1. How to Meet the Needs of Industry Panel Discussion
Wednesday September 25, 2019
Powell, WY
Moderator: Cindy DeLancey
Panelists: Niki Ready, Brandon Kosine, Christine Bekes

2. Education Attainment at a National Level: What is it?
According to the Luminia Foundation, several factors have persuaded our national & state leaders see the need to significantly increase residents’ attainment of educational credentials beyond
high school.
Factors include:
Economic and demographic changes—such as an increasing wage premium for earning a credential and substantial shifts in age, race/ethnicity and income among the population of many states—have highlighted the challenges that states face in building a skilled workforce.
Policymakers have raised concerns about the nation’s ability to compete globally, given increasing education levels in many other countries. Growing bipartisan agreement and
Growing bipartisan agreement and increased messaging have drawn attention to the benefits of postsecondary education and the need to ensure that students not only enroll but also succeed in education and training beyond high school.
Public discussions about college affordability and rising loan debt have contributed to a feeling of urgency on this issue.

3. What is happening in Wyoming?
General Session of 2019 Educational Attainment Council and goals codified. (Important to Legislature & Governor)
Goals carried forward from Gov. Mead exec order
Attainment Goals 67% by 2025 and 82% by 2040
5-year and 10-year Statewide Educational Master Plan
Major pieces of legislation passed in 2019 that will have long lasting effects on how we view workforce as a state.
Wyoming gets to lead again! This is what we DO!

4. Game Changing Legislation Passed in 2019
Hathaway Scholarship Changes: SF 43
Wyoming’s Hathaway program had two areas of expansion; one to allow for increased access to career and technical classes in the curriculum and one to provide opportunities for students from contiguous states to utilize the Hathaway scholarship (two per state) in Wyoming.

5. Game Changing Legislation Passed in 2019
Wyoming Works Program : SF 122
bill provides funding for community college technical programs approved to meet labor and economic development needs.

6. Game Changing Legislation Passed in 2019
The bachelor of applied science SF 111:
Community colleges to offer bachelors of applied science programs.
These degrees will serve business and industry partnerships and offer specific industry
focused bachelor’s degrees, providing opportunities for adult workers to complete a bachelor’s degree at a local community college. Students can also take an online BAS degree from the University of Wyoming.

7. So why does all this matter?
Now is the time for Wyoming!
We have a tremendous opportunity to make a difference together. Leading is what Wyoming does best. Look to our history!
The state is counting on us to put the “ABCs” in place for future success (Business + Higher education = Success for workforce)

8. So what can we do? Relationship matter!!!
Use your time with industry wisely. Lunch with students twice a year is great, certainly important but take your relationship with industry to the next level.
Introduce industry leaders to key leaders in your organization. Encourage relationship building. Quarterly face to face (ex: coffee meeting, campus tour)
Two-way street. I encourage industry to invite you to their businesses. Make time to go.
Time you put in on the front end will pay off on the back end for both business and industry.

9. Three “take aways” from this panel
#1 Communication is essential in any partnership:
External communication
Internal communication
Time is our most precious resource
#2 Out of our Comfort Zone: We Need to find a new comfort zone and work together toward a common goal.
Business, industry, education community, UW, College Commission, Legislators, Executive Branch, citizens all need to try some new ideas and approaches together.
#3 The time is NOW!!!
Business leaders, education leaders, Governor, Legislators, citizens are all talking about ideas for Wyoming’s future.
We can do this so long as we do it together.

10. African Proverb WE CAN GO FAR IN Wyoming because we have each other!!!
“If you want to go fast, go alone…. If you want to go far, go together”
African Proverb
WE CAN GO FAR IN Wyoming because we have each other!!!