Summary Report MARCH 31, 2017 DELIVERING THE TDL WORKFORCE
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Summary ReportMarch 31, 2017
DeliveRing the tDl WoRkfoRce
Acknowledgements
SkillUp Washington thanks Jobs for the Future and the Walmart Foundation for providing the Delivering the TDL Workforce grant, which helped build local capacity for increasing access to good jobs and careers in the aviation and trucking industries for low-income, low-skilled individuals and under-represented populations including women and young adults.
SkillUp also thanks the following individuals who helped our partnership establish early industry engagement strategies and understand regional data trends, including Chris Klaeysen and Linda Rider from Seattle Jobs Initiative and Meg Ryan from the Center of Excellence for Global Trade and Supply Chain Management at Highline College. We also thank the staff at Pacific Associates and ANEW for your important contributions and sharing of resources at our quarterly learning community meetings.
Finally, thank you to the hard-working staff at Port Jobs, South Seattle College’s Georgetown campus, and Seattle Goodwill for your tireless efforts engaging employers and supporting low-income students and workers find good jobs and rewarding careers in the TDL industry. Thanks also to Annie Laurie Armstrong of Business Government Community Connections who compiled this report.
Graphic Design: Noise w/o SoundPhotography: Ryan Castoldi
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1. introduction
In 2015 SkillUp Washington received a two-year “Delivering the TDL Workforce” grant from Jobs for the Future (JFF) funded by the Walmart Foundation. We are proud of the work performed through this grant, and of the continuing commitment of partners to forge strategies that meet the growing needs of Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL) in our region.
We are grateful to JFF and the Walmart Foundation for their support, and for connecting us to local practitioners from nine other grant funded sites doing similar work. We learned a great deal at the two JFF national convenings and incorporated this information into our local TDL Community of Practice convenings, technical assistance, and TDL-focused communications work.
Data sources for this report include quarterly reports and feedback provided by TDL partners Port Jobs, South Seattle College and Seattle Goodwill, and pre/post interviews conducted with 16 participants engaged in the TDL truck driving and aviation initiatives described in this report.
March 31, 2017
Summary ReportDeliveRing the tDl WoRkfoRce 1
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Main Strategies
The Delivering the TDL Workforce Initiative grant supported three main strategies:
The expansion of Airport University, a program of Port Jobs, a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport) sited program, which simultaneously serves as a primary recruitment tool for airport related employers and career access and advancement strategy for many airport job seekers and incumbent workers. Airport University, a partner-ship between South Seattle College, Highline College, airport employers and Port Jobs, provides tuition-free credit bearing courses and job skills workshops tailored to the airport environment. Port Jobs also offers scholarships to incumbent workers at Sea-Tac Airport to support their next step career advancement efforts.
A partnership between Seattle Goodwill and South Seattle College, resulting in the launch of a 16-week Industrial Vehicle Program (IVP). Participants in this program have opportunities to earn a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class A and B, Forklift, OSHA and Flagging certificates. They receive wraparound services from Seattle Goodwill, and help accessing job opening information.
The opportunity to establish a TDL Community of Practice, dedicated to convening TDL partners to review progress on the above two strategies, share lessons learned, leverage resources, and jointly construct stronger aviation career pathways and truck driver pipelines.
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tDl opportunities for truck Drivers and Airport Workers
Consistent with the approach of SkillUp, JFF grant funds were used to support low-income worker advancement to upskilling opportunities and living wage jobs. Labor market data suggests that there is a compelling case for investments in the design of training pathways which increase access to truck driving and aviation careers for low-income and/or underrepresented populations such as refugees, immigrants, women and young adults.
The TDL sector represents an important and growing part of our national and local economy. Nationally, the trucking industry represents the largest number of projected job openings in the transportation sector. Combining growth and separations, more than 1.8 million jobs will need to be filled between 2012 and 2022, mostly among long-haul drivers.
Local data projections from the Seattle Jobs Initiative report that there will be a 6% growth rate in the number of truck drivers in the greater Seattle area between 2015 and 2020, increas-ing from 16,000 to 17,000. At the same time, there are looming
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shortages, due largely to an aging workforce, as 30% of the truck driver workforce is comprised of 45 to 54 year olds. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make up the largest share of TDL job postings in the greater Seattle area, with 3,532 unique postings in 2016 for Class A CDL Truck Driver.
Similarly, the airport environment is an exciting and opportune venue for job seekers and incumbent workers to pursue employ-ment. Sea-Tac Airport, the fastest growing airport in the United States, opens doors to careers in hospitality, air cargo, airport fueling, security, customer service, retail and a host of other occupations with advancement potential. Port Jobs is a hiring resource for more than 80 different airport companies. In 2016, 1,574 people found employment through Port Jobs’ Airport Jobs office, of which 725 were young adults between 18-29 years old. The average starting wage at Sea-Tac Airport is now in excess of $14 per hour. A review of Port Jobs job placement, training and scholarship data reveals that these opportunities pave the way for many incumbent workers at Sea-Tac Airport to pursue aviation employment and gain the skills necessary to advance their career goals.
