System Recommendations:

A Demand Driven Workforce Strategy for East Multnomah County

Prepared for worksystems, inc. and the East Multnomah County One Stop Career System (ECOS), April 1, 1999

Joan Pasco, ECOS Coordinator

Executive Summary

"System recommendations: A Demand Driven Workforce Strategy for East Multnomah County" delineates workforce strategy and program recommendations which, when implemented, serve two vital and over arching workforce goals:

The East Multnomah County One Stop Career System (ECOS) exists to serve 100% of the regional workforce, offering value added services to all persons seeking career upgrades, change, skill augmentation, and educational opportunities. The system provides core services for emerging, transitional and current workforce, and intensive services to those needing individualized assistance and resources, i.e. those who have been unemployed for a lengthy period of time, recently lost jobs due to downsizing or corporate relocations, or who may be transitioning from welfare to work.

The recommendations included in this report are not intended to be all inclusive. However they do represent four program areas that can be implemented immediately with the greatest system impact and within program provider capacity. In other words, these activities can produce the "biggest bang for the buck", are doable within existing programs, and will enhance the collaboration and systemic development of our regional workforce service providers.

A demand side research strategy coupled with a community planning process was used to determine and prioritize recommendations. The research begin with an analysis of the high demand occupations in East Multnomah County, a comparative study of how well the local workforce is able to meet the hiring need for these occupations, and which program services exist to prepare qualified job candidates for these jobs. A second report identifies the skills needed to be successful applicants, as well as transferable skills common to multiple occupations. Data from this process was then shared throughout the East County Workforce community to produce a planning blueprint that is reflective of the needs of the greater community, its job seekers, employers, and workforce development service providers.

The attached report is intended to be used as a collaborative planning reference for ECOS workforce partners. Gaps in workforce service delivery will be minimized if ECOS participating agencies and organizations focus efforts and resources towards programs that fit within these workforce system recommendations.

Workforce System Strategy Recommendations

1. Goal: Increase the success rate of job applicants

Strategies:

  1. Establish testing and assessment procedures to determine if potential job applicants meet the minimum requirements for the job. These procedures will include ergonomics and strength testing, language competency, drug testing, and miscellaneous competencies that the employer has specified as critical to job performance. Provide training for agency screeners and resource specialist for: Understanding the job requirements/specifications and understanding the employer’s business or industry.

  2. Build the capacity within the ECOS workforce system to provide licensing and certification that could lead to more successful job candidates. Examples include: fork lift operator certification, auto body repair certification, food handler’s license, OLCC training, certain safety and OSHA training, etc.. Develop more "certificates of completion" for job seekers to add to their portfolio of accomplishments. Employers tell us, "Job seekers would be more qualified applicants if they can demonstrate successful completion of job readiness programs".

  3. Create a process and tools for employers to refer unsuccessful job applicants to training resources that could increase their potential as a candidate. Engage employer participation at the point of turning down an applicant. Develop a check list of opportunities available to job seekers that employers could use with candidates that they cannot hire due to lack of skills, training, credentials, or certification.

  4. Build system capacity to support individuals after job placement. Provide support services that contribute to job retention and career advancement, bringing people to self-sufficiency and family wage earning potential. Provide supervisors with opportunities for better understanding the "world" of the new employee, such as their culture, constraints and contributions.

  1. Goal: Develop training partnerships with employers

Strategies:

  1. Build on successful models of career development, such as those utilized by LSI/Fujtisu, Steptronics, and Kaiser, to develop a pool of competent job applicants. Work with MHCC on plans for a manufacturing training center. Explore potential and feasibility to partner with health care providers to create a career path and pool of qualified job applicants for a variety of jobs in this field. Pro-actively seek out customized training partnerships with other industries. Become more responsive as a workforce delivery system to meet specialized employer need.

  2. Create a skill and competency building process that would allow health care workers to move from a Certified Nursing Assistant to a Registered Nurse, or other health care specialties, without having to interrupt employment. Establish opportunities to obtain required training on-site, on-line, available to those working swing and evening shifts. Make entry health care positions more desirable due to increased learning and earning potential. Partner with health care employers to provide on-site training and encourage employers to hire, train, and promote from the entry level health care positions.

