America’s Promise Grant H-1B QUARTERLY NARRATIVE...

Quarterly Narrative Report – Pathways to the American Dream America’s Promise Job-Driven Grant Program - FOA-ETA-16-12 -- NRMRWIACB – HG-30136-17-60-A-51

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America’s Promise Grant H-1B QUARTERLY NARRATIVE REPORT

PATHWAYS TO THE AMERICAN DREAM

Program Year: 2017 Quarter End Date: June 30, 2017 Date Report Submitted: August 14, 2017

Section I. Contact Information

DOL Grant FOA: FOA-ETA-16-12

Grant Number: HG-30136-17-60-A-51

Grant Recipient Name: New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Investment Area Consortium Board (NRMRWIACB)

Grant Project Name: Pathways to the American Dream

Grant Project Address: 6580 Valley Center Drive, Suite 119

Radford, VA 24141

Grant Period of Performance: January 1, 2017-December 31, 2020

Point of Contact (Name, Phone Number, and Email):

Jenny Bolte, (540) 838-9400 [email protected]

Section II. Summary of Grant Progress

During Quarter 2, we continued to focus on Start-up activities, which includes building systems for Intake and Enrollment of participants, financial management, project evaluation and impact, monitoring of project activities, data collection, and professional development. We continued to use ProjectHub® as a project management tool for effective and efficient communications and collaborations both internally with project staff and externally with key partners. We also continued to focus on outreach and networking with businesses and partners. The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) started to work on the development of the Prior Learning Assessment System with the community colleges, and we began forging a partnership with Lord Fairfax Community College to build from and refine their present online portal. While we were not originally planning to enroll participants until Quarter 3, there was a positive response and need in several Workforce Development Areas, so we enrolled 25 participants in June even though not all of our internal systems were fully developed. This decision proved to be a positive move as word-of-mouth spread and additional enrollment events were scheduled to occur during Q3.

Participants Number Currently Active Number in Follow-up

Unemployed 16 0

Underemployed 7 0

Incumbent 2 0

Total: 25


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Section III. Progress of Grant Timeline

I. Program Implementation Activity 1: Project Launch (January 1, 2017-June 30, 2017)

Deliverable Status

a) Executed award agreement, subrecipient award agreements, training partner contracts Complete

b) Grant launch meeting, planning conference calls and webinars Complete

c) NR/MR WIACB hires program manager Complete

d) Subrecipients hire/allocate all staff Complete

e) Refinement of community and labor market data for program design Complete

f) Customization of GoodTrak data collection and reporting system Incomplete

g) CAEL and VALRC begin training partners and frontline staff Incomplete

Statement for Incomplete Work for Deliverable F: We decided not to use Goodwill’s data system, GoodTrak, for this project because of the sensitivity of the data we need to collect. We are contracting with BusinessU for a database, B2B Engage®. The board had decided to contract with BusinessU to create a CRM, so we inquired about building the participant database within that system. This database with allow us to connect the business and participant data together and use a “talent matching” system for employment. Statement for Incomplete Work for Deliverable G: CAEL has begun training the community college partners; however, we did not use VALRC to train frontline staff but rather delivered a majority of it ourselves. We did contract with Voltage Leadership to deliver a segment on Executive Presence. Discussions with VALRC regarding their role are continuing into Q3. Activity 2: Outreach and Recruitment (January 1, 2017 – September 30, 2020)

Deliverable: Status:

a) Creation and distribution of participant outreach materials Ongoing

b) Partners begin implementation of recruitment plans Ongoing

c) Consumers, employers, and partners refer individuals to program Ongoing

d) Incumbent workers referred by employer partners and WIOA partners Ongoing

e) Collaborative keeps open and regular communication using digital media to inform program design and progress and to meet employer needs

Ongoing

Statement for Ongoing Work for Deliverable A: Separate flyers were created to target participants, businesses, and partners. Additional flyers are being created to provide specific targeted marketing to each of the three occupations within WDA 3. Additional modifications were requested by Mountain Empire CC to modify the participant flyer in WDA 1. Statement for Ongoing Work for Deliverable B: A formalized Recruitment Plan has not yet been developed for the project. Recruitment was handled on an individual basis per workforce area with best practices documented in ProjectHub. The project manager will develop a plan in Q3 to ensure that targets are met in each area.


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Statement for Ongoing Work for Deliverable C: WDA 1 and 2 have been overwhelmed with referrals while WDA 3 and 17 have experienced challenges. These differences are primarily due to the thinking style and experience level of the staff, present challenges in the workforce area, and the level of cooperation and trust among partners. The smaller, more rural areas quickly seized the opportunities that Pathways has to offer the people in the communities. Statement for Ongoing Work for Deliverable D: Business Services Specialists (BSS) are engaging with businesses; however, their activity has not yet resulted in referrals of incumbent workers to the project. WDA 17 reported much incumbent worker training in collaboration with businesses; however, these events did not result in Pathways participants. This occurrence reflects a lack of understanding of the project and connection/communication between the BSS and Workforce System Navigator (WSN). WDA 17 does not have one designated BSS but rather three due to how business engagement activities are being coordinated through WIOA. As a result, there have been more challenges to overcome in WDA 17, but the WDB Executive Director is working to resolve the issues. Activity 3: Enrollment and Training (July 1, 2017-March 30, 2020)


a) Eligible and suitable applicants complete Intake process and are admitted into the program. (Year One=200)

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b) 1,100 individuals enroll in training. (Year One=200) 25

c) 935 (85%) individuals complete training. (Year One=127) 0

d) Skills-gap training is provided to participants to assist them in attaining credentials. (Year One=112)

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e) 619 (75%) of the un and underemployed targeted population attain employment in a middle-skilled job. (Year One=84)

0

f) 248 (90%) of the incumbent targeted population advance in employment. (Year One=24) 0

Statement for Zero Status Reported for Deliverables C-F: Participants were enrolled in June and have not completed stated goals by the end of June. However, two participants completed the first level of credentialing for their Health Information Technology program but are still currently enrolled to complete the second step toward their stated occupational goals. Activity 4: Paid Work-Based Learning (July 1, 2017-March 30, 2020)


a) Participants enter work-based learning opportunities to gain hands-on experience and additional skills.

