Partnership to boost Hawai'i's work force

By Katherine Nichols
Advertiser Staff Writer

A statewide work-force program has teamed with the Department of Education and the University of Hawai'i in an effort to boost the state's skilled work force.

The partnership with Hawai'i Skills Community will compile data on employers' work-force needs and provide results to educators in hopes of helping to modify or develop relevant curriculum.

"We need to look at the way we deliver education, and we need to be bold about it," University of Hawai'i President Evan Dobelle said yesterday in a ceremony at Kapi'olani Community College announcing the partnership. "Maybe we need to have early schools. Maybe we need to have middle colleges (for 16-year-olds dropping out of high school). ... Can we capture their imagination with a four-year program that comes out with an occupational associates degree? ... I just think we need to be creative."

Hawai'i Skills Community has been evolving since May 2000 when First Hawaiian Bank was the first company in the program. Today, there are 12 Hawai'i businesses providing information for the Internet-based job-profiling system.

The program is run by SkillsNET Corp., a Texas-based company that works to mainstream science into industry and education, according to Michael Brown, founder and chief executive of SkillsNET.

Under the program, employers submit information detailing what skills a student would need to be considered for a job at the company and the types of skilled employees the company will be looking for in the next four to five years.

The data will be compiled and collected by the Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education — which falls under the Board of Regents — and will be given to the Department of Education and the University of Hawai'i so educators can modify or develop curriculum based on the competencies in demand.

The program is in some form of development in 17 states, said Brown.

"At the end of the day, the businesses also have to be there," Dobelle said. "The businesses of Hawai'i also have to buy into the fact that this is going to be their first net of applications for jobs. And if young people don't see a real opportunity for at least being in that first pool of applicants to be considered, then what is the reason for these training programs?"

For information on Hawai'i Skills Community, call 734-9442,or visit www.hawaii.edu/cte/skills.