Background: The publicly-funded workforce development system faces dramatic changes, challenges, and opportunities as it incorporates the power of the information age into delivery of its services. The introduction of new technology is forcing organizations to create new business models and to change organizational forms, processes and roles. New competencies are now required by administrators, managers, and front-line staff. New and powerful electronic tools such as AmericaÆs Job Bank (AJB), AmericaÆs Talent Bank (ATB), America's Training Network (ATN), O*NET, the internet/intranet, learning technologies, and assistive technologies are profoundly changing how workforce development services are delivered. ETA is committed to working with States, localities, business, labor, and community organizations to reshape the public workforce development system into a world-class service delivery system. ETA views technology as an indispensable component of this system. JETT*CON 97 provides the opportunity for the workforce development community to learn how to harness the power of the information age to build a new and better workforce for America. Conference Objectives: JETT*CON 97 provides an excellent learning opportunity for those engaged in workforce development activities. Specifically, JETT*CON 97 provides ETAÆs State and local partners the opportunity to: -- Structure a workforce development system to take advantage of new and powerful tools such as AJB, ATB, AmericaÆs Career Infonet, O*NET, and ATN, -- Use internet/intranet technology to transform information delivery for customers and staff, -- Manage the people and organizational challenges created when introducing new technology, -- Apply new learning technologies in the delivery of a wide range of workforce development services, -- Provide universal access to education, training, and employment services through the use of assistive technologies, -- Build alliances and leverage technology and other resources to enable your organization to better deliver critical services, -- See, touch, and experience technologies first-hand, and -- Become more knowledgeable consumers of technology. In addition, the commercial marketplace, and technology vendors in particular, will have the chance to gain a better understanding of and access to the emerging public workforce development marketplace. Conference Overview: JETT*CON 97 is organized around six thematic and integrated tracks (see attachment for more information about each track). Several activities and events have been structured around each track, including: Exhibits -- an exciting opportunity to see, and experience the latest technology from over 100 vendors. Educational Workshops -- an interactive, hands-on learning experience led by experts and leaders that will provide information and tools to make technology work for you. Award Winning Showcases -- State and local examples of exemplary uses of technology to deliver workforce development services selected by a panel of experts. (See attached Showcase Awards Criteria.) Plenary Sessions -- featuring the Secretary of Labor, Jerry Mechling from HarvardÆs Kennedy School, other top-level government, business, and labor leaders. One-Stop Office of the Future -- JETT*CON 97 and The Information Technology Support Center will offer a model One-Stop Office of the Future where you can experience the technology and services that are and will be available to workforce development customers. See how mediated and non-mediated services can support and add value to each other. The Test Pilot Room -- a special area sponsored by Lockheed-Martin that provides you with direct access to the internet, and the latest workforce development software. Free Internet Training -- sponsored by the ETA Technology Council, learn how to use the Net to get the information you want and need. This hands on, in-depth training will be delivered using 40 computers with direct access to the Internet, and cover a wide range of topics. Common Interest Forums and Informal Discussions -- an opportunity to meet and talk to the countryÆs top technology and workforce development leaders about your issues and concerns. JETT*CON 97 is sponsored by ETA and the Council for Excellence in Government in partnership with a number of national organizations (see attachment for a complete listing of JETT*CON 97 partners). Attendance: This conference is designed for leaders, policy makers, and practitioners involved in workforce development engaged in; planning for or implementing One-Stop Career Centers and local learning laboratories; developing labor market information delivery systems; and conducting system-building activities, welfare-to-work activities, Job Corps, JTPA, SESA, and other activities designed to enable universal access to workforce development services through the use of assistive technologies. JETT*CON 97 is planning on accommodating about 2500 participants. Housing Information: Hotel space is being held until November 24, 1997. A limited number of hotel rooms are available at the government rate. Please contact the hotel directly for reservations. Be sure to mention JETT*CON 97 to secure the government rate. The host hotel is: Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers Cityfront Center 301 East North Water Street Chicago, Illinois 60611 Phone: (800) 233-4100 or (312) 329-7000 Fax: (312) 329-6929 Action: You are encouraged to attend this important conference. In addition, please disseminate the attached registration information and Showcase Awards Criteria as widely as possible. States are requested to share this information with SDAÆs and other Employment and Training Partners.

