Moving to a new blogging home

For the past 26 months, I've been posting my thoughts, ideas, and opinions about workforce development. I've focused on local and regional issues pertaining to the workforce and employment, as well as national trends and innovative initiatives I've come across. This happens to be one post short of 200 of these digital snippets, and some that were quite a bit longer than a mere snippet.

I'll have completed my fourth year in my position with the Central/Western Maine Workforce Investment Board in August. Over that time, I've acquired a firsthand understanding about workforce development that comes from having boots on the ground. It's experiential, and at the risk of sounding boastful, it's an experience that few policymakers, politicians, and average citizens have. In my opinion, it's also an experience that has value to these three constituencies. Sadly, the first two groups often think they know best, even steeped in their ignorance. The third grouping, average citizens, often benefit from efforts by our local workforce board, and other partners that I have the privilege to work alongside.

This post is intended to let all of Working in Maine's readers know that I've reached the end of the line posting on this blog.

Technology continues to evolve and better platforms and social media tools are being rolled out faster and more frequently than ever. Because of that, and because I think anyone that's involved in the work that I do should be on the cutting edge of the communication revolution, I've decided to consolidate all of my blogging, including anything related to workforce development, at a new site that I've set up.

Posterous is a communications platform that I just discovered. What I love about it is that I can post directly from any email account, including my BlackBerry. This gives me the capacity to communicate information that requires more detail than Twitter, or even Facebook allows. What's especially cool about this, is that I can automatically send a link to both of these social media tools. I can communicate widely, while on the go, which is where I spend most of my work time.

What is a bit different with the new site, which I've titled, "Digital Doorway," is that you'll find other personal writing on topics wider than mere workforce issues. Part of this comes from a great deal of soul-searching and personal reflection I've been engaged in over the past few months, which allowed me to recognize that I've become too cautious in my writing out of fear of my opinions and ideas possibly alienating someone from my professional life.

I didn't begin getting serious about writing seven years ago in order to become cautious, or even a scribe for the status quo. Unfortunately, our culture and pressure to conform pushes all of us in directions that we don't always intend to tread.

All of this is to say that I hope regular readers of Working in Maine will migrate over to Digital Doorway for workforce-related posts and so much more. Additionally, I hope you'll check out my redesigned site at my personal url, jimbaumer.com, where I'll post my more "serious" writing, and much longer, narrative-driven styles of writing, some of which may eventually find their way to becoming part of a future book project.

Thanks for reading.


Cheers,
Jim Baumer

WorkReady-from scratch to success

I’m now in my fourth year of working for a small nonprofit, focused on workforce development issues. Until I was hired by the Central/Western Maine Workforce Investment Board, I knew little about the complexity of Maine’s workforce development system, and the strategic intersection it has to have with economic development, for Maine to have any kind of future in the 21st century.

When I began this job in August, 2006, my position had a loosely defined job description, with my primary focus being coordination with the business community. I was tasked to build a bridge from the public, to the private side. Partly, this involves the skills necessary for successful business development, as well as communicating the need for businesses to support training, as well as other initiatives designed to enhance our regional workforce in Central/Western Maine (a five county region, which includes Androscoggin, Kennebec, Oxford, Franklin, and Somerset).

I could have easily spent months spinning my wheels trying to figure out the myriad of details of how our organization fit into the mix of the larger county, state, and federal workforce development mix. Instead, I determined to find a way to hit the ground running, and not look back. One fledgling program, at the time, a mere localized pilot called WorkReady, which had run one time before I was hired, stood out to me. I sensed that rolled into that Lewiston-based program, everything I needed to know about workforce development, the catalyst I needed to reach out to the business community, and the desire I had to take the lessons I had learned, and was continuing to learn in my own life regarding reinvention, and share it with others in search of something more, were gathered there. My intuition couldn’t have been more accurate. With the advantage of time and history, it amazes me how prescient I actually was.

More than three years later, WorkReady is now recognized as statewide program, guided by steering committee format, resting under the umbrella of Maine Adult Education.

While it’s easy for an outsider to view the program and laud its recent successes, the journey to this point hasn’t been without significant challenges. Funding has always been tough to come by for a variety of reasons. Much of our success in getting WorkReady to this point can be attributed to having the ability to leverage and marshal a variety of resources and often unexpected funding streams. It also has been a positive example of what can happen when the right kind of collaboration is brought together to target and carry out a worthwhile task with clear goals and outcomes.

None of this has been an accident. In order for a program like WorkReady, in its original state, to have arrived to where it sits today, someone had to have the vision and foresight to recognize that WorkReady’s future hope had to be built upon a grassroots model. It required a roll-up-your-sleeves approach, and willingness to do whatever was necessary to cultivate the qualities of on-the-ground community organizing. Fortunately for me, I came to my job with considerable experience in that area, built through my activist work I had been engaged in prior, as well as my own entrepreneurial background and experience. Many, if not all of the partnerships I cultivated three years ago, have paid dividends far beyond what I imagined at the time.

Yesterday, I was in Waterville, at yet another WorkReady graduation. The ceremony was held at the REM Center, downtown. This local nonprofit has a wonderful function room in the old Sterns Department Store where we’ve held each one of Waterville’s four graduation ceremonies in.
Twelve trainees were conferred a credential signifying that they had met each one of seven competencies, or standards required in order to graduate. This particular program, now 80 hours long, included the original 60 hour soft skills curriculum developed by Maine Adult Education, as well as an additional 20 hours of computer and technology enhancement. Normally, the training would take place over a four week period, which would be intense enough. This time, because of a variety of logistical constraints, had to be condensed even further, jam-packed into three weeks.

Adult Education programs deliver the curriculum, locally. Each director hires a facilitator, coordinates the classroom schedule, and in this case, also delivers the additional week of computer training. Both Lawrence Adult Education, in Fairfield, and Mid-Maine Regional Adult Community Education, which includes Waterville, Winslow, Oakland, and surrounding communities, have done a tremendous job partnering together, and delivering one of the better programs I’ve been associated with. Both Pat Theriault, in Fairfield, and Susan Tuthill at Mid-Maine have been instrumental in helping to coordinate our first truly regional program for WorkReady in the state.

My role is one of coordination. I help locate resources for funding, connect with business partners, draw upon my experience of shepherding the program from pilot status to one of the programs creating a “buzz” in the state—all of this gets to my point earlier—coordination is essential when you are working with a grassroots model. Without someone, or a couple of “someones” pushing things forward, the best laid of plans rarely move beyond mere idea, to boots on the ground, action.

I mentioned the funding piece. Initially, in order to get the program off the ground, a diverse group of community partners had to pony up resources. The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, the Central Maine Growth Council, KVCOG, as well as Coastal Enterprises, Inc., and the Central/Western Maine Workforce Investment Board paid for the first program in October of 2008. WorkReady was part of a larger workforce development strategy that Kim Lindlof/Mid-Maine Chamber, John Butera/Central Maine Growth Council, and Ken Young/KVCOG and others in the community were coordinating, all focused on a larger strategic vision for economic development.