2. tDl theory of change
The TDL partners developed a Theory of Change to inform their work. Over time the TDL Community of Practice, convened by SkillUp Washington, routinely reviewed and updated the grant assumptions and beliefs, strategies and results presented in the attached Theory of Change:2
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SkillUp Washington transportation, Distribution and logistics Partnership
The purpose of the SkillUp Washington Investments in the Transportation Distribution Logistics (TDL) Partnership is to support the access and success of low income individuals in trades, distribution
and logistics jobs. Partnership assumptions, strategies and results are presented below.
ASSUMPtionS /BeliefS
Opportunities for TDL workforce development
system partners to convene and coordinate their
work are limited
Cross sector TDL sector building relationships take time, structure and support of a backbone organization
TDL employer needs will be better met
if workforce development sector
partners work together
When TDL workforce system partners work collectively, their training and career
advancement strategies will be leaner and more effective for job seekers, incumbent
workers and employers
StRAtegieS
ConveneBring TDL workforce
partners together to discuss their needs, challenges
and resources
Share TDL program and labor market
information
Exchange and discuss best practices
Build Cross system
inventories of TDL programs and
employer partnerships
Partner understanding of TDL gaps, resources
and opportunities
Funder awareness of TDL sector pathway funding
needs and assets
ReSUltS
Increased Capacity- New TDL on-ramp and
training courses and access to scholarships
- Number of certificates, course completions, job placements, job retention, increased income
- Increase in number and types of employer involvement in TDL
Increased Coordination- Cross system TDL
recruitment and marketing- Cross system TDL
articulation of training and resources’
- Cross system TDL partnerships
Increased Resources- Increase in TDL funding - Increase in TDL leveraging
and resource alignment- Increase in media,
policymaker, and funder awareness of TDL programs and resource needs
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3. tDl Results
Airport University and Alaska Airlines Scholarship Program
The Delivering the TDL Workforce grant resulted in increased capacity for and coordination of TDL training programs and career pathway resources. The Airport University (AU) expansion resulted in 494 job seekers and incumbent workers enrolling in AU course offerings, including credit bearing courses (353 people) and job skills workshops such as interview preparation, career/education navigation and security/SIDA and driving/AOA badge test preparation (141 people).
The investment in AU significantly expanded career-building educational opportunities for airport workers and job seekers. In the academic year after expansion began (2014-15), AU more than doubled the number of credit-bearing classes offered, from 16 classes per year to 43. Additionally, the number of students completing credit-bearing college classes increased by more than 150% (63 people completed classes the year prior to expansion compared to 158 the year after).
Eighty-six percent (86%) of those enrolled over the course of the grant were people of color, including many refugees and immigrants, and over half (54%) were women. Just under 80% of those enrolled received college credits, certificates, degrees and/or other industry recognized credentials, and just over half (52%) experienced a job placement, wage gain of at least $1 per hour, and/or job change.
Over 100 airport workers were awarded an Alaska Airlines Airport University Scholarship, a new scholarship resource for airport workers which launched during the grant.
Approximately 70% of incumbent worker AU students now earn above $14 per hour. Many, but not all, airport companies increased their minimum wage to $15.24 per hour as a result of Proposition 1, but the implementation was delayed due to court proceedings. The minimum wage increase began in earnest in
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spring 2016, about half-way through this grant. Some companies, such as airlines, in-flight catering and those with collective bargaining agreements, are exempted from Proposition 1. Several of these companies continue to pay wages below $15.24.
Those incumbent workers who took AU classes before the wage increased did experience a significant bump in pay over the course of this grant (as the minimum wage for many jobs prior to the increase was $9.47 per hour). Many AU students began AU classes after the wage increase went into effect and were already earning $15.24 when they took classes.
industrial vehicles Program
Seattle Goodwill and South Seattle College launched the IVP in 2016, and this new training has already become an important opportunity for refugees and immigrants to access middle wage truck driving jobs. Three cohorts of 51 total participants enrolled in CDL training, 73% of whom were African immigrants. Eighty-six percent (86%) completed the training and earned numerous TDL-related credentials and certificates; 82% of completers have earned their Class A CDL to date, and all 51 students earned at least one industry-recognized credential (e.g. OSHA 30, flagging, forklift, etc.). As of this writing, 50% of completers from all 3 cohorts (69% of completers from cohorts 1 and 2) found training-related jobs making an average of $18.40 per hour; cohort 3 completers are just now beginning their job search.