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b) 32 new employer partners developed (Year One=8) *

Statement for Zero Status Reported for Deliverable A: BSS’s are engaging businesses, but efforts have not resulted in work-based learning experiences to date. The WSN in WDA 3 has engaged with her community college partner on the Academic Division who has internships as a requirement for a training program. This collaboration may result in paid internships for participants but have not occurred as of the end of June. WDA 3 determined that work-based learning training


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is valued by two major partners, VWCC’s Workforce Development Division and ResCare (WIOA Operator), as a way Pathways can be a value-add to the workforce system. Statement for No Status Reported for Deliverable B: While each workforce area is documenting and reporting monthly business engagement through the work of the BSS’s, we did not ask that they delineate between existing and new business relationships. The questions on the Monthly Report will be altered to be able to report on the progress of this deliverable in future Quarterly Reports. However, we are hopeful that once the CRM is fully operational, this information will be attained through that database. Activity 5: Job Placement (September 30, 2017-December 31, 2020)


a) One Stop operators and WIOA partners host one Job Fair per year in each of the workforce areas. (Year One=4)

*

b) 619 of the un- and underemployed participants gain employment in a Middle-skilled job. (Year One=84)

0

c) 248 of incumbent workers advance in their employment. (Year One=34) 0

Statement for No Status Reported for Deliverable A: While each BSS is documenting and reporting monthly business engagement of which Job Fairs are included, we did not explicitly ask that they tally this specific activity. The questions on the Monthly Report will be altered to be able to report on the progress of this deliverable in future Quarterly Reports. However, we are hopeful that once the CRM is fully operational, this information will be attained through that database. Activity 6: Follow-up (September 30, 2017-December 31, 2020)


a) Navigator and partners continue to provide coaching, support services, and other supports to participants to facilitate successful transitions into employment

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b) Follow-up Specialist continues to encourage continued learning and skill development in preparation for career pathway advancement

0

Statement for Zero Status Deliverable B: No participants were exited and placed in Follow-up during Q2. (The WSN will exit participants when they complete training, earn credentials, and attain their employment goal.) Activity 7: Reporting (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2020)


a) Financial and programmatic accountability (Quarterly Narrative and Financial Reports) Ongoing

b) WIOA performance reporting requirements, including the online reporting system. (Monthly CLEO and WDB Reports, Internal Data Collection and Monitoring, and Internal Evaluator Quarterly Reports)

Ongoing

c) DOL reporting requirements. Incomplete


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Statement for Ongoing Work for Deliverable A: Subrecipients and partners use ProjectHub to upload their invoices on a monthly basis by a designated deadline per our fiscal operator. We have experienced challenges in getting subrecipients to honor the deadline and/or supply proper documentation to support the expenditures by the deadline. Going past the deadline has a negative effect on our fiscal operator. This issue is being addressed with subrecipients and contractors. Statement for Ongoing Work for Deliverable B: We are contracting with BusinessU for the creation of a database to collect participant data. Our Data Specialist had created a number of fillable Adobe documents for the participant data collected by the WSN’s that will be uploaded into our database. The remaining PIRL data will be put into our database as participants attain those outcomes. Statement for Incomplete Work for Deliverable D: The WIPS Data System is in development. We have contracted with BusinessU to develop our data system using the PIRL data supplied to us, which will allow us to download a CSV file to be uploaded into WIPS. II. Training Development Activity 1: Career Pathway and Curricula Development/Modification (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2020)


a) Open-source curricula developed through USDOL and USED grants, as well as others, are accessed in a user-friendly portal, organized around a career pathways system.

Incomplete

b) Pathways training providers are included on the local area Approved Training Provider List in order to increase access to WIOA and other WIOA partner funding streams.

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c) Pathways training providers partner with the Workforce Division of local community colleges in order to increase access to state funding.

Not Started

d) Publicize and expand articulation agreements between educational institutions in the region as well as with apprenticeship programs that lead to degrees and credentials.

Not Started

Statement for Incomplete Work for Deliverable A: We benefited from the insight of our Virginia Community College System (VCCS) partner who connected us

to Lord Fairfax Community College who created a portal through their TAACCCCT grant that ends September

30, 2017. This site contains Open Educational Resources (OER) curricula applicable to two of our targeted

industries. Additionally, several Pathways portal goals are already developed, functioning, and supported in

this site. We will complete the Memorandum of Understanding by September to depict the deliverables and

clarify language and understanding with an anticipated start date of October 1, 2017. This partnership will

produce an overall positive outcome—especially as it pertains to being good stewards of tax-payer dollars.

As opposed to creating our own portal, we are building on what has already been invested in. We spent much

effort in the due diligence of this task. Further, each of the WDA’s have websites that provide information

locally to job-seekers and businesses. The Pathways portal is a statewide effort that will direct people to

training opportunities, local websites, the state’s Virginia Workforce Connection site, and other sites like


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CareerOneStop, and O*Net’s My Next Move. As with all other efforts, the portal will not duplicate resources

but rather will fill gaps and direct people accordingly.

Statement for Deliverable B: There was some confusion around the process of being added to the Virginia WIOA approved trainers and approved programs list, which stemmed from a statewide change in the process as well as the language around this change. The distinction between the two separate lists, one approving a specific entity as a trainer and the other which approves specific programming required, extended conversations and clarifications. Further, the applications were designed for traditional higher education systems; the break out categories for cost allocations were not easily transferrable to our flexible, alternative training providers. Some short-term programing offered by our alternative training partners prepares individuals for credentials but does not support the credential obtainment. To clarify this component for the applications, we researched and reviewed the process and cost associated with each exam, compiled the information per credentialing body, and attached the summary sheet to each program application as applicable. The awareness that training does not automatically include funding for (or specific support in) obtaining the corresponding industry recognized credential was informative. Efforts to consider both training and testing components will hopefully increase the overall satisfaction of students, partners, and businesses. Defining specific details to clarify components of a training, course, or program is critical to successful partnerships and services, which will ultimately increase the pipeline of a skilled regional workforce. This work will be helpful in setting realistic expectations at all levels defining associated costs, timeframes, and efforts to advance in measurable skills. We continue to identify regional business needs regarding the skills sought among the workforce. ProTrain has offered to provide custom short-term training options to meet some of these needs. ProTrain submitted four additional applications for approval on the WIOA VA State Approved Training Programs list, which will be reflected in Q3. Statement for Not Started Work for Deliverable C: This task is premature. We decided to first approach local community colleges to support the needs they are currently experiencing. Much to our surprise, the Academic divisions responded quite positively. On the other hand, early indications show that there may be duplication on the Workforce Development side. As can be seen in a message from the Vice President of Workforce Development for the college in WDA 3, he believes Pathways “may include significant duplication” for their students. He inquired about what can be done so his college “doesn’t need/have to send (his) students/clients to a separate navigator and intake process.” Further, he stated that the “college-based navigation process is actually a best practice in community college programming and growing across the country. This may be a much bigger conversation between the WIB Directors and the colleges.” While the community college navigation system is most likely a best-practice for community colleges, Pathways is broader in scope with a different intended purpose. Further, WSN’s cannot enroll participants unless they form a relationship with the participant and gather needed documents for our federal project. His statement reflects his lack of understanding of the project and its purpose. However, the needs and gaps in the Academic divisions are great with limited to no funding to support industry credentials. Simply put, the Workforce divisions may have less of a need to partner due to adequate state funding providing for their needs so they may be less inclined to do so. If this situation continues to be the norm in all eight colleges, we will not concentrate efforts on the Workforce Development divisions but focus more on their counterparts, the Academic divisions, where the need is apparently far greater. Statement for Not Started Work for Deliverable D: Articulations agreements and apprenticeships will be publicized on the portal.