In fact, I had a conversation with Butera after one of the first meetings I attended, to present the WorkReady concept to members of the Chamber. I remember his words, as they’ve stayed with me and I think helped crystallize my focus about what I deem important in my role as director of business services.

“Ten years ago, economic development was focused mainly on real estate and infrastructure,” said Butera. “Now, economic development leaders know that it’s all about workforce.”

For me, Butera’s point nailed it.

Since our initial two pilots in greater-Waterville, the program has been able to acquire additional funding from the United Way of Mid-Maine, through grants process connected to community impact funding.

Having acquired a grant in Lewiston, through the United Way of Androscoggin County to fund WorkReady in that community, I sought similar funding. Tina Chapman, president and CPO for the United Way of Mid-Maine indicated to me that they had a similar process in Kennebec/Somerset Counties. I put together an application and received $10,000 (of a requested $20,000 applied for), which has allowed us to focus on building sustainability in Waterville/Fairfield.

Despite our best efforts, the ability to offer the program twice each year was in jeopardy for January/February, however. KVCAP, one of our new WorkReady partners, indicated that they had ARRA funding through a Community Block Development Grant, coordinated with Maine DECD. This funding made the current program and yesterday’s graduation possible.

We’ve had high profile speakers for graduations before. Congressman Mike Michaud has attended ceremonies in Lewiston and Waterville. Jeff Fantine, director for Maine Adult Education was our keynote in Pittsfield, for our graduation we held for WorkReady involving laid off shoe workers from San Antonio Shoe.

Yesterday, John Richardson, former legislator and Maine House of Representatives House Speaker, and former DECD Commissioner, now current candidate for governor, delivered the commencement address to our graduates.

I’ve viewed Richardson from afar, and was well aware of the good work he’s done on behalf of the people of the state. As happens so often, I gained an entirely new level of respect yesterday, however, seeing him in person, and having a chance to get a read on the man behind the public persona. It impressed me to know that he felt our graduation was important enough to take time away from the rigors of running for high profile public office, to offer congratulations, and support to the efforts of 12 people who have chosen to take the important next step towards jobs and careers.

Richardson didn’t blow in, shake a few hands, give his speech, and get whisked off to his next campaign event. He took time to review each graduates portfolio during the 45 minutes prior to our ceremony, set aside for business people and other community members to participate in viewing the work that each graduate has been engaged in for the past three weeks. It was obvious that he possessed a genuine quality and connected very well with our graduates. Several later expressed to me how much his presence meant to them.

His talk was brief, but focused on elements of WorkReady, and he did a great job of tying these elements into the larger qualities that Maine has to capitalize on to succeed as a state. His four “ingredients for success” (my summary) were:

Maine/New England has some of the smartest people (born out by data and test scores), but who are often under, or in the case of our graduates, unemployed.
Mainers have a strong history working hard and the state is recognized for our work ethic.
Innovation/new ideas (he touched on how each graduate had embraced innovation in their own lives).
The importance of technology, in moving Maine forward.

As I listened to Richardson, and serving as the graduation MC, I reflected back on the various programs I’ve been directly responsible for coordinating—26 in all since September, 2006.

I looked out and saw my colleague, Paul Scalzone, from CEI. I reflected back on our initial conversations we had back in the fall of 2006, some just a few weeks into my job, as we considered strategies about how he and I could marshal resources and develop the necessary partnerships that would mutually benefit both of our efforts in the five counties of Central/Western Maine. It was an important lesson about staying true and steady and not wavering from your vision and values. My experience is that if you are able to do that, and build strong collaboration with other like-minded people and organizations, then you will taste success, and often, exceed your original goals.

I remembered my first contact I had with Kathleen Lewia, our gifted WorkReady facilitator, one of the most gifted educators I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing in action. We met at a Somerset Workforce Development Team meeting, in Skowhegan. Patte Bowman, director of MSAD #54 Adult Education in Skowhegan had introduced Kathleen to our group as the new WorkReady facilitator, who would be the instructor for Bowman’s first WorkReady pilot in Skowhegan.

Kathleen has been a mentor of sorts, to me. A professional motivational speaker, and multi-talented beyond mere instruction, she has been someone who has helped me hone my own skills, and seek resources, and push my own development in new directions at her urging. She also is one of the few people I know who provides the kind of honest feedback that all of us need to get better.

I’ve rarely spoken to a WorkReady graduate from one of Kathleen’s trainings who didn’t gush about her abilities, but more importantly, her genuine compassion, love, and passion that she pours into each one of her students.

Once in awhile, a program or initiative comes along that is a perfect match for its time—the WorkReady Credential Program, or simply, WorkReady, is that kind of a program.

The finances of unemployment

A consultant at one of our regional CareerCenters shared this great article with me, about unemployment, and whether taking a job, or continuing to sit idle is in your best interest, if unemployed.

This article, posted by Krystal Hicks on the Portland Examiner Job Search site gives great advice to anyone unemployed, but being offered a job, and whether, or not it makes financial sense about accepting a position.

What I like about the article by Hicks is that it ties in very well with the sentiment I'm hearing from employers. Many of the companies I talk to on a daily basis are indicating to me that long-term joblessness is not a positive quality in job applicants.

I'm not unsympathetic to the realities of the current economic/employment situation, and the continued lack of abundance of jobs. However, there are things that the unemployed can do to make themselves more employable. One of them is to seek out training programs, like WorkReady, connecting with their local Adult Education provider to upgrade their skills, or even volunteering--anything to demonstrate to an employer that you haven't lost your edge, and employability.

Speaking of WorkReady, there is an article in this morning's Morning Sentinel, about tomorrow's WorkReady graduation from our Fairfield/Waterville program.

Poverty scorecard

As millions lose their jobs, homes, and health insurance during this recession, they look to Congress to come through and help them in their time of need. But does it? Are the representatives in Washington really looking out for the interests of the people who were laid off by a plant closing, lost their health insurance, or face crushing debt as a result of a medical emergency?

The Shriver Center's Poverty Scorecard compiles Congress's votes on 20 bills that have the most significant impact on the 40 million Americans living in poverty. The issues covered include economic recovery, health care, asset-building, housing, and climate change. The Scorecard shows that Congress did more to fight poverty in 2009 than in the two preceding years, and passed major anti-poverty initiatives that were signed into law by President Obama.

Maine's delegation scored well on the Center's Scorecard. You can see the results here.

