Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

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2 Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan 1.1 Provide the following: A. A reference name for the planning region; B. Identification of the local workforce development areas that comprise the planning region; C. Identification of the county(s) each local workforce development area serves; D. Identification of the key planning region committee members charged with drafting the regional plan; E. Indication of the local workforce development area each committee member is associated with; and F. A list of key planning region committee meeting date(s). [WIOA Sec. 106(a) and (c)] A. Southeast Workforce Planning Region B. The Southeast Workforce Planning Region is comprised of six local workforce development areas: Berks County Workforce Development Board Bucks County Workforce Development Board Chester County Workforce Development Board Delaware County Workforce Development Board Montgomery County Workforce Development Board Philadelphia Workforce Development Area C. The region services six counties/city: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties City and County of Philadelphia D. & E. The regional planning committee responsible for drafting the regional plan included: Berks County: Bucks County: Chester County: Delaware County: Montgomery County: City of Philadelphia: Dan Fogarty Elizabeth Walsh Pat Bokovitz Frank Carey Jennifer Butler Mark Edwards and Meg Shope Koppel F. Key planning region committee dates: February 19, 2016 Kickoff meeting, including board chairs April 15, 2016 Draft discussion April 25, 2016 Draft plan review with WDB Directors Page 1 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

3 May 26, 2016 Meeting with WDB Chairs and WDB Directors 1.2 Provide a labor market and economic analysis of the workforce development planning region. This regional analysis must include: A. The economic conditions; B. Labor force employment and unemployment data; C. Information on labor market trends; D. Workforce development activities; E. The educational and skill levels of the workforce, including individuals with barriers; and F. The development and implementation of sector initiatives for existing and emerging indemand industry sectors or occupations for the region. Indicate the sources of regional labor market and economic data. [WIOA Sec. 106(c)] Regional Overview The region is home to nearly 4,493,274 residents, which represents 35.1% of Pennsylvania s population. A little more than one-third (34.7%) of the region s population resides in City of Philadelphia, followed by Montgomery (18.2%), Bucks (13.9%), Delaware (12.5%), Chester (11.4%) and Berks (9.2%). Local Area Local Population Percent of Regional Total Berks 413, % Bucks 626, % Chester 512, % Delaware 562, % The region is an economic driver for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Montgomery 816, % While labor force participation rates Philadelphia 1,560, % have increased, the Southeast Pennsylvania region faces an TOTAL 4,493, % interesting labor market. The region possesses a lower unemployment rate than the Commonwealth with some counties having among the lowest with all counties having a dramatic decrease from their height during the recent recession of Page 2 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

4 Local Area Unemployment Rate (Maximum) Unemployment Rate (March, 2016) Berks 9.3% 5.0% Bucks 8.0% 4.7% Chester 8.7% 3.8% Delaware 8.4% 4.8% Montgomery 8.7% 4.2% Philadelphia 8.7% 6.7% Pennsylvania 5.5% Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics and Center for Workforce Information and Major industry sectors in the region include but are not limited to Advanced Manufacturing, Agriculture, Bio-medicine, Building and Construction, Business Services, Education, Health Care, Hospitality, Logistics, Real Estate & Finance, and Wood Clusters. The concentration of these clusters varies throughout the region with some areas, such as Berks, having a higher concentration of manufacturing than other counties. Based upon jobs by NAICS industry cluster, the largest industry cluster is Health Care and Social Assistance followed by Retail Trade, then Educational Services. These amounts will vary across the region and reflect the alignment of resources and implementation of sector strategies. The workforce development activities throughout the region are a mix of career and training services Jobs by NAICS Industry Sector Count Share Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 6, % Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 1, % Utilities 10, % Construction 72, % Manufacturing 152, % Wholesale Trade 83, % Retail Trade 192, % Transportation and Warehousing 62, % Information 37, % Finance and Insurance 114, % Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 25, % Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 159, % Management of Companies and Enterprises 49, % Administration & Support, Waste Management and Remediation 105, % Educational Services 175, % Health Care and Social Assistance 328, % Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 25, % Accommodation and Food Services 126, % Other Services (excluding Public Administration) 63, % Public Administration 69, % TOTAL 1,863,278 reflecting the local context of the individual labor markets while also responding to the regional economic development and sector industry demands. The key to past and continued success is that in many cases, job seeker solutions are best convened at the county level with Page 3 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

5 human services, community college, community based organizations, and other workforcerelated solutions accessed on a county basis. Each local transitional plan articulates specific examples of those workforce development activities. The six Workforce Development Boards recognize that in order to respond to regional economic development and industry needs, to coordinate grant activities across county lines and to provide services to those individuals that may enter a neighboring PA CareerLink center, there is a need for consistency of services. This is also an opportunity to share effective practices, build resources across the region and, in accordance with the Governor s priorities, effectively share data and information. As part of this regional transitional plan, the Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Board Directors will regularly share effective practices and utilize their monthly meetings to coordinate, collaborate and ultimately integrate activities where appropriate. This may include methods such as developing shared practices such as career pathways, core partner procedures, and common credentials attainment (especially around micro-credentials). Additional potential policy areas that support improving workforce development activities may be considered including a review of ITA and OJT policies, shared monitoring, and incumbent worker policies. Ensuring staff are consistently applying these efforts, common professional development, including PA CareerLink manager professional development, will be considered. Education of staff in all counties about special projects and initiatives will provide the greatest impact of the dollars drawn to the region. Educational skill levels of individuals in southeast Pennsylvania compare favorably to the Commonwealth. For those individuals over 25, the Southeast Pennsylvania has a higher percentage of individuals with an Associate s Degree with or higher at 40.6% compared to Pennsylvania at 35.8%. The region has a significantly higher percentage of individuals with education beyond high school with 57.3% (almost 6 out of 10) compared to Pennsylvania at 52.2%. Page 4 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

6 Educational Attaintment Level of Population 25 and Older 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 3.9% 3.6% Less than 9th grade 7.7% 7.4% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 31.1% 36.8% High school graduate 16.7% 16.4% Some college, no degree 6.4% 7.7% Associate's degree 20.2% 17.1% Bachelor's degree 14.1% 11.0% Graduate or professional degree Southeast Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Source: US Census Bureau, 2014 These education levels vary significantly across the region, also. Demonstrating the need to understand local context, Philadelphia and Berks have the highest workforce levels of those individuals with less than a 9 th grade education, therefore, given the demographics of each county, they require distinct local responses. Educational Attainment by Local Area for Population Age 25 and Above Educational Attainment Level Berks Bucks Chester Delaware Montgomery Philadelphia Region Less than 9th grade 5.9% 1.8% 3.1% 2.6% 2.2% 6.1% 3.9% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 9.6% 4.7% 4.1% 5.5% 4.3% 12.4% 7.7% High school graduate 38.7% 31.3% 23.7% 32.1% 24.9% 34.4% 31.1% Some college, no degree 15.6% 18.3% 14.4% 17.1% 15.7% 17.4% 16.7% Associate's degree 7.5% 7.4% 5.9% 7.3% 6.7% 5.2% 6.4% Bachelor's degree 14.8% 22.3% 29.3% 20.8% 26.1% 14.2% 20.2% Graduate or professional degree 7.9% 14.2% 19.5% 14.7% 20.1% 10.3% 14.1% Source: US Census Bureau Another significant consideration is the high percentage of individuals with some college and no degree. With 16.7% of the individuals possessing this foundation of post-secondary education, this is an area of review and discussion among the Workforce Development Boards. In keeping with Governor Wolf s priority of increasing college degree and credential attainment, increasing integration between workforce development and post-secondary education, and better use of and sharing of data and information, this will be an area of consideration for Southeast Pennsylvania. Page 5 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

7 Sector initiatives have been and will continue to be a priority for Southeast Pennsylvania. As noted in Sections 1.4 and 1.9, the region has a long and successful history of various and innovative sector initiatives. The Boards will continue to pursue these initiatives, often done regionally, to best serve the sectors. In many situations, the companies comprising the priority sectors, such as health care, manufacturing, and agriculture, recruit and hire workers across the region. This requires sector solutions that are multi-county and regional. This integrates well with the more county based job seeker solutions. The Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Development Boards will continue to pursue and engage regional solutions with both existing and emerging sectors. 1.3 Based upon the regional labor market and economic condition analysis as described in Appendix A s element 1.2 and Pennsylvania s Workforce Development Plan (PY 2016 PY 2019), describe the planning region s economic and workforce development oriented vision and strategic goals. [WIOA Sec. 106(c) and Sec. 107(d)] The Workforce Development Board partners of the Southeast Pennsylvania region have a long history of working together to achieve maximum collective impact in producing a highly-skilled workforce available to existing and prospective employers on a regional basis. The partners embrace the vision of the Governor s Combined State Plan that sets a framework for multiple levels of government working efficiently and in concert toward shared goals ( government that works ), expanding the education and training routes that lead to skills documentation valued by employers ( schools that teach ), and the transition to higher wage jobs tied to higher skills in the workforce through stronger alignment of economic development and workforce development actions ( jobs that pay ). The partners enthusiastically support advancement of a state system built on two bedrock principles where Pennsylvania has been a national leader in creating best practices for the national workforce development system: sector-based planning through industry partnerships, apprenticeships programs, and other employer-led training programs with coalitions tied to groupings of engaged employers not county or regional boundaries; and career pathways as the language of the education and training system that constantly focuses on employment goals while allowing for the flexibility of multiple on-ramps and off-ramps. A solid base for planning and action was created in 2015 by the Workforce Boards and economic development partners of the Southeast Partnership for Regional Economic Performance (SE PREP). The Southeast Pennsylvania partners used a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry as an opportunity to enhance regional, cross-sector collaboration by bringing together the region s 5 Small Business Development Centers, 2 Industrial Resource Centers, 6 Economic Development Organizations, and 6 Workforce Investment Boards to address regional priorities and to establish a foundation for further collaboration. After nearly a year of collaboratively implementing the initiatives funded under the grant, the partners engaged an economic development consulting organization, Camoin Associates, to facilitate a strategic planning process and to develop a strategic plan for the region. As a result of the process, which Page 6 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

