CONTENTS
The State & Regions
The Nation
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities
Upcoming
Meetings, Conferences & Events
Odds & Ends
The State & Regions
Florida prompts TANF leavers with cash for climbing
ladder (May 29th, 2006 ETR Vol.37 No. 37 reprinted with permission)
Concerned that former welfare recipients are not
advancing to higher wages, Florida workforce officials are
trying out incentive awards to entice them into post-employment
services. The program, Passport to Economic Progress, offers
gift certificates to low-wage workers for meeting a personal
goal, such as earning a GED, attending training sessions,
getting a driver’s license or applying for the earned
income tax credit. The hope is that Passport clients will
improve their job skills and raise their income in order
to become more self-sufficient, said JenniLee Robins, who
helped develop the Passport program at Workforce Florida,
Inc. The post-employment services are targeted to welfare
leavers who earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty
line, Robins said. Below that threshold, they qualify for
a range of transitional TANF benefits, such as child care
subsidies and transportation assistance. State studies found
that a sizeable portion of TANF leavers were stuck in low-wage
jobs or not working enough hours to earn more than 200 percent
of the poverty level, Robins told MII. Read the complete
article under “Other News and Reports” on the
WFI website at: http://www.workforceflorida.com/wages/wfi/news/index.htm.
Governor Bush signs economic development bill package
- new measures will further diversify and strengthen Florida’s
economy. ORLANDO - Governor Jeb Bush yesterday signed into
law a series of bold new economic development initiatives
to bolster Florida’s Innovation Economy. Among the
initiatives, the new legislation creates the 21st Century
Technology, Research, and Scholarship Enhancement Act, the
Innovation Incentive Program, and Space Florida, as well
as provides significant tax exemptions for machinery and
equipment used for research and development and manufacturing. “During
times of abundance, it is smart to reinvest some of these
one-time revenues back into our economy to attract capital
investment and create high wage jobs that, in turn, generate
recurring revenue for state and local government,” said
Governor Bush. “I thank Speaker Allan Bense and President
Tom Lee for their leadership and commitment to ensuring a
world-class business environment in the Sunshine State. This
comprehensive legislative package combines a variety of tools,
which include financial incentives, to spur investment and
state funding to build our innovation infrastructure and
to diversify and strengthen our economy.” Growing Florida’s
economy is critical to the state’s long-term prosperity.
For more information on Governor Bush’s economic development
initiatives, please visit www.myflorida.com .
Budget supports early learning, critical jobs programs
and well-being of military families. TALLAHASSEE — Governor
Jeb Bush last week signed the 2006-2007 state budget, providing
the Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI) with $1.6 billion
to continue bolstering the state’s strong economic
climate and expand job opportunities for all Floridians.
This year’s budget includes critical funding to continue
the Governor’s priorities of economic diversification,
the creation of more high-value jobs, and the emphasis on
early learning opportunities. Florida’s unemployment
rate is at an all-time low and the state has led the nation
in job growth since October 2002. Under Governor Bush’s
leadership, Florida businesses have created 1.3 million new
jobs. In Florida’s first year of offering Voluntary
Prekindergarten to all four-year-old children in the state,
more than 100,000 children have enrolled in the program,
making it the second-largest in the nation. “I applaud
Governor Bush and the Legislature for continuing to make
strategic investments in Florida’s workforce and for
making early learning for Florida’s youngest children
a priority,” AWI Director Linda H. South said. “We
recognize the challenges of a booming job market and we will
wisely use these resources to help Florida’s businesses
find the skilled talent they need to maintain Florida’s
economic leadership.” In addition to continuing funding
for Florida’s Workforce and Early Learning programs,
Governor Bush and the Legislature’s budget for the
state includes:
- Keeping Florida’s Workforce Competitive,
$475 million – The
budget allows Florida’s workforce system to continue
to effectively retain and keep businesses competitive through
providing critical services to the state’s businesses
and job seekers.
- Florida reBuilds, $12 million. To ensure
the continued growth of Florida’s economy and to
assist in disaster recovery, workers are urgently needed
to fill construction
jobs. This program allows workforce and education partners
to creatively meet the need for approximately 11,000 workers
of all skill levels in the construction industry.
