Author: Jennifer Mellor, Chief Innovation Officer, Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation
Since our launch in 2016, the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation has focused on workforce development as a key pillar of our community efforts. Most of this work has been focused on post-secondary education, aligning, and creating new training programs to meet the growing needs of employers. We are excited to pull those practices back into K-12 education, building comprehensive career pathways.
As our community has rebounded from the Great Recession, we’ve all seen stellar economic growth, but we know from the data that a lack of qualified talent has stifled some growth for companies looking to expand. Companies are trying new approaches to talent development to address this growing shortage. In fact, according to a 2018 study by the Manpower Group, 55% of employers are investing in learning platforms and development tools to upskill their own talent pipelines, causing a notable stress on employer resources.
To close the skills gap, employers in Arizona require an education system that is more dynamic and better able to prepare students for a diverse range of career pathways. In order to do that, Arizona’s education providers need the support of industry leaders.
For the past year, we’ve been working with national experts, local leaders, and our partners to explore alternative learning models and innovative education methodologies that could work for Arizona’s talent pipelines.
Last March, we led a delegation of business and community leaders to Nashville, Tennessee to participate in the Nashville Academies Study Visit.
Prior to our trip to Nashville, the Foundation team toured the Academies @ South Mountain, formerly known as South Mountain High School.
Two years ago, the school transitioned to an academy system of learning. With four separate academies—Science & Technology, Public & Social Service, Aerospace & Engineering, and Media, Arts & Design—the school focuses on fostering 21st-century learning experiences that increase student preparedness for college or career.
Both of these tours were illuminating and have informed our efforts in bridging the gap between industry and education at every level.
As a leader in Arizona’s business community and an innovator in the workforce development arena, the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, in partnership with education and community partners, will develop a model for Arizona schools to better integrate viable career pathways into the K-12 education system. This innovative model will ensure that students receive relevant and timely career information, thereby allowing them to graduate with a strong sense of the career they would like to pursue and the ability to obtain that career through job training or postsecondary education programs.
This transformation will require engagement from multiple stakeholders across the community, including educators, administrators, business leaders, philanthropy and community leaders. We invite you to join us in this process. To engage, email us at education@phoenixchamber.com.
With a shared vision and strategic purpose, we can better align students to college and career pathways that meet the needs of tomorrow’s economy. кредит
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