< Previousfaster,” DeBacker says. “We have a program for that now. That model can be replicated in other sectors throughout Kansas.”Only two things are needed for Kansas to bridge the gap, she adds. “We must have the willingness of the education system to change; and we must have people willing to be trained.”When Kansas asked its employers what they most wanted from state government, the answer was simple, said DeBacker. “They need the state and the agency to be nimble, to be able to say yes, we understand what you need and here are some ideas, and we will help you make the connections and design the curriculum. They need partners. They are expecting us to be able to help them solve their issues. This means that we must change how we deliver our services.”With her background at RTI and serving as a lifelong educator, she notes, “Education has been the environment that I am used to. At RTI, I had to see things from the business perspective. I really had to approach work differently. We must provide the customers with the service they want. To do that, you must know what the needs of the client are.”She also brings an international perspective to her job. “I started out as a high school business teacher in Kansas. I grew up in Kansas,” she says. “I had never lived more than 50 miles from my hometown before going to Abu Dhabi. That changed “Spirit AeroSystems is adding over a thousand new jobs in Wichita. They partnered with WSU Tech and Wichita State University. A new cohort is going through this program every 12 weeks. That was unheard of just a few years ago.”— Diane DeBackerPhoto courtesy of Spirit AeroSystems“Spirit AeroSystems is adding over a thousand new jobs “Spirit AeroSystems is adding over a thousand new jobs “in Wichita. State University. A new cohort is going through this program every 12 weeks.just a few years ago.— Diane DeBackerK A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C AK A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A383838K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C AK A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O FK A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C Amy perspective.”By working in the education systems in the United Arab Emirates, she learned the ins and outs of global business, as well as the competitive nature of international workforce development.“We have seen more of a shift with our technical schools and community colleges for customized training with the Workforce AID program,” she says. “That will happen with our four-year institutions as well. It takes time for that type of change to occur. We will continue to work rapidly on the Governor’s Education Council. We will issue a report to the governor and the legislature in January 2019 after our fourth council meeting in December. We will know more about what our workforce looks like and what our training statewide looks like. We will be well on our way toward a plan for what the governor will consider for Future Kansas.” Kansas is redesigning education and helping students aim higher after graduation. Giant Leapsby S AVAN N AH K I N GED U CA T ION R EF OR M40 K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C APhoto: Getty ImagesGiant LeapsKansas has an ambitious new plan for the state’s students and its education system — so ambitious they’re taking inspiration from NASA. In 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education held a series of “community conversations” with students, parents, and industry leaders about the future of education around the state. What the board found was Kansans wanted students to benefit from higher standards in academic skills, more employability and citizenship skills and to move away from the standard “one-size-fits-all” approach most schools take. The result of those conversations is the 10-year “Kansas Can” vision which aims to transform the way all 286 school districts across the state approach education.Seven districts were selected from a pool of 29 applicants to participate in the redesign program. This fall, 14 new schools from those 7 districts — known as the “Mercury 7 School Districts” named after each of NASA’s first 7 astronauts — will open and serve as models of innovation for districts across the state. How the schools are redesigned is an individualized process that involves grouping students together based on readiness and skill instead of age and grade level as well as physically redesigning the school .“Our system is based on age, content and a specific period of time,” Randy Watson, commissioner of education, says. “We find that businesses are not organized in any way like that. Life isn’t organized that way. What it lends itself to is a fragmentation that some kids do really well in, but many kids struggle to see the relevance to see the purpose. So, we’re reorganizing that structure. It will have an effect on curriculum, but it’ll have more of an effect on time and where kids go and how long they spend on a subject. It’s a blurring of those lines somewhat.”By 2020, some 71 percent of all jobs in the state will require some form of post-secondary education. Which, says Watson, means post-secondary effectiveness will be the definitive yard-stick in measuring how successful the program will be. “Kansas needs to fulfill the job market,” Watson says. “Kansas needs about 70 to 75 percent of our workforce to have a high school education and another piece of paper — an associate degree, certificate or baccalaureate. So, when we say we’re trying to help every kid be successful, we’re trying to help them be successful after they complete school.”The next cohorts of 22 school districts to go through the redesign process are named after Gemini I and II astronauts. “Most states create either a magnet school or a charter school and it’s a new school,” Watson says. “Maybe in an old building but it’s a new school. Then they do a tuition voucher or a lottery system to see who gets to go into that school. They choose new staff, there’s a new principal and it opens as a new school. That’s what most states do. But we wanted to take a neighborhood school and totally redesign it without additional staff, additional money, changes to the school board and administration or to the students and parents that we serve.” 