Filter failure

Whenever I have conversations with colleagues, friends, family members and others about social media, more often than not, those who refuse to change and adapt to technology will poo-poo social networking sites/tools, like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Often, the response is something akin to, "I can't keep up with my emails, let alone learn something new." Or, they'll say, "I don't know anything about that, and I don't care to learn something new."

Unfortunately, any variation on that response does a couple of things; 1) it identifies you as a dinosaur, and 2) you show that you are resistant to change and new ideas. Neither are positive in my book, and it also will visit obsolescence upon you if you hug that attitude too closely.

Information overload isn't a new phenomenom. It goes back centuries.

I love Clay Shirky's quote, — “It’s not information overload. It’s filter failure” —; Shirky indicates that there is a quote from Seneca back in the 4 BCE about there being, "too much information" to keep up with.

Come on folks; it's time to adapt with the times. Merely reading a newspaper, watching your local newscast, and relying on water cooler talk isn't enough to stay current today. Actually, willful ignorance has never served anyone well, particularly individuals that strive to be leaders.

I prefer Twitter right now. That may change as communication changes, which it inevitably will.

One Maine company doing a great job bringing along various organizations, particularly non-profits, helping them adapt to the new communications paradigm and social media is Encompass Marketing & Design, in Auburn.

My own embrace of new media, beyond blogging, has been gradual. I initially was resistent, particularly to the idea that one could communicate something meaningful in 140 characters. I've backed away from that, as I've found Twitter to be a great tool, or as Shirky would say, filter, sorting important information and keeping me updated on things that matter to me.

The Entrepreneurial Option

During tough economic times, innovation doesn’t take a vacation. True entrepreneurs are able to locate opportunities that others requiring safety and securing would never consider. The flipside of this is that during periods of economic vitality, money can often hide problems, and even obscure opportunities.

This past Tuesday, the Lewiston CareerCenter hosted yet another monthly Industry Information Tuesday. As has been our format for the past several months, an energetic and experienced panel was recruited, with the topic being, pursuing self-employment, entrepreneurship, and the pros and cons of starting your own business.

Panelists included an enthusiastic and successful local businessperson, Patti Gagne, of the Patti Gagne Agency, Inc., affiliated with Allstate Insurance, as well as Dante Vespignani, from The Entrepreneur’s Source, a business and franchise coach with a wealth of business and franchise experience. Another innovative local small businessperson, Barbara Lauze, spoke about the challenges and rewards of her home-based business, The Basket Case, which specializes in creative gift-giving solutions.

Rounding out our panel were two experienced business counselors, Rose Kreps, from AVCOG, who provides business services out of the agency’s Small Business Development Center, and John Sinclair, from Costal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), another business resource similar to AVCOG/SBDC, providing one-on-one business consultation that’s tailored to meet the needs of the business owner, as well as training and workshops offered on a range of business issues.

A discussion about the qualities inherent in entrpreneurs--desire, positivity, commitment, patience and persistence--dovetailed nicely with an amazing resevoir of real life experiences represented by the members of our panel.

The 20 individuals attending, interested in exploring their options, got a chance to talk about their business ideas, ask questions, and hear about the realities faced in starting a business or accessing a franchise opportunity, and requirements and steps that entrepreneurs and small business people take to ensure success.

The Lewiston CareerCenter hosts Industry Information Tuesdays every month. The next one will be February 23 and focused on opportunities in construction.

For more information about how you can participate in one of these Tuesday events, contact the Lewiston CareerCenter at 753-9001.

Reading the tea leaves with Charlie

Attending Charlie Colgan’s annual prognostications at various venues across the state have become one of Maine’s mid-winter rituals for many leaders, both on the private and public side of things. Once again, Colgan was in Lewiston-Auburn for the Androscoggin County Chamber's January meeting, delivering “At the Edge of the Woods: The Great Recession and Beyond.”

Its interesting that one economist would develop such a devoted statewide following, not because economists aren’t well versed in their respective field of study, but because the general public rarely takes much interest in things like leading indicators, risk studies, and anything that smacks of science.

Colgan has managed to package his forecasts, some of them quite dire, by delivering them in his characteristically dry, but humorous way. And Chamber groups and other a audiences eat them up as eagerly as the high cholesterol breakfasts that are standard fare at these early morning business soirees.

In brief, bulleted form, here is the gist of Colgan’s forecast from this morning’s breakfast. This may be one of the quickest releases of that data you’ll find. For more on his talk, you will no doubt want to tune into this evening’s six o’clock news, and read about one of his many appearances in your local daily. Tomorrow’s Sun Journal will surely have it in narrative form.

• Are we out of the recession?
  --partly; Maine’s economy is growing in output, but a full recovery is a few months away.
• When will unemployment improve?
  --job growth will resume mid-year; the growth will be there, but it will be weak.
• How long will it take to recover?
  --one year on the GDP side.
  --two to three years on jobs.
• What are the risks of Colgan’s forecast?
  --50:50, he said meaning the odds are equal that he overshot, and consequently that the potential is that he is being overly pessimistic.

A few additional items from Colgan’s talk this morning:

• Coincident indicators are flat.
• Leading indicators are pointing upwards.
• The financial crisis has stabilized.

Job growth sectors for Maine?

• Education/health (Colgan said “this means healthcare.”)
• Business and professional services
• Leisure and hospitality

Other concerns:

The decade of the “naughts” put the brakes on over 50 years of decade by decade growth in jobs. For the decade 2000-2009, there was zero growth.

Colgan closed with an interesting observation, diverging from raw data and information, something most economists rarely do.

He referenced a book that is now over 25 years old, Lester Thoreau’s The Zero Sum Society: Distribution and the Possibilities of Economic Change.

Written during a period of acute economic stagnation in 1980, this bestseller discusses the human implications of economic problem solving and offers a classic set of recommendations about the best way to balance government stewardship of the economy and the free-market aspirations of upwardly mobile Americans.

Basically, Thoreau’s zero-sum premise states that for every positive economic gain that I might realize, someone consequently loses. Benefits must come from somewhere, as the economic pie is static.

I took Colgan’s implication of this to be that while the economic data (impersonal and based on set mechanisms, like supply and demand) points to recovery at some point, the human equation, and he mentioned politics, is rooted in the personal.

The idea of zero-sum loss, which is basically pessimistic in outlook, is affecting America in a way that is uncoupled from the economy. Colgan mentioned healthcare reform—initially, Americans supported it, but because of political efforts mainly from the right (my analysis), the polls now show that Americans believe that healthcare gains for some, will be taken from others.

Colgan wrapped up by saying that Maine’s economic future is based on Green and Blue; wood chips, wind, energy efficiency. The state’s prosperity is tied to our potential to be an environmental leader. This requires some profound changes in the way policy is made. It also requires sacrifices by all—potentially in a combination of both taxes and program cuts. I also think, and Colgan alluded to this—personal transformation.