  3. Work within the School-to-Work infrastructure to develop more employer connections that satisfy the CIM/CAM requirements for Oregon students. Create/enhance tools for employers to be effective partners in on-site experiential learning for schools, tech prep programs and other training activities. Encourage the development of contextual learning examples for these programs. Assist with the development of a screening and placement process for emerging tech prep and CIM/CAM students who have competed specific job-related course work. Provide training to resource specialists for high school tech prep graduate placement. Provide employers with an opportunity to value the hiring of high school graduates for complex entry-level jobs.

3. Goal: Increase the employability of limited English speaking populations

Strategies:

  1. Create new, and enhance existing, workplace specific language training programs. Partner with employers to develop the minimum language ability necessary to be employed at their site. Actively seek ways to alter or tweak existing services to serve limited English speaking people. Collaborate with other program; combine resources and expertise to serve this population.

  2. Assess language ability in order to determine how to appropriately serve the individual. Assess training tools and curriculum for compatibility and appropriateness for LES populations. Create appropriate materials, whether translated or in simple English.

  3. Consider using high school second and third year language students and other community volunteers as tutors.

  4. Develop a culturally specific approach to job placement and training and share ideas with other partners. Educate staff, agencies, schools, employers and individuals about LES populations. Offer workshops for employers and human resource professionals.

  5. Recognize and adapt to changing demographics and emerging populations. Use the ECOS strategic planning and training infrastructure to anticipate how changing East County demographics will likely impact individual agencies and the system as a whole.

  6. Encourage solutions for the undocumented worker, INS/legalization issues that restrict employers’ ability to hire competent employees. Consider legislative solutions and develop a system-wide, long range strategy to correct this problem.

  1. Goal: Begin/enhance programs on work-readiness, including basic skills and literacy

Strategies:

  1. Augment existing life skill and job readiness programs to include effective training on workplace issues: ethics, culture, expectations, attire, attitude, working with teams, respect, customer service. Augment training that is responsive to employer requests: handling cash, front line hospitality, a half-day certified workshop on work readiness - for job seekers and newly hired employees. Increase the capacity of the system through collaboration and coordination of these program areas. Translate adult basic skills to employer needs.

  2. Expand K-12 curriculum to incorporate a program on "How a Community Works" delivered at middle school or early high school level. Curriculum will demonstrate a variety of employment opportunities: working in large versus small organizations, working in the public sector vs. the private sector, entrepreneurship/starting your own business, trades and apprenticeship programs, skills acquired from entry level work and how they lead to upward mobility, transferable skills - modeling successful employees, employers, and trainers.

  3. Evaluate the potential of issuing an "Employability Readiness Certification" for students completing training, tech prep or academic programs. Pattern after successful modes in other states.

  4. Successful job applicants should have attained a workplace language level that results in appropriate technical literacy. Work with existing literacy programs, engage high school students as adult reading tutors, and create new strategies to assess abilities and assist adult learners to achieve at a level where they can compete for family wage jobs. Educate job seekers and employers on compensation strategies and resources to ensure successful employment and retention.

Process

The "Demand Driven Workforce Strategy" planning process began with an Executive Team Retreat in October, 1998. The two day planning session produced initial input for a comprehensive long range planning document that would become a blueprint for employer driven workforce system development in East County; and, help partners write proposals to meet Region 2 funding criteria. The proposed research design and process was presented to the ECOS Executive and Steering Committees in November. A small planning team refined process criteria and the initial research began in December, 1998. Research/data collection was initiated to identify the jobs and occupations most in demand in East Multnomah County; the skills necessary to successfully compete for these jobs; and the ability of the current workforce development and training programs to prepare applicants for high demand jobs. The resulting planning documents form the basis for system improvement recommendations that, when implemented, will redirect energy and resources into programs that will increase the employability of east county residents. The recommendations in this report identify gaps in service delivery, or inadequate capacity to serve population need.

Tools used to gather data

High demand occupational analysis: Employer job openings, ($7 to $12 per hour wage level) listed with the Gresham Employment Office from October 1997 to October 1998 were examined. The occupations with the most job openings filed were identified. Job applicants and placements for these occupations were examined to determine the ability of the local workforce to meet employer demand. The analysis also covers an initial inquiry on existing workforce programs in East Multnomah County that train to these occupations and skill sets.

