TEGL30-10ACC.pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

RESCISSIONS None EXPIRATION DATE Continuing CLASSIFICATION WIA YOUTH CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL OWI-DYS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION ADVISORY SYSTEM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Washington D.C. 20210 DATE June 2 2011 ADVISORY TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 30-10 TO STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS FROM JANE OATES s Assistant Secretary SUBJECT Workforce Investment Act WIA Youth Program Guidance for Program Year PY 2011 1. Purpose . The purpose of this Training and Employment Guidance Letter TEGL is to provide guidance for use of WIA Youth funded activities in PY 2011. 2. References . Workforce Investment Act of 1998 WIA as amended 29 United States Code 2801 et seq. WIA Regulations 20 Code of Federal Regulations Part 666 TEGL No. 14-08 Guidance for Implementation of the Workforce Investment Act and Wagner-Peyser Act Funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and State Planning Requirements for Program Year 2009 http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2728 TEGL No. 17-05 Common Measures Policy for the Employment and Training Administration s ETA Performance Accountability System and Related Performance Issues http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2195 TEGL No. 27-09 Workforce Investment Act WIA Youth Program Guidance for Program Year PY 2010 http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2900 TEGL No. 15-10 Increasing Credential Degree and Certificate Attai nment by Participants of the Public Workforce System http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2967 Training and Employment Notice TEN No. 24-10 Joint Letter in Support of Youth Work Experiences on Public Lands http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2988 TEN No. 33-09 Release and Availability of Employment and Training Administration ETA Occasional Paper 2010-03 Reinvesting in America s Youth Lessons from the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2872 TEN No. 12-10 Release and Availability of Employment and Training Administration ETA Occasional Paper 2010-09 Innovating Under Pressure The Story of the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative Chicago Detroit Indianapolis and Marion County Phoenix and Maricopa County http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2949 TEN No. 24-09 Joint Letter from the Employment and Training Administration ETA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families ACF regarding youth subsidized employment opportunities under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TANF Emergency Contingency Fund http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2844 TEGL No. 2-07 Leveraging Registered Apprenticeship as a Workforce Development Strategy for the Workforce Investment System http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2491 TEN No. 18-05 John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2184 TEN No. 19-10 Guide to State and Local Workforce Data For Analysis and Informed Decision Making http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2965 TEGL No. 10-09 Implementing Priority of Service for Veterans and Eligible Spouses in all Qualified Job Training Programs Funded in Whole or in Part by the U.S. Department of Labor DOL http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm docn 2816 content Department of Labor Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2011-2016 http www.dol.gov sec stratplan StrategicPlan.pdf 3. Background . The 21st century economic landscape is rapidly changing with innovation technology and globalization altering the nature of work and the skills and training needed by workers to compete in the workforce. Today s economic realities necessitate that the publicly-funded workforce system serving youth be aimed at preparing them to secure jobs in high-demand industries and occupations. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Recovery Act had a significant impact on youth services by expanding summer employment and work experience opportunities. Recovery Act implementation demonstrated that meaningful work experiences provide youth with invaluable opportunities to learn about careers and to gain the skills necessary to succeed in the workplace. This PY 2011 guidance builds on aspects of the PY 2010 guidance found in TEGL No. 27-09 and continues to emphasize the connection between work experience training earning of credentials and success in the workplace. Based on data from the PY 2009 WIA Annual Performance Report WIA Youth programs achieved national performance levels of 53.7 percent in the placement in em ployment or education measure 52.9 pe rcent in the attainment of degree or certificate measure and 38.1 percent in literacy and numeracy gains. These national performance levels exceeded the Government Performance and Results Act goals for two of the common measures degree certificate attainment set at 47.9 percent and literacy numeracy gains set at 28.7 percent but failed to meet the placement goal for PY 2009 set at 58.0 percent. Placement outcomes decreased in all but eight states in PY 2009 compared to the previous program year. Even during tough economic times the workforce system must strive to improve youth outcomes. Guidance on assisting youth in increasing credential attainment within the degree or certificate measure is provided in Section 6.A. of this guidance. Consequently increasing credential attainment should also result in increasing placement in employment. Guidance on assisting youth in attaining postsecondary education or employment including obtaining work experience is provided in Section 6.B. of this guidance. ETA believes states and local areas could benefit from more detailed guidance on increasing literacy and numeracy skills of out-of-school WIA youth. Therefore ETA plans to provide forthcoming guidance that is focused specifically on reporting and programmatic strategies that can help increase literacy and numeracy gains for youth. 4. Program Emphases . For PY 2011 state and local areas should ensure that WIA youth programs provide services that are aligned with ETA s performance goals as provided in the DOL strategic plan for 2011-2016 available at http www.dol.gov sec stratplan StrategicPlan.pdf . Additionally ETA encourages the workforce system to develop programs which reflect the following priorities for WIA youth services Strengthen partnerships to leverage resources and opportunities Build capacity to increase credential attainment and improve the quality of credentials earned including aligning credentials with jobs in demand Develop programs that provide career pathways in high-demand sectors such as health care and energy and Improve employability skills through paid and unpaid work experience and training during the year and summer period. 