TPM Academy Coordinator Toolkit

Introduction

Congratulations on deciding to host a TPM Academy® in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. We are excited to collaborate with you to bring the growing Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) movement to your community.

This toolkit is meant to guide you through your role as a coordinator, a critically important role for hosting a successful TPM Academy and the successful implementation of TPM® once the training has completed. This toolkit complements the curriculum’s TPM Orientation, which provides an overview of TPM’s principles and the six steps that make up the TPM approach.

Through this toolkit we will point out many opportunities for you to learn from your peers who have organized TPM Academies in their communities and engage with members of the National Learning Network (NLN). Many of these materials have been built by them or in partnership with them. We consider “stealing” materials the best form of flattery, so make use of these documents as you see fit to host the best TPM Academy for your colleagues.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so customization is important to get the most out of the TPM Academy experience. Solely hosting the facilitation of the TPM Academy curriculum materials with no customization makes for a run-of-the-mill training experience. Identifying opportunities for TPM Academy participants to interact with one another and apply what they’re learning about TPM to real-life scenarios in their communities makes the training more valuable.

TPM is a movement led by its practitioners and is constantly made better by those sharing their successes and challenges with the broader network. The U.S. Chamber Foundation will be with you every step of the way along this journey and are grateful for your partnership.

Terminology

Talent Pipeline Management (TPM):

The framework used to advance authentic employer leadership in building high-performing talent pipelines. TPM facilitates change management and closes the gap between supply and demand, preparing students and workers for the most in-demand jobs and careers.

TPM Academy:

The training facilitated to learn the TPM framework. Only those hosted by or co-hosted with the U.S. Chamber Foundation are deemed as TPM Academy trainings.

TPM Co/Lab™:

The online learning platform where the on-demand version of the TPM Academy is hosted as well as where TPM NLN peers can connect with one another, enroll in continuous learning opportunities (e.g., specialty courses, web tool workshops), and stay engaged with NLN activities. All TPM NLN members have a TPM Co/Lab account, and in order to keep it active, pay an annual subscription fee.

Cohort:

A group of individuals attending the same TPM Academy. Cohorts are often numbered (e.g., TPM Academy Cohort I, TPM Academy Cohort II) for tracking purposes but commonly, state-based Academies are called as such (e.g., the TPM Academy of Kentucky, the TPM Academy of Arizona).

Coordinator:

The entity that works in coordination with the U.S. Chamber Foundation to host a TPM Academy and support cohort participants throughout and following completion of the TPM Academy.

Employer Champion:

Employers that have the visibility and credibility to secure buy-in from other employers and partners (e.g., education and training providers, public agency leaders) to adopt TPM as a framework and galvanize support for the approach. Employer champions can play many useful roles including sending invitations to meetings, hosting meetings, and recruiting other champions.

Employer Collaborative:

A partnership organized by employers, for employers to collectively address shared workforce needs. The collaborative is bolstered by management support provided through a new or existing employer-led organization of the collaborative members’ choice.

Employer collaboratives are different from most public-private partnerships in that they are organized and managed to maximize responsiveness to employers as end-customers and to deliver an employer return on investment. These collaboratives can be newly formed or build off of an existing partnership.

Employer Collaborative Project:

A group project to support TPM Academy cohort members in their understanding of how employer collaboratives are launched and function, and the first step to advance one’s thinking from theory to implementation. Collaborative projects are not graded nor required for graduating from the TPM Academy.

Host Organization:

The entity that houses and provides the staff and management support for one or more employer collaboratives. Host organizations are different from traditional intermediaries in that they are business member organizations (e.g., chambers of commerce, industry sector-based associations) or economic development organizations dedicated to business growth and competitiveness.

Host organizations are chosen or affirmed by the employer members to manage and staff employer collaboratives.

National Learning Network:

Anyone who is currently participating in or has completed a TPM Academy facilitated by the U.S. Chamber Foundation is a member of the National Learning Network (NLN). The NLN is a peer-to-peer learning exchange; based on sharing their successes and challenges, the entire network benefits from these experiences to collectively improve the broader understanding of how the TPM framework can be used effectively.

TPM Web Tool:

The customized software built for the TPM Academy in which host organizations and employers can collect and analyze data on demand projections, hiring requirements, and talent sourcing trends (i.e., back mapping) as well as create visualization tools to track performance and improvement. Full access to the TPM Web Tool is only available to those that are currently enrolled or have completed a TPM Academy training program. Partial access may be available to those that are participating in a business administrator role. There are three web tool user roles:

• Host Organization Administrator

The host organization administrator is affiliated with the entity that is supporting and managing a single or multiple employer collaboratives. The host organization administrator has access to set up host organization information and its TPM Web Tool web page, invite users for all the collaboratives it is affiliated with, and manage information for any affiliated collaborative and

its users. The host organization administrator (or collaborative administrator) creates the surveys and oversees TPM Web Tool activities that will be sent to business administrators and reports the survey results in aggregate to facilitate discussions among employer collaborative members (i.e., business administrators).

Example re: data access: The MPT Chamber is serving the role of host organization for four collaboratives organized by sector (i.e., manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and information technology) and one that is organized for customer service and represents numerous industries. The host organization administrator from MPT Chamber would have oversight of all of the information (i.e., all the data supplied by the employer collaborative members) associated with each of those five collaboratives.

• Collaborative Administrator

The collaborative administrator is appointed by the host organization administrator to oversee one or more collaboratives. The collaborative administrator has access to manage collaborative information and invite businesses administrator users. The collaborative administrator may work with the host organization administrator to create surveys and report survey results in aggregate to facilitate discussions among employer collaborative members (i.e., business administrators).

Example re: data access: The MPT Chamber is serving as host organization for five employer collaboratives. It is working with APT Healthcare Association, a regional industry group, to convene local employers as part of one of its collaboratives focused on healthcare.

The MPT Chamber and the healthcare employer collaborative appoint APT as a collaborative administrator so that it can support the collaborative’s activities. APT would be able to see data associated with this collaborative and create surveys to distribute to this collaborative, but not for the other four collaboratives that the MPT Chamber oversees.

• Business Administrator

The business administrator has access to manage their business on the TPM Web Tool and invite additional business administrators within their organization. These business administrators are the recipients of the surveys created by host organizations and collaborative administrators. They will be able to log into their accounts to see what information their business submitted but cannot see the data supplied by the other employer collaborative members. If an employer is working alone, business administrators are part of the same company and are participating in the TPM process as internal team members.

Example re: data access: Local Medical is participating in the healthcare collaborative overseen by the MPT Chamber (host organization administrator) and APT Healthcare Association (collaborative administrator). APT sends out TPM surveys for demand projections and hiring requirements to each of its employer collaborative members, including Local Medical. Once Local Medical contributes its answers to the survey questions, the Local Medical business administrator can log into the TPM Web Tool to look at its results, but it will not see the data submitted by its fellow collaborative members.

Role of the Coordinator

The role of the coordinator is critical to successful implementation of the TPM Academy. In addition, the coordinator continues to play an important role beyond the TPM Academy, particularly if they intend to oversee regional or statewide TPM implementation.

We have broken down the activities and responsibilities for a coordinator below, including check lists to help you navigate the role throughout the planning and execution of the TPM Academy.

The coordinator’s organization will sign the TPM Consulting Services Agreement (CSA) with the U.S. Chamber Foundation, at which time plans to co-host a TPM Academy will be official. Please contact the U.S. Chamber Foundation team to see a template CSA.

Pre-Academy

Fundraise:

Once an organization has decided to play this coordinator role, the organization should identify fundraising opportunities to support the launch of a TPM Academy and address any short term capacity needs for supporting the initial collaboratives. These collaboratives can be newly formed or built off of an existing partnership. Models include support from philanthropic organizations (state or national), leveraging state funds with ties to increasing employer engagement, or having corporate partners cover the costs.

Consult Other TPM Partners and Learn from Their Experiences:

The coordinator should engage other coordinators from the TPM network to learn from their expertise. This can include advice on how to recruit participants and supporters, manage relationships and expectations with public partners, fundraise, manage communications, and stage the TPM Academy’s implementation.

Several TPM Academy coordinators participate in regular calls with their peers to learn from one another’s approaches and experiences as they continue to oversee implementation activities and orchestrate new TPM Academies.

Continue to Build Support with Public Partners:

As coordinators organize their first TPM Academy, it is important that they continue to engage and serve as points of contact for public partners and government agencies.

These partners will remain interested in the work and will need to be kept in the loop on progress made, how they can assist or support, and when. TPM Academies are commonly launched with the support and backing of public sector partners, which helps build credibility for the coordinating organization and the TPM Academy.

Determine Where to Start and Recruit Participants:

Coordinators need to establish how they will make decisions about their TPM Academy, including a process for recruiting participants. This includes determining potential focus areas and where to start, as well as the right size, balance, and composition of the TPM Academy, which is usually attended by 20–30 individuals representing as many organizations.

