The California Economic Summit (Summit) released its 2016 Roadmap to Shared Prosperity today, highlighting a set of ambitious goals—the One Million Challenges—that will be vital to expanding sustainable economic growth in every part of California. The updated 2016 report identified workforce development as one of the three essential areas where progress must be accelerated for California to thrive in the next decade.

For three years, the Summit has supported investments in career technical education – and better alignment between workforce training programs and employers. To ensure more young people are getting the skills they need, the Summit will support the formation of regional civic organizations dedicated to accelerating implementation of Task Force proposals. These organizations will have three functions:

1. Align public and private partners on goals, strategies, and metrics to help young Californians be prepared for meaningful careers.
2. Encourage coordination and effectiveness – and create accountability for results – to meet the needs of students and employers.
3. Develop and advocate for incentives that drive improvements in programs and improve job placements.

The Summit report was informed by the work of the Strong Workforce Task Force that conducted regional college conversations, town hall meetings and task force meetings over the past year. See the following reports for more information on how regional collaboration and pathways development are critical to the success of the Summit’s goals:

College-To-Career Pathways: Getting From Here to There on the Roadmap for a Stronger California Economy.
California Community Colleges Board of Governors: Task Force on Workforce, Job Creation, and a Strong Economy.