42 K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C AW OR KF OR C E : A I DThe labor force in Kansas is highly skilled and even easier to develop.TrainedTalentPhoto: Getty Imagesby S AVAN N AH K I N Gansas’ education system is among the best in the nation. In fact, more than 90 percent of adults in the Sunfl ower State have a high school diploma, more than 40 percent have an associate degree and in certain areas of the state like the Kansas City region, more than 50 percent of adults have at least a bachelor’s degree. With seven technical colleges around the state, more than 40,000 highly skilled graduates have been added to the state’s workforce. In the last year alone, technical colleges in Kansas saw a 12.62 percent increase in enrollment and the colleges have consistently held job placement rates over 90 percent. Some 2.9 million people live in the Sunfl ower State, with 1.4 million making up its labor force. One of the state’s largest employers, Spirit Aerosystems, with its more than 10,000 employees has found success in hiring qualifi ed local workers through the state’s innovative workforce programs. In Dec. 2017, the aircraft systems manufacturer announced it would invest $1 billion over the next fi ve years into its Wichita facility and will create more than 1,000 new jobs. “Wichita is our headquarters and the hub of our operations,” said Spirit President and CEO Tom Gentile. “Our workforce is unparalleled, with generations of aircraft employees who have worked in our plant. And now future generations will have those same opportunities.”The Kansas Department of Com-merce and the Board of Regents partnered to implement one of the state’s most innovative programs called Workforce AID (Aligned with Industry Demand). The initiative is KK A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A 43driven by the needs of employers and provides free training to employees. Employers lead the process and partner with local schools to tailor the training program including which skills are learned and which industry-recognized credentials are neces-sary. Training programs are typically short, around 8 weeks, and are highly focused resulting in college credit and industry-recognized credentials. Par-ticipants who successfully complete the free training program are guar-anteed an interview with employers, many of which pay $14 per hour. More than 50 companies of varying sizes in industries like welding, information technology, food manufacturing, machining, aviation and industrial maintenance have taken advantage of the program and have created new jobs and training for more than 200 participants. Caterpillar Work Tools in Wamego has also used the Workforce AID program to find and train qualified welders. The company noted the program has shortened the amount of time it takes for a new welder to get up to speed on their day-to-day tasks and increases the company’s retention and engagement among new hires. “This program changes the old recruitment model of selecting workers from a pool of candidates who already have skilled trade traits,” said Danny Philipi, human resources consultant at the Wamego Caterpillar Work Tools facility. “It allows us to focus on getting the right person for the right job and give them the opportunity to learn skills unique to our business prior to their first day as a Caterpillar employee.Learning on the JobIn June, the Kansas Department of Commerce was awarded a $1.2 mil-lion grant from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship. The grant will help the state grow its apprenticeship program and to offset training costs for employers, appren-tices and training institutions. “Since the reinvigoration of the program two years ago, we have observed a marked increase in advanced manufacturing, medical, electrical, plumbing and other high-demand occupations in need of trained employees,” said Gary Westerman, state manager of the Registered Apprenticeship Program, noting that his team has taken several steps in identifying needs of Kansas employers and determining which fields are in the greatest needs of a trained workforce.Currently, there are more than 1,740 apprentices in the state. Nearly 400 apprentices reached journeyperson status in the last 18 months from 246 employers in the state. Through the program, apprentices receive on-the-job training from an experienced mentor for at least a year while earn-ing money for their work. Employers benefit from the program in several ways including access to a growing, trained workforce, lower turnover and high productivity as well as lower recruiting costs for employees. 90%More than 90 percent of adults in Kansashave a high school diploma1,740There are more than 1,740 apprentices in the state“Registered Apprenticeship can improve a company’s workforce situation dramatically, including staff retention, skill knowledge, and safety, along with reducing training costs and increasing a company’s ability to develop their own talent pipeline ...”— Gary Westerman, state manager of the Registered Apprenticeship Program40%More than 40 percent have an associate degreeSource: Kansas Dept. of CommerceW OR KF OR C E : V E T ER A N Smployers typically know that the most reliable worker is often a veteran of the U.S. military.After all, if someone is willing to die for his/her country, then what more can they possibly give?In Kansas, there is no higher workforce priority than assisting retiring and disabled veterans in their transition to the private sector, and that’s where Gary Westerman comes in.Westerman, state manager of Veteran Employment Services and the Registered Apprenticeship Program, says that disabled veterans and their spouses receive priority of service in Kansas. “They have priority of service for training, resumé assistance, assessment, job placement and job search assistance,” he says. “A Disabled Veteran Outreach Consultant (DVOC) works directly with the veteran and spouse to provide one-on-one assistance.”With a high number of exiting military in the three major markets of Kansas City, Manhattan and Wichita, Kansas has no shortage of qualifi ed and motivated workers ready to be employed.“We are the bridge between the veteran and the employer,” says Westerman. “We advocate for the veteran and the military spouse. And we are embedded on the bases so that we can be alongside them to provide the service when it is most needed.”E44 K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C AHow Kansas assists retiring and disabled veterans in their transition to the workforce.by R O N S TA R N E RPhoto: Getty ImagesKansas has compiled an impressive track record in that regard. According to Veteran Employment Services, KansasWorks assisted over 6,401 veterans and their eligible spouses this past year. More than 12 percent of all veterans in Kansas received some form of job training or job placement assistance, according to the offi ce.Kansas has nearly 200,000 military veterans in state, including 70,000 Gulf War vets, 68,000 Vietnam vets, and 20,000 Korean War vets.