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Activity 2: Online Portal Development (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2020)


a) Online platform for adult learners to easily navigate a sector-based career pathways system.

Not Started

b) Online platform for adult learners to use as an e-portfolio system to document skill attainment and credentials.

Not Started

c) Online platform for adult learners to have maximum flexibility and choice in training. Not Started

d) Online platform operated across agencies for sustainability and continued development. Not Started

e) Online platform that is designed to be easily accessible to adults with a broad range of literacy levels from low to high as well as for English language learners.

Not Started

Statement for Not Started Work for Deliverable A-E: The cost of implementing the portal functions as stated in the grant proposal are higher than originally anticipated. This reality has required efforts to diligently seek out resources that already successfully achieve or partially achieve some of the proposed portal goals. We have carefully considered off-the-shelf solutions for data collecting, e-portfolio presentations, and curated course selection. These resources have included but are not limited to “Dream It, Do It Virginia,” Watershed, Desire2Learn, Engrade, Blackboard, and ProTrain. Since all of our training partners have their own Learning Management System (LMS), we have explored ways to connect to these systems and measure mastery of content against the DOL occupational standards. We hypothesize that identifying individual mastery of specific skills will (a) increase regional business engagement in the process of informing the training offerings, (b) inform the refinement needed to shorten, revise, or create business-valued training programs, and (c) increase the consistency of language used to describe benefits of regional training and credentialing options. This information is key to determining the priority of functions to include in the portal. We generated a three-phase portal functions priority list for obtaining price quotes to complete the work. It has also been challenging to understand the cost of implementing specific portal functions included in the design. We have a limited budget to design and support the portal; however, the cost to do so is dependent upon the way it is designed. The way it is designed is dependent on the flow of information into and out of the portal (“into” representing user input, and “out of” representing the data that is collected). Finally, the flow of information is dependent on the cost required to implement. This circular reasoning cycle has been extremely complicated to decode. After completing extensive research on web-based site solutions as a method of delivering consistent information, we realized the complexity of our portal goals. Research of tools included xAPI, Learning Record Systems, Learning Lockers, Watershed, Desire2Learn, metadata analytics, and cloud storage. The cost of each tool indicates that we cannot build the portal as originally envisioned without collaboration with an organization that has some of our intended functions currently in place. Using personal networking relationships, we have enjoyed generous pro-bono consulting hours from IT professionals. It is encouraging to see willing IT professionals listen attentively to our goals and clarify the unique language of their profession for the overall benefit of our project. The research and exploration of building the portal has increased our understanding of the IT profession. This information will positively impact our training options and business engagement efforts in the IT sector. Further, we are far more likely to partner with other programs or agencies who have invested in a web-based solution after realizing the complexity and cost of implementing a portal solution from scratch. By September, we will finalize the statement of work for the portal with Lord Fairfax Community College. The


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benefit of connecting with the Lord Fairfax CC team will hopefully increase the functions we are able to realize in the portal—saving much money on the design and architecture stage of development. This due diligence will hopefully increase valuable partnerships and capitalize on the knowledge and efforts developed through other projects. We are continuing to guide the BSS staff to coordinate efforts to identify target industries in each area, documenting which businesses support occupations on our target occupations list. We have begun to receive feedback about regional indications of local businesses’ middle-skilled positions. This work/knowledge will be the content that is provided to users in the portal. We are also continuing in the information compiling stage, understanding the enrollment and accountability measures that our partner agencies require to co-enroll participants. Investing research time exploring options to best use our funding for the portal has resulted in (a) greater awareness of the complexity of IT, (b) refinement of the critical components of our portal design, (c) and creative ways to eliminate duplicate efforts. This process will encourage us to look for opportunities to partner prior to starting from scratch.

Activity 3: Prior Learning Assessment System Development (June 1, 2017-December 31, 2020)


a) Workforce Development programs articulated into credits toward postsecondary certificates, diplomas, and degrees.

Early Stage

b) Prior work experience articulated into credits toward certificates, diplomas, and degrees.

Early Stage

c) A PLA system that is a comprehensive approach to developing PLA programming (including policy, practice and professional development) that is scalable and sustainable across the region.

Early Stage

d) PLA system scaled across all 23 community colleges in Virginia. Not started

Statement for Deliverables A-D: There have been some challenges getting community college leadership to provide a list of contacts for their internal PLA teams; however, CAEL and the VCCS are working together to reach out to institutional leadership directly in order to schedule and facilitate initial strategy conversations. During the initial leadership strategy and kick-off meeting, CAEL learned that there is a wide range of sophistication, familiarity, utilization and buy-in on Prior Learning Assessment opportunities across the institutions in the region. CAEL will conduct strategy conversations in Q3 with each institution to determine how comprehensive their PLA policy and practices are and where there needs are for professional development. CAEL will identify in Q3 what areas of support are needed across the consortium and use that training and professional development as a way to drive a community of practice across the region. CAEL will also conduct monthly leadership meetings with each institution’s Vice President to ensure that project momentum will continue through the life of the grant. The initial strategy and kick-off meeting during Q2 was very well received and served to bring Vice Presidents from the Workforce Development and Academic divisions up to speed on the work that CAEL will manage. Additionally, this meeting gained their buy-in and helped to drive their leadership at each institution to guide the implementation of the PLA technical assistance.


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The project’s Curriculum and Instructional Specialist has, when applicable, documented Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) when they have been recommended by industry recognized credentialing bodies. She will provide this information to the community college PLA work. Scaling the PLA system is anticipated to come toward the end of the project. III. Partnership Development (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2020) Activity 1: Develop partnerships with Business and Industry, Economic Development, Education and Training, Workforce (WIOA) System, Non-Profits, and Faith-based Organizations


a) A regional workforce strategy for sector partnerships. Not started

b) Aligned public and private resources in response to employer demand. Not started

c) Creation of a sector-based career pathways system. Early Stage

d) Continuum of Care approach for supportive services to disadvantaged populations. Early Stage

e) Sustained and scaled program and service delivery after completion of grant funds. Not started

f) Realization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Early Stage

Statement for Not Started Work for Deliverables A-B: We have focused our Start-up activities primarily on operational systems. More systems-level operations are anticipated to occur in Q4. However, each WDA submitted a Strategic Plan to the state where they depicted their workforce system strategy and actions for aligning resources to meet business demand. The project manager will secure each area’s plan and work with the Executive Team, of which each WDA Executive Director is a member as well as the Executive Director of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, to devise a regional strategy. Having an aligned system with shared goals among workforce, education, and economic development will take policy alignment so stakeholders can work effectively and efficiently together. Pathways intends to glean best practices to inform decision-making so policies across systems can be aligned; however, we are realistic that this goal is lofty. We are focusing our efforts on how stakeholders can best serve business and industry with a shared vision that brings them into alignment and helps them successfully navigate through barriers. Effectively serving our business partners should guide these businesses into seeing the benefit of—and therefore investing in—systems alignment efforts to support the workforce needs in the region. Statement for Not Started Work for Deliverable E: The Executive Team will focus on sustaining and scaling service delivery after the project is running effectively and efficiently in the Pathways region. IV. Program Evaluation and Sustainability (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2020) Activity 1: Program Evaluation and Sustainability


a) Research and best-practices so Virginia legislators can adopt policies for creating, sustaining, and scaling sector partnerships to generate innovative programming that

Early Stage


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closes skill gaps and leads to employment in technical and professional level demand occupations.

b) Cost-effective, innovative, evidenced-based education and job training program that provides a pipeline of workers to fill existing job openings, meets existing job needs for business expansion, and attracts more jobs from overseas.

