TEN50-08acc.pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WASHINGTON D.C. 20210 TO ALL U.S. DOL YOUTHBUILD PROGRAMS ALL U.S. DOL ETA REGIONAL OFFICE YOUTHBUILD FPOs FROM GAY M. GILBERT s Administrator Office of Workforce Investment SUBJECT Providing Strategies to YouthBuild Programs on Collaborating with Job Corps Programs 1. Purpose . As summer months approaches there is typically a decline in national Onboard Strength for Job Corps centers. Conversely many YouthBuild programs are oversubscribed and have extensive waiting lists. The purpose of this Training and Employment Notice TEN is to a provide information to YouthBuild programs of the education and training services offered by Job Corps b to describe benefits provide best practices of current partnerships and c provide information to available tools designed to implement a partnership. 2. Background . Job Corps was established in 1964 and is the nation s largest residential educational and career technical training program for at-promise youth ages 16 through 24. Job Corps centers are open 24 hours a day 365 days a year. An optional third year is granted for students who qualify for advanced training. Additionally Job Corps provides housing meals basic health care and a living allowance twice a month to students while earning a high school diploma or GED or receiving training in one or more of Job Corps 100 career technical areas. In order to be eligible a youth must be at least 16 and not yet 25 years of age at time of enrollment be a U.S. citizen or otherwise eligible under WIA meet low-income criteria face one or more barriers to employment and have a signed consent form from a parent or guardian. For more detailed information concerning eligibility requirements and location of the nearest center visit http jobcorps.dol.gov or call 800 733-JOBS. Job Corps curricula are designed to provide contextual training experiences which integrate academic and career technical training. Additionally some students may participate in Career Technical Skills Training CTST where they can work on NO. 50-08 TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT NOTICE DATE June 24 2009 - 2 - construction and rehabilitation projects both on center and in the community. Job Corps operates 122 centers in 48 states the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Eligible youth are assigned to a specific Job Corps center usually one that is located nearest the young person s home and offers training of interest to the young person. In April 2008 The Advisory Committee on Job Corps suggested that a partnership between YouthBuild and Job Corps could improve outcomes for Job Corps. http www.jobcorps.gov Libraries pdf advisory committee report.sflb The YouthBuild program represents an important part of ETA s commitment to high quality innovative alternative education learning opportunities that prepare youth for post-secondary education and employment. ETA and the Office of the Secretary Job Corps will assist YouthBuild grantees and Job Corps Centers to develop strategic partnerships that benefit youth. 3. Benefits for Youth enrolled in Job Corps or YouthBuild Programs . The youths receiving services from Job Corp Centers and YouthBuild programs can realize a number benefits by developing partnerships Out-of-school youth and those that have left the traditional secondary school system are more likely to be successful when served in a comprehensive and or sequential fashion that allows for career training and attainment of a diploma or GED to be accomplished within a short time frame such as that which could be delivered through a Job Corps YouthBuild partnership. Through referrals or established memorandums of agreement MOUs out-of-school youth served by such a partnership would be offered an additional option that provides similar intensive academic and occupational skills training. The YouthBuild program offers youth stipends and or wages while they are participating in the program. This earn while you learn philosophy can be appealing to those youth who are unable to attend a residential training program but require some type of income while in training. A Job Corps YouthBuild partnership can increase the likelihood of successful performance outcomes. Cross referrals not only ensure youth who are inappropriate for one program have an additional option to receive employment and training services but YouthBuild completers who are referred to and place in a Job Corps Center can be counted as a positive performance outcome. - 3 - Youth who are a part of YouthBuild s Leadership Committee and Job Corps Student Government can interact and develop joint community service projects to further develop their individual leadership and citizenship skills. Job Corps participates in Groundhog Job Shadow Day that serves as a work based learning requirement. YouthBuild students may be able to participate with their local Job Corps counter parts in order to obtain additional career training experience and further contextualize their classroom instruction. YouthBuild students can jointly participate with Job Corps students in community service projects to provide opportunities to develop citizenship and peer supported and peer led community service activities. Young people attempting to receive educational job skills training from oversubscribed YouthBuild programs can benefit greatly from a pre-existing Job Corps YouthBuild partnership because if appropriate the young person would automatically be referred to the nearest Job Corps admissions counselor. 4. Models of Collaboration . The following are examples of how DOL YouthBuild programs have partnered with their local Job Corps Centers while meeting their respective performance goals and assisting at-promise youth OA staff members in Washington DC routinely give presentations and distribute Job Corps marketing materials at local YouthBuild sites. Both Job Corps and YouthBuild staff keep each others names and telephone numbers readily available to make applicant referrals. Job Corps Career Transition Services staff members often place former Job Corps enrollees in YouthBuild to enable them to complete their education and training requirements in YouthBuild when it is most conducive to their needs. In the greater Lowell Massachusetts and Merrimack Valley areas reciprocal referrals are also often made between Job Corps and YouthBuild sites. Frequently when Job Corps Career Transition Services staff members refer former Job Corps enrollees to YouthBuild they also assist in streamlining the application process for admission into Youthbuild. 5. Additional Resources . ETA s YouthBuild Web site http www.doleta.gov youth services YouthBuild.cfm YouthBuild USA s Web site http www.youthbuild.org site c.htIRI3PIKoG b.1223921 k.BD3C Home.htm - 4 - Job Corps Website http jobcorps.dol.gov Job Corps Centers Locations http www.jobcorps.gov centers.aspx Advisory Committee Report on Job Corps . April 2008 http www.jobcorps.gov Libraries pdf advisory committee report.sflb The White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth Final Report http www.ncfy.com publications disadvantaged index.htm . YouthBuild Transfer Act Public Law 109-281 section 173A of the Workforce Investment Act WIA subtitle D of title I of WIA. 29 USC 2918a 6. Actions Required . Local YouthBuild program directors are encouraged to contact their nearest Job Corps Center Directors and or their Federal Project Officer if interested in developing a partnership. 7. Inquiries . Questions should be directed to the appropriate regional office Federal Project Officer. Attachment Job Corps Centers and YouthBuild Program listings.