Welcome to the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission's bi-weekly roundup of news, trends,events, and "A Greater Madison Vision" Updates. To see previous edition of this newsletter, click here .
In This Edition
  • What We Learned - Engagement Summary
  • Community Partners Leading the Vision: Workforce Development
  • Steering Committee Launches Scenario Planning Phase
  • Capital Area RPC - Environmental Resources Internship 
What We Learned-Engagement Summary
A Greater Madison Vision seeks to produce “a vision and plan so compelling that people feel ownership and commit to achieving it,” as stated in a presentation slide. With this goal in mind, Steering Committee members and staff embarked on a robust community engagement initiative. Engagement began in May of 2017 and as of October the team has more than a thousand individuals.
Greater Madison Vision designed its outreach to engage a representative cross section of the region’s population, with specific goals of reaching underrepresented populations. Representing 20 percent of the region’s population, the Greater Madison Vision team sought to involve people from smaller rural communities. To date, one third of total participants are from rural communities. Common themes that arose from rural residents were concern that growing population and development threatens their quality of life, particularly with increased traffic making communities less safe. 
The remaining two thirds of the population represented city and suburb residents. Similar to their rural counterparts these residents were concerned about growth and quality of life but emphasized more the costs of housing, traffic congestion, increased need for transit, and jobs.
Along with geographic targeting, the Greater Madison Vision team also focused on demographic representation. With 18 percent of the population being communities of color that are traditionally underrepresented in the planning process the team focused efforts into directly targeting these communities for input. Since communities of color are found primarily within the City of Madison and adjacent suburbs, the team worked with the City’s Imagine Madison initiative.. Through community panels, driving forces workshops, and the HipHop Architecture Camp; 13% of those reached in the direct engagement process represented these communities. Overall response aligned closely with the broader community, but emphasized housing, transit, and social conditions as more major concerns.
Community Partners Leading the Vision: Workforce Development
With the region projected to add 157,000 new residents by 2050, it will also generate 60,000 to 100,000 new jobs As we continue to think forward and prepare for the future, are two key questions emerge; 1) What will be the jobs of the future? and 2) What will be the workforce needs?

Current trends indicate that healthcare, education, and technology sectors will experience the most growth and will require a more skilled labor market. These industries experience between the skills of the working population and employer needs. Regional partners are working together to address to close these skills gaps.  
One community partner addressing the need for a larger workforce and the existing challenges it faces is Madison College (MATC). Under the leadership of its President, Dr. Jack Daniels, Madison College operates a variety of programs tailored to the region’s growing industries, while also providing opportunities for those who face education attainment barriers.  
“Hopefully bridging the gap between those who may not have the skills to get into a training program specifically of a post-secondary nature but we bride so they can get into those programs as well as address their deficiencies, educational deficiencies, that they may have or that they bring with them.”  - Dr. Jack Daniels, President of Madison College
Teaming up with leading industry partners, Madison College developed a system of bridge programs and career pathways. Bridge programs target those who may have educational deficiencies that make post-secondary education difficult. They work with individuals to overcome such deficiencies while simultaneously funneling them into targeted sectors. Madison College currently operates eight bridge programs in biotech, construction, industrial maintenance, hospitality, administrative professional, medical administrative specialist, culinary arts, and chemistry/math pre-health. These programs are offered as direct paths to both employment and baccalaureate degree tracks.  
Madison College retains approximately 80 percent of students in the region’s workforce upon graduation. The key to success in implementing these programs is rooted in meeting the direct needs and having the opportunity readily available for students.  
Steering Committee Launches Scenario Planning Phase
On October 23 rd, 2017 the Greater Madison Vision Steering Committee members convened for their quarterly meeting to learn about community engagement outcomes, and to kick off scenario planning. Topic area experts joined the four hour workshop to provide insight on subjects ranging from job growth, housing, transportation, and more. Steering Committee members also brought younger members from their organizations to increase age diversity.

Guided by information about community input, regional trends, and driving future forces, participants worked in groups to generate scenarios for housing, transportation, economic development, equity and human needs, and environment. Each group displayed their scenarios during a “gallery walk.” People then reconvened into different groups to “prepare scenarios for Greater Madison in 2050, incorporating elements of each topic area, that reflect what the region can accomplish if communities, and public and private sectors, work together towards common goals.” The groups presented seven scenarios and discussed together common themes, unique ideas, and other observations.

Common themes identified were:
  • The need for complete communities that serve citizens needs of for employment, education, health, and recreation.
  • Affordable, accessible, and diverse housing options that meet the needs of all populations with special emphasis on support for low income, disabled, and aging communities.
  • A multi-modal regional transportation system that provides a minimum 30 minute commute, with intercity transportation connecting outside cities to the region.
  • Workforce development that meets the needs for both people in the labor market and employers.
  • Break down barriers to greater collaboration that allows creative approaches: we can't solve tomorrow's problems with today's solutions
Capital Area RPC - Environmental Resources Internship
The Capital Area Regional Planning Commission is seeking to fill a temporary, part-time Environmental Resources Planning intern position starting in the Fall 2017 semester and going through the Spring 2018 semester. The position will provide support to the Environmental Resources Planning Division staff working on a wide variety of projects. This work will include, but not be limited to, assisting with research, report writing, and map making for water quality and natural resource planning.

This position will be for 10-20 hours per week on average, up to about 500 hours total. This position pays $15 per hour with no fringe benefits. Please send your resume and cover letter to Linda Firestone at LindaF@CapitalAreaRPC.org or c/o Capital Area Regional Planning Commission, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 362, Madison, WI 53703. The deadline for submission is 8:00 AM, Monday, November 27, 2017.
Events

Next RPC Commission
December 14th, 2017 @ 6:15
City County Building Rm 351
210 Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Madison WI, 53703