Early Stage

c) Sustained and scaled program after conclusion of grant funding. Early Stage

Section IV. Development and Implementation of Effective Practices and Program Model Strategies

How our program model is working towards the intended purpose of the Pathways to the American Dream project as well as our goals and activities. Pathways to the American Dream is a systems-building project with the explicit intent of building a pipeline of skilled workers so reginal businesses can remain competitive and grow. As such, we are intending to enhance workforce development capacity through an education and training system that adapts quickly to the changing needs of businesses. Our goals are to: (1) Create a regional workforce strategy for sector partnerships in the Manufacturing, Healthcare, and

Information Technology industries. (2) Increase opportunities for unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers to develop their skills

and earn credentials in high-demand occupations. (3) Guide education and training partners in closing the gap between the skills needed by workers and the

skills of the available workforce, expanding the affordability of workforce training and credentialing, and increasing the interest in technician, technologist, and trade-level positions to fill available and emerging jobs.

(4) Guide education and training partners in developing a system that awards academic credit applicable to

the student’s certificate or degree program requirements to students who demonstrate competency through a Prior Learning Assessment system.

(5) Provide research and best-practices so Virginia legislators can adopt policies for creating, sustaining, and scaling sector partnerships to generate innovative programming that closes skill gaps and leads to employment in technical and professional level demand occupations.

Early indicators show that our model should have a positive impact on the workforce system. However, this statement does not make apparent the amount of effort it takes to enact change and hold firm while in the throes of the change. We have had to focus our efforts with the mindset of gradual steps toward improvement to the workforce system.


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Aspects to our model that appear to positively lead us to the positive outcomes and intended purpose of our project include: Streamed-lined Intake System: Many opportunities available in the communities, particularly those funded by federal dollars, place quite a large burden on people to attain multiple documents to prove their eligibility and steps toward being deemed eligible. Often, people are enrolled in various programs to assist them in becoming employable. These systems can often be lengthy, requiring people to complete the same information multiple times. The individual can become weary and give up even trying to enroll. Additionally, large caseloads often prevent frontline staff from responding to inquiries and referrals in a timely manner, so trust is not built or violated. Having a streamlined Intake System has been well received by partners in Q2. One community college partner in WDA 1 even stated, “It was a fairly painless application process and most (students) came prepared so it went smoothly." Filling Gaps and Avoiding Duplication: There is much need, but there is also quite a substantial amount of money dedicated to training people for employment. As we work with partners, we continue to stress that Pathways fills gaps where they presently exist. The Integrated Resource Team model (adapted from the work of DARS), is showing how collectively all the agencies can work together toward the holistic need of the individual. Taking this approach will support us in meeting enrollment targets and spending money responsibly. Business Needs are the Driver: We must constantly straddle the two worlds of Education and Business, and it takes effort to stay focused on our intended purpose, especially as it pertains to businesses being the driver of the talent-development system in the region. As we work with partners, we remind them, when necessary, of our intended purpose and that programming supported by Pathways must be valued by business and industry. Lessons learned and how the knowledge will be integrated into ongoing activities. We must do our homework on training programs and credentials—specifically whether or not the credential is recognized and valued by businesses. We’ve had to check to ensure that the training provider is accredited to offer the credential, we’ve had to dissect marketing materials to ascertain what credentials will culminate in the training, and we’ve also had to deconstruct course plans to see exactly what skills the participant will be learning and determine whether or not these skills are the ones valued by business and industry. Additionally, we’ve had to review all training options to see if there are other options for participants to get the same result in a more efficient timeframe. And lastly, we’ve had to learn how to ask the right questions to get at the answers needed for everyone to make informed decisions.

Section V. Status Update on Match and/or Leveraged Resources

Match: Cost sharing and matching funds are not required for Pathways.

Leveraged Resources:

Documented Leveraged Resources

Source Purpose Amount Type


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Area 1 WDB/May 2017 WIOA and HEART – (Appalachian Regional Commission)

Executive Director Report Reporting to CLEO, Meeting, Staff Mgt, Business Services Outreach

$2,408 In-kind

Area 1 WDB/June 2017 WIOA and HEART – (Appalachian Regional Commission)

Business Services Outreach $2,107 In-Kind

Federal Pell Grant, SEOG, Commonwealth Grant

S. Richards, C. Blevins, C Byrd, M. Bush, D. Wren, M. Foster, A. Penland, C. Edmonds, B. Riggins, J. Martin, A. Smith, M. Justice, M. Roberts, K. Shannon, R. Thomas, R. Shibeshi, C. Mercer, J. Perdue, M. West, C. Widner, T. Mason

$166,006 Cash

Russell Co Career and Tech Center

G. Cook, T. Stevens, M. Tackett, Z Santana

$2,600 Cash

Total: $173,121

Statement for the Collection of Leveraged Resources: While we do currently have systems in place to collect leveraged resources, we have missed opportunities in actually attaining some of the information. Only WDA 1 supplied information in their monthly reporting for leveraged contributions to the project. Additionally, we were unable to attain some financial aid information on participants due to the information collected in our internal system. We have rectified the latter and will be more aggressive in getting the information from subrecipients and contractors.

Section VI. Status Update on Strategic Partnership Activities

Critical reflection of the results and outcomes of the partners working together to implement the project. The purpose of the Workforce System Navigator position is to provide systemic, cross-sector coordination to develop and strengthen strategic partnerships in the workforce system for a collective impact. Activities to establish and maintain strategic partnerships: Area 1: Economic and Workforce Development Partners:

• LENOWISCO Business Services Team (Planning District 1)

• Appalachian Business Services Team Meeting (Planning District 2)

• Russell County Rotary Club, Lebanon, VA

• Probation and Parole of Southwest VA

• Black Diamond Re-entry Council Education and Training Partners:


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• Southwest Virginia CC

• Mountain Empire CC

• Russell County Career & Technology Center

• Regional Adult Education programs for Planning Districts 1 and 2 (PluggedInVA) Lessons Learned: The WDA 1 Team reported that co-enrolling participants to maximize services has been received well by strategic partners. They concentrated their efforts on listening to partners to understand their needs and to share information on Pathways for them to be more informed and pass the information on to potential participants and other partners. This team believes that by being flexible and listening to the needs of partners, doors have opened that have led to future enrollments. This team also believes that communication with all partners as they work together to serve a participant is critical because any miscommunication can result in negative consequences for the participant and each partner’s work. The WSN used her Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) training to work collaboratively with an Adult Education partner and provide a workshop for their PluggedInVA cohort (co-enrolled participants). She reported that the participants were actively engaged, which allowed the instructors to know exactly what the students were working towards and their reasoning behind it. This activity has made it possible for instructors and students to form a closer bond and make for a better learning environment. WDA 1 Team has learned the value in providing information expediently to partners and to request that they spread the word. They have focused on listening skills to be fully aware of potential participant and partner needs, which has allowed staff to address their needs quicker and be more precise. Further, this team has learned that enlisting all partnering agencies is important to ensuring the needs of the participants are met—and that honest and open communication is essential in helping participants form goals that are reasonable and obtainable. Area 2: Economic and Workforce Development Partners:

