Economic Development Recovery and Resiliency Playbook - Flipbook - Page 60
Using the data gathered through identifying critical positions and an educational inventory, development of efective career
pathways can begin. Gaps in the current available education needed to prepare prospective employees for critical positions
can be identified and presented to educational partners. To efectively address the gaps in the current educational system, it is
important to collect an adequate amount of data to accurately represent your region’s needs. Be sure to:
• Collect information on the costs of relevant academic courses currently available;
• Develop maps that present educational gaps geographically and illustrate the regions that require the most development
and support; and
• Develop a visualization or map showing the transferability and connections among certifications, credentials, and
degrees ofered.
There are also many things to consider when assisting in the development of new courses and career pathways. These pathways
are meant to support the education and training of ideal candidates for the critical positions within your targeted industry,
so take steps to ensure that the courses and pathways you are trying to develop support and foster the skills and knowledge
most valued in candidates for those positions. As work experience is almost universally valued by employers, be sure to include
programs that ofer a work experience component, such as internships or on-the-job training.
Resources for Training and Development
The identification of educational and vocational training gaps and needs will require funding and other resources to support
educational institutions. Public-private partnerships are integral to the success of many of these created programs.
The established federal and state agencies that fund workforce development and training programs typically ofer annual
funding opportunities with targeted scopes of work and include:
• U.S. Department of Agriculture — https://www.rd.usda.gov;
• Health Resources and Services Administration — https://www.hrsa.gov;
• Economic Development Administration — https://www.eda.gov;
• Department of Labor — https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants; and
• Employment Training Panel — https://etp.ca.gov.
As educational and vocational entities shape their curricula and training, it is also important to seek funding and resources from
private foundations as a strategy to diversify support for these eforts. In addition, some educational entities are engaging with
the private sector to not only develop curricula and vocational programs to meet industry needs, but also to ofer opportunities
for them to financially support these initiatives at the high school, community college, and university levels. Shasta College and
Fresno City College ofer two examples.
• Shasta College71 and Sierra Pacific Industries72 — The Economic and Workforce Development (EWD) Division at Shasta
College is an integral part of the California Community Colleges system, investing funding and resources in industry
sectors that are key to California’s economic growth. EWD’s industry-specific workforce services are coordinated through
a system of sector specialists that align community college and other workforce development resources with the needs
of industry sectors and occupational clusters through a regional focus.
• Fresno City College Career and Technical Education73 — As California’s first community college, Fresno City College has
a longstanding history of providing the region with quality career and technical education (CTE). Fresno City College
ofers hands-on, applied learning with continuous input from industry and community leaders and provides innovative
curricula utilizing current technologies.
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https://www.shastacollege.edu
https://www.spi-ind.com
https://www.fresnocitycollege.edu/academics/career-and-technical-education/index.html
CALED | Economic Development Recovery and Resiliency Playbook
