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Archived News Release--Caution: information may be out of date.

LABOR SECRETARY SAYS CAREER MANAGEMENT GRANTS MAY OPEN WAY TO WORKER INDEPENDENCE, SELF-DETERMINATION

Thurs., June 29, 1995

For more information call: (202) 219- 6871.

Labor Secretary Robert B. Reich today called demonstration grants of more than $10 million designed to provide dislocated workers greater flexibility and increased career options "a boost to the American worker striving for independence and self- determination."

The model grants to the 13 projects extend from President Clinton's Middle Class Bill of Rights and the GI Bill for the American Workers announced last December.

Entitled the "Career Management Account," the program offers "the kind of customized customer service and expanded choices the American worker deserves and needs to remain competitive in today's job market," Reich said. "With this skill building and career designing service, the worker has more control over his or her career path--the kind of control the President has set as a goal for the American worker."

The career management account project is designed to test and demonstrate the feasibility of providing funds so an individual can select and pay for training and other services to assist the return to work. It is intended to provide maximum flexibility to the individual in selecting the types, timing and sources of career and employment transition assistance.

The 13 demonstration projects include:

1.

Training and Development Corporation (TDC)
Bucksport, Maine
Contact: Charles G. Tetro, (207) 469-6385
Funding Amount: $1,000,000

TDC will use its existing Automated Case Management System and Service Resource Inventory software technology platforms to enhance service delivery and to encourage and empower individual participant decision making in the design and management of personal educational and training goals and programs.

2.

Office of Employment Development
Baltimore, Maryland
Contact: Linda Harris, (410) 396-1910
Funding Amount: $ 782,364

The City of Baltimore has operated a decentralized network for accessing employment and training services in the delivery area. The network is built on partnerships among the Mayor's Office of Employment Development, the Maryland State Department of Economic and Employment Development, AFL-CIO-Baltimore Metropolitan Council, the Baltimore Urban League, and the Baltimore City Community College.

A wide array of services will be available to applicants in building their career path including skills training programs, apprenticeships, courses, placement assistance via CareerNet Center or placement firms, needs-based payments, on-the-job training, support services, needs related payments and education programs.

3.

Eastern Private Industry Council, Inc.
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Contact: Luther Ray Sowder, (918) 683-8553
Funding Amount: $465,900

Eastern Private Industry Council, Inc. will use a voucher system in conjunction with its career center, and customers will be able to access information about basic readjustment services, training and supportive services. This system gives the customer flexibility in selecting training/education programs, as well as the providers of those programs.

4.

Atlanta Regional Commission
Atlanta, Georgia
Contact: Brad Baker, (404) 364-2596
Funding Amount: $740,726

Expanded resources and assistance are a component of this proposal because the proposer administers the largest SSG dislocated worker program in Georgia. Thus, most of the information regarding retraining/reemployment services has already been developed and is available at ten access centers throughout the Atlanta area.

5.

SDA II Private Industry Council
Paris, Missouri
Contact: Michael J. Shepard, (816) 327-5125
Funding Amount: $840,000

The SDA II PIC will establish a CMA system for 200 dislocated workers within sixteen northeast Missouri counties. The system will provide a flexible, customer-driven method of accessing the training and services which the customer will need to achieve re- employment.

The individual career management accounts will be established through four multi-program, "Work Connections" career centers.

6.

City of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Contact: Steve MacFarlane, (602) 495-2444
Funding Amount: $870,011

This project offers a wide range of educational, training, employment, and support services. It uses computer-based information systems, technical assistance personnel, and specialized library materials to enable informed choices by consumers. The project incorporates client incentives to maintain long-term employment following placement.

7.

New York City Department of Employment
New York, New York
Contact: Martin Osterreich, (212) 442-2460
Funding Amount: $980,604

The Consortium for Worker Education, a separately incorporated, not-for profit education and training organization, will operate the career management account demonstration project as a service voucher program for dislocated workers in each of the five worker career centers in the city.

8.

The Oregon Consortium and PIC
Albany, Oregon
Contact: Jeff Davis, (503) 928-0241
Funding Amount: $851,000

This project will demonstrate two reemployment strategies in 9 rural counties and two urban counties. An electronic wide area network will effectively link the employment and training service delivery system and provide labor market information to both program personnel and JTPA participants regarding labor market and training opportunities throughout Oregon.

9.

Massachusetts Industrial Service Program
Boston, Massachusetts
Contact: Suzanne Teegarden, 617-727-8158
Funding Amount: $500,000

The industrial service program will be partnering with two substate grantees, Lower Merrimack and Northern Middlesex, to pilot a vouchering system which is based upon a fee-for-service model. Customers will be able to purchase services at any of the demonstration centers, allowing charges for re-employment services against career management accounts; customers will be able to convert funds to provide for support services or additional reemployment services; and customers will be able to make deposits to the Career Management Account using employer donations, educational grant funds or personal funds.

10.

Central Texas Council of Governments
Austin/Travis PIC
Belton, Texas
Contact: Susan Kamas, (817) 939-3771
Funding Amount: $803,513

To allow maximum flexibility in customizing services and service delivery to individual dislocated workers, the project proposes that a combination of services will be available including career counseling, job search assistance, labor market orientations, communication training, technical skills training and strategic career development.

Because one SSG is rural and one is urban the proposal offers a design for testing the suitability of the Career Management Account approach in each geographic locality.

11.

City of Cincinnati, Employment and Training Division
Cincinnati, Ohio
Contact: Jerry Brown (513) 357-2862
Funding Amount: $960,510

A career action plan is developed for each participant, based on an assessment that looks at the skill levels and service needs of the customer tied to labor market demands through a review of basic skills, occupational skills, prior work experience, employability interests, aptitudes and supportive service needs. The customer accesses services from a list of qualified providers.

12.

San Bernardino County
Colton, California
Contact: (909) 422-0488
Funding Amount: $899,576

This project will target the aerospace/defense long- term dislocated worker who has experienced a lot of difficulty re-entering the labor market because of age or lack of marketable skills. Those selected will be assigned to a case manager and will have the opportunity to select the type of service that she/he wants, using a voucher to pay for training.

13.

Palm Beach County Private Industry Council
West Palm Beach, Florida
Contact: Karen M. Fay, (407) 659-5213, ext. 402
Funding Amount: $987,390

This project, under the name RESTART, will include orientation for individuals early in their unemployment insurance benefit period, and will include eligibility determinations for Pell grants and other forms of student financial aid.

Archived News Release--Caution: information may be out of date.