• Goodwill Industries of the Valleys -- WIOA

• Goodwill Industries of the Valleys -- SCSEP

• Total Action for Progress – “SwiftStart” (DOL SWIFI grant)

• New River Community Action

Education and Training Partners:

• Wytheville Community College

• Wytheville Community College’s Crossroads Center (Satellite site)

• New River Community College Workforce Development Division

• New River Community College Academic Division

• New River Community College – RSVP Program (TANF funding through VCCS)

• Regional Adult Education programs (Planning Districts 3-4)

• Crossroads Employment Network Meeting (Grayson County Public Schools, Carroll County Public Schools, DARS, and Virginia Employment Commission)

• Radford University -- Free Clinic of Pulaski

• New River Valley Business Solutions Team

• Virginia Western Community College -- Mechatronics Showcase


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Lessons Learned: The WDA 2 Team believes that building a positive rapport with partners, learning about their programs, services, and performance measures, fostering a team approach, and encouraging collaboration among partners will result in a win-win for all. They believe that the first approach is to lead by example. Using the Integrated Resource Team model will increase efficiency and reduce frustration. Further, this team reported that getting to know clients well to ensure they have the appropriate career goals, aptitude, interests, and proper support systems in place will help the participants achieve their goals. Further, this team reported that word-of-mouth appears to be a driver for participants curious about the project. Physically going to the locations in the community where our targeted participants seem to be appears to have early indicators of success. Two of the community colleges (New River and Wytheville) as well as the Free Clinic of Pulaski have been gracious in offering space, making it easier for participants (and those interested in the project) to directly access the staff. As the number of participants grows, this team has reported, the Intake process is becoming more efficient, especially when ensuring that applicants are provided the forms ahead of enrollment events. Forms have been posted on the WDA 2 website for community access. The work with the Free Clinic of Pulaski opened doors at Radford University for Nursing and Occupational Therapy programs. This staff has been aggressive in pursuing every opportunity to spread the word and talk with potential participants. They reported that by listening to prospects and then together determining the best course of action has helped everyone involved understand what is reasonable and doable. Additional learning includes the importance of rapid follow-through with referrals, considering the credentials then thinking about where prospects in need of these credentials (and training) would be, researching community colleges and trade schools to understand their training programs, and maintaining consistent communication among the team to determine workforce need. One community college (Virginia Highlands) in WDA 2 has been non-responsive for both the training and development of the PLA system. However, professors from Mountain Empire CC in WDA 1 connected with their counterparts from Virginia Highlands, and events are scheduled to occur in Q3. The PLA work will be addressed at a WDB meeting in Q3 with the intent of encouraging Virginia Highlands to come on board with the seven other colleges.

Area 3: Economic and Workforce Development Partners:

• ResCare -- WIOA Operator

• Total Action for Progress – “SwiftStart” (DOL SWIFI grant)

• Roanoke County Business and Economic Development

• Roanoke Virginia Employment Commission Education and Training Partners:

• Virginia Western Community College Academic Division

• Virginia Western Community College Workforce Development Division

• Regional Adult Education Program (Planning District 5) Lessons Learned: The WDA 3 Team reported that “typically economic development representatives do not

think of the workforce development system as a reliable resource. Building the partnership and enforcing

trust will be key to fostering this relationship.” This team also reported, which was discussed earlier, that

“community colleges have many funding and career counseling resources also available, so it will be key to


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understand where Pathways can fill in the gaps and connect the students better to additional workforce

development resources.” Further, this team reported that the lack of a formalized intake and referral process

for Pathways during Q2 has been a challenge. And because we did not have formalized processes,

“community colleges are hesitant to refer students.” They further elaborated that community colleges “have

also had trouble referring individuals in the past to the workforce programs, so Pathways will need to re-

strengthen those relationships.” Additionally, this team stated that “[W]hile the project has some urgency to

begin enrolling participants, many partners have expressed hesitancy with the project due to the lack of

details and formalized intake/eligibility process. Prior to establishing referral networks and cross-sharing of

information for eligibility determinations, it is important that Pathways is comfortable and a complete

understanding of the eligibility and documentation process is required. Many partners are also requesting

flow-chart diagrams and process maps for their reference during the course of the project, and this will be

something that the Pathways team in Area 3 explores completing for all partner agencies.”

The WDA 3 Team is pointing to WIOA to serve as a referral network, relying on Pathways to fill in the gaps

for services to individuals. This team noted that this strategy is important for middle-skilled jobseekers who

don’t meet WIOA eligibility guidelines. Further, this team noted, that WIOA has typically been a resource for

low-skilled individuals in need of extensive training and assistance to remove barriers to employment. As

such, these individuals may not be immediately ready for Pathways. The team also noted that there are many

non-profits in the region that will participate in the referral network for Pathways and participate on the

Integrated Resource Team (IRT). Key to success of the IRT, this team noted, is to “formalize a referral and

intake process with these programs so that the eligibility process is not duplicated among programs.”

Communication among partners in the workforce system was interrupted in 2015 when the One Stop Center

burned down. The team believes that Pathways presents an opportunity for communication and information

sharing to be revived in the region. The information being gathered/produced by the WSN and BSS on target

occupations could serve as a resource that all partners can use when assisting their customers. The team

began in Q2 outlining Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Healthcare businesses, linking their hiring

needs to the O*net occupational code description. This resource will also include links to the job descriptions

provided by businesses for easy reference and dissemination when providing services to customers. Further,

this resource will include training opportunities.

The WDA 3 Team reported that collaboration with economic development was enhanced in Q2 with the goal

of being a single point of contact within the workforce development system for the staff and businesses at

the regional and local economic development agencies. This effort also includes the state economic

development partnership that provides incentives and funding to expanding businesses in the region. The

team noted that all of the economic development partners have responded positively to this notion and are

looking forward to the implementation of the project.

The enhancement of the partnership between the workforce development system and the economic

development partners has already shown benefit. Roanoke County, Roanoke City, and Botetourt County

Economic Development offices, as well as the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) with the Virginia

Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) have already provided referrals to the BSS, and this effort, the


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BSS believes, will continue throughout the project. The team stated the importance of the workforce

development system in providing follow-up and addressing the needs identified by the business contacts.

The team also reported that they are working to map out the financial resources available to the region’s

jobseekers and businesses with the intent of leveraging resources for future sustainability.

