On-ramps to Success - Community Foundation · on education and workforce development— the cradle to career pipeline.1 An analysis ... limit career training and ... purpose, and

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On-ramps to Success:The Cradle to Career Pipeline

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Copy can wrap over here, or this column can contain callouts, imagery or introductory contentABOUT THE NIAGARA AREA FOUNDATION

The Niagara Area Foundation, established in 2000, is a division of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. Its mission is to connect people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Niagara County. The Niagara Area Foundation is led by a volunteer council representing all of Niagara County, and is committed to county-wide philanthropic efforts that improve lives and opportunities for all residents. This, along with its commitment to collaboration, has helped the Niagara Area Foundation build cross-sector partnerships that bring people together to co-create solutions and drive positive change in Niagara County.

ABOUT THIS REPORT

This document is meant to serve as a resource to the Niagara Area Foundation Council as well as other funders, policy makers, community members and civic leaders. The Niagara Area Foundation is committed to fostering a vibrant and inclusive Niagara County with opportunity for all through shared solutions, supported by collaborative partnerships.

Niagara County Solutions Forum: On-ramps to Success 3

Executive Summary

There has been a proliferation of reports focused on the revitalization of Niagara County and its individual municipalities over the last 20 years. On-ramps reviews three of these reports, examining the following emerging themes:

• The region must capitalize on its many assets to propel economic growth

• A strengthened cradle to career pipeline must be developed to support such growth

• The region must attempt to minimize the impacts of its recent population sprawl

On-ramps to Success centers the conversation

on education and workforce development—

the cradle to career pipeline.1 An analysis of existing data suggests that in order for Niagara County to increase its economic vitality, it must better align education and human capital development with the needs of the workforce.

This argument rests on these key findings:

• Niagara County has above average high school graduation rates but lags in postsecondary completion

• On average, those in Niagara County who hold a bachelor’s degree earn $20,000 more per year than those with a high school diploma

• As current employees age out of the workforce, projections predict a skills gap in the fields of transportation, utilities, and manufacturing

These findings suggest the following:

• Niagara County has much talent but it has not been maximized

• A mismatch exists between the careers students are trained for and the jobs available

• There is an economic imperative to providing greater educational and training opportunities and aligning these to the needs of the job market

On-ramps to Success makes the case that cross-sector collaborations focusing on the development of human capital (education and training) in relation to the needs of the job market can be the linchpin for economic success.

By aligning education and training opportunities to the needs of the job market,

Niagara County can GROW, MAXIMIZE, and MAINTAIN ITS TALENT.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

JOB MARKET NEEDS

Scanning the County: An Overview of Niagara County Reports

Within the last several years there have been a number of reports and plans aimed at assessing the state of Niagara County and suggesting a pathway forward. Here, we highlight three of the most significant plans, chosen for the unique perspectives and insights they offer.

Regional, county, and municipal plans make the case for a comprehensive cradle to career pipeline that creates opportunity for all residents.

The Regional Economic Development Plan articulates a vision for the Greater Niagara Region and has significant investment dollars supporting its implementation. The plan, while inclusive of both Niagara and Erie Counties, takes a local approach to development and has prioritized strategies that capitalize on Niagara County’s distinct assets and strengths.

The Niagara Communities Comprehensive Plan represents significant depth and breadth of knowledge specific to Niagara County. The plan, while looking across the county, accounts for municipal and regional differences.

The Mobile Safety Net Reports focus on the people in Niagara County. While the prior two reports take a top-level view of the economy, the Mobile Safety Net reports reveal how residents experience the economy “on the ground.” These reports provide a sense of the gaps in services, the challenges residents face, and reinforce the need to connect economic plans to the experiences of everyday people.

WNY Regional Economic Development Council Strategic PlanAugust 2014

IMPLEMENT SMART GROWTH

FOSTER A CULTURE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING

PREPARE OUR WORKFORCE

ENERGY

AGRICULTURE

HEALTH | LIFE SCIENCES

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

BI-NATIONAL LOGISTICS

TOURISM

THE NEWWNY

Niagara CommunitiesComprehensive Plan 2030

Niagara County, New York

July 2009

A Plan to Communicate, Collaborate & Connect

WNY’sSTRENGTHENING

Safety NetA COMMUNITY REPORTCity of NIAGARA FALLS E R I E

N I A G A R A

Report prepared for The John R. Oishei Foundation by the University at Buffalo Regional Institute

December 2013

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C I T Y O F N I A G A R A FA L L STOWN OF NIAGARA

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10-25% 26-50% 51%-75% 76%-100%

SERVICE PROVIDERS

71 service providers employing about 3,695 employees exist in Niagara Falls to provide a range of human services.

