This document, developed by the Bennington County School and Workforce Partnership, is a plan for workforce training and education in Bennington County, Vermont. Its focus is on the work-force needs of the local economy. Its recommendations target critical priorities in training and education.

Workforce development that is directly responsive to the needs of employers helps not only businesses- and the economy, but individual careers. We need to think carefully about what skills and knowledge the developing economy of Bennington County demands, and how we can best ensure that these skills and knowledge are delivered by our schools and training institutions.

Bennington County has, through a series of well-attended public meetings, achieved a strong consensus about its economic development objectives. The basic economic development aim of this community is to preserve and grow jobs that pay well, offer good benefits, are sustainable, and contribute positively to the quality of life. We also want to encourage and build on the strategic sectors of our economy, that is, those sectors critically important to our base of jobs and proprietorships. There is wide consensus in the community that the following represent strategic sectors of our economy:

• Manufacturing
• Information-based business
• Hospitality and tourism
• Health and human services

Education is also considered a strategic sector in Bennington County in its own right, having sector- specific workforce development issues that merit attention. This sector, which includes exceptionally high private education employment, is currently under study by the Partnership and is not covered in this document.

In order to achieve our economic development objectives, as well as do justice to the individual career needs of our present and future workers, we need to address (1) the general workforce development requirements of our economy and (2) the specific workforce development requirements of the strategic sectors of our economy. Of course, every business, sector, or career is of strategic importance to the people involved. So ultimately, training and education needs should be planned comprehensively across all sectors. But we should start with the most urgent sector priorities and the best-paying jobs.

An objective look at the workforce situation in our community reveals both great needs and great opportunities. How effective will we be as a community in ensuring that the education and training system is responsive to these needs and opportunities? The answer may largely determine how successful we are at preserving, nourishing, and expanding quality jobs.

Some basic conclusions of this report and plan are as follows:

This community's traditional work ethic, productive workforce, and access to hundreds
of thousands of workers in the region is a major advantage of doing business in this community
On the other hand, area employers consistently cite increasing problems in finding
qualified workers as a major limitation on growth and prosperity
Work readiness skills (i.e., "soft" skills) - such as punctuality, dependability, communication, team work, initiative, and positive attitude - are increasingly lacking among new workers and badly needed by area employers
Basic math, English, and problem-solving skills are increasingly lacking among new workers and badly needed by area employers
Area employers invest heavily in in-house training of employees who have minimum relevant skills and knowledge, and many larger employers have flexible tuition reimbursement programs for outside course work
There is an urgent need to better inform students of the excellent career opportunities
available in this community and of the educational prerequisites of such careers
There is an urgent need to better inform area employers of training and education
programs available in this community
Specific training and education programs in this community need to improve in
responsiveness to the workforce needs of area employers, who in turn should actively
and constructively assist providers in accomplishing this
Area employers should be more active in jointly articulating in coordination
with area education and training providers - the specific skills and knowledge
needed in their respective sectors
The Bennington County School and Workforce Partnership should facilitate systematic planning to meet the short-term and long-term workforce skills and knowledge needs of area employers
The potential community, business, and career benefits of strengthening Bennington County's workforce development system are enormous.