Networking Lounge: Coffee and Conversation

General Session: How Exelon Has Shaped the Imperative Around Economic Empowerment Through Employment

This session, led by Robert Matthews of Exelon, will offer a series of case studies that demonstrate how building a community begins with building its people. Discussion will focus on how Exelon’s regional and corporate programs are driven by a desire to take ownership of disproportionate unemployment, poverty, and other inequities, leading to a meaningful pioneering spirit in their approach to community engagement. He will then share examples and lessons learned beginning with outreach to Middle School students and support through college, innovative approaches to interviewing and hiring to drive workplace diversity, building workplace cultures more fulfilling to women, developing value-driven partnerships with contractors, and driving regional economic empowerment, all fundamentals that are the cornerstones of workforce development leadership. Presenter: Robert Matthews, Exelon.

Concurrent Sessions

• What We Learned from Recruiting at Minority Serving Institutions This session will provide an overview of innovative strategies companies are using to connect with Minority Serving Institutions to increase exposure of careers in energy. Learn what’s been resonating to expand the applicant pool from targeted schools and hear about a few missteps to avoid. The session will conclude with an overview of pilot programs being conducted at MSIs by the National Utility Diversity Council, CEWD, and industry companies. Presenters: Laurie Dowling, National Utilities Diversity Council; Betina Brandon, Entergy; Angela Parrinello, Public Service Enterprise Group.

• Preparing Today for Tomorrow’s Skill Shifts Firms with future-ready workers build future-ready solutions, and this session will explore how to predict and prepare for skill shifts in the jobs of the future. First, perspectives will be gained by hearing what research shows about the new foundational skills for today’s economy – which include competencies related to human skills, digital building blocks, and business-enabling skills – and what take-aways you can glean from how these competencies, as well as other emerging skills, impact job seekers and your incumbent workforce. Research has shown that companies that invest in the new foundational skills are the most adaptable and can more readily pivot when necessitated by a shifting strategic environment. Then learn what today’s students are being taught to prepare them for the future – driving what they will seek from employers and how these may drive skills needed and those available. This session is about the future and preparing your business to prevent disruption and anticipate where the talent trends are going so you can capture, develop, and retain the best and the brightest, even when competition for their skills is in high demand. Presenters: Dr. Nicole Smith, Research Professor and Chief Economist at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce and Will Markow, Burning Glas.

• Ford Next Generation Learning/Powerful Partnerships Made Easy In September CEWD heard from Ford’s Next Generation Learning NGL on the importance of employers and educators working together to create meaningful partnerships.  Today our panel will provide a real application of such a partnership which consists of an employer partner, school-based partners, and an intermediary.  The Vicksburg Warren College and Career Academies (VWCCA) enhance students’ exposure to career clusters and business experiences.

  Entergy has urgent workforce needs and created a talent pipeline.  This business partner helped create the Energy Academy in collaboration with Vicksburg Warren School District and Ford NGL. The goal is to expose students to a variety of careers within the industry and provide experiences directly with partners.  Join us as we dig in to answer the question, “How does this work in my world?” and examine real-world connections with educators and employers.

  Panel moderator Paula Chaon, Ford NGL Coach. Presenters: Alex Washington, Entergy. Traci Esparza and David Sharp, VWCCA.

• All Work and No Play… This session is entitled All Work and No Play….but really should be named All Play and No Work as that’s a more appropriate description of the fun and uplifting spirit that will be brought by leaders from DTE as they share information on the creativity that has risen to the forefront of their approach to engaging employees and working to minimize stress from employees. Presenters: Tracy DiSanto and Karen Personett.

Concluding General Session: State of CEWD and Presentation of Impact Awards

Join us for the presentation of the first Impact Awards that recognize workforce development excellence by individuals, companies, and consortia. And then, we will provide an overview of CEWD’s initiatives to respond to the industry’s workforce development needs, including a sneak peek of what’s ahead for 2021.

National Forum for State Consortia

This year’s National Forum for State Consortia will bring consortia leaders together for discussion about regional workforce development topics. Consortia leaders will help design the agenda and will be provided with additional information in advance of the session.

Legend

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Managing Workforce Development and Workforce Planning
• Training and Skill Development for Our Future Workforce
• Workforce Development Outside the HR Suite
• Staying One Step Ahead of the Changing Workplace Culture

*CEWD reserves the right to change or alter the program schedule.