We will discuss your ultimate goals for hosting a TPM Academy and might suggest a mix of participants based on your objectives to ensure community-wide buy-in as you transition to implementation. Ideal candidates could include

local chambers of commerce, industry associations, employer representatives who are potential employer champions, economic development organizations, workforce development boards, education and training providers (including from K–12 and postsecondary education), communitybased organizations, social service agencies, as well as labor and workforce agencies.

Previous coordinators have created steering committees or advisory boards to support decisionmaking, such as suggesting potential participants, providing application review, and weighing in on budgetary decisions. Members could include those most familiar with workforce development and can help the coordinator navigate any potential political or sensitive considerations that come into play. This group may lend independent credibility in messaging and community relations when first establishing TPM in a community.

Most coordinators have instituted a formal application process for prospective participants to screen for partner willingness, readiness, and capacity to implement the TPM approach (see page 41 for a standard TPM Academy application and the following section “Customize Your Application”).

To assess interest, most coordinators host an interest webinar and have the U.S. Chamber Foundation team discuss the TPM framework and TPM Academy. You can also recruit a member of the NLN to talk about their own experiences as a participant in the TPM Academy.

Previous coordinators consistently state how lengthy the recruitment process can take; give yourself plenty of time for this activity to ensure you get high quality participants that will get value out of the training experience.

Customize Your Application:

Coordinators will receive the standard TPM Academy application from the U.S. Chamber Foundation and determine which short answers to include. Several of the questions are required for the U.S. Chamber Foundation to include about applicants for the TPM National Learning Network database but most short answer questions are optional. You will also need to decide if you plan to charge a tuition to help offset your costs. Some previous coordinators have

found it useful to do so in order for participants to have “skin in the game” whereas others feel it would be prohibitive for their target audiences. Additional information is provided in the “Application Process” section.

Prepare Your Participants:

At an informational meeting, participants will likely want to know what is expected of them—both for the Academy experience as well as for implementing employer collaboratives—prior to committing to the TPM Academy. Sharing TPM resources with future TPM Academy participants will help communicate in advance what is expected of them and the employers they hope to organize.

Organize Your TPM Academy Launch:

Some coordinators choose to organize a launch event that features a reception and attendance from community leaders and local media partners. Often, launch events immediately precede or follow the first TPM Academy meeting. Coordinators should organize and implement a media and communications strategy to maximize their ability to reach a wide audience. Some groups announce a goal (e.g., number of employer collaboratives launched in a specified time period) at the event to provide a target to work towards. This is also a great opportunity to celebrate the pioneer organizations, employers, and funders that have taken a chance to be part of something new and exciting.

Example: Michigan TPM Academy Launch

Academy

Brand Guidelines:

Adhere to the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s TPM initiative brand guidelines. See the Marketing Materials section. Should you wish to customize branding for your TPM efforts that will be used beyond the training experience, please discuss with the U.S. Chamber Foundation team.

Agenda/Content:

The U.S. Chamber Foundation will draft the agenda for the trainings and share with the coordinator in advance, as well as with the cohort members a couple of days prior to the training. Coordinators can work with the team to customize the agenda and content to be oriented to community efforts, with final approval by the U.S. Chamber Foundation.

Logo Placement:

Include the U.S. Chamber Foundation logo on the coordinator’s website and all materials as a co-convener of the event.

Check-in Calls:

Coordinators will set up check-in calls with the U.S. Chamber Foundation once the Consulting Services Agreement has been signed. Calls should occur two weeks prior to each training to prepare for the event.

Application Process:

As you determine how you will select TPM Academy participants, you will work with the U.S. Chamber Foundation to set up your TPM Academy application.

You will confirm with the U.S. Chamber Foundation team which short answer questions to include (those that are not required by the U.S. Chamber Foundation) and we will set up your TPM Academy page. Some information you share as part of your intake form will be included on the web page (e.g., point of contact for questions, why you have decided to co-host the Academy training).

The U.S. Chamber Foundation team will create a shared Google Drive folder that includes all applications received and a tracking document with one editable column for the coordinator to confirm if a person has been accepted to the cohort. No other information should be added or adjusted by the coordinator partner to ensure version control. Should the coordinator learn of new information directly from participants (e.g., new contact information for a participant, a swap within an organization for who is attending, withdrawals), please notify the U.S. Chamber Foundation to update our records.

The coordinator and U.S. Chamber Foundation will determine how frequently acceptance letters are sent out (i.e., on a rolling basis or all at once) during the kickoff meeting, and the same tracking document will verify if a person has accepted their place in the cohort.

Logistics and Organization:

• Reserve venue and appropriate rooms for event (whenever possible for a single training session, please host trainings at the same location for both Day 1 and Day 2).

• Work closely with U.S. Chamber Foundation on room set up and logistics needs including but not limited to a laptop for the training, WiFi capabilities, projector for PowerPoint, whiteboard, markers, and microphones (depending on the size of the room).

• Send attendee updates to U.S. Chamber Foundation (e.g., new contact information for a participant, a swap within an organization for who is attending, withdrawals).

• Schedule preparation calls and webinars for attendees.

• Field questions from attendees.

• Organize and bear event expenses for venue costs, AV (need to be able to play video with sound, PowerPoint display, and mics), advertising, meals, printed materials for event, name tags, and name tents.

Performance Measures:

Determine TPM Academy objectives and performance measures (e.g., number of host organizations established, number of employer collaboratives established, percentage of business involvement, definitions of business involvement) and share progress with the U.S. Chamber Foundation.

Press Outreach:

Pending mutual agreement on public awareness of the TPM Academy, conduct outreach to mainstream local media outlets and support placement of TPM-related editorials.

Participant Outreach:

Provide technical assistance, including at minimum monthly correspondence with TPM Academy participants, and provide support when requested to promote TPM activities.

Technical Support:

Throughout facilitation, the coordinator is meant to serve as the first point of contact when cohort members have questions or need technical support. The importance of getting to know the cohort members through their applications, including what challenges they experience in their communities, cannot be understated. Building trust is critical and these one-on-one relationships make a difference. The coordinators commonly participate in meetings, webinars, and phone calls to provide a deeper level of TPM knowledge while cohort members are going through training.

Coordinators should be prepared to lead this support role but, when needed, the U.S. Chamber Foundation or other NLN members around the country are available to step in.

TPM Web Tool:

Although not required, use of the TPM web tool is strongly encouraged. Coordinators can increase cohort members likelihood of using the tool by sharing resources to the tool’s Library and posing questions to the group on the cohort’s Slack channel or via TPM Co/Lab. Most critical is that cohort members playing the role of host organization use the tool when collecting employer collaborative data. A four-part hands-on web tool workshop series is offered to TPM NLN members throughout the year.

Post-Academy

Check-ins:

Coordinators should consider in-person or remote check-ins with the cohort to ensure TPM implementation continues. Expectations for what progress updates these check-ins include should be clearly communicated to the cohort to ensure meaningful conversation.

Completion Ceremony:

A public event after the last in-person TPM Academy meeting is a great way to celebrate collaboratives that have made progress and motivate others to advance to next steps, as well as openly discuss challenges and future opportunities.

Coordinating with the U.S. Chamber Foundation

□ Fill out TPM Academy Coordinator Interest Form and submit to U.S. Chamber Foundation.

□ Review Consulting Services Agreement (sign only once U.S. Chamber Foundation requests signature).

□ Read through entire Coordinator Toolkit.

□ Schedule kickoff meeting with the U.S. Chamber Foundation.

□ Identify all training dates and times, including pre-Academy Interest webinar, graduation, dry run presentations, and final presentations.

□ Determine which training dates will be in person or virtual.

□ Schedule check-in calls with the U.S. Chamber Foundation based on training dates.

□ Provide U.S. Chamber Foundation your organization’s logo. High resolution/ vector preferred.

□ Review template application questions and confirm with U.S. Chamber Foundation any customized questions you wish to include.

□ Provide content for TPM Academy application web page (to be hosted on U.S. Chamber Foundation TPM web page).

□ Review and approve TPM Academy application web page.

□ Review and approve application acceptance language.

□ Review and approve draft acceptance press template for participants.

□ Review TPM branding guidelines.

□ Discuss participant recruitment plan.

□ Walk through TPM Co/Lab and Google Drive to get familiar with available resources.

□ Review the TPM Academy course on TPM Co/Lab (you will be made a faculty member for administrative access for the course).

□ Review agendas for the training sessions.

□ Determine customization of content to include in training sessions, including community speakers, special guests, and networking activities.

□ Join TPM Academy Cohort and TPM NLN Slack channel.

□ Accept TPM NLN LinkedIn group invite.

Planning & Logistics Checklist

□ Determine budget for Academy (including individual training sessions).

□ Identify fundraising opportunities.

□ Confirm funding source(s).

□ Confirm training locations for in-person training sessions and arrange for AV, meals (see Academy checklists for more information on training session tasks).

□ Plan launch event (optional).

□ Host launch event (optional).

□ Determine process for measuring success and sustainability plan post-Academy.