- BANNER
Centers, $4 million. Workforce Florida will designate BANNER
(Business Assistance Now for New Economy Results)
Centers of Excellence to focus on the educational and training
needs of occupations critical to the success of specific
industry clusters. Most centers will be from the sectors
identified by Enterprise Florida as targeted areas for
economic diversification and build upon the successful
model of the
first center focused on the Aviation/Aerospace industry,
competitively awarded through funding from Workforce Florida,
Inc. Workforce Florida will continue its plan to competitively
designate up to three additional centers, one of which
will be dedicated to biotechnology.
- Incumbent Worker Training,
$3.6 million. Funding is nearly doubled for the Incumbent
Worker Training Program which
provides grant funding for customized training for existing
businesses.
Through this customer-driven program, Florida is able to
effectively retain and keep businesses competitive through
upgrading skills for existing full-time employees. The
additional funding will provide skills upgrade training
for up to 16,000
workers.
- Ready to Work, $4.0 million. This critical part
of Governor Bush’s “A++ Plan for Education” will
enable employers to assess job skills and training needs
of potential
workers being served through Florida’s workforce
services. The Ready to Work Program will match the curriculum
with
the specific needs of Florida’s businesses and provide
a workforce that is ready to work.
- Preparing Florida Children
for Educational Success, $390.5 million – This year’s
budget provides more than $390 million -- an average of
$2,560 per child --
to include
five percent administrative costs for Early Learning Coalitions
and to continue Florida’s successful Voluntary Prekindergarten
program, which is giving Florida’s youngest children
the skills they need to become good readers and successful
students.
- Supporting Florida’s Military Families,
$200,000 – Understanding
the importance of assisting those who serve our country
and their families, Governor Bush and the Legislature have
provided
additional funding for the Military Family Employment Advocacy
Program, which provides workforce services such as employment
counseling, job search and placement assistance, information
on educational and training programs, and referral to supportive
services to military spouses and families.
The Agency for Workforce Innovation is the lead state workforce
agency and directly administers the state’s Labor Market
Statistics program, Unemployment Compensation, Early Learning
and various workforce development programs. The Office of
Early Learning, a division within the agency, provides oversight
of Florida’s school readiness programs and is the lead
entity for implementing the state’s Voluntary Prekindergarten
program. Workforce development policy and guidance in Florida
is provided by Workforce Florida, Inc. Workforce Florida
and the Agency for Workforce Innovation are partners in the
Employ Florida network which includes 24 Regional Workforce
Boards who deliver services through nearly 100 One-Stop Career
Centers around the state. For additional information on the
Agency for Workforce Innovation visit www.floridajobs.org/
EITC/Prosperity Initiative Update from JenniLee Robins:
- Strengthening Self-Sufficiency for
Florida’s Families.
The Real$ense Prosperity Campaign, an Initiative of United
Way of Northeast Florida, the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance
Network and the Administration for Children and Families
sponsored a Roundtable on Strengthening Self-Sufficiency
for Florida’s Families. The roundtable was held May
23-24, 2006 in Jacksonville. Throughout the country the
Administration for Children and Families supports technical
assistance activities
to assist families in becoming self-sufficient. The EITC/Prosperity
Campaign efforts are important strategies in achieving
self-sufficiency. The Jacksonville meeting included federal
partners; national
organizations involved in asset development; local partners
from throughout Florida; and prominent members of the business
community. The meeting provided a forum for learning about
promising practices from both Florida and throughout the
United States. The meeting summary will be posted at: http://peerta.acf.hhs.gov/taevents/support.htm#general.
This site also includes summaries of other similar meetings
held across the county and provides information on how
other states are using the elements of the Prosperity Initiative – filing
for tax credits (both EITC and CTC), financial literacy
and asset building – to benefit citizens and local
economies.
- Assets for Independence (AFI) program funding
opportunities. Please visit our EITC/Prosperity Partners
online resource
at www.floridajobs.org/eitc/index.html. The listing of
Prosperity Campaigns by County has been updated as a
result of the meeting
held May 23-24 in Jacksonville (see article above). You
may identity additional local partners currently involved
in
EITC/Prosperity Initiatives to join in applying for the
Assets for Independence grants. The Assets for Independence
(AFI)
program provides five-year grants to nonprofit organizations,
including faith-based organizations, and government agencies,
that empower low-income families to be economically self-sufficient
for the long-term. Grantees provide financial education
training on money management issues, and they assist
participants with saving earned income in special matched
savings accounts
called Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). Participants
use the IDAs to accumulate funds with the goal of acquiring
a first home, post-secondary education, or a small business.
