Dean Janosky Highlights the Convergence of Employer-Educator Partnerships in Crain's Detroit Business News

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Increasing competitiveness in Detroit and Michigan requires multifaceted approaches that include educating and training a labor force for the technically advanced jobs of the future. Created through the intersection or convergence of disciples, integrated education and training programs, as well as employer-educator partnerships, can meet labor force demands while tackling problems otherwise deemed intractable.

The convergence of not only resources, including those of educational institutions and employers, but also disciplines within educational institutions, has tremendous potential to prepare the local and state labor force for current high-skilled, high-paying jobs as well as ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled workers for future jobs.

This proactive approach is also taking the form of employer-educator partnerships, such as those facilitated by the Aspen Institute's Skills for America's Future program, which fosters connections between community colleges and employers. More often, employer-educator partnerships have been initiated by employers in their local communities; for example, partnerships between the Boeing Co. and educational institutions, which range from pre-kindergarten to college levels, have informed curricula to align with their current and future labor force needs. 

Educational institutions have started to evolve to meet labor market needs in the public health sector. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care and social assistance jobs in December 2014 accounted for 17 percent of the total job openings, up from 14 percent the previous year. 

In addition, employment of health educators and community workers is projected to grow 21 percent from 2012-22, faster than the average for all occupations. 

Further development in this area could be advantageous for Detroit and Michigan. As an example, integrative education and training programs focusing on community health have the potential to dramatically impact competitiveness and productivity, especially given that the economic vitality of a community is highly dependent on the health of the citizens. 

In addition to simply having adequate numbers of healthy individuals to contribute to the labor force, businesses increasingly consider the health of the population prior to moving to or expanding within a particular geographical location due in large part to the impact of preventable, chronic disease (e.g., obesity and Type 2 diabetes) in terms of health care costs and lost productivity through absenteeism and presenteeism. 

Preparing our workers for these technically advanced jobs of the future requires that educational institutions design new, innovative programs at the intersection of disciplines, as recommended by the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. Through the convergence of disciplines as well as partnerships between employers-educators, the available and ready labor force within Detroit and Michigan could be strengthened, resulting in increased competitiveness.