Mapping Career Ladders

New frontiers opening in many industries require specific technical skills. Workers may not know how to qualify for expanding careers or where to get the training needed to reach a career goal. They need a map showing the route to a better job. Businesses need a steady stream of qualified, experienced employees. This is an important issue, especially in high-wage, high-growth fields.

A career ladder map outlines how a worker can progress up the ladder. It lays out for each rung of the ladder the job responsibilities and salary ranges, the education, training, and experience required to move up from rung to rung, and where to obtain that education or training. Employers, recruiters, workers, guidance counselors and educators need a common language and reference points to create these career planning resources.

The State Workforce Investment Board has created a list of highly qualified consultant organizations to help map career ladders in key industry sectors. These career pathways offer benefits for businesses: advantages in recruiting and training new employees, upgrading employee skills, and retaining good workers. Career pathways also help ensure the vitality and growth of the local and regional economy by supporting employers in key economic sectors.

The State has given contracts to six consultants to explore and develop career ladders. They may bid on mapping assignments released by NYSDOL for State and local boards. These organizations are:

• World Class Industrial Network LLC/The FREEdLANCE Group
• Workforce Strategy Center
• Research Foundation of SUNY (Stony Brook)
• Cornell University
• Aerospace and Diversification Alliance in Peacetime Transition (ADDAPT)
• Syracuse University

Three local workforce areas have begun projects: Herkimer/Madison/Oneida, Finger Lakes, and Greater Capital Region. They are developing career ladders in industries such as biotechnology, photonics, semi-conductor, information technology and advanced manufacturing.

Source: Employment in New York State newsletter, published by the Division or Research and Statistics, New York State Department of Labor. View the most recent copy of the newsletter.