In analyzing this team’s information, there are some take-aways that are important for success of the project

as a whole. First, as it pertains to funding opportunities at community colleges, it is true that the Workforce

Development divisions of the community colleges have state funding to support their efforts. However, the

Academic divisions do not (as their students are Pell and/or state grant funded, student loan, or self-pay),

and tuition costs do not support industry credential preparatory courses or the costs of credentials

themselves. What seems apparent is a disconnect between community college Workforce Development and

Academic divisions. Thus, we must be careful not to draw false conclusions based on information provided

by one individual who does not reflect the entire college or all colleges in the VCCS. Using the plural

(“colleges” and “many partners”) begs the question of the actual volume of the feedback and the language

used in communication between and among partners.

Second, as it pertains to formalized processes, it is true that the Intake process was not formalized during

Q2; however, eligibility was specified in the MOU and on the Participant Flyer. Thus, project leadership should

not assume that materials can be understood and acted upon by all. During a weekly conference call,

Eligibility was explicitly discussed and documented on the Q&A Page on ProjectHub for the WSN’s

understanding and easier reference. The more complicated task is in identifying suitability, which is not as

clear-cut as eligibility.

The development of the Intake process, however, was extremely counter-productive. The Executive Director

for WDA 2 suggested that the WSN’s work together to create the system, the value being their ownership of

the system and the development of their teamwork. This process became unwieldy and convoluted. The

WSN Team had very little resources to use to create the system, except for the draft of the PIRL data that

the DOL shared. So, the team defaulted to the WIOA processes and procedures, which further complicated

this task, making the application long and arduous and contradicting the intent to simplify and streamline the

process. Much time and effort was spent on this task. It would have been much more efficient for the DOL to

have provided a sample enrollment template and definitive guidance on supporting documents that need to

be collected. The Intake system for our project was created during Q2; however, it was not formalized with

the intent of refining it during quarters 3 and 4 after some use. For individuals who are detail-oriented thinkers,

beginning without formalized systems is challenging. For individuals who are big-picture thinkers, then

refining the system as they go has been working. The two divergent thinking styles represented by the staff

has been apparent, particularly as it pertains to enrollments. Simply put, the detail oriented staff were

uncomfortable discussing the project with partners, and the big-picture thinkers were comfortable moving

forward not only talking with partners and potential participants but also in enrolling participants during Q2

despite not having formalized systems.

Area 17:


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Economic and Workforce Development Partners:

• Virginia Employment Commission (Danville)

• Business Service Team Education and Training Partners:

• Patrick Henry Community College Workforce Development Division

• Patrick Henry Community College – Partner Meeting

The WDA 17 Team reported that engaging partners and attending partner meetings was important to help them stay abreast of problems and use each other as resources for the individuals. The team established a referral system with Patrick Henry CC, which resulted in four referrals. Unfortunately, these referrals did not result in enrollments.

Section VII. Status Update on Employer Engagement Strategies

The purpose of the Business Services Specialists position is to strengthen business engagement in the workforce system to ensure businesses have an active role in workforce system activities. Efforts undertaken by Business Services Specialists to receive feedback from businesses to identify their employee pipeline needs as well as efforts to interview, assess, train, and/or hire program participants: Area 1: Trane Commercial Systems: Discussed grant and gave marketing materials; Discussed possible middle-skilled jobs serving Russell County Schools

Russell County and Wise County/City of Norton chambers of Commerce: Requested engagement by local business to provide their specific needs to us. *The BSS did not include the information directly on the June Monthly Report but made reference to a chart uploaded to ProjectHub. Unfortunately, this information could not be located. For future quarterly reports, the BSS is asked to put the information directly into the Monthly Report form. Lessons Learned: The WDA 1 Team found it fruitful to start with the Chambers of Commerce to understand the need of smaller businesses. This team also stated the importance of spreading awareness of the Pathways project and discussing ways to integrate the efforts of our Business, Education, and Workforce/Economic development partners to provide maximum support for participants and service to businesses. Area 2: XX: Tours and learning/listening opportunities to build relationships and learn about companies’ needs and hiring practices


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XX: Co-hosted Cyber Security for Business workshop to be introduced to companies we haven’t be able to meet. XX: Invited to Speak to Workforce Group to be exposed to new recruitment pools XX: The Human Resources Manager for a local manufacturer hosts the weekly Job Club which offers workshops and job search advice. XX: Conversations with a local IT company have started concerning their issues with talent recruitment. *The BSS did not list specific names of businesses on the May Monthly Report form. Hollingsworth & Vose, Somic America, and Mohawk Industries: Recorded interview that will be used

as a promotion of company and promotion of career opportunities available in our region; Each recording

will be a separate podcast of Work Talk and each company was able to describe what they do, what jobs

they have (and skills needed) and how individuals can apply to their company.

Eddie’s Precision Machining and Southwest Specialty Heat Treat: Discuss possible resources to assist

companies in becoming competitive/reaching new markets; Made referrals to agencies/projects

Montgomery County, Radford City, and Workforce Unlimited: Shared their job opportunities with the Workforce Partner Network; enabled recruiting in an expanded market, including diverse populations

Somic America and TRW: Scheduling “Listen and Learn” tours for Workforce Partners

1901 Group: Scheduled to give a presentation about their workforce needs and in-house training program to the New River Valley BSU.

20 Business members of Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce: Participated in a Panel Discussion on workforce issues and initiatives at their June Eggs & Issues; Was able to highlight the Pathways Project (and other WDB initiatives) to 20 business representatives

CowanPerry PC: Meeting to discuss workforce initiatives; Was able to highlight the Pathways Project (and other WDB initiatives) to a law firm that specializes in business law. They wanted to learn more about what the WDB does (and how it may help the companies they serve) and may be willing to partner with us as a speaker at future “Business over Breakfast” events. Lessons Learned: The WDA 2 Team believes that Industry Tours with local manufacturers where workforce partners were allowed to tour facilities and ask questions from manufacturers about the company, different jobs types, necessary skills, skill gaps, and other workforce concerns, has been a value-add to the region. They were able to receive feedback from businesses in these “Listen and Learn” tours. The team has produced podcasts with businesses, giving partners an unusual opportunity to engage with businesses. Not only are we offering a service to the business (by giving them a platform to “tell their story,” but also the staff has the opportunity to share information with the business about what workforce initiatives might be important/useful to them in this very intimate one-to-one setting.


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Area 3: Canatal Steel: General Information on Workforce Development System and Incumbent Worker Training; Application for Incumbent Worker Training Completed and Eligibility Information Gathered LewisGale Regional System (HCA Healthcare): Workforce Incentives Information Proposal for services provided to HCA Healthcare and Regional HR Manager. Optical Cable Corporation: Call set up to provide training on Virginia Workforce Connection system with referral to VEC for future services. Additional information being provided on workforce incentives for future planning.

