Community Engagement

Goal: Identify, connect, and engage public and private workforce development stakeholders.

Key Action Steps

Key action steps to achieve robust partnerships with public and private stakeholders, include:

  • Map WD assets (database)
  • Convene in support of sector initiatives
  • Identify shared goals and multiply/optimize resources
  • Capture and tell the story of disparities among communities of color and disabilities
  • Align stakeholders to increase awareness and form new partnerships
  • Research existing career pathway programs in K12 and higher education
  • Across partners, develop stronger team-oriented infrastructure to [meet] demands of business
  • Develop 1-3 projects to align WD and Economic Development (ED)
  • Develop 1 – 3 activities to integrate WD activities with groups experiencing disparities

In the first two years of the regional plan, stakeholders participated in Labor Market Information (LMI) meetings and have a regional profile of trends, workforce conditions and future needs. Attendees represented the region’s diverse populations and service providers including social services workers, financial workers, and membership from the local Tribal College, ABE, and Leech Lake Band of Objiwe. Future meetings with industry and related Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will continue career pathway model identification. The region and its stakeholders will host Occupations in Demand validation sessions in each Economic Development Region to identify employment disparities, analyze existing data and then use the findings to determine regional needs.

Regional Equity Efforts

Our region's outreach and inclusion includes establishing regular meetings and engaged conversations with individuals, leaders and entities representing populations experiencing disparities in employment., The focus is to understand the needs and barriers and identify culturally-specific methods to eliminate disparities in employment.

Stakeholder input is integral in the development process of strategies to address discrepancies and align workforce development to meet the needs of Region 1's Native American population., This population has high unemployment on three reservations and high levels of poverty. Tribal Partners expressed interest in developing Career Advising at the Tribal Colleges. In early 2017, the Regional Workforce Alliance gained representation from Somalies and Native American populations. We will continue to examine methods to train employers about new Americans.