NNSP Events

2013 Pathways to Prosperity: Sector Initiatives in the Mid-South
November 14-15, 2013
Memphis, Tennessee

The National Network of Sector Partners invites you to our annual conference on industry-focused strategies for building regional economic prosperity in the Mid-South. Pathways to Prosperity brings together business, workforce, economic development, education, and policy leaders to learn and share information about regional, industry-focused economic and workforce development partnerships (sector initiatives).

2012 Pathways to Prosperity: Sector Initiatives in the Mid-South
October 18-19, 2012
Jackson, Mississippi

The conference brings together business, workforce, economic development, education, and policy leaders from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee to learn and share information about regional, industry-focused economic and workforce development partnerships (sector initiatives). As in past years, conference attendees will learn how industries, workforce agencies, educational institutions, and community groups are working together to meet employer needs for skilled employees and create opportunities for job-seekers and workers. For more information, click here

NCRC 2012 Conference: Not Just an Economy, a Just Economy
April 20, 2012
Washington, D.C.

NNSP Director Jack Mills presented at the "Building Smarter Job Programs" session during  "Not Just an Economy, a Just Economy", the National Community Reinvestment Coalition's 2012 conference. His presentation on "Good Jobs, Strong Industries, and Vital Communities" described sector initiatives and presented evidence and examples of their effectiveness in meeting the needs of job seekers, workers, and employers and in addressing four problems communities face:

• people don't have the skills employers require for jobs that pay well;
• there aren't enough jobs, so unemployment and underemployment remain historically high;
• many of the jobs people hold have low quality; and
• there are major employment disparities, based on race and ethnicity.

Resources from the session include the presentation, profiles of sector initiatives (ManufacturingWorks and Steps to Success), an explainer on sector initiatives and their impact, and links to key resources.

For more information and a link to the conference website, click here.

Creating and Employing a Skilled Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities
November 7, 2011
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

NNSP Director Jack Mills presented at a conference, “Creating and Employing a Skilled Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities,” convened by the Federal Reserve Board of San Francisco. The presentation provided evidence of sector initiatives’ effectiveness and identified the need to achieve employment equity and improve job quality. For more information, including conference program and presentations from multiple speakers, click here.

National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Workforce Development Forum
October 11-12, 2011
Chicago, Illinois

NNSP was pleased to partner with National Council of La Raza (NCLR) on offering a track focused on sector initiatives at their 2011 Workforce Development Forum.  The track, entitled, "Sector Partnership for Good Jobs," featured two workshops facilitated by NNSP. To see the description of either workshop, click on the expand button ().

• Involving Employers to Meet Industry and Worker Needs 
  Presenters:

  • Jim Torrens, Program Manager, National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP)
  • Audrey Young, Director of Employer Partnerships, JVS (San Francisco)

  
  Perhaps the most important success factor for workforce initiatives is the ability to develop deep connections with employers in an industry of focus. In this workshop, participants learned about how sector initiatives involve employers as partners in planning, service delivery, and sustainability, and JVS shared their innovative strategies, including an employer engagement model, sector advisory boards, methods for conducting sector analysis, and new evidence of the effectiveness of employer involvement for improving placement outcomes.

  Materials:

  • Slideshow: Involving Employers to Meet Industry and Worker Needs (NNSP)
  • Slideshow: Employer Engagement at JVS
     
• Roundtable: Sector Partnerships for Good Jobs 
  Presenters:

  • Jim Torrens, Program Manager, National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP)
  • Stacy Woodruff-Bolte, Research Associate, Public/Private Ventures
  • Mary Turla, Airport University Coordinator, Port Jobs

  
  Sector-focused programs have more than ever become increasingly important for sustainability and growth of workforce development training programs. This roundtable discussion will focus on key issues that are important for the implementation of a sector initiative. Panelists will share information on how to fund and implement sector initiatives, how to forge partnerships, and lessons from P/PV's Sectoral Employment Impact Study.

  Materials:

  • Slideshow: Sector Partnerships for Good Jobs (NNSP)
  • Slideshow: Findings from the Sectoral Employment Impact Study (P/PV)
  • Slideshow: Cleared for Takeoff: Creating Airport University to Help Low-Wage Airport Workers Advance to Better Jobs (Port Jobs)
  • Report: Tuning In to Local Labor Markets: Findings from the Sectoral Employment Impact Study (P/PV)

Pathways to Prosperity - Sector Initiatives in the Mid-South
October 6-7, 2011
Jackson, Mississippi

The National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP), the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges, the Louisiana Association of Community Action Partnerships, the Mississippi Community College Board, the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, the Mississippi Economic Policy Center, and Southern Growth Policies Board recently partnered to offer a conference on industry-focused strategies for building economic prosperity in the Mid-South.

Pathways to Prosperity:  Sector Initiatives in the Mid-South brought together over 130 workforce, economic development, education, and policy leaders from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee to learn and share information about regional, industry-focused economic and workforce development partnerships (sector initiatives). Attendees learned how industries, workforce agencies, educational institutions, and community groups can work together to meet employer needs for skilled employees and to create opportunities for job-seekers and workers.

For more information, including a list of conference sessions, click here.

Southeastern Employment and Training Association (SETA) 2011 Fall Conference
September 13-14, 2011
Savannah, Georgia

At the request of the U.S. Department of Labor / ETA Southeastern Regional Office, NNSP recently developed and led two workshops on effective sector initiatives at the Southeastern Employment and Training Association 2011 Fall Conference.  The workshops, described below, featured a manufacturing sector partnership in Mississippi and included presentations by its leaders -- representatives of the industry and the community college consortium that is helping to meet industry's needs for skilled workers. To see the description of either workshop, click on the expand button ().

• Effective Sector Initiatives: Successes in the Southeast
  Presenters:

  • Jack Mills, Director, National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP)
  • James Williams, Vice President of Economic and Community Services, Itawamba Community College / Chair, Mississippi Corridor Consortium management committee
  • Brian Bryant, General Manager, Sleep Innovations / Advanced Urethane Technologies

  
  Participants learned how community colleges and career centers can improve outcomes for employers, job seekers, and workers by partnering on industry sector-focused workforce development initiatives. Topics included strategies for choosing employer partners, roles for employers, ways to involve employers in everything from hiring to strengthening sustainability, and strategies used to help disadvantaged individuals obtain good jobs. Presenters identified success factors based on the Mississippi Corridor Consortium's successful advanced manufacturing initiative and lessons from other effective sector initiatives around the country.

  Materials:

  • Slideshow: Effective Sector Initiatives: Success Factors (NNSP)
  • Slideshow: Mississippi Corridor Consortium: Success Factors
     
• Effective Sector Initiatives: Staff and Partner Roles
  Presenters:

  • Jim Torrens, Program Manager, National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP)
  • James Williams, Vice President of Economic and Community Services, Itawamba Community College / Chair, Mississippi Corridor Consortium management committee
  • Brian Bryant, General Manager, Sleep Innovations / Advanced Urethane Technologies

  
  The workshop focused on the roles of business services staff who work on industry sector-focused workforce development initiatives and of the manager of the initiative. Topics included how business services staff learn effectively about the needs of employers in an industry sector and their workforce, how they interact effectively with multiple employers in the sector, what package of services can be offered to employers, and how to manage delivery of employer services. The session highlighted the Mississippi Corridor Consortium's successful advanced manufacturing initiative and drew lessons from other sector initiatives around the country.

  Materials:

  • Slideshow: Effective Sector Initiatives: Staff and Partner Roles (NNSP)
  • Slideshow: Mississippi Corridor Consortium: Staff and Partner Roles