8 included review of multiple existing plans in the region, the partners identified several common regional workforce challenges and opportunities and developed strategies that built on existing organizations, plans, and relationships. The major regional challenges identified were: Addressing the aging workforce Engaging youth Coordinating employer needs with education and training programs in the region Job creation through small business development Developing a sustained and coordinated outreach and public relations campaign. To address the challenges seven primary strategies were developed. The strategies recognize the funding limitations and uncertainties of the partners, but serve as a framework for joint action for the multiple workforce development boards in the region and for collaboration with economic development and education partners prioritizing the use of existing funds and in acquiring additional resources. The table that follows shows the seven strategies, the alignment with the five broad goals of the Pennsylvania Combined Workforce Development Plan, and the goals to be pursued by the five Workforce Development Board partners in Southeast Pennsylvania in the upcoming year. SE PA Regional Strategies (2015 SE PREP Plan) 1. Enhance partner awareness of resources, priorities and initiatives 2. Identify New Funding Opportunities Alignment with PA Plan (Combined WIOA Plan) Strengthen data sharing across agencies to create better understanding and to better target new initiatives Expand public-private investment in the development of existing & emerging workers SE PA 2016 Goals (SE PA Regional WIOA Plan) Leverage existing resources of service strategies & curricula Create framework for region-wide sharing of information among PA CareerLink staff, including meetings for all PA CareerLink Managers in region Expand train-the-trainer opportunities that service staff from multiple areas can attend Acquire additional public & private funding via varied coalitions of local areas to address highpriority needs Page 7 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

9 3. Develop Partnership Framework for Ongoing Collaboration 4. Develop a Sustained Outreach Campaign for Job Seekers and Employers 5. Engage Employers Collaboratively 6. Facilitate Employer & Education Connectivity, including increasing opportunities for youth to participate in work-based learning. 7. Raise Awareness of Indemand Skills & Occupations among Stakeholders Engage employers via sector strategies (demand-side clarity) and connect education/training via career pathways (supply-side responsiveness) Present clear message to the public & employers through better alignment of state, regional & local plans Engage employers via targeted industry sectors such as Industry Partnerships & WEDnet PA Establish career pathways as primary model for credentials attainment Develop multi-employer partnerships to improve the connection & responsiveness of workforce programs Strengthen data sharing related to specific skills needed, along with best practices for developing the skills Coordinate service approaches for key employer programs (OJT, incumbent worker training) to make them more user-friendly for employer customers Share resources for public & employer awareness of programs & services Develop career awareness messages that can be used by all workforce areas, with emphasis on array of pathways for young adults Establish quarterly meetings of all regional Workforce Board chairs; use meetings as venue for connecting to regional economic development groups & industry sector leaders/associations Promote Career Pathways as language of the system & connection for education & training to employers Expand sector-based employer engagement via Industry Partnerships, apprenticeships, and other programs Create regional framework for creating microcredentials and positioning of credentials on Career Pathways Page 8 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

10 1.4 Describe regional strategies used to facilitate engagement of businesses and other employers, including small employers and in-demand industry sector occupations. Describe methods and services to support the regional workforce system in meeting employer needs. [WIOA Sec. 106(c)] The Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Development region s economic and workforce development vision and goals are based upon regional economic development efforts and common needs of the priority clusters, their employers and their critical skill needs. The region has a strong and successful history of collaborating on regional economic and workforce development efforts for many years. The regional economic development and business engagement strategies are often regional with employers and sectors crossing local workforce development areas geographic designations in order to obtain their needed skilled labor force. In response to the regional needs of employers, the six local workforce development board directors have a successful history of meeting regularly to develop programs, apply for funds, and implement regional efforts to address the needs of employers across the region. These partnerships for program implementation will be in direct response to the employer needs and consequently may be a full partnership of all six organizations (with one usually accepting the lead role) or could be fewer than all six depending upon the locations of employers, type of industry, funds available and other factors. Examples of these programs include the AgConnect Partnership, Innovative Technology Action Group (itag), the Smart Energy Initiative of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia Business Education Career Awareness Project to name a few. These program examples represent responses to various industry clusters throughout the region and complement the local workforce development area efforts. Recently, the six local areas participated in a regional Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce and Economic Development collaboration project with their PREP partners. This project, funded with Jobs 1 st funding initiative, helped identify priority efforts, implement successful pilot and other needed programs and enhance collaboration among workforce and economic development partners. This helped identify a successful framework for regional collaboration, however, there are no funds to continue this specific project. To continue the momentum established by the Jobs 1 st project, the six local workforce development boards will continue to emphasize and respond to the demands of employers throughout the region. To implement this, the Board Directors will continue to meet monthly and convene with their Workforce Development Board Chairs quarterly. These meetings will focus on improving the services to employers, industry clusters and skills sets necessary and in demand to complement and support local county-based efforts. The Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Development Region, as part of their transitional plan, Page 9 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

11 will discuss and consider the following topics (and others) as part of the quarterly meetings: ü Acquiring grants the region has a successful history of acquiring grant funds to address critical regional needs and will continue to explore these opportunities as a region. ü Leveraging existing resources in order to better serve employers, intermediaries, jobs seekers and others, the sharing of resources (such as curricula and service strategies), recruitment needed for skill needs in high demand for the region s employers, and other related data and information. ü Incumbent worker policies consider reviewing and developing consistent incumbent worker policies to best serve the region s employers. ü Core partner procedures consider development of protocols with partners such as OVR, Wagner-Peyser and Title II to better and more consistently serve employers and job seekers. ü Train-the-Trainer development of training packages in venues where staff can access this training including improved employer engagement and business service strategies. ü Review local employer engagement strategies one of the opportunities is to improve consistency, performance and services to employers throughout the region by reviewing and sharing effective practices related to employer engagement strategies. As part of the transitional plan, the Directors will continue to reach out to the lead sectors throughout the region, work with intermediaries (such as Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development Organizations) both locally and regionally, and share labor market information in order to continually serve employers as effectively as possible. 1.6 Describe how the planning region will define and establish administrative cost arrangements, including the pooling of funds for administrative costs, as appropriate, for the region. [WIOA Sec. 106(c)] The Southeast Workforce Planning Region has a long successful history of sharing resources. For many years, the Workforce Development Areas shared funds to employ a Regional Coordinator to address regional needs related to common job seeker and employer programs. Based upon experience, the six areas will use the groundwork from this past experience as a basis for sharing resources. In this case, the local areas employed evenly shared expenses based upon an equal division of the total costs shared equally among the various areas. Based upon the scope of work this was an appropriate method for sharing costs. The Southeast Planning Region has experience working collaboratively with administering Industry Sector, Partnerships, special workforce initiatives, and most recently the Jobs 1 st PREP Region Grant. These programs are based upon employer or job seeker priorities and the local areas have learned through this process to regionally prioritize activities to reflect these priorities with an eye toward a more regional impact. Toward that end, the six local areas will pursue funding streams, address economic development efforts, explore cost-sharing and cost-saving initiatives through local, regional, national, philanthropic and other funds as appropriate. The Page 10 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

12 specific determinations related to defining and establishing appropriate allocation of costs will be determined on a case by case basis. Should this not be appropriate in the future then the local areas will agree upon a comparable formula to allocate funds. This could be based upon allowable methods based upon Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Office of Management and Budget Circular, or similar guidance that is most efficient and effective for the circumstance. Every effort will be made with the interest of the efficient shepherding of public resources. 1.8 Outline regional transportation issues related to workforce development and ways the region will address needs identified. Include a description and/or map of the regional commuting patterns. [WIOA Sec. 106(c)] Transportation is a critical factor to the success of an individual receiving education and training, getting to and from work, and a key success factor toward obtaining and keeping a job. This is particularly true for those individuals with barriers to employment including but not limited to ex-offenders now more commonly known as returning citizens, persons with disabilities, TANF recipients, veterans, and others. Additionally, many of the priority sector jobs available, such as health care, manufacturing, Local Area Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Areas Means of Transportation to Work Drive Alone Car Pool Public Transportation Other Berks 80.3% 10.7% 1.5% 7.5% Bucks 81.6% 8.2% 3.0% 7.2% Chester 77.7% 8.3% 3.0% 11.0% Delaware 74.4% 6.7% 10.5% 8.4% Montgomery 77.9% 7.1% 5.5% 9.5% Philadelphia 50.6% 8.3% 26.8% 14.3% Source: American Fact Finder, US Census Bureau, 2014 agriculture, retail sales, and management occupations require non-traditional working hours including evenings and weekend work. Managing these challenges while also including additional needs such as child care, further education, and other activities further amplifies the need of reliable transportation. In Southeast Pennsylvania, most people drive alone to work; 50.6% of those in Philadelphia and approximately 76.8% in the suburban counties do just that. Additional but much smaller percentages of individuals car pool, take public transportation, walk or work at home. This clearly demonstrates that reliable transportation and most likely ownership or use of a vehicle is critical to the long term work success of individuals throughout the region. This is reflected in the regional commuting patterns across the region. The chart below illustrates the means of transportation to work. Based on the American Fact Finder US Census Data, fewer people drive to work in Philadelphia when compared to their neighboring Southeast Pennsylvania counties. Page 11 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

