|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
 |
|
 |
|
    |
|
 |
|
|
Lion Oil in El Dorado, Ark., for example, struggled with measuring the skills of job candidates. Although human resources (HR) staff were able to determine if the job candidates were skilled in their trades or had experiences as chemical operators, they wanted more information on candidates' literacy skills. Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE) provided a solution. WAGE, a state-funded workforce development collaboration among industry, education, and the community, prepares unemployed adults for entry-level jobs and upgrades the skills of incumbent workers so that they can meet changing demands. The WAGE certificate documents the mechanical abilities and education level of a potential employee—exactly the type of information that hiring managers at Lion Oil wanted. By working with WAGE, the company saves time and money previously spent testing new hires and obtains more useful information about applicants’ abilities. WAGE also tests and trains new employees for El Dorado Chemical, a subsidiary of LSB Industries. The company used to give prospective employees a standardized, in-house test, but human resources staff felt that the test was out-of-date, time consuming to administer, and not aligned with actual on-the-job functions. WAGE took over the testing, conducted a literacy task analysis to determine the skills required for specific jobs at El Dorado Chemical, and tailored instruction to these jobs. In return, the company donated equipment and materials to be used in the classroom. Now, hiring managers are assured that job applicants with a WAGE certificate can read at a minimum 12th-grade level. Businesses like the Palm Beach Resource Recovery Corporation, in Palm Beach, Fla., have turned to adult education programs for help in improving the skills of their incumbent workforce. After providing in-house training for three years, the company contracted with the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County (the Coalition) in 2003 to identify and provide a local English literacy instructor. The Coalition also provides the company with workplace needs assessments, materials, and testing services for a minimal fee. In return, the Resource Recovery Corporation recruits employees for the class and provides classroom space at its facility. Its HR manager also provides support to the instructor and students as necessary. Businesses that have collaborated with adult literacy organizations to train incoming and incumbent employees have learned the following: Collaborate with training providers to ensure minimum skill levels of new hires. By using WAGE for preemployment training, Lion Oil and El Dorado Chemical can expect employees who have successfully completed the program to function at a certain skills level, as determined by the company and WAGE program staff. In fact, Lion Oil’s HR staff have noticed a difference in the ability levels of WAGE and other employees. The WAGE graduates pick up skills faster and need less assistance during their six-month probationary period. Consider the cost-effectiveness of external training. The in-house testing of employees cost El Dorado Chemical significant time and resources. The test itself was lengthy, and it took considerable time to score and analyze the results. So when WAGE offered to test potential employees for free and refer them to the company for job openings, El Dorado Chemical readily agreed and dropped the in-house test. When job applicants contact HR, the company sends them to WAGE before they are considered for a job. To date, El Dorado Chemical has referred about 150 people to the WAGE program and has hired 50–60 WAGE participants. Find a program that can customize training to business needs. The WAGE program offers instruction that is customized to meet the needs of area employers, like Lion Oil and El Dorado Chemical. When forming a new partnership with a business, the WAGE coordinator conducts a literacy task analysis of the workplace to match skills levels to job functions and then designs instruction accordingly. Recruit potential job candidates from local adult education and literacy providers. Lion Oil and El Dorado Chemical no longer worry about how to find qualified workers. Approximately 100 to 120 job seekers participate in WAGE each year and are referred to the companies for job openings. Use promotion as an incentive for employees to enroll in workplace training. While the Palm Beach Resource Recovery Corporation’s concern for employee safety and clear communication was the motivation for bringing English instruction to the workplace, many employees who enroll in these classes say that getting a promotion is their primary reason for improving their skills. Now, when encouraging employees to enroll in the workplace education program, the HR manager points to the job-related benefits of improving their skills. She finds that these benefits, more than any others, motivate employees to enroll in the course, especially since insufficient literacy skills can be a sensitive topic for adults. Involve frontline supervisors when developing and promoting a training program. When recruiting employees for classes, the HR manager for Palm Beach Resource Recovery Corporation turns to the frontline supervisors, many of whom are bilingual and can emphasize the importance of enrolling in English courses to their employees. Because they work closely with entry-level employees, frontline supervisors can be helpful in setting a company’s business objectives regarding employee skills improvement. “It doesn’t work if it’s just management sitting around a table,” the HR manager notes. Supervisors know firsthand—or can find out—what types of support entry-level employees need and what communication difficulties they may encounter on the job. Communicate regularly with adult education partners. Constant communication between the employer and adult education partners is the key to an effective workplace literacy program. Palm Beach Resource Recovery Corporation’s HR manager speaks regularly with the Coalition’s instructor about all aspects of the program, including attendance, assessments, and curriculum development. Together they make any changes necessary to ensure that classes meet the needs of both employer and employees. Benefits to Business Some benefits to business in collaborating with adult education to provide workforce development programs include:
Benefits to Adult Education Some benefits to adult education in collaborating with business to provide workforce development programs include:
The following resources have been compiled for further reading on topics related to business-adult education partnerships. Pop-up windows with links to and descriptions of the resources will appear as you click on the resource titles. Resources are categorized below as: Business Partnerships (descriptions of the business-adult education partnerships referenced above); Partnership Profiles (related examples of other community partnerships); How-Tos (guides and tools for establishing partnerships); Research; the Case for Business Involvement; and Web Sites. A complete list of resources related to business-adult education partnerships is found in the Workforce Issues section on the C-PAL Web site. Business Partnerships El Dorado Chemical: Training Entry-Level Workers Lion Oil: Upgrading the Skills of Entry-Level Job Candidates Palm Beach Resource Recovery Corporation: Improving Safety and Communication through a Workplace Education Program Partnership Profiles Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE) How-Tos 2005 Skills Gap Report—A Survey of the American Manufacturing Workforce Deloitte Consulting and National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute, Center for Workforce Success Business Results through Literacy The Business Value Assessment Toolkit Education and Learning: Best Practices Filling America’s Jobs: How You Can Benefit from the Public Workforce Development System, A Guide for Employers A Guide for Planning and Conducting an Organizational Needs Assessment for Municipal Workplace Literacy Programs Helping Job Seekers with Limited Basic Skills I-BEST: A Program Integrating Adult Basic Education and Workforce Training Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Improving Workplace Opportunities for Limited English-Speaking Workers, An Overview of Practice in the Manufacturing Sector Literacy Toolkit Success by Design: What Works in Workforce Development ScorecardforSkills.com Strength from Within: Overcoming the Barriers to Workplace Literacy Development Wising Up: How Government Can Partner with Business to Increase Skills and Advance Low-Wage Workers Working Together on Worker Training. Issue Brief. WorkplaceBasicSkills.com Research Return on Investment in Training Tough Choices or Tough Times: The Report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce The Case for Business Involvement Everybody Wins: Effectively Involving Business in Workforce Development Mounting Pressures Facing the U.S. Workforce and the Increasing Need for Adult Education and Literacy New Skills for a New Economy: Adult Education's Key Role in Sustaining Economic Growth and Expanding Opportunity Pathways to Labor Market Success: The Literacy Proficiency of U.S. Adults Profit from Learning: Do Firms’ Investments in Education and Training Pay Off? (Executive Summary) Turning Skills into Profit: Economic Benefits of Workplace Education Programs What Works in Workforce Development: An ASTD/AJLMEP Study of Joint Labor-Management Educational Programs Why Do Companies Provide Workplace Education Programs? Web Sites Center for Workforce Success: The Manufacturing Institute, National Association of Manufacturers |