Recruitment & Applicant Review

□ Map out recruitment process (e.g., informational meetings, social media, existing events to market the opportunity, partner support).

□ Determine targeted Academy cohort stakeholder groups (e.g., chambers of commerce, employers, workforce agencies, education, and training providers).

□ Share interest webinar registration link with targeted parties.

□ Determine candidate selection process (e.g., custom rubric, evaluated through an advisory board, internal staff review).

□ Determine application deadline date.

□ Determine application deadline extension date (optional).

□ Share application announcement broadly (e.g., social media, through partner organizations) (optional).

□ Host in-person informational community meetings about TPM Academy opportunity (or include on agenda for existing events).

□ Create slide deck for informational community meetings (optional).

□ Develop pitch for informational community meetings (optional).

□ Create an advisory board (optional).

□ Prepare brief welcome remarks for interest webinar.

□ Send reminder about interest webinar.

□ Review applications and indicate those approved by agreed-on process with the U.S. Chamber Foundation.

□ Sort approved participants into project teams (U.S. Chamber Foundation will recruit and assign team mentors).

□ U.S. Chamber Foundation will create TPM Co/Lab accounts for all accepted participants.

Coordinator Interest Form

The role of the coordinator is critical for a successful TPM Academy and sustainability of the program beyond training. If you’re ready to take the next step toward co-hosting a TPM Academy experience, please fill out the form linked at the bottom of this page. We included the questions you will be asked below so you can be best prepared to respond. The questions relate to your goals and objectives as well as information about your community so we can better support you.

1. Point of contact

2. What is your preferred method of communication?

3. What is your ideal timing for the Academy trainings (i.e., do they need to be completed by a certain date or are there existing events you hope to adjoin your trainings to)?

4. How do you plan to fund the Academy? Do you plan to charge tuition?

5. What is your (i.e., the POC’s) familiarity with TPM?

6. How would you describe your community’s workforce development approach? Are there existing initiatives in our community which we need to consider when we think about how TPM can be a value add to the community? What has worked to date and what has not?

7. How would you describe your target audience?

8. Why do you feel the TPM Academy would be useful for your community?

9. What does success look like once you have completed the TPM Academy trainings?

10. What role would you be willing to play to ensure sustainability once the trainings have completed?

Questions to Consider

As the coordinator, much of the decision making is in your hands. Here is a set of commonly asked questions that coordinators should think through prior to launching a TPM Academy:

1. Is TPM the right fit for our community?

2. What do we hope to achieve by co-hosting a TPM Academy?

3. Do we have the capacity to offer technical assistance to the TPM Academy cohort during and after the facilitation? Who will be the organizational lead to play this role? How much of their time can they dedicate to that role?

4. How will we educate the community on the TPM framework and TPM Academy?

5. Which partners (e.g., employer champions, public agency leaders, education partners) do we need to have buy in to the TPM approach? Who will be our greatest advocates? Who is likely to raise concerns?

6. Are there existing initiatives in our community which we need to consider when we think about how TPM can be a value add to the community?

7. Who will we recruit to participate in the TPM Academy? Why? Consider regional partnership structures, roles with business, capacity, organizational buy-in, etc.

8. How will we fund the TPM Academy? Will we charge tuition? Will this tuition support additional meetings or technical assistance beyond the Academy dates?

9. Which performance measures will be most important for us to measure over time? What goals will we set with our TPM Academy cohort members to quantify success? How will we measure performance over time?

10. How can we customize the TPM Academy for our community?

11. Once the TPM Academy is complete, how do we sustain momentum and support the efforts of TPM Academy graduates?

12. How will we measure progress of the employer collaboratives formed as a result of the TPM Academy?

13. Will we host future TPM Academies?

14. How might we fund, support, and encourage TPM Academy graduate attendance at NLN and U.S. Chamber Foundation events, summits, webinars, etc.?

Lessons Learned

The U.S. Chamber Foundation is pleased to co-host the TPM Academy with organizations and leaders committed to improving their community’s talent pipelines. Here are thoughts and advice from partners who have co-hosted TPM Academies.

Corrie Melton, Vice President, Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce

Hosting a TPM Academy for our community helped not only our local Talent Pipeline Management efforts, but also the collaboration of the amazing workforce partners who participated in the Academy. It gave our partners the opportunity to learn about the TPM framework from a third party, helping each partner understand their role and importance along the value stream map.

One thing I would do differently next time is to start recruiting earlier and where possible, include more than one person per organization. Coworkers support each other through the process and deliver a stronger message to their organization.

Kim Kuchenbrod, Work Based Learning & Talent Management Administrator, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

Hosting a TPM Academy boosted our local workforce development efforts in expanding apprenticeships across Illinois sectors. The Academy provided the right tools for our training providers and workforce development professionals to learn the framework and better understand their roles in facilitating employerled partnerships, especially as we move from a transactional model to a transformational model in creating sustainable talent pipelines. One lesson learned when recruiting for the Academy is providing examples of how other communities have applied TPM with success stories that help prove the program’s value.

Rana Ghadban, CEO, Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce

Hosting a TPM Academy allowed for advancement of local workforce development efforts through various industries within our region. Our mission is to advance all aspects of our region, so one of our goals was to leverage the TPM Academy to bring together leaders from multiple industries and sectors, such as construction, IT, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality. TPM Academy participants were able to represent their respective industries while learning the TPM framework. Having participants from different industries allowed for deeper conversation as well as led to the development of TPM champions to help launch the various industry collaboratives.

Deb Lyzenga, Division Administrator, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity

Collaborating with the U.S. Chamber Foundation to host a TPM Academy became a pivotal moment for our state’s workforce development endeavors. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Employment and Training (LEO-E&T), is firmly dedicated to enhancing equal opportunities for all residents of Michigan. Through the TPM framework, we have successfully forged more robust connections with our employers, talent providers, and community partners, leading to the creation of high-quality career pathways and the attainment of credentials in high-demand jobs and skills. A critical lesson we’ve learned is the significance of setting and maintaining data collection standards from the very beginning. TPM delivers tangible results and it’s essential to proactively publicize and disseminate these achievements to kindle the interest and involvement of other employers and partners.

Timeline

Budgets will vary pending number of cohort members, number of in-person meetings, and any additional TPM Academy customization or extensions. For a quote, contact the U.S. Chamber Foundation team. While timelines can vary, here is a suggested breakdown of activities and when they should occur.

Months 1 & 2

• Host kickoff meeting with the U.S. Chamber Foundation team and all necessary representatives from the coordinator’s organization to discuss roles, expectations, preferred communication means, the employer collaborative project, and review any questions.

• Work with U.S. Chamber Foundation staff to design an implementation plan including identifying dates and locations for the TPM Academy training sessions, and identify potential TPM Academy cohort members.

• Host an interest webinar with the U.S. Chamber Foundation team and optionally, put on community meetings or a TPM workshop to gain awareness and interest in the TPM framework and TPM Academy.

Month 2 Send out applications, reviews submitted applications, and send out acceptance notifications.

Month 3

• Virtual Orientation training with coordinator, U.S. Chamber Foundation team, and cohort members that addresses these topics:

Summary on the TPM movement and the purpose and design of the TPM Academy

Facilitation of the TPM Orientation and overview of Strategies 1–6

Overview of the employer collaborative project, communication methods such as Slack, and how to access resources

Creation of a TPM web tool account

Introduce mentors

• Host first cohort training covering Strategy 1

Month 4 Interim webinar to include these topics:

• Check in about normalizing TPM approach, identifying business champions, and organizing employer collaboratives

• Reviewing the employer collaborative project and answering any questions

• Using action plans to measure activities, milestones, and outcomes

Month 5 Host second cohort training that will cover Strategies 2–4.

Month 6 Host third cohort training that will cover Strategies 5–6.

Month 7 Host employer collaborative project dry runs (for each individual team) and final presentations (full cohort) as well as a discussion about momentum for TPM implementation and ways to stay engaged with the TPM NLN.

Ongoing Participate in National Learning Network meetings and conferences. Host completion event or check-in event to share progress (recommended for 6 months–1 year post-completion of the Academy).

Pre-Academy Activities

Prior to launching a TPM Academy, it is useful to achieve broader buy in of the TPM framework and TPM Academy.

Coordinator Organization Buy In:

The coordinator should secure the buy in of their own organization to ensure staff understand how hosting a TPM Academy aligns with the organizational mission so if others in the community ask them about the TPM Academy, they feel well equipped to answer. This can be achieved by presenting on TPM at a regular staff meeting or hosting a webinar with the U.S. Chamber Foundation team. Providing your colleagues an opportunity to ask questions about TPM and learn how TPM connects to their own work is important.

TPM Champion Workshop:

A TPM champion workshop is a broader meeting designed to explore whether the community should adopt the approach and which employers and organizations are best suited to implement it first.

Participants in this meeting should include employers representing a wide variety of priority industry sectors, chambers of commerce, business associations, and economic development organizations that make up the demand side. Participants should also include workforce boards, education and workforce agencies, and public policy leaders, such as mayors or other elected officials. Representatives from K–12, postsecondary educational institutions, and other training providers should be included, in addition to members of existing public-private partnerships or collective action initiatives.