13 As has been stated many times, skill Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Areas sets do not stop at county lines. Economic development and their Comparison of Place of Work vs. Residence employer engagement efforts are often Work Work in the a regional approach by the Southeast Local Area outside the county county Pennsylvania Workforce Development Boards (see Section 1.9). Another way to illustrate that in transportation terms is the commuting across county lines (or in some cases state lines) to get to work. The analysis of the place of work versus the neighboring county or state illustrates a broad commuting pattern Source: American Fact Finder, US Census Bureau, 2014 from suburban Philadelphia counties to Philadelphia while the Berks County labor force mostly works within Berks County. Work outside of PA Berks 74.6% 24.6% 0.8% Bucks 57.3% 28.8% 13.9% Chester 64.6% 27.1% 8.4% Delaware 52.4% 40.1% 7.6% Montgomery 63.2% 33.8% 3.0% Philadelphia 75.6% 19.2% 5.2% Southeast Pennsylvania County-to-County Worker Flow Berks Bucks Chester Delaware Montgomery Philadelphia TOTAL SE PA Berks 140, , , ,806 Bucks ,090 1,133 2,060 23,722 23, ,928 Chester 5,596 3, ,678 18,504 25,006 7, ,630 Delaware 505 2,754 17, ,988 11,758 21, ,677 Montgomery 12,727 48,414 25,673 28, ,619 59, ,547 Philadelphia ,892 10,586 48,151 54, , ,574 Other PA 15,270 5,574 5,107 1,399 3,976 3,114 34,440 Other USA 1,526 43,475 18,106 17,348 10,794 23, ,782 Other Int ,012 Total 177, , , , , ,761 1,903,396 Source: US Census County-to-County Worker Flow Files 2000 Comparing where a person s permanent residence is located versus where they work is also a manner of identifying commuting patterns. The vast majority of individuals work within their home county or contiguous county. Clearly a large number of residents in counties contiguous to Philadelphia are commuting to Philadelphia. The chart below shows the county of residents versus where persons are working. Page 12 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

14 All local workforce development areas in Southeast Pennsylvania have a majority of employed residents in their counties working within their counties. On average two out of three workers work within their county of residence with Berks having a high of 79.2% (almost 8 out of 10) and Delaware being the lowest at 54.3% but closely followed by Bucks County at 55.3%. One of the significant issues for transportation planning for both individual commuting and public transportation is the level of employment in Philadelphia versus the other Southeast Pennsylvania counties. While Philadelphia does have a significant draw of residents employed in the city from neighboring Southeast PA counties, the level varies significantly largely due to geography. Public transit has been and will continue to be a vital component of community life throughout much of Southeast Pennsylvania. Southeast Pennsylvania is fortunate to have an extensive public transportation system with the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) serving the region. While the SEPTA map below (from their website) shows the transportation venues throughout the Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Development Area region, the use of public transportation varies within the counties. For example, Philadelphia has the highest percentage of individuals using public transportation at 27% with 11% in Delaware County and 4% in the remaining counties. As can be seen from the SEPTA map of their routes, the services of SEPTA are concentrated in Philadelphia and Delaware County with limited services to other counties (and also neighboring states in some cases). While SEPTA is the sole provider in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties, the other counties have various local or county-based public transportation that complements SEPTA services or addresses various county needs. Page 13 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

15 Source: The Job Access/ Reverse Commute (JARC) program funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) was established to address the unique transportation challenges faced by welfare recipients and low-income persons seeking to obtain and maintain employment. The JARC funding was used by SEPTA to provide additional service to passengers at times when regular transit operations would not be justified, such as the late evening, early morning, and on Sundays. Many low-income workers and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients in the region, particularly Philadelphia and neighboring counties rely on transit in order to work night shifts and on weekends. All this being noted, the Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Development Area works diligently to link with public transportation including ensuring that the PA CareerLink centers and major contractors are on public transportation routes wherever possible. The Boards also work closely with employers and their sectors to address transportation issues. Page 14 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

16 1.9 Describe strategies and services the planning region will employ to coordinate workforce development programs/services with regional economic development services and providers. [WIOA Sec. 106(c)] While all of the local workforce development boards in the Southeast Pennsylvania region maintain strong connections with their multiple local economic development organizations and chambers of commerce, as described in each local plan, the primary forum for connecting workforce development and economic development goals and services at the regional level has been the Southeast Pennsylvania Partnership for Regional Economic Performance (SE PREP). In 2015 the core partners of SE PREP brought together the region s 6 county-based economic development organizations, 6 workforce boards, 5 small business development centers, and 2 industrial resource centers to address regional priorities, establish a foundation for ongoing collaboration, and create strategic goals to guide the individual strategies and tactics of each participating organization. The plan that resulted from the process focuses on the intersection of interests, challenges, and opportunities of the partners. The plan does not supersede any other plans but rather provides an overarching framework to focus on the core issue of primary interest to the Southeast Pennsylvania partners creating a more highlyeducated and trained workforce in the region as an enabler of business expansion and attraction. Key strategies from the plan and alignment with the state and regional WIOA plans are shown in Section 1.3. The platform of knowledge and trust among workforce development organizations and economic development organizations in the region has resulted, and will continue to result, in quick concerted action to respond to needs and seize opportunities. Coalitions in various geographic configurations provide customized approaches to address key issues, all under the regional SE PREP platform that is used to share information, expand and replicate successful models, and assess overall regional impact on employer and job seeker customers. This process allows for flexibility and speed in crafting solutions and in sharing leadership on key initiatives, while maintaining focus on regional impact of the collective efforts. Shown below are examples of such coalitions that are serving to advance workforce skills in the region: American Apprenticeship Grant Purpose/Goals: Build new apprenticeship structures and pipelines in the region, specifically creating an IT apprenticeship enrolling 170 trainees and a Behavioral Health Technician apprenticeship enrolling 140 trainees. Leverage other funding sources to build and maintain pre-apprenticeship feeder programs. Create visibility for apprenticeship structures in the region to stimulate the growth of apprenticeships in other occupations. Timeline: 5 years beginning December 2015 Key Partners: Philadelphia Workforce Development Board, Philadelphia School District, Communities in Schools, Youth Build, Job Corps, District 1199C Training & Upgrading Page 15 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

17 Fund, OIC, PHA Coordinating Partner: Philadelphia Works Business-Education Partnership Grant Purpose/Goals: Raise student awareness of job and career opportunities and skill needed to access them. Increase work-based learning opportunities for youth through increased business sponsorship. Target the needs of special populations. Coordinate the message and engagement strategies for students, parents, teachers, counselors, and employers. Timeline: April 2015 June 2016 Key Partners: Montgomery County and Bucks County Workforce Development Boards and school districts in Montgomery and Bucks Counties Manufacturing Alliance of Bucks & Montgomery Counties Purpose/Goals: Connect manufacturers in the two counties to strengthen and grow the sector. Provide opportunities for increased networking, partnering, and sharing of information. Create and maintain a supply chain website. Raise money to support goals. Provide dedicated staff from the two Workforce Development Boards. Timeline: Ongoing platform Key Partners: Bucks and Montgomery County Workforce Development Boards, manufacturers in both counties Southeastern Regional Workforce Development Partnership Purpose/Goals: Develop training plans and awareness initiatives to ensure a reliable pipeline of talent for the manufacturing sector. Increase employer membership. Support work-based learning for students, including summer internships. Develop a pre-apprenticeship manufacturing program. Develop on-site career coaching models. Map manufacturing career pathways to showcase education/training leading to high wages in the sector. Timeline: Formed in 2007, work is ongoing Key Partners: Workforce Development Boards of Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties, 50+ employers, School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Youth Network, regional/local economic development agencies, labor organizations, faith-based organizations Southeast PA Region Workforce/Economic Development Collaborative: PA JOBS1st Grant Purpose/Goals: Build a sustainable public/private partnership in Southeast PA to provide comprehensive and integrated workforce and economic development services. Address labor shortages facing manufacturers in Southeast PA through training and aggressive career Page 16 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

18 awareness and pipeline development campaigns. Timeline: Ongoing platform (built with grant from July 2014 to July 2015) Key Partners: Southeast PA PREP Partners, Workforce Development Boards of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties Workforce Innovation Fund (WIF) Grant: Micro-Credentials for Target Populations Purpose/Goals: Develop micro-credentials in the successful 12-week metalworking training program of the college. Serve four cohorts of ten students each. Target new populations and engage community partners in recruitment and preparation. Timeline: October 2015 September 2019 Key Partners: Bucks County Community College, Bucks County Workforce Development Board Workforce Innovation Fund Grant: High Priority Occupations Purpose/Goals: Embed micro-credentials in two new and two existing career certificate programs in the healthcare and manufacturing sectors. Focus on attracting dislocated workers, with special emphasis on long-term unemployed job seekers. Provide intensive, individualize career coaching for trainees to ensure training and job placement success. Timeline: October 2015 September 2019 Key Partners: Montgomery County Community College, Montgomery County Workforce Development Board Sector Partnership National Dislocated Worker Grant Purpose/Goals: Train 54 dislocated workers in High Priority Occupations in the Nursing, Biotechnology and Bio-manufacturing sectors. Employ a Career Pathways framework. Connect short-term training to 2-year and 4-year degree programs. Timeline: July 2015 June 2017 Key Partners: Southeast PA regional community college and workforce development boards Southeast Pennsylvania Defense Transition Collaborative Purpose/Goals: Assist distressed employers, adversely impacted by defense spending cuts, in the supply chain of major Department of Defense vendors. Create marketing and diversification plans to improve business outcomes for these employers. Connect employers to other potential markets. Timeline: November 2015 November 2017 Key Partners: Workforce development boards and economic development entities in Southeast PA region plus Lehigh and Northampton Counties Page 17 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