Personally, I think we all need to look closely at our own values. Are we willing to do what’s necessary to move Maine forward? Transformation of a personal nature, something I’m familiar with, is something that we all need to consider.

Jackman, or bust

Nearly three years ago now, just after I started in my position with the LWIB, I was part of a discussion about economic development, and someone used the term, "the two Maines." While this phrase has become popularized by some, and periodically, you'll read an article in a Maine-based publication referring to this sense that Maine is split in two--namely north/south; with the state's economically viable (southern sections south of Bangor) corridor, and the rural regions, anything north and east/west of I-95--it more often than not indicates to me an apparent lack of understanding about the geographic, demographic, and economic realities of the state. At the very least, it's an oversimplication of Maine, and shows a lack of creativity.

At that same meeting, a DECD representative was in attendance, a gentleman I have developed a fondness and respect for, partly for his self-deprecating sense of humor, but mainly because of his wisdom that comes from his length of service working in the trenches of econonomic development. He calls himself a "dinosaur" and he bears the scars of one who has managed to maintain a relevance that's allowed him to serve in the current administration, and also during the King administration. I'd affectionately call him a grizzled veteran.

When queried about "the two Maines," he indicated that if this was the case, then his job would be an easy one. Instead, in his estimation, Maine was in reality, 16, or 18 seperate entities, all with their own inherent unique characteristics, local cultures, and economic challenges. This has stayed with me ever since, and validates much of what I've come to know about my home state.

I thought about this idea again last Wednesday, when I made the long drive north of Skowhegan, to Jackman. I had been invited to speak before the Jackman Community Leadership Group.

The trip had been arranged by a colleague and community partner, Dana Hamilton, who serves with me as a member of the Somerset Workforce Development Team (SWDT), a standing group that meets monthly, primarily in Skowhegan. This group, focused on workforce/econonomic development for all of Somerset County, has shut out other communities in Somerset, by unintentionally becoming centered mainly on Skowhegan, and to a lesser extent, Pittsfield and Madison.

My colleague chided our group back in October by saying that "Somerset County is more than just Skowhegan." This resonated with me. She challenged our group to think about holding meetings elsewhere, particularly in some of the smaller communities to the north, like Bingham, and Jackman. It's so easy, regardless of where we live and work, to become parochial, fixated on only our tiny little corner.

Workforce development, and I think, economic development, at least in a state like Maine, is really a regional affair. It's difficult to mandate statewide policies that will work well in both economically robust Portland, and even Cumberland County, and in economically challenged counties like Somerset, Washington, and Oxford to name just three. Yet, more often than not, when policy is discussed, at least by this current administration, and now, by the ever-expanding field of candidates running for governor, one-size-fits-all pronouncements continue to be made.

The best part of my visit to Jackman last week is that is helped me have a much better understanding of the issues as they are on the ground. Rooting what I do in reality informs me in the work that I do, and helps me to be as effective as possible in my position. It also prevents me from becoming someone detached, yet thinks that he knows all the answers. These kind of people often offer "solutions" to people in rural regions that prefer partners and people willing to collaborate, not government "experts" riding in on their white horses with yet another solution to their problems.

That seems to me to be what school consolidation has turned out to be for many rural school districts. What began in theory as a way to shave administrative costs, has visited major challenges on rural districts, like MSAD #12, in Jackman.

As I mentioned during my talk in Jackman, "if someone wanted to create a policy designed to destroy what vitality and hope remains in Maine's rural outposts, they couldn't have come up with anything better than school consolidation." While this might not be received happily by the current administration in power, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone that understands life in Maine's small communities to disagree with that statement.

The Jackman Community Leadership Team holds their monthly meetings at The Fours Seasons Restaurant. Prior to the meeting, Dana and I had a wonderful lunch and conversation with Heather Perry, superintendent of schools in Jackman and Greenville, Denise Plante, assistant superintendent in Jackman and principal at Forest Hills School, and Steve Banahan, a manager at one of the region's major employers, Moose River Lumber Company. The enthusiasm that these community leaders expressed about the town and region at large, as well as some of the exciting things going on with students at the school, and the innovative qualities of the Moose River mill was a much different message than some would have anticipated.

In reality, I have found the spirits and community health of rural Mainers, and by extension, economic possibilities in rural America, to be much more hopeful than are often portrayed major media types that rarely, if ever take the time to understand the culture of these areas. I tackled this subject some time ago in relation to a national story done by NPR on Skowhegan.

Because of my visit to Jackman, and given the technology that exists to conference in members of the Community Leadership Team, we now have a goal to start forging stronger ties between our work with the SWDT and the initiatives that are already underway in Jackman.

To do this will require a willingness to periodically take our meetings outside of Skowhegan, and possibly meet at a minimum of two to three times each year in Jackman, or other communities in the Moose River region. More to come on this.

To learn more about issues connected to rural school districts, like the one in Jackman, I'd suggest the website of The Rural School and Communty Trust. Their report, Why Rural Matters in 2009 is worth reviewing for anyone that cares about keeping rural schools healthy and vibrant, and by extension, the communities where those schools are the central focus of local life.

Is America's problem a lack of jobs?

Over the past few months, it’s become commonplace that if given a sound bite opportunity, politicians—local, state, and most certainly, national—will launch some variation on the theme of job creation. The topic tumbles from their mouths automatically. Apparently they’ve figured out that if subjected to months of double-digit unemployment, Americans will salivate when “jobs” are mentioned—this isn’t a bad thing, but let’s take a closer look, or better, peer forward—by looking backward, to decide whether the lack of jobs is in fact the problem..

None of the following is new information, but from time to time, I think it’s important to revisit—think of it as a recalibration of our workforce/economic development focus.

Back in 2008, just prior to the election of President Obama, Michael Porter, guru of competitiveness at Harvard Business School wrote an article that was published in Newsweek stating that America needed a long-term strategy to ensure our country’s ability to compete economically, on the global stage. He argued convincingly, in my opinion, that the lack of a national economic strategy not dictated by political winds or the latest flavor of the month (my paraphrase) was a major problem for the U.S. and needed to be addressed by the incoming administration.

At the time, Porter indicated that both candidates, Mr. McCain, and the eventual horserace winner, Mr. Obama, were lacking anything resembling a strategy on competiveness. Nothing over the past year handed down from Washington has addressed the points that Porter made regarding coming up with a strategic plan to address competitiveness.

Red flags have been raised over the past two years about the lack of key workforce skills, by The Conference Board, the National Association of Workforce Boards, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to name a few. Their points are clearly delineated by data and labor market information.

Clearly, the jobs that will be in demand when vitality returns to the U.S. economy are comprised of skills that fall within the important middle spectrum of the labor skill set.

Recently, I was sent a link to a report that once again highlights major literacy and skills deficiencies titled, Guide to Adult Education for Work: Transforming Adult Education to Grow a Skilled Workforce.

