Arborists Wanted: Growing the Talent Pipeline

Brigitte OrrickWorkforce Development Director

Tree Care Industry Association

TCIA Workforce Development Initiative Market the arborist occupation Increase accessibility to education and training Increase the size of the workforce

General State of the Economy

Student loan debt = $1.4 Trillion Average bachelor’s degree graduate owes $65k in

loans Homeownership is not a reality for most millenials

Loans are cheap, inflation is low, wages are stable Economy has rebounded, but baby boomers aren’t

retiring Unemployment rates are at an all time low All sectors of employment have a shortage of workers

University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment

Workforce Development Initiative: A Sector Strategy

Businesses can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results.

This is the definition of insanity.

Sector Partnership Model

• How do employers want to work together?

• Establish priority action areas

• Identify championsEstablish

Sector Partnership

• Determine deliverables & timelines

• Explore programs and resources, identify target populations

• Add strategic partners

Build Strategy • Deliver programs

established by partners

• Provide ongoing support

• Review effectiveness periodicallyImplementati

on

Sector Partnerships align education and training programs with industry needs to produce readily-employable workers.

Greater Atlanta Tree Care Sector PartnershipThe Sector-Cluster Connection

Industry

Members

Strategic

Partners

Convener

Input from industry

Strategic Partners created a training pathway system based on industry needs

Career Pathway SystemGYFted

Program

Tree Care Academy Modules

INTERVIEW FOR OPEN POSITIONS

Participants graduate with industry-approved credentials

SOURCE: Collaborative Economics and The Woolsey Group, 2015

Tree Care Industry Cluster

Training Pathway System

Examples of Sector Partnership Priority Tasks

Increase awareness of tree care industry jobs Marketing and outreach efforts Engage businesses in targeted recruitment

Build a career pathway in arboriculture Increase accessibility to Associate Degree programs in Arboriculture and

Community Forestry Develop stackable academic credentials aligning to ISA and TCIA industry

credentials Build dual enrollment / concurrent enrollment options for high school

students Provide short term workforce development training to prepare individuals

for employment Develop an arborist apprenticeship program accessible within a specific

region

Sector Partnerships 2016