5. Developing Partnerships to Improve Service Delivery . ETA is committed to identifying potential partnerships that can help to better educate support and train youth and young adults being served by the workforce investment system. Creating partnerships in a time of limited resources is critical to providing the most effective targeted and appropriate services that can help youth identify and successfully progress along a career pathway. There are numerous benefits to developing strong partnerships. These include the ability for workforce investment areas to leverage resources and access in formation and da ta to improve services and increase efficiencies such as in recruitment processes referrals and case management. ETA is working with employers and across Federal departments to develop and strengthen partnerships that can assist the public workforce system in enhancing service delivery and coordination with other programs at the state and local level in order to best serve WIA eligible youth. Partnership strategies include A. Partnering with Human Services Agencies. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TANF is a program in which states have considerable flexibility in developing and implementing creative and innovative strategies and approaches to remove families from public assistance and into work. Similar to WIA funds can be used for a number of activities including case management supportive services education and training and job placement and retention. ETA encourages state and local human services and workforce development agencies to partner in order to better serve youth. For more information on the use of TANF funds see Helping Families Achieve Self-Sufficiency A Guide on Funding Services for Children and Families through the TANF Program available at http www.acf.hhs.gov programs ofa resources funds2.pdf . See also the Center for Law and Social Policy s CLASP Guide to Use of TANF and MOE Funds at http www.clasp.org admin site publications files Guide-to-Use- of-TANF-Funds.pdf . In January 2010 ETA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families ACF published a joint letter to encourage the public workforce system to partner with TANF agencies in their efforts to promote subsidized employment opportunities allowable under the Recovery Act TANF Emergency Contingency Funding ECF for the creation and expansion of subsidized summer employment for low-income youth. According to research done by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and CLASP 24 states and the District of Columbia operated programs targeted to youth employing over 130 000 youth across the country in summer jobs in 2010. The letter also encouraged co-enrollment of youth in TANF and appropriate WIA programs so individuals can benefit from WIA services such as supportive services occupational skills training and other relevant services. Based on preliminary evidence from a study commissioned by ETA surveying ten sites that implemented summer youth employment programs funded by TANF ECF the evaluation identified numerous partnership models created in response to the joint guidance and found examples of partnering across systems and in leveraging multiple funding sources. The evaluation found that TANF ECF funding created opportunities for state and local TANF and WIA agencies to work together. California created a TANF ECF steering committee that included the County Welfare Director s Association and worked collaboratively to determine eligibility and program guidelines. According to administrators in three states local partners provided valuable policy and program input and improved local buy-in to program planning and implementa tion. In Minnesota the association of workforce areas was included in the initial state planning for the summer youth program allowing for a more efficient implementation process once funds were allocated. The TANF ECF summer youth employment program also created opportunities to share information among both workforce and human services staff about agency policies ultimately improving collaboration. While the TANF Emergency Contingency Funds are no longer available ETA encourages state and local areas to develop and strengthen partnerships with state and local human services agencies to further support both systems shared youth populations. In an effort to support increased subsidized employment opportunities for low-income youth ETA is willing to consider state requests for the following two types of waivers where TANF and WIA Youth Program co- enrollment occurs for summer youth employment activities which would be effective from May 1 2011 through September 30 2011 1 Flexibility to use the work readiness indicator as the only performance measure for such co-enrolled youth and 2 Ability to apply the program design flexibility for summer youth articulated in TEGL No. 14-08 Section 16.A for such co-enrolled youth specifically to provide follow-up services as deemed appropriate for such youth participants and to provide an assessment and Individual Service Strategy ISS as deemed appropriate for such youth. The use of TANF funds must be consistent with the TANF statute and regulations as well as state rules and regulations. WIA waiver authority does not apply to TANF funds. When submitting a waiver plan to request these waivers states must address the requirements described in the WIA regulations at 20 CFR 661.420 c and provide a justification for the waiver. In addition requests should include the following information An estimate of the number of youth that will be co-enrolled in the WIA Youth program and in TANF summer youth employment activities during PY 2011 An estimate of the percent of PY 2011 WIA Youth program enrollees that will be co-enrolled TANF summer youth employment participants only and not participate in the WIA Youth program beyond summer Description of how the state plans to use WIA Youth funds to support co- enrolled summer youth participants and A description of continued service plans for co-enrolled participants served under the waiver such as transition to the WIA Adult program or further education and training under WIA funded youth services. In addition to partnering with TANF agencies collaborative ef forts between local human services agencies serving foster care youth creates opportunities for state and local workforce professionals to leverage resources to further assist foster care youth being served under the WIA Youth program. The John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program Chafee Title I of the Foster Care Independence Act Public Law 106-169 provides formula grants to states to assist current and former foster youth to achieve self-sufficiency through a successful transition to adulthood. For current or former foster care youth enrolled in the WIA Youth program Chafee funds can provide for education and training case management and assist with support services such as housing mentoring or tutoring. Additionally current and former foster care youth served by the Chafee program have access to an Independent Living Coordinator in the public child welfare agency to assist youth in making a successful transition to adulthood. Workforce system