Hartford Foundation Education Committee Testimony HB 5448 Education and Workforce Alignment

On Wednesday, March 14 the Foundation submitted testimony to the legislature’s Education Committee in support of HB 5448, An Act Concerning Education and Workforce Alignment. The Foundation credited the legislation for attempting to more closely align Connecticut's education and workforce systems, acknowledging a shared responsibility in preparing students and young adults to work in the state's industries where there are jobs. This proposed study provides an important opportunity to assess the availability of programs that together can provide career pathways for young adults to build essential work readiness as well as the basic education skills needed for technical training.  The Foundation has learned from its own investments in education, adult literacy and workforce development that training that integrates educational and workforce development skill-building must begin as early as middle school continuing through high school, and remain accessible into college and beyond in order to be successful in developing both the soft skills and adequate math and other technical skills to meet the needs of many Connecticut employers.

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Testimony Regarding House Bill 5448
An Act Concerning the Alignment of Education and Workforce Need
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Education Committee
March 14, 2018

Good afternoon Senator Slossberg, Senator Boucher, Representative Fleishmann, Representative Lavielle and distinguished members of the Education Committee. The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is grateful for this opportunity to offer testimony in support of H.B. 5448, An Act Concerning the Alignment of Education and Workforce Needs.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for the 29-town Greater Hartford region.  We are the largest community foundation in Connecticut, and among the largest 20 community foundations in the country.  With a mission to put philanthropy into action to promote equitable opportunity for all residents in our region, this includes a longstanding focus on education  which aims to enable all students, especially those who face the greatest opportunity gaps, to enter kindergarten ready to learn and graduate from high school prepared to succeed.  The Foundation has also been working to help residents overcome barriers to employment in order to bring economic security to their families by becoming assets to our employers. In 2017, the Foundation awarded grants totaling $34.5 million, with approximately 34 percent of that funding going to support education and 12 percent in support of community and economic development efforts.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving applauds HB 5448, which will more closely align Connecticut's education and workforce systems, acknowledging a shared responsibility in preparing students and young adults to work in the state's industries where there are jobs.

High unemployment rates among young adults, and even higher rates among Black and Latino adults in Connecticut's urban centers, demand that we take a close look at existing programs in place, and to what extent they are meeting both the education and workforce training needs at different stages of development to prepare students and young adults to meet the needs of employers.

This proposed study provides an important opportunity to assess the availability of programs that together can provide career pathways for young adults to build essential work readiness as well as the basic education skills needed for technical training.  We know that training that integrates educational and workforce development skill-building must begin as early as middle school continuing through high school, and remain accessible into college and beyond in order to be successful in developing both the soft skills and adequate math and other technical skills to meet the needs of many Connecticut employers.  According to Metro Hartford Progress Points, approximately 27 percent of future Connecticut jobs will be middle-skilled jobs, and we know that employers are currently struggling to find qualified applicants to fill the gaps created by an aging workforce.

For many years, the Hartford Foundation has invested in programs that offer pathways for students, young adults and families to develop skills that can lead to family sustaining employment.  In partnership with Capital Workforce Partners, Hartford Public Schools, and local nonprofits, we have provided year-round youth employment focused on basic competencies and work-based learning.  Our support of the BEST Chance reentry program brings together workforce development, adult education and other partners to deliver an integrated basic skills training model.  The Two Generation work supported by the foundation seizes the opportunity to build literacy, workforce and related skills with parents and their children.

We recognize the importance of ensuring youth and young adults with educational challenges or barriers to employment can succeed.  Our investment in the Hartford Opportunity Youth Collaborative brings training and supports to youth ages 16 to 24 who are unemployed as well as to youth involved in the justice and child welfare systems.  Since 2016, the foundation has supported nine programs that provide training to adults with low literacy and limited workforce skills across Greater Hartford, as part of our Career Pathways Initiative.

As a part of its family, school, community partnership work, the Hartford Foundation has also been supporting the efforts of Windsor Locks Public Schools and others to develop personalized learning pathways that include experiential learning in local businesses. Windsor Locks Public Schools, for instance, has worked to forge relationships with town businesses, agencies, organizations, and regional institutions of higher education to increase opportunities for internships, apprenticeships, and anytime /anywhere learning opportunities. This work is a vital part to helping the district achieving its vision that all graduating students master rigorous 21st century standards using a personalized learning plan that students develop with district staff.

While these and other programs are in place in Connecticut, the proposed study serves to fully assess and develop recommendations for further meeting the need in effective and cost efficient ways.

Thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony.