Minutes of East Central Minnesota Workforce Partnership Meeting

August 14, 2001

Call to Order: Acting Chair Terry D. called the meeting to order at 7:05 a.m.

In Attendance: Randy Zieske, Schlagel Inc., John Schlagel, Nick Waldoch, Braham School District #314, Ginger Glenn, Terry Dalbey, Mora/Cambridge Workforce Center, Dick Young, Oak Land Vocational, Ken Runberg, Cambridge-Isanti Public Schools, Nancy Mach, Pine Technical College, Vicky Wills, Crystal Cabinets, JoAnn Faust, Crystal Cabinets, Jill Johnston, Rise Inc., Angie Lightner, Rise Inc., Jason Spaeth, Pine Technical College, Susan Merritt, Communities Investing in Families, Kathy Burski, Lakes and Pines/Mora Chamber, Sarah Lund, Communities Investing in Families, Robert Musgrove, Pine Technical College, Carmen Vanderport, Braham Alternative Learning Program and Ray Hoheisel, Executive Director.

Introductions: Acting Chair Terry D. asked those present to introduce themselves.

Minutes: Partnership meeting minutes of June 12, 2001 were approved upon motion by John S. seconded by Robert M. Motion carried. Executive Committee minutes of August 7, 2001 were received.

Employability Skills Checklist: Carmen V., Sarah L., Susan M., Nancy M. and Ray H., representing the workshop participants who revised the Employability Skills Checklist, told the group about how they went about revising the checklist. They told of the process and the reference materials used. They shared feedback received from the business, agency and school people they had asked to review the revised checklist. Finally, each of the four sections of the checklist were presented and discussed.

Members present were asked for suggested changes to the checklist. Several individuals had identified the three point rating scale as one area in need of improvement. General consensus was that the three-point scale would lead to a middle of the road choice and render the checklist meaningless for students and employers.

Following considerable discussion a four-point scale rating was recommended. The categories recommended were Excellent, Good, Satisfactory and Needs Improvement. A brief descriptor would follow each of the categories; such as, Consistently demonstrates these behaviors. Members' felt that people have a universal understanding of descriptors recommended and would differentiate levels of performance without a lot of explanation.

Action Plan:

Promote and encourage K-12, Alternative and Adult Basic Programs to use checklist.

1. Meet with committee in September 2001 to make final revisions on Employability Skills Checklist.

2. Present checklist at I-35 Tech Prep Superintendents meeting in August 2001 and enlist active support of each district.

3. Present checklist at School-To-Work Coordinators meeting in September 2001 and

ask them to share and enlist support of local committees.

4. Encourage high school, alternative and adult basic education students to include completed checklist in transcript folder or portfolio.

5. Encourage schools to include checklist content in report cards.

6. Encourage schools to use checklist as a teaching tool.

Promote and encourage employers to support and use completed checklist in hiring process.

1. Encourage businesses in all communities to follow example of Crystal Cabinet in their work with students. Crystal Cabinet staff go to schools in Milaca, Princeton and Onamia and role play mock interviews (found success in doing "a shouldn't do" interview to get students attention). They personalize the hiring process and their expectations of employees. Because this is coming from someone who will hire and pay them, students take it very seriously.

2. The Partnership should put together an outline of the proper steps in the hiring process.

3. Join with customized training departments of partner colleges to provide a short

course on selecting and hiring personnel. Pine Technical College has a course and

instructor available. The course is Successful Employee Interviewing and Selection.

Funds would be provided from School-To-Work Supplementary grant and would be

be made available to local committees. It was suggested that local committees offer

the course with organizations that represent local employers, such as the Chamber of

Commerce.

4. Include in a breakout session a shortened version of Successful Employee Interviewing and Selection. The session would include information on how employers obtain student transcripts and the employability skills checklist.

Focus on Training: Discussion delayed to September Partnership meeting due to extended time spent on Employability Skills Checklist implementation plan.

Executive Committee Report: Majority of items covered during course of meeting.

Information Sharing:

McKnight Foundation Career Advancement Grant: Robert M reported that he and Marty H. had recently touched base regarding the grant application. Marty H. is in the process of contacting McKnight to follow up on the steps necessary for our region to make application for the second grant funding cycle scheduled for this fall.

Grant Application: Nancy M. reported that Pine Technical College is applying for a 2 + 2 federal grant to offer Tech Prep opportunities for high school students. The proposed programs are Manufacturing Engineering Technology and Information Engineering Technology. Both would lead to associate arts degrees.

Mentoring Workshop: Susan M. extended invitations to a How to do Successful Mentoring workshop to be held on September 14, 2001.

Adjournment: Nick W. moved, seconded by Robert M. to adjourn the meeting at 8:50 a.m.

Minutes by Ray H.