19 Philadelphia Business Education Career Awareness Project Purpose/Goals: Create pathways programs in manufacturing sector for year old students and young adults. Provide career awareness and internship opportunities for over 300 youth. Enhance career awareness through real-time labor market information and mapping of pathways. Timeline: June 2015 June 2016 Key Partners: School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Youth Network, Collegiate Consortium, Office of Career & Technical Education, Industry Advisory Committee, Manufacturing Alliance of Philadelphia, Southeast Regional Workforce Development Industry Partnership AgConnect Partnership Purpose/Goals: Connect farmers, to business resources, training, and financing to grow businesses and promote smart, sustainable agricultural economic development. Promote agriculture as a viable career option for students. Support training and financing programs to advance the sector, acquiring grants to assist. Timeline: Ongoing Industry Partnership (since 2000) Key Partners: Initiative of the Chester County Economic Development Council with partner support from Southeast PA workforce development boards, PA Department of Community and Economic Development, PA Department of Labor and Industry Innovation Technology Action Group (ITAG) Purpose/Goals: Develop programs and workshops for individuals and companies, promoting the latest technology and best practices in using it. Create a pipeline of qualified technicallytrained workers. Host an annual Tech Summit conference for IT leaders to share knowledge and experiences on leading trends impacting business. Timeline: Ongoing Industry Partnership (since 2009) Key Partners: Workforce Development Boards of Bucks and Chester Counties Given the size, diversity, and complexity of the broader Southeast PA region that includes over 1/3 of the commonwealth s population, the approach of sponsorship of initiatives by varying combinations of geographic and industry partners has served the region well. Many of these efforts, as shown above, are ongoing and funded for multiple years. As such, they lay the foundation for region-wide sharing of knowledge and best practices and spawning new initiatives that can be expanded and replicated as needed. Page 18 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

20 1.10 Describe how the planning region will establish an agreement concerning how the planning region will collectively negotiate and reach agreement with the Department on local levels of performance for, and report on, the performance accountability measures described in WIOA Section 116(c), for local areas and the planning region. [WIOA Sec. 106(c)] Note: The Department, the local board and the CEO reach agreement on local targets and levels based on the negotiation process before the start of each program year. While the CEO remains ultimately responsible for ensuring the local area meets or exceeds such local targets and levels, performance negotiations must be coordinated regionally, requiring each planning region to establish an agreement describing how the region will collectively negotiate performance goals with the Department. [proposed 20 CFR (b) and (c)] and [proposed 20 CFR (a)(2)] The Southeast Workforce Planning Region recognizes the value and importance of performance measures related to effective performance outcomes. These measures have many intended and unintended consequences for the entire public workforce system including the job seekers, employers and various agencies and intermediary organizations that help align services based on satisfactory performance outcomes. The local areas will review and analyze the local performance measures negotiated for the six local areas and based upon those results will then utilize this information and negotiation experience to collectively address the regional performance levels. Since the system is awaiting guidance on these measures (and on still to be determined additional state measures and employer measure(s)), the Southeast Workforce Planning Region will then identify the process to collectively address these outcomes. During this initial transition year for WIOA outcome measures, each local board will report on and discuss these performance measures, address any potential or anticipated concerns that arise and support each local area as appropriate Describe how the planning region will connect any regionally targeted populations to occupational demands, especially individuals with barriers to employment. [proposed 20 CFR (b)] The Southeast Workforce Development Region has significant regional populations in need of services and skills to meet the need of the region s sector employment needs. Each local workforce area has their priorities for serving target groups in their area. During Program Year 2015, through Job 1 st funds contracted with Camoin Associates to produce a report titled Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce-Economic Development Collaboration Strategy identified the aging workforce and youth engagement as regional target populations. Page 19 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

21 Additional regional labor market analysis then expands the regionally targeted populations to include veterans, returning citizens, low-income individuals, low educational attainment individuals, persons with disabilities and limited English proficiency. This list of targeted populations will be regularly reviewed and updated to determine any gaps or services necessary. Additionally, each local area has spent extensive time and research documenting, reaching out, and serving to the best of their abilities many targeted populations, as identified in their respective local plans. With a region as large, extensive and diverse as the six local workforce areas comprising Southeast Pennsylvania, the regionally identified target groups could comprise sub-group of areas or the entire region. The Workforce Board Directors will continue to explore these areas as part of their monthly meetings. The Directors will also work in the context of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Commonwealth s Combined Plan, and other significant stakeholders in reaching out to identify and address ongoing target population needs. As appropriate, they will work closely with local organizations and agencies that have a keen and in depth understanding of the critical challenges and opportunities in addressing these target populations. Please see Addendum A for comments received on the regional plan. All comments are based on references already included in the regional plan. Please see Addendum B for Southeast Pennsylvania Workforce Development Region local plans o Berks County o Bucks County o Chester County o Delaware County o Montgomery County o City/County of Philadelphia Page 20 of 20 Southeast PA Workforce Development Region Transitional Regional Plan

22 Appendix B: PY 2016 Transitional Local Plan Template Chester County Local Workforce Development Area Transitional Local Plan WIOA requires each local workforce area to develop a local plan that supports and is submitted as a component of its associated regional plan. The narratives framed in the local plan will include more detailed, actionable plans and objectives, consistent with the local plan s respective regional plan strategic visions and goals. In addressing the elements outlined below, if the local board is not prepared to provide a complete response to a specific element at the time of plan submission, a response must be provided that indicates how the local board plans to fully address that particular element in the multi-year plan. Transitional local plans are not expected to exceed 75 pages. Section 1: Workforce and Economic Analysis... 8 Section 2: Strategic Vision and Goals... 9 Section 3: Local Area Partnerships and Investment Strategies Section 4: Program Design and Evaluation Section 5: Compliance

23 Section 1: Workforce and Economic Analysis Please provide a separate response for each of the elements listed below. 1.1 Provide an analysis of the economic conditions, including existing and emerging in-demand industry sectors and occupations; and the employment needs of employers in those industry sectors and occupations. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(1)(A)] and [proposed 20 CFR (a)] Note: Per WIOA Sec. 108(c), existing economic regional and/or local area analyses may be used if sourced data and/or derived analyses are economically relevant and current (i.e., within two years of the issuance of this guidance). Overall, Chester County is economically healthy, with considerable growth in multiple industries. The following pages will provide detailed information on the current and projected economic conditions in Chester County. Location Quotients provide a preliminary understanding of an area s economy. The Location Quotient (LQ) measures the size of an industry in a specific area in comparison to a much larger area. When the LQ is equal to 1, then the size of the industry in the specific area is relatively equal in proportion to the size of the industry in the larger area. For example, in the table below, the industry Data Processing, Hosting and Related Services has an LQ in Chester County of This means that there is a higher concentration of this industry in Chester County than in the rest of the nation. Conversely, Pennsylvania s LQ for the same industry is 0.8, indicating that Pennsylvania has a lower concentration of this industry in comparison to the rest of the nation, indicating that Chester County serves as a regional center for Data Processing, Hosting and Related Services. The industries with the highest LQs in Chester County, as referenced in the following chart, include; Securities, Commodity Contracts, Investments (6.85), Crop Production (4.54), and Non-Store Retailers (3.82). Each of these industries has a significantly high LQ, which signifies that these industries serve as Chester County s major export industries. The Information Technology (ITAG), Agriculture, and Healthcare Industry Partnerships serve many of the employers contributing to higher Location Quotients within the county. 2

24 Chester County WIA Industry Competitiveness Location Quotient Chester County Location Quotient Pennsylvania Location Quotient Difference Securities, Commodity Contracts, Investments Crop Production Non-Store Retailers Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation Museums, Historical Sites, Zoos, and Parks Management of Companies and Enterprises Chemical Manufacturing Data Processing, Hosting and Related Services Professional and Technical Services Rental and Leasing Services Membership Associations and Organizations Pipeline Transportation Miscellaneous Manufacturing Printing and Related Support Activities Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing Nursing and Residential Care Facilities Agriculture and Forestry Support Activities Couriers and Messengers Personal and Laundry Services Waste Management and Remediation Services Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods Insurance Carriers and Related Activities U.S. Dept. of Labor & Industry, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014 Q3 *Source: PA Department of Labor & Industry, Hiring Trends in Chester County, (April 2015) The table below provides the number of establishments and employees dedicated to each industry in Chester County. The industries with the highest amount of employees were Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, and Professional Scientific & Technical Services. The same three industries also have the three largest quantities of establishments, although not in the same ranking order. Professional Scientific and Technical Services ranks first in having the most establishments, followed by Health Care and Social Assistance, and lastly Retail Trade. Industries in Chester County WIA by Number of Employees Rank Industry Establishments Employees 1 Health Care and Social Assistance 1,789 34,181 2 Retail Trade (44 & 45) 1,484 27,525 3 Professional Scientific & Technical Services 2,465 26,105 4 Manufacturing (31-33) ,047 5 Education Services ,238 6 Finance and Insurance ,951 7 Accommodation and Food Services ,127 8 Wholesale Trade 1,057 11,809 9 Administration, Support, Waste Management, Remediation , Construction 1,395 10,522 *Source: PA Department of Labor and Industry, Industry Employment Distribution, 2 nd Quarter

25 The occupations in Chester County with the highest amount of professionals are listed in the table below. In May 2015, the occupations with the highest amount of professionals were Software Developers (254), Registered Nurses (235) and Heavy Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (205). However, compared to May 2014, the occupations with the highest increase in professionals were Heavy Tractor- Trailer Truck Drives (50), Network and Computer Systems Administrators (45), and Software Developers (27). Chester County WIA Top 15 Occupations Occupation May May Diff. Software Developers, Applications Registered Nurses Heavy Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Accountants Retail Salespersons Computer Systems Analysts First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers Customer Service Representatives Network and Computer Systems Administrators First-Line Supervisors of Office & Administrative Support Workers Marketing Managers Web Developers Social and Human Service Assistants Computer User Support Specialists Information Technology Project Managers *PA Department of Labor and Industry Chester County Workforce Investment Area Fast Facts, June

