Dc Workforce Leaders Academy

GREATER SEATTLE SECTOR SKILLS ACADEMY APPLICATION BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND ACADEMY OVERVIEW

The Greater Seattle Sector Skills Academy is a seven month fellowship to help grow and support sectoral workforce development strategies in the Central Puget Sound region. The Academy is funded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and sponsored by SkillUp Washington, a regional workforce and education funders collaborative at the Seattle Foundation. The model, originally designed by the Aspen Institute, creates a venue for different constituencies (community-based organizations, community colleges, workforce investment boards, government agencies, labor-management groups, etc.) to learn about and pool their talents and resources to influence local sectoral workforce strategies. The Academy was initiated by the Aspen Institute Workforce Strategies Initiative (WSI) in 2005, and has since graduated eight national classes and nearly 225 Marano Fellows, named in honor of Cindy Marano, a trailblazer in the sectoral field and a key leader behind the design of the Academy. The Greater Seattle Sector Skills Academy, which was launched in 2012, will be facilitated by the Aspen Institute in partnership with Marano Fellows from SkillUp Washington and the Spokane Area Workforce Development Council, both of whom participated in the last Academy.

The Sector Skills Academy offers an experiential learning approach to building the skills and expertise of leaders involved in sector strategies. Participants will work with peers from a variety of organizations from across the region and hear from national experts in the field, engaging in facilitated discussions and exploring new strategic approaches in issue areas such as employer engagement, system change, strategic communications, strengthening influence networks, and other topics. Through a collaborative learning process, the Academy will not only build the skills of attendees and strengthen the work of their organizations, but also provide a forum for emerging workforce leaders to build new relationships and gain a fuller appreciation of the scope of the workforce system in the region. The Academy will provide opportunities for catalyzing and strengthening cross-system partnerships, further improving outcomes for low-income workers. Ultimately, the mission of the Sector Skills Academy is to improve the quantity, quality, and sustainability of sector efforts on the ground, such that greater progress can be made towards improving economic opportunities for lower- income individuals, while supporting overall economic competitiveness.

Between 20 and 25 individuals will be selected to participate in a seven-month fellowship with peers from across the Central Puget Sound region, consisting of three, three-day retreats at Suquamish Clearwater Resort near Agate Pass. Working sessions will involve national and local experts and workforce development leaders, and exercises and materials will be organized to support key learning elements. Participants will receive training and support from a local and national network of Sector Academy alumni.

Fellowship recipients have opportunities to showcase their skills and creativity while working on high profile capstone projects identified by prominent workforce leaders and funders. Their investment of time and energy is supported by mentoring, technical assistance and exposure to evidence based research and tools. The capstone projects and presentations emerging from this work are presented to a large audience of peers, funders, and policymakers drawing attention to the power of collaboration.

Participants in the Sector Skills Academy should commit to participate fully and actively in all Academy events, both to enhance their individual experience and to contribute to the peer learning elements for the group as a whole.

This commitment includes:  A 3-day kick-off retreat held on April 18-20, 2016;  Subsequent retreats held on June 20-22, and September 19-21, 2016 (all retreats will be held at the Kiana Lodge & lodging at Suquamish Clearwater Resort); followed by  Capstone presentations on October 18, 2016. Please note that the commitment also includes the participation of participants’ direct supervisors in portions of the April and October retreats (April 18th and October 18th, 2016). Additional activities in between retreats may include webinars, peer group calls, and participation discussions. Development of a capstone project will also include additional small group work in between retreats.

What can you gain from the Sector Skills Academy?

The Sector Skills Academy creates a learning community of leaders using a sectoral approach. The program provides an opportunity for a diverse network of leaders to gain in-depth knowledge in regional issues, to build lifelong connections, to transform and inspire the renewal of their passion for the work. The emerging leaders are expected to apply the lessons they learn in ways that enhance their work, cultivate individuals into exceptional leaders that lead with respect and accountability and strengthens the organizational capacity of their institutions to achieve lasting sectoral change. The Academy also offers structured mentoring, technical assistance and peer support, and culminates in a capstone project which presents solutions to workforce development system challenges identified by local workforce development leaders and funders.

Who should apply? What Criteria are used to evaluate applications?

The Greater Seattle Sector Skills Academy is designed for emerging leaders from community-based organizations, colleges, schools, workforce investment boards, government entities, tribal leaders, housing authorities, employer associations, or others currently involved in or considering implementing sector strategies within that individual’s organization or as part of a partnership. The Academy will largely be concerned with setting the direction for a sector strategy, building the necessary relationships both inside and outside the organization that are needed to carry out that strategy, understanding the outcomes that are being achieved, and generally managing a sector initiative; applicants who are directly engaged in and responsible for carrying out this type of work are best positioned to benefit from the Academy.

Sector strategies are typically characterized by four basic elements:

 They target a specific industry and often an occupation or set of occupations within that industry;  They involve organizations acting as a strategic partner with deep knowledge of the targeted industry and its companies;  They provide or coordinate training, supportive services and other types of assistance to improve career opportunities for low-wage, low-income or unemployed workers in that industry; and  They promote systemic change within an industry by working collaboratively with other parties to achieve changes in employment practices that benefit employers, low-wage workers and low-income job seekers.

