The goal--from an industry-based/led perspective, was to incorporate these skills and abilities into everyday activities and lessons already being used in classrooms across the state.

The Industry Skills Coalition (ISC) was an industry-based working group of the Alaska Process Industry Careers Consortium (APICC), Alaska High-Tech Council, Alaska Hospitality Alliance, Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association, Associated General Contractors of Alaska (AGC), and Alaska Works partnership, with additional liaisons with transportation and seafood industries. Consistently we have heard from employers that youth are chronically ill prepared for the entering employment.

This project built on work that a number of state agencies, educators and several employers completed in 2001. These work sessions took the first steps in developing "ready to work/work readiness" standards for Alaska young people preparing to enter the job market. The state group isolated a series of work ethic-related skills believed to be aligned with what employers want to see (beyond essential competence in basic skills such as math and language use).

Through a “Youth Employability Skills” (aka YES!) Institute conducted August 12th and 13th of 2003, a follow up Symposium September 25th - 27th and Pilot Sites several employers, educators and state agencies continued to work together to craft an assessment that was piloted throughout Alaska through 2003 and into 2004. Ultimately this project moved Alaska closer to a statewide Youth Employability Skills certification available to all of our youth.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS:

YES! Grid Assessor-One Page Evaluation Form

YES! Grid Descriptors (Support to Eval. form)

YES! Short List

PORTFOLIO DOCUMENTS:

Host and Partner Profile

Participant Profile with Instructions

Team Member (Assessor)Profile with Instructions

Final Summary with Instructions

YES! MILESTONE SUMMARY

YES! PROJECT DEFINITIONS

YES! 10/16/03 Professional Development Conference Powerpoint Presentation