26 The tables below present the highest demands from employers based on job postings from April Overall, the skills with the highest demand focus primarily on information and technology services, while the highest demand in certifications concentrates more on healthcare and transportation. Knowing these in-demand skills and certifications assist PA CareerLink - Chester County staff to inform job seekers of trainings and skills with a large number of immediate openings. It also assists WDB staff with targeting outreach to training providers for new programming. Chester County WIA Top 10 Skills Help Wanted Online Available Unique Ads 1 Quality Assurance Technical Support Structured Query Language Microsoft SQL Server Java Linux Software Development Customer Relationship Management Quality Control Systems Development Life Cycle 319 *PA Department of Labor and Industry, Chester County Workforce Investment Area Fast Facts, May 2015 Chester County WIA Top 10 Certifications Help Wanted Online Available Unique Ads 1 Driver s License 1,538 6 Occupational Safety & Health Administration Certification Certified Registered Nurse First Aid Certification Commercial Driver s License HAZMAT Certification in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation Basic Life Support Certified Public Accountant Certified in Nursing Administration 191 *PA Department of Labor and Industry Chester County Workforce Investment Area Fast Facts May 2015 In addition to the top skills and certifications requested through online job postings, the following tables list the emerging skills by industry according to surveys by job incumbents. These emerging skills are skills that are not currently represented in the skill set for these occupations. The table below is not exhaustive, and only represents a snapshot of the skills listed for each industry. Emerging Skill Sets by Industry Industry Skill Operate heavy equipment, such as backhoes Construction and Extracting Weld sections of track together, such as points and frogs Perform tests to determine if methane gas is present Teach anesthesiology principles to residents Healthcare and Professional Services Attend continuing education courses to update skills Enter prescription information into computer database Train users on use and function of computer programs Professional and Technical Services Prepare and structure data for warehouses to store data Develop websites. * Source: PA Department of Workforce and Industry, Emerging Skills by Occupational Group, January

27 The industries in Chester County that are projected to have the highest growth rates from 2012 to 2022 according to the PA Department of Labor and Industry are listed in the table below. The three industries with the highest projected growth rate are Employment Services (4.9%), Support Activities for Road Transportation (4.5%), and Specialized Design Services (4.5%). A majority of the industries listed below are considerably large industries in Chester County, as noted in previous tables. Top 10 Industries with the Highest Annual Percent Change Projected in Chester County, WIA Rank Industry Percent Total Change Change 1 Employment Services 3,540 5, % 2,170 2 Support Activities for Road Transportation % 50 3 Specialized Design Services % Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) 930 1, % 490 Hospitals 5 Outpatient Care Centers 1,020 1, % Utility System Construction % Residential Building Construction 1,240 1, % Scientific Research and Development Services 3,010 4, % 1,050 9 Computer Systems Design and Related Services 9,600 12, % 3, Construction of Buildings 2,050 2, % 660 *Source: PA Department of Labor and Industry, Industries by Projected Growth, As of 2015, the projected growth in Professional and Technical Services, Healthcare and Social Assistance, and Construction is coming into fruition, as demonstrated in the table below. Wholesale and Retail Trade, also two large industries in Chester County, experienced significant growth as well. A growing company is defined as a company of at least 10 employees that increases its employment size by at least 10% for four consecutive quarters. This data supports the focus of our Healthcare and Information Technology (ITAG) Industry Partnerships. Industries with Growing Companies in Chester County WIA Industry Number of Growing Companies Professional and Technical Services 17 Health Care and Social Assistance 13 Construction 9 Wholesale Trade 5 Retail Trade 4 *Source: PA Department of Labor and Industry, Chester County Workforce Investment Area Fast Facts, May 2015 As stated previously, Chester County remains economically healthy with considerable growth in several industries such as Professional and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, and Construction. Growth is also projected to takeoff specifically in Employment Services, Support Activities for Road Transportation and Specialized Design Services. 6

28 1.2 Provide an analysis of the knowledge and skills required to meet the employment needs of the employers in the local area, including employment requirements for in-demand industry sectors and occupations. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(1)(B)] and [proposed 20 CFR (a)] Chester County has the highest percentage of population with a bachelor s degree or higher in the state of Pennsylvania with 48.8% (Source: Pennsylvania State Data Center). With a disparity between the educational attainment of the population and the education level needed for employment in the county, this leaves a larger number of those with degrees unemployed than any other educational attainment category, per the chart below. According to long-term occupational employment projections, employment distribution for this population is expected to grow proportionately to overall employment growth, which indicates that the degree attainment rate in Chester County will continue to outpace occupational requirements for those degrees. Education Level and Labor Force Status Count Total: 269,444 Less than high school graduate: 15,692 In labor force: 10,670 In Armed Forces 0 Civilian: 10,670 Employed 9,820 Unemployed 850 Not in labor force 5,022 High school graduate (includes equivalency): 57,696 In labor force: 46,163 In Armed Forces 32 Civilian: 46,131 Employed 42,724 Unemployed 3,407 Not in labor force 11,533 Some college or associate's degree: 55,568 In labor force: 46,942 In Armed Forces 104 Civilian: 46,838 Employed 43,806 Unemployed 3,032 Not in labor force 8,626 Bachelor's degree or higher: 140,488 In labor force: 121,465 In Armed Forces 91 Civilian: 121,374 Employed 117,167 Unemployed 4,207 Not in labor force 19,023 Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 7

29 Employment Distribution by Educational Attainment Level for Chester County WDA Educational Grouping Employment (2012) Projected Employment (2022) Advanced degree 7,420 8,400 Bachelor's degree 50,360 57,020 Associate degree 8,850 10,360 Post-Secondary education or experience 32,810 36,660 Long-term training (more than 12 months) 12,900 14,500 Moderate-term On the Job Training (2-12 months) 24,440 26,340 Short-term On the Job Training (1 month or less) 87,990 95,190 Source: Long-Term Occupational Employment Projections ( ) The largest employment growth through 2022 comes in the Associates Degree category of educational attainment. This represents a population within the county with great potential through shorter-term trainings with the often-desired outcome of a degree. 18.0% Employment Growth by Educational Level in Chester County WDA ( ) 17.1% 16.0% 14.0% 12.0% 12.4% 11.7% 13.2% 13.2% 10.0% 8.0% 8.1% 6.0% 4.0% 2.0% 0.0% On-the-job training Long-term training PS education or experience Associate degree Bachelor's degree Advanced degree Source: Long-Term Occupational Employment Projections ( ) 8

30 Top 20 Knowledge Area and Projected Needs, Replacement Total Annual Growth Annual Annual Openings Openings Openings Number of Needing this Needing this Needing this Knowledge Area Occupations Skill Skill Skill English Language 467 7,909 2,069 5,840 Customer and Personal Service 431 7,426 1,985 5,441 Administration and Management 382 6,091 1,830 4,261 Mathematics 371 6,024 1,451 4,573 Public Safety and Security 302 4,977 1,558 3,419 Education and Training 348 4,738 1,515 3,223 Computers and Electronics 345 4,165 1,116 3,049 Clerical 303 4,137 1,068 3,069 Psychology 190 3,137 1,028 2,109 Sales and Marketing 150 3, ,498 Production and Processing 211 2, ,328 Law and Government 209 2, ,791 Personnel and Human Resources 166 2, ,747 Mechanical 195 2, ,420 Communications and Media 168 1, ,429 Transportation 100 1, ,080 Sociology and Anthropology 100 1, ,027 Therapy and Counseling 76 1, Engineering and Technology 153 1, Medicine and Dentistry 78 1, Source: Center for Workforce Information and Analysis Overall educational attainment is not the only indicator of marketable skills or skills gaps in the labor force. Employers have requested the following certifications and trainings through the Incumbent Worker Training portion of the Industry Partnerships, all resulting in a certificate or credential and costing less than $1,000 per person trained; Health Care End of Life Certificate Oncology Nursing Certification Progressive Care Certified Nurse Alzheimer Certification Gerontological Nursing Wound Care Certification 9

31 Agriculture Permaculture Design Certified Farm Succession Coordinator Smart Energy Initiative Infiltration and Duct Leakage Certification LEED Accredited Professional LEED Green Associate NATE Certified Technician International Ground Source Heat Pump Association Certified Installer Additionally, the following skills trainings that advance certifications and provide valuable skills in career pathways have been requested, each at a cost of $1,200 or less; Information Technology Action Group (ITAG) IT/Communications Business System Analysis Certified Scrum Master Certified Sun Java Associate Network Administration and Security Oracle Database ICD-10 Coding Business System Continuity Planning & Disaster Recovery Manufacturing Alliance CNC Operations Programmable Logic Controls Manufacturing Project Management Industrial Automation and Control The trainings requested by Industry Partnership Employers tie to High Priority Occupations and give a glimpse at shorter term trainings and stackable credentials that can help get job seekers back to work in their previous fields quickly and efficiently, with a marketable certification or an update of skills. 10

32 1.3 Provide an analysis of the local workforce, including current labor force employment (and unemployment) data, and information on labor market trends, and the educational and skill levels of the workforce in the region, including individuals with barriers to employment. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(1)(C)] and [proposed 20 CFR (a)] Chester County s population as of 2014 was 512,784 (U.S. Census Bureau, Table DP-05, 2014 ACS 5-Year Estimates). As displayed in the graph below, a significant amount of the population in Chester County is aged between 45 to 54 years old. It is important to note that none of the younger age groups are near the size of the 45 to 54 age group, suggesting that the younger workforce population will be insufficient to replace those leaving the workforce. Inevitably, this will affect Chester County s employment rates and the ability to fill job vacancies. Chester County Population by Age 100,000 Total Number of People 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Age Under 5 5 to 9 10 to to to to to to to to to to & over *Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Table DP-05, 2014 ACS 5-Year Estimates 11

