Background: Release of transitional O*NET products will assist developers, vendors, and virtually all State employment and training programs in making an effective transition from the current Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) to O*NET (Occupational Information Network). Currently, most workforce development programs rely on the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) for occupational information. This transitional release of O*NET products will help developers (public, private, not-for-profit, etc.) incorporate O*NET into their existing and future software applications/products. O*NET is part of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration's comprehensive workforce development strategy to build and display critical information for job seekers and employers in a user-friendly manner. Along with AmericaÆs Job Bank and America's Talent Bank, O*NET is designed to serve as an occupational/labor market information resource for public/private sector use and development. As the automated replacement for the DOT, O*NET will be the nation's primary source of occupational information. In 1993, an Advisory Panel, appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Labor, recognized that change in the "dictionary" approach that defined the DOT since 1938 was needed. In its Final Report recommending changes to be made, the Panel stressed that "Today's students, educators, trainers, counselors and workers need information that fosters the effective integration of technology, skills and new workplace structures." O*NET responds to those needs. It is a long-range project to develop a database and a system for collecting, classifying and disseminating current information about the requirements and characteristics of occupations and workers. It provides a new approach and database structure for looking at work from two perspectives: what people need and what the job requires. Action: Please share the information in this TEIN and attachment with Wagner Peyser and JTPA service providers. It is important that all employment and training programs are aware of the availability of transitional O*NET products that will give them the opportunity to preview and provide feed-back on these preliminary O*NET releases.

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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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.

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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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? .AT: None

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Background: In Program Year (PY) 94, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) began its support of the One-Stop System by awarding 19 planning and development and six implementation grants to States. In PY 95, ETA funded an additional ten States to implement Statewide One-Stop Career Center Systems. In November 1996, ETA announced that 17 additional States would be awarded implementation grants, bringing the total number of implementation States to 33. Designation of new implementation States continues. It is anticipated that the remaining States will receive implementation grants in either PY 97 or in PY 98. The One-Stop Career Center System continues to expand as local partnerships start up additional One-Stop Centers and self-access services are made available to home and business users through remote dial-in or Internet access. The breadth of services available electronically is expanding. The Evaluation: In June 1995, ETA funded Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) to evaluate State and local One-Stop systems in the first nine States receiving One-Stop implementation grants. The evaluation had the following objectives: Document the progress of the States in planning One-Stop systems and developing policies to support the implementation of these systems; Document the implementation of local One-Stop Centers operating in a wide range of environments; and Identify key factors that facilitate or impede State and local One-Stop systems in meeting the One-Stop guiding principles of universal access, customer choice, service integration and accountability for customer outcomes. Based on the evaluation, SPR has completed an analysis of the progress made by the States during the early phase of the implementation process. The site visits were made between September 1995, and October 1996. The first nine States to receive implementation grants were the focus of this study. These States were Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. The local sites studied were New London Connecticut Works Career Center and Willimantic Connecticut Works Career Center, Connecticut; Eastside Workforce Development Center (Indianapolis) and Lawrenceburg Workforce Development Center, Indiana; Creston Workforce Development Center and Des Moines Workforce Development Center, Iowa; Columbia Employment and Training Center and Eastside Career Center (Baltimore City), Maryland; FutureWorks Career Center (Springfield), Massachusetts; Minnesota Workforce Development Center - Anoka County (Blaine), Minnesota; Wood County Employment Resource Center (Bowling Green), Ohio; Arlington Career Center and Lake Jackson Career Center, Texas; and Waukesha Workforce Development Center (Pewaukee), Wisconsin. The Final Report: The Final Report is comprehensive and provides in-depth explanations on a wide range of topics, from building partnerships to physical facilities and capacity building. The Report is over 300 pages in length. The Report is designed, however, to facilitate use by a wide range of users, with varying levels of interest and time. The Report includes a six and one-half page Executive Summary, which provides in easy-to-read format the following: Key Findings (Accomplishments); Factors Influencing Implementation; Progress In Meeting The Four Principles; and Recommendations For Federal, State and Local Policy-Makers. The body of the Report is organized in three major sections: State and Local Organization and Governance; Development of the Infrastructure to Support One-Stop Systems; and Service Design and Delivery. The ten principal chapters of the report are organized under these sections as follows: Organizing and Governing One-Stop Systems Chapter I. Guiding One-Stop Systems: The State Role Chapter II. Building Local Partnerships and Governing One-Stop Systems Building the Infrastructure to Support One-Stop Systems Chapter III. Developing Appropriate Physical Facilities for One-Stop Oper ations Chapter IV. Creating an Effective One-Stop Information Infrastructure Chapter V. Building Staff Capacity Chapter VI. Financing One-Stop Services Chapter VII. Marketing One-Stop Systems Chapter VIII. Measuring One-Stop Performance and Planning for System Improvements Designing and Delivering One-Stop Services Chapter IX. One-Stop Services to Individual Customers Chapter X. One-Stop Services for Employers The final section of the Report, Summary and Conclusions, summarizes the changes that have occurred in services to employer and job seeker customers because of this integrated One-Stop System. The Report indicates that the changes which have occurred in the system should not be underestimated. "Both employer and job seeker customers were enthusiastic in describing One-Stop Career Centers as improvements over the previous uncoordinated system." Companion Documents: There are two companion documents that may be of interest, the Practitioners' Guide and the Appendix. A separately bound Appendix to the Report consists of the individual One-Stop profiles of the experiences of the nine States and 14 local Centers included in the study. The Practitioners' Guide is based on the findings of the Evaluation. It focuses on the challenges of developing customer-oriented services in a One-Stop environment and provides detailed examples of the different strategies case-study sites have used to address these challenges. The Practitioners' Guide is scheduled for completion by November 1997. The Practitioners' Guide will be the basis for System Building Training sessions to be provided to interested States and local sites. SPR will be conducting these sessions beginning in November and December 1997 and in Calendar Year 1998. Availability: The Report, as well as the Appendix, is now available on Training and Technology Resource Center's (TTRC) One-Stop web page: www.ttrc.doleta.gov/one-stop/eval.htm. Upon completion, the Practitioners' Guide will also be placed on the website. The Final Report is in Portable Document Format (PDF). The Appendix, the profiles of the nine States and 14 local sites, is in both ASCII and PDF. PDF provides considerable flexibility. It permits the reader to do word searches, e.g., one can find references by subject matter by typing in the key words. It also permits the reader to print by section or page. ETA is providing additional flexibility by organizing the Final Report so that the reader can download specific chapters. Hypertext links are also provided to facilitate the reader connecting with related material. Hard copies of the Final Report, Appendix, and Practitioners' Guide can be obtained from your Regional Administrator. Action Required: This report should be of interest to all States and local sites involved in the One-Stop System. All State and local staff working with One-Stop implementation should be provided an opportunity to review this report. Everyone is encouraged to provide comments on the Final Report, Appendix, and Practitioners' Guide (when available). Comments, including suggestions, can be made to the appropriate Regional Office or through the Internet. On the Internet, comments should be addressed to: IMPLEMENT@doleta.gov. ETA will utilize this account to receive and respond to comments or suggestions.