The meeting provides a forum to answer questions and build a broad coalition of support for how to best leverage the TPM process as either a new initiative or as a value-add to existing activities.

The meeting should be organized to cover a range of topics and ensure there is time to reach your ultimate objective of securing buy-in and support for piloting the TPM process with select employers. For example, after its first TPM Academy cohort and in preparation for the second, Consumers Energy delivered a series of workshops across Michigan with recently graduated cohort members. This included 1.5-hour webinars, 2-hour in-person workshops to achieve leadership buy-in, and full-day in-person sessions for prospective TPM Academy participants/partners. While it was not required of TPM Academy applicants, these full-day sessions helped increase the quality of applications, since attendees had a TPM background and expectations for potential TPM projects.

It is worthwhile to identify opportunities to provide a TPM workshop as part of existing state-wide and regional conferences to generate awareness, support, and interest.

Additional information on hosting a TPM workshop can be found in the TPM Orientation (Unit 0.5 Entry Points to Implement TPM) and on TheTalentSupplyChain.org . See Training Logistics and Agendas in this resource for templates.

Town Hall Model:

Some coordinators have found it helpful to host numerous meetings in different locations, particularly if the coordinator organization is trying to recruit TPM Academy participants and secure buy in of the TPM approach from diverse geographic regions. For example, the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center participated in a series of local informational meetings across the state.

Team leadership contacted local chambers to see if they would sponsor a meeting for employers and other interested stakeholders. Other hosts included workforce investment boards, economic development groups, or local SHRM chapters. In each case, the Workforce Center worked with the local chamber to identify the community’s workforce development leaders, including employers, educators, workforce investment boards, and public policy experts. The Workforce Center provided sponsors with invitations, marketing materials, and draft press releases to promote the event.

These meetings were one to two hours long. The Workforce Center kept track of attendance and those who expressed interest in getting engaged in TPM. As a result of these meetings, the Workforce Center had a comprehensive list of employers for potential collaboratives and supportive providers.

In many cases, the Workforce Center next traveled to meet one-on-one with employers to learn more about their workforce problems and get their agreement to attend a collaborative meeting. The TPM buy-in process also included convening smaller meetings of employers to begin forming collaboratives. The U.S. Chamber Foundation has a generic slide deck that can be used to introduce TPM as a framework.

One-on-One Meetings:

Building on more public convenings, coordinators will want to set up one-on-one meetings with those partners who have either expressed enthusiasm or concern about TPM. For those who are enthusiastic about TPM, talking one-on-one can help set up realistic expectations and identify opportunities for these individuals to become employer champions. For those who have expressed concerns, this will provide an opportunity to address what they see as risks or problematic early on so that when implementation begins, they feel part of the solution. There is a sample of questions to help facilitate these meetings in the TPM Academy curriculum, Strategy 1: Organize for Employer Leadership and Collaboration.

Interest Webinar:

To gauge community interest in participating in a TPM Academy, the coordinator will co-host an interest webinar with the U.S. Chamber Foundation team specifically for potential cohort members prior to the release of the TPM Academy application.

These webinars are typically one hour long and include a presentation by the U.S. Chamber Foundation to provide an overview of the TPM framework and offer insight into what participants can expect for their TPM Academy experience.

Example: Arizona Interest Webinar

Download

Training Logistics and Agendas

This section provides information about setting up your TPM Academy trainings for success, including who should participate, room setup, template agendas, and check lists to make sure you can prepare for each interaction with the TPM Academy cohort.

TPM Academy Participants:

Most commonly to date, TPM Academy participants have been leaders of state and local chambers, business associations, economic development agencies, employers, and education and training providers interested in learning to develop more effective education-business partnerships based on industry need. These are commonly the organizations that will play the role of host organization and form employer collaboratives, which should be trusted partners to business in the defined region.

In some cases, TPM Academy cohort members have also included public agency partners, and workforce board leaders. Similarly to education and training providers, it may not make sense for these leaders to play the role of host organization—instead they could be critical allies or champions of the TPM framework and approach.

What is most critical for participants is the understanding that TPM is first and foremost an authentically employer-led process, a distinguishing feature that will not change. Organizations that serve as host organizations should be trusted partners to business in the defined region. The U.S. Chamber Foundation leaves it to you to decide what cohort makeup makes the most sense and helps you achieve your objectives for the TPM Academy.

TPM Academy Trainings:

Typically for in-person Academies, there are three trainings and each training is two six-hour meetings. It is important to allow enough time to cover the material included in the TPM strategies.

Depending on where your attendees are coming from, you can allow for travel by having a late morning start on Day 1 and an early afternoon conclusion on Day 2. A great TPM Academy is differentiated by the customized local flavor, including employer panels, educator panels, and interactive activities. See the Additional Academy Activities section in this resource. At the beginning of Day 1 it is important to set aside enough time to allow every cohort member to discuss how TPM can be applied to their community, and at later meetings, for each cohort member to provide an update on their progress and ask questions. Plan to set aside two minutes per attendee and if that is not sufficient, assure the cohort member there will be an opportunity over the course of the meeting to address any concerns.

The U.S. Chamber Foundation suggests including an informal dinner or activity concluding the first day of each in-person training. This is a great opportunity for cohort members to get to know one another and identify overlap and explore collaboration. See sample templates on the following pages.

If you are co-hosting your TPM Academy via TPM Co/Lab and therefore only participating in online sessions, the U.S. Chamber Foundation team will work with you to ensure your meetings encompass the necessary activities and allow for interaction and engagement.

Room Setup:

The coordinator should create a room setup that promotes both large and small group discussion and accommodates cohort members and TPM Academy faculty. This commonly results in 5–7 tables, each with 5–7 participants.

Coordinators have sometimes found it beneficial to assign seating for cohort members—sometimes by region, industry focus area, or level of TPM understanding.

The room will need to be equipped with a screen for PowerPoint so that all attendees can see the screen. It is preferable to be able to use Zoom with audio for participants and therefore have WiFi capabilities. Additional requests include a whiteboard, markers, and microphones (depending on the size of the room).

Whether the training is hosted at your facility or off site, please plan to have an AV tech assist with set up.

It can be useful, pending how you create your agenda, to seat a faculty member or member of the coordinator organization at each table to help facilitate small group discussion for some of the exercises. Faculty members rotate throughout the day so keep in mind you need to remain flexible and recognize not every table will be manned at all times.

You may want to consider an easel and large post-it paper for each table to write questions or for small group activities.

Training 1: Agenda Template

Virtual Orientation

10:30 AM–10:40 AM Welcome from Coordinator and the U.S. Chamber Foundation

10:40 AM–11:10 AM Brief Learner Introductions

11:10 AM–11:25 AM Overview of the TPM Academy Experience

11:25 AM–11:45 AM Overview of the TPM Framework

11:45 AM–12:05 PM TPM Orientation Exercise

12:05 PM–12:10 PM Break

12:10 PM–12:15 PM The Employer Collaborative Project

12:15 PM–12:25 PM Meet Your Mentors

12:25 PM–12:35 PM Unit 0.5 Entry Points to Implement TPM

12:35 PM–1:00 PM Reflection and Small Group Breakouts

Training 1: Checklist

Virtual Orientation

□ Have prep call with U.S. Chamber Foundation 2 weeks prior.

□ Set up monthly check-in call for TPM Academy cohort members (optional).

AV/Tech:

□ Share TPM Co/Lab onboarding document with cohort participants so they know how to access the Orientation session (and any future virtual sessions).

Welcome:

□ Coordinator(s) should plan to welcome cohort members to kick off the training.

Close Out/Next Steps:

□ Encourage teams to meet with TPM Mentors regularly.

□ Share any additional communication/participation that is needed outside of the Academy.

Training 2: Agenda Template

The following agendas and check lists are predominantly designed for in-person training sessions. Should your session(s) take place virtually, the U.S. Chamber Foundation can supply you with a revised checklist upon request.

Strategy 1

Day 1

11:15 AM–11:25 AM Welcome from the Coordinator and U.S. Chamber Foundation

Day 2

8:15 AM–8:45 AM Breakfast Available

11:25 AM–11:40 AM Reintroductions from Cohort 8:45 AM–9:15 AM Review Questions from Day 1

11:40 AM–12:00 PM Review TPM Orientation 9:15 AM–10:45 AM Pitch Competition

12:00 PM–12:30 PM Meet the Expert: TPM Academy Faculty

12:30 PM–12:50 PM Networking Lunch

12:50 PM–1:35 PM Strategy 1 Part I

10:45 AM–11:00 AM Break

11:00 AM–11:30 AM Strategy 1 Part III

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Collaborative Project Team Meetings

1:35 PM–1:50 PM Break 12:00 PM–12:15 PM Questions

1:50 PM–2:10 PM Group Discussion on TPM Application 12:15 PM–1:00 PM Lunch

2:10 PM–3:10 PM Strategy 1 Part II 1:00 PM–1:30 PM Next Steps

3:10 PM–3:30 PM Discuss Pitch Competition and Collaborative Projects 1:30 PM–1:45 PM Additional Group Time (if desired)

3:30 PM–4:00 PM Questions and Close Out

4:00 PM–5:30 PM Networking Activity

Meeting 2: Checklist

Strategy 1

□ Have prep call with U.S. Chamber Foundation 2 weeks prior.