33 The unemployment rate for Chester County in December of 2015 was reported at 3.3%, which is much lower than the 4.8% reported for Pennsylvania. From December 2014 to December 2015, there was a 2.1% increase in employment for Chester County (94.5% to 96.6%), and a.4% decrease in the unemployment rate (The PA Department of Labor and Industry, PA Local Area Unemployment Statistics by County 2016). Overall, there are 267,100 employed and 9,200 unemployed individuals in Chester County (PA Department of Labor and Industry. Chester County Profile, February, 2016). The graph below shows the quarterly unemployment rate for Chester County, Pennsylvania, and the nation for the last decade. The effects of the Recession can be seen in the spike of unemployment from June 2009 to March Since the recession, the unemployment rate has been slowly decreasing for Chester County, Pennsylvania, and the nation. Throughout the past decade, Chester County s unemployment rate has remained well below that of Pennsylvania and the nation as a whole. While Pennsylvania and the nation are approaching their pre-recession unemployment rates, Chester County s unemployment rate, at 3.7%, is below the 3.9% in March of % 10.0% 8.0% 6.0% 4.0% 2.0% 0.0% Unemployment Rate in Chester County, PA and National March, 2005 Sept. March, 2006 Sept. March, 2007 Sept. March, 2008 Sept. March, 2009 Sept. March, 2010 Sept. March, 2011 Sept. March, 2012 Sept. March, 2013 Sept. March, 2014 Sept. March, 2015 Sept. Chester County Pennsylvania National *Source: PA Department of Labor and Industry 12

34 2008 & 2015 First Quarter Employment by Industry in Chester County Public Administration Information Other Services Leisure & Hospitality Education & Health Services Professional & Business Services Financial Activities Trade, Transportation & Utilities Manufacturing Mining, Logging & Construction 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 Number of Empoyees 2008 Q Q1 *Source: QWI Explorer Application, U.S. Census Bureau, State: PA, County: Chester, Group: NAICS Sectors, Indicator: Employment Total- Counts, Selected Quarters: 2008 Q1 & 2015 Q1 The graph above presents the total number of employees by industry for the first quarter of 2008 and This graph provides insight into the Recession s effect on employment and the recovery or current state of employment. Half of the industries listed have exceeded their employment totals from 2008, including Professional & Business Services, Education & Health Services, Leisure & Hospitality, Information, and Other Services. The other five industries; Public Administration, Financial Activities, Trade, Transportation & Utilities, Manufacturing and Mining, Logging & Construction have experienced a decline in employees since the recession, suggesting that these industries have not fully recovered. Interestingly, 45% of Chester County s residents work within Chester County. 40.3% of the residents travel less than 10 miles to work, and another 38% travel between 10 and 24 miles to work. Analysis of commuting patterns indicates that no single county or metropolitan area beyond the county attracts a majority of Chester County workers, and no single county or metropolitan area sends a majority of workers into Chester County. While Chester County is by no means insular, it is unique in its tendency for people to live and work within the County or otherwise close to home. (U.S. Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application) 13

35 For a deeper understanding of Chester County s local workforce, the chart below provides information on the 15 largest industries in the area based on the number of establishments, average employment and wages. Based on the number of establishments, Restaurants and Other Eating Places have the highest total (775), while Elementary and Secondary Schools have the highest average employment total (14,880). Establishments, Employment and Wage of Top 15 Industries in Chester County Average Average Industry Establishments Total Wage Employment Weekly Wage Total, All Industries 5, ,927 $1,757,898,002 $24,888 Elementary and Secondary Schools ,880 $221,422,520 $1,145 Restaurants and Other Eating Places ,025 $54,218,558 $320 Computer Systems Design and Related Services 635 9,283 $261,783,546 $2,169 Management of Companies and Enterprises 204 8,200 $341,895,164 $3,207 General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 6 6,350 $93,311,634 $1,130 Grocery Stores 95 5,593 $30,654,866 $422 Services to Buildings and Dwellings 548 5,211 $41,025,030 $606 Management & Technical Consulting Svc 606 4,625 $111,214,986 $1,850 Greenhouse and Nursery Production 102 4,401 $42,606,576 $745 Individual and Family Services 393 4,135 $24,732,484 $460 Community Care Facility for the Elderly 66 3,752 $28,989,397 $594 Offices of Physicians 348 3,693 $70,275,055 $1,464 Executive, Legislative, & Gen Government 78 3,648 $45,789,490 $966 Scientific Research and Development Svc 93 3,479 $135,117,548 $2,988 Other Amusement & Recreation Industries 150 3,309 $16,832,987 $391 *Source: PA Department of Labor & Industry, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2015 The median household income for Chester County is $86,093, which is considerably higher than the state s median of $53,115 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 ACS 5-Year Estimates, Economic Characteristics). This difference may be a result of the higher educational attainment levels in Chester County compared to the state. 92.8% of Chester County s population has a high school degree or higher and 48.8% has a bachelor s degree or higher, while Pennsylvania reported having 89% and 28.8%, respectively (U.S. Census Bureau, Table S1501, 2014 ACS 5- Year Estimates). In Chester County the percent difference in median earnings between populations with a high school diploma and a bachelor s degree is greater than 50.0% according to the Pennsylvania State Data Center (PA State Data Center, Percent Difference in Median Earnings ). A breakdown of median earnings in Chester County by educational attainment is provided below. Median earnings in the Past 12 months for Chester County by Educational Attainment Educational Attainment Median Earnings Less than High School Graduate $25,076 High School Graduate $33,165 Some College or Associate s Degree $42,236 Bachelor s Degree $62,850 Graduate or Professional Degree $88,469 *Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Table S2301, 2014 ACS 5-Year Estimates. 14

36 While Pennsylvania as a whole falls below the national average cost of living index, Chester County far exceeds both the Pennsylvania and national indexes. With an index of 100 indicating the national average, Pennsylvania s index is a 96.7, and Chester County s is The gap becomes larger when comparing the housing-specific index, where Pennsylvania s index is 85 and Chester County s is 172. Chester County s overall cost of living index is the highest in the six county Southeastern Pennsylvania region. This high cost of living relates to the higher level of education attainment and related higher wages in the county as compared to the state, however, it also makes self-sufficiency harder to achieve for those with barriers to employment. (Sperling s Best Places, There is a gender gap in labor force participation and unemployment rates in Chester County and Pennsylvania. As noted in the graph below, the labor force participation rate for females in Chester County and Pennsylvania is lower than the rate for males. Additionally, the difference between male and females in the labor force participation rate for Chester County is 12.6%, while the difference in Pennsylvania is much lower, at 7.7%. Males also have a higher unemployment rate than females in both Chester County and Pennsylvania. However, the unemployment rate between males and females in Chester County is very close, at a.1% difference, while Pennsylvania s rate was much more disproportionate at 1.2%. Population 20 to 64 by Gender in Chester County and Pennsylvania 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Labor Force Participation Rate 76.5% Female 89.1% 73.6% 81.3% Male 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% Unemployment Rate 7.3% 5.7% 5.8% Female Male 8.5% Chester County, PA Pennsylvania Chester County, PA Pennsylvania *Source: U.S. Census, Table DP-03, 2014 ACS 5-Year Estimates 15

37 Chester County has several populations that may experience barriers to employment. A total of 29,393 individuals between the ages of 16 and 19 are not enrolled in school or participants in the labor force. This population has the highest unemployment rate of 18.8% but is only ranked third lowest according to the percentage of participants in the labor force. Additionally, 16,935 individuals in Chester County identified themselves as having a disability on the U.S. Census. Of these individuals, 52.6% are participants in the labor force and 13.9% are unemployed (U.S. Census, Table 2301, 2014 ACS 5-Year Estimates). More information about individuals with barriers is provided in the graph below. Individuals with Barriers Characteristic Estimate Percent Single Parent 21, % Male householder, no wife present, family 6, % With own children under 18 years 2, % Female householder, no husband present, family 15, % With own children under 18 years 7, % Language Spoken at Home by Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over Speak English "very well" 34, % Speak English less than "very well" 23, % Income in the Past 12 Months Below Poverty Level (16 years +): In Labor Force: Employed 9, % In Labor Force: Unemployed 3, % Not in Labor Force 13, % Nativity and Citizen Status in the United States U.S. citizen, born in Puerto Rico or U.S. Island Areas 2, % U.S. citizen, born abroad of American parent(s) 3, % U.S. citizen by naturalization 19, % Not a U.S. citizen 26, % *Source: US Census Bureau, Tables B17005, B16001, B05001 and DP02, ACS 5-Year Estimates Chester County continues to maintain one of the lowest unemployment levels in Pennsylvania. Additionally, the local workforce is more educated and on average, has a higher average income than the rest of the Commonwealth. However, Chester County has sections of the population with barriers to employment, which presents the County with opportunities to improve and job seekers to focus services and outreach on. 16

