The Essential Role of Early Care and Education and its Workforce
On October 14-15, 2015, the City of Los Angeles Workforce Development Board and Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) hosted “LA’s Workforce at the Crossroads Summit: The Essential Role of Early Care and Education and Its Workforce.” Held at the Japanese American National Museum, the Crossroads Summit brought together 150 leaders from the workforce development, education, government, philanthropy and early care and education (ECE) sectors in order to create awareness, highlight areas of common interest, and build support for the early care and education industry.
The Crossroads Summit addressed four specific themes
David Crippens, Chair, City of Los Angeles Workforce Development Board’s Youth Council and Chair, Los Angeles Universal Preschool’s Board of Directors, kicks off the Crossroads Summit- How to use the ECE field as a way to provide opportunities, workplace experiences and career pathways for the emerging workforce
- How to ensure that the region’s current ECE workforce is receiving adequate training and support to deliver high-quality services and sustain the long-term viability of the ECE field
- How to provide working parents who have young children with reliable, safe, high-quality ECE options
- And how to ensure all children have access to quality ECE so that they can become more active learners, achieve better academic outcomes, and develop into more productive workers and citizens
As a result of this conference, LAUP and the Workforce Development Board will develop a white paper with policy and programmatic considerations and recommendations. The Workforce Development Board and its Youth Council will discuss the findings and recommendations at a future board meeting.
Robert Sainz, Assistant General Manager, City of LA Economic & Workforce Development Dept, moderates panel (left to right): Kaci Patterson, Senior Director, LA Partnership for Early Childhood Development; Tim Rainey, Exec. Director, CA Workforce Development Board; Renée Martinez, President, LA City College; Bill Allen, CEO, LA Economic Development CorpThis was the 8th annual Crossroads summit sponsored by the City’s Workforce Development Board and its Youth Council
Since 2002, Crossroads summits have acted as a catalyst for substantive and sustainable changes in workforce development policy and programmatic best practices. Past Crossroads summits have addressed the areas of incarcerated youth, the extent of disconnected youth, addressing youth voice in programming, breaking down institutional barriers to better serve foster youth, older workers and the multigenerational workforce, and improving employment services to veterans.Crossroads Summit was possible through a collaboration of the Los Angeles Workforce Development Board and its Youth Council, Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) and the City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department and also through the generous support of UPS. Partners assisting in developing the Crossroads Summit include: First5LA, Verdugo Workforce Investment Board, California Workforce Development Board, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and Unite LA, Tikkun Consulting, Los Angeles City College and New Ways to Work.
CA Senator Carol Liu addresses the summit audience regarding the importance of ECE and its workforce implications
Kim Belshé, Executive Director, First5LA, explains the importance of early care and education as a critical sector and workforce issue within Los Angeles CountyPhotos courtesy of Daniel Rarela, LAUP
For more details on the Crossroads Summit, please see:
Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance early education program quality and capacity by supporting the development of the whole child, growing a qualified and diverse workforce, and strengthening family engagement. Create and sustain strategic partnerships and advocate for policies that promote access and program excellence