Linking strategic focus to Workforce Development programs

Workforce development is a vital process in developing meaningful career pathways and the support needed to fulfill the strategic aspirations of the enterprise.

The strategic goals for a workforce program can range from increasing productivity within a target industry to strengthening the effectiveness of post – secondary school education. These programs can have short- or long-term impacts, this make it imperative at the outset to establish the strategic focus for a new program.

“Workforce Development involves building the teams, systems and approaches that will create a talent environment that attracts jobseekers and motivates employees.”

Creating a strategic Focus for workforce programs Development.

he strategic goals for a workforce program can range from increasing productivity within a target industry to strengthening the effectiveness of post – secondary school education. These programs can have short- or long-term impacts, this make it imperative at the outset to establish the strategic focus for a new program.

Workforce development programs need to build connections between the skills needed to support new or existing jobs (workforce demand) and the capabilities of education and training providers to train people in those skills (workforce supply). However, the ways in which workforce demand and supply are expressed will vary according to the development framework within which each program operates.

Recommended Workforce Development Model

For any workforce program to succeed, a development framework that begins with determining program goals, measuring the outcomes and assessing the impact is necessary. While there is no hard and fast rule for implementing this process, there should be to a greater extent, some inter-relatedness between the steps. The points below are an attempt to demonstrate the relationship between different stems of a workforce development Model.

Step 1 - Determine Program Goals

• Identify Target Workforce

• Identify Workforce Education and Training Objectives

• Construct Linkages with Private Sector

• Establish Employment Linkages

• Organize Training Provider/ Employer Partnerships

• Organize Industry Clusters

Step 2 - Design and Implement Relevant Workforce Education and Training Strategy

• Integrating preparation for work and learning in Educational curriculums

• Identify Skills/Learning Standards

• Design Effective Instructional System

• Strengthen Capacity of Education and Training Service Providers

• Strengthen Workforce Policy and Organizational Environment

• Program Monitoring and Evaluation