professionals working with youth currently in foster care and with youth who are aging out are encouraged to coordinate with the Independent Living Coordinators to leverage education and training vouchers available under the Chafee program that assist youth in completing postsecondary education and training and in obtaining essential job skills. Under this program students in good academic standing at age 21 may continue to receive education and training vouchers until the age of 23. One example of successful collaboration with human service agencies is the Achieving Independence Center AI Center a one-stop self-sufficiency center designed for youth transitioning out of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania foster care system. Offering non-traditional hours flexible scheduling and job readiness training a variety of government and private agencies provide services and supports. The AI Center a project of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services in partnership with the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation and the Philadelphia Youth Network is dedicated to providing support and real life tools for youth who want to make an investment in their future http dhs.phila.gov intranet pgintrahom e pub.nsf Content Adoption - AIC . The HAY Center in Houston Texas is an example of collaboration between the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services the Texas Workforce Commission and Casey Family Programs. The Center provides a one-stop center for youth 16-21 as they transition out of foster care. Eleven community- based partners participate leveraging resources to support foster youth and alumni foster youth and providing workforce services and a variety of other services including mentoring housing assistance counseling and leadership training http www.haycenter.org default.htm . For more information about the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program and how WIA Youth program can access its education and training vouchers to assist foster care youth and those aging out of foster care complete postsecondary education and training see TEN 18-05 at http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2184 . B. Increasing Work Experiences on Public Lands. On February 14 2011 ETA issued TEN 24-10 and a joint letter with the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to encourage the public workforce investment system to partner with public land management agencies in an effort to increase work experience opportunities for youth and young adults on public lands. Work experience opportunities on public lands provide youth with an education about natural resources and conservation teach them to be good stewards of public lands and resources and provide a career pathway into land management conservation and other green jobs sectors. ETA recognizes resource challenges all agencies face and encourages workforce investment and land management agencies to be creative and innovative in leveraging capacity and resources for the purpose of providing youth and young adults with meaningful work experience on public lands. C. Strengthening Employer Connections. To meet the challenge of the 21st century global economy the public workforce system must increase partnerships with employers to foster economic development and high-growth opportunities. The workforce system has a dual mission 1 to prepare and train workers and 2 to help businesses find qualified workers to meet their present and future workforce needs. Employers are looking for qualified youth to move into entry- level positions and are often unable to easily tap into this key pipeline of young workers. Through partnerships employers can help to define and support new strategies designed to better educate train and prepare youth for the rigors of the 21st century economy and provide critical leadership in the creation of these pipeline strategies. State and local areas are encouraged to engage employers in developing career pathway strategies that ensure participants receive relevant training and attain strong employment outcomes. There are various roles that employers can play in support of workforce development goals including assisting in Identifying the skills and competencies needed in the workplace particularly for entry-level positions Developing industry certification Collaborating with training institutions in occupational skills curriculum development Partnering with educators in classroom instruction to make learning in the classroom more relevant Creating student internships and work experience opportunities Developing and implementing career guidance about the full range of careers within a firm or particular industry sector and Providing formal mentoring programs and partnerships that support youth in their interest to pursue careers in high-growth and high-demand industries. Acquiring employer and industry commit ments to hire youth The Peninsula Council for Workforce Development in Virginia exemplifies a local workforce program building employer connections by serving as an intermediary to identify the workforce needs of local employers in their community. The goal of the council is to provide businesses with human capital solutions through creative funding strategies and partnerships to ensure that the workforce system can produce a highly-skilled workforce to meet employer needs. The council offers businesses and industries employment and training services resources to keep abreast of workforce trends and labor market studies and provides a platform to build partnerships for economic developers educators and employers. To learn more about this particular initiative visit http www.pcfwd.org initiatives industry.asp . Some local areas are offering services through their workforce agency to connect workforce development with the demands of employers by targeting high-growth industry clusters. Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania incorporated a specific initiative directed at employers to align education and training institutions with employer and employee needs. Select industries including healthcare financial services energy and green jobs are targeted because they are projected to provide above- average wages incorporate a high-technology skill set and have strong value in the local economy. By working with employers within industry clusters workforce staff can combine training needs for multiple firms with similar skills needs and help drive a market-based approach. For more information visit http www.careerlinklehighvalley.org Default.aspx tabid 118 . Additionally state and local areas are encouraged to direct employers in local communities to information about the benefits of the youth workforce investment system and how businesses can connect to the workforce system by directing them to DOL s Web site at http www.doleta.gov business pws.cfm . This Web site is designed to educate employers about the public workforce system workforce investment boards and their role in local areas and offers steps to help employers connect and