The program is administered by the Federal Office of
Community Services, within the U.S. Department of Health
and Human
Services. Eligible Grantees include Nonprofit organizations,
including faith-based groups, with 501(c)(3) tax exempt
status;
State, local and Tribal government agencies that apply
jointly with a nonprofit; Community Development Financial
Institutions;
Low-Income Designated Credit Unions; Organizations that
propose to implement an AFI Project with sub grantees
across a wide
area such as across the nation or throughout a State
or region. Application Due Date is Tuesday, July 18, 2006.
The average
grant award is about $300,000 for a five year project.
The maximum grant amount is $1,000,000. The Office of
Community
Services is hosting free conference calls this spring
for
prospective grantees. The calls cover application requirements
and the basics of administering an IDA project funded
with an Assets for Independence grant. Featured speakers
often
include representatives of current grantee organizations.
Please go to the program web site for date and times
and register for one of the calls today! http://www.acf.hhs.gov/assetbuilding/afi_special_calls/afispecialcalllist.html
. The AFI Project Builder is a free booklet that features
step-by-step guidance and suggestions about project design
and development. It is an invaluable tool for developing
an IDA initiative and writing a proposal for an Asset
for
Independence grant. Download a copy from the AFI Program
web site at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/assetbuilding Please
contact the Office of Community Services via email on
AFIProgram@acf.hhs.gov or phone on (202) 401-4626 to request an application
kit, ask a question, or request more details. See the program
web site for at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/assetbuilding for
complete information, including application requirements
and procedures.
Nancy Thompson
nominated for "She Knows Where She's
Going" award. Bartow, FL (May 30, 2006) Nancy
Thompson, executive director of Polk Works, was honored as
a 2006 "She
Knows Where She's Going" award nominee at the Girls
Inc. of Lakeland annual awards luncheon May 16. "In
addition to leading Polk Works, Nancy Thompson has shared
her expertise with many community groups, including the Lakeland
Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Central Florida and Polk
Vision," said Kay Fields, President and CEO of Girls
Inc. of Lakeland. "In her personal and professional
journeys, Nancy has truly touched many lives." Girls
Incorporated is a national nonprofit youth organization dedicated
to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. With
roots dating to 1864, Girls Inc has provided vital educational
programs to millions of American girls, particularly those
in high-risk, underserved areas. Today, innovative programs
help girls confront subtle societal messages about their
value and potential, and prepare them to lead successful,
independent, and fulfilling lives. Polk Works is the regional
workforce development board for Polk County to oversee federal
and state funds dedicated to preparing and upgrading a skilled
workforce. Workforce development services are available through
a variety of programs, including the Polk Works One-Stop
Center system, Young Leaders, WorkForce 2020 and REACT. The Nation
GAO Study: Offshoring In Six Human Services Programs
- Offshoring Occurs In Most States, Primarily In Customer
Service And Software
Development. As states and the federal government have sought
to streamline and improve administrative processes and take
advantage of technological advances, both have outsourced certain
functions to private firms. In some cases, these firms have
used offshore resources to perform these functions. As a result,
questions have been raised about the prevalence of offshoring
in federal human services programs. In response to widespread
congressional interest, the GAO conducted work under the Comptroller
General’s authority to determine (1) the occurrence and
nature of offshoring, (2) the benefits state agencies have
achieved through offshoring and problems they have encountered,
and (3) the actions, if any, states and the federal government
have taken to limit offshoring and why. We examined four federally-funded
state-administered programs—Child Support Enforcement,
Food Stamp, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),
and Unemployment Insurance—and two federally-administered
programs that provide student financial aid—Pell Grant
and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL). The Departments of
Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor
did not have comments on this report. Access the Highlights
at: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d06342high.pdf or the complete
study at: http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-342.