We recognize that some applicants may currently operate industry-focused programs—e.g., training programs or advocacy initiatives—that will be developed into sector strategies and others may already lead sector initiatives. For example, an organization might operate an occupational skills training program that trains and places individuals in jobs in construction, but may not have engaged partners for services or identified systemic

of 7 change opportunities in the sector. For the purpose of this application, the term “sector initiative” will refer to both existing sector programs and other industry-targeted programs that may not yet be considered sector strategies as we have defined them. All applicants engaged in or planning workforce development efforts that target specific industries are invited to apply.

We also recognize that some applicants may already be operating or considering sector initiative through a partnership with another organization or group of organizations; for that reason, joint applications including no more than 3 individuals will be considered. Multiple individuals from one organization may also submit applications, but not all may be selected to participate.

The application below is designed to learn more about you as a leader, your interest in the Academy, and your sector work. In reviewing applications, the selection committee will look for a demonstration of core leadership competencies, individual and organizational dedication to implementing sector strategies, an ability to design and implement a sectoral employment initiative, evidence of strong partnership skills, an ability to identify collaborative opportunities across institutions, and a commitment to social and economic justice. Inclusiveness and diversity of race, ethnicity and gender are core values of the Academy. Diverse, qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions While organizations and practitioners may participate in several distinct sector initiatives, for purposes of this application, as illustration, we ask you to focus your answers around one primary sector on which you expect to focus as part of the Greater Seattle Sector Skills Academy.

A complete online application must be received no later than Friday, March 11, 2016 at 11:00pm. Please ensure all documents are electronically signed before submission.

The materials for submission include: A completed online application form Your resume Organizational chart A Letter of Recommendation from your department head or executive director A reference from a professional partner external to your organization Signed “Commitment to Participate” Form Signed “Authorization to Implement” Form

This document and other supporting materials may either be completed on SkillUp Washington’s website or by downloading a Word-version of the application, also available on the website. The following tips should assist you in completing the application:

If you have any questions about the Greater Seattle Sector Skills Academy, your eligibility to apply, or the application process, please e-mail your questions to [email protected]. Responses to questions will be posted at http://www.skillupwa.org by January 24th.

If you have technical difficulties with the application process, please contact [email protected] or 206.388.1670.

of 7 APPLICATION

I. APPLICANT INFORMATION

Name of Applicant

Job Title

Name of Organization

Phone Fax Email

Address City State Zip

II. ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION A. What type of organization do you work for? (check all that apply) Community or faith-based organization Business/Trade Association/Chamber of Commerce Community College K-12 School or School District Labor-management partnership Workforce Development Council or Workforce Investment Board Housing Authority Governmental agency (please describe) Other (please describe)

B. How many staff does your organization (or division of a very large organization) employ? ______. Do you supervise any staff? If so, how many? ______

C. What is the approximate annual operating budget of your organization (or division of a very large organization if appropriate - for example, a division of a community college that deals with workforce development)? $______

D. Please attach your RESUME and an ORGANIZATIONAL CHART of your organization or division. The chart should show your supervisors and as well as staff reporting to you (if applicable).

of 7 III. LEADERSHIP, MOTIVATION, AND GOALS Effective sector leaders exercise a variety of leadership practices in order to lead people, programs, partnerships and change, and they engage in self-reflection for their continual growth and development as leaders. Please answer the following questions, and feel free to illustrate with examples from your current work: . How would you describe yourself as a leader? Why? . In what ways do you need to further develop as a leader? Why? 500 words or less

B. Please briefly state what motivates you to work in the workforce development field. 40 words or less

C. What three personal and/or professional objectives do you have for participating in the Greater Seattle Sector Skills Academy? (bullet form is acceptable)

 Oobjective 1

 Oobjective 2

 objective 3

of 7 IV. SECTOR INITIATIVE While organizations and practitioners may work with several different industries or sets of businesses, for purposes of this application we ask you to focus your answers on the one primary industry you expect to focus on as part of your Academy experience, if accepted, and answer the questions accordingly. There is an opportunity to provide information about other industries you have an interest or experience in at the end of this section. A. Name of Initiative:

B. Partner Agencies (if applicable):

C. Target industry: Target industry

D. Target occupation(s) (for each occupation, also list typical wage & benefits within 3 months of placement) Occupation Wage Benefits 1. Yes No 2. Yes No 3. Yes No 4. Yes No 5. Yes No

E. What are the characteristics of the target population you seek to place or serve in this industry sector initiative? (check all that apply) Working Unemployed Displaced workers WIOA eligible Immigrants Underemployed TANF recipients Parents Formerly incarcerated Disabled Young Adults 18-24 Veterans Homeless Other (specify) Tribal Members Specify:______

F. Sector initiatives are often comprised of or supported by a range of partners from varying organizational types that perform a variety of functions – from delivering training and supportive services, to influencing public policy makers to removing barriers to successful outcomes. What types of organizations do you partner with as part of your sector initiative? Indicate with a 1, 2, and 3 the top three types of organizations you interact with on a regular basis. Use an X to indicate any other regular partners. Leave the field blank if any particular organizational type is not relevant to your work.

Community-based organizations

of 7 Faith-based organizations Human service agencies Tribes Workforce Development Councils or Workforce Investment Boards One-Stop Centers Community colleges Economic development agencies Unions Community development corporations Chambers of Commerce