People And the Competitive Advantage of Place: Building a Workforce for the 21st Century (Cities and Contemporary Society)

In the new global economy, where rapid technological change is the norm, the skills of the workforce are a key to local economic vitality. This practical book shows how cities and regions can invest in their long-term prosperity by expanding opportunities to ensure that all citizens have competitive skills, and by aligning workforce development systems to existing and emerging industry needs. Clearly written, generously illustrated, with an effective blend of theory and practice, ''People and the Competitive Advantage of Place'' documents the challenges and opportunities involved in workforce development, effective approaches for resolving contemporary problems, what traps to avoid, and strategies for investing in the workforce of the future. The author integrates ideas and techniques from the fields of workforce development, economic development, and community development to present a comprehensive guide to approaching workforce needs from a city or region-wide perspective. Each chapter presents lessons from relevant research; experiences from private, public, and community-based approaches; and evaluations of what is working and why. Contents......Page 7 List of Tables, Figures, and Exhibits......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Introduction......Page 13 The Knowledge Economy: Competitiveness and People......Page 21 What Is Knowledge and How Does It Drive Growth?......Page 22 What Does All of This Mean for Economic Development?......Page 24 Resurgence of a Government Role......Page 28 Institutions Must Adapt......Page 29 Emerging Trends and Challenges......Page 30 Forecasted Skill Shortages......Page 31 Changing Demographics......Page 34 An Increasing Gap Between Richest and Poorest......Page 36 Service Sector Dominance......Page 37 Conclusion......Page 39 Changes in the Organization of the Labor Market......Page 40 Who Are the Key Players in the System and What Role Do They Play?......Page 43 The Governance Structure of the Workforce System......Page 52 The Promise and the Limitations of the Workforce Investment Act......Page 54 Limitations of the Workforce Investment Act......Page 58 A Human Capital Approach to Economic Development: The Basics......Page 61 What Are Intermediaries?......Page 65 Characteristics of Knowledge-Economy Intermediaries......Page 68 Ongoing Challenges Intermediaries Face......Page 73 Case Studies......Page 75 The Gulf Coast Workforce Board......Page 79 Conclusions......Page 82 Note......Page 83 4 Enhancing Mobility: Skill Standards, Certification, and Credentials......Page 84 Skill Standards: Where Do We Begin?......Page 91 Creating and Implementing Industrial and Occupational Skill Standards......Page 96 Conclusions......Page 102 Note......Page 104 5 Increasing the Pool: Talent Expansion Strategies......Page 105 Talent Development: Jobs Versus Place......Page 107 The Many Dimensions of Talent Expansion Strategies......Page 113 Conclusions: Lessons from the Metropolitan Cleveland Laboratory......Page 125 6 Bringing the System to Scale: Engaging Employers......Page 128 Challenges to Employer Engagement......Page 129 Strategies to Engage Employers......Page 133 Conclusions......Page 142 7 Instituting a Lifelong Learning Culture: Connecting Services to Support Advancement......Page 144 Lifelong Learning: The Need for an Integrated Spectrum of Opportunities......Page 146 Upward Mobility Programs: Creating Career Ladders......Page 153 Incumbent Training: A Linchpin of Lifelong Learning......Page 159 Conclusion......Page 162 8 Conclusions: People-Centered Economic Development......Page 164 Lessons Learned: Building a Workforce System That Creates, Retains, and Expands Talent......Page 165 Conclusions......Page 183 References......Page 185 Program Interview List......Page 195 Index......Page 197 #000GarmiseCIP Contents 7 List of Tables, Figures, and Exhibits 9 Acknowledgments 11 Introduction 13 1 The Emergence of People-Centered Places 21 The Knowledge Economy: Competitiveness and People 21 What Is Knowledge and How Does It Drive Growth? 22 What Does All of This Mean for Economic Development? 24 Resurgence of a Government Role 28 The Decline of Jurisdictions 29 Institutions Must Adapt 29 Emerging Trends and Challenges 30 Forecasted Skill Shortages 31 Changing Demographics 34 An Increasing Gap Between Richest and Poorest 36 Service Sector Dominance 37 Conclusion 39 2 Mapping the Maze: Charting the Workforce System 40 Changes in the Organization of the Labor Market 40 Who Are the Key Players in the System and What Role Do They Play? 43 The Governance Structure of the Workforce System 52 The Promise and the Limitations of the Workforce Investment Act 54 Limitations of the Workforce Investment Act 58 A Human Capital Approach to Economic Development: The Basics 61 3 Establishing System Entrepreneurs: Intermediaries 65 What Are Intermediaries? 65 Characteristics of Knowledge-Economy Intermediaries 68 Ongoing Challenges Intermediaries Face 73 Case Studies 75 The Gulf Coast Workforce Board 79 Conclusions 82 Note 83 4 Enhancing Mobility: Skill Standards, Certification, and Credentials 84 Skill Standards: Where Do We Begin? 91 Creating and Implementing Industrial and Occupational Skill Standards 96 Conclusions 102 Note 104 5 Increasing the Pool: Talent Expansion Strategies 105 Talent Development: Jobs Versus Place 107 The Many Dimensions of Talent Expansion Strategies 113 Conclusions: Lessons from the Metropolitan Cleveland Laboratory 125 6 Bringing the System to Scale: Engaging Employers 128 Challenges to Employer Engagement 129 Strategies to Engage Employers 133 Conclusions 142 7 Instituting a Lifelong Learning Culture: Connecting Services to Support Advancement 144 Lifelong Learning: The Need for an Integrated Spectrum of Opportunities 146 Upward Mobility Programs: Creating Career Ladders 153 Incumbent Training: A Linchpin of Lifelong Learning 159 Conclusion 162 8 Conclusions: People-Centered Economic Development 164 Lessons Learned: Building a Workforce System That Creates, Retains, and Expands Talent 165 Conclusions 183 References 185 Program Interview List 195 Index 197 Shows how cities and regions can invest in their long-term prosperity by expanding opportunities to ensure that all citizens have competitive skills, and by aligning workforce development systems to existing and emerging industry needs. This illustrated book includes lessons from research, experiences from various approaches, and evaluations Argues that human capital strategies meeting the needs of the knowledge economy require entrepreneurial institutions that facilitate the transfer of reliable, trustworthy information to enable the functioning of a more volatile, less stable labour market