Year in Review
The past year has featured a number of key activities in the implementation of Future Ready Oregon strategic initiatives and grant-funded programs. Check out some of the highlights below. And please join us in thanking our community, education, and industry partners who have collaborated in advancing a more equitable workforce system.
January, February & March: The Industry Consortia convened to accomplish their short-term objective: advancing their respective recommendations for sector-specific criteria to be prioritized in the third and final round of Workforce Ready Grant funding available through the Legislature’s 2022 investment.
February: The new Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) agency website launched, with expanded web coverage of Future Ready Oregon, including a new map of investments across Oregon, a list of resources for grantees, and a page for Industry Consortia public meeting materials and related resources.
May: HECC staff and community partners presented on equitable approaches to leadership and grant administration at the Workforce and Talent Development Board’s Oregon Talent Summit (May 14-15, 2024). Topics included grant administration for systems change and the Industry Consortia’s shared leadership approach to addressing healthcare, manufacturing, and technology workforce needs.
In May, the HECC also announced the sector-focused Requests for Applications for the third and final round of Workforce Ready Grants, seeking applications for up to $40 million in funding to develop innovative workforce education and training programs and career pathways in the healthcare, manufacturing, and technology industry sectors.
June–September: The Industry Consortia partnered with Jensen Strategies to conduct a series of focus groups with employers in the healthcare, manufacturing, and technology industry sectors across the state to better understand their workforce and talent development needs and challenges.
July, August & September: Oregon’s nine local workforce development boards launched Workforce Benefits Navigators pilot projects that expand access to workforce education and training opportunities, career coaching, and wraparound supports for marginalized and underserved communities across the state.
August, September & October: The Industry Consortia held their fourth-quarter meetings at locations across the state, learning from community partners about regional strategies for workforce education and training that increase opportunities for diverse learners and workers. The Healthcare Consortium convened at Rogue Community College in Southern Oregon, the Manufacturing Consortium convened at Central Oregon College in Redmond, and the Technology Consortium convened at Connected Lane County in Springfield.
October: Oregon Workforce Partnership, working on behalf of Oregon’s nine local workforce development boards, submitted the Prosperity 10,000 Year Three Report to the Workforce and Talent Development Board and the HECC. The report highlights each board’s application of Prosperity 10,000 funding to collaborate with community partners and training providers in expanding existing services, developing new programs, and removing barriers to program participation—all in service of marginalized and underserved communities within their respective regions.
November: HECC announced the latest round of Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grant awards to support 62 innovative workforce and talent development projects. A combined total of approximately $42 million has been preliminarily awarded, making this the largest round of Future Ready Oregon grant funding to date. These sector-focused Workforce Ready Grants in healthcare, manufacturing, and technology support collaborative programs that center the needs of Oregon’s underserved communities and connect individuals to resources for pursuing good-paying jobs and meaningful careers in key sectors of Oregon’s economy.
December: HECC staff prepared the Future Ready Oregon Year Three Report and the 2024 Report on Credit for Prior Learning for submission to the Oregon Legislature. The Future Ready Oregon Year Three Report will be released at a future date on the HECC website. HECC staff presented on both reports at the December 12, 2024, HECC Commission meeting.
A Year of Partner Success Stories
This year, we also shared updates from some of HECC’s many grantees on the impact Future Ready Oregon funding is having on their workforce education and training programs in service to Oregon learners, students, job-seekers, and workers. We are grateful to everyone who contributed—check out their stories below!
What’s Next for Future Ready Oregon in 2025
Throughout 2025, HECC staff will continue to administer grant-funded programs, collect participant data from grantees, and document the effectiveness of Future Ready Oregon programming. The Industry Consortia will address critical workforce shortages and strategic workforce opportunities in the healthcare, manufacturing, and technology sectors. Stay tuned for monthly program updates, impact stories from our grantees and partners, and emerging themes and promising practices that can help inform and advance the ongoing work to grow equitable opportunities across the state’s workforce development system.
“Industry Consortia: New Model for Talent Development”
Consortia Featured at Recent Oregon Business Plan Summit
The December 9th “Advancing World-class Ambitions” Oregon Business Plan Annual Leadership Summit featured a breakout session on the Industry Consortia’s shared leadership model. The speakers addressed how this model can advance workforce and talent development opportunities. Panelists included Dan Malinaric, Vice President of Fab 4 Operations at Microchip; Jennifer Purcell, Director of Future Ready Oregon at the HECC; and Brooke Brownlee, Senior Manager of Labor Workforce, Community Engagement at PGE. Read more here.
