Farewell

This will be my last posting for the HCPI blog. HCPI is concluding and I'm off to new adventures in the Pacific Northwest. If you have questions about HCPI, please contact the Institute of Politics at 412-624-1837.

Is Pittsburgh Perky?

The Tribune-Review ran a story about a few great places to work in SWPA. The theme is that these companies offer benefits that are very pro-employee. The reporter refers to the practices as "perks." I don't agree. To me, perks implies that this is above and beyond standard business practices. This is no longer the case. In order to remain competitive, many companies must differentiate themselves in order to attract highly desirable employees. Read more...

Life Goals: Gen X v. Gen Y

According to the 2006 Gen Next Survey from the Pew Research Center, Generation Y wants to get rich (81 percent) and famous (51 percent). Their Generation X predecessors, by comparison, place less importance on these goals, with 62 percent seeking riches and just 29 percent seeking fame.

Mayoral Candidate Runs on Workforce Development Plan

Philadelphia is plagued by troubling workforce statistics. Only 20 percent of Philadelphians have a college degree, ranking us 92nd out of the 100 largest U.S. cities. Moreover, the city also ranks poorly with regards to workforce participation (96th out of 100 largest US cities.) Mayoral candidate, Chaka Fattah has released an "Opportunity Agenda" aimed at coordinating efforts to increase the educational attainment of adults, raise wages and place Philadelphians in good jobs. Read Fattah's plans...

Older Workers: Should They Stay or Should They Go?

Boston College has released a report about policies to promote the labor force participation of older people. The report is quite candid about the cost disadvantages of older workers and cautious about policy recommendations. The potential recommendations are: a. raise social security's earliest eligibility age b. exempt older workers from social security payroll tax once they reach earliest eligibility age c. make older workers more valuable to employers by increasing their skills The authors conclude that none of these recommendation is likely, but I think that option c is the most politically feasible. Don't you? Read the full report here.

The Right Stuff

Dan Pink (author of "A Whole New Mind") spoke with educational leaders at today's Regional Arts Education Day. Pink's presentation style and storytelling was exceptional and his message was well received by the crowd. After all, arts educators are pretty happy to hear that competing in the global economy will require the very skills and competencies that they help foster! The incredibly good news about the event was the number of school superintendents in the audience. They get it AND they're working together, regionally, to make meaningful changes. One wonderful step in the right direction is forming stronger partnerships with the business community. A representative from Quaker Valley School District mentioned that they'll be doing an "Educator in the Workplace" program. Another participant mentioned bringing people into the classroom to explain how creativity is applied at work. Very cool. Check out Dan's website and blog. Or learn more about the Arts Education Collaborative.

March 16th Update: Read the Post-Gazette's coverage of the event.

My cubicle

In contrast to the uber cool workplace mentioned in the previous post, here's a little song about the average office environment... the cubicle.

Uber Cool Building

Take a look at the picture. Is it.. a. An opera house b. A tourist center c. An auto factory d. All of the above

Read more...

More great pictures here

Great News: Teens Love to Read

Isn't it nice to see something positive in the news about teenagers? Today's teens are buying books at the fastest rate in decades and the teen publishing industry is booming. Read more...

Campy

Pittsburgh Magazine had a great article on summer camps. Many camps have a "career exploration" element. Here are some of the local camps mentioned in the article and a few others that might be of interest.