find out about partnership opportunities to help them meet their workforce goals. The site also identifies additional strategies that can help employers make the most of their connections such as performing a self- assessment of the company s workforce challenges areas of opportunity and existing partnerships. D. Increasing Collaboration with Registered Apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a business- and industry-driven model that includes a focus on high-growth industries facing critical skilled worker shortages now and in the foreseeable future. ETA encourages collaboration between the publicly-funded workforce investment system and Registered Apprenticeship in order to leverage each system s strengths as a strategy to increase youth attainment of industry- recognized credentials as well as to improve youth outcomes overall. In 2007 ETA issued TEGL No. 2-07 Leveraging Registered Apprenticeship as a W orkforce Development Strategy for the Workforce Investment System to provide information and resources to support the use of Registered Apprenticeship by the workforce investment system as an effective approach to building a skilled and competitive workforce in regional economies. More recently on January 18 2011 the Department s Office of Apprenticeship and Division of Youth Services released The Apprenticeship Guide for YouthBuild Programs. The guide is a resource for YouthBuild programs seeking to increase apprenticeship opportunities for their graduates. The guide found at http www.doleta.gov youth services Apprenticeship-Guide-1-11-Final.pdf provides helpful resources and information to not only YouthBuild providers but to other youth providers looking to connect to the Registered Apprenticeship system. The guide provides background information on the Department s National Registered Apprenticeship System and offers guidance on establishing managing and strengthening relationships with Registered Apprenticeship programs. States and local areas are encouraged to review these resources in an effort to strengthen workforce and Registered Apprenticeship partnerships. 6. Program Design Considerations . When designing youth employment and training programming states and local areas should consider the following design elements A. Promoting and Increasing Credentials in High-Demand Occupations President Obama called on the United States to have the best educated most competitive workforce in the world once again leading the world in the percentage of Americans with postsecondary degrees and or industry-recognized certificates and credentials by 2020. The President s goal is to have every American complete at least one year of postsecondary higher education or career training. In step with the President the Secretary of Labor announced that ETA would focus on accomplishing its High Priority Performance Goal to increase by ten percent the number of participants of the public workforce system who receive training and attain a degree or certificate by June 2012 as part of the DOL strategic plan for 2011-2016. To support this goal ETA published TEGL No. 15- 10 that describes strategies that state and local workforce agencies and their strategic partners can adopt to both increase the rate of youth credential attainment and improve the quality of those credentials. For employers credentials demonstrate and document skills increasing their ability to fill skilled positions build talent pipelines and compete. For youth credentials improve their labor market prospects through higher earnings greater mobility and enhanced job security. State and local workforce investment boards are well-positioned to convene the diverse stakeholders and forge a common strategy around improving credential attainment in ways that benefit both youth and employers. Increasing credential attainment requires aligning state and local policies and service delivery models to support higher enrollments in credential- issuing training programs. Additionally youth providers are particularly well- positioned to provide increased access to and linkages among supportive and wrap-around services. S upportive and wrap -around services are a key component to allowing youth to stay in and complete programs and are critical to improving completion rates. Finally success will require close coordination with local employers and training providers to identify and in some cases develop industry- recognized credentials for local in-demand jobs. ETA encourages WIA Youth programs to review TEGL No. 15-10 for strategies to increase the quantity and quality of credentials attained with the support of the public workforce investment system. Examples of potential industries to target training and credential attainment are in health care and energy. While these sectors show growth on an overall national level labor market analysis is critical to identify occupations that are in-demand within a specific region state or local area. Workforce investment boards training providers and other partners must utilize localized up-to-date labor market research to identify in-demand occupations in which to target training resources. ETA s CareerOneStop Web site has a Career Resource Library with a complete listing of all state labor market information Web sites which provide a wealth of information on workforce statistics as well as employment programs. The Career Resource Library can be found at www.careerinfonet.org crl library.aspx LVL2 94 LVL3 n LVL1 49 CATID 52 PostVal 9 . To assist LMI users ETA released TEN 19-10 announcing the Guide to State and Local Workforce Data For Analysis and Informed Decision Making. This guide provides links to a wealth of state and local employment and economic data from government and private sector sources. To view the directive visit http wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm DOCN 2965 . Health Care and Allied Health. Targeting education and training programs in high-growth occupations can both assist youth in entering career pathways as well as increase the number of youth attaining credentials. Health care continues to be a growing industry sector. In December 2009 the Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS predicted that of the 30 fastest-growing occupations from 2008 to 2018 17 will be in health care or medical research and that employment in health care is projected to increase by 21 percent or 1.6 million jobs. Acute workforce shortages and projected growth exist for allied health occupations in particular such as medical assistants respiratory therapists pharmacy technicians diagnostic medical sonographers paramedics and radiological and other technicians. BLS projects that by 2016 medical assistant occupations are expected to increase by 35 percent paramedic occupations by 19 percent and radiological technicians by 15 percent. The health care industry as a whole and especially allied health occupations has great promise for employing youth and young adults. Many allied health careers are open to anyone with a good basic education e.g. a high school or General Educational Development