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Pre/Post interviews with truck Drivers
Pre/Post interviews revealed that people enrolled in the truck driver training experienced significant gains in psychological empowerment, futuristic self-motivation, utilization of skills and resources, and goal orientation. The pre interviews were conducted the second and third weeks of the program and the post interviews during the last week of the program.
The end of program gains were attributed to, in order of frequency: the close classroom environment; support services; encouragement and referrals provided by Goodwill case managers; applied learning instructional approaches that included multiple opportunities to ask questions, learn and practice new skills; peer support; and opportunities to earn certifications and college credits. Students took pride in their achievements, and mastery of new skills.
The biggest challenges to persistence in the class and pursuit of truck driving jobs were related to, in order of frequency: health-related/physical endurance issues; an increasing aware-ness about the demands posed by long haul truck driving jobs on the time individuals would have with their family and/or friends; wariness about the likelihood of being hired without having some job experience; and competing financial pressures that compelled students to prioritize other types of immediately accessible trades-related employment (i.e. bus or forklift driv-er) rather than waiting to compete for truck driving jobs. Other general employment concerns or barriers voiced by students included concerns about a lack of “true” personal connections with employers, and lack of English and reading skills.
The interviews reflect the self-reflections of a small group of students and cannot be used to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the program. They do suggest strongly that the model is building student motivation, knowledge and use of resources and goal orientation efforts. The pre/post ratings are presented in the table below.
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employment hope Scale
Ave Pre
3
4
4
4
5
4
4
3
4
4
Strongly disagree Neutral Strongly agree0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ave Post
7
7
6
9
8
8
7
7
7
7
DomainCategory
Psychological empowerment
Futuristic self-motivation
Utilization of skills and resources
Goal orientation
Students assessed their capacity in each of the 10 areas below. Their comments were shared, coded and summarized, using ethnographic conversational approaches to ascertain the story driving the ratings.
1. I have the strength to overcome any obstacles when it comes to working.
2. I am going to be working in a job that gives me a chance to earn a good living.
3. I am going to be working in a job where I will have opportunities to advance.
4. I am aware of what my skills are to be employed in a good job.
5. I am aware of what my resources are to be employed in a good job.
6. I am able to utilize my skills to move toward career goals.
7. I am able to utilize my resources to move toward career goals.
8. I am in the process of moving forward toward reaching my goals.
9. Even if I am not able to achieve my financial goals right away, I will find a way to get there.
10. My current path will take me to where I need to be in my career.
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4. tDl grant Products
Early in the grant, Seattle Jobs Initiative provided valuable industry research to inform the development of the IVP, which was shared with TDL partners and discussed during quarterly convenings.
In an effort to increase funding capacity and awareness of opportunities within TDL, SkillUp Washington produced the following reports as part of the JFF grant in collaboration with Port Jobs:
The Alaska Airlines Airport University Scholarship Report featured results of interviews with 22 Port Jobs Airport University scholarship recipients. All used the Alaska Airlines Airport University scholarships as a way to pursue their education and career goals, often saying how receiving a scholarship made it possible to take prerequisites and courses required to earn different degrees and licenses.
The Sea-Tac Airport Company Survey presented feedback from 24 employers who responded to the Sea-Tac Airport Company Survey distributed by Port Jobs. The report includes practical suggestions to improve the job competitiveness of persons who want to work at the airport, or are currently employed there. Employers provided information about their companies’ entry and mid-level hiring needs, recruitment sources, opportunities for advancement, and hiring trends.
Excerpts of findings from the scholarship and employer reports are presented below. Copies of these reports may be found at: www.portjobs.org and www.skillupwa.org.
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Alaska Airlines Airport University Scholarships Report: The results of interviews with, and data collected from 22 scholarship recipients revealed that 10 were female and 12 male. Twenty were currently employed at the airport. Two recipients had prior histories of working at the airport and were taking time to study and find a new airport job. The largest scholar-ship recipient group (54%) was in the 21-29 year range; 36% were immigrants and 9% were refugees. Scholarship recipients were ethnically diverse, including Caucasian (50%); Asian (13%); African (13%); African American/Black (4%); Alaska/Pacific Islander (4%), Spanish/Hispanic/Latino (4%); other (4%) and no response (4%). Scholarship recipients were linguistically diverse; 45% spoke at least one language in addition to English. Scholarship recipients are pursuing many different types of certificates, licenses and degrees. Examples include custom broker training, emergency management, AA Degrees in Global Trade and Logistics, Security Training and AA, BA and Advanced Degrees in Criminal Justice, Mechanical, Electrical and Environmental Engineering and Dispatch License courses.
