US / Industry-driven, sector-focused workforce development strategies are needed says Brookings

 (Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor) – The educational and employment training systems currently in place in U.S. states and regions must evolve if they are to meet the task of preparing workers for success in the years ahead.

How might they begin to do that? This past October the Brookings / Living Cities State and Metropolitan Prosperity Collaborative —an 18-month old peer learning forum for top state and local leaders—brought together senior economic development and workforce officials from 14 states to explore the question. With promising case studies from the state of Kansas, the Wichita region, Washington state, and the Seattle-King County region  before them, the attendees spent the better part of two days exploring how to better attune educational and training pathways to private-sector needs.

Notwithstanding authentic differences in perspective and approach, Collaborative attendees expressed nearly unanimous agreement on the need for industry-driven, sector-focused workforce development strategies that track with economic development priorities. Using detailed information on current and projected workforce demand provided by the private sector, states can work to set appropriate goals, align funding and programming, and encourage cross-sector collaboration on the development and implementation of educational and workforce training initiatives that support economic development aims.

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via Strengthening Employment Pathways to Prosperous Careers | Brookings Institution.