Employer survey and focus groups: 27 employers participated in four focus groups and responded to an employer survey. An additional focus group was held with labor apprenticeship programs and union employers. The data resulting from this activity validated and augmented the high demand occupation analysis; identified the primary reasons employers cannot hire a job applicant; identified the specific certification, licenses, and special training employers would like job candidates to have prior to applying for work; isolated strategies employers are developing to recruit qualified applicants for job openings; and identified specific training programs and strategies employers would like to see implemented by the local workforce development system to produce better job applicants for their industry.

Assessment of Workforce System Customers: 50 participants at the February 9-10 Staff Development Retreat were asked to respond to a survey on past customers of their respective agencies. The data returned helped us identify the percentage of persons who begin, but fail to complete agency programs; the primary reasons for this failure; suggestions on system changes that could reduce this attrition; motivators that lead to program completion; and suggestions from front line employees on system improvements overall. Lack of support services, child care, transportation, substance abuse, funding, and low motivation were the predominate reasons for attrition.

Assessment of Current Workforce/underemployed: The 1997-1998 Welfare to Work process generated several valuable pieces of research on issues that prevent upward mobility and lack of opportunity for the currently employed. Employers were also asked what their employees would likely list as reasons for lack of career advancement. These issues include low basic skills, lack of computer training, low/no motivation to pursue advancement, financial inability, lack of child care in order to take evening training, and a limited support system.

Assessment of non-native English speakers and other special needs customers: A two hour workshop on this topic was presented at the ECOS Staff Development Retreat at Menucha: Information from this sessions included the following challenges involved in creating successful projects of services to the limited English speaking population:

Assessment of emerging workforce: Several recent assessments have been conducted to identify emerging workforce issues and system development efforts. The one that contributed most to the ECOS assessment was compiled in June of 1997 by the Regional Workforce Quality Committee School to Work Steering Committee. It is a comprehensive document detailing education transformation in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties.

Demographic match: Every effort was made to ensure that input to this process is consistent with the demographic make up of the East County area. Employer input was balance by industry size and type. Job seeker information was collected from all ethnic and language groups. Persons of all ages and both sexes participated, although there are more women in the transitional job seeker pool that men. One of the challenges ECOS will face for future planning is the dramatic and rapid change that is occurring in the demographic mix of the region. It is increasingly important to have a system in place to learn from each other and share success strategies for serving new and more challenging populations. Clients served by the system tend to be less well educated with shorter work history and lower basic skills. Language, literacy and learning disability barriers will challenge a higher percentage of the population. The system needs to be flexible and able to adapt to these changing needs.

Participation:

Workforce Service Providers: Input from the following agencies, organizations and individuals helped develop and prioritize recommendations:

  • BOLI
  • City of Gresham
    		•
  • Parkrose School District
    		•
  • Workforce Development Board/worksystems,inc
    		•
  • Multnomah County MIS
    		•
  • Multnomah County Board
    		•
  • Human Solutions
    		•
  • Women in Community Services
    		•
  • Steps to Success
    		•
  • Gresham Employment Dept.
    		•
  • AFS
    		•
  • Springdale Job Corps
    		•
  • Vocational Rehabilitation
    		•
  • Mult. County Aging & Dis.
    		•
  • Mult. County Health Dept.
    		•
  • Project YESS
    		•
  • Workforce Connections
    		•
  • MHCC Career Center
    		•
  • MHCC Or. Advanced Technology Consortium
    		•
  • Mult. County Community Corrections
    		•
  • Synergy Workplace Partnership
    		•
  • MHCC Westside Campus
    		•
  • Reynolds School District
    		•
  • Centennial School District
    		•
  • Family Works
    		•
  • Eastwind Center
    		•
  • Troutdale Chamber
  • Child Care Support Svcs
    		•
  • El Programa Hispano
    		•
  • Or. Youth Authority
    		•
  • Gresham Chamber
    		•
  • Multnomah County Commity Action
    		•
  • Columbia Corridor Assoc.
    		•
  • East Portland Chamber
    		•
  • IRCO
    		•  

    Employers: Research direction and affirmation was provided by the following employer and labor participants:

