Developing Partnerships with Employers Briefing for the 4 th Annual Plus 50 Conference American Association of Community Colleges Blair Forlaw July 14, 2011

Premise: Good partnerships start with a mile in the other’s shoes The employers’ experience today - the economy - continuing uncertainty - how to find the right people with the right skills at just the right time

Let’s consider: Three things about - the economy - uncertainty - the talent marketplace Implications for community college / employer partnerships (I have six suggestions; you’ll have more)

About the economy: It’s a knowledge-based, innovation-driven, globally-connected, digitized, dynamic, diverse, fast-paced, and highly competitive world out there. Metropolitan areas are the engines of growth and vitality. Human capital is the most important kind – but managing and measuring it is quite a challenge.

About uncertainty: Uncertainty is certain. “Companies rarely know what they will be building five years out and what skills they will need to make that happen; they also don’t know if the people they have in their pipelines are going to be around.” (Peter Cappelli, Wharton School) Hiring managers avoid risk whenever possible. College degrees are the ticket to get in the door with employers… but they do not assure good performance.

Beyond college credentials, the competencies employers value most: People skills – 89% rated ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ important Motivation to keep up with changes – 87% Applied skills – 68% Ongoing learning, skill development – 64% Entrepreneurial attitude – 48% Results of a 2011 survey of 169 HR professionals conducted by the St. Louis RCGA and the Human Resource Management Association (St. Louis SHRM)

People skills Ethical behavior Customer orientation Teamwork / collaboration Oral and written communication Active listening

Motivation to keep up with changes Positive attitude – enthusiastic for new opportunities Committed and will ‘go the extra mile’ Engaged as a leader as well as team player Loves what they do Initiates ideas for improving personal efficiency

Applied skills Problem-solving Strategic thinking / planning Critical / analytical thinking Decision-making Prioritization / focus

Ongoing learning and skill development Initiates formal learning objectives as part of employee development plan Participates in classroom-style training in the workplace Pursues professional development credits Participates in online learning Has one or more mentors to provide ongoing learning

Entrepreneurial attitude Manages company resources as if they were their own Willing to go ‘outside my job description’ with new approaches to get the job done Demonstrates a passion for problem-solving Initiates ideas to improve business operations Is resilient when failure occurs

About the talent marketplace: Many employers use a supply chain approach. They ‘source’ the right people with the right skills at the right time by - developing from within - hiring directly from without - augmenting staff temporarily - outsourcing - off-shoring - more. This is the future.

Employers search for people with up-to-date skills from a vast talent marketplace – community colleges, four-year universities, trade schools, non-profits, proprietary schools, professional associations, social networks, WIBs, edupreneurs, other firms. Innovation and other good things can happen when there is communication, collaboration, coopetition, customer choice.

Implications for community colleges Become a lifelong listener. Don’t just bring employers to your table – sit at theirs. Read their e-newsletters; join their associations. Stay awake at night worrying about their problems. Learn to think from the demand side. Think work, not jobs. Think continuous change, not static state. Think minimizing risk vs. “doing the right thing.” Consider how innovative partnerships can solve business challenges.

Implications (continued) Instead of long-term plans, establish long- term relationships. Business organizations and human resource groups like SHRM exist everywhere. Get to know them. Consider how ‘alternative work arrangements’ align with business sourcing trends. Make it work from both sides.

Implications (continued) Help students assess and market skills in terms of the competencies employers value most. Use existing research or – better yet – conduct your own. Remember: employers are less interested in what a job candidate did for another employer yesterday, and more interested in what he or she can do for them today. Send graduates to work prepared to hit the ground running.

Your ideas.

Thank you. Blair Forlaw