U.S. Department of Labor announces Industry-Based
Competency Model for Advanced Manufacturing. WASHINGTON Assistant Secretary
of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco announced
the creation of a dynamic set of resources for advanced manufacturers
to use in attracting and training workers for careers across
the industry. "After decades of using incomplete and inconsistent
standards for training the manufacturing workforce, advanced
manufacturers came together to embrace a common framework of
skills necessary to pursue a successful career," said
DeRocco. "In a global economy, American workers need strong
academic, workplace and technical skills to maintain our innovative
edge. The tools released today allow industry, educators, and
government to match their investments to the modern needs of
the advanced manufacturing workplace." The Employment
and Training Administration (ETA) convened a group of leading
industry organizations to develop a comprehensive framework
over the past year. Participants and reviewers included the
Manufacturing Institute, National Council for Advanced Manufacturing,
National Association of Manufacturers, Society of Manufacturing
Engineers, National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Penn
State University, Thomas Nelson Community College, Aviation
High School in New York City, and others. The group devised
the framework by reviewing existing industry standards and
curricula and identifying the common elements that apply across
manufacturing sectors. Those elements include working with
spreadsheets, interpretation of CAD (Computer-Aided Design)
drawings, and database navigation and reporting. This framework
allows for consistency across industries, customization within
sectors, and easy updating in order to accommodate changing
technology and business practices. The framework is designed
to evolve along with changing skill requirements. The National
Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has committed to working
with industry partners to keep this tool current. "The
NAM is proud to have played a key role in developing this groundbreaking
framework of core competencies critical for today's high performance
manufacturing worker," said NAM President John Engler. "The
framework provides a long overdue snapshot of what the 21st
century manufacturing technical worker looks like." Access
the framework at: http://www.doleta.gov/pdf/AdvncdManufactFWK.pdf.
The Department of Labor will shortly announce a competition
for funding under the President's High Growth Job Training
Initiative for the advanced manufacturing industry. The President's
High Growth Job Training Initiative represents a major step
in a series of actions that ETA has taken to facilitate partnerships
among business, education and the workforce investment system
to develop solutions to the workforce challenges facing high
growth industries. The initiative targets education and skills
development resources toward helping workers gain the skills
they need to build successful careers in growing industries.
Please visit www.doleta.gov/BRG/JobTrainInitiative/.
Headlines from NASWA’s Workforce Bulletin – May
26, 2006.
- HOUSE PANEL EXPECTED TO CONSIDER FY
2007 SPENDING BILL FOR WORKFORCE SYSTEM ON JUNE 7
- UNABLE
TO APPROVE A BUDGET CONGRESS SHIFTS FOCUS TO APPROVAL
OF APPROPRIATION BILLS
- ETA SUMMIT ON RAPID RESPONSE GIVES
PARTICIPANTS A VISION OF FUTURE SERVICE DELIVERY WHILE SEEKING
THEIR INPUT
- ADMINISTRATIVE TAX ADOPTION TO SUPPLEMENT WORKFORCE
REVENUE NO ACCIDENT ACCORDING TO NASWA A&F COMMITTEE
- BUREAU
OF LABOR STATISTICS RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING EFFORTS IN LMI
FOLLOWING HURRICANE KATRINA
- NOMINATIONS FOR NASWA AWARDS
DUE JULY 7
- NASWA's 2006 UI TECHNOLOGY CONNECTION CONFERENCE
SET FOR JUNE 4-8 IN INDIANAPOLIS
For the complete articles go to: http://www.workforceatm.org/sections/members/bulletin/bulltemp.cfm?
results_art_filename=bu052606.htm.
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities
and Notices
Featured Opportunity:
(none)
State Grants (none)
Federal Grants
(none)
Foundation Grants
(none)
Scholarships/Awards
(none)
Upcoming Meetings, Conferences and
Events
Workforce Florida Board and Related Meetings Schedule:
For up-to-date WFI board meeting info please check the calendar at the WFI website.