    • Employers Overload
  • Reynolds Metals
    		•
  • Alexander Manufacturing
    		•
  • RR Donnelley
    		•
  • Weyerhauser
    		•
  • Frank Schmidt Nursery
    		•
  • Legacy Health Systems
    		•
  • TRM Copiers
    		•
  • Hickory Springs
    		•
  • America Honda
    		•
  • Leatherman Tool
    		•
  • Rentrak
    		•
  • Danner Shoe
    		•
  • IPD
    		•
  • Yoshita Group
    		•
  • D & D Manufacturing
    		•
  • Flying J
    		•
  • Culpepper & Company
    		•
  • McMenamin’s
    		•
  • Toyo Tanso
    		•
  • Woodpecker Trucks
    		•
  • Parkrose Hardware
    		•
  • Costco
    		•
  • Bank of America
    		•
  • WinCo Foods
    		•
  • Baptist Manor
    		•
  • Fairlawn Health Care
    		•
  • NECA Training Center
    		•
  • Oregon Trades Women
    		•
  • Oregon Construction Workforce Alliance
    		•
  • The Kerrington Care Center
    		•
  • Linoleum/carpet layers
    		•
  • Joint/dry wall/painters
    		•
  • IAM Cares
    		•
  • NECA
    		•  

    Employer Findings

    High demand occupational analysis: Attachment A

    Skill Set Matrix for High Demand Occupations: Attachment B

    Demand Side Strategy: Workforce System suggestions/ideas generated from employer focus groups:

    Job Seeker Findings

    ECOS Staff Survey - Customers of Workforce System - 97-99

    Primary factors identified for failure to complete program activity:

    • Addiction issues - drug, alcohol, substance abuse
  • Disability too severe to complete program
    		•
  • Personality/disability issues
    		•
  • Unrealistic pay expectations, low level jobs
  • Fear of losing benefits (SSI, SSDI, AFS, medical)
    		•
  • Lack of long term funding for job coaching. monitoring, and there is a question of malingering
    		•
  • Self-esteem; Personal problems, family issues
    		•
  • Moving; Mental health barriers; Depression
    		•
  • Intolerance for system/structure (Job Corps)
    		•
  • Crisis life style, fear of the unknown
    		•
  • Medical; Illness
    		•
  • Terminations
    		•
  • Financing
    		•
  • Bad Match - student with training
    		•
  • Negative attitude, attitude problems
    		•
  • No "soft skills", "life skills"
    		•
  • Inappropriate recruitment
    		•
  • Family
    		•
  • Victim mentality
    		•
  • Low educational level, failure in school
    		•
  • No family history of stable employment
    		•
  • Poor work history
    		•
  • Involvement with the corrections system
    		•
  • Learning disability or mental illness
    		•
  • Don’t follow through on agreed action plan

    • What would you add to/or change about the workforce system that could possibly increase client completion of programs?

    Primary motivators that lead to program completion:

    • Self-direction, self-motivation
  • high self-esteem, positive attitude, belief in self
    		•
  • Staff follow-up and involvement - mentoring
    		•
  • Staff with smaller case loads
    		•
  • Jobs that pay $10+/hour with benefits
    		•
  • Key staff or volunteer
    		•
  • Appropriate screening decisions
    		•
  • Computer coursework
    		•
  • Meeting academic and training expectations
    		•
  • Skill training
    		•
  • Good assessment process
    		•
  • Desire to change
    		•
  • Support services provided to meet needs/barriers to employment - stabilization services
    		•
  • Support system in place, stable marriage, child care in control
    		•
  • Education component…GED competency training, etc
    		•
  • Actively monitoring progress
    		•
  • Employers who are willing to work with programs/employees
    		•
  • Show success when milestone completed, possible pay check, benefits
    		•
  • Review written plan
    		•
  • Skill level matched with potential;
    		•
  • A significant mentor-type adult relationship with a member of the staff
    		•
  • Client’s needs are met (survival, etc.)
    		•
  • Good OJT match building confidence
    		•   

    Primary factors identified for failure to remain employed:

  • Relocation - deciding to return home or move cross county
    		•
  • Transition resources - housing, transportation, child care
    		•
  • Lack of affordable, good child care
    		•
  • Attitude
    		•
  • Insufficient/lack of training
    		•
  • Lack of a support system
    		•
  • Pregnancy and the ripple effect to others
    		•
  • Lack of communication skills
    		•
  • Return to substance abuse
    		•
  • Last hired – first fired
    		•
  • Lack of a work ethic
    		•
  • Family issues
    		•
  • Personal problems without support services
    		•
  • Did not receive pre-post employment skill building classes
    		•
  • Lack of social skills

    • What would you add to/or change within the workforce system that could minimize loss of employment after placement?