□ Determine evening activity location and menu for Day 1 (at least two weeks in advance).

□ Share evening activity information with U.S. Chamber Foundation (at least two weeks in advance).

□ Determine if virtual attendance is an option and if so, ensure virtual meeting access information is available in TPM Co/Lab.

Confirm arrival of the following: (at least one week in advance of the training) (if this is the first in-person meeting)

□ U.S. Chamber Foundation Pens

□ TPM Academy Notebooks

□ TPM Academy Curriculum

Print materials provided by the U.S. Chamber Foundation team:

□ Participant Agenda (one for each cohort member, faculty, and staff)

□ Facilitator Agenda (one for each faculty and staff)

□ Slide Deck (one for each cohort member, faculty, and staff; double sided with two slides per page)

□ Name Tents (one for each cohort member, faculty, staff, and external speakers and can be used for future trainings)

□ Sign-in Sheet

□ Employer Collaborative Project Overview (one for each cohort member)

□ TPM Academy Cohort Member Directory (one for each cohort member)

□ Pitch Exercise (one for each cohort member, faculty, and staff)

AV/Tech:

Confirmation of AV/Tech should be communicated to the U.S. Chamber Foundation at least two weeks in advance of the training.

□ Two wireless microphones (additional batteries if they won’t be charged overnight).

□ Laptop for the presentation to be connected to the projector.

□ Clicker for the presentation

□ Projector

□ Optional: Virtual attendance/ connectivity ability

Room Setup:

□ Rounds or classroom style

□ Needs to have the ability to allow for small group discussion and collaboration

□ White board and dry erase markers

□ Provide U.S. Chamber Foundation layout or photos at least two weeks in advance of the training.

Meals:

□ Lunch both days

□ Dinner or Reception on Day 1

□ Breakfast on Day 2

□ Snacks for participants throughout the training

□ Water, tea, coffee available throughout Days 1 and 2

□ Times for meals will be based on the agenda provided by the U.S. Chamber Foundation.

□ Locations for meals (if different from training site) should be provided to the U.S. Chamber Foundation at least two weeks in advance of the training if you would like them included on the agenda. Please try to have breakfast and lunches within a three-minute walk of the training location.

Day-of Room Setup:

□ Arrive at least an hour early to check training room layout.

□ Confirm seating layout matches the requested layout.

□ PowerPoint presentation(s) downloaded and up on the provided laptop (if not set up, please contact AV).

□ Microphone(s) available and working.

□ Clicker for PowerPoint to move through slide deck.

□ Presentation laptop for virtual participants (if needed).

□ White board and dry erase markers.

□ Meet with on-site catering team to appoint yourself as POC and confirm mealtimes for Days 1 and 2.

□ Confirm water, coffee, and tea are available throughout the day.

Confirm Materials and Hand Out to Cohort Members:

□ U.S. Chamber Foundation Pens (if this is the first in-person meeting)

□ TPM Academy Notebooks (if this is the first in-person meeting)

□ TPM Academy Curriculum (if this is the first in-person meeting)

□ Slide Deck

□ Name Tents

□ Employer Collaborative Project Overview

□ TPM Academy Cohort Member Directory

□ Pitch Exercise

Welcome/Housekeeping:

□ Coordinator(s) should plan to welcome cohort members to kick off the day and provide housekeeping information on session location(s), restrooms, WiFi, and any additional activities (meals, evening reception, etc.).

Attendee Coordination:

□ Coordinator(s) should plan to assign someone from their team to dismiss and retrieve participants from mealtimes and evening activities.

Close Out/Next Steps:

□ Coordinator should be prepared to provide context to attendees on next steps specific to their region (e.g., upcoming funding opportunities, networking opportunities, related events).

□ Share any additional communication/ participation that is needed outside of the Academy.

Training 3: Agenda Template

Strategies 2–4

Day 1

11:00–11:10 AM Welcome and Updates

11:15 AM–12:00 PM Review Orientation and Strategy 1

12:00 PM–12:45 PM Lunch Break

12:45 PM–1:15 PM Virtual Q&A with TPM NLN Partner(s)

1:15 PM–2:50 PM Strategy 2: Project Critical Job Demand

2:50 PM–3:00 PM Break

3:00 PM–3:15 PM Strategy 2 Questions

3:15 PM–4:50 PM Strategy 3: Align and Communicate Job Requirements

4:50 PM–5:30 PM Community Application Discussion and Overview of Day 2

Day 2

8:30 AM–8:50 AM Review of Strategies 2 & 3

8:50 AM–11:00 AM Strategy 4: Analyze Talent Supply

11:00 AM–11:30 AM Virtual Q&A

11:30 AM–12:00 PM Meet the Expert: TPM Academy Faculty

12:00 PM–12:30 PM Lunch Break

12:30 PM–1:30 PM Community Application and Next Steps

1:30 PM–2:00 PM Collaborative Project Time

Training 3: Checklist

Strategies 2–4

□ Have prep call with U.S. Chamber Foundation 2 weeks prior.

□ Determine evening activity location and menu for Day 1 (at least two weeks in advance).

□ Share evening activity information with U.S. Chamber Foundation.

□ Determine if virtual attendance is an option and if so, create Zoom link and share with virtual attendees.

Print materials provided by the U.S. Chamber Foundation team:

□ Participant Agenda (one for each cohort member, faculty, and staff)

□ Facilitator Agenda (one for each faculty and staff)

□ Slide Deck (one for each cohort member, faculty, and staff; double sided with two slides per page)

□ Name Tents (one for each cohort member, faculty, staff, and external speakers; we suggest using name tents from the previous training but please make sure to create new name tents for any new cohort members or external speakers)

□ Sign-in Sheet

AV/Tech:

Confirmation of AV/Tech should be communicated to the U.S. Chamber Foundation at least two weeks in advance of the training.

□ Two wireless microphones (additional batteries if they won’t be charged overnight).

□ Laptop for the presentation to be connected to the projector.

□ Clicker for the presentation

□ Projector

□ Optional: Virtual attendance/ connectivity ability

Room Setup:

□ Rounds or classroom style.

□ Needs to have the ability to allow for small group discussion and collaboration.

□ White board and dry erase markers

□ Provide U.S. Chamber Foundation layout or photos at least two weeks in advance of the training.

Meals:

□ Lunch both days

□ Dinner or Reception on Day 1

□ Breakfast on Day 2

□ Snacks for participants throughout the training

□ Water, tea, coffee available throughout Days 1 and 2

□ Times for meals will be based on the agenda provided by the U.S. Chamber Foundation

□ Locations for meals (if different from training site) should be provided to the U.S. Chamber Foundation at least two weeks in advance of the training if you would like them included on the agenda. Please try to have breakfast and lunches within a three-minute walk of the training location.

Day-of Room Setup:

□ Arrive at least an hour early to check training room layout.

□ Confirm seating layout matches the requested layout.

□ PowerPoint presentation(s) downloaded and up on the provided laptop (if not set up, please contact AV)

□ Microphone(s) available and working

□ Clicker for PowerPoint to move through slide deck

□ Presentation laptop for virtual participants (if needed)

□ White board and dry erase markers

□ Meet with on-site catering team to appoint yourself as POC and confirm mealtimes for Days 1 and 2.

□ Confirm water, coffee, and tea are available throughout the day.

Confirm Materials and Hand Out to Cohort Members:

□ U.S. Chamber Foundation Pens (if this is the first in-person meeting)

□ TPM Academy Notebooks (if this is the first in-person meeting):

□ TPM Academy Curriculum (if this is the first in-person meeting):

□ Slide Deck

□ Name Tents

Welcome/Housekeeping:

□ Coordinator(s) should plan to welcome cohort members to kick off the day and provide housekeeping information on session location(s), restrooms, WiFi, and any additional activities (meals, evening reception, etc.).

Attendee Coordination:

□ Coordinator(s) should plan to assign someone from their team to dismiss and retrieve participants from mealtimes and evening activities.

Close Out/Next Steps:

□ Coordinator should be prepared to provide context to attendees on next steps specific to their region (e.g., upcoming funding opportunities, networking opportunities, related events).

□ Share any additional communication/ participation that is needed outside of the Academy.