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References: Older Worker Bulletin No. 97-14 Background: The One-Stop Career Center System, which serves both job seekers and employers, is designed to transform the current fragmented array of employment and training programs into a coordinated information and service delivery system. It is a framework in which States have the flexibility to design a delivery system to meet their labor market needs. One-Stop encourages States and their local partners to use whatever means work best in their particular circumstances. Each service area should have at least one full-service physical center. Customers in that area should have a choice in the way they access information and services -- through other locations or through electronic means -- kiosks in malls, personal computers at community colleges or libraries through an Internet connection, etc. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is not dictating to State and local governments how to establish and operate One-Stops beyond four basic principles that apply to all One Stops. One-Stop Principles: a.) A core set of fundamental services available universally to all individuals and employers; b.) Customer choice in accessing the services and information; c.) Integration of programs, services and goverment to the maximum degree possible -- including continuous improvement of at least the ETA programs; and d.) Accountability for performance and outcomes. America's Labor Market Information System: An important feature of the One Stop Career Center is the labor market information (LMI) that pulls the system together. Through America's Labor Market Information System (ALMIS), customer friendly tools will be available. A number of fact sheets on the various products, services, applications, databases and technical infrastructure emerging under ALMIS have been developed. Some of these are included as enclosures to this bulletin. They may also be accessed on the Internet from ETA's main web page (www.doleta.gov) under the SHOWCASE section. ETA Strategic Plan: One of the proposed strategies for improving services to older workers in Older Worker Bulletin 97-14, which presented ETA's proposed Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 1998-2002, is the strengthening and development of linkages with other employment and training providers. One-Stop Career Centers offer SCSEP sponsors an opportunity to efficiently improve their linkages with multiple service providers. Indeed, one of the proposed measures for the SCSEP in the Strategic Plan is the number of grantees linked to the One-Stop Career Center System. How Does The One-Stop System Operate?: The One-Stop Career Center System is a combination of agencies operating through a single place or system. The principal operator of a One-Stop may be a local Employment Service Office, a Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) service delivery area (SDA), or a private for-profit or nonprofit organization or a consortium of these parties. The agencies that participate may include the vocational rehabilitation office, a sheltered workshop, the Social Security Administration, the Employment Service, employers, a chamber of commerce, the SDA, a Private Industry Council (PIC), a SCSEP project and others. The system focuses on the enhancement of available opportunities through coordination between related organizations. One-Stop "Shopping": The One-Stop Career Center System can be compared to a supermarket where many different products are sold which are made by many different producers. One company may develop, ship, and advertise a product, but the product is sold in the supermarket among many other products--including some that are competitive, and some that are complimentary. Store management coordinates and selects the products that fill the store and insures that daily operations are maintained. Similarly, successful management of the One-Stop, whether it is done by a PIC, an SDA or some other organization, will not limit itself to presenting services that it alone produces and controls. It will seek other agencies to participate and provide services. Thus, job seekers and employers will be able to find the services they need through one system. The vision of One-Stop for the customer is that it's all "invisible" -- there are separate funding streams but the customer doesn't know or care what program he or she is eligible for -- just that he or she gets the needed information or service. Which program provides the service is not important to the customer. How important is it? One-Stop will be the access point for employment and training activities and other services and the place for employers to find workers. It will be the focal point of all future training and placement efforts. How is it being implemented? The One-Stop System is being implemented in stages. The first stage began 3 years ago. The current census places the number of official One-Stop Career Centers at 374, the number of implementing States of 24, and more States will be added in the near future. To find out more information on the State-by-State implementation and planning activities, you are referred to the Internet address http://www.ttrc.doleta.gov/onestop. There are also 10 "model" One-Stop Career Centers nationwide that serve as "Learning Labs" for employment and training professionals who want to design and implement their own One-Stop systems and serve as test sites for customer service, design and technology features. A list of these 10 learning labs is provided as an attachment. In addition, a team of SCSEP project representatives have developed a training program on "How To Address Older Worker Needs in One-Stop Centers". This will be presented at the SCSEP training sessions in November, and will be made available for system-wide distribution by December 1997. How May a SCSEP Project Participate? SCSEP projects should get involved in the planning process, the earlier the better. The One-Stop Career Center systems are continuously improving so there should always be room for more customers. SCSEP projects may serve as a referral source for the One-Stop Center, or they may provide some staff assistance to the One-Stop through computer links or a physical presence. It is not inconceivable that an SCSEP project could be the operator of a One-Stop. Also, One-Stops can provide enrollees with information on employment, training, Social Security, access to the aging network and other matters. Where May More Information Be Obtained? Information on One-Stops may be obtained at the headquarters of ETA or through the Regional Offices (see attached). Also attached is a list of contacts by State and a progress report on official One-Stop Centers. The Internet address is http://www.ttrc.doleta.gov/onestop, where information can be obtained on One-Stop and America's Labor Market Information System (ALMIS). Action: SCSEP sponsors are encouraged to participate in the development and implementation of One-Stop Career Centers. In order to assess the number of grantees that are linked to the One-Stop Career Center System, sponsors are encouraged to put this information in their narrative report with the Quarterly Progress Report.

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Background: Form ETA 9046 is used by the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico that receive formula funds under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Title III to serve dislocated workers. Grantees are required to report concerning their expenditures as a condition of the receipt of these funds.

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Background: The Employment and Training Administration has awarded a contract to Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. of Princeton, New Jersey to conduct a net impact evaluation of JTPA title III programs for dislocated workers. The objectives of the evaluation are to estimate the net impact of EDWAA services on the post-program employment and earnings of dislocated workers and to estimate the separate impacts of the two major EDWAA services -- basic readjustment services (BRS) and occupational retraining. The evaluation will be based on a random assignment design. It is anticipated that the evaluation will begin this Fall and involve approximately 30 substate grantees and 10,500 EDWAA applicants. The attached "EDWAA Impact Evaluation Design Summary" provides further information on ETA's plans and discusses the major design issues which must be resolved in the next few months. Among the more important issues are: 1. Should activities funded through the National Reserve or the Governor's reserve and rapid response be included in or excluded from the evaluation? 2. Is it possible to measure the net impact of basic readjustment services provided under EDWAA? That is, do EDWAA-funded basic readjustment services differ in quality and/or quantity from similar services available to dislocated workers from non-EDWAA sources? 3. Where in the EDWAA intake process should random assignment be performed? 4. What factors are likely to affect substate grantees' ability to participate in the evaluation? 5. How should the evaluation treat dislocated workers who are referred to EDWAA as a result of worker profiling or through One-Stop career centers?

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