38 1.4 Provide an analysis and description of workforce development activities, including type and availability of education, training and employment activities. Include analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of such services, and the capacity to provide such services, in order to address the education and skill needs of the workforce and the employment needs of employers in the region. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(1)(D)] and [proposed 20 CFR (a)] Chester County prides itself on creating a wide range of options for a variety of job seeker and employer needs, and examining and updating those options regularly to best serve an evolving labor market landscape. Job seeker engagement and services take place at the PA CareerLink - Chester County and begin with orientations and basic career services. Basic career services include an average of 28 workshops on site per month, on such varied topics as: Contemporary Correspondence for Job Seekers, Expungement, Overcoming the Age Barrier, LinkedIn How to Network in a Digital Age, Building a 30 Second Elevator Speech, and Coping With Job Loss. There have been 2684 workshop registrations from July of 2015 through February of Registrations and evaluations are reviewed to ensure that space and scheduling goes to workshops with the highest demand and satisfaction rate. Additional basic career services include; job seeker assistance in the Computer Resource Center (CRC), dissemination of labor market information, general orientation of PA CareerLink - Chester County services and offerings, and information and resources on Job Gateway and the Eligible Training Provider List. Individual Career Services expand upon those services with a more one-on-one approach. The Job Locator Program provides individual job coaching and job development services, working with job seekers and employers to make successful connections, and has brought additional employers into the Chester County Workforce Development system with rotating monthly recruitment events. Individualized resume assistance is provided upon request, particularly for those job seekers affected by a Rapid Response layoff. Job Coaching is done with participants by PA CareerLink - Chester County staff as well as HireOne program staff. Success in launching a full-scale On The Job Training (OJT) Program has been limited in recent years, with only a few employers signing on per year. This is a programming area in which the Chester County Workforce Development Board plans to increase outreach and streamline the process in order to engage more employers and lead to more direct placements for participants. It is our hope that expansion of the OJT option will also expand the Customized Training options for local participants. With the limited success of OJT, the majority of training activity in Chester County has been through Individual Training Accounts (ITAs). While ITA participants have achieved success in training programs, as indicated by our Common Measures performance, it has been observed by PA CareerLink - Chester County Program Coordinators, as well as Industry Partnership employers that a shorter, more cost-effective training resulting in a specific credential may make a participant more employable, faster. The new opportunities under WIOA for stackable microcredentials will be explored and the ITA Guidelines updated to allow for these opportunities to be utilized more regularly and to the best advantage of the participants. Recently, the Chester County Workforce Development Board authorized funding for a pilot of the Platform to Employment Program as another option for assisting the long-term unemployed. This program combines a five week immersive soft skills course, referred to as a boot camp, and a subsidized transitional jobs experience. This programming allows participants to learn about methods of success in applying and interviewing and how to explain gaps in employment. It provides supportive services in financial management and emotional health, 17

39 and places participants into a cohort of mutual support where all participants are experiencing the same primary barrier to employment. The presence of the United Way Financial Stability Center has had a significant impact on the success of the supportive services for this program, providing counseling and financial assistance on-site to participants. The initial pilot achieved successes and experienced some difficulties, allowing for adjustments to be made before a second round of the program begins with an additional 25 long-term unemployed job seekers. These adjustments are an example of program evaluation and accompanying adjustments for increased success that is done for all WDB-funded programming. In an effort to solicit the input of our employers, a survey was conducted in the fall of 2015 to determine the workforce challenges of our area employers. As a result of that survey, a Workforce and Education Summit was held in October to gather additional feedback from employers and educators. This summit was hosted in partnership with the Chester County Economic Development Council and Chester County Intermediate Unit as a strategy within the VISTA2025 economic development plan for Chester County. Outcomes of the Summit have been released to the County Workforce Development Board members, the five industry partnerships, and educational partners. Results included expanding career exploration programs to include mentorships, internships and learn and earn programs, encouraging employers to connect employee job responsibilities with community needs, improve and expand information on employment opportunities in our high priority industries, and to develop a talent mining program to capture and record existing institutional knowledge. In addition, our industry partnerships conduct an annual workforce and economic development survey of its employers. That information includes hiring and training information that is also shared with CCWDB and educational partners. When funding is available, the industry partnerships also provide incumbent worker training and maintains data on what trainings are funded to assist in the analysis of available services annually. Incumbent worker training is a valuable workforce development tool, not only for employer engagement, but to assist existing employees in moving along their career pathway by increasing certifications, positions, and salaries. This ability to assist existing employees advance in their careers both increases employer competitiveness and opens entry-level positions for job seekers. The capacity for workforce development programming expanded with the relocation of the PA CareerLink - Chester County in May of Square footage increased from roughly 7,000 at the Coatesville location to almost 15,000 at the new Exton location and customer foot traffic has increased over 28%. The relocation offers a greater selection of space for workshops and meetings, as well as a larger multipurpose space that has housed job fairs, employer round tables, and other larger-scale events. Additionally, with the relocation, the EARN and WorkReady programs have become fully integrated at the Exton location and the PA CareerLink - Chester County is home to the first approved computer-based GED testing site in the county. The increased options for space have led to the utilization of meeting space by various county departments and nonprofits, which allows for the sharing of PA CareerLink - Chester County programming with a broader audience. Foot traffic has also seen an increase since the relocation, with more parking and closer proximity to public transportation allowing more job seekers to access the PA CareerLink - Chester County. While the relocation has allowed for expanded physical space, as well as a more central location within the county, transportation to and from the outlying areas of the county remains a challenge. While we are aware that the issue will not be solved overnight, the Chester County Workforce Development Board has recently been awarded a grant for mobilization of PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center basic services so that those most in need and experiencing barriers in more remote areas of the county can be 18

40 reached more effectively. We have been in discussion with the Chester County Library System, which would be a logical partner in this endeavor, as libraries are located in these specific areas, with physical space available to provide needed services. Overall, Chester County has the space and capacity to take advantage of the opportunities and flexibility of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to better serve employers and job seekers moving forward. Section 2: Strategic Vision and Goals Section 2 responses will require input from members of the local workforce development board and other local stakeholders. Please provide a separate response for each of the elements listed below. 2.1 Describe local board s strategic vision and goals for preparing an educated and skilled workforce (including youth and individuals with barriers to employment). Include goals relating to the performance accountability measures based on primary indicators of performance described in section 116(b)(2)(A) in order to support regional economic growth and economic self-sufficiency. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(1)(E)] The Chester County Workforce Development Board s vision is to offer a comprehensive menu of programs and services to both employers and job seekers for the purpose of building and maintaining a healthy economy within Chester County and the Southeast PA regional area. The Board s vision emphasizes strong connections with employers, education and economic development partners. Employment opportunities in any community begin with the employers. Fortunately, Chester County is home to many healthy and vibrant employers within a number of different industries. In order to further relationships with employers and ensure a thriving employer community in the future, a priority of the Chester County Workforce Development Board (WDB) is to ensure that local employers have skilled workers to fill jobs within their companies to enable them to compete in the global economy. Our workforce is strong, with job-seekers and incumbent workers with a wealth of transferrable experiences and quality contributions. Those experiences create a valuable base to fill skill gaps and train workers to fill the openings that exist today and will occur in the future. With the need to get valued workers into fulfilling and family-sustaining jobs, the Chester County Workforce Development Board is committed to finding new and creative ways to serve the job-seekers and employers. The Chester County WDB also understands that the future workforce, our young people, needs to be educated on the future occupations and industries in order for them and the education system to prepare to meet these future workforce needs. To that end, the Chester County WDB will facilitate on-going dialogue between the local education institutions and the employment community to create appropriate curriculum within the education system and career awareness events that communicate future employment opportunities to the youth. To that end, the Chester County WDB will facilitate ongoing communication between education, libraries, industry partnerships, and employers. Finally, it is very important to the Chester County WDB that all customers: employers, job seekers and incumbent workers are served through an integrated and comprehensive delivery system, which is grounded in the one-stop and utilizes the Commonwealth Workforce Development System to its full extent. The Chester 19

41 County WDB has created a very innovative delivery system with the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center, which provides financial stability service and linkages to the county-wide system of supportive services, along with the traditional employment and training programs. The Chester County WDB s Vision will be implemented on a daily basis using the following goals as a guide; 1. Job-Seekers will have access to a comprehensive array of services that focus on employment and training, but includes all other community resources that the job-seeker can utilize during their job search. a. The Chester County WDB will focus efforts on finding appropriate employment for all jobseekers in Chester County with an emphasis on the highest and best use of the job-seekers talents. b. The Chester County WDB will maximize the job matching services for job-seekers within the Job Gateway system by encouraging employers to increase their use of this system to post employment opportunities. c. The Chester County WDB will promote and support training that leads directly to meaningful employment with family sustaining wages. Filling these existing open positions with local talent will create a win-win for employers and job-seekers. d. The Chester County WDB and the PA CareerLink - Chester County will continue to stay attuned to the hiring methods being used by employers and adjust programs to meet the needs of the job-seekers to compete for these jobs. e. The Chester County WDB will focus on serving the following populations low-income, veterans, persons with disabilities, ex-offenders and long term unemployed. 2. Employers will have individuals prepared to fill the job openings that they have now and in the future. a. The Chester County WDB will outreach to and engage with employers through all programs and partners including the PA CareerLink Chester County s Business Services Team, the Chester County Economic Development Council through the Hire One Initiative and Industry Partnerships, the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry, and the workforce developers of the EARN, WorkReady and WIOA Youth programming at the House of Original Dreams: A Partnership for Youth Employment (The HOOD:PYE) programs to better understand their hiring needs. b. The Chester County WDB will identify career opportunities and pathways with the assistance of employers, local education partners and the Industry Partnerships to prepare job-seekers for the opportunities of the future. c. The Chester County WDB will assist employers with outreach and connections to job and career opportunities for adult job-seekers, students, and teachers. d. The Chester County WDB will identify skill gaps in occupations through surveys, which request employers to share information, particularly relating to positions that they are having problems filling due to applicant skill gaps. e. The Chester County WDB will prioritize training funds to address the skill gaps identified by employers. 20

