Learning Ecosystems

US Department of Labor announces availability of $55M in grants to provide pre-release training, employment services to incarcerated people

On 03/09/2022, in adult learning, career development, funding / grants, legislatures / government / legal, lifelong learning, reinvent, society, staying relevant, surviving, by Daniel Christian

US Department of Labor announces availability of $55M in grants to provide pre-release training, employment services to incarcerated people
Funding aims to improve employment opportunities, meet needs of local labor market

WASHINGTON – Each year, state prisons release approximately 573,000 people who need the resources and support to re-enter and find stable employment in their communities successfully.

Pre-release services have proven to help reduce the likelihood that formerly incarcerated people will return to prison and help these individuals fully reintegrate into their communities. To support this effort, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of $55 million in Pathway Home 3 Grants that seek to reduce barriers to employment by providing training and employment services to incarcerated individuals before their release from state correctional facilities, or county or local jails. Funds will also support continued comprehensive services post-release.

Authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Pathway Home 3 Grants will fund projects to serve adults convicted under federal, state or local law and who are scheduled for release within 20 to 270 days from the time they enroll in the project.

The department’s Employment and Training Administration will award up to 15 grant projects – ranging from $1 million to $4 million each – to teach returning citizens foundational skills such as job readiness and job search strategies, and to provide apprenticeships and occupational training leading to industry-recognized credentials.

Organizations seeking grants must partner with a state correctional facility or a local or county jail. Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with employers, industry organizations or union partners to commit to providing work experience, onsite job-related mentoring and post-release employment opportunities for participants. Successful applicants will provide training that leads to in-demand skills to meet the needs of local employers.

Building on the findings from the Linking Employment Activities Pre-Release implementation study, the grants are designed to help eliminate the time gap between release from prison and enrollment into a workforce development reentry program leading to skills-based employment.

Learn more about the Department of Labor’s Reentry Employment Opportunities program.

Corporate Leaders Lag in Digital Skills; L&D Can Help — from learningsolutionsmag.com by Pamela Hogle

Excerpt:

As we move into a reality where digital skills dominate and the pandemic has pushed many organizations to accelerate their digital transitions, a yawning skills gap has become apparent: Fewer than a third of digital leaders rate themselves as “effective in digital acumen” according to the DDI Global Leadership Forecast.

But HR and leaders rank digital acumen, which is seen as “a significant predictor not only for digital transformation readiness, but also for innovation and responding to the competitive environment,” as a must-have skill, the DDI report said.

This gap is bad for business. “The world’s most digitally mature companies lead all other companies in value creation. They also have proved much more resilient during the crisis,” research by the Boston Consulting Group found.

Also from learningsolutionsmag.com see:

How to navigate the next chapter of telehealth [mckinsey.com]

On 03/07/2022, in 5G, cryptocurrencies, emerging technologies, future, health, society, telemedicine / telehealth / virtual health, tools, trends, United States, user experience (UX), vendors, videoconferencing, by Daniel Christian

How to navigate the next chapter of telehealth — from mckinsey.com

Excerpt:

The use of telehealth has soared during the pandemic, broadening access to care while also allowing providers, patients, and payers to consider possibilities, from expanding care at home to managing costs. But stakeholders have starkly different views on this next wave of healthcare: In a recent McKinsey survey, two-thirds of physicians and 60 percent of patients said they agreed that virtual health is more convenient than in-person care for patients, but only 36 percent of physicians find it more convenient for themselves. Explore these insights to understand the ongoing transition of IRL (in real life) to URL (virtual) medical care offerings…

Also from McKinsey, see:

What technology trends will—and should—lead business agendas in 2022?

Excerpt:

We asked leaders in industry, academia, and at McKinsey to share their perspectives on the technology trends likely to headline business agendas this year, the ones that could—but shouldn’t—slip through the cracks, and what executives should think about when considering new technologies. Here is what they told us.

Metaverse. Web3. Crypto. 5G.

These are just a few of the technologies grabbing headlines at the start of 2022. But what technology trends truly sit atop business agendas this year? Which might be under executives’ radars but should be surfaced? And what should business leaders keep in mind as they consider these trends?

Inclusive Hiring in Tech: How to Write More Inclusive Job Descriptions [from one of our nieces, Jill Bender]

On 03/07/2022, in Amazon, Apple, Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), career development, computer science, corporate / business world, culture, innovation, participation, programming, technology (general), United States, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Inclusive Hiring in Tech: How to Write More Inclusive Job Descriptions — from one of our nieces, Ms. Jill Bender

Addendum on 3/8/22:

How sponsorship can help women in tech advance — from mckinsey.com

AI Could Power the Next Generation of Smart Glasses — from lifewire.com by Mayank Sharma. I’d like to thank Mayank for letting me contribute some thoughts to this article.
Making the bigger picture clearer

Key Takeaways

Biel Glasses has created a pair of smart glasses to enhance the mobility of users with low vision.
Experts believe smart glasses will soon outpace VR headsets in terms of adoption and use.
This new generation of smart glasses will infuse AI together with AR to give users a new and better perspective.

You Sleuth is a family-friendly outdoor game that requires a moderate amount of walking. You can play by yourself or with a group of friends or family. If you are looking for something new that will stimulate your mind while sneaking in a little exercise and fresh air then register today. Read the rest of the FAQ for more details about how You Sleuth works.

From DSC:
What might this look/work like for learning-related applications? Also, if you are studying to be an actor or actress, might there be some new opportunities for you here!? If you are a writer, might there be some new sorts of collaborations opening up here? As the next version of the internet is developed, what new affordances/opportunities might exist in this area?