POPULATION IN OR NEAR POVERTY

Over 22,400 Niagara Falls residents live on incomes under or near the federal poverty level

Population in or near poverty by block group, 2010

SCHOOLS

Niagara Falls City School District:8 elementary schools 2 preparatory schools1 high schoolabout 7,300 students total enrolled

NFTA BUS ROUTES & STOPS

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

TRANSPORTATION

Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel Niagara Falls City School DistrictNiagara Falls Memorial Medical Center

LaSalle

Hyde Park

DeVeaux

Highland

DowntownCore City

DeVeaux

High

Hyde Parkydd

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Niagara Falls Neighborhoods


The REDC plan illuminates the paradox that exists in the region; that the region is both educated and underperforming at the same time. High school graduation rates exceed national averages, while resident college completion rates lag.

ABOUT 30,000 YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ENTERING THE WORK FORCE ANNUALLY, INCLUDING 26,000 COLLEGE GRADUATES FROM AREA SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS 4,000 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.3

However, if jobs do not exist, or if young people are not equipped with the requisite skills needed for the available jobs, then they are faced with a choice; relocate to where they can find full-time work or resign themselves to unemployment/underemployment. Further, even for those highly skilled workers who remain, the norm in Niagara County is above average unemployment levels (29% of unemployed, versus 20% nationally).4 It is clear that Niagara County, with its skilled labor force and education potential, would benefit from a robust cradle to career pipeline that more closely aligns the job market with student career preparation.

The Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) has recently released a series of plans for area development.2 Governor Cuomo has committed one billion dollars of investment to Niagara and Erie Counties. The REDC process identified the need to bolster three industry sectors to drive economic growth: advanced manufacturing, health & life sciences, and tourism. For Niagara County, the first and the third are of particular importance.

While prioritizing these sectors, the REDC plan also calls for “reinforcing the core”; a call to strengthen education in the region. Specifically, the plan recommends increasing educational attainment and alignment between employer needs and worker preparation. The REDC plan takes a holistic look at the workforce, acknowledging that K-12 and postsecondary institutions, as well as adult training opportunities have important roles to play. To address workforce needs, the REDC plan identifies the need to:

REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL PLAN The region is both educated and underperforming.


Boost high school graduation and college completion rates

Expand training

Up-skill/ right-skill workers

In 2009, Niagara County published its 2030 Comprehensive Plan.5 This document, based on the feedback of stakeholders and prior planning documents, provides a top-level snapshot of each of the municipalities while simultaneously taking a county-wide perspective to understanding the assets and challenges facing the area. The purpose of this plan is to influence decision-making and planning efforts as follows:

Niagara County should consider the economy it wants in the future, and not limit career training and education to the present.

NIAGARA COMMUNITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

In addition to establishing clear purposes and guidelines for usage, the plan identifies key issues and assets. Among those areas identified, the report highlights the need for greater alignment between education and the workforce, making several recommendations to this end.

For example, the report calls for more vocational education and career counseling in public schools, recommending that these be tied explicitly to the near- and long-term needs of the region.

Given that tourism and agribusiness are important sectors in Niagara County, the report suggests that students should be given opportunities to explore career options in these fields. Implicit within this work is the idea that Niagara County should consider the economy it wants in the future and not limit career training and education to the present. In order to attract industries to the area, it is essential that Niagara County has an appropriately prepared labor force.


Encourage desirable and appropriate growth and development

S T R E N G T H E N THE LOCAL ECONOMY

Improve the delivery of services

PRIORITIZE AND COORDINATE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS

1

2

3

4

5

To date, four reports for Niagara County have been released: Lockport, Newfane, Niagara Falls, and North Tonawanda. While each of these communities differs from one another, some common needs emerged. Specifically, the reports found that all four communities experience poverty, lack sufficient public transportation systems, and, significant to this report, need to strengthen educational attainment and workforce development. The reports highlight examples of local programs that are successfully addressing these needs, as well as national best-practice models.

COMMON THREADS AND IMPORTANT

Created by The John R. Oishei Foundation, the Mobile Safety Net Team Initiative6 has gathered extensive information from and about residents in various communities throughout Niagara and Erie counties in order to assess how the economic conditions have affected those most in need.

Through this data gathering

project, the initiative attempts

to link residents with needed

human services and to

strengthen the safety net overall.

MOBILE SAFETY NET REPORTSThere is a need to strengthen educational attainment and workforce development, as well as the overall safety net for residents.