GED diploma good work habits like the soft skills of punctuality communication teamwork and reliability and a modest amount of training. Additionally there are many national credentials that can be earned in as little as six months to two years. BLS reported that most workers in the h ealthcare field have jobs that require less than four years of college education. On September 30 2010 ETA published the Allied Health Access Guidebook How to Develop Programs for Youth in Allied Health Careers. The guidebook provides youth program planners and service providers with practical information about allied health occupations in order to create or expand programs and services leading to allied health opportunities for youth and young adults. The guidebook can be accessed at http wdr.doleta.gov directives attach TEN ten2010 ten10-10a1.pdf . ETA encourages states and local areas to review the guidebook for effective strategies that can be used to create or expand career pathways for youth in allied health. Energy. Energy careers also show promising growth. Using local labor market information providers may find a number of occupations in the utilities industry in which to target training resources and develop career pathway options for youth. Electrical power accounts for 40 percent of U.S. energy demand more than any other demand sector. Despite the fact that employment is expected to decline in the energy transmission generation and distribution sector from 2008-2018 employment is likely to increase in nuclear power electric transmission and renewable energy. Occupations in the electrical power industry include line workers operators and dispatchers and technicians. Employment of line installers and repairmen for example is projected to grow at about three percent to six percent over the next several years. However opportunities exist throughout the utilities industry as more workers in the industry are nearing retirement. In addition workers in both electrical power and telecommunications industries will be needed to reinforce networks as population in cities grows and expands. Electric energy occupations pay well above the national median for all occupations and most offer formal on-the-job training to workers with high school diplomas. For example electrical line installers and repairers often complete formal apprenticeships combined with on-the-job training. There are six recognized apprenticeable specialties associated with electrical lineman occupations cable installer-repairer cable splicer line erector line maintainer line repairer and trouble shooter. Other related occupations are electrical and electronics installers and repairers and power plant operators distributors and dispatchers. In DeKalb County Georgia the power company Georgia Power faced a shortfall in labor supply due to attrition and increased demand of over 100 electrical line positions each year. The workforce system partnered with the utility company to provide youth with school-to-work apprenticeships to meet the worker shortage. Through this initiative youth were on track to earn annual wages of 30 000 to 70 000. Electricity generated by renewable sources is one of the fastest growing segm ents of the electrical power indu stry sector. These sources include geothermal wind and solar. Solar photovoltaic installers solar thermal installers and technicians geothermal technicians and wind turbine technicians are all new and emerging occupations. BLS employment data indicates demand in these occupations to be seven to thirteen percent over the next several years. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners completed task analyses for solar photovoltaic and thermal system installers which provides learning objectives for curriculum development. See Greener Skills How Credentials Create Value in the Clean Energy Economy by the Center on Wisconsin Strategy COWS for a report of certification requirements in the solar industry at http www.cows.org pdf rp-greenerskills.pdf . Training providers for solar occupations include colleges and universities apprenticeship programs and manufacturer training providers. The New Energy Workforce Initiative a consortium of community colleges industry and workforce developers in the Bay Area of California http www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov contentpub GreenDigest CA-New- Energy-Colleges.pdf created a project-based solar curriculum with industry- recognized certifications. It also documented solar pathways and ladders. The Workforce Strategy Center s publication Building Effective Green Energy Programs in Community Colleges found at http www.workforcestrategy.org images pdfs publications green energy pro grams 2010-05.pdf cites many examples of efforts community colleges are making to ensure a qualified and trained workforce is ready to meet future increased demand for green energy jobs. For more information on energy careers see the Career Guide to Industries at www.bls.gov oco cg . The Center for Energy Workforce Development has a specific Web site www.getintoenergy.com which gives information to youth about energy careers. For state energy profiles visit the U.S. Department of Energy s Energy Information Administration Web site at http tonto.eia.doe.gov state . B. Promoting and Increasing Work Experience Opportunities Providing WIA youth with meaningful work experience opportunities continues to be a high priority for ETA. Considerable research conducted by organizations such as the Center for Labor Market Studies and the Economic Policy Institute shows that youth who engage in work in earlier years are more likely to work in later years and that those who do not work when they are young find it much more difficult to enter into employment later on oftentimes completely disconnecting from the labor market. ETA encourages states and local areas to consider using WIA Youth formula and state set-aside funds in addition to leveraged funding to support paid and unpaid work experience opportunities for youth. Due to the delayed allotm ent of the WIA Youth Program formula funds ETA recognizes that for those states that intend to provide summer employment opportunities planning time has be significantly limited. Under the Recovery Act local areas used funds to provide youth with summer work opportunities as well as work experiences outside the summer months. Lessons learned from the use of the Recovery Act funds for summer employment activities are documented in two ETA Occasional Papers Reinvesting in America s Youth Lessons from the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative and Innovating Under Pressure The Story of the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative Chicago Detroit Indianapolis Marion County Phoenix Maricopa County. As a continuation of the lessons learned from summer 2009 ETA commissioned a study that examined the activities provided to youth during the non-summer months of October through March post-summer programming and sought to identify effective program design and service delivery strategies. The evaluation aimed to document