Camp/Grade/Host/Timeframe/Price/Contact Info

• Animation Video Production/14-17 year olds/Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Aug 20-24/$255/www.pittsburgharts.org/ 412-361-0455
• Architect/9 to 12^th grade/Western PA Conservancy/Application and essay due April 1^st / Camp- July 7-14/$650/www.fallingwater.org/ Cara Armstrong: 724-329-1441
• Audubon E-Scape/6 to 8^th grade/Audubon Society of Western PA/July 6-8/ $170, $135 (members)/www.Aswp.org/ 412-963-6100
• Beadmaking Bonanza for Beginners/14 and up/Pittsburgh Glass Center/July 2-7/$600/www.pittsburghglasscenter.org/ 412-365-2145
• Biotechnology/6 to 8th grade/Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative/July/Free/http://www.ptei.org/412-235-5116
• Ceramics Intensive/12-16 year olds/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts/July 23-27, July 30-Aug 3/$445 members, $465 non-members/www.pittsburgharts.org/ 412-361-0455
• Crazy about Cartoons/6 to 8^th grade/Point Park University/June 25-29/$225/http://www.pointpark.edu/summer/412-338-2489
• Creative Curators/15-17 year olds/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts/June 18-22/$255/www.pittsburgharts.org/ 412-361-0455
• Creative Dramatics/9 to 12^th grade/Point Park University/July 23-27/$255 (before May 15)/www.pointpark.edu/summer/ 412-338-2489
• Digital Video/9 to 12^th grade/Pittsburgh Filmmakers/July 5-30/$295/www.pghfilmmakers.org/ 412-681-5449
• Engineering & Technology/10 to 12^th grade/Point Park University/June 25-29/$255 (by may 15)/www.pointpark.edu/summer/ 412-338-2489
• Environmentalist (other camps available for different ages, refer to website)/14-17 year olds/River-Quest/July 25-29/$375/www.Riverquest.org/ 412-231-2712
• Filmmaking/9 to 12^th grade/Pittsburgh Filmmakers/July 5-30/$295/www.pghfilmmakers.org/ 412-681-5449
• Guitarist/9^th grade and up/Duquesne University/July 23-27/$425 (by July 6)/www.guitar.duq.edu/workshops.htm/ 800-934-0159
• Introduction to Digital Photography/14 to 17 year olds/Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Aug 6-10/$255/www.pittsburgharts.org/ 412-361-0455
• Jr. Rowing Summer Camp/9 to 12^th grade/Three Rivers Rowing Association/June 11-29, July 9-27, July 30-Aug 17/$180- 3 weeks/ $350- 7 weeks /www.threeriversrowing.org/ 412-231-8772
• Musician/9 to 12^th grade/PA State University/July 15-21/$525/www.outreach.psu.edu/proga/musiccamps/ 800-778-8632
• Operation S.M.A.R.T./Girls 10-15/YWCA of Greater Pgh/June 18-Aug 17/$600/ www.ywcapgh.org
• Pilot/12-18 year olds/Pittsburgh Flight Training Center/July and Aug/$749/www.pghflight.com/ 412-466-1111
• Radio Theater/6 to 8^th grade/Point Park University/July 9-13/$255/www.Pointpark.edu/summer/ 412-338-2489
• Scientist/6 to 8^th grade/Carnegie Science Center/TBA/$100/www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/ 412-392-4418
• Screenwriting/9 to 12^th grade/Pittsburgh Filmmakers/July 5-30/$295/www.pghfilmmakers.org/ 412-681-5449
• Textile Design/9 to 12^th grade/Carnegie Museum or Art/TBA/TBA/www.cmoa.org
• The Game Modding/13-17 year olds/ID Tech/June 17-Aug 3/Day Camp: $729 week/ Overnight: $1,129/www.internaldrive.com/ 888-709-8324

Other Camps (not featured in the article)

• Science (Robotics, Scientist, Space, etc.)/Ages 6 and 7/Carnegie Science Center//$180 member/ $195 non members/http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/default.aspx?pageId=263
• Graphics/10-14 year olds/Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technical Center/July 10-14//www.wiu.k12.pa.us/ewctc/schoolnews.html
• Animal Art Summer Safari//Westmoreland Museum of American Art/June 14-18//www.wmuseumaa.org
• A Blast from the Past//Westmoreland Museum of American Art/June 21-25//www.wmuseumaa.org
• Mixed Media Mania Art Sampler//Westmoreland Museum of American Art/June 28-July 2//www.wmuseumaa.org
• Art with a Pop//Westmoreland Museum of American Art/July 12-16//www.wmuseumaa.org

Benchmarking Pittsburgh

Although this report was conducted for St. Louis, the benchmarking data sheds some light on Pittsburgh's situation, relative to comparable areas. (Kudos to the East West Gateway Council of Governments for a very thorough report!) A lot of our usual depressing trends are continuing. (We don't attract people from other countries or have many babies.) But there is also some good news. Our gross metro product is growing (the tech sector, in particular). We don't have many teen pregnancies or car crashes. Our unemployment rate is better than Seattle's. Of course, there's still plenty of bad news. Check out the stats on minority and women owned businesses. Dreadful. Also, we're #1 in cancer incidence and population age 65+ with a disability. No wonder health care jobs are booming. By the way, got this great information from my new fav workforce blog, Convergence.

Has Your Office Gone to the Dogs?

The New York Times has published an entertaining article about dogs in the workplace. Apparently, this practice is on the rise and creating some interesting challenges for management. (What do you do when your office neighbors find drool in the elevator offensive?) While some messy situations that may arise (ha ha), many firms are finding that the benefits outweigh the costs. Bringing Fido to work can better employee recruitment, retention and morale. It may even improve client relaxation and satisfaction. Read the NYTimes article. Read about therapy dogs in the King County Prosecutor's Office. Read suggestions for dog-in-the-workplace programs.

New Yorker wisdom: Job interview with the devil

Check out this animated cartoon.

Nothing Stops a Bullet Like a Job

Check out this Philadelphia Daily News story about the need to provide jobs in the inner city. The article prompted me to take a closer look at the Philadelphia Chamber's work in this area. One piece of the workforce development puzzle is providing early, meaningful work experiences. As a result, the chamber has made a commitment to provide A LOT of internships. While I get nervous about these big number commitments (it may emphasize quantity rather than quality), it's good to see employers stepping up to the plate. It also looks like the group is being thoughtful about this -- They're seeking paid internships, pursuing incentives and encouraging mentoring.

Reverse Elderly Migration

According to the Census Bureau (as reported by the NY Times), more Americans ages 75 and older have been leaving the South than moving there. Apparently, the trend is largely due to seniors' desire to be near family. Guess what city is mentioned in the article? Pittsburgh! No wonder we need more health care workers.

Workforce Development for Rocket Scientists

Back in January, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) held a panel discussion focused on "Preparing for the Next Generation." While AIAA was speaking to the future aerospace workforce, their comments accurately summarize the broader challenge. "Preparing the future aerospace workforce will involve a complex mix of effectively communicating to students and their parents the opportunities available; adequately preparing teachers; maintaining the right financial and regulatory environment; and drawing on the strengths inherent in the nation's uniquely diverse workforce. Concrete action at both the micro- and macro-levels of academia, industry and government will be required..."

First Biotech, Now Energy

The following sentence was printed in a daily newspaper. Fill in the blank: "A growing economy, revitalized with innovative biotechnology startups and alternative energy ventures, holds the key to ___________’s future." Did you say Pennsylvania or SWPA? Not exactly. This was in a Cleveland paper. My first thought was, "do either Pittsburgh or Cleveland have a shot?" Then, I had a much better thought. "What if we actually functioned as a multi-state region?"

Duh-pressing

For the second year running, no U.S. city has made the list of the world’s top Intelligent Communities of 2007, as selected by global think tank Intelligent Community Forum. Who's got the smarts? Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom; Gangnam District,; Seoul, South Korea; Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; Ottawa-Gatineau, Ontario-Quebec, Canada; Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, United Kingdom; Tallinn, Estonia; Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

NPR Goes Blue Collar

NPR ran a story this morning on alternatives to college. Their story sounded like a HCPI/Ken Gray presentation. Let me repeat, NPR suggested there might be alternatives to college! Also, check out this website set up by a proud blue collar worker -- bluecollarandproudofit.com

Work Life Solutions: Live Near Work

Some lucky Baltimore workers are getting paid to live near their workplace. "Live near work" incentive programs can be a great redevelopment tool. I noticed these in London.. particularly for health care and other emergency service workers. I believe Philadelphia had a similar initiative around Penn. My planner friends are very familiar with these types of programs. But I think they are less known with the HR crowd. I've been doing a lot of research on "work life balance" initiatives and I haven't seen these types of initiatives in any of the literature. Could this be the next generation of work-life balance practices? I would think this would be very appealing to non-profits or public agencies. After all, revitilizing the local area is part of their mission. Why not embrace work-life balance initiatives that serve multiple purposes?

Job Corps Makeover

The New York Times has a nice article about changes at Job Corps. I was a little worried when I read about their focus on increasing educational attainment. (I'm not anti-education... I just want to see it connected to employment!) I'm happy to see that their focus is, appropriately, on ensuring strong economic prospects. I'd love to see this article dig deeper. If our country truly made a commitment to helping poor kids, what would this program need to look like?

The Strength Approach

I'm half way through "Now Discover Your Strengths" -- Marcus Buckingham's latest book. (Buckingham is a Gallup pollster who has authorized, "First, Break All the Rules.") A clever colleague recommended the book. (Thanks MK!) It's very interesting. First of all, I can't tell you how refreshing it is to have some test tell me that I actually have a few strengths. I'm so completely focused on fixing weaknesses, that I think I lost site of my talents. Memory is not one of my strengths, so I only recall three of them... Harmonizing, Connectedness, Intellectualizing. In step with strength, number 3, I'm currently fixated on the methodology behind the assessment. The more interesting part is the author's plea to quit focusing on weaknesses and to further develop your strengths. I suspect we could learn from this when it comes to career counseling and employment policies. A wise person at a meeting I attended last week explained it this way, "We need to focus on the internal, not just the external. We should help kids understand their strengths and abilities." So true.

The Arts, NCLB and Workforce Development

A few weeks ago, I spoke at a MetLife panel put together by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. It was a wonderful experience. My fellow panelists and the moderator were amazing. The audience was lively, thoughtful and engaged. It was probably my favorite speaking engagement, ever. How can't you get excited when you talk about inspiring learning and creativity through the arts? Apparently others are excited by the topic, too. The event had very strong attendance, and lots of folks picked up the article about the forum that originally appeared in the Post-Gazette. Then I noticed the title of the article. For the record, the title is just plain wrong. We NEVER suggested that arts are more beneficial than science and math. We talked about how the arts might enhance learning in these areas and that NCLB could, in fact, be an opportunity to enhance arts education. After all, some schools with very strong arts programs have seen tremendous improvement in their PSSA scores. Here's the coverage: January 7: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Feb 6: Washington's Kitsap Sun Feb 7: Blog Feb 11: California's Redding Searchlight Feb 12: Wyoming's Jackson Hole Star Tribune Feb 13: Wyoming's Casper Star Tribune Feb 13: Government Innovator's Network - Harvard School of Law As I said, we had a great conversation at the event. I'm hoping this is the beginning of future discussions about the arts and economic development. I find it odd that when people talk about economic development and the arts, they often discuss the need to attract artists and other creative types to an area. Why don't we try to grow and foster our own creative capital? This was a topic of discussion when I was in London two years ago. Check out their efforts to foster regional creativity via Creative London.

Belated News - Local Employment Dynamics Reflections

Sadly, the HCPI blog has been woefully neglected over the last few months. I'll spare you the excuses and move on to meaningful content... First, I should recognize my colleagues at the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board and Carnegie Mellon's Center for Economic Development. We recently presented the "Managing an Aging Workforce" report and information-sharing process at the Local Employment Dynamics State Partners conference held at the Brookings Institution in January, 2007. View our presentation here. Here are a few things I took away from the conference:

1. Southwest PA rocks! Our drill down on the aging workforce topic, combined with an information dissemination strategy is noteworthy. Sure, data can be cool and interesting. (Or at least, so say the data geeks.) We went a step further and made it accessible.
2. It's worth thinking about the gender differences of the region's aging workforce. Look at Maine's manufacturing analysis. Would we have skilled labor shortages if we effectively recruited, retained and advanced women in this industry?
3. Data sources such as LED are essential. It's a shame not every state participates and that much time must be spent maintaining support for/funding for this program.
4. LED presents some very cool opportunities for mapping. (See Peter Haas' presentation on the LED site.)
5. There are some frighteningly smart people working on LED. The presentation about synthetic data made my brain hurt.
6. My colleagues at CED and the TRWIB are great presenters, brilliant researchers, pragmatic policy analysts... and a heck of a lot of fun!