Dear Friend,

One of goals of WorkforceChicago2.0 is to strengthen relationships between business, higher education, and the public sector. In this issue, we discuss how partnerships between business and education leaders can be mutually beneficial for employees, employers, and educators. WorkforceChicago2.0 advocates for collaborative and customized programs that expand employee learning and development objectives.

Each issue of SmartWork focuses on one of the Nine Key Components of Exemplary Practice in Employee Learning and Development. This issue highlights the eighth practice, Alliances with Educational Institutions are Central to Learning Strategy. This practice emphasizes how the collaborative development of customized degree, certificate, and noncredit programs helps meet both the needs of business and employees. Read about the other Nine Key Components at www.workforcechicago2.org

In our Business Leader’s Perspective interview with Sylvia Manning, Chancellor for UIC, and Raymond F. McCaskey, President & CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, these leaders discuss their thoughts about the Higher Education—Business Leader Forum and alliances between business and educational institutions. Our recent Higher Education—Business Leaders Forum launched a successful, first-of-its-kind cross-sector collaboration to create systemic change in the region for workforce development. Business and higher education leaders discussed the adult learning and workforce development opportunities that are common across sectors and industries and brainstormed ideas for collaborative work.

We provide information about the newest edition of CAEL’s publication, Earn College Credit for What You Know, fourth edition. It is a useful guide for all adults to understand how to earn college credit for knowledge acquired through work, training, volunteer and union activities, hobbies, and other life experiences.

WorkforceChicago2.0 is about creating the business and political will to continue to educate and train our workforce for the future. We want to ensure that Chicago is the leading talent pool in the country by businesses who invest in developing their workforce. We need your help in our efforts to impact the region by continuing to support this initiative. If you would like to discuss how you can be involved, contact Michelle Sanford at (312) 499-2337 or msanford@cael.org

We’ll see you next quarter!

WorkforceChicago2.0 Prepares for Exemplary Practices Award Event and Celebrates Fifth Anniversary

The 2006 WorkforceChicago2.0 Exemplary Practices Award nomination survey is closed. We want to thank everyone submitting a nomination for their time and effort. Our annual WorkforceChicago2.0 Exemplary Practices Award Event is only two weeks away!

This year’s award event also marks WorkforceChicago2.0’s fifth anniversary. Exciting plans are underway and we are thrilled to add two more exemplary companies to our prestigious list of award winners. Mayor Daley and the Business Leadership Group of WorkforceChicago2.0 will honor our past and future award winners on June 14, 2006. Recognition of our fifth anniversary will turn out our best award event yet!

Visit www.workforcechicago.org for more details
about this event.

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WorkforceStLouis2.0 Launches with Regional Support

WorkforceStLouis2.0 officially launched its Business Leadership Group on April 27. Steve Lipstein, CEO of BJC Healthcare, the largest regional employer in St. Louis, hosted a breakfast where business leaders were invited to participate in the leadership of this new initiative. The Missouri’s Director of Economic Development, Greg Steinhoff, and Mayor Francis Slay, among many other civic, business, and higher education leaders were on hand to show their support for WorkforceStLouis2.0. Ten companies in attendance made a commitment to support the WorkforceStLouis2.0 initiative. We look forward to hearing more on the progress of this important initiative for the St. Louis region.

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WorkforcePhiladelphia2.0 Expands Initiative

CAEL launched WorkforcePhiladelphia2.0 in 2004 with the support of an Annie E. Casey Foundation grant. The first annual WorkforcePhiladelphia2.0 Exemplary Practices award event was held in September 2005 and recognized the following three companies for exemplary practices in employee learning and development: Wawa Inc., Citizen’s Bank, and Main Line Health System. Work continues in the Philadelphia region to expand WorkforcePhiladelphia2.0, including growing the Business Leadership Group, preparing for the 2nd Annual Exemplary Practices award event and launching a Philadelphia region Higher Education–Business Leaders’ Forum.

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New Business Leadership Group (BLG) Member for WorkforceChicago2.0

CAEL is pleased to have a new CEO join the Business Leadership Group (BLG) for the WorkforceChicago2.0 Initiative: Robert Philpott of Synovate. Mr. Philpott is the Global COO and CEO for the Americas at Synovate, one of the largest market research firms in the world. He is looking forward to contributing to the mission of WorkforceChicago2.0 and to joining his peers on the Business Leadership Group.

