these models.
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| 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
Workshop Session IV: Concurrent Workshops
401) Young Professionals Speak Out: Why Are We Leaving? Part 2
Speakers: Panel of Young Professionals
Facilitator: Isabelle Andrews, NYSAC
Last June, NYATEP Conference attendees heard from a panel of young (twenty- something) single professionals, sharing their views on living and working in upstate New York, why they came back and what would entice them to stay. Panelists shared their priorities, including needing opportunities to network socially and professionally with their peers; they also requested that local leaders and others stop trashing upstate New York. But as upstate New York continues to lose population, particularly young people, and struggle economically, workforce leaders will want to further explore this complex issue of attracting and retaining young talent. This session will feature a panel of young professionals with families, and explore if their priorities are the same or different than young singles. Their answers may surprise you. Join this lively, facilitated dialogue where audience members guide the discussion and get their questions answered!
402) First Impressions Count: Strategies to Supercharge Recruitment and Engagement of Hard-To-Serve Job Seekers
Speakers: Amy Landesman and Dan Salemson, Workforce Professionals Training Institute
Many workforce development programs struggle to recruit and enroll individuals with significant barriers to employment. Despite the tremendous need for services to connect these individuals to good jobs, recruiting drives often fall short and many of those who express interest ultimately decide not to join. This workshop will demonstrate how many workforce development programs inadvertently feed into negative self-perceptions, and offer concrete strategies on designing marketing materials that attract job seekers and orientations that leave them wanting more.
403) Making the Common Connection! Linking OSOS Data Entry, Program Management, and Performance Outcomes
Speakers: John Brooks and Pat Van Valkenburg, NYSDOL
Common Measures are here! Functional Alignment is here! The workshop will provide an overview of data entry for tracking customers and services; details on changes to NYOSOS and Management Reports Web Application; and review how staff can enter data to optimize Common Measure Performance Outcomes.
404) Aligning Resources to Support Individual Advancement and Economic Growth
Speakers: Barbara L. Endel, Ph.D., Workforce Strategy Center
Communities across the country are seeking ways to align public education and training systems to support economic growth. Workforce Strategy Center (WSC) and Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI) recently teamed up to support Kingsborough Community College (KCC) in an effort to use labor market and economic information for sector-based planning in Brooklyn. KCC, EMSI, and WSC discuss the processes and tools used in carrying out this initiative and lessons learned followed by audience questions and answers.
405) Got STEM??? The Finger Lakes Experience
Speakers: Pat Piles, Finger Lakes Wired, Tammy Marino, Department of Labor, and Victoria Gray, Department of Labor
(STEM) shortages in the workforce. Learn how the WIRED consortium in the Finger Lakes has identified STEM careers of interest and is actively engaging their youth population through summer camps, workshops and other outreach efforts. Hear from local representatives building best practices and find your local STEM activities in the statewide database in CareerZone. |
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Closing Luncheon and Adjournment |
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