e-Journal Story
Opening Plenary Session Part I
Workforce Innovations 2008 kicked off in "a city of undefeated spirit" -- New Orleans.
Chairman Bill Sanders took conference goers on a video tour of the many textures of the Crescent City. On behalf of host state Louisiana, the executive director of the state's Workforce Commission Tim Barfield welcomed and thanked the full-house crowd for its help in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In particular, he expressed gratitude for those individuals from many states who helped process hundreds of thousands of Unemployment Insurance claims following the storms. Barfield said that Louisiana is learning from others' experiences to redefine its workforce and economy.
Tony Bingham, President and CEO of Workforce Innovations co-sponsor, the American Society for Training and Development, joined Sanders to discuss some of the challenges organizations face when developing talent. Many, said Bingham, lack an integrated strategy for talent development. The key, Bingham pointed out, is to develop effective strategies for "talent management," and creating an organizational approach to talent development.
Jim "Mr. Energy" Smith Jr. then took the stage to encourage conference-goers to "take the ordinary and do it extraordinarily." Touting the merits of the "Three A's," (Awareness, Action, and Application),, he encouraged attendees to plan what sessions they will attend; attend the sessions with the goal of taking home new ideas; and applying what they learn at the conference in their daily work.
One organization doing extraordinary work is Florida's Workforce Alliance Inc. It was announced as the first winner in the annual series of Recognition of Excellence Awards, taking top honors in the "Educating America's Workforce to Serve Emerging Industries" category. Through its biotechnology training program, the Alliance provides out-of-work professionals with training that allows them to enter careers with biotech companies. The Workforce Alliance's Doug Saenz and Ruben Garcia-Ordonez, a successful participant in the program, accepted the award.
The program then shifted to Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Brent R. Orrell who delivered remarks on the importance of providing talent development services to all segments of society. These include TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) recipients and prisoners returning to their communities following incarceration. Millions of people, said Orrell, stand to benefit from training and education that will give them the skills needed to reap the benefits of the global economy.
In her sixth Workforce Innovations keynote address, Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao conveyed to the audience that "America needs you, the entire workforce innovation community." The competitiveness of both our workers and our institutions, though, depends on the workforce system's ability to evolve within the ever-changing global economy. In other words, there is one more certainty besides death and taxes: change.
We have made strides, Chao said, in collaboration, noting that union leaders are sitting next to employers; and state and local officials are coming together with their federal peers to develop innovative strategies. She challenged government, private industry, non-profit organizations, and labor unions to build on the successes brought about by collaboration.
The workforce investment system also needs to be prepared for the fact that in the next decade, two-thirds of new jobs will require postsecondary education or significant on-the-job training. Emerging industries including nanotechnology and geospatial technology will need educated and trained workers if they are to grow. Industries of all kinds will need millions of career-ready professionals, including an estimated 950,000 new engineers.
Secretary Chao acknowledged that work remains in the Gulf Coast region. Repairing the damage wrought by the hurricanes a few years ago is a task that continues. She thanked the many on hand who had volunteered for the recovery efforts in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas. The work of these individuals helped thousands of workers get back on their feet after the storms.
Noting that this was her last Workforce Innovations address as Secretary of Labor, Chao again thanked attendees for their dedication and hard work, letting them know that they are making a real difference in the lives of workers every day.
