Career Readiness for All

The Honorable Taryn Mackenzie Williams, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, shared federal efforts to support workforce transitions among individuals with disabilities. This recording was part of a Policy Forum series conducted by the Coalition for Career Development Center in collaboration with Wheelock College of Education and Human Development’s Center for Future Readiness.

Over the last decade, more and more emphasis has been placed on the importance of supporting young people in their development in different aspects of future readiness. Research has emerged about the benefits of the “individualized learning plan” or ILP, now referred to as the PCAP “personalized career and academic plan” and policymakers and educators across the world are working to implement the ILP/PCAP in schools. What do you need to know about ILP/PCAPs?

The ILP/PCAP exists as both a process and product that young people throughout their educational journey have a chance to experience in different spaces, ultimately leading to a young person that has explored themselves and their futures, and is prepared for multiple pathways after high school. The best ILP/PCAP experiences happen when all stakeholders of the young person's network understand their roles and collaborate. What do you need to know about who and how folks are involved in the ILP/PCAP process?

The ILP/PCAP exists as both a process and a product, meaning it is both something young people DO and can complete, as well as something that they will engage with over the course of their schooling with the support of the caring and encouraging adults in their lives. 

ILP/PCAPs consist of three different domains which were designed to address specific areas of support a young person needs to prepare them for future success. 

Stacy Whitehouse, Senior Associate, Communications and State Engagement with AdvanceCTE joins Spencer Murray to dive into the national conversations occurring about what learners need out of their education. Advance CTE has a history of setting the tone for the future of Career Technical Education with several visions for the field. Stacy talks about AdvanceCTE's latest vision for the future of CTE, "Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education", and what it says about career readiness.  In addition, Counselors are one the most important actors in career development, but we all know they face tremendous capacity challenges in delivering individualized support for each learner. They discuss what is occurring in the world of CTE and career readiness to address those capacity issues.  There have been a number of employers and organizations on the podcast recently discussing their work-based learning opportunities, but we all know they can’t be one-off experiences. What work are state leaders and organizations like Advance CTE doing to connect these experiences to the larger theme of career readiness? Listen to find out more! 

Dr. Bryan Albrecht, Vice Chair of CCD Center and President of Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, Wisconsin chats with Nicholas T. Pinchuk, CEO of Snap-on, Inc. about the role industry plays in career readiness and development. 

Nick Pinchuk is chairman and chief executive officer of Snap-on Incorporated.
Nick's career has been marked by ongoing service to his country, his company, and the American workforce. He received his M.B.A. from Harvard, and his Master and Bachelor of Science Degrees in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He served our country in Vietnam as an officer in the United States Army.

Nick is a member of the board of directors of Columbus McKinnon Corporation, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Council on Competitiveness, The Manufacturing Institute, the Manufacturer’s Alliance for Productivity and Innovation, and Carthage College.

Before joining Snap-on in 2002 as senior vice president and president of the Snap-on Worldwide Commercial and Industrial Group, Nick was president of global refrigeration operations, a multibillion-dollar business unit of Carrier Corporation and a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation. He also spent more than a decade as president of Carrier's Asia Pacific operations, based in that region. Prior to United Technologies, he was with Ford Motor Company, where he held various financial and engineering positions.

Nick is widely recognized for his leadership in education and workforce development. SkillsUSA named him Champion of the Year, identifying his extensive support for the growth of a skilled American workforce. IndustryWeek inducted him into the Manufacturing Hall of Fame recognizing his work in leading the American manufacturing renaissance. In addition, the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association has recognized him for his far-reaching professional contributions in the field of education.

Nick continues to be an outspoken leader on workforce development in media appearances and speaking engagements across the country. He appears regularly on CNBC and Bloomberg, commenting on the global economic scene and advocating for arming everyday people with the skills they need to win the global competition for jobs.

In this episode, Spencer chats with Lisa Schumacher, Director of Education Strategies at McDonald's, about how the fast-food giant supports its employees' education through work-based learning. 

Lisa has more than 25 years of experience in organizational learning and development and is currently responsible for leading the execution of McDonald’s education strategy, Archways to Opportunity, which provides restaurant employees an opportunity to learn English language skills, receive a high school diploma, complete a college degree, and access education advising services.  In her previous role at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) as the Director of WorkforceChicago, Lisa collaborated with Chicago-area CEOs and managed a business-led initiative that identified and disseminated best-practice learning strategies and policies.  Prior to that, Lisa was the Director of the Learning Academy at The University of Chicago Hospitals.  Lisa completed her Bachelors and Masters in Communications at Purdue University.