Pictured: Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Technology Industry Consortia quarterly public meetings
Mark Your Calendars
Industry Consortia Issue Their Quarterly Public Meeting Schedules for the New Year
The Industry Consortia have confirmed their quarterly public meeting schedule for 2025. In the coming months, the Consortia will continue advancing their medium-term objectives by addressing critical workforce shortages and strategic workforce opportunities in healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. This work includes the following activities:
- establishing working groups to focus on career and credential mapping, reducing barriers to participation in workforce education and training programs, and accelerating access to career pathways to high-demand jobs;
- reviewing wage data for high-demand occupations; and
- sharing promising practices to advancing equitable access to education and employment and identifying replicable and scalable strategies to addressing critical workforce shortages and strategic workforce opportunities in the healthcare, manufacturing, and technology sectors.
Industry Consortia meetings are open to the public. The quarterly public meeting schedule is listed below.
Healthcare Industry Consortium
- Tuesday, January 28, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., virtual meeting
- Tuesday, April 22, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
- Tuesday, June 24, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
- Tuesday, September 23, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
Manufacturing Industry Consortium
- Wednesday, February 12, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., virtual meeting
- Wednesday, April 2, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
- Wednesday, July 23, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
- Tuesday, October 14, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
Technology Industry Consortium
- Tuesday, February 25, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., virtual meeting
- Tuesday, May 13, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
- Tuesday, August 19, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
- Wednesday, November 5, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location TBD
How to Attend Quarterly Meetings and Where to Find More Information
In 2025, the first quarterly meeting for each Consortium will be held online; all subsequent meetings will be held in person with the option to listen online. Quarterly meetings are open to the public to attend. The HECC welcomes your comments; to sign up to provide public comment at these meetings, email the public meeting administrator, and be sure to view additional public comment guidelines here.
Prior to each meeting, we will share the location, registration link for online attendance, agenda, and any supplemental documents on the Industry Consortia webpage. Following each meeting, you can find a link to the meeting recording on the HECC YouTube channel. To be kept updated as public meeting details are announced, please subscribe to our Industry Consortia public meeting notices.
Future Ready Oregon Featured on the Getting Smart Podcast
Jennifer Purcell, Director of Future Ready Oregon, was recently featured on the Getting Smart podcast. Getting Smart is an organization that works with leaders, schools, and systems to support innovations that empower learners and drive equity. In this episode, Tom Vander Ark, CEO of Getting Smart, dives into the intricacies of workforce development and public leadership with Director Purcell. Purcell shares insights into innovative strategies that support diverse learners and workers, creating equitable pathways that connect education and high-demand career opportunities.
Future Ready Oregon in the News
Sector-focused Workforce Ready Grant Award Announcements
Bushnell University to receive $1 million grant to help address nursing shortage – November 20, 2024. KEZI Channel 9. By Ryan Bonham. “Bushnell University in Eugene is receiving a $1 million Healthcare Workforce Ready grant from the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission as part of a statewide initiative to address Oregon’s critical nursing shortage…”
Oregon awards $42 million in grant funding to workforce training programs across the state – November 20, 2024. OPB. By Kyra Buckley. “State leaders say Oregon needs more skilled workers in health care, manufacturing, and technology — and $42 million in grant funding will flow to over 60 projects aimed at recruiting and retaining those workers…”
PSU gets $1.8M to bolster career pathways for Native communities – November 20, 2024. Portland State University News. By Cristina Rojas. “Portland State has been awarded $1.8 million for two workforce development and training projects that will strengthen career pathways for Native students and Tribal communities in the high-demand fields of healthcare and technology….”
Chemeketa Community College receives Workforce Ready Grant to transform education and workforce development – November 22, 2024. Chemeketa Community College News. “Chemeketa Community College is proud to announce its selection as a recipient of three Workforce Ready grants, part of the Future Ready Oregon initiative…”
Clackamas CC awarded $1 million Future Ready Grant – November 21, 2024. Canby Herald. By John Baker/CCC Staff. “Clackamas Community College has been awarded a $1 million Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grant…”
College Of Business lands Future Ready Oregon Workforce Grant – November 21, 2024. Pacific University News, Media and Stories. By Blake Timm. “The Pacific University College of Business has received a $525,000 grant from the State of Oregon to support an innovative data analytics program that partners Pacific students with local businesses….”