TAKEAWAYSA strong economy is one that engages both a top-down and bottom-up approach, benefits all residents, and provides meaningful opportunities for all.

While in many ways very different—in approach, purpose, and frame—the three highlighted reports

demonstrate the need to develop a comprehensive cradle to career pipeline that engages

all relevant stakeholders along the way in order to create a Niagara County that flourishes, and

importantly, benefits all residents. While the REDC and Niagara Communities Comprehensive Plan

advance top-level visions for economic development, the Mobile Safety Net reports remind us that

people are the crucial link to economic prosperity. For example, if a plan was made to bring an

industry to the region but there were few workers to take on the jobs, then the plan would flounder.

Similarly, if the industry was located in one corner of Niagara County and the available workforce did

not have access to transportation to get there, the plan would not be successful. A strong economy

is one that engages both a top-down and bottom-up approach, benefits all residents and provides

meaningful opportunities for all.


Education and Workforce Development: The “Cradle to Career” Pipeline

The cradle to career pipeline takes a robust view of education, accounting for the numerous factors, both inside of school and out, that contribute to long-term student success. “‘Cradle to career’ has become a catchall phrase used to describe the notion that, in order to prepare young people for a successful future, education must be a priority from early childhood until well after secondary school, and community leaders must work together to address challenges along the educational pipeline.”7

Student educational preparation directly affects the workforce and the overall economic vitality and well-being of an area.

The cradle to career pipeline is the connection between educational preparation and workforce outcomes.


CAREERK–12 Education

Higher Education or Job Training

CRADLE

B CAA

In order to move the County forward, we must align education with our economic development strategies. One of education’s major tasks is to prepare our children for their future economic lives. What happens in pre-kindergarten sets up a student for elementary school; elementary school positions a child for middle school; a student’s pathway in middle school will shape his/her high school trajectory; and how one performs in high school, undoubtedly influences career and long-term economic standing. For example:

CALL TO ACTIONGreater alignment between economic development plans and education is essential to a prosperous future in Niagara County.


A student

unable to read

by 3rd grade

is unlikely

to graduate

high school8

Before entering

school, affluent

children, on

average, hear

30 million more

words than their

low-income peers;

a gap that is

exacerbated upon

school entry10

50% of the

Black-White

achievement

gap can be

traced back

to gaps in

preparedness

existing in

1st grade9

In short, education matters.

If schools are expected to prepare students to be college and/or career-ready, we need to raise the following questions here in Niagara County:

What careers are students prepared for?

How can we meet the needs of employees? Employers?

What are the jobs we hope to create and attract here?

Are we preparing students for the future jobs we want and will have in Niagara County?

In order for economic development to succeed, it is imperative that business, planners and educators work together. Plans to re-tool the economy for the 21st century will not be realized if the development of human capital and the needs of the workforce are not better aligned.

THE CASE FOR CRADLE TO CAREER IN NIAGARA COUNTYThe education of our residents directly affects the economic vitality of our county.

The economic health of Niagara County is highly dependent upon the educational attainment of its workforce. Educational attainment affects income, employment stability, and a range of other factors. While not a guarantee of economic stability, education is one of the most well-established paths to social mobility and is prioritized as a poverty-fighting strategy. Those with a college degree are less likely to be unemployed and out-earn their less formally educated peers by a significant amount.11 Niagara County median earnings by educational attainment reaffirm this point; earnings increase dramatically as one completes more schooling.

A college degree, however, is only one of many positive outcomes resulting from a strong education pipeline. A number of jobs in our region, such as those in manufacturing and skilled labor, do not require a bachelor’s degree but do necessitate vocational training and/or certifications. These are also jobs that can pay family-sustaining wages. Yet, recent years have seen a departure from vocational education in secondary schools. Such moves have resulted in a disruption to the pipeline. A 2010 report from the University of Buffalo’s Regional Institute found that large gaps in the manufacturing, utilities, and transportation workforces are projected as older workers retire without sufficient younger workers to replace them.12 A strong pipeline relies upon communication between educational institutions and employers, and would facilitate various opportunities for education and training—opportunities that directly link to the job market.


MEDIAN EARNINGS BY DEGREE, NIAGARA COUNTY 2008–2012

$10,000 $0 $40,000 $20,000 $50,000 $60,000 $30,000

$29,000HS Graduate/ Equivalent

$18,000<HS Graduate

$47,000Bachelor’s Degree

Graduate/ Professional Degree $56,000

Some College/ AA Degree $33,000

White............89.6%Black............6.9%Multiracial...2.2%Hispanic/Latino .......................2.2%

CRADLE TO CAREER SNAPSHOT: VITAL STATISTICS AND TRENDS IN NIAGARA COUNTY


1990 2000 2012 TREND

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

Median Income

Poverty

13.6%

$28,507

10.7%

17.4%

$38,136

10.6%

20.4%

$47,736

13.3%

Niagara County continues to develop its human capital. More residents than ever before are pursuing postsecondary education, yet attainment rates continue to lag behind state and national levels.