Sea-Tac Airport Company Survey: Results of 24 employer surveys revealed that the main source of employer recruitment was Airport Jobs, followed by company websites and online web services. Employers expressed a critical need for entry and midlevel employees in many different areas, including air cargo warehouse agent, cargo agents, ramp agents, fuelers, material handlers, sales associates and stock associates. Employers recommended that young adult applicants become familiar with the airport job environment, carefully prepare job resumes and job applications and meet other core qualifications regarding basic skills, work history, compliance with drug testing and uniform requirements, etc. They also explained that the main reason that employees don’t remain in their jobs for at least three months are poor attendance (for young adults) and deciding jobs are not right for them (for employees 30 years old and older). They also identified the most frequent career advancement opportunities and suggestions for Airport University classes and topics for building employee skills.
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5. tDl lessons learned
Successful Airport University course persistence strategies: Because some students enrolled in Airport University lack access to computers, Port Jobs makes Airport University computers available to students to do their homework during non-class hours. This is a particularly helpful strategy for students enrolled in business technology classes. Location at the airport makes it possible for students to readily access Port Jobs computers during their breaks, as well as before and after their shifts. Additionally, Airport Jobs staff (some of whom were employed in aviation-related jobs) routinely reach out to students at their workplace to provide next step upskilling advice and opportuni-ties. Airport Jobs staff have the specialized knowledge of airport career opportunities and requirements, security approval to negotiate the airport environment, and can accommodate outreach and services to the ever-fluctuating demands of the aviation economy.
Alaska Airlines-Airport University Scholarships: This funding provided the necessary glue for many people to patch together resources needed to continue their education. Though modest in size (many were $800.00), the scholarships filled a crucial gap. Oftentimes, scholarships were combined with other financial aid to allow students to pay for courses outside of Airport University, as well as books and other supplies.
Airport Company Survey: Employers offered valuable advice about how to advance from entry to mid-level jobs and a variety of other important topics. Their suggestions are essential to document on a routine basis and provide an insight into corporate values. Employer recommendations were that workers be trustworthy, dependable, resourceful, accountable and reliable. One suggested that workers “Learn about all the different stations, and indicate they want to grow with the company” and “Exhibit a strong interest in their job and the company.”
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High cost of truck-driver training: The truck driving training is costly to operate. For example, the truck costs $1,200 a week to lease and insurance rates are high. Also, because the training model requires that 100 of 160 hours of the training (when the students are out in the truck) is at a 3 to 1 teacher ratio, the instructional costs for a cohort of 15 are multiplied by five to achieve the ratio in driving and observation. This will require looking for more cost-effective training strategies. Cost-saving priorities include securing an additional truck and/or a new simulator.
Truck Drivers Experience: Though there is a shortage of truck drivers, many trucking companies are still hoping to hire drivers with related experience. To address this issue, training providers need to establish close working relationships with companies to help remedy this barrier and create on-ramps to hiring pathways. Building these relationships requires dedicated staffing and takes time to cultivate and sustain.
Industry Awareness: Despite a lengthy industry overview during SSC’s enrollment week (Challenge Week), Seattle Goodwill reflected that more could be done to increase students’ awareness of what kinds of entry-level wages to expect after graduating, as well as the level of physical work that will be required in both short- and long-haul trucking. Some students decided to leave the program early to pursue various TDL-related jobs that did not require a Class A CDL, providing much-needed income but limited career mobility. Other students left early because they either did not pass a drug test or physical exam-ination. Goodwill is considering various program modifications to address these issues, such as asking potential students to complete an examination prior to enrolling, and/or sequencing the Class A CDL to follow a shorter-term Class B to help students who are in more immediate need to work.
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6. next Steps
TDL partners have established the following next step goals:
Seattle Goodwill will host an employer roundtable in May 2017. The participants will inform the development of the IVP and contribute ideas about how to sustain and grow the model and engage additional employer support for the program. Delivering the TDL Workforce partners will be involved in this forum and will continue to work with Seattle Goodwill to improve this important program.
SkillUp will continue to work with partners to secure a CDL simulator for the training. A request has been sent to Senator Maria Cantwell to assist in this effort, and other business partners have been approached with this request.
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Port Jobs will continue to expand Airport University course offerings and award scholarships. They are also in the process of starting a high school completion program at the airport, and are a partner in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Generation Work grant, focused on young people ages 18-29. As an organization with a strong commitment to equity, Port Jobs works diligently to recruit and support the career advancement opportu-nities of many low-income, ethnically and linguistically diverse persons.
South Seattle College (SSC) is planning to submit a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Program Implementation grant to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the fall of 2017. They will be continually working with Seattle Goodwill to improve their curricula, course persistence and employer engagement strategies. Two more 16-week truck driver training courses are scheduled for 2017.
SkillUp plans to keep holding quarterly TDL convenings to ensure the ongoing sharing and dissemination of local and national promising practices.
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