the types of strategies that local areas designed and implemented for youth including providing work experience opportunities for older out-of-school youth. Based on preliminary data from the evaluation ETA encourages states and local areas to Increase Work Experiences for Older Out-of-School Youth Older youth ages 18 to 21 may be eligible for both WIA Youth and Adult programs. It is often the case however that neither program specifically focuses on serving nor are they specifically designed to serve this older youth population. ETA encourages WIA Youth program providers to offer and enhance programs and services including work experience opportunities that effectively meet the needs of older youth. The evaluation found that summer post-summer sites valued and learned from the opportunity afforded by the Recovery Act to focus on older out-of-school youth to a far greater extent than possible in the past. Many sites noted that that they had limited familiarity with operating work experience programs particularly ones that focused on older out-of-school youth. Most sites indicated they will continue to engage and focus on older out-of-school youth as a result of their experiences with these youth during the summer post-summer program. For example in Orlando Florida the workforce investment board WIB credited the success it experienced with serving older out-of-school youth in its summer post-summer programs for helping them realize the value of providing work experience to older youth. As a result this site launched a new 12-week work experience program in fall 2010 for 18 21-year-old out- of-school youth. Providers in San Bernardino California reported that as a result of their positive summer post-summer youth employment program experiences under the Recovery Act they were giving older out-of-school youth far greater priority than in the past and planned to set aside more W IA Youth funds for subsidized work experience for these youth. Develop Effective Partnerships to Increase Work Experiences and Leverage Resources In order to implement innovative post-summer programs that include work experience opportunities local areas needed to develop strategic partnerships. For example the evaluation found that Los Angeles California established a new partnership between the WIA Youth and Adult programs designed to prepare older youth for careers in green construction green transportation and health care. This partnership allows WIA Youth provider staff to capitalize on strengths of the adult system s capacity for providing training while utilizing its resources to provide valuable work experiences to youth. Using a combination of Youth and Adult Recovery Act WIA Youth and Adult and Recovery Act Energy and Efficiency Block Grant funds WIA adult providers place youth in training programs and WIA youth providers subsequently connect youth to employers for paid work experience. Upon the completion of the subsidized work experience the youth provider helps the youth find unsubsidized employment. The evaluation also found that the Recovery Act provided an opportunity to build relationships with new employers particularly private sector employers in order to place youth in meaningful work experiences. WIBs and administrative agencies reported that they encouraged providers to place older out-of-school youth with private sector employers during the post- summer program. According to the sites private sector employers are more likely to hire youth permanently at the end of the program than those in the public and nonprofit sectors. Three sites found that reaching out to their local business associations through letters and in-person presentations was a particularly effective way to connect with private employers. Create Work Experiences that Lead to Careers in High-Demand Industries The evaluation found that sites encouraged providers to build career pathways for youth especially in high-growth high-demand industries such as health care. Half of the sites created purposeful pathways for youth that included some combination of training work experience and job placement assistance while other sites encouraged providers to place youth at health care worksites. For example in Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania the WIB contracted directly with the area s largest health care employer to place out- of-school youth in health care jobs for nine consecutive months with the goal of turning the placement into an unsubsidized employment opportunity by the end of the program. Youth were placed in a variety of departments from medical coding and billing to patient registration at doctors offices. Los Angeles California established a sector-based program for young adults ages 21 to 24. This post-summer offering combines accredited training in high-demand industries in green transportation green construction and health care with a four-week paid work experience. The program provides training academic preparation workplace readiness paid work experience vocational certification and job placement assistance. Youth are enrolled in the program for three to six months depending on the length of their training. C. Increasing Service Delivery for Youth with Disabilities ETA is committed to helping youth providers eliminate the multiple challenges that adversely affect the education and employment of youth with disabilities. In an effort to assist the workforce system to increase and promote improved services to youth with disabilities ETA will soon release a TEGL on increasing enrollment and improving services to youth with disabilities. This TEGL will include an attachment containing a significant number of resources to better assist WIA providers in serving youth with disabilities. ETA encourages youth providers to increase services to youth with disabilities especially those youth with learning disabilities and mental health disorders. D. Addressing Issues Impacting Program and Service Delivery for WIA Youth Services ETA monitoring visits at local sites indicate that case management and follow-up services need further focus and technical assistance. ETA continues to encourage local areas to develop program policies and practices that not only meet the requirements of WIA but also strengthen and improve case management and follow-up services to better serve WIA youth. Ensuring Quality Case Management Case management is a key component to delivering effective WIA services for young people that helps youth acquire skills and facilitates the successful transition into the workforce. Case managers are responsible for many tasks such as assessment coordination of educational and occupational services supportive services and follow-up. Case managers are also responsible for documenting WIA requirements as well as any outcomes in participant case files. During monitoring visits ETA frequently identified compliance findings related to the lack of required WIA documentation such as eligibility documentation and proof of selective service registration. ETA also identified areas of concern during monitoring visits such as the