Household income is on the rise. Higher household income generally produces greater stability.

Poverty is on the rise. Given that the population has been declining and median incomes have risen, this points to a rise in inequality.

Median Age of the Population 34.6 38 42The population of Niagara County is getting older. Retirements are projected to produce large skill gaps in the labor force.

High School Graduation Rate 75.9% 83.3% 89.4%The high school graduation rate is on the rise and is above the national average. Today, more residents are college and career ready.

Population 220,756 219,846 216,469The population of Niagara County is decreasing. This has important implications for public services and planning.

Diversity13

The region has increased in diversity. Greater diversity has been linked to increased productivity and innovation.

White............93%Black............5.4%Multiracial....n/aHispanic/Latino ..........................1%

White............90.7%Black............6.1%Multiracial...1.1%Hispanic/Latino ......................1.3%

County Profile: Demographic SnapshotLocated in Western New York (WNY), Niagara County is comprised of 20 municipalities and three American Indian tribal nations. The County shares its border with three other WNY counties—Orleans, Genesee, and Erie—the Canadian province of Ontario, the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. Niagara County is one of two counties contained within the Buffalo-Niagara Metropolitan Area, a region with a population of about 1.1 million people.

POPULATIONThe population of Niagara County is both decreasing and dispersing.

The population of Niagara County has been steadily decreasing over the past several decades. As the population decreased it has simultaneously spread. Population decline accompanied by sprawl can be problematic from a service and resource perspective. Population decline results in a smaller tax base while sprawl requires greater resources to maintain public services.


NIAGARA COUNTY POPULATION 1960–2010

1960 19901970 2000 20101980

200,000

205,000

210,000

215,000

220,000

225,000

230,000

235,000

240,000

245,000

250,000

242,269

235,720

227,354

220,756 219,846

216,469

LAKE ONTARIO

Youngstown

LewistonLewiston

NiagaraWheatfield Pendleton

North Tonawanda ERIE COUNTY

Porter

Wilson

Wilson NewfaneHartland

MiddleportLockport

Cambria

LockportRoyalton

Barker

Somerset

Tuscarora Reservation

Niagara Falls

CANADA

County Profile: Demographic Snapshot

RACENiagara County is becoming more diverse. Diversity is linked to positive developments, such as increased productivity and innovation.

The racial makeup of the County has not changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Since 1990, the area has become slightly more diverse. The population continues to be overwhelmingly White (89%), while Black/African Americans make up the second largest racial group at about 7%. The city centers possess the greatest amounts of diversity. For example, 73% of Niagara Falls residents are White and 22% are Black— proportions that differ markedly from the county demographics.


88.5% White

1.1% American Indian

0.5% Other

6.9% Black

0.8% Asian

2.2% Multi-Racial


AGEOur aging population means more workers are retiring and as they exit the workforce, so too does their expertise, creating a possible skills gap.

Niagara County’s population is getting older. Since 1990, the median age has increased by almost 10 years from 34 to 42 years old.

MEDIAN AGE: 42 YEARS


WHY AGE MATTERSA region’s vitality and economic health is closely linked with the age of its residents.

An aging population has significant consequences for job growth, labor markets, and local revenues (taxes collected from a smaller labor pool) as well as social and health-related costs.

Labor participation rates drop as a population gets older if there are not enough young people to fill the vacancies. In the case of Niagara County, projected retirements in fields like manufacturing and utilities are expected to lead to labor shortages as younger workers have not been prepared to take on these positions.



NIAGARA COUNTY AGE DISTRIBUTION

NEW YORK STATE AGE DISTRIBUTION

UNITED STATES AGE DISTRIBUTION

45 & OLDER 45.9%

UNDER 45 54.2%

45 & OLDER 40.2%

UNDER 45 60.5%

45 & OLDER 39.5%

UNDER 45 60.5%


POVERTYWhile the population declined, poverty has increased. Poverty is not just concentrated in the urban cores; suburban and rural communities have also seen a rise in poverty rates.