Happy April!

Spencer is joined by Carolyn Lee, President of The Manufacturing Institute and Cassi Zumbiel, National Director of Workforce Initiatives & Policy at The Manufacturing Institute. 

About The Manufacturing Institute
The Manufacturing Institute grows and supports the industry’s skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing. The MI’s diverse initiatives support all American workers, including emerging workers, women, veterans and students, through skilled training programs, community building and career growth. As the 501(c)3 nonprofit workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, the MI is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with resources necessary to solve the industry’s toughest challenges.

About Our Guests
Carolyn Lee is the president of The Manufacturing Institute, the education and workforce partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, the nation’s largest industrial trade association.

In her role, Ms. Lee leads the Institute in its goal of supporting the manufacturing workforce of today and growing the manufacturing workforce of tomorrow. The Institute does so through a variety of programs designed to excite, educate and empower—with a particular focus in four key areas: women, veterans, youth and lifelong learning.

Ms. Lee was raised in a manufacturing family. She saw from a young age the transformative impact manufacturing can have on communities, families and the men and women who build the world around us. Now it’s what drives her every day as she works to bring manufacturing’s powerful potential to more Americans.

Prior to her role leading the Institute, Ms. Lee served in a policy role at the NAM and worked in leadership positions with the Telecommunications Industry Association and 3M and in the offices of former Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and former Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY).

Ms. Lee lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and three children.

Cassi Zumbiel is the National Director, Workforce Initiatives and Policy at The Manufacturing Institute, the non-profit affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).  In her role, Ms. Zumbiel assists in the development, launch, and growth of creative workforce programs for the manufacturing industry in a variety of regions across the U.S.

Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Zumbiel worked at the NC Chamber as the Policy Development Manager in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was responsible for researching, collecting and analyzing state policy and data on various subjects such as education and talent supply, infrastructure, business climate, and entrepreneurship.  She managed numerous projects including completing over eight studies that led to changes in legislation at the state level. Zumbiel also created and managed the NC Chamber Foundation Apprenticeship Council.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Ms. Zumbiel currently resides in Washington, D.C. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication-Public Relations with a minor in Nonprofit Studies and a Master’s in Public Administration from NC State University.

In the latest episode, "A State-by-State Analysis of High School Work-Based Learning Policies," Spencer is joined by Julie Lammers, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy at American Student Assistance and Nina Pande, Executive Director of Skills for Rhode Island’s Future.

About our guests:

Julie Lammers is Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy. Julie leads ASA’s government relations and advocacy efforts on both the federal and state level, helping to build relationships with elected officials and promote ASA’s legislative priorities. In addition, Julie oversees the Education and Career Planning Division of ASA® which provides direct college and career based services to kids through in-school programing and community based centers. Julie has been at ASA since March 2010.

Prior to ASA, Julie spent more than nine years as Congressional Aide to Senator Edward M. Kennedy and his successor, Senator Paul Kirk, Jr. The focus of Julie’s work was managing public outreach to constituent groups on national policy related to education, the arts, environment and welfare issues.

Julie is a graduate of Northeastern University, the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, Suffolk University Law School, and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar.

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future is a public-private partnership that matches unemployed and
underemployed job seekers with businesses that have employment opportunities. Nina earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Colorado State University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from New York University. She completed a certificate program in Strategic Nonprofit Management from Harvard Business School, and in Public Leadership from Bryant University, and also is an alumna of Leadership Rhode Island.

Nina is the proud daughter of parents who emigrated from India in the early 1960s, and she
learned from them the importance of a good education, whether it be from the classroom, from traveling, or from hands-on experiences. Nina imbibed this lesson, and has devoted her life to learning, and to helping others overcome obstacles to succeed in life.

She has served on the Providence School Board since 2010, and was reappointed in 2011, 2014, and 2017. She is the current Vice President of the Board, as well as chair of the Finance
Committee. Nina also is a member of the Governor’s Workforce Board, Federal Hill House, and ServeRI, and is an active member in the Indian community. She is an avid international traveler and believes her greatest learning has come from immersing herself in other cultures. Nina resides in the Elmwood neighborhood of Providence.