lack of adequate case notes documenting youth progress proof of assessments and updates on a participant s ISS. As outlined in the Toolkit for Effective Frontline Services http www.doleta.gov youth services Toolkit-im prove.cfm youth providers are encouraged to consider the following for the contents of case files Eligibility documentation including proof of residency age income status and barriers to employment Proof of any self-disclosed disab ility if appropriate for eligibility determination or additional accommodations Documentation of all services provided Educational assessments including literacy numeracy documentation denoting any basic skills deficiency Documentation of screening for supportive services and any supportive services provided to ensure retention in the program Effective clear and detailed case notes and ISS documenting services provided and progress made towards his her goals Documentation of any referrals to partner programs Evidence of any outcomes attained including placement in employment postsecondary education and or training credential attainment and literacy and numeracy gains if appropriate Clear documentation stating when a young person exited from the program once services have not been provided for 90 days For information on what documentation is required and or encouraged under WIA see the Core Monitoring Guide at http www.doleta.gov regions reg02 docum ents OSID 20Conference Resou rce 20- 20Core-Monitoring-Guide.pdf . For additional information resources and training tools on case management youth providers can access the Toolkit for Effective Frontline Services previously mentioned which includes a manual a training guide and training modules. Internal capacity building is essential to effective case management. Local programs may consider providing routine professional development and training opportunities such as cross-training within the WIA program structure to fully understand the variety of services available to youth participants. Local areas may also consider case conferencing as a part of both internal and external agency staff interaction. Case conferencing allows staff members who are responsible for interacting with a youth participant to meet on a regular basis in order to exchange information and coordinate services to best serve the needs of the participant. For example the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training initiated a Shared Youth Vision Collaborative Case Management Pilot project where a team of 10 caseworkers across several agencies meets once a week for collaborative case conferencing. During case conferencing the caseworkers present cases and use feedback and knowledge of the group to help determine goals appropriate resources and referrals and to identify potential policy barriers and possible solutions that lead to positive youth outcomes. After eight months of data youth in the pilot group tended to set more goals with their caseworkers attain more skills have greater credential attainment rates engage more in work experience activities and be more connected to school or work than youth who were not involved in the pilot group http www.dlt.ri.gov wio sharedvision4Youth.htm . ETA encourages local providers to develop strategies that strengthen and coordinate service provision to youth such as case conferencing in order to m aximize all available resources and supports that can assist youth in achieving their goals. Success in delivering services under WIA depends on the effectiveness of youth practitioners which includes staff such as case managers career advisors and follow-up specialists. Youth practitioners develop relationships with young people and provide critical expertise and support as youth mature and enter the workforce. The Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship YDPA is a Registered Apprenticeship program which includes related classroom-based and on-the-job training where youth practitioners develop the skills they need to effectively serve youth. The combination of well- supervised and structured on-the-job training coupled with high-quality related instruction offers youth development practitioners a recognizable career path and a nationally-recognized certification of completion. ETA encourages local areas to learn more about YDPA at http www.doleta.gov oa e-tools4.cfm youth . Effective Follow-up Strategies All WIA youth participants are required to receive follow-up services for a minimum duration of twelve months after exit. The types of follow-up services are determined based on the needs of the individual youth and the objectives set by the local area. Follow-up is especially critical in WIA-funded programs as the majority of performance data are gathered during the quarters after youth have exited the program. However follow-up should go beyond capturing participant data and provide the necessary services and supports to ensure participant success. Some examples of follow-up services include one-on-one meetings to discuss educational or career options use of technology to explore resources and facilitate communication adult mentoring supportive services and work- related follow-up activities. Supportive services provided during follow-up may include linkages to community services assistance with transportation costs assistance with child care and dependent care costs assistance with housing costs referrals to medical services and assistance with uniforms or other appropriate work attire and work-related tool costs. Work-related follow-up activities may include regular contact with a youth participant s employer including addressing work-related problems that arise formation of job clubs to offer on-going support and training assistance in securing better paying jobs career development and further education work-related peer support groups and tracking progress of the youth s employment after training. Staff responsible for follow-up services can utilize a variety of social media such as Facebook or Twitter to reach out to WIA participants. Many providers utilize these tools to effectively reach WIA participants during the period of follow-up and engage them in quick updates on their educational or employment progress. One notable innovation found in several sites that were evaluated in the post-summer study was the effective use of social m edia. In Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania Facebook was identified as an effective way to reach out to youth. The provider contacted youth through Facebook if they were absent from class and also encouraged youth to use the page to stay-in touch with other participants and share news about jobs education and community services as they learn about them. One provider in Los Angeles California noted it had to think creatively about how to recruit engage and follow-up with out-of-school youth and experienced positive results using Facebook and other social media sites. WIA youth providers are encouraged to provide follow-up guidelines to staff to ensure follow-up services are provided to all youth in an effective manner. This includes when and how youth are contacted as well as guidelines fo r contact with employers and or education providers. It is important that staff responsible for follow-up maintain frequent systematic contact and interaction with each young person after completion of program services and or placement in a long-term education or occupational skills training program or in a job. It is also important for youth providers to offer guidance to staff responsible for follow-up services on how to provide accurate reporting within the case file such as detailing conversations and meetings and documenting placement into employment or education. For additional follow-up strategies see the Toolkit for Effective Frontline Services. For additional principles for successful follow-up and job retention see the Public Private Ventures report Getting In Staying On and Moving Up A Practitioner s Approach to Employment Retention at http www.ppv.org ppv publications assets 100 publication.pdf . 