Hawaii-2015-HCR153-Introduced

WHEREAS, there is a dearth of career-ready skilled workers available to fill industrial vacancies; and

WHEREAS, a 2012 study sponsored by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute showed that nine out of ten Americans believe manufacturing is important to the United States economy; and

WHEREAS, in 2015 Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute reported that over the next decade the manufacturing industry will create 700,000 new jobs and in addition there will be approximately 2,700,000 manufacturing jobs vacated by retiring baby boomers, of which 2,000,000 of those vacated jobs will go unfilled because of an expected shortage of skilled workers; and

WHEREAS, globally, seventy-five million young people are unemployed, yet businesses have a shortage of skilled workers to fill vacant positions; and

WHEREAS, the president of the Manufacturing Institute stated that "[t]he skills shortage pervades all stages of manufacturing—from engineering to skilled production. This challenge will only grow as the demographics of our workforce evolve with retirements, new technological advances requiring a higher level of training and certification, and our K-12 education system, which continues to lack the necessary focus on STEM education"; and

WHEREAS, forty-five percent of employers report a lack of skills as the main reason for entry-level vacancies and only forty-two percent of employers worldwide believe new graduates are adequately prepared for work; and

WHEREAS, millennials are expected to fill open manufacturing positions, but drawing them into the industry is a huge challenge for manufacturers; and

WHEREAS, manufacturers are collaborating with training partners to create training programs to develop skilled workers; and

WHEREAS, the agriculture and technology industries also encounter challenges recruiting skilled workers; and

WHEREAS, employment agencies, workforce centers, state boards, college boards, and technical schools do not always provide workers with the specialized skills necessary for modern industry, demonstrating the gap between the skills education provides and the skills businesses need; and

WHEREAS, a skilled workforce is essential for economic growth; and

WHEREAS, companies are taking a multi-faceted approach to solve their workforce shortages by offering higher pay for certain jobs, implementing veteran hiring programs, providing internal training and worker development programs, and working with local schools and community colleges to create training and certification programs; and

WHEREAS, German companies, which have built manufacturing plants in the United States in recent years, are teaming up with American community colleges to replicate the German apprenticeship system that develops skilled workers by giving teenagers internships and practical training; and

WHEREAS, high schools nationwide are providing similar career pathway programs through various modes including vocational schools and internship opportunities, some of which lead to certificates or licenses in addition to a high school diploma; and

WHEREAS, career pathways students not only acquire work-based experience, but also develop basic employment skills necessary for success in the workplace; and

WHEREAS, students have a weak understanding of the skills and degrees which will be most marketable as they seek employment, and some students have even given up on their ability to leverage education to find employment; and

WHEREAS, in-demand jobs are those in technology, engineering, and other fields that require certifications and licenses; and

WHEREAS, career pathways provide a context for exploring career options at all levels of education and a framework for linking learning to the skills and knowledge needed for future success, but may not always result in pursuit of higher education; and

WHEREAS, students receive very little coaching from their colleges about possible career opportunities and how to assess their aptitude for potential careers, and need information and tools to help them see the pathway from education to employment; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawaii; Department of Education; and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations are requested to work together to identify areas of opportunity for economic growth, diversification, and job creation in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawaii; Department of Education; and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations are requested to work together to develop keiki to career pathways for each industry identified that will provide a context for exploring career options at all levels of education and a framework for linking learning to the skills and knowledge needed for success in each career pathway; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations are requested to identify the industries that may thrive in various parts of the State and develop regional economic plans for each industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each regional economic plan include the identified industry, information about the geographical area, including the educational institutions nearby and any state facilities or land that may be redeveloped to support the industry, and any local entities that may be available to assist the Department of Education and University of Hawaii in the development of a keiki to career pathways curriculum; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations use the Whitmore Project as a model of an economic regional plan which syncs and coordinates intermediate and secondary education with the skillsets needed by the local agricultural industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education and University of Hawaii develop curriculum for each keiki to career pathway, and align keiki to career pathways to each regional economic plan in an effort to close the gap between business needs and education outcomes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; President of the University of Hawaii; Superintendent of Education; and Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Career Pathways; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawaii; Department of Education; and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Skilled Workers

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	153
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII