This program would focus on job training and re-training for displaced/unemployed workers in Prince George’s County (and possibly in Baltimore, MD) in new or budding fields identified by the University Center. The Program would work in concert with the Workforce Services Division of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, Prince George’s County Community College and private employers to provide informational resources for those in search of re-training in emerging fields with job growth potential. The program would also assist with connecting interested individuals to existing job training resources – either community college based or employer-based – through the existing web portal of the Workforce Services Division of Prince George’s Economic Development Corporation (http://www.pgworkforce.org/oneStop.php).
This program could employ all three types of activities undertaken by university centers:
1. Information Dissemination: By augmenting the existing PG EDC Workforce Services Website with additional information, links and resources on emerging technological careers, the University Center will enhance existing channels to provide good quality information and connect people in search of retraining to new resources. Funded from county, state and Workforce Reinvestment Act funds, the Workforce Services Division of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation already maintains this “one-stop” website for job seekers and those in search of job-training. While the website contains job search and job training resources, links to retraining resources are limited and the site provides very little guidance regarding emerging fields.
2. Applied Research: The University Center would conduct research and use its connections with MEDA and other private technology and economic organizations to identify emerging fields with job growth potential as well as training opportunities in these areas at PG Community College or any offered by private companies. The Center may also serve as a liaison between these parties to help create a few new training opportunities in growth areas.
3. Technical Assistance: University Center staff could help PG Community College and private employers develop retraining sessions in areas with job growth potential. UC staff could also help PG EDC provide more
Strengths of Proposal:
• This model could work with any number of emerging technologies/employment opportunities as identified by the UMD-MS Grant Proposal Research Group.
• Workforce development, re-training, and job creation are already top priorities of the current administration. Considering current budgetary pressures on federal transfers to the states, use of an existing grant towards these goals would probably be viewed favorably.
• The positive impact on distressed areas/populations by such a re-training program in Prince George’s County can be easily established.
• Such a program would augment and enhance existing channels and local government resources for workforce development. While this channel already exists through EDC and its website, informational resources about emerging fields and re-training opportunities are scant.
Items to be addressed:
• Are there other examples elsewhere in the country where workers have been successfully retrained in a new technology or field (e.g. green building)? This program is predicated on this being a possibility.
• Can emerging technologies produce job opportunities for medium-pay, medium-skilled, retrained workers?
• If training/retraining opportunities are not abundant, will the University Center have the resources and the clout with Prince George’s Community College and employers to help create training opportunities?
• Will the economic work? Must an industry be sufficiently established in order to command the resources for a training session? Is there such a shortage of trained workers that a training program can be justified?
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