    High demand occupations for your clients: Please list the jobs/occupations with the highest placement rate for customers of your programs.

    • Certified Nursing Assistants - home health aides
  • Personal care aides LPN’s C.N.A.’s, C.M.A.’s
    		•
  • Hotel/apartment maintenance
    		•
  • Truck Drivers
    		•
  • Construction workers
    		•
  • Production workers
    		•
  • Auto body repair
    		•
  • Clerical workers
    		•
  • Self-employment
    		•
  • Accounting clerks
    		•
  • Prep/pantry cook
    		•
  • Receptionist
    		•
  • Service related fields
    		•
  • Computer related fields
    		•
  • Social Service aides
    		•
  • Customer service representatives
    		•     

    Program Provider Findings

  • The workforce system in East Multnomah County does not have the capacity to meet demand. With few exceptions, program providers express frustration at not being able to adequately serve community need. The "doing more with less" directive has taken a toll on program capacity and ability to serve their primary customers. Technology upgrades are critical to the efficient use of time and resources, but are often not an affordable option. Uncertainty about the system impact of serving new populations under the Workforce Investment Act initiative is also a concern.

    • Evaluation/Continuous Improvement

    What could we do to improve the planning process:

    This is a very good beginning, however, we need to create an on-going planning and research process that is seamless. The system must develop a mechanism to continually collect and evaluate feedback from employers and job seekers – as a system, not just by agency or organization. Changing demographics also need to be monitored to help the system respond quickly to new information and need. A plan should be a living document, constantly evolving and maturing. One of our "next steps" should be efforts to ensure that we have the resources to continue the planning process.

    What contributed to the success of the planning process:

    Beginning early. Efforts from the fall Executive Retreat gave energy and direction to this process. Using an employer/demand driven approach was helpful. Making planning recommendations using both supply and demand side information can make it difficult to generate clear directives and system development recommendations.

    Planning Data Resources

    East County One Stop Research and Data

    High Demand Occupation Analysis for East Multnomah County: January 1999

    Skill Set Matrix for High Demand Occupations: March, 1999

    Community Planning Employer Focus Groups and Employer surveys: East County One Stop - February 1999

    Workforce Provider Survey: East County One Stop - February 1999

    Multnomah County Demographics and Planning research: November, 1998

    Population Growth And Change: 1997-2000 A report on the district. Mt. Hood Community College

    Why Clients Lose Jobs: Human Solutions, Inc. survey, 1998

    Barriers to employment: Steps to Success - 1998

    Capacity Team Barrier Survey - East County One Stop, 1997

    ECOS Guiding Principles for Decision Making - 1998

    JOBS Employment Retention Initiative Project: Summary of "Lessons Learned" - AFS, 1998

    One Stop Plenary Session: October 10, 1997 (Video)

    East County/Gresham: Demographics of Service Area: Compiled by the Mt. Hood YMCA, 1994 - 1999 projections

    East Multnomah County: A mandate for Economic Growth: Economic Strategies Task Force/Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce

    Region 2 - Washington and Multnomah Counties:

    PCC High Technology Manufacturing Workforce Assessment - Winter 1999, Patricia Scruggs for PCC

    Portland’s Creative Services: Employer survey in process, completion - April 1999, Patricia Scruggs for City of Portland to view survey: www.portlanddev.org/survey/

    Targeted Industries for Multnomah-Washington County Region - Matrix complied by Patricia Scruggs for Regional Strategy Board, 1999

    Census tract Analysis: 1996 Data Identifying Areas of Need - December, 1998 - Multnomah County report, Office of Planning and Development

    The Core of the Metroscape - In the Midst of Change - PSU Center for Population Research and Census - Portland State University - Fall, 1998

    Face-To-Face with the Future: PDC - 1998 The Role of the Central City Information Industries in Securing Portland’s Prosperity - Scruggs/Cortwright

    Workplace Entry - Level Skills Project: Results from surveying 30 companies in the Portland Metro Area - June 1998, Workforce Development Board and PCC

    Putting the Region to Work: An analysis of Workforce Development Services in Multnomah and Washington Counties - May 1998, Workforce Development Board and PSU Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program

    JATC Partners Survey - Forecast of Apprenticeship Positions - 1998

    Education Transformation in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties: Regional Workforce Quality Committee School to Work Steering Committee, June 1997

    First Annual Report - Strategic Investment Program - 1998 John Rakowitz, Multnomah County and "Results to Date" - September 1998

