Wadhwani Foundation Educational Technology ICT Delivery Pilot Opportunity

The Wadhwani Foundation was founded by Dr. Romesh Wadhwani, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and businessman. We have been working on a series of initiatives in India for the past decade, including the National Entrepreneurship Network and the Skills Development Network. This year, we have launched our first major U.S. initiative entitled, Race to a Job. We will enhance online courses in American community colleges in career and technical education, by leveraging new kinds of technology such as gaming and simulation.

We are about to launch a pilot this fall with a group of community colleges from around the country and a subsequent larger pilot in the spring of 2014 with other major U.S. foundations to test these new technologies with cohorts of students. Our ultimate goal is to increase job placements and to help fill the skills gap in the United States. We are interested in occupational programs such as health care, IT, manufacturing and automotive repair. In the area of ICT, we are looking at occupational programs such as computer support specialist and networking engineer.

We invite you to submit a RFP (attached). We will launch our first pilot this fall and our second pilot next spring. Our goal is to create hybrid online courses in a more standardized, nationally scalable and portable manner. Each pilot will last 4-6 months. We will fund a portion of the technology enhancements, will provide our project manager, our technology partners and will explore co-funding opportunities as well with other major foundations. Our foundation will work with employers and trade associations in this initiative as well. We would like to request a meeting with you to discuss potential participation in one of our upcoming pilots. Please find attached our:

• RFI,
• RFP, and
• presentation.  

Thank you.

Rishi Chopra

Program Coordinator-Skill Development Network

Wadhwani Foundation

2475 Hanover Street, Palo Alto CA 94304 USA

Office Phone: 650-935-9532

Read More

Ask SSC . . . What is the California Career Pathways Program?

Copyright © 2013 School Services of California, Inc.

Volume 33 For Publication Date: August 09, 2013 No. 16 

Q. I've heard about a new funding source for career-technical education in the 2013-14 State Budget. Can you tell me more about it? 

A. The 2013-14 State Budget includes $250 million for the establishment of the "California Career Pathways Trust." This program, a priority for Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), will provide funds for K-14 career pathways programs over three years, beginning with 2013-14. These funds are independent of any other career-technical education funds being received by a K-14 district, county office, or charter school and will be provided on a competitive basis in the form of one-time grants. 

While the request for application is still in the process of being drafted, the education omnibus bill (Assembly Bill 86, Chapter 48/2013) outlines that grants will be available for programs that accomplish any of the following: 

• Fund specialists in work-based learning to convene, connect, measure, or broker efforts to establish or enhance a locally defined career pathways program that connects K-14 education with business entities
• Establish regional collaborative relationships and partnerships with business entities, community organizations, and local institutions of postsecondary education 
• Develop and integrate standards-based academics with a career-relevant, sequenced curriculum following industry-themed pathways that are aligned to high-need, high-growth, or emerging regional economic sectors 
• Provide articulated pathways to postsecondary education aligned with regional economies 
• Leverage and build on any of the following: 
• Existing structures, requirements, and resources of the Carl D. Perkins, California Partnership Academies, and regional occupational programs 
• Matching resources and in-kind contributions from public, private, and philanthropic sources
• The California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program and its sector strategies and deputy sector navigators
• Participation in the local California Community Colleges Skills Panel 

It is important to note that grant recipients must identify and set aside funding within their own budget and obtain funding commitments from program partners sufficient to support the ongoing costs of the program. Additionally, grant recipients will be required to report to the state on the outcome measures of the grant, including pupil and student academic performance indicators; the number and rate of school or program graduates; attainment of certificates, transfer readiness, and postsecondary enrollment; and transitions to appropriate employment, apprenticeships, or job training.

Grant applications are expected to be released this fall, and we will post a notice once available.

—Michelle McKay Underwood and Kathleen O'Sullivan

posted 07/25/2013

 

Read More

PG&E LAUNCHES NEW ECONOMIC VITALITY GRANT PROGRAM

Grants Aimed at Boosting Local Job Creation and Promoting Economic Opportunity
Press Release

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.  – Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today a new economic vitality grant program designed to promote economic growth in communities throughout the utility’s service area in Northern and Central California. Through this pilot program, up to $200,000 will be awarded to local government organizations, educational institutions and 501(c) 3 non-profit organizations to provide funding for projects or programs designed to spur innovation and job creation.

As part of PG&E’s nearly $2.5 million charitable commitment to economic development in 2013, this new shareholder-funded program will invest in local initiatives that aim to attract, retain or expand local businesses; provide business development, incubation or acceleration opportunities; or provide valuable workforce training. In addition, these grants will be awarded to projects that aim to spur job creation within local economies struggling to recover from the economic downturn.

“As one of the state’s largest employers and a key contributor to many local economies, PG&E is focused on the economic health of our customers and California,” said Ezra Garrett, PG&E Vice President for Community Relations and Chief Sustainability Officer. “Through this pilot program, we will provide local non-profits and institutions the resources they need to spur job creation and to promote economic vitality in the communities which we are privileged to serve.”

Applications for PG&E’s Economic Vitality Grant Program will be accepted from June 4 through July 31, 2013. To learn more and apply, please visit www.pge.com/evgrants.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), and the PG&E Corporation Foundation strive to power strong communities throughout Northern and Central California. In 2012 PG&E contributed over $23 million to charitable organizations, including matching the generosity of employees who donated more than $6 million and volunteered 41,000 hours to company-supported events. Community investments are funded entirely by shareholders. For more information, visit www.pge.com/community.

Read More