Things to Know – Wednesday July 5, 2017

Wow, the San Diego area lights up with fireworks everywhere. I hope you had a good Fourth of July. Sleeping was a bit of a challenge. Six years ago, today, was a pivotal moment in my career, I became the Superintendent/President at Lake Tahoe Community College. I am not sure who or what changed the most during my five and a half years…what a great experience. I know I learned a lot and am forever grateful for that opportunity. It seems so long ago…

I want to share with you some information on Career and Technical Information this morning because this is becoming a more and more critical issue with the increasing cost of housing in California, and in breaking the cycle of poverty. As community colleges, we play in instrumental role in workforce development and are the economic engine of California. Southwestern College is the economic engine of South County and if you think about the San Diego-Tijuana mega region, our opportunities are limitless.

Did you know that…California wants to eliminate the lingering stigma about career and technical education with a rebranding campaign that also seeks to compete with for-profit colleges on marketing?

The state has put real money behind the expansion, with a $200 million annual recurring investment that California’s Legislature approved last year. The overall goal is to train and place one million workers in middle-skills jobs, meaning ones requiring a college credential but not a four-year degree.

Link to Higher Education Story on Career and Technical Information

Did you know the California Economic Summit is in San Diego this November? 

The following roadmap to Shared Prosperity is worth a read.

2017 Roadmap to Shared Prosperity

Following significant wins in 2016 and work completed by more than 500 Californians at the 2016 California Economic Summit, the updated Roadmap provides a non-partisan, regions-based framework for sustainable growth — and a model for the rest of the country amid the story of division nationally

• One million more skilled workers: The Summit has set a goal of closing the workforce “skills gap” by supporting the formation of regional civic organizations that can align the state’s expansive training and education programs with the needs of employers.
• One million more homes: In 2017, the Summit will advance an “all of the above” solution to increase affordability by offering incentives to communities that expand their supply of housing near jobs and transit.    
• One million more acre-feet of water each year: The Summit is helping state and regional leaders accelerate progress toward integrated water projects within watersheds that capture stormwater and replenish groundwater, improve efficiency and reuse, and reduce flooding and water pollution.

Link to the-roadmap-to-shared-prosperity

The California Community College System has developed a four-pronged framework to respond to the skills gap.

The Opportunity
For community colleges to become essential catalysts to California’s economic recovery and jobs creation at the local, regional and state levels.

The Strategy
Doing What MATTERS for jobs and the economy is a four-pronged framework to respond to the call of our nation, state, and regions to close the skills gap. The four prongs are:

• Give Priority for Jobs and the Economy
• Make Room for Jobs and the Economy
• Promote Student Success
• Innovate for Jobs and the Economy

Link to Doing What Matters

Did you know that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts?

Link to the Association for Career and Technical Education

So, for my question of the day. According to a 2015 Manpower Shortage Survey, what are the predicted top ten job shortages? The answer is in the links I provided. I still have one gift certificate from Jason’s Coffee. The first person to respond wins. It is 6:11 a.m. 

The only way to get people to like working hard is to motivate them. Today, people must understand why they’re working hard. Every individual in an organization is motivated by something different. Rick Pitino