    Building an Effective One Stop: Jodie Sue Kelly for the Private Industry Council - April, 1997

    Semi-Conductor Training Center: 1997 report on the Wacker Siltronic Semi-conductor Training programs

    The Evolution of Training Needs in Oregon’s Environmental Technology Industries: PSU, 1996

    Oregon Business Council focus groups on education and employer needs. 1996

    People, Productivity and Prosperity: Rewriting the Book On Job Preparation in Oregon

    The Need For Customer-Driven Higher Education -Oregon Business Council - 1996

    Metals Workforce Needs Assessment - March 1996 Portland Development Commission

    Multnomah County Strategic Investment Program: Outer Southeast and East Multnomah County Social Services Infrastructure Planning Assessment Report - Office for Community Action and Development - May 1996

    Poverty in Multnomah County: A Descriptive Report: MC Dept. of Community and Family Services, Office For Community Action and Development, July, 1996

    Multimedia Workforce in Oregon: Education and Training needs assessment - 1995

    Building and Strengthening the Workforce: Semi-Conductor Industry Workforce and training Assessment - 1995 and updated in 1997 - PCD

    Trends and Opportunities in the Semi-Conductor Industry: PDC, 1995

    Portland’s Targeted Industries Study: PDC and E.D. Hovee & Company, 1992

    State of Oregon - other regions:

    Workforce 10: Meeting People’s Needs and Making Good Numbers: Pat Zysett, Community Services Consortium, Benton, Linn and Lincoln Counties.

    Workforce Strategies: A State Vision: Governor’s Office, 1998 - Workbook and Video

    School-To-Work: Adding High Standards and Relevance to Learning: Oregon Business Council, 1997 and updated in 1998

    School-To-Work has Many Faces: Oregon Business Council - 1997 and updated 1998

    MIS Compensation report: 1998 - www.psrinc.com/Salsrvcities.htm

    Region 3 Employer Survey: 1998

    Oregon’s Future Workforce: Will Supply Match Demand? - David Allen, Oregon Employment Department - 1997

    Oregon’s Entrepreneurial Environment: Expanding Horizons for Oregon Ideas: 1997

    Oregon Entrepreneurs forum, OEDD

    Central Oregon - Region 10: Framework for Future Workforce Planning: A Report to the Central Oregon Regional Workforce Quality Committee - 1997

    One Stop Career Center System: Planning and Development Grant Interim Report - State Employment Department, December 1996

    Oregon’s Future Workforce: Will supply Match Demand? Oregon Employment Dept., October 1996

    Oregon Basic Skills Report: 1996 - Office of Community College Services

    Oregon’s Children: Issues Concerning Working Families in Oregon: April 1995: Oregon Employment Department

    Region 4: (Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties) Workforce Summit Survey: A compilation of ideas and program suggestions from business and labor - 1995

    Oregon Works and Oregon Works II: OEDD: 1993 and 1995 - Survey of Oregon Employers

    Key Industries Summit: Quality in Oregon Businesses: OEDD: March, 1993

    Oregon’s Workforce Development System: A state-level reorganization plan for the year 2000: Oregon Workforce Quality Council - 1992

    Child Labor Task Force Report: November 1991 - BOLI

    Federal - other states:

    Increase Business Competitiveness: Making the Employer Connection: A toolkit for One Stops. Produced by the National Alliance of Business and the US Dept. of Labor - 1998

    Job Prospects for Welfare Recipients: Employers Speak Out: The Urban Institute - 1998

    Demand Side Strategies for Workforce Development: National Governor’s Association 1997

    Creating Workforce Development Systems that Work: A guide for practitioners: November, 1997, Social Policy Research associates

    Creating and Integrated Employment And Training System: Northwest Michigan Council of Governments - JOBNET, 1997

    Care Around the Clock: Developing Child Care Resources Before 9 and After 5: US Department of Labor, April 1995

    Help Wanted: The IT Workforce: Gap at the Dawn of a New Century - IT Association of America, Arlington VA

    America’s Choice: High Skills or Low Wages: US Department of Education - 1995

    Setting the Standard: A handbook on skill standards for the high-tech industry: AEA Workforce Skills Project, American Electronics Association - 1994

    Learning A Living: A Blueprint for High Performance - A scans report for America 2000, The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills - US Dept. of Labor, 1992