Collaboration Across State Boundaries: Interstate Strategies of the TriState Regional Workforce Alliance TENNESSEE ALABAMA GEORGIA Presented by: Alabama Career Center Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Coosa Valley Regional Development Center Southeast Tennessee Development District

common understanding of the knowledge and skills required to Aligning workforce and education with economic development requires a clear understanding of the industries in the states and a common understanding of the knowledge and skills required to compete successfully. Aligning workforce and education with economic development requires a clear understanding of the industries in the states and a common understanding of the knowledge and skills required to compete successfully.

Think and Act Regionally Commuting Patterns TENNESSEE ALABAMA GEORGIA Think and Act Regionally Commuting Patterns

Think and Act Regionally Prospects look regionally when assessing area labor Global competition Declining dollars and resources Improving services Think and Act Regionally Reality of the region, regardless of state lines Prospects look regionally when assessing area labor Global competition Declining dollars and resources Improving services

Where to start? Define region Determine players Initial meeting Determine work plan sub- committees Sub-committee meetings Ongoing collaborative meetings Where to start? Initial meeting The initial meeting to explore the establishment of a Tri-State Regional Workforce Collaborative was held on January 31, 2006. The meeting was very well attended, and the participants overwhelmingly expressed a strong desire to organize on a more formal, regional basis in order to address common workforce issues and to develop a strategy to more effectively compete for major plant locations and expansions. Attendees voted to create four sub-committees: Engaging Business, Industry and Elected Officials Expanding Career Readiness through WorkKeys Establish a Regional Workforce Database Identifying Funding to Promote Collaborative Projects Sub-committee meetings Three of the sub-committees have met to establish goals and to determine their short term work plans. It was determined that it would be premature for the Identifying Funding to Promote Collaborative Projects subcommittee to meet until there was further clarification on the overall strategy and goals of the Collaborative. Ongoing Collaborative meetings The full Collaborative continues to meet on a quarterly basis. Sub-committee reports and determining next steps are the primary agenda items.

What have we accomplished? CertificateKey database Regional Workforce Summit Successfully applied for technical assistance through DOL (NBLP) MOU between Workforce Boards Support and name recognition Building relationships for further collaboration What have we accomplished? CertificateKey database CertificateKey is an online database developed by Thinking Media, our partners who also developed KeyTrain (remedial software for WorkKeys) in order to compile and track the individuals who obtained a Career Readiness Certificate. Approximately 1,000 certificate-holders have been added to database since March 2006. Important that Alabama has been able to include their certificate-holders who have obtained CRC through Northeast AL Community College. Discussed adding certificate-holders to database with administrators at Northwest Technical College in GA. Will begin marketing CertificateKey soon to economic and workforce development professionals Regional Workforce Summit In partnership with other service providers, brought nationally known Futurist, Ed Barlow, to Chattanooga for Workforce Summit on October 27. Applied for technical assistance through DOL (NBLP) Submitted successful application to US Department of Labor as a “Learner” in the Talent Development Strategies Driving Regional Economic Competitiveness category in order to benefit from experiences and best practices that peer groups have experienced in breaking down barriers, crossing boundaries, moving away from political jurisdictions, and streamlining duplicative efforts in economic and workforce development initiatives. Representatives from each of the three states are attending the national “match” meeting now. Support Obtained support of majority of local Chambers, Economic Development agencies, educational institutions and local elected officials Building relationships for further collaboration Grassroots effort to begin building a broad-based initiative that will enable the southeast region to grow and succeed in a global economy. Developed functional relationships with post-secondary educational institutions and are working with selected high schools to promote value of Career Readiness Certificate.

Where do we go from here? Joint workforce board meetings Continue to collaborate Asset and needs analysis Strategic planning Become major partner in economic development initiatives Continue to identify and add partners Identify funding sources Joint workforce board meetings Have set joint meeting of the Executive Committees of LWIA-1 in Georgia, LWIA-5 in Tennessee, and appropriate representatives from Alabama on November 13 to begin dialogue. Continue to collaborate and bring other groups on board As we formalize the organization of the collaborative, we will need to bring other groups (employers, K-12 education, etc.) on board. Asset and Needs Analysis To better understand where we are as a region, we need to analyze our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. An asset analysis would let us know where we have “pockets” of excellence throughout the region. Our goal should be to regionalize the things that are working on a local basis and turn that local strength into a regional strength. As we recognize regional assets we will also uncover regional weaknesses and plan accordingly. Strategic Planning Based on strengths and weaknesses, we can then plan for the best use of limited resources: What do we wish to accomplish? What are our priorities? How will we fund these initiatives? Become a major partner in regional economic development initiatives. As the collaborative becomes more focused on the needs of the region, we will be in an ideal position to work with other agencies and entities to advance the economic development of the region. Develop MOU between LWIA-1 (Georgia), LWIA-5 (Tennessee) and Alabama

Individual state perspectives Alabama Georgia Tennessee Alabama Georgia Tennessee

Our partners Northeast Alabama Community College Southeast Tennessee Development District Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Alabama Career Center