Produced by the Workforce and Education Policy Group, the report lays out some alarming indicators that fit very well with Porter’s article about competitiveness and, echoing his call to in fact come up with strategy.

Here are a few problem areas highlighted by the report:

• The U.S. is the only highly-developed democracy where young adults are less likely to have completed high school than the previous generation.
• Over 1 million young adults drop out of school each year. More than 12 million adults without a high school credential are in the labor force today.
• At the same time, almost twice as many jobs over the next decade will require a postsecondary credential or college degree, up from 25 percent today to about 45 percent over the next decade.
• And far too many (93 million) score at lower levels of national assessments of functional literacy skills and are unprepared to enroll in the postsecondary education or job training programs that can prepare them for current and future jobs.

So what to do? Jobs are important and mentioning job creation might help politicians gather some political capital in the short-term, but let’s face the facts. When our economy picks up, and it will, we’re going to struggle to fill existing jobs, once again. Just this morning I was on the phone speaking to the local branch manager of an international staffing firm. She told me that job requests are coming in regularly that she can’t fill—the reason? Most of the current crop of unemployed people can’t pass her basic screening requirements—a demonstration of a stable work history, verifiable references, no criminal history, etc.—basic stuff.

Maybe the issue isn’t jobs, jobs, jobs after all; maybe it’s finding the will to face up to the huge skills gap nationwide, and getting serious in America about being competitive on the global stage once again.

ARRA money preventing poverty for many

Rather than focus on talk radio, and other media pundits with ideological axes to grind, Americans should be focused on facts and data to decide whether federal and state policies are working. Let's take a look at the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

According to new analysis based on Census data, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is keeping large numbers of Americans out of poverty in states across the country. In addition to boosting economic activity and preserving or creating jobs, the recovery act is softening the recession’s impact on poverty by directly lifting family incomes.

The report, produced by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities includes information on 36 states. Maine is one of them, and the data shows that anywhere from 14,000 (lower-bound estimate), to 30,000 (higher-bound estimate) Mainers have been lifted above the poverty line by ARRA funding, with the best estimate being 22,000.

[Thanks to a Twitter feed, courtesy of the Workforce Developments blog for alerting me to the CBPP's report.--JB]

Does unemployment make you unemployable?

Yesterday, labor officials and worker advocates from across the U.S. were in Washington, urging quick Congressional action to extend emergency jobless benefits and to renew health insurance subsidies for the long-term jobless.

Prolonged unemployment insurance, passed this year in the stimulus act, expires this month, and an estimated one million workers will see benefits end in January if Congress does not act.

The health subsidies, under which the federal government pays 65 percent of insurance costs under Cobra for up to nine months, have expired and are not available to the newly unemployed.

The continued sputtering of the U.S. economy has made unemployment extensions necessary, as more than 15 millions Americans remain on the roles of unemployment insurance, 36 percent of them now out of work for more than 6 months.

Benefit extensions have been necessary in most cases, given the state of the U.S. job market. However, joblessness and its effects on idled workers, as well as the challenges it presents employers looking to rehire workers who have been out of work for an extended period hasn't been considered as closely as perhaps it should be, in my opinion.Can workers, even those who entered their phase of unemployment with strong work histories, forget how to work, or lose their employment edge? While there may be no choice at this point but to extend benefits for another period of time, is our current system an effective one, given that so many Americans have been out of work for so long? What can be done to ensure that laid off workers are prepared to go back to work?

The last time the U.S. faced extended unemployment, in the 1970s, the shift in the employment paradigm wasn’t as dramatic. For many workers laid off for the first time, the entire process of looking for a job has dramatically changed. Many are lacking technology skills necessary to access online job banks.

Interestingly, during a forum I conducted with employers looking at ways to reintroduce workers back into the workforce, one employer indicated that if given the choice between hiring a worker that has been collecting unemployment insurance, and another equally qualified person that has been working, even in a position that he/she was overqualified for, she would choose the worker who has a recent history of work. This was an interesting perspective. Her point was that the individual on long-term unemployment had developed habits that she felt affecting them negatively and decreased their value to this employer. She appreciated the efforts and savvy of anyone that has found a way to stay employed in this tough economy. Furthermore, she said it indicated a will to work that she felt was lacking in anyone that has been on extended unemployment.

This is a perspective worth considering. How do other employers and/or recruiters view job seekers that lack a recent work history, particularly due to extended unemployment?

Tweeking attitudes

It’s easy to end up in a rut and comfortable, even if you’re someone that regularly strives towards self-improvement. Routine and time in a job can inure and insulate in such a way that you become less effective. That’s where self-awareness comes in. Successful people recognize that tendency and take steps to guard against it.

Several weeks ago, I was asked to speak to a group of professionals about reinvention. I have given several presentations on the need for reinvention, so I thought it would be easy. It wasn’t the “slam dunk” I expected, however. Actually, I walked away from my talk realizing that it has been awhile since I have taken a hard look at where I’m at and where I’m headed. I’ve certainly taken some positive steps forward on the physical front in my own life, but the frantic pace of the past three months has left my psychic batteries in need of recharging.

A trip to the library several weeks ago to visit the self-help section put me in touch with writers like Stephen Covey, Po Bronson, and a few others. I also discovered Dr. Gordon Livingston and his wonderful book, Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart: Thirty True Things You Need to Know Now.

While Covey got me refocused on the importance of moving beyond merely striving for excellence to seeing the necessity of fulfillment in life’s journey. Covey talks about “finding your voice and inspiring others to do so.”

In that same vein, Livingston, a psychiatrist, uses short essays to highlight how each one of us, regardless of circumstances, limitations, and setbacks, has the potential to move beyond these things. Things like relationships matter. We have the power to revise our personal narrative.

When Livingston writes, “we are what we do,” he puts happiness in the context of being under our control.

How do you create happiness? According to Livingston, the three components necessary for it are “something to do, someone to love, and something to look forward to.”

When he touches on, “we are afraid of the wrong things,” he nails American culture in seven words. Our fixation on fright keeps far too many people imprisoned. So much that is valued in our culture is in fact, fatally flawed. Often, fear of failure prevents many people from even trying. Fear is a lousy motivator.

My time away from work over the Thanksgiving break was put to good use.

Being back in the saddle with a renewed focus feels good and has me anticipating a rousing finish for 2009, and limitless possibilities in 2010.

Boots on the ground

On Wednesday of past this week, I went to a conference in Portland focused on diversity issues and their intersection with workforce development. Coordinated by Working Together, a coalition of businesses and organizations intent on finding a way to integrate individuals with disabilities into Maine’s labor pool, the conference was held at USM’s Abromson Center, and was attended by a mix of business people, state officials, representatives from a variety of organizations, as well as non-profit agencies.