June 21, 2006
Council Chairs Teleconference 9:00am – 10:00am
Executive Committee Teleconference 10:00am – 11:30am
Contact Peggy Dransfield at: pdransfield@workforceflorida.com
July 19, 2006
Council Chairs Teleconference 9:00am – 10:00am
Executive Committee Teleconference 10:00am – 11:30am
Contact Peggy Dransfield at: pdransfield@workforceflorida.com
August 23, 2006
Executive Directors Meeting (Partners Meeting)
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville – Riverfront Hotel
Contact Peggy Dransfield at: pdransfield@workforceflorida.com
August 24, 2006
Council & Committee Meetings
10:00am – 12:00pm
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville – Riverfront Hotel
Contact Peggy Dransfield at: pdransfield@workforceflorida.com
August 24, 2006
Board of Directors Meeting
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville – Riverfront Hotel
Contact Peggy Dransfield at: pdransfield@workforceflorida.com
Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:
May 30 – June 1, 2006
2006 Disaster Recovery and Data Protection Summit
The 2006 Disaster Recovery and Data Protection Summit,
slated to take place in the Tampa, FL area from May 31 to
June 1, is a unique event focused on business continuity
requirements of organizations threatened directly or indirectly
by hurricanes and tropical storm systems. Severe weather
systems take their toll across a broad geography and often
companies that are not in the direct path of a storm are
impacted by its collateral effects: power outages, telecommunications
failures, infrastructure failures and even civil disturbances.
For more information and registration go to: http://summit.datainstitute.org/.
June 2-4, 2006
The 8th Annual Family Café Conference
Caribe Royale
Orlando, Florida
The Department of Education is proud to support the 8th
Annual Family Café Conference and Governor’s Summit
on Disabilities as part of our commitment to provide a quality
education to all students. During the annual three-day conference,
individuals with disabilities and special health care needs
and their families have an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge,
to interact with state agencies’ representatives and
private providers, and to expand their network of supports.
Pre-conference registration for the 8th Annual Family Café Conference
will begin on February 14, 2006. There is no conference registration
fee. Limited financial assistance will be provided to families
by Family Café. The financial assistance funds through
Family Café are available on a first-come, first-serve
basis, and have historically been exhausted soon after registration
opens. Therefore, we encourage districts to make families of
students with disabilities aware of the pre-conference registration
and financial assistance as soon as possible. We also encourage
you to financially support families to attend the 8th Annual
Family Café Conference through the use of discretionary
grants. As part of the conference, Governor Jeb Bush will speak
at the 8th Annual Governor’s Summit on Disabilities on
Friday, June 2, 2006, from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Participants
may either register online at www.familycafe.net or call the
Family Café office at 1-888-309-2233 to request a registration
brochure be mailed. Pre-registration ends on March 31, 2006.
June 4-6, 2006
The Southern Innovation Summit
New Orleans, LA
The Southern Innovation Summit will focus on the creation,
accumulation and application of knowledge for the South's businesses,
universities, citizens and governments, and develop strategies
for increasing innovation as part of the South's economic growth
policies. The conference will feature the release of the 2006
Report on the Future of the South, with keynotes and panel
discussions featuring Tennessee Representative Zach Wamp, champion
of the East Tennessee Technology Corridor; Edward Seidel, Director
of Louisiana State University's Center for Computation & Technology;
Dr. Shirley Malcom, Director of Education Programs for the
American Association for the Advancement of Science and Ben
Ritchey, Battelle's Vice President of the Transportation Market
Sector as well as key researchers and strategists from universities
and innovation centers from across the country. Register by
March 31st and save $75 on conference registration fees. To
register online, or to download registration forms, visit:
http://www.southern.org/conf.asp. To access the agenda, visit:
http://www.southern.org/conference/2006conference/agenda.shtml
June 5-6, 2006
Gulf States Disaster Recovery Symposium
The Perfectly Terrible Storms... Challenges Ahead
Pensacola, Florida
University of West Florida Conference Center
Disasters Don’t Recognize Borders - this first Gulf
States Disaster Recovery Symposium will address the human side
of disaster recovery planning; those issues that affect coordination
of social services, affordable housing, workforce issues, partnerships,
crisis counseling, recovery plans, homelessness and much more.
This Symposium provides the opportunity to bring together state
and local governments, private and non for profit sectors,
and volunteers to discuss the challenges of addressing the
aftermath of terrible storms and reducing the dramatic changes
it brings to our communities. Who should attend: Leaders/Planners
from Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas engaged
in disaster planning and affordable housing issues Federal
Agencies State and Local Government Agencies Housing Advocates
Faith-based/Community Based Organizations Volunteer Organizations.
Please visit www.findflorida.org for more information and to
register online. Because of capacity limits, advance registration
is strongly encouraged and registration "at the door" may
not be possible.