Scientists Resurrect Extinct Animals Using AR Technology [Melnick]

On 03/05/2022, in attention, Augmented Reality (AR), emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, history, human-computer interaction (HCI), XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

Scientists Resurrect Extinct Animals Using AR Technology — from vrscout.com by Kyle Melnick

Low poly western camel (Camelops hesternus) by Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County on Sketchfab

TurnSignl wins ABA Techshow 2022’s Startup Alley competition

On 03/04/2022, in entrepreneurship, experimentation, ideas, innovation, law schools, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, platforms, society, by Daniel Christian

TurnSignl wins ABA Techshow 2022’s Startup Alley competition — from abajournal.com

Excerpt:

TurnSignl, an app that helps drivers record roadside interactions with law enforcement and immediately access lawyers via videoconferencing, won the Startup Alley pitch competition at the ABA Techshow 2022 on Wednesday evening.

“Our mission is simple and three pronged: It’s to protect drivers’ civil rights, to de-escalate roadside interactions and third, and most importantly, ensure every driver and law enforcement officer returns home safe at the end of the day,” said Jazz Hampton, the CEO and general counsel at TurnSignl.

Reading Month with MLC and PBS Kids [michiganlearning.org]

On 03/04/2022, in education, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, Michigan, parents/guardians, reading, student-related, youth, by Daniel Christian

Reading Month with MLC and PBS Kids — from michiganlearning.org
Read aloud videos from Michigan bookworms and famous faces.

March is reading month, and students everywhere are finding new books to read. We’re celebrating the most literary time of the year with read aloud videos for blossoming bookworms and little ones who are just learning their letters.

Each series below has different ways to extend learning. Answer questions about the characters and plot, try a hands-on STEM activity, and more!

Amazon Boosts Upskilling Opportunities for Hourly Employees by Partnering with More Than 140 Universities and Colleges to Fully Fund Tuition

On 03/04/2022, in Amazon, collaboration, formal learning, funding / grants, higher education, reinvent, skills, society, by Daniel Christian

Amazon Boosts Upskilling Opportunities for Hourly Employees by Partnering with More Than 140 Universities and Colleges to Fully Fund Tuition — from press.aboutamazon.com

Excerpt:

Amazon employees in the U.S. will benefit from new Career Choice partnerships with Southern New Hampshire University, Colorado State University–Global, Western Governors University, National University, and numerous local universities
Amazon also partners with GEDWorks and Smart Horizons to provide employees with free high school completion and GED preparation, Voxy EnGen and goFLUENT to provide English language proficiency training, and Outlier to provide college preparation courses
New benefits are part of Amazon’s Career Choice program and move the company closer to meeting its Upskilling 2025 pledge—a $1.2 billion commitment to upskill more than 300,000 Amazon employees by 2025

Also see:

Amazon’s Employees Can Go to College, Free. What’s in It for Higher Ed? — from chronicle.com by Abbi Ross

Amazon’s announcement is an eye-catching development in the yearslong effort across higher education to enroll more adult learners and increase the share of the U.S. population that has some education beyond high school. While the jury’s still out on whether tuition-benefit programs deliver on all their promises, as most are relatively new, they have become an increasingly popular offering for major corporations. Last fall, Amazon announced a $1.2 billion investment to expand its efforts.

Amazon employees will have choices. They can enroll at a local participating college and take a few courses en route to a certificate or credential, or they can enroll in a full associate- or bachelor’s-degree program

Reducing Barriers: Indeed Removes Degree Requirements From Eligible Roles [Indeed]

On 03/04/2022, in business side of he, career development, change, colleges, community colleges, health, higher education, skills, United States, universities, workplace, by Daniel Christian

I’d like to thank Mr. Ryan Craig for the following resources (via his weekly e-newsletter):

Reducing Barriers: Indeed Removes Degree Requirements From Eligible Roles — from inside.indeed.jobs

In keeping with this commitment, we have removed university degree requirements from all eligible job profiles. This change has impacted 700+ job profiles across all of our business units and we will continue to use our degree evaluation process when creating new job profiles. Removing this barrier will allow us to engage, attract, and hire a wider pool of qualified applicants applying for jobs across Indeed.

Why America Has So Few Doctors — from theatlantic.com by Derek Thompson
As a matter of basic economics, fewer doctors means less care and more expensive services.

Trying to give students in low-wage majors some extra skills they can cash in on — from hechingerreport.org by Olivia Sanchez
A pilot program offers microcredentials that can help students find success after graduation

Learning Ecosystems

US Department of Labor announces availability of $55M in grants to provide pre-release training, employment services to incarcerated people

Corporate Leaders Lag in Digital Skills; L&D Can Help [Hogle]

How to navigate the next chapter of telehealth [mckinsey.com]

Inclusive Hiring in Tech: How to Write More Inclusive Job Descriptions [from one of our nieces, Jill Bender]

You Sleuth = The game of Clue + Augmented Reality (AR). DC: What might this look/work like for learning-related applications?

Scientists Resurrect Extinct Animals Using AR Technology [Melnick]

TurnSignl wins ABA Techshow 2022’s Startup Alley competition

Amazon Boosts Upskilling Opportunities for Hourly Employees by Partnering with More Than 140 Universities and Colleges to Fully Fund Tuition

Reducing Barriers: Indeed Removes Degree Requirements From Eligible Roles [Indeed]

Greetings!

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