Training 4: Agenda Template

Strategies 5–6

Day 1

11:00 AM–11:15 AM Welcome and Brief Re-introductions

11:15 AM–11:30 AM Review of Strategies 1–4

11:30 AM–12:10 PM Strategy 5 Part 1

Day 2

8:30 AM–8:45 AM Review of Strategy 5

8:45 AM–9:30 AM Strategy 5 Part 5

9:30 AM–10:15 AM Meet the Expert: TPM Academy Faculty

12:10 PM–12:50 PM Lunch 10:15 AM–10:45 AM Break: Networking Across Industries

12:50 PM–1:55 PM Strategy 5 Part 2 10:45 AM–12:05 PM Strategy 6

1:55 PM–2:15 PM Small Group Discussion: The Value Stream Map

2:15 PM–3:00 PM Strategy 5 Part 3

12:05 PM–1:05 PM Lunch

1:05 PM–1:40 PM Employer Collaborative Project Questions

3:15 PM–4:00 PM TPM Meet the Expert: TPM Academy Faculty 1:40 PM–2:00 PM Next Steps, Questions, and Close Out

4:00 PM–4:30 PM Strategy 5 Part 4 2:00 PM–2:30 PM Collaborative Project Time

4:45 PM–5:00 PM Overview of Day 2 and Close Out

5:00 PM–6:30 PM Networking Activity

Training 4: Checklist

Strategies 5–6

□ Have prep call with U.S. Chamber Foundation 2 weeks prior.

□ Determine if you will host graduation in conjunction with Strategies 5–6 training (see more information on the checklist for Graduation Ceremony).

□ Determine evening activity location and menu for Day 1 (at least two weeks in advance).

□ Share evening activity information with U.S. Chamber Foundation.

□ Send U.S. Chamber Foundation Team mailing address for certificates and pins.

□ Confirm certificates and pins have arrived at designated location.

□ Determine if virtual attendance is an option and if so, create Zoom link and share with virtual attendees.

Print materials provided by the U.S. Chamber Foundation team:

□ Participant Agenda (one for each cohort member, faculty, and staff)

□ Facilitator Agenda (one for each faculty and staff)

□ Slide Deck (one for each cohort member, faculty, and staff; double sided with two slides per page)

□ Name Tents (one for each cohort member, faculty, staff, and external speakers; we suggest using name tents from the previous training but please make sure to create new name tents for any new cohort members or external speakers)

□ Sign-in Sheet

□ Strategy 5: Value Stream Map Exercise (one for each cohort member, faculty, and staff)

AV/Tech:

Confirmation of AV/Tech should be communicated to the U.S. Chamber Foundation at least two weeks in advance of the training.

□ Two wireless microphones (additional batteries if they won’t be charged overnight).

□ Laptop for the presentation to be connected to the projector.

□ Clicker for the presentation

□ Projector

□ Optional: Virtual attendance/ connectivity ability

Room Setup:

□ Rounds or classroom style.

□ Needs to have the ability to allow for small group discussion and collaboration.

□ White board and dry erase markers

□ Provide U.S. Chamber Foundation layout or photos at least two weeks in advance of the training.

Meals:

□ Lunch both days

□ Dinner or Reception on Day 1

□ Breakfast on Day 2

□ Snacks for participants throughout the training

□ Water, tea, coffee available throughout Days 1 and 2

□ Times for meals will be based on the agenda provided by the U.S. Chamber Foundation

□ Locations for meals (if different from training site) should be provided to the U.S. Chamber Foundation at least two weeks in advance of the training if you would like them included on the agenda. Please try to have breakfast and lunches within a three-minute walk of the training location.

Day-of Room Setup:

□ Arrive at least an hour early to check training room layout.

□ Confirm seating layout matches the requested layout.

□ PowerPoint presentation(s) downloaded and up on the provided laptop (if not set up, please contact AV).

□ Microphone(s) available and working

□ Clicker for PowerPoint to move through slide deck

□ Presentation laptop for virtual participants (if needed)

□ White board and dry erase markers

□ Meet with on-site catering team to appoint yourself as POC and confirm mealtimes for Days 1 and 2.

□ Confirm water, coffee, and tea are available throughout the day.

Confirm Materials and Hand Out to Cohort Members:

□ U.S. Chamber Foundation Pens (if this is the first in-person meeting)

□ TPM Academy Notebooks (if this is the first in-person meeting)

□ TPM Academy Curriculum (if this is the first in-person meeting):

□ Value Stream Map Exercise

□ Slide Deck

□ Name Tents

Welcome/Housekeeping:

□ Coordinator(s) should plan to welcome cohort members to kick off the day and provide housekeeping information on session location(s), restrooms, WiFi, and any additional activities (meals, evening reception, etc.).

Attendee Coordination:

□ Coordinator(s) should plan to assign someone from their team to dismiss and retrieve participants from mealtimes and evening activities.

Close Out/Next Steps:

□ Coordinator should be prepared to provide context to attendees on how they plan to sustain communication with cohort members (e.g., quarterly webinars, in-person gatherings, graduation if it has not yet occurred).

□ Share any additional communication/ participation that is needed outside of the Academy.

Graduation Ceremony

The graduation ceremony may be held in conjunction with Strategies 5–6 training or separately. We do not, however, encourage having final presentations combined with the Strategies 5–6 training session as the quality of the group projects are enhanced once cohort members have had an opportunity to complete their TPM Academy training. Please discuss with the U.S. Chamber Foundation if you hope to have a separate in-person graduation and/ or group presentations to determine our availability to participate):

□ Identify any external participants you would like in attendance in addition to cohort members.

Coordinator to identify graduation roles:

□ Person to make remarks to the cohort on their accomplishments and next steps (e.g., mayor, workforce agency leader, chamber CEO)

□ Person to hand out certificates, shake hands, take a photo with each participant, and group cohort picture

□ Identify who is reading cohort member names as certificates are handed out (TPM Faculty/Staff can do this)

Training 5: Agenda Template

Virtual Final Presentations

11:00 AM–11:10 AM Welcome, Presentation Overview, and Questions

11:10 AM–11:25 AM Red Team

11:25 AM–11:40 AM Blue Team

11:40 AM–11:55 AM Green Team

11:55 AM–12:10 PM Purple Team

12:10 PM–12:30 PM Collaborative Project Reflections

12:30 PM–12:40 PM Break

12:40 PM–1:00 PM TPM NLN Continued Engagement Discussion

1:00 PM–1:30 PM Remaining Questions and Close Out

Training 5: Checklist

Virtual Final Presentations

Presentations and Graduation

□ Confirm date(s) and times with U.S. Chamber Foundation.

□ Attend and provide feedback to teams.

□ Coordinator should be prepared to provide context to attendees on how they plan to sustain communication with cohort members (e.g., quarterly webinars, in-person gatherings, graduation if it has not yet occurred).

□ Share any additional communication/participation that is needed outside of the Academy.

Post-Academy

□ Share media release with local media to congratulate cohort members on their TPM Academy graduation.

□ Set up regular cohort check-in call.

□ Share Academy feedback with U.S. Chamber Foundation.

Additional Academy Activities

A great TPM Academy is differentiated from a so-so Academy by the customized local flavor, including employer panels, educator panels, interactive activities, or concluding events to a day of training. Regardless of the makeup of the cohort, TPM Academy graduates have shared how beneficial it can be to hear from other talent supply chain partners (i.e., hearing from education and training providers, employers) so we highly encourage adding these useful components.

Pitch Competition:

To expedite the cohort members’ understanding of TPM, it is a proven useful practice to host a pitch competition during the first in-person TPM Academy meeting. See Exercise 4 in Strategy 1: Organize for Employer Leadership and Collaboration for how to execute.

Employer Panels:

There is great value that can come from engaging employers to speak of the talent management challenges TPM is built to solve. Previous participants have shared how beneficial it is to hear concrete examples from local experts that resonate with their own experiences to enhance what they learn from what are often out-of-state TPM Academy faculty members.

Whether you have employers speak to why and how TPM would be of value to them and their industries, or you have organized employer collaboratives speak to how they have used and benefited from TPM—both are powerful. This discussion provides cohort members real-life examples as they organize their own collaboratives.

Prep the panel in advance to let them know where cohort members are in the TPM Academy experience.

Educator Panels:

Education and training providers play a critical role in TPM. It can be helpful for cohort members to hear from educators about the challenges they experience when working with employers.

Prep the panel in advance to let them know where cohort members are in the TPM Academy experience.

Example: Employer Panel

Construction and equine collaborative members share their progress, successes, challenges, and why they agreed to come together. Employers will also share their direction moving forward.

Construction and Education

• Jon Dougherty, Amteck

• John Phillips, Art’s Electric

• Daryn Morris, Southside Technical Center

Equine Employers

• Reese Koffler-Standfield, Maple Crest Farm

• Cathy Wieschhoff, Carriage Station Farm

• Joe Seitz, Brookdale Farm

• Ben Henley, Airdrie Stud

Example: Educator Panel

K–12 school district and community college TPM partners discuss their experience and involvement with TPM, challenges of working with employers to improve the region’s talent pipeline, and how they are working to overcome them.