During the morning session, John Dorrer, of Maine’s Department of Labor/CWRI gave a presentation on the challenges facing Maine and the nation as our demographic “time bomb”—Maine’s aging population, mainly baby boomers—reaches the age when they’ll be leaving our workforce en masse. This will create a huge gap affecting productivity, economic growth, and U.S. competitiveness. Dorrer cited statistics by economists that indicate that by 2030 that gap of necessary employees and the diversity of skills represented could be as high as 35 million individuals, in the U.S.

Dorrer, an economist by trade talked about the need to address this, and how Maine needed to “get serious” about this. Others, like Martha Antilles, Manpower’s chief diversity officer, spoke to this issue, framing it in global terms, given Manpower’s international corporate focus.

What was lacking in my opinion was an offer of an action plan.

That’s been my experience over the past three years in the trenches of workforce development. By-and-large, recognition that there are problems with both scarcity and skill-level of Maine’s workforce is not an issue. Yes, politicians make the mistake of lauding our state’s workforce, which is still mainly skilled for the state’s 20th century, resource-based economy of manufacturing, paper mills, and wood products. As Maine shifts to a service sector economy, with healthcare growing, jobs in state government, and other business service jobs looking for fulfillment, working for 20 years in a factory environment, or running a paper machine doesn’t easily translate into transferable skills, however. As a result, the transition becomes difficult for many presently out of work.

So how does Maine help people transition from a 20th century skill set, to a 21st century one? Is merely championing four-year degrees going to push the state forward? What happens when displaced workers are told that they need to go to college, but don’t have the academic, study, and other attendant skills that will ensure success in the kind of environment conducive to higher education? Many will stumble and falter, unfortunately.

As I’ve written about before, there needs to be an emphasis on skills characterized as “middle skills.” These entail training beyond the high school level, but don’t necessarily require four-year degree programs. Some of this training can be short-term, conferring a certificate, or credential at its completion.

With all due respect to many good people, talk is cheap. Maine, like many other states have organizations, state agencies, and various hierarchies that crunch numbers, issue reports, and unfortunately, shuffle and/or warehouse elements of the state’s workforce that need to be trained, and ultimately, working. Maine’s large DHHS roles demonstrate this approach, and in my opinion, it’s a terrible waste of human potential, not to mention that it represents a partial solution to the looming labor shortage that Maine will be facing.

There are those in our region that have moved beyond talk, to action. This is due, I believe, to their recognition that workforce development is one of the key elements looking forward towards growing their local/regional economy. Three leaders in Waterville--John Butera/Central Maine Growth Council, Kim Lindlof/Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, and Ken Young/KVCOG—all recognize that if the economy of their city and region is going to be a vibrant one, then having a workforce with the kind of skills that the 21st requires is essential.

While a program like WorkReady won’t solve all of Waterville’s, or Maine’s ongoing issues of workforce development, it is a great first step in pushing the issue forward. It also moves beyond mere recognition of a problem, to finding a solution to it. An action-oriented approach should not be minimized. Far too often, problems are wanting a solution primarily because no action plan is developed.

WorkReady is the kind of foundational program that has been developed primarily to meet the needs of businesses, addressing many of the ongoing problems that HR people and hiring managers regularly encounter in their attempts at hiring new people, particularly for entry, or lower level positions in their firms.

Over the past three years, our workforce board has built a solid coterie of local WorkReady programs in key communities across Central/Western Maine. We’ve developed a model that starts first with a pilot of the program, and then constructs the next steps forward towards building program sustainability. Even better, the WorkReady curriculum has demonstrated that it has the capacity to transform and change lives, while maintaining a cost-effective approach to training.

While originally intended to target those stuck in the “ghetto” of low wage/low skill jobs, with many bouncing from seasonal position, to seasonal position, WorkReady has been successful in helping displaced workers transition by identifying transferable skills, upgrade their technology skills, and better represent their qualities on a resume, and through the interview process. Additionally, WorkReady continues to find new audiences for its training, including recent successes within Maine’s correction system and county jails, including the Somerset County Jail in East Madison. Other programs have been offered at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, and one currently under way at the Bolduc Correctional Facility in Warren.

****

Friday morning, Morning Sentinel reporter, Erin Rhoda's compelling feature article on the WorkReady graduation was a welcome acknowledgement of much of the work I've been involved in to bring WorkReady to its current place in the community. This came about because I left a voicemail for her, and she felt it was newsworthy enough to follow-up with me by phone.

Having a feature article on our program was significant because it validates the efforts that many of us have put into building WorkReady from the ground up, which is how it develops in every location where it ends up being launched. Rhoda’s article was excellent, and really captured the essence about what WorkReady is all about.

Friday was also the day of our third WorkReady graduation in Waterville. This current group of trainees is our largest one in Waterville, with candidates being awarded their WorkReady credential. This group is also a very strong group of future employees for any business that would want to employ them.

For the first time ever, we had a former WorkReady graduate returning to deliver the keynote address to the current group of trainees.

Jeneese LaRouche has taken the training she received last March, and has parlayed that into success for herself. Like many young women in Maine, Jeneese had graduated from high school without a clear career direction for her life. Before she knew it, she was a mother of two, with no firm opportunities on the employment front, and not sure of where to turn to move her life forward.

I first met Jeneese in Skowhegan, at an informational meeting that was held to promote the program and potentially recruit attendees to participate in our upcoming offering of WorkReady. Jeneese was the one person who jumped at the opportunity, and WorkReady has been a springboard for her, putting her on the road to employment success.

Upon graduating last March, she was hired by Global Contact Services (GCS), in Pittsfield. GCS is a customer contact center, working with major clients throughout the U.S. Jeneese was committed to being a success and despite some logistical issues with daycare, and carpooling with her partner to work, she managed to be a model employee. In fact, when the United Way of Mid-Maine wanted to interview a WorkReady graduate for their kick-off video (United Way is the current funder for WorkReady inWaterville), Jeneese agreed and did an outstanding job on camera, representing the program, and demonstrating its success in helping transform her life, and the lives of others. Her employer even agreed to speak on camera about her performance, telling how she had been modeling the qualities that WorkReady imparts in its trainees.

Jeneese delivered an inspirational speech to the graduates on Friday. She encouraged them to take what they’ve learned, and in particular, some of the personalized lessons that Kathleen Lewia, the program’s outstanding facilitator has given them over the past four weeks. Jeneese spoke about the challenges, and also, about the opportunity that she now has, to be a role model for her children, who see their mother going off to work each day, helping to provide for their well-being.

Demostrating that good things come to those who apply the lessons learned in WorkReady, Jeneese was recently offered a position with T-Mobile in Oakland, and it currently going through the company’s eight-week training program. She will be one of T-Mobile’s customer service reps upon completion of the training.