Poverty rates in Niagara County had been relatively steady until the most recent Census. The current poverty rate for Niagara County is 13%, an increase of about 25% since 2010. This rate is slightly lower than those reported for New York State and for neighboring Erie County. Rates across the county, however, vary widely. Of the 20 municipalities in Niagara County, only seven have poverty rates

MEDIAN INCOMEJust as poverty rates vary across the County, so too do median incomes. The lowest median income can be found in Niagara Falls—which, unsurprisingly, has the highest poverty rates— while Pendleton has the highest median income and the lowest poverty rates.

Median incomes have risen but there is great disparity across the county.

below 10%, and only four (Cambria, Lewiston [town], Lewiston [village], and Pendleton) saw their poverty rates decrease since 2000. The lowest poverty rate can be found in the town of Pendleton—2.4%.

A review of the poverty data across Niagara County reveals that poverty is not just an urban issue. Two of the four highest poverty rates can be found in rural municipalities.


MUNICIPALITIES WITH THE HIGHEST POVERTY RATES

NIAGARA COUNTY BARKER LOCKPORT (CITY) NIAGARA FALLS WILSON (VILLAGE)

10%

5%

0%

20%

25%

15% 13%

22%19%20%

15%

$40,000

$20,000

$0

$80,000

$60,000

NIAGARA FALLS

$33,324

NEW YORK STATE

$57,683

UNITED STATES

$53,046

NIAGARA COUNTY

$47,736

PENDLETON

$72,950


EDUCATIONEducational attainment across the region has consistently risen. More residents than ever before have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Educational attainment has been steadily on the rise. High school graduation rates have noticeably increased—by almost 15 percentage points—over the past 20 years, and are higher than the national rates. Postsecondary completion, while lower than national rates, has also risen; in 2012, almost 21% of the population had a bachelor’s degree or higher compared with only 13.6% in 1990.14

Important to note, college completion rates are on the rise. Younger people are more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than older generations.


EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT BY AGE, 2012

20%0% 80%40% 100%60%

BACHELOR’S DEGREE

14.4%

26.2%

AGE 25–34 AGE 35–44 AGE 45–64 AGE 65+

29%

20.5%

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

78.5%

93.4%92.1%

92.6%

POSTSECONDARY ATTAINMENT HAS INCREASED WITH EACH GENERATION

While the unemployment rate has been decreasing, there have been significant changes to the distribution of jobs by industry. While manufacturing is still an important industry in the region—the sector is currently the third largest, employing approximately 12% of the labor force—it has experienced a great decline since 2000, resulting in a net loss of approximately 11,000 jobs.16 Other than manufacturing, construction has also taken a large hit, losing 6,000 jobs over the past decade.


ECONOMIC DATA15 While employment is on the rise, industries that pay family-sustaining wages have experienced significant losses since 2000.

The unemployment rate in Niagara County has been steadily declining since a post-“Great Recession” high in 2009. At 6.2% (as of May 2014), the unemployment rate in Niagara County matches that of the United States.


0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

10%

4.9%

4.1%

6.2%

9.2%

NIAGARA COUNTY AVERAGE YEARLY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, 1990–2014

JOB TRENDS 2000–2013: TOP GAINS AND LOSSES IN NIAGARA COUNTY

0

-2,000

-4,000

-6,000

-8,000

-10,000

-12,000

4,000

2,000

CONSTRUCTION

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ACCOMMODATION

& FOOD SERVICE

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL

ASSISTANCE

MANUFACTURING

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Regional Profile: Demographic Snapshot

INDUSTRY AND WORKER AGE, 2013: SECTORS WITH GREATEST PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS AGE 45 AND OLDER

While generally not a cause for concern—an older workforce is normally replaced by a younger generation of employees as they age out of the labor force—an aging workforce can become an economic burden if a sufficient pool of qualified, younger workers does not exist. Planners, business representatives, and economic development experts predict that certain industries—manufacturing and utilities, in particular—will suffer from a “skills gap” in the near future. This projection is supported by education and training data, which suggest that few young people are pursuing these fields. For example, fewer than 7% of the potential entrants to the labor force receive education and/or training in manufacturing-based fields, as the table below indicates.17


DEGREES AWARDED IN MANUFACTURING-RELATED FIELDS, 2010-1118

CERTIFICATES ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE

BACHELOR’S DEGREE

MASTER’S DEGREE

DOCTORAL OR PROFESSIONAL

DEGREE

TOTAL

Engineering

Mechanic & Repair Technologies

Construction Trades & Production

TOTALS

24

17

56

97

299

207

160

666

688

0

25

713

353

0

0

353

62

17

56

135

1,426

224

297

1,964

% OF LABOR FORCE (IN INDUSTRY) 45 AND OLDERINDUSTRY

Utilities 69%

Educational Services 57%

Manufacturing 56%

Information 51%

Like Niagara County as a whole, the region’s workforce is aging. Recent data demonstrate the majority of the labor force employed in the fields of information, manufacturing, education, and utilities are 45 years of age or older.