“We are embedded at Fort Riley, McConnell Air Force Base and other installations in Kansas,” notes Westerman. “Our goal is to make sure that all Kansas veterans are able to pursue an effective career path and that they receive the training they need to pursue gainful employment. We coordinate directly with the military installations on occupational skills. We assess all veterans to see what other skills they may need. Our number one goal is to equip them with marketable skills. We also work directly with the employers in the private sector to fi nd out what types of skill assessments they want.”Funds for Veterans Service Grants are provided through the federal Department of Labor to pay for these programs, notes Westerman. “We want all employers out there to know that we have a great supply of veterans who want to work for them, and they will be the best workers they ever hired,” says Westerman. “Just come here and give them a chance.” “Our goal is to make sure that all Kansas veterans are able to pursue an effective career path and that they receive the training they need to pursue gainful employment.”— Gary Westerman, State Manager, Veteran Employment Services46 K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C AM A Y OR I N T ER V I E W – DODG E C I T YDodge City:Dodge CityWild West to Business Best Dodge City:ou’ve likely heard about “getting the heck outta Dodge” — but it’s high time to reconsider. Dodge City, Kansas, has a long and storied history with some of the Wild West’s best-loved characters. The city is built on industry, from its early cattle drives in the 1880s to the agricultural, renewable energy and manufacturing sectors of today. Kansas – From the Heart of America spoke with Dodge City Mayor E. Kent Smoll about why businesses should get the heck into Dodge. What are some of your city’s more noteworthy economic development accomplishments over the last few years?Mayor E. Kent Smoll: Dodge City and Ford County have a strong agriculture economy with the largest by S AVAN N AH K I N Gabout “getting the heck outta Dodge” — but it’s high time to reconsider. Dodge City, Kansas, has a long and storied history with some of the Wild West’s best-loved characters. The city is built on industry, from its early cattle drives in the 1880s to the agricultural, renewable energy and manufacturing sectors of today. Kansas – From the Heart of spoke with Dodge City Mayor E. Kent Smoll about why businesses should get the heck into What are some of your city’s more noteworthy economic development accomplishments over the Dodge City agriculture economy with the largest YIllustration by Richard NenoffK A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A 47impact coming from the beef industry. Recent expansions have been completed at both National Beef and Cargill Meat Solutions, making Dodge City the world’s largest beef processing community. This success comes from a strong community support of the industry, successful ag production of feeds and cow/calf operations and support industry including trucking and professional services.Over the past few years, Ford County has also been noted for the growth in wind farms. Currently, hosting six new wind farms and two new transmission line projects, the county is also anticipating an additional two wind farms and a new high-voltage DC transmission project. This new industry provides good paying technical jobs for our residents, brings additional revenues to our farmers and taxing entities and provides revenue for our retail, service and hospitality industries during construction phases.With its legacy as a Wild West frontier town, how does that early spirit of innovation empower the community today?Smoll: Dodge City continues to be a very entrepreneurial community. When looking at the variety of manufacturers, ag producers, retailers and restaurant businesses, you will see that an innovative and hard-working spirit is still alive and well in our community. Our economic development efforts focus strongly on entrepreneurship and retention/expansion of our existing businesses. A strong focus on community development and improving the quality of life for our residents is important in securing and retaining successful businesses across the region.What makes your city the best place to do business?Smoll: Dodge City is a very progressive city that focuses on building partnerships with other entities and local businesses to make the community the best place to do business. By building partnerships, we have been successful in helping to recruit employees, provide substantial recreation and quality of life facilities for our citizens, as well as address housing and education needs. We feel that if we can meet the demands of our existing businesses, we will be more successful in recruiting and growing new business. Dodge City has two industrial parks, a variety of incentive programs including property tax exemptions, infrastructure assistance, loan programs, employee recruitment and housing assistance to very specifi c incentive programs in our Main Street area. Incentives have also been used to help develop the much-needed housing in the community.What do you want site selectors and corporate leaders to understand about your city? Smoll: Dodge City is a rural community with the amenities of a much larger community. The city, county, economic development organization and businesses are very excited about growing our economy and will work diligently to meet the individual needs of our existing businesses as well as any potential new businesses. incentive programs in our Main Street area. Incentives have also been used to help develop the much-needed housing in the community.What do you want site selectors and corporate leaders to understand Dodge City is a rural community with the amenities of a much larger community. The city, county, economic development organization and businesses are very excited about growing our economy and will work diligently to meet the individual needs of our existing businesses as well as any potential new Next >