For more information about WorkReady, you can visit the program’s website. You can also contact Jim Baumer, director of business services, for the Central/Western Maine Workforce Investment Board at 207-753-9026.

[Waterville WorkReady graduation photo]

Workforce in the year 2020

Our local workforce investment board has a wonderful and respected member that gets quite animated about how Maine continually fails to do long-range strategic planning when it comes to fiscal matters. I can't say I disagree with him. In addition to fiscal matters, I think our state also is lacking in long-range strategic planning when it comes to its workforce, with a few exceptions.

We have begun an election cycle for governor. We are one year out from having to decide who we want to lead our state for four more years, but I don't think it's too early for the candidates to formulate a strategic vision, and communicate just what their workforce strategy might be during their four (or eight, if chosen for re-election) year tenure.

Unfortunately, not much that is coming out of the mouths of any of the candidates is making me particularly giddy at this point. Experience teaches me that not too much will change over the next 12 months, either.

You see, politicians talk in generalities. They say things like Maine's biggest challenge is "lack of jobs and opportunity." Others indicate that all Maine needs to move from the bottom tier of states, to possibly the middle tier, is "more accountability in Augusta." We hear others blather on about "cut, cut, cut, cut, cut," as if cutting government spending (and taxes) to the bone will magically deliver prosperity. Then, there is the belief held by many that merely running government like a business will lead the Pine Tree State to the economic promised land.

Maine does not have a vaunted work ethic, at least in any greater capacity than the other 49 states of the union; yet we've heard the current governor and members of his administration regularly trumpet this myth for the past eight years. What Maine has is a workforce that was predominantly skilled for an economy that was resource-based, and heavily oriented towards manufacturing--basically, a 20th century mindset towards work. The skills required for success in the 21st century are heavily weighted towards information, and technology. Further, in speaking with employers on a daily basis, I hear them indicate that work ethic, or the basic skills of being able to show up, on time, as scheduled for work, is not a given, at least in the five counties that I travel throughout, in Central/Western Maine. I don't think it's any different in the other 11 counties, represented by the three other LWIBs.

While it might be tempting, given that our unemployment rate was 8.6 percent in August, to think that Maine's workforce will be sufficient for the future. In reality, Maine, like the other 49 states that make up the U.S. will be looking at a labor shortage--projected at 30 million skilled and educated workers over the next thirty years, according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor, cited in a report funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In the face of these numbers, the Foundation has committed to doubling the number of low-income students earning post-secondary degrees, or credentials that hold genuine value--basically leading to employment in a sector where jobs are being created.

Maine can learn some things from this report, which focused on successful programs that had both significant employer involvement, as well as employment connected to a career track.

Additionally, certain common characteristics were apparent in the successful program that were highlighted (see report pages 10-12). Things like flexibility, partnerships, connections to local employers, helping students learn and gain skills while they continued to work, all were important determinants of success.

Some of these same lessons (particularly the value of partnerships, leveraging resources, and connecting with employers) have been learned in Central/Western Maine with WorkReady, Next Steps programs, our recent CNC Precision Manufacturing training at CMCC, as well as other initiatives developed by our LWIB.

Maine's four workforce boards are closely aligned with their regional workforce needs, as well as having "boots on the ground," so they can offer some sense of what's needed for workforce solutions in the short-term, as well as offering a more strategic vision for the future.

Gubernatorial candidate Lynne Williams, on Prop 4 (Tabor 2)

Lynne Williams is running for governor as a Green Independent candidate. She is opposed to Proposition 4 on the ballot, also known as Tabor 2. She sees it as problematic in that it takes away local control. Local control is often more direct control, than state control.

Here is a recent video she posted on Twitter.

Augusta uses free wi-fi to promote downtown

Development Director Michael Duguay said six transmitters were installed to provide a signal throughout the downtown. The city is contracting with RedZone Wireless, of Rockland, to provide the service.

"It's something we should be very, very proud of," Duguay said. "Not many other communities in the United States are doing this."

The city paid about $44,000 to have the system installed and signed a three-year contract for the service, at a cost of $12,000 to $14,000 a year, Duguay said.

Patrick Quigg, who owns the Riverfront BBQ and Grille (one of my favorite stops when in Augusta afterhours) sees this as a boon for his business.

"I've noticed guests that will come in and actually have lunch and then stay another two or three hours, doing work on their laptop," Quigg said. "That's good for business.

You can read the entire article here.

Workforce development in DC, and the efforts of TWA

The Workforce Alliance is actively engaged in workforce development at the national level, in Washington, DC. Executive Director Andy Van Kleunen shares some of his thoughts about the work that TWA is doing, and discusses some job training programs, including recognizing Maine colleague, Rob Brown and Opportunity Maine's efforts on the green jobs front.

Van Kleunen also talks about initiatives that pull together partnerships with community colleges, as well as the mechanisms (mainly funding) to assist programs designed to retrain displaced workers. He also addresses what he characterizes as negative press about the current administration's use of ARRA funds, and dispels the myth that funds have been used ineffectively in creating job opportunities.

The online newsletter can be found here.

Experience can be the teacher of all things

There is an old adage that says if handed lemons, you make lemonade. I take this to mean that you should make the best out of tough situations. Just like Daniel Seddiqui did.

Seddiqui attended USC, and when he graduated in 2005 with a degree in economics, attempted to find a job in his field. Scoring 40 rejections, he decided that since he ran track in college, maybe he could find a coaching assistant’s position, instead.

From a book that had contacts for every college coach in the country for every sport, Seddiqui emailed 18,000 coaches asking for a chance. He received 250 offers. The most attractive one was coaching Cross Country at Northwestern University.

From Seddiqui's website;

I had to move to Chicago, not knowing a soul. I loved the adventure of putting myself into a new environment with complete uncertainty. I failed to mention this was a volunteer position, so I had to find ways to make an income. I found positions from painting stairs to accounting at a biomedical firm. This was a complete thrill because I forced myself to get to meet new people and struggled to make myself satisfied.

After a successful Cross Country season, the program fell apart by every staff member quitting. It was only natural that I didn't stick around, plus I knew there was something else out there for me. I was invited to a small town in Southern Indiana to reunite with the former head coach. This was a trip that I will never forget. I thought transferring from the University of Oregon to USC was a culture shock, but this took the cake. I had my first grilled corn on the cob, saw real Amish folks, 4-wheeling with rednecks, and shot my first gun. I couldn't get enough; I had to see more and seeing more is exactly what I am doing.

Now, it's my job to showcase careers, cultures, and cities.

And that’s exactly what Seddiqui’s done.

I first heard his story this past week when caught a clip on NPR’s Morning Edition. I’ve since done a bit more research about this young man and found this article on the completion of his task.

He completed what he set out to do, which by itself qualifies as a success, but even better, he’s come away from this experience with a much better understanding of people, place, and the cultural differences that make up life in the U.S.