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Business Leader’s Perspective on the Higher Education – Business Leader Forum

On April 26, WorkforceChicago2.0 launched the Higher Education–Business Leaders’ Forum at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The Forum works to forge stronger relationships among business and higher education as the Chicago region faces an impending shortage of skilled workers. Leaders in Chicagoland business, higher education, philanthropy, and city government engaged in lively conversation, brainstorming, and high-level decision making regarding the next steps in this innovative program.

The Higher Education-Business Leaders Forum was created by WorkforceChicago2.0 in collaboration with a cross-sector advisory group made up of business leaders, higher education leaders, civic and philanthropic leaders, and CAEL staff. Both Sylvia Manning, Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Raymond F. McCaskey, President & CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois are members of the Higher Education-Business Leaders Forum Advisory Group.


Sylvia Manning and Raymond F. McCaskey share UIC and BlueCross BlueShield’s experiences with alliances of their highly respected organizations and their perspectives on the intended outcomes of the Higher Education—Business Leaders’ Forum. Additionally, they reveal how interdependent business and education actually are.

Get Manning and McCaskey’s perspectives - click here

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Earn College Credit for What You Know Helps Adults Receive Recognition for Lifelong Learning

In March, CAEL released the fourth edition of Earn College Credit for What You Know. Previous editions sold more than 20,000 copies helping many thousands of adult learners receive recognition for their learning!

This new edition offers the latest, most current information on prior learning assessment (PLA) for adult learners, professionals, evaluators, administrators, faculty, and training managers. Prior learning assessment is a valid, yet underutilized, process of evaluating and recognizing learning that helps adults earn credit for knowledge acquired through work, training, volunteering, union activities, hobbies, and other life experiences.

Book features:

• Convenient and informative question-and-answer format for busy working adults
• Exercises for understanding and applying learning theory
• Profiles of adult students and their successful use of prior learning assessment to complete their degrees
• Explanation of the CAEL standards for quality prior learning assessment

CAEL offers members a 20 percent discount on the publication as well as bulk order discounts. The book’s retail price is $24.95.

For more information, please visit the CAEL website at www.cael.org

Orders: call Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company at
1-800-338-8290, e-mail orders@kendallhunt.com, or www.kendallhunt.com/ecc4.

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Business Leadership Group Co-Chair Transition

From the inception of WorkforceChicago2.0, John Rowe, Chairman and CEO of Exelon Corporation, has served as a co-chair of the Business Leadership Group. His leadership and advocacy have been invaluable during the first five years. Without his commitment and the involvement of Exelon Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Gary Snodgrass, WorkforceChicago2.0 would not be where it is today. Although Rowe will remain an active member of the Business Leadership Group, he steps down as co-chair in June 2006.

As a special part of our upcoming Fifth Anniversary WorkforceChicago2.0 Celebration in June, we will be honoring John Rowe and welcoming newly appointed co-chair, John E. Rooney, President and CEO of U.S. Cellular.

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Exemplary Practices Discussion Series (EPDS) Brings Together Executives to Discuss Nuturing Employee Development

WorkforceChicago2.0’s newest offering of executive learning and networking opportunities, the Exemplary Practices Discussion Series (EPDS), allows the business community to engage in discussions on best practices and the latest developments in employee learning programs. EPDS programs are held throughout the year in the Chicago region as workshops, seminars, and webinars. All events are at no cost to participants.

The first EPDS Webinar was held on Thursday, May 4 and had the highest participation of any preceding EPDS offering. Hosted by ConferencePlus™, a WFC2.0 award winner in 2005, the event shared insight among participants on creating a culture that nurtures and promotes learning and development for all levels of an organization. ConferencePlus™ highlighted its own work in building and maintaining a culture of employee development within its own business. Attendees commented on finding their participation extremely valuable as they collected information from their colleagues on creating and nurturing a progressive learning culture for all employees in an organization.

The Exemplary Practices Discussion Series will continue to offer program opportunities throughout the Chicago region, as well as additional Webinars in the future. Please check the WorkforceChicago2.0 website in coming months for further details.

Also see “Upcoming Events” in future newsletters for new EPDS topics and locations. Events hosted by IBM and U.S. Cellular, among others, are soon to be announced. For more information, contact Michelle Sanford at (312) 499-2337 or msanford@cael.org, and www.workforcechicago2.org.

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