9th Annual Meeting
IMPLEMENTING CHANGE:
A NEW LOCAL AGENDA FOR
JOBS AND GROWTH
In co-operation with the EU Presidency, Irish Government and Pobal
26-27 March 2013, Dublin-Kilkenny, Ireland
PLENARY SESSION I: A NEW LOCAL AGENDA FOR JOBS AND GROWTH
Randall Eberts
President, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, United States
Forum on Partnerships and Local
Governance, Dublin & Kilkenny,
March 2013
“Implementing Change: A new local
agenda for jobs and growth”
INTEGRATING
EMPLOYMENT AND
Hi Bernie,
Good morning! 
ECONOMIC
Did you hearDEVELOPMENT,
from Declan by any chance ? Did
he send you the cost estimate for the
LESSONS
FROM
equipment
he needs THE
to use forUNITED
the streaming?
Thanks in advance
STATES
Elisa AND AUSTRALIA
March 26th, 2013
Randall Eberts, President, W.E. Upjohn Institute for
Employment Research, United States
Skills Shortage and Mismatch
• Employers complain they can’t find
enough qualified workers
• Without qualified workers, employers
can’t fill job openings and employers can’t
create jobs
• Increasing skills and improving the match
between the supply of and demand for
skills is a critical challenge
Real Consequences of Skills Gap
Larger the skills gap, the lower the job creation
Each dot is a US metro area; data provided by Rothwell, 2012
Real Consequences of Skills Gap
Larger the skills gap, the higher the unemployment rate
Each dot is a US metro area; data provided by Rothwell, 2012
Integrating supply and demand
• OECD/LEED has studied models that
integrate workforce development and
economic development to increase skills,
improve skills utilization, and reduce the
skills gap
• Basic components of integration:
– Flexibility
– Partnerships
– Collaboration
Prerequisites for Effective Collaboration
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vision
Strategic planning
Leadership
Metrics
Resource Alignment
Trust
Collaborative infrastructure
Models of Integration: US and Australia
• Similarities
– Contract out JSA to private providers
– Local providers
– Performance outcomes
– Initial screening and identification of needs
• JSCI for Australia; WPRS for US
– Reemployment Assessment Plans
– Strategic plans
– Local and state economic development efforts
Models: Differences
Australia
United States
National agency contracts JSA
Local WIBs contract JSA and training
Payment based mostly on performance
outcome
Payment based mostly on formula, with
financial incentives for making/missing
targets
National VocEd qualifications
Local and/or industry qualifications
Demand-driven training: industry, unions,
professional associations at national level
define outcomes required from training
Demand-driven training: employers and
local community colleges at local level
develop training curriculum
More national skills standards, national
training products
Few national skills standards; mostly state
and local standards
16 mandated programs co-located at OneStop Career Centers
Local Employment Coordinator: identifies
needs and match with employers,
education and training facilities
Local WIBs offer opportunity to be catalyst
for integrating economic development and
workforce development at local level
U.S. WIBs: Partnership Catalyst
Partnership Arrangements
Vouchers
or training
accounts
Federal
Administrative
Programs
fee to WIB
$$
Administrative
Businesses
accountability
$
State
Non - financial
Agreements
$$
$$
County
WIB
Government
Local organizations
Master
Inter - local
Contract
Sub -
Agreement
contracts
Administrative
Agent
Memoranda of
County
Understanding
Government
Leadership role with
non - contractual
service organizations
Payoff to Partnerships
States with more local WIBs tend to have higher placement rates
WIA Adult Program, 2006Q3
% Participants who found employment
88
CA
86
84
MI
82
TX
80
78
76
74
72
70
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Number of WIBs within a state
35
40
45
50
Conclusion
• Narrowing the gap between demand for
and supply of skills is a critical challenge
for job creation
• Local flexibility and autonomy can foster
partnerships that connect workforce and
economic development
• The two models provide examples of local
areas that use their flexibility to form
effective partnerships to help create jobs