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  • III. Operational Planning Elements

    The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above.  Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs.  This section must include—

    • a. State Strategy Implementation

      The Unified or Combined State Plan must include–

      • 2. Implementation of State Strategy

        Describe how the lead State agency with responsibility for the administration of each core program or a Combined Plan partner program included in this plan will implement the State’s Strategies identified in Section II(c). above. This must include a description of—

III. a. 2. H. Improving Access to Postsecondary Credentials

Describe how the State’s strategies will improve access to activities leading to recognized postsecondary credentials, including Registered Apprenticeship certificates.  This includes credentials that are industry-recognized certificates, licenses or certifications, and that are portable and stackable.

Current Narrative:

California believes that helping people obtain meaningful credentials can further regional prosperity and economic mobility. Many of California’s initiatives focus on quality credentials, both by helping organizations to identify them and workers to earn them. The state needs all kinds of post-secondary credentials to be economically competitive, and to provide opportunities for the broadest possible array of Californians. The CWDB broadly defines these credentials as sub-baccalaureate credentials with demonstrable labor market value, including industry-recognized certificates, or certifications, or certificates of completion of apprenticeship, or professional licenses, recognized by California or the federal government. They also include industry-valued associate degrees that facilitate movement into either the labor market or longer-term educational programs aligned with the state’s workforce needs.

California’s strategy for improving credential attainment throughout the state is to require the RPUs to include “industry-valued post-secondary credential attainment” in the Regional Plans required by WIOA. Working with their planning partners, Local Boards are required to identify, develop, prioritize, service, and feed “regional sector pathway” programs in their RPUs. These programs should result in the attainment of industry-valued and recognized post-secondary credentials that are portable and aligned with regional workforce needs.

As a result, all Regional Plans are required to identify the following:

  • The process used to determine industry-valued and recognized post-secondary credentials, including a description of the process taken to ensure that industry leads this discussion.
  • The current industry-valued and recognized post-secondary credentials being emphasized in the Regional Plan and the process that will be used to ensure their relevance in subsequent years as labor markets change.
  • The manner in which regional partners, including industry leaders, determined that the relevant credentials are actually industry valued.
  • The relevant training and education providers providing the credentials.
  • How the regional planning partners will establish regional goals for, and track attainment of, industry-recognized credentials produced in each region, including each Local Board’s contribution, and the total contribution of industry-recognized credentials produced by the partners collectively in the RPU.

Additionally, Local Boards are required to improve access to activities leading to a recognized post-secondary credential, including a credential that is an industry-recognized certification that is portable and stackable. Quality credential programs are those that are:

  • Accessible – Affordable and readily available at places and times convenient for working adults.
  • Transparent – Clearly articulate costs and prerequisites and provide an accurate picture of what skills, knowledge and abilities are benchmarked by a given credential, as well as the value it carries in the labor market.
  • Stackable – Operates as one of multiple manageable chunks that add up to a more substantial credential and do not require starting over at each new step.
  • Portable – Transferable between organizations, regions, and educational institutions.
  • Meaningful – Provides true value in the labor market.
  • Connected – Is linked to a job or an educational pathway.

California plans to identify ways to track and evaluate how many industry recognized credentials are being produced in each of the RPUs and how these credentials relate to regional labor market needs, as well as regional sector priorities outlined in the Regional Plans.