During his yearlong journey of diverse work experiences, Seddiqui accepted jobs that he felt depicted each state’s economy and culture. Hence, while in Maine, he chose to work as a lobsterman, as well as an insurance broker in Connecticut, and a coal miner in West Virginia.

What was Seddiqui’s favorite job? He told NPR’s Renee Montagne that it was being a dietician in Mississippi.

I chose that because it's the most obese state in the country, and would it just be a really fulfilling career just to change people's lives just by educating them how to eat right, be active, motivating them, because I think a lack of motivation has a lot to do with it, along with limited food sources in terms of everything's fried in the South.

While job hopping might not be a pathway to success, neither is occupying the same position, doing the same thing always beneficial, either.

I’ve done a variety of jobs in my work career, entirely on the private side of things until this position came along, working for a nonprofit. Being able to work both blue collar jobs, spending several years in a professional environment, tethered to a cubicle, selling big ticket items on commission, as well as spending several years running my own business, has helped me acquire skills that I might not have, otherwise. Additionally, I have a strong background in grassroots organizing, which aids me in putting together partnerships, an important quality in the work I’m currently engaged in.

It has intrigued me over the past three years how many people I come in contact with who have been doing the same job for the past 10, 15, 20, 25, and even 30 years, including many that have never worked outside of public service, particularly government.

If you graduated from college, and then worked for a government agency for the next 25 years, how much do you really know about the private sector? On the flipside, government agencies, nonprofits, and other community organizations on the public side of the fence do not operate like a private business. I do not mean this in the pejorative way that this often gets framed in debate. I do believe, however that either way, having only one type of experience can be a hindrance.

Often, politicians that have never done anything else in their lives often have a skewered perspective when it comes to work, and in particular, adhering to the bottom line that is the modus operandi of business. It is also disingenuous for a candidate running for public office to trumpet that he or she will run government like a business, no matter what level of private sector experience they bring to the arena.

Seddiqui’s story is an interesting one, and he now plans to write a book about his experiences.

Bailey big on felon work-release program in Maine

[Partially culled from an online article by Greg Davis, Sun Media Wire, with my own comments at the end-JB]

F. Lee Bailey, best known for his high-profile legal cases, was in Farmington this morning, speaking to the Farmington Rotary Club at its monthly breakfast. Like his other appearances in Portland and Waterville, speaking on an important and timely topic, this meeting was well-attended, as The Grainery Restaurant was packed.

With ties to Maine including trips to the state during childhood, Bailey is currently serving as a marketing and project development director for Oxford Aviation, which he said is currently looking for a new home at the closing Naval Air Station in Brunswick.

Bailey is advocating an "Amicas" (misspelled by the reporter) or friend-of-the-court system for Maine that is similar to one developed in Minnesota 30 years ago, which has reduced that state's rate of repeating felons from 75 percent to 25 percent, because the program paroles an inmate to the custody of a businessperson, who is motivated to see that the inmate does not fail or reoffend. Other employees in the business are also urged to help make sure the employee succeeds, Bailey said.

I left the house at 5:30 this morning to drive to Farmington to meet Bailey, and hear his presentation. I think Bailey's ideas are sound. It is extremely costly to house a prisoner in Maine (Bailey said $65,000 per year, I think around $45,000 is more accurate) and it makes sense to find a way to cut down on the rate of recidivism, particularly if the program is as effective as he claims it to be, cutting recidivism by 25 percent.

Like most great ideas, the devil's in the details, and the real test is rolling this out first on a pilot basis, building employer support for the program.

Much of the work to create and grow a program in its infancy is a lot like grassroots activism. It's what has been required with WorkReady, and it's one of the reasons the program, now in its third year, has grown from a local pilot in Lewiston, to where it is now a statewide program, recognized by over 50 employers.

Ben Hanstein, a reporter for The Daily Bulldog, a local online newsite in Franklin County penned this article about Bailey's appearance at the Rotary breakfast.

WorkReady and other fall workforce activities

Blogging time has been scarce of late. September/October is a time of multiple WorkReady programs. This morning, I was in Waterville, holding an informational session for the program at the library. We had a good group of eight interested folks, and five filled out applications and stayed for the CASAS assessment.

Recruitment has been going well. This is our third time that we've offered the program in Waterville, and it appears that word is getting out and hopefully, we'll have our 12-15 participants that is always our goal, allowing us to maximize training funds.

Tomorrow morning, I'll be leaving the house early to drive 90 miles to East Madison, where I'll help with mock interviews for our second WorkReady program at Somerset County Jail. The county jail populations are a perfect setting for the kinds of work skills that WorkReady provides to trainees.

Unfortunately, employer support for this WorkReady pilot in the jail from area employers has been lukewarm at best. Our mock interview day is one of the key components of the program, particularly since poor interviewing skills (which many of these candidates possess) often prevent accessing employment success. Especially frustrating have been wider appeals made directly to groups like KVHRA, the major human resources association in Mid-Maine. In southern Maine, when the program has been offered at the Maine Correctional Center, HRASM was an eager and willing participant, assisting with mock interviews, and even writing letters of support indicating how impressed they were with the program offered in that location.

Possibly it stems from ignorance, and the lack of understanding that the best way to impede continued criminal behavior is by providing support in the way of a job that pays a decent wage when these individuals leave the jail.

Recently, F. Lee Bailey was in Maine touting a program called Amicus, which seeks to partner jail inmates with employers willing to hire them. It seems to me that there is the potential of partnering, providing work skills for inmates while in jails like the one in Somerset County, and then connecting them with supportive employers upon release. In my opinion, creating tax-paying citizens is a better solution, than continuing to entail the costs of warehousing them in the county jail system.

In addition to these programs, recruitment is ongoing for our Lewiston program, which begins October 19. I'll be holding an informational meeting next week for DHHS/ASPIRE clients. Lewiston is our longest running site, with WorkReady now in its third year in that community.

Additionally, I am part of a subcommittee at the statewide level for the program, planning a train-the-trainer orientation for Adult Education sites that want to offer WorkReady for the first time.

With my remaining spare minutes, I continue to work with the business services staff in Lewiston to coordinate monthly events targeting key business sectors that are informational, and targeted towards jobs seekers, and workers recently affected by layoffs.

I'm hoping to weigh-in at some point about the bevy of gubenatorial candidates, and their job creation/workforce strategies. For political junkies like me, this is an exciting time, as we're a bit more than a year removed from November 2010's election of our next governor.

For others like me, “jonesing” for the horserace to begin, Derek Viger, at The Maine View conducted an entirely “unscientific” online poll last week. The results were interesting and gave a preliminary indication that political neophyte, Bruce Poliquin, may have an organization capable of mobilizing supporters, very important at such an early stage in the game.