Klamath Union High School health occupations program awarded $440,000 grant – November 22, 2024. Herald and News. By Molly O’Brien. “A high school in Klamath Falls was awarded just under a half-million dollar grant for programming geared toward future careers in medicine…”
$42 million awarded to Oregon job development projects – November 26, 2024. MSN Money/ Public News Service. By Isobel Charlé. “The latest round of Workforce Ready Grants means $42 million is being divided among 62 projects aiming to foster Oregon's diverse workforce...”
WOU receives $2M to address shortage of Spanish-English behavioral, mental health professionals – November 29, 2024. Polk County Itemizer-Observer. By Western Oregon University (press release). “Building upon Western Oregon University’s success in educating bilingual teachers to serve Oregon’s diverse communities, the university has been awarded a $2 million Workforce Ready Grant…”
Grant helping fund the future of career and technical education at Mazama High School – December 2, 2024. KDRV News Watch 12. By Luke Doten. “Mazama High School received more than $302,000 in grants from the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission’s Workforce Ready grant program…”
Klamath Falls' Ross Ragland Theatre receives grant to fund internship program – December 3, 2024. Herald and News. By Molly O’Brien. “The Ross Ragland Theater made Santa’s nice list this year as one of the many organizations to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars from the state for its upcoming internship program…”
UCC awarded grant for Career Ready Umpqua – December 3, 2024. The News-Review. By Kyle Bailey. “Umpqua Community College was awarded a $500,000 Manufacturing Workforce Ready grant…”
North River Boats part of Oregon workforce initiative – December 4, 2024. Work Boat. “North River Boats, Roseburg, Ore., is one of four businesses involved in the Future Ready Oregon program. The program, launched by Umpqua Community College…”
Project Youth+ secures $1M in grants for healthcare and tech training – December 11, 2024. KOBI-TV/NBC 5 – KOTI-TV/NBC 2. By Ethan Quin. “Project Youth+ has secured more than $1 million in Workforce Readiness Grants to expand innovative training programs in healthcare and technology….”
Oregon Tech receives $1.2 million in grants to expand career pathways in technology – December 17, 2024. Oregon Business. “Oregon Institute of Technology has received two grants from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) to support innovative workforce and talent development…”
Other Recent News on Future Ready Oregon
Bonanza’s new shop features state-of-the-art equipment – October 24, 2024. Klamath Alerts. “The school uses nearly $500,000 in grants to update facilities and offer new programs…” Note: this article covers a Future Ready Oregon Round Four Grant Award from the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Apprenticeship and Training Division.
State initiative helps Oregon inmates forge new career pathways – November 19, 2024. OPB. By Tiffany Camhi. “Bright flashes of blue light illuminated Desmond Hoy’s welding mask, on a recent October morning…” Note: this article covers a project that received Workforce Ready Grants from the HECC in 2022 and 2023.
College meets with construction trades partners – December 2, 2024. Lincoln County Leader. “Skilled trades workers are in high demand, especially here in Lincoln County. According to the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, many trades workers are aging out of the workforce…” Note: this article covers a project that received a Future Ready Oregon Round Four Grant Award from the BOLI Apprenticeship and Training Division.
Covering key manufacturing skills – December 4, 2024. Portland Observer. “After immigrating to Oregon from Ukraine just prior to Russia’s invasion, Kishinets searched for a training opportunity to transition into a better career. She found what she needed in Portland Community College’s new CNC Operator Readiness Essentials (CORE) Program…” Note: this article covers a project that received Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grant funding in 2022 and 2023 from the HECC.
A mobile impact – December 15, 2024. Community College Daily. By James Hill. “Living in Columbia County, Oregon, Ruben Gonzalez wanted to train for a career in welding. To do it, he did not have to go to Portland Community College (PCC) because PCC came to him…” Note: this article covers a project that received Future Ready Oregon Career Pathways funding from the HECC.
Future Ready Oregon in the News contains links to news content that includes information created, published, maintained, or otherwise posted by institutions or organizations independent of the HECC. The content represents a selection of recent coverage from reputable, non-partisan media sources and institutional or government partners. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of information available via these links.
HECC publishes a weekly News Clips email featuring HECC opportunities and links to recent media stories from across the postsecondary landscape. Sign up for HECC News Clips and other HECC newsletters here.
|