Regional Profile: Demographic Snapshot


BUSINESS EDUCATION HEALTH LIBERAL ARTS

2000

1000

0

4000

5000

6000

3000

1151

3139

800

1476

3204

1112

597

907

1526

387

169

92

*Source: Buffalo Niagara Labor Market Assessment, 2010

TOP 4 MOST COMMON FIELDS OF STUDY AT BUFFALO-NIAGARA’S HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, BY DEGREE TYPE, 2007–2008

ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE

BACHELOR’S DEGREE

MASTER’S DEGREE

A review of the degrees most frequently granted by local colleges and universities further reveals the mismatch between employment needs and worker education/training. The four fields with the most degrees awarded are: Business, Education, Health,

and Liberal Arts. Noticeably absent from this list are degrees in science and engineering—fields that would align more closely with regional efforts to develop the advanced manufacturing and life sciences sectors.19

Summary

The social, demographic, and economic indicators reveal a mixed outlook for Niagara County.

NIAGARA COUNTY MUST CAPITALIZE

ON THE POSITIVE TRENDS IN ORDER TO

OVERCOME ITS CURRENT CHALLENGES.

A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS AND

PROGRAMS ARE ATTEMPTING JUST THAT,

SOME OF WHICH ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN

THE FOLLOWING BRIGHT SPOTS SECTION.


On the other hand, the region faces some challenges:

Increased Poverty

Population Decline

A Potential “Skills Gap” in the Manufacturing and Utilities Sectors

An Aging Population

On the one hand, there are a number of positive trends:

Decreasing Unemployment

Increasing Educational Attainment Rates

Rising Incomes

Greater Diversity

BRIGHT SPOTSA NUMBER OF

ORGANIZATIONS

AND PROGRAMS

ARE IMPROVING

THE CRADLE TO

CAREER PIPELINE.

The cradle to career pipeline in

Niagara County does not need to

be built from scratch. There are

numerous programs and organizations successfully addressing various points along the education-to-work

continuum. While this summary

does not recognize all the

impor tant work current ly

underway, it does highlight a few

emblematic examples.

Bright Spots

THE START OF THE PIPELINE: NIAGARA COUNTY EARLY CHILD CARE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Quality early childhood education positions a child for future educational and professional success.

One of the Niagara Area Foundation’s primary initiatives has been the Niagara County Early Child Care Quality Improvement Project (QIP). When the Niagara Area Foundation set out to address this issue in 2010, research showed that one in five children under the age of five were living in poverty in Niagara County. Many did not have access to quality early childhood education ensuring readiness to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

To begin addressing these concerns, the Niagara Area Foundation partnered with Niagara University to develop the QIP program and curriculum as well as the United Way of Greater Niagara to implement the reforms. The primary funding partners—The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation and The Grigg Lewis Foundation—supported the efforts. Together, this team has made great strides toward early childhood enrichment.

Given this focus on early childhood education, it is fitting that the Niagara Area Foundation would turn its attention to the greater cradle to career pipeline. While research has consistently shown the benefits of investing in early childhood education, additional research has argued that many of those gains can be lost if students do not continue to receive appropriate supports in their K-12 education.21

Therefore, to ensure the continued success of those students, and our region as a whole, the Niagara Area Foundation seeks to create momentum and convene community stakeholders to strengthen the educational continuum.


To date, QIP has provided training and support to 30 early childhood centers. 85 staff members have received professional development and 715 children have benefitted.20

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Bright Spots

TRANSITIONS ALONG THE PIPELINE: DREAM IT, DO IT WNY

Middle school is foundational to postsecondary planning; it is at this point that students (and families) must start taking steps to prepare for their future economic lives.

“Dream It, Do It WNY (DIDI WNY) is a private-sector led, state-supported initiative designed to engage, educate, and employ the next generation of advanced manufacturing talent by encouraging young people to pursue post-secondary opportunities with a plan and a purpose.”22 In response to the difficulty local manufacturers have filling open positions, DIDI WNY, in collaboration with industry leaders, works with middle and high school students to educate them on career possibilities in manufacturing. Since its launch in 2013, DIDI WNY boasts the following achievements:

All of these efforts targeting students are geared toward strengthening the cradle to career pipeline. For years, many students have not seen manufacturing as a viable career path. DIDI WNY, through its education and outreach, is helping students find their way along the pipeline while strengthening local industry.