June 15, 2006
Winning the Global Competition Summit
Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Conference Center
NEW! “Winning the Global Competition” features
Ed Barlow, renowned speaker and futurist; Don Gaetz, Superintendent,
Okaloosa County Schools; Lt. Governor Toni Jennings; Curtis
Austin, President, Workforce Florida; Dr. Rick Harper, Director,
Haas Center, University of West Florida; and Mark Howard, Florida
Trend magazine. This event is presented by the Workforce Development
Board of Okaloosa and Walton Counties in conjunction with the
June 14, 15, 16, 2006 CHOICE Replication Workshop. Registration
fee for the one-day summit only is $75. Registration for the
three day CHOICE Replication Workshop is $150. Limited seats
available so visit www.jobsplusonestop.com for more information
and registration options for both the Summit and the CHOICE
Replication Workshop.
July 11-13, 2006
Workforce Innovations
Anaheim, California
Co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment
and Training Administration and the American Society for Training
and Development, Workforce Innovations 2006 is one conference
you do not want to miss. The conference is shaping up to be
the biggest and best Workforce Innovations yet, with more than
3,000 participants expected.
Already confirmed conference highlights include:
- A keynote address by respected author and
PBS host, James Burke, on his interpretation of global economic
realities and
what we can do to "Innovate for the Day After Tomorrow."
- An
educational tour to the Tiger Woods Learning Center, a brand
new facility providing youth from diverse backgrounds
with opportunities for career orientation, career exploration
and career preparation.
- Tools and strategies to support you
in regional economic development efforts, whether your community
is just starting
this process or is well underway.
- Dozens of dynamic Super
Workshops, Learning Labs, Roundtable Discussions, and "Quick
Takes" on cutting edge
issues for workforce professionals and their partners from
economic
development, education, community colleges, and industry.
Watch the Conference
website for further program updates and to register at: http://www.workforceinnovations.org/.
Nov. 30 - Dec. 2, 2006
2006 ACTE Convention and Career Tech Expo
Connecting Education and Careers:
Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is gearing up for a great professional development
experience. At the end of November, more than 5,000 career
and technical educators will travel to the PeachPico Collection
State to participate in the only professional development event
dedicated to the entire career and technical education (CTE)
field. From November 30 to December 2, career and technical
educators will have their choice of workshops, seminars and
sessions on a wide variety of CTE topics. Register today and
you can get the best rates, your choice of hotel options, and
first choice on the pre-Convention workshop. All of the information
you need is located in the right-hand navigation bar. So, take
some time, take a look, and then make the choice to join your
colleagues in Atlanta. For more information and to register
visit: www.acteonline.org.
USDOL’s Workforce Tools of the Trade Workforce Investment
Systemwide Events Page. http://www.workforcetools.org/calendar.asp
Odds and Ends
National Governors Association Enhancing Competitiveness:
A Review of Recent State Economic Development Initiatives—2005 (cited in OPPAGA’s Florida Monitor Weekly - May 26,
2006.) Most governors' new economic development initiatives
focused on enhancing state and regional "clusters of
innovation"—fast-growing groups of businesses
that share markets, labor, new ideas and products. To enhance
these clusters and exploit the unique advantages of the region's
labor pool, educational resources and research capacity,
most development initiatives emphasized strategies such as
promoting research and development by leveraging public funds
and encouraging partnerships; building a skilled workforce
by providing training and education to meet industry needs;
and supporting entrepreneurs by providing seed funding and
incentives for job creation. In the last year, state economic
development activity strategies targeted several industries,
such as energy, life sciences and biotechnology, nanotechnology
and film. http://www.nga.org/files/pdf/0604ENHANCECOMPIB.pdf
Why Technology Negotiations Are Different (by Lawrence Susskind
from HBS Working Knowledge May 29, 2006). Technology negotiations
are complex and many managers are left with a sense of unease.