• Sandra Bachert, Oakland Community College

• Scott Govitz, Mid Michigan College

• Jarrad Grandy, Oakland County School District

NLN Panels:

Pending location and availability, the U.S. Chamber Foundation is happy to solicit participation from NLN members to discuss their own experiences with the TPM Academy and implementing TPM in their own communities. We have commonly found this to be very helpful in providing real-life examples of TPM at work.

Providing as much advance notice to allow for travel is ideal though virtual participation can also be an option.

Check-in Webinar:

Depending on how training sessions are spaced out from one another, check-in webinars can be helpful to maintain engagement for the cohort. A one-hour check-in webinar might include:

5 minutes: Welcome and updates from U.S. Chamber Foundation and coordinator

15–20 minutes: Overview of strategies to cover in next meeting

30 minutes: Updates from cohort members, including about the employer collaborative project

5 minutes: Questions

It is recommended to record these webinars and send a follow-up email to participants afterwards, particularly for those who are not able to participate. Some organizations have participated in monthly check-in calls, like those offered by the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center, for the broader TPM NLN. This practice could be adapted for your cohort or with others in your region or state who are also a part of the TPM NLN, or encourage them to join the monthly TPM Connections call.

Example: NLN Panel

Members of the original pilot and TPM Academy Cohort II will discuss their successes and challenges implementing TPM in their communities. They will discuss the industries they are focusing on, where they faced roadblocks, and suggestions for avoiding common challenges.

• Beth Davisson, Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center

• Kim Kuchenbrod, Vermilion Advantage

• Mary Anne Sheahan, Vermont Business Roundtable

Employer Collaborative Project:

The Employer Collaborative Project (ECP) is an opportunity for TPM Academy members to put into practice the knowledge they have learned from the TPM framework. Cohort members will be split into small groups and develop a real or fictitious employer collaborative to walk through the six TPM strategies. Groups will be paired up with TPM mentors, graduates of the TPM Academy who can support the group’s understanding of how to apply the framework.

Graduation/Community Reception:

This can include an opportunity to culminate the TPM Academy training session with a graduation ceremony. Some past cohorts have included one or two employer collaborative project presentations to share with community leaders, alongside a graduation ceremony and a reception.

Homework:

The U.S. Chamber Foundation highly suggests that participants read the TPM strategies prior to their training to ensure they get the most out of the experience. Typically, we assign reading and exercises to do in advance of trainings so that more of the session can be dedicated to discussion as opposed to reading exercises for the first time. Homework can help keep cohort members motivated and plugged into the work, help them achieve their goals, and help them track their performance to reach a positive return on investment.

Additional homework activities can be as simple as completing tasks on the TPM web tool, identifying three employer champions to meet with one-on-one, or hosting a first collaborative meeting. What is most important is meeting cohort members where they are. Not every cohort member will start or finish at the same time or place.

Example: Michigan TPM Academy Reception

Example: Employer Collaborative Project

Participants Check-ins:

In addition to other check-ins, you can schedule individualized check-ins with cohort members. Offering support and access to resources can be a simple task and go a long way in helping your cohort members make progress.

Evaluation:

Identifying performance measures and tracking progress over time is critical to ensure a return on investment. Co-hosting a TPM Academy should be no different. The U.S. Chamber Foundation has worked with the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) to put together action plans made up of activities, milestones, and outputs that can serve as sample performance measures to track over time. These can be easily tweaked to serve the needs of a coordinator organization if you set goals at the onset of your TPM Academy. You can also use the TPM web tool to track progress on your action plan.

Quizzes:

Including quizzes on your agenda is a fun and quick way to determine if the information is resonating. You can include a quiz on Day 1 of trainings as a way to remind them of what was covered during the previous meeting or on Day 2 to remind them of what was covered the previous day. Though not required, awarding a prize to the cohort member who gets the most correct questions is a fun incentive.

Sites such as Kaboom and Slido typically have free membership options and are easy-to-use platforms for hosting these quizzes online or for in-person trainings. (Example questions can be found on the next page.)

Example: Annual Survey Report

Sample Quiz Questions

Category 1

Q: The entity that “houses” and provides the staff and management support for one or more employer collaboratives is called this.

A: A host organization

Q: A collaborative focuses their work on this when employers have the capacity and willingness to address it.

A: A shared pain point

Q: Hosting a TPM meeting or workshop to introduce and educate a broad community of stakeholders is referred to as this.

A: TPM Orientation, also accept TPM Workshop

Category 3

Q: The TPM methodology uses this type of labor market information provided directly by employers.

A: Primary labor market information (Primary LMI is also acceptable)

Q: It is not unusual for this partner to be agitated because they are not included in all employer collaborative meetings from the very beginning.

A: Education providers (schools or educators are both acceptable)

Q: Rather than one of many stakeholders in traditional public-private partnerships, employers play this new role to education providers in TPM.

A: An end customer

Category 2

Q: A partnership organized by employers, for employers to collectively address shared workforce needs is called this.

A: An employer collaborative

Q: When developing your value proposition, it is recommended to consider this, which includes calculations for things like cost of turnover, retention, advertising, and training.

A: Return on investment

Q: An end-to-end talent management process made up of employers as end customers and educators and workforce partners as providers.

A: A talent supply chain

Category 4

Q: Quality, time, and cost are examples of this.

A: Performance measure

Q: Employer collaboratives serve two primary functions: communicate demand and this.

A: Manage talent supply chains

TPM Champion Workshop Agenda Template

I. Welcome and Introductions

II. Overview of the Agenda

III. What is TPM?

IV. Employer Reactions

a. What questions do you have about TPM?

b. What are the key workforce challenges faced by your industry?

c. What has worked and what has not in prior or existing initiatives?

d. Where should we start when improving our talent pipelines?

e. Can TPM add value?

V. Stakeholder Reactions

a. What questions do you have about TPM?

b. Do you have any concerns?

c. What has worked and what has not when it comes to employer engagement in prior or existing initiatives?

d. Can TPM add value?

VI. Next Steps

a. Which organization will lead?

b. How can we enlist and maintain community and employer support?

c. Do we want to organize and launch a TPM Academy?

d. When will the next meeting occur?

VII. Adjourn

Application

To determine the best fit for a TPM Academy cohort member, the U.S. Chamber Foundation requires the use of an application with questions that include specific references to the TPM framework. A template application and scoring rubric is included in this section; some of the questions are required the U.S. Chamber Foundation team for consistency across the TPM NLN. As part of the application, the applicant should receive signed acknowledgment from their CEO—or if they are CEO, their board—designating approval and support to participate.

You will have access to a Google Drive created by the TPM team. If there are participants you want to have added to the application list, they must submit an application. The TPM team will then add the desired participant to the application tracker for you. The coordinator should not add participants to the tracker.

Application Form

Name of Coordinator Organization

Thank you for your interest in Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) and the TPM Academy®. Building on the success of the previously held national- and state-based TPM Academy cohorts, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and will host its cohort in , for partners interested in implementing TPM in their communities.

The TPM Academy is an in-person training for state and local chamber, business association, and economic development agency leaders, as well as employers, to learn the TPM approach to drive partnerships with their education and training providers based on industry need. The TPM Academy is facilitated by the U.S. Chamber Foundation and recognized TPM faculty. The training is supported by a customized curriculum that serves as an employer handbook and gives participants the knowledge, skills, and abilities to implement talent supply chain solutions on behalf of their employer collaborative members. In addition, the corresponding TPM web tool activates the six TPM strategies to streamline data collection and visualization for employer partners.

TPM Academy graduates become members of the TPM National Learning Network (NLN), ambassadors of the TPM approach that regularly collaborate to learn from one another’s successes and challenges implementing TPM projects, and collectively continue to grow the TPM initiative.

We recognize that attending the TPM Academy alone will not result in change for your community—it will require your commitment to identifying, developing, and integrating tactics throughout your approach.

TPM Academy Dates:

Webinars:

Optional Dates:

* Please note that webinars are held to provide technical assistance and support to the cohort. While they are not mandatory, TPM NLN members find the information presented on webinars can help progress their TPM projects.

Selection Criteria:

The program will be limited to participants. As a result, selection will be prioritized for those who are most committed to using the TPM Academy to close the skills gap in their communities and are best positioned to benefit from the TPM Academy (see rubric). All applications are due by When your application has been received, you will receive an email from to acknowledge receipt. If you do not receive an email within 24 hours, please resubmit to ensure your application has reached us.

Require Acknowledgment:

Prior to submitting your application, please sign below to acknowledge you understand that if selected, you agree and are available for all non-optional TPM Academy activities.

Name Date

Attendee Information

Organization:

Organization Type: (Check One)

Employer ☐ Business/Industry/Association

Education and/or Training Organization

Public Agency ☐ Other (please explain):

What is your level of responsibility and function in your organization?

How did you hear about the TPM Academy? (Check one)

Employer

Colleague

How many years of experience do you have in talent development? (e.g., education- and workforce-related issues?) (Check one)

Less than 2

6 to 10

2 to 5

More than 10

How many employees within your organization are dedicated to talent development? (Check one)

0 ☐ 1 to 2 ☐ 3 to 4

More than 5

Attendee Information (page 2 of 3)

Describe your community’s skills gap challenge(s), or in TPM speak, what is the “pain point” you seek to address with TPM? What is your organization’s role and/or existing activities to improve the current state? Please respond in 500 words or less.

