Contra
Costa Workforce Initiative
2006-07
Workforce Initiative Highlights
2005-06
CCBEC Strategic Plan
Participate in Contra Costa Science & Engineering Fair: Here
Background
on the Collaborative:
In
2001, with the support of AT&T, EASTBAY Learns, CSU-Hayward, and
local foundations, the Contra Costa Business/Education Collaborative
(CCBEC) began its work as the lead intermediary between business
and education in Contra Costa County. In 2003, CCBEC has brought
together three countywide strategic partners: the Contra Costa County
Office of Education (CCCOE) which serves 18 school districts; the
Contra Costa Community College District representing three campuses;
and the Contra Costa Economic Partnership (CCEP), a coalition of
business, government and education leaders dedicated to creating
and retaining quality jobs for Contra Costa County.
Goals
& Outcomes
Collaborative
Goals: The intent of the Contra Costa Business | Education Collaborative
is to support partnering strategies between industry and education
which include a shared vision, strong leadership, data-driven decision-making,
and professional development components. Four goals were established
in 2001 which drive the Collaborative:
Goal 1: Support
the integration of technology into the education system to achieve
high academic standards using real world application models.
Goal 2: Expose
educators to other fields of work through job shadowing, internships,
career days, and other workplace-based experiences.
Goal 3: Support
learning strategies (e.g., career pathways, academies, smaller learning
communities, work-based learning) that provide a more personalized
school experience and integrate academic studies with real world
applications.
Goal 4: Recognize
programs, organizations and individuals that exemplify high quality
business/education strategic partnering.
Gaps
Identified in Early Work...
The
Collaborative’s early work determined its strategic direction and
laid the foundation for the long-term sustainability of industry
& education partnerships in Contra Costa County. That comprehensive
work revealed that:
| 1. |
all
sectors of education were working independently to garner support
from industry for individual programs and services; |
| 2. |
there
was limited articulation among these educational institutions
to provide students with seamless transitions, and teachers
with expanded opportunities for collaboration; |
| 3. |
“systemic”
gaps were not identified or filled; industry was not assured
that immediate or long-term workforce needs were being addressed
when working with educational partners; |
| 4. |
and
in addition to each industry’s needs for specific workforce
skills, there were also gaps in basic skills that transcend
all sectors, including literacy and math, in addition to basic
workplace competencies. |
Relevance
and Rigor Delivered through a Seamless System.
The Collaborative’s strategies and activities include all invested
educational parties working along-side industry partners, with one
common goal: a sustainable “delivery system” that
| 1. |
responds
both to students’ needs for academic rigor and relevance and
industry’s need for qualified applicants to fill high-skill,
high-wage jobs; |
| 2. |
and
that incorporates career pathways, career ladders and rigorous
career-integrated curriculum to facilitate student transitions
from high school to post-secondary education, training, and
careers. |
Collaboration
by Industry Sector.
The CCBEC has identified several high-wage high-skill industry
clusters for sustainable collaboration between education and
industry. Those reflect a significant presence in the County and
growing labor markets. They include: Building Trades & Construction;
Information Technologies & Multi-Media; Health & BioTechnology;
Engineering; Environmental Sciences; Financial Services; Transportation;
and Teaching & Learning.
Leveraged
Resources.
Industry representatives see the strategic advantage and long-term
benefits to participation in the work of CCBEC. Their integral involvement
includes such things as providing: loan of facilities for meetings;
job shadowing & internships for educators and students; participation
in regional career fairs; guest speakers; technical assistance to
schools & faculty; and curriculum review and advisement in core
academic and career-technical education.
|
