Throughout the United States, communities are grappling to fill their workforce needs and rebound from the recession. However, despite the loss of jobs across the nation, high-growth industries like health care, renewable energy and STEM fields are short of skilled employees. This problem is likely to worsen with the baby boomer generation retiring over the next 10 years. The mismatch of supply and demand between available jobs and unqualified employees will only stunt economic recovery if communities do not train the workforce for these burgeoning industries.

In order to fulfill the needs of regional industries, educators need to examine their workforce strengths and develop programs to train and educate students and adults to enter high-growth professions. For example, the construction industry in Arizona has taken a hit because of the drop in the real estate market. Says Kevin English, a construction trades teacher at Raymond S. Kellis High School in Glendale, Ariz., “I started to think about how we are training students for jobs and careers in our community that was hardest hit, and how would students be able to find a job.”

Building off his knowledge in construction, English looked to a related industry that was projected to grow — the renewable energy and energy-efficiency industry. The American Solar Energy Society and Management Information Services, Inc. in 2009 published a report that forecasts the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry to generate up to $4.3 trillion in revenue and create more than 37 million jobs (more than 17 percent of all anticipated U.S. employment) by the year 2030. The next step for English was connecting the demand of that industry with the needs of his community.

Uncovering Workforce Solutions In Your Community

As an educator, English and other career and technical education (CTE) teachers partner with business and industry to provide students with the latest information about the industry as well as improve academic outcomes and enhance students' technical skills. This partnership allows students the opportunity to learn skills with hands-on activities, creative thinking, teamwork and presentation skills.

One afternoon while driving home from school, English was stopped in traffic and noticed a home covered in solar panels. He realized that his students could have jobs in the construction industry installing solar panels. The only thing English needed to change was his application in the classroom. English's trip down the freeway led to a new way in teaching standards and competencies in electricity at his school.

How To Develop Standards Into Curriculum

To start the process, English needed to develop a curriculum framework, which includes the unit of instruction, the dates to be taught, the standards crosswalk and the activity that will be used for the application of the concepts. Along with curriculum framework, materials needed to be gathered, an industry and business connection needed to be established, and student interest had to be developed. English wanted to develop curriculum that applied solar panel installation concepts to teaching electrical concepts and plumbing using solar thermal hot water and geothermal.

His first step was to look at all the other standards that needed to be covered and an alternative energy and sustainable application that could be used. English started contacting local companies in the solar industry and meeting with vendors of educational products to find out the latest information available to build a curriculum framework. A team of industry individuals came together, and English shared his thoughts and visions of the curriculum. Business and industry provided him with information on the latest skills employers are looking for in the alternative energy industry, and he developed curriculum with hands-on applications to create student interest and teach the essential skills. Looking at the different standards, English created a crosswalk with alternative energy. He looked at all of the standards that needed to be taught within the course of the year and identified applications in alternative energy and sustainable construction that could apply the skills in the standards.

Another key factor for this industry is the issue of certification. English is in the process of forming a board of local industry professionals to develop a certificate and an assessment. There are options to use assessments from national companies, but it can be costly. English applied for and won a grant from the Earth Day Network to install solar panels at his school. His students installed 10 solar panels that provide power to a student store, and two panels on poles in an open area of the campus to provide lighting and power for outdoor events. The students worked with business and industry professionals to install the panels in April.

The curriculum introduced students to renewable energy topics such as solar, wind and geothermal power, as well as weatherization for energy efficiency. English incorporated the skills into his curriculum and used alternative energy as an application to teach students the latest skills and learn how to apply them in the real world.

Educating The Business And Local Communities

Once educators have developed sustainability curriculum, it is important to educate the different audiences about the new curriculum. There are several ways to increase awareness in the community. One way is by educating the local and regional media about the new curriculum and its impact in preparing students for their future careers. Schools, and business and industry need to meet with their local media outlets to discuss the new curriculum or program and how it will affect their local community.

For example, once English developed the curriculum and won the grant, he reached out to The Arizona Republic, a local newspaper, which wrote articles about the new curriculum. The articles educated the community about how the students are partnering with a local business to install solar panels. As a result of the press coverage, English has received calls from other companies in the alternative energy industry about how they can get involved with his program.

Another way is to write an opinion editorial to raise awareness of the new program and how it will educate and train the future workforce. Schools and/or businesses can host an event to showcase the new curriculum or program. Invite your local chamber of commerce, school board members, local government officials, members of Congress and other members of the community to the event. During the event, discuss how the collaboration can lower the dropout rate, lead to greater community prosperity and provide local business and industry with a steady stream of interested and well-qualified employees.

Educators are constantly working to identify the needs of business and industry and how to incorporate the latest information and technology into the classroom. Teachers are creating new hands-on activities for students to learn how to apply what they are learning in the classroom to real-world applications. Across the United States, CTE programs are developing new curriculum and programs to respond to workforce needs. Educators are developing new standards and building partnerships with local business and industries. By partnering with business and industry, CTE educators are developing high-quality, high-demand programs that provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be competitive in today's global economy and build a pipeline of qualified workers.

Business and industry as well as educators need to develop a community of resources and raise awareness of the needs facing education and the emerging industries. The resources can include sharing best practices, curriculum, program ideas, and content with schools in their state and around the country. Schools need to collaborate with business and industry in developing curriculum and ideas and find new, innovative ways to deliver content. Educators need to communicate with business and industry on how they can get involved in the classroom. For example, they can provide advice on curriculum, be a guest speaker, provide job shadowing opportunities, and allow students to develop marketing and public relations plans for local businesses.

With more collaboration between business and industry, educators can develop courses and programs to satisfy the needs of emerging industries and the students they serve. CTE programs are revitalizing communities by spurring cooperation and innovation between high schools and postsecondary institutions, as well as with the business community, to ensure that programs are being created quickly and efficiently to prepare students for careers in fields where their skills are truly needed.

Kevin English is a construction trades teacher at Raymond S. Kellis High School in Glendale, Ariz. Sabrina Kidwai is the media relations manager for the Association for Career and Technical Education, located in Alexandria, Va. Learn more by visiting www.acteonline.org.

Find Your Next Workforce In The U.S. Virgin Islands

Besides the quality of place amenities found in the U.S. Virgin Islands – the Caribbean locale, the sun, beach and sand – what do you know about the business climate, including industry clusters and the workforce? While it is widely know that there are excellent incentive packages available for qualifying businesses operating in the islands, such as a 90 percent reduction in corporate income taxes, you may not know about the highly skilled workforce. Industries that thrive in the islands include financial and insurance services, software, and manufacturing; with activities, policies and workforce training emerging in regard to supporting renewable energy, and film and entertainment developments.

Upon a close inspection of the manufacturing sector, maritime and aviation companies have found success operating in the U.S. Virgin Islands. In other industry sector endeavors, St. Croix is home to the third-largest oil refinery in the Western Hemisphere, Hovensa. “The plant employs 3,000 employees directly, and nearly 6,000 contractors, creating a strong labor pool of technically trained individuals,” says Jerry Garcia, director of marketing and public relations, the U.S. Virgin Island Economic Development Authority.

Garcia adds the islands' economic developers have created a large network that keeps track of individuals that have moved off island to work in industries throughout the mainland United States. “We know where the talent is located and how to attract this talent back to the island if needed.”

To learn more, visit www.usvieda.org.