Implementation of the TPM framework my require significant commitment of time resources. Discuss your and your organization’s capacity to implement TPM to address the pain points referenced above. Explain any bandwidth or resources constraints. Capacity refers to the internal and external resources available to implement this work. Do you have sufficient staff and staff time? Do you have opportunities for funding? If not, what type of additional support would you need to be successful? Please respond in 500 words or less.

Attendee Information (page 3 of 3)

How do you intend to leverage what you gain from participating in the TPM Academy and implement action steps in the near term? In the long term? With whom will you partner to achieve these goals? Please respond in 500 words or less.

Please note: additional custom questions can be added. Please ask U.S. Chamber Foundation staff for examples.

Professional Headshot and Biography:

(Click here) to upload your headshot. Accepted file types: jpeg, png. Max file size: 50MB

Please provide a short bio (or link an existing bio) to share with fellow TPM Academy cohort members:

Do you have any food allergies? If so, what are they?

No

Yes

Example Statement of Support for the TPM Academy of Tallahassee:

Statement of Support Requirements

Please include with your application a signed statement from the CEO of your organization which supports your involvement with the TPM Academy®. If you are the CEO of your organization, please have your board chair sign this document.

A statement of support with the required elements is below. You may do one of the following to meet this requirement:

1. Have your CEO sign the following page and include it with your application.

2. Attach a letter signed by your CEO that includes a statement of support and the required elements from below.

3. Include with your application an email from your CEO with the requirements and their commitment to support your participation.

For any of these options please provide the attachment in PDF form.

CEO Statement of Support:

As the CEO/President, I support the attached application from our organization to participate in the TPM Academy of Tallahassee.

I understand and commit to supporting (Name) in applying for the TPM Academy of Tallahassee and in meeting the following participation requirements:

a. Making attendance and engagement at the meetings listed below a priority.

Academy Orientation

Thursday, August 25, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM

Strategy 1 (Day 1) Tuesday, September 13, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM

Strategy 1 (Day 2)

Strategy 2–4 (Day 1)

Strategy 2–4 (Day 2)

Strategy 5* (Day 1)

Strategy 5* (Day 2)

Wednesday, September 14, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM

Tuesday, October 4, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM

Wednesday, October 5, 11:00 AM–4:30 PM

Tuesday, November 8, 11:00 AM–5:00 PM

Wednesday, November 9, 8:00 AM–3:00 PM

Strategy 6 Wednesday, December 7, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM

*Strategy 5 will be held in-person in Tallahassee. All other meetings will be held virtually.

b. Allocating appropriate support and time for their TPM® project, both within the Academy and post-graduation.

c. Providing necessary progress reports/data for their project within understood and agreed upon privacy and proprietary guidelines.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

TPM Academy® Score Sheet and Rubric*

* Please note: use of this rubric is optional for coordinators. These are the metrics we feel are most useful but feel free to adjust based on your objectives.

Evaluators are asked to assess each element of the application for scoring. Evaluators will independently read and assess each proposal before submitting scores. Applicants may receive up to 30 points for the entire application. Scores will be averaged across all evaluators. Follow-up questions may be asked of submitting entities before final scoring.

Rater Name:

Applicant Name:

Signed Required Acknowledgment Yes/No

Organization suitably apt to improve community’s skills gap challenge 5 pts Strength of Partnerships

Demonstration of TPM Understanding 10 pts

Rating Guidelines:

Quality Indicator Description

Very Good 5/5; 9–10/10

Good 4/5; 7–8/10

Fair 3/5; 5–6/10

Poor 1–2/5; 2–4/10

The application is specific and comprehensive. There is complete, detailed, and clearly articulated information as to how the criteria are met.

The application is reasonably comprehensive and includes sufficient detail. It contains many of the characteristics of a response that is very good even though it may require additional specificity, support, or elaboration in places.

The application is non-specific and lacks focus. The response addresses some of the selection criteria, but not all. Some ideas presented are sound, but others are not responsive to the purpose of the grant. Additional information is needed in order to be reasonably comprehensive and meet the criteria of a response that is good.

The application does not meet many criteria; provides inaccurate information or provides information that requires substantial clarification as to how the criteria are met; lacks meaningful detail; demonstrates lack of preparation; or otherwise raises substantial concerns about the applicant’s understanding of the issue in concept and/or ability to meet the requirement in practice.

No Evidence 0/5; 0–1/10 The application does not address the criteria or simply re-states the criteria.

U.S.

Chamber of Commerce Foundation

TPM Academy®

Score Sheet

and Rubric* (Page 2 of 3)

Component 1:

Organization Suitably Apt to Improve Community’s Skills Gap Challenge (5 pts)

• The application shows an understanding of the skills gap challenge and the impact on the applicant’s community.

• This should include information on how the community, or the applicant’s organization, has responded to the skills gap to date.

Component 1: Organization Suitably Apt to Improve Community’s Skills Gap Challenge

0 pts 1–2 pts 3 pts 4 pts 5 pts

No Evidence Poor Fair Good Very Good

Score:

Explanation of Score:

Component 2: Demonstration of TPM Understanding (10 pts)

• The applicant clearly demonstrates awareness of the TPM framework.

• The application effectively demonstrates how they will leverage TPM and their participation in the TPM Academy to address their community’s skills gap challenge.

Component 2: Demonstration of TPM Understanding

0 pts 1–2 pts 3 pts 4 pts 5 pts No Evidence Poor Fair Good Very Good

Score:

Explanation of Score:

Questions for Follow Up with Application (If applicable):

Questions for Follow Up with Application (If applicable):

Topics for Internal Team Discussion (If applicable):

Topics for Internal Team Discussion (If applicable):

U.S.

Chamber

(Page 3 of 3)

Component 3:

of Commerce Foundation TPM Academy® Score Sheet and Rubric*

Feasibility of taking action (10 pts)

• The application includes activities and outcomes that are well-stated, manageable, appropriate, comprehensive, and have every reasonable expectation of being completed.

Component 3: Feasibility of Taking Action

0 pts 1–2 pts 3 pts 4 pts 5 pts No Evidence Poor Fair Good Very Good

Score:

Explanation of Score:

Component 4: Strength of Partnerships (5 pts)

• The applicant outlines an effective use of partner organizations including participation from employers (or employer organizations), education and training providers, public-sector partners, etc.

• Proposed partnerships are appropriate to meet the objectives of implementing a TPM project.

Component 4: Strength of Partnerships

0 pts 1–2 pts 3 pts 4 pts 5 pts No Evidence Poor Fair Good Very Good

Score:

Explanation of Score:

Questions for Follow Up with Application (If applicable):

Questions for Follow Up with Application (If applicable):

Topics for Internal Team Discussion (If applicable):

Topics for Internal Team Discussion (If applicable):

Marketing Materials

Logos:

Once you have a signed Consulting Services Agreement with the U.S. Chamber Foundation team, you will receive three versions of your state/region TPM Academy logo:

• Horizontal, full color

• Vertical, full color

• Vertical, white

Examples include:

Branding Guidelines:

The U.S. Chamber Foundation will provide the TPM Branding Guidelines to help you navigate how to classify your TPM Academy. It includes language to use for your partnership with the U.S. Chamber Foundation, asset attribution guidelines, TPM color values, etc.

For a copy of the U.S. Chamber Foundation and TPM brand guidelines, please email tpmsupport@uschamber.org . Any requests for customization of the brand for use beyond the academy should be made in writing.

Additional Marketing Materials:

The Chamber Foundation has examples of various social and press templates for communicating your future, current, or past participation in a TPM Academy. Every TPM Academy participant will be provided a marketing tool kit upon acceptance to the cohort.

Social Channels:

X

https://twitter.com/usccfoundation

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/usccfoundation/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/USCCFoundation

Instagram

http://instagram.com/usccfoundation

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCZwgi6vypERqQtfsBm24pLA

Websites:

U.S. Chamber Foundation uschamberfoundation.org

Primary TPM Academy Website tpmacademy.org

This is where you can find basic information on TPM and the TPM Academy including TPM Activity by state, written resources and reports, and any upcoming events or academies.

TPM Co/Lab colab.tpmacademy.org

This is our online learning and community platform for anyone that is currently or previously participating in a TPM Academy.

TPM Web Tool tools.tpmacademy.org

This is our online webtool software to help TPM Supply Chain Managers automate their data collection and analysis process.

Online TPM Help support.tpmacademy.org

This is where you can find a catalog of resources to help you navigate general questions and operations within the TPM universe. This is also where you can submit an inquiry or ask for help with an issue.

Workshop Completion Ceremonies

Example: Michigan Workshop Registration Web Page

Example: Michigan TPM Reception Invitation

Download

Example: Kentucky TPM Reception Invitation

Download

uschamberfoundation.org/talent-pipeline-management