1,440 STUDENTS have attended DIDI WNY career fairs

823 STUDENTS participated in hands-on, in-classroom presentations

458 STUDENTS attended technology tours and 455 observed career presentations

12 STUDENTS partook in summer camp programs in collaboration with ECC

300 STUDENTS participated in “Tech Wars”

110 attended the DIDI WNY speaker series

Bright Spots

ON-RAMPS TO THE PIPELINE: ISAIAH 61 PROJECT

Reintegrating adults who have been marginalized from the workforce not only benefits those individuals, but the economy as a whole.

The Isaiah 61 Project is a faith-based initiative that provides construction training to the unemployed and underemployed. Based in Niagara Falls, the program has recently completed its first home rehabilitation project while providing job training.23 The program utilizes an apprentice model whereby individuals work with master electricians, plumbers, and builders in collaboration with BOCES to learn building trades.

The Isaiah 61 Project addresses a difficult piece of the cradle to career pipeline: providing

opportunities to those adults who have been marginalized from the workforce. While early education plays an important role in the pipeline, opportunities for continuing training and education must

also be available—and the Isaiah 61 Project offers just that. Providing meaningful employment experiences to the current generation—opportunities that provide family-sustaining wages and the chance for advancement—undoubtedly affects the younger generation in positive ways, as well as benefits the overall economy.


To date, the program has trained 100 individuals, 50% of whom were formerly incarcerated individuals. The program boasts an 80% graduation rate and 70% of program graduates have found jobs that pay a living wage.

Bright Spots

ON-RAMPS TO THE PIPELINE: CAROLYN’S HOUSE

Providing meaningful opportunities for adults to enter the workforce benefits younger generations.

In August of 2005, the YWCA of Niagara opened Carolyn’s House, a 19-unit apartment building for low-income women and their children.

Carolyn’s House provides on-site support services designed to transition homeless and low-income women to independence. Women not only benefit from supportive housing services, but also receive a range of supports including culinary training, GED and remedial education, parenting courses, financial literacy training, and extensive case management—all of which provide the tools to becoming self-sufficient.

Carolyn’s House is credited with achieving the following successes:


75% of the women served (127) have transitioned to independent living

Carolyn’s House, like Isaiah 61, provides opportunities to individuals that have been historically marginalized from the workforce. By providing women with supportive housing services and a marketable skill, Carolyn’s House builds on-ramps to the workforce and to greater stability. Carolyn’s House also addresses the beginning of the cradle to career pipeline by providing parenting skills and support. Not only do participants transition into the workforce but participants’ children enter the cradle to career pipeline better positioned for future success.

92 women participated in the 16-week vocational culinary training program;

21 obtained employment in the food service industry and/or registered in a college culinary program

Four of the culinary training graduates have moved into management positions at one of the YWCA’s two social enterprises: The Catering Crew and Niagara Falls Airport Café

16 residents have attended the on-site BOCES classes and received their GED

Four

residents successfully completed the matched savings program (Individual Development Accounts) and through the program, three have purchased cars and one has purchased a home

There are already numerous groups working to improve aspects of the

pipeline. WHAT WE NEED NOW IS A SHARED AGENDA TO ACT. How can

we tie all of these initiatives together into one robust cradle to

career pipeline? How do we ensure that all residents can access those

on-ramps to the workforce, and ULTIMATELY, TO SUCCESS?

Niagara County is at a turning point. Years of decline and disinvestment have taken a toll but the County is poised to turn the corner, ready to capitalize on a number of recent bright spots. As the region revitalizes, however, it is important that all Niagara County residents benefit and thrive. A robust cradle to career pipeline that provides supportive on-ramps is essential to a vibrant and prosperous Niagara County.

To date, jobs have been the focus and necessarily so; to keep and retain talent, it is important to create jobs. In the past, a great deal of talent has left the area because the desired jobs were not available or because individuals lacked the requisite skills for the available jobs. But, the focus cannot be solely on jobs.24

Conclusion

Given the projected gaps in the workforce, due to ensuing retirements and changes in the nature of the type of work available, Niagara County must take actions to better connect workforce preparation and training to the needs of the labor market.

Education and training are the links to ensuring we can create and maintain the jobs we want. Investing in education is investing in future prosperity. While supporting education for education’s sake may be morally just, there are also compelling economic incentives. By more closely aligning training and academic preparation with the needs of the labor market, we ensure greater opportunity for residents and greater economic vitality for the region.



Appendix15 We would like to extend a special thank you to the University of Buffalo Regional Institute for their assistance in gathering and analyzing the data contained in this section.

