Five Year Plan under the Workforce Investment Act

Executive Summary

Overview

In 1998 Congress passed the Workforce Invest Act (WIA), which replaces the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), and re-authorizes federal literacy, adult education, and vocational education programs. The Act also amends federal vocational education and employment service programs to require coordination between programs and mandates coordination of planning and public access across a wide range of federally-funded efforts. It also emphasizes a “work first” approach with training as a secondary strategy to immediate job placement. The overall goal of this new federal employment and training legislation is to improve the employability of the United States workforce.

The five year plan for implementing the Workforce Investment Act in Weld County is available in local libraries in various Weld County communities, at Employment Services of Weld County, 1551 North 17th Avenue, and the Fort Lupton Employment Services’ office at 330 Park Avenue (open each Wednesday). If you would like to review the entire plan, drop by any of these locations.

The following is a summary of Employment Services’ (the Department) one stop delivery system, and a description of the programs and services available to job seekers and employers. Please contact us at 970-353-3800 or our web site @www.eswc.org if you have any questions or comments.

Local Planning and Labor Market Analysis C Section A

This section provides an analysis of the workforce investment needs of businesses, job seekers, and workers in the Weld County labor market area over the next five years. The current and projected employment opportunities and job skills needed to obtain employment and inter-regional workforce planning currently taking place or anticipated is described.

Local One Stop Service Delivery System C Section B

This section describes the One Stop Delivery System in Weld County. The Board of Weld County Commissioners administers its employment and training programs through the Weld County Division of Human Services. Employment and training programs are delivered through Employment Services of Weld County, a major department under the Division of Human Services.

The Board of Weld County Commissioners and the Weld County Workforce Development Board continue to support a single delivery system which results in both cost efficiency and a customer responsive structure for job seekers and employers.

The Department is an integrated system offering as many employment and training programs and services as feasible. The major integrated programs administered under the one stop concept are WIA programs for adults, dislocated worker and youth, basic labor exchange under the Wagner-Peyser Act, Welfare to Work, Americorp, Youth Crime Prevention and Intervention program and other employment, training and support programs. Through an agreement with the Department of Social Services, Employment Services of Weld County also administers the employment, training, and related support activities for the Colorado Works in Weld County Program (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and the Employment First Food Stamp Job Search Program.

The Department is a customer focused system which provides customer choice and is viewed as a place where customers choose how and where to get information, assessments, education, and training. Through the operation of the basic labor exchange, job seekers and employers can obtain information regarding regional and statewide job placement services. Customers are also able to access national job placement and labor market information through the use of technology.

WIA specifies government programs that are partners in the one stop system. The WIA legislation encourages a seamless service delivery system for individuals seeking workforce development services by linking the One Stop partners in the delivery system. The overall intent is to provide universal access to core services with the resources of each partner being used to provide services to individuals who are eligible under partner programs. All workforce partners support easy access and comprehensive services to the customer. In Weld County, Memoranda of Understanding are being entered into with partner agencies including Right to Read, Rocky Mountain SER, Green Thumb, Aims Community College, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Job Corps.

Under the Workforce Investment Act, there are three levels of service available to customers accessing workforce development information and programs. The Department has structured these levels in the following manner:

Tier 1: Information which can be accessed directly by the customer through the use of technology, including the core services which occur at the agency level. Some of these core services are basic labor exchange (job placement, job referrals, job orders, and employment counseling), initial assessment, labor market information, etc.

Tier 2: Services which identify obstacles to employment and the development of individual employment plans, career planning, basic skills preparation, etc.

Tier 3: Training Services to assist individuals with obtaining the skills necessary to obtain and retain employment include On-the Job Training contracts or training vouchers. Training vouchers help cover costs for training programs at approved schools.

Adult and Dislocated Worker Activities C Section C

This section describes the services available to adults and dislocated workers including the various core, intensive, training, and supportive services. It also describes how the Department’s One Stop Center considers the needs of various target groups.

Youth Activities C Section D

This section describes the Department’s One Stop Center’s strategy for providing comprehensive services to eligible youth and includes a description of the various service activities.

Performance Measures and Outcomes C Section E

This section describes the local WIA performance levels and those performance levels established for other programs operated by the Department.

Administrative C Section F

This section identifies the fiscal agent and the process used by the Weld County Workforce Development Board to provide businesses and labor organizations the opportunity to input into the development of the plan.

Wagner-Peyser Activities C Section G

This section describes the outcomes expected for the basic labor exchange activities operated by the Department and the Veterans’ services and outcomes for the next five years.