Securitec Screening Solutions: Interested in accessing incentive funding through VJIP as well as the workforce development system. Additional information will be provided. Richfield Living: Expansion occurring with massive retraining operation. Additional information provided to see where the workforce development system can fill in the gaps. Lessons Learned: The WDA 3 Team has reported that they have participated in networking and introduction meetings with stakeholders throughout the region, to include local economic development departments, the regional economic development partnership, all of the core and required partner agencies, as well as getting to know the landscape of human resources and business led groups (e.g. SHRM and the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council). The team has gathered job descriptions from businesses to share with partners. Businesses have stated that they have a future need for their workforce to be retrained due to many of their employees reaching the retirement age. Further, many businesses have identified unique career pathways within their own organization, and some hire only into entry-level positions with the ability to move up the pathway once additional skills are gained from on-the-job training. This team further noted that “many businesses were unaware of the services available through the workforce development system,” and they requested additional information on incentives and programs available to meet their workforce need. Once these detailed programmatic descriptions can be provided to the businesses, all of the Human Resources contacts have agreed to evaluate their ability to use the funding and services available. With business outreach, some of the tasks associated with the position revolve around Rapid Response activities and assisting with efforts to assist employees affected by facility closures or mass reductions in force. More often than not, these participants are in need of some type of retraining or skills development to move them not only to another position but also up the career pathway to more stable, self-sufficient employment. WDA 3 has received five WARN notices in 2017 (FreightCar America, JC Penney, LCS Communications, BH Media Group, and CCS Medical) and have resulted in over 500 individuals being laid off between January 2017 and August 2017. These workers will all have the opportunity to qualify for Pathways and can also be referred throughout the workforce development system once they access initial services. The team also reported that they have met with all core and required partners under WIOA to discuss program aspects and services available to the business community. The BSS will be assembling a Business Solutions Team for the region and will be coordinating with all of those partners to meet the needs of the businesses in the region’s target sectors. The team is striving for an increase in the general awareness of the services available to businesses. By expanding and enhancing services that already exist, it will strengthen the


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relationships between the partner agencies and create a more cohesive system for businesses to navigate. One such area of collaboration that has been recently recognized is within sector strategies and partnerships. Because of the recent success and push to use sector partnerships, many agencies have already formed (or are in the process of forming) business networks and collaboratives that function in these capacities. We do not anticipate duplicating those efforts but will be offering our support, tools, and potential funding to ensure that these partnerships are effective and that all funding is being leveraged to meet the needs of the business community. WDA 3 is also in the process of rebranding the workforce development system to Virginia’s Blue Ridge Works, which aligns well with other resources in the region and puts a geographical location onto the system for familiarity. By rebranding and all agencies using the same brand and label, it will be easier for the partner agencies to embrace the “single point of contact” mechanism and assist the businesses in having a “no wrong door” approach to accessing services. Area 17: Hanesbrands, NIlit, City of Martinsville, Virginia Glass Company, Monogram Foods: IWT

application/contracts-job fair commitment

Southeastern Wood Products: Establish training and staffing needs, IWT application

Starsprings: Job fair commitment, progress with processing reimbursement, discuss training needs

Results: Shared outreach, sponsorship opportunities, job fair commitment

Sky Valley Foods: Incumbent Worker Training for Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification and training for 3-credit hour Project Management course; 2 employees (Director of Logistics & Warehousing and VP of Procurement & Scheduling) will become Green Belt-certified in September 2017; 1 employee (Quality & Compliance Coordinator) will earn 3 credits toward a Career Studies Certificate in Project Management (total of 16 hours) on July 28, 2017

Blue Ridge Fiberboard: Incumbent Worker Training for OSHA 10 General Industry card; 15 employees (1 Electrical Lead, 2 Mechanics, 1 Bauer Operator, 2 Machine Operators, 1 Board Mill Supervisor, 1 Finishing Lead, 2 Roll Coater Operators, 3 Saw Operators, 1 Forklift Operator and 1 Stacker Operator) will receive their OSHA 10 General Industry card at the completion of training on June 7, 2017 EBI, LLC: Incumbent Worker Training for OSHA 30 General Industry card and training for Failure Mode Effects Analysis; 2 employees (1 Security & Safety Coordinator and 1 Environmental Health & Safety Specialist) will receive their OSHA 30 General Industry card at the completion of training on June 21, 2017; 20 employees (1 Projects Coordinator, 1 Quality Supervisor, 2 Quality Clerks, 1 Quality Coordinator, 1 Quality Technician, 2 Production Managers, 3 Production Supervisors, 1 Continuous Improvement Manager, 1 Supply Chain Manager, 1 Maintenance Manager, 3 Quality Team Leaders, 1 Mattress Production & Warehouse Manager and 2 Production Team Leaders) received FMEA certification on May 18, 2017 Elkay Manufacturing: Incumbent Worker Training for OSHA 10 General Industry card and training for OSHA 30 General Industry card; 1 employee (Continuous Improvement/Safety Coordinator) will receive OSHA 30


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General Industry card at the completion of training on June 21, 2017; 5 employees (1 Group Leader, 1 Area Lead Quality, 1 Area Lead Shipping, 1 Maintenance Manager, 1 Production Manager, 1 Human Resources staffer, 1 Group Leader Final Assembly and 1 Line Leader Finishing) will receive OSHA 10 General Industry card at the completion of training on June 7, 2017

Unique Industries: Incumbent Worker Training for OSHA 30 General Industry card; 1 employee (Safety Engineer) will receive OSHA 30 General Industry card at completion of training on June 21, 2017 Community Wide Job Fair (50 employers): Recruiting, Networking, Resource Outreach, Program awareness; Hiring, establishing pipelines, identifying needs, connecting resources EMI Imaging: IWT contract submitted and signed Eastman Chemicals: Job fair participation, committed to IWT and Promise Grant participation possibly in partnership with PHCC/NCI CAFM program along with inhouse training Drake Extrusion: Contracted OJT’s, job fair participation, working on a custom train the trainer program ValleyStar Credit Union: IWT application completed JP Superior Solutions: Utilizing IWT, wants to partner with NCI on possible apprenticeship training and outreach Nationwide Homes: Job fair participation, job postings, discussed possible training opportunities Young Williams: OJT evaluation, time sheet follow up, committed to more OJT’s if available Forest Operator Equipment Training School, Inc.: Assisting with outreach and connecting with resources Lessons Learned: The WDA 17 Team reported that they contacted the above businesses to coordinate incumbent worker training opportunities and funding where appropriate. During the contact, if these businesses have had other workforce needs, the BSS assisted them as needed by referring to appropriate resources and partners. Further, the team noted, the Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce strives to maintain regular communication and interaction with businesses in the manufacturing sector in order to identify and help resolve issues/key needs and to serve as a solutions provider for their workforce, business development, and advocacy needs; tactics used include quarterly roundtable meetings, quick online polls for data collection, one-on-one needs assessments, targeted recruitment events, and information sharing of workforce development funding. The Chamber aims to also target the healthcare sectors and others with similar tactics.

Section VIII. Key Issues and Technical Assistance Needs

Opportunities, Challenges, and Actions: Addressed throughout the report.


