2009 Workforce Development Forum

Responding to the Global Knowledge Economy –
The Expanding Role of Higher Education in Workforce Development

January 7-9, 2009

Sandpearl Resort

Clearwater, FL

Call for Presentations

Download Call for Presentations (PDF)

Competing in today’s global knowledge economy requires high quality human capital. It is why prospective employers are concerned about the level of educational attainment of a state’s workforce when deciding where to locate. It is also why employers pay close attention to whether there are higher education programs available to develop both new and older employees. In an era of global competition, geographic concentrations of interconnected industries are prevalent. Moreover such clusters often emerge in the vicinity of universities which are suppliers both of research and ongoing employee education and training.

In the past, government-funded job training was directed primarily to unskilled workers, but today policymakers eager to attract knowledge economy jobs to their states recognize that workforce development needs to be aligned with the state’s economic development goals. The development of skilled human capital is an essential component of regional economies looking to expand into emerging fields, such as “green jobs,” homeland security, and energy.

UCEA’s 15th Annual Workforce Development Forum will take place just prior to the opening of the 111th Congress and the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. The Forum will bring together leaders from the business, government, non-profit, and academic sectors to discuss workforce trends, public policy directions, partnership models, and education programs. Participants at this timely Forum will explore the role played by college and university professional and continuing education organizations in expanding workforce development geographically, technologically, and programmatically.

The Program Planning Committee is soliciting concurrent session presentations related to four general themes: Regional and Global Workforce Needs; Technology-Supported Workforce Training; Learning Programs for Diverse Populations; and State and Federal Workforce Policy.

Regional and Global Workforce Needs
How do you identify knowledge gaps and create responses to your region’s economic development needs? What are the workforce needs of industry clusters in your region? Is your institution providing workforce training in critical and/or emerging fields, such as health care, science and engineering, energy, homeland security, and “green jobs”? What is the nature of your relationships with large employers that offer generous employee education assistance benefits? Are you providing programs to prepare employees for participation in a global supply chain? Does your institution offer programs designed to prepare entrepreneurs for doing business abroad?

Technology-Supported Workforce Training
How do you develop and design e-learning courses for employees? How do employers transfer knowledge in organizations with worldwide offices? How is online learning used to increase access to education and training in rural areas? Is your institution utilizing enhancements such as visualizations, simulations, or gaming in its online courses? Has your institution developed any global partnership models?

Learning Programs for Diverse Populations
What kinds of training programs target specific populations? What role do liberal learning programs play in providing “soft skill” training to develop managerial and executive talent? How do your programs address the need for employers to fill the talent gap created by the departure of large numbers of baby boomers? Do you have programs that provide second career training to baby boomers who plan on working at least part time in their “retirement” years? What are the training and education needs of military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan? Do you have programs that provide training in higher job skills for incumbent workers?

State and Federal Workforce Policy
In what ways does your institution identify and leverage funding sources for workforce programs? How does your institution align workforce training with government initiatives? Do you collaborate with local government agencies and/or two-year colleges in providing training programs? How does your institution work with local business and government agencies to identify and address the training needs for the regional economy? How do state and federal workforce training initiatives forge collaborations that can lead to additional training opportunities?

The questions listed under each general theme should be used as a guide; they are not intended to exclude other topics. Submissions need not be limited to proposals based on these questions.

What Concurrent Sessions Should Feature

Concurrent sessions run 50-60 minutes. They should address one or more of the above themes and encourage audience engagement. This might be done by showcasing innovative, replicable programs, strategies or approaches to workforce development. When thinking about developing a session, presenters should consider one or more of the following:

What is distinctive or innovative about our approach or program and how does it respond to emerging opportunities? Focus on drawing out general principles of broad relevance from your presentation.
Have we retooled an existing program in response to changing workforce demands?
How can our experience be replicated and applied at other institutions?
How does our program address the demands of a global knowledge economy?
Does our presentation compare experiences of more than one case study or institution?

Guidelines for Concurrent Session Proposals

Provide a session title and description (in 500 words or less) of your proposal.
Provide the name, organizational affiliation, and contact information (email and mailing address) of all presenters in the proposed session, and a primary contact person. In addition, please provide a maximum 100-word bio for each presenter.
Provide an abstract (maximum of 75 words) of your proposal for use in the Forum program.
List any other presentation needs.
E-mail the proposal by August 29, 2008, to UCEA Workforce Development Forum, meetings@ucea.edu.

Each presenter must register and pay the early-bird registration fee. UCEA will provide LCD projectors, VHS players, and overhead projectors as needed and requested in advance. Presenters must bring their own computers (if needed) as well as an electronic copy of their presentation.

For more information on presentation proposals: contact Tim Sloate, UCEA Director of Research, at tsloate@ucea.edu or 202.659.3130.

For more information on conference logistics: contact Natalia Kats, UCEA Director of Conferences, at nkats@ucea.edu or 202.659.3130.

Professional Development

2008 UCEA WorkforceDevelopment Forum