16 Despite job losses, there is still a need for younger workers in these fields, manufacturing in particular. Older workers will continue to age out and it will be difficult to sustain, let alone grow, manufacturing. Further, according to the Manufacturing Institute

“5% of all jobs in manufacturing remain unfilled due to lack of qualified workers.” http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/themes/nyopenrc/rc-files/westernny/jwilkins2.pdf. The current job losses, then, do not mitigate the need for younger workers.

17 As stated elsewhere in this report, the UB Regional Institute reports that 30,000 students graduate from area colleges and high schools. While not all of these students are from the area nor do they all plan to stay, they represent a pool of candidates who could be enticed to settle and work in the area.

18 Regional Institute Urban Design Project, presentation by Bob Shibley at “Filling the Skills Gap: Pathways to Manufacturing Careers Case Study Forum.” Data in this chart were pulled from area community colleges (Erie, Genesee, Jamestown, and Niagara) and five colleges (Alfred State, Alfred University, Buffalo State College, ITT Technical Institute, and University of Buffalo). Presentation can be found at: http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/themes/nyopenrc/rc-files/westernny/rshibley1.pdf

19 Despite an aging education workforce (57% of those in education services are 45 years or older), declining school enrollments may result in more available teachers than needed as more people will be entering the labor force than retiring.

20 http://www.thetowerfoundation.org/documents/Annual%20Highlights%20Reports/2013-Annual%20Highlights-FINAL.pdf

21 For example, see research from the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University: http://nieer.org/sites/nieer/files/Why%20expanding%20quality%20PreK%20is%20a%20sound%20public%20policy.pdfSee also: Barnett, W.S., Jung, K., Youn, M., & Frede, E. C. (2013); Brooks-Gunn, J., et. al. (2013); Heckman, J.J., Moon, S.H., Pinto, R., Savelyev, P.A., & Yavitz, A. (2010).

22 http://www.thepartnership.org/blog/tag/dream-it-do-it-wny/

23 http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/niagara-falls/isaiah-61-project-finishes-first-home-rehabilitation-in-niagara-falls-20140709

24 McKinsey, Buffalo Manufacturer Survey, August 2012 as reported by the Regional Economic Development Council Buffalo Billion Investment Development Plan, February 2013.

1 Data were primarily collected from the U.S. Census Bureau and regional planning documents. Census data for 2010 come from the decennial census, and are supplemented by more recent American Community Survey (ACS) figures. ASC data are estimates based on sample surveys of subsets of the population, which are then generalized to the larger population. Additional supportive data were obtained from various federal, state, and local government agencies, research institutes (University of Buffalo Regional Institute), colleges and universities, news organizations and the Niagara Communities Comprehensive Plan 2030.

2 This section draws from the Buffalo Billion Executive Summary (2011).

3 University of Buffalo Regional Institute, Buffalo Niagara Labor Market Assessment 2010. The 30,000 young people graduating from area high schools and colleges represent the potential for the region. While educated here, many of these young people are not from here and/or choose to relocate elsewhere upon graduation.

4 Buffalo Billion Executive Summary (2011).

5 For more information about the comprehensive plan, please see: http://www.niagaracounty.com/CountyInformation/NiagaraCommunitiesComprehensivePlan.aspx

6 For more information about the Mobile Safety Net Team Initiative, please visit: msntwny.org

7 (http://www.nlc.org/media-center/news-search/cradle to career-approaches-helping-cities-strengthen-the-educational-pipeline)

8 http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/AECF-Early_Warning_Full_Report-2010.pdf; see also National Research Council (1998). Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children.

9 Philips, M., Crouse, J., & Ralph, J. (1998). The Black-White Test Score Gap

10 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/us/language-gap-study-bolsters-a-push-for-pre-k.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

11 For example, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a worker with a bachelor’s degree would earn approximately $850,000 more than a worker with only a high school diploma (based on 40 years of working). A worker with a professional degree would earn $2,000,000 more than the worker with the high school diploma.

12 Buffalo-Niagara Labor Market Assessment 2010: Who’s Your Economy?

13 Totals may equal more than 100% because the Census Bureau considers Hispanic/Latino as ethnicity, not race and includes people who self identify as other races (e.g. Black or White).

14 As of 2012, 28.5% of U.S. population has a bachelor’s degree or higher.

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“ It is easier to build STRONG CHILDREN than to repair broken [people].”

― Frederick Douglass

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Higher Education or Job Training

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On-ramps to Success - Community Foundation · on education and workforce development— the cradle to career pipeline.1 An analysis ... limit career training and ... purpose, and