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Resolutions of Challenges/Issues from Previous Quarter: N/A Questions for ETA: None Technical Assistance Needs: I would like assistance reviewing participant forms and documents collected to ensure that our project is obtaining everything that is required of us.

Section IX. Significant Activities, Accomplishments, and Success Stories

Significant Activities and Accomplishments: Nothing “significant” to report to date. Promising Approaches/Innovative Processes:

Aligning Work: We started aligning our work internally among new staff members, as each has different backgrounds and perspectives. We held a kick-off meeting to allow new staff to meet one another, review the grant outcomes, and discuss ways to implement the objectives. Significant time has been committed to clarifying, defining, and revising concepts around grant deliverables. This strategy has increased a sense of teamwork and project ownership. Our alignment work (internally among new staff members) continues as we attempt to define categories for reporting, define roles within the project, and create policies for guiding actions. Therefore, we must practice active listening skills to understand areas of inefficiency within the system, face challenges within the team, and provide clarification when processes are not clearly understood. Innovative Processes: We recognize that efficient use of time is of vital importance—especially among our limited staff. We have worked to create digital data tracking forms to capture required PIRL data elements. The forms comply with PII protection requirements yet do not require duplicated efforts of rekeying information into a reporting system. Securely storing the data—apart from using the state’s data system—has taken considerable time for consideration. Measuring Systems Change: We have worked to define the baseline of current partnerships and processes so that we have a baseline to measure increases in partnerships and efficiency of services (processes). Measuring these additional, often subjective, components has been challenging. We have worked to shift the traditional concept (putting participants through training and then try to get them employed) to consider which businesses will likely employ a participant and select training that businesses value. This shift has resulted in far more exploration of local businesses. BSS staff have compiled lists recording businesses in their areas by target industries. The current partnerships with these businesses is being measured/documented by the BSS team to serve as a component of the baseline for our end-of-grant systems change measurement. Lessons Learned: Collecting and Transmitting Participant Data: The data transfer process is being updated to use Adobe Acrobat. The PDF fillable forms are placed in a specified directory so that a technique within the software


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can produce a spreadsheet containing the data required for Pathways. This data format allows maximum flexibility for use later. Because the Data Elements required for DOL reporting have been modified and are currently in the process of further modification, we are taking great care to make our process to collect and save data as simple as possible. Simplicity requires us to lay out an adaptive system to fulfill all DOL reporting requirements. To that end, effort is being made to minimize the data transfer process (from participant to WSN, WSN to Data Specialist, and Data Specialist to DOL via WIPS), so that more effort can be used to follow-up with Participants throughout the Pathways project. After reviewing PII documents (TEGL), we decided to reduce the risk of exposure of an applicant’s SSN. Instead of requesting the SSN on the Pathways Eligibility Application, the SSN will be collected at the Participant stage only—on the Career and Services Plan. Credentials: The key features of our project (an online portal, development of a PLA system in our community college system, and training that adapts quickly to the changing needs of businesses) will, when brought to fruition, have a positive impact in the region. However, we believe that our greatest impact will be in wrangling the “Wild, Wild, West” of credentials. Credentials and credentialing bodies are extremely complicated. To make matters even more challenging, businesses (often in the same area) value different credentials for the same occupation or none at all. A further complication we have uncovered is that sometimes a training provider will offer training that does not result in a credential or one valued by their local businesses. The language on their marketing materials is difficult for the normal community member to understand, and therefore they complete training programs, investing much money, time, and effort, only to discover that the end result will not get them employed. The project’s Curriculum and Instructional Specialist is a tremendous value-add to the work because she researches the credentials and training prior to an individual enrolling in training. She has had to discuss these challenges with the respective training providers, which in itself is challenging. Training providers are required to meet a student-to-teacher ratio, so filling seats is very important to them. Our project, on the other hand, is not a training program. We are a systems-building project. While we do feel the pressure to serve the designated numbers (and there’s no doubt in our minds that we’ll reach those outcomes), our primary focus must be on serving the needs of our businesses by supplying them with skilled and qualified workers so they can remain competitive and grow. This focus is challenging to partners because they are used to “programs,” and programs fill seats. We are continuing to work on many fronts to help shift the paradigm. Middle-Skilled Occupations: Another crucial uncovering is that many credentials leading to middle-skilled jobs require experience for individuals to be eligible to take the examination for an industry recognized credential. This revelation has caused us to question—and therefore challenge—you, Department of Labor, in how you have allocated the funding (maximum of 25% for incumbent workers). We believe that if we are to truly work toward resolution of the “Middle-Skill Crises in America,” then we need to think hard about how we allocate our resources. Taking the approach to “Upskill and Backfill” will most likely result in outcomes we are striving to achieve. Most federal and state grant programs focus on serving hard-to-serve, disadvantaged populations who rarely have work experience. These individuals, therefore, can rarely move from training into a middle-skilled position, and completing training can often be a long-term investment. Our current workforce are the ones who are qualified and ready to skill-up, become credentialed in the highly technical fields, and move into those occupations. If we upskill the current workforce so they can take the middle-skilled jobs, then entry-level job openings would be available for the hard-to-serve populations. Proportionately speaking, if we’re serious about solving this crises in our country, then funding should reflect 75% Incumbent and 25% Un/Underemployed.


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Grant Success Stories: Skills-Gap Training Needs: Our project has approached partners in the region with the emphasis on filling the gaps that exist so people can become credentialed for employment in one of our middle-skilled occupations. There is much investment in training—from WIOA to Student Loans—so investment in traditional training is sometimes not what is needed. We are beginning to uncover gaps in moving from training to industry credentials valued by businesses. Individuals complete one- and two-year programs at community colleges but do not have funding to prepare for specific exam preparation programs and the credential, licensing, background checks, uniforms, tools, etc. that are needed for employment in our specified middle-skilled occupations. Filling this gap and need with our funding is being seen as a tremendous value-add in the region. Income Eligibility: Because we do not require low-income status to be eligible for our project, the door is open for working adults who need financial assistance to advance in their job (or seek employment in a middle-skilled job in another industry). Feedback we have received from the community has been favorable, represented by the statement, “We’ve needed something like this for years!” Participant Success Stories: Two students in WDA 2 have passed their first coding exam and attained the level of Apprentice. They are continuing with their training to become fully certified coders, which will allow them to remove the Apprentice status from their certification. Problems, delays, or adverse conditions: None Favorable developments: We are hopeful that the B2B Engage database will eliminate the need for business and participant data to be reported monthly in the project’s Monthly Report form. This practice will allow staff to spend less time on accounting and more time on reflection and analysis.

Section X. Additional Information

Other information: Information technology knowledge continues to be a key factor in streamlining processes in an efficient manner for the benefit of all involved partners. It would be helpful to have a dedicated IT staff person to troubleshoot the issues. Research is needed to either dispel or validate the assumption that online training is not as effective as traditional brick and mortar training. Specific outcomes: We have no other outcomes included in the SOW that are not reflected in the Q2 Narrative Report.

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