Am I getting the best deal? Will the ERP system I buy today
be obsolete tomorrow? Lawrence Susskind offers keys to help
you avoid the pitfalls. Executives are increasingly faced
with the task of negotiating in a realm that many know little
about: technology. Whether you're bargaining over the purchase
of a new companywide network, coping with a possible infringement
of patented technology, or seeking better customer service
from a software supplier, technology negotiations have become
a fact of managerial life. How do such negotiations differ
from those that are less technologically complex? You can
anticipate four specific problems to crop up more often in
the technology arena:
1. Complexity. Negotiations over new technology require sophisticated
knowledge of hardware or software that's beyond the scope
of most managers. If those trained in science and technology
assume that others at the table speak their language, serious
misunderstandings can result.
2. Uncertainty. When highly complex systems are at stake,
no one can be sure whether they will perform as promised
when configured for a particular business environment. Different
estimates of how a technology will perform can lead to negotiation
battles.
3. Egos. Those who design or advocate for a new technology
often become additional players when they have a vested interest
in the outcome of a negotiation. Technology advocates—and
their egos—can complicate otherwise straightforward
talks.
4. Organizational change. The various organizational changes
required by negotiated agreements can provoke conflict between
parties during implementation. Staffers may have trouble
maintaining or repairing new technology, accessing its intellectual
underpinnings, or acquiring replacement parts.
Negotiators embroiled in a high-tech deal must take purposeful
steps to avoid these pitfalls. Through our executive teaching
on the topic, my colleagues Hal Movius, director of assessment
coaching and training at the Consensus Building Institute;
Tracey Brenner, founder and president of Wolfsdorf Brenner;
Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, senior research scientist, MIT
Sloan School of Management; and I have identified three primary
ways of sidestepping these difficulties: (1) avoid communication
errors and build trust, (2) manage complexity and uncertainty,
and (3) prepare for strategic realignment. I'll open with
a case study, created by Movius, that illustrates the particular
difficulties of technology negotiations, and then detail
our advice. Read the complete article at:
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item.jhtml?id=5359&t=technology
From SOUTHERN COMPASS -- MAY 30, 2006:
- Report says misaligned goals cause most industry/academic
partnership difficulties. A new report by Lux Research
(a nanotechnology industry research firm) highlights
the difficult relationship between corporations and their
paid
university researchers. Many corporate planners are putting
the pinch on academic partners to show a return on investment
in less than five years. Universities, however, that
supply fundamental research, and are increasingly being
used to
replace internal corporate R&D divisions, are failing
to accomplish this because of “misaligned goals and
timing.” The report, Making Industry/Academic Nanotech
Partnerships Productive, outline the following themes:
• Companies and universities struggle with opposing goals.
Large companies seek a range of outcomes from academic
partnerships; start-ups want to meet product and patent milestones; while
large universities think the point of partnerships is creating
jobs for researchers; and small universities prioritize
publishing.
• Problems with technology transfer ranked as the number one
challenge for industry/academic partnerships, with 71 percent
of companies, echoed by 31 percent of universities who
were interviewed.
• Twenty-nine percent of companies complained that unforeseen
costs of collaboration such as licensing fees, legal fees
and extra work hours, eventually add up to much more than
the value of the research that the academics conduct. The
report is only available to Lux clients, http://www.luxresearchinc.com
- Report
says middle school is right time for college-prep classes & career guidance.
Regardless of a student’s
career aspirations, the math and literacy skills needed
for gainful employment are comparable to those needed
to go to
college. The ACT report, Ready to Succeed, advocates
that all students be required to take college-prep courses and
receive personalized career guidance as early as middle
school. Unfortunately, 40 percent of ACT-tested high
school graduates
do not take college-prep classes and nearly a third of
college freshmen require remediation in language or math.
For more
information visit: http://www.act.org/path/policy/pdf/ready_to_succeed.pdf.
- Comparing the achievement gaps of career/tech programs & college
prep programs. The Southern Regional Education Board
report, Getting Students Ready for College and Careers,
compares
the graduation requirements and achievement gaps between
students enrolled in career and technical education and
college-prep programs. SREB also highlights strategies
to boost college
enrollment rates and the number of “work-ready” high
school graduates. Kentucky, for example, redesigned their
career and technical education programs to teach rigorous
academic concepts with industry skill requirements. As
a result, the state accountability test scores of Kentucky’s
career and technical students improved more than any
other group. For more information visit: http://www.sreb.org/main/Goals/Publications/06E04-Students_Ready_College_Career.pdf
Quote for the Week:
“What
you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments,
but what is woven in to the lives of others.”
Pericles |