42 3. The Chester County WDB will support the industry diversity in Chester County while maintaining a focus on the key industry clusters prioritized under the High Priority Occupations process, which include; agriculture, business services, construction, health care, information technology, life sciences and manufacturing. a. The Chester County WDB will continue to engage with the different industries in the county to understand their unique and shared needs. b. The Chester County WDB will continue to support and participate in the Industry Partnership programs successfully administered by the Chester County Economic Development Council and our regional Workforce Development Boards. 4. The Chester County WDB will cultivate an increasingly more robust delivery of workforce services for job-seekers and employers. a. The Chester County WDB will further the ultimate goal of the collaboration between the PA CareerLink Chester County, the United Way Financial Stability Center and the HOOD:PYE (the Chester County WDB youth and young adult job center) to enable program participants to increase income, increase assets and decrease debt, with the first step being meaningful employment. b. The Chester County WDB will expand the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center model to include other related services. The PA CareerLink - Financial Stability Center model is a tremendous example of coordination of services along with maximizing and leveraging resources. Appropriate partners within the PA CareerLink - Financial Stability Center will continue to collaborate on the delivery of services to individuals who need more than just workforce development services. c. The Chester County WDB will work to ensure that the HOOD:PYE (a Partnership for Youth and Young Adult Employment) will be the primary location for out-of-school youth and young adults to connect into the economic opportunities of Chester County. It is the vision of the Chester County WDB that the HOOD will become an empowerment center for the young adult participants. d. The Chester County WDB will bring services to all parts of the county, understanding that the county geographically, with 760 square miles, is a large area to provide workforce programming. Consequently, the Chester County WDB has applied for and received funding to provide mobile PA CareerLink Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center programming to the Coatesville, Phoenixville and southern Chester County areas in partnership with the Chester County Library System and other community partners. e. The Chester County WDB will continue to partner with the Chester County Economic Development Council to support the Industry Partnerships and Hire One initiative to engage employers. 21

43 2.2 Describe how the local board s vision and goals align with and/or supports the governor s vision and goals for the commonwealth s workforce development system. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(1)(E)] (See Appendix C: Transitional Planning References and Resources) The Chester County Workforce Development Board is historically one of the lowest-funded Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs) in Pennsylvania. While that is reflective of the higher education attainment levels, higher average wages, and lower unemployment in Chester County, it also creates a large gap to navigate for those experiencing barriers to employment. Under WIOA, the Chester County WDB will be focusing their funds on those most in need of services. To the extent possible with limited WIOA formula funds, the Chester County WDB will support the governor s vision and goals in the following ways. Governor s Goal 1: Establish Career Pathways For the purpose of making sure that training programs lead to High Priority Occupations, the Chester County WDB will work with our employers, adult education partners, secondary and post-secondary education partners, and libraries to maintain updated and current listings of high priority occupations and career pathways for the Chester County LWDA and the region. When possible, the Chester County WDB will offer supportive services for key industries such as health care and information technology to enable movement by program participants along the career pathway. The Chester County WDB is committed to support the growth of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs especially within the Chester County WDB s youth/young adult programming. The Chester County WDB will follow the Governor s lead and enhance career guidance and navigation services to guide individuals, especially individuals with barriers to employment and education, into programs and services that will provide them with an effective pathway to their career goals. In order to encourage an open-minded approach to career pathways and options, the Chester County WDB will work to ensure pathways include multiple entry and exit points, various certifications, and consideration of transferrable skills. Governor s Goal 2: Invest in Talent and Skills for Targeted Industries in Strategic Partnership with Employers and Educational Institutions The Chester County WDB certainly understands the importance of knowing the employer s needs for talent in targeted industries within Chester County. Over the last ten years, the Chester County WDB has supported six different Industry Partnerships to better understand the employment needs of employers in different industries. These partnerships allow the WBD and its service providers to assist in connecting these employers with the local educational and training institutions to fill these gaps. Moving forward, the Chester County WDB plans to continue our partnership with the Chester County Economic Development Council in offering Industry Partnerships to our local employers, but the level of these partnerships are dependent on federal and state funding support. Governor s Goal 3: Increase Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Youth Recognizing the employment challenges faced by older youth and young adults, the Chester County WDB will increase the work-based learning opportunities for youth and young adults. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act requires that at least 20% of youth funding be dedicated for high quality work experience and the Chester County WDB and Council for the Workforce of Tomorrow (WDB committee) is committed to 22

44 modifying our youth programs to include additional work experience. The HOOD:PYE will take the leading role in the implementation of a more robust work-based learning program for youth and young adults. With the diversity of industry, we also feel strongly that the work experiences should focus on occupations with family sustaining wages and a career path. The Chester County WDB will make sure that alignment exists between the HOOD staff and the Industry Partnerships. Governor s Goal 4: Engage Employers to Strengthen the Connection of Education and Training and the Economy Increase Investment in Critical Skills and Increase Jobs that Pay The Chester County Workforce Development Board achieves employer engagement through the continued partnership with the PA CareerLink - Chester County, the Chester County Economic Development Council, the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry and local area educational organizations such as the Chester County Intermediate Unit and Delaware County Community College. The PA CareerLink - Chester County has a history of providing customized workforce development and recruitment for local business customers. Among business services at the PA CareerLink - Chester County have been; providing onsite recruitment for numerous employers throughout Chester County, and providing assessment testing, such as KeyTrain, for job seekers engaged in training services as well as employers seeking to employ skilled workers. The PA CareerLink - Chester County and the United Way Financial Stability Center have partnered with the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry to meet new employers in Chester County and the Chester County Economic Development Council to both recruit and retain a diverse business population. They also have assigned specific staff to provide exclusive services to individual business customers. The PA CareerLink - Chester County s goal is to provide a full range of economic and workforce development services through our partnering agencies to meet the needs of our employer customers. The office offers on-site recruitment services to all employers at no charge. The employer may have recruitment events, use desk/office space, telephone, fax and copier as well as pre-screening services from staff. A comprehensive calendar is kept with access for all to schedule employers. This process has prevented employer conflicts and overlap, providing quality service to both the employer and the job seeker. They have also used staff from other PA CareerLink offices as needed; such as bi-lingual staff to assist with mushroom industry workers. Partners have assisted with space and staff to conduct specialized recruitment, job fairs and job search workshops. Additional employer engagement takes place through our five industry partnerships and the HireOne initiative. In the fall of 2015, the Chester County WDB partnered with the Chester County Economic Development Council and Chester County Intermediate Unit on a Workforce Summit for the specific purpose of bringing employers and educators together to better understand each other s needs. Over 100 participants attended and the Chester County WDB was able to capture valuable information on ideas offered by the summit participants. As a result of the information obtained through the summit, an action plan has been developed to continue the goals of the VISTA2025 economic development strategy for Chester County. The Chester County WDB will measure success in engaging employers based on the level of employer participation within local workforce initiatives. Governor s Goal 5: Strengthen Data Sharing and More Effectively Use Data For the last five years, the Chester County WDB has used various sources of data to make decisions on the best way to invest valuable workforce development funding in the community. During this time, we have struggled 23

45 to efficiently capture the necessary real-time data to provide a comprehensive picture for the Workforce Development Board and our other local workforce development partners. With WIOA transition funding, the Chester County WDB plans to invest in additional data collection and analysis services in the 2016 Program Year. In addition, the Chester County WDB applauds the Commonwealth on its efforts to improve upon the Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS) and hopes to utilize staff experience to assist in that effort in any way possible. As the Commonwealth s system of record, CWDS will be used by the Chester County WDB to report on the use of funding received from the PA Department of Labor and Industry and the PA Department of Human Services. 2.4 Describe how the local board s goals relate to the achievement of federal performance accountability measures. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(1)(E)] The Chester County WDB has always placed a high priority on meeting the federal performance accountability measures. To accomplish this goal, the Chester County WDB s active committees are charged with providing consistent oversight and feedback on the federal performance accountability measures. Specifically, the Chester County WDB s Programming Committee regularly reviews provider reports and measures and strategizes on ways to improve performance. In turn, the Chester County WDB staff utilizes the Commonwealth Workforce Development System as directed by the PA Department of Labor and Industry to report on these measures. If necessary, Chester County WDB staff will develop new systems to efficiently capture data from employers and job-seekers using Chester County WDB funded programs. We are specifically researching systems to better track our employer engagement efforts. Specifically, the Chester County WDB s Goals will relate to the achievement of federal performance accountability measures in the following ways: Goal 1: Job Seekers will have access to a comprehensive array of services that focus on employment and training, and includes all other community resources that the job seeker can utilize during their job search; Focus on assisting job seekers to achieve performance measures in second and fourth quarter placement, median earnings, credential attainment, and skill gains Additional community resources also equip the job seeker with the supportive services and planning needed to retain a placement Goal 2: Employers will have individuals prepared to fill the job openings that they have now and in the future; Will position the Chester County WDB and its partners to meet the Effectiveness in Serving Employers measure. Will provide additional connections between employers with openings and job seekers able to fill those openings, contributing to achieving the job seeker measures of second and fourth quarter placement, median earnings, credential attainment, and skill gains Goal 3: The Chester County WDB will support the industry diversity in Chester County while maintaining a focus on the key industry clusters prioritized under the High Priority Occupations process; Will position the Chester County WDB and its partners to meet the Effectiveness in Serving Employers measure. Will provide additional connections between employers with openings and job seekers able to fill those openings, contributing to achieving the job seeker measures of second and fourth quarter placement, median earnings, credential attainment, and skill gains 24

46 Goal 4: The Chester County WDB will cultivate an increasingly more robust delivery of workforce services for job seekers and employers; Will position the Chester County WDB and its partners to meet the Effectiveness in Serving Employers measure. Will provide additional connections between employers with openings and job seekers able to fill those openings, contributing to achieving the job seeker measures of second and fourth quarter placement, median earnings, credential attainment, and skill gains Section 3: Local Area Partnerships and Investment Strategies Many of the responses in this section, such as targeted sector strategies, should be based on strategic discussions with the local board and partners. Please provide a separate response for each of the elements listed below. 3.1 Taking into account the analysis described in Appendix B - Section 1, describe the local board s strategy to work with the entities that carry out the core programs to align resources available to the local area, in order to achieve the strategic vision and goals described in element 2.1. This analysis should include: A. A descriptive overview of the local workforce development system; include key stakeholders and entities associated with administrative and programmatic/service delivery functions. Examples include elected officials, advocacy groups, local workforce development board and committee structure, fiscal agent, operator(