7. Useful Tools and Resources . Youth Connections Community of Practice CoP Created in July 2010 this Workforce3one Youth CoP provides an interactive platform for youth workforce and youth development professionals to discuss and share promising practices and provide technical assistance on workforce issues targeted for youth http youth.workforce3one.org . Find Youth Info This Web page was created by the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs IWGYP which is composed of representatives from 12 Federal agencies that support programs and services focusing on youth. IWGYP promotes the goal of positive healthy outcomes for youth http www.findyouthinfo.gov . Federal Network for Young Worker Safety and Health The Federal Network for Young Worker Safety and Health FedNet seeks to reduce the risk of occupational injuries and illnesses among workers between the ages of 14-24. The 11 Federal agencies making up FedNet develop strategies and resources to offer education training and outreach that ensure young workers are aware of their right to a safe workplace and that em ployers meet th eir responsibility to provide it http www.cdc.gov niosh topics youth . YouthRules YouthRules launched in May 2002 to increase public awareness of Federal and state rules concerning young workers. Through the YouthRules initiative DOL and its partners seek to promote positive and safe work experiences that help prepare young workers to enter the 21st Century workforce http youthrules.dol.gov jobs.htm . My Future Myfuture.com helps young adults plan their next steps in life by bringing together the most recently available information about colleges careers and military services. Designed primarily for individuals between 16 and 24 the site features information drawn and collated from the U.S. Departments of Commerce Defense Education and Labor. The site contains information on more than 1 000 military and civilian careers and nearly 7 000 accredited colleges universities and trade schools and can serve as a central resource for valuable background on college admission requirements employment trends and military benefits http www.myfuture.com . The Federal Bonding Program In 1966 DOL established the Federal Bonding Program to provide Fidelity Bonds that guarantee honesty for at-risk hard-to-place job seekers. The bonds cover the first six months of employment. There is no cost to the job applicant or the employer. In most states bonds are made available through the state agency responsible for workforce matters. The Federal Bonding Program is a partnership between DOL and The McLaughlin Company an insurance brokerage firm http bonds4jobs.com . Work Opportunity Tax Credit WOTC WOTC is a Federal tax credit incentive for private-sector businesses for hiring individuals from twelve target groups who consistently face significant barriers to employment. The main objective of this program is to enable the targeted employees to gradually move from economic dependency into self-sufficiency as they earn a steady income and become contributing taxpayers while the participating employers are compensated by being able to reduce their Federal income tax liability. WOTC joins other workforce programs that help incentivize workplace diversity and facilitate access to good jobs for American workers http www.doleta.gov business incentives opptax . My Next Move My Next Move is a Web site intended to assist all jobseekers. It may be especially useful for students young adults and other first-time workers as they explore potential careers based on their interests. The new tool complements the department s mySkills myFuture site which is designed to help those with previous work experience match their existing skills to new occupations http www.mynextmove.org . Job Accommodation Network JAN JAN is the leading source of free expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment 20 issues. Working toward practical solutions that benefit both employer and employee JAN helps people with disabilities enhance their employability and shows employers how to capitalize on the value and talent that people with disabilities add to the workplace http askjan.org or 800 526-7234 Voice 877 781-9403 TTY . CareerOneStop Products America s Service Locator connects individuals to employment and training opportunities available at local One-Stop Career Centers. The Web site provides contact information for a range of local work-related services including unemployment benefits career development and educational opportunities http www.servicelocator.org . America s Career InfoNet helps individuals explore career opportunities to make informed employment and education choices. The Web site features user-friendly occupation and industry information salary data career videos education resources self-assessment tools career exploration assistance and other resources that support talent development in today s fast-paced global marketplace http www.careerinfonet.org . mySkills myFuture helps laid-off workers and other career changers find new occupations to explore. Users can identify occupations that require skills and knowledge similar to their current or previous job learn more about these suggested matches locate local training programs and or apply for jobs http www.myskillsmyfuture.org . Competency Model Clearinghouse provides the business community with a means to communicate its skill needs to educators and the workforce system in a common industry-driven framework. The models and other competency-based resources support development of curriculum and increased awareness of careers in high- growth industries. http www.careeronestop.org CompetencyModel . Students and Career Advisors helps young people their career advisors including guidance counselors and parents and career changers to identify their interests explore careers obtain work experience through employment internships or apprenticeships and find education options www.careeronestop.org studentsandcareeradvisors . 8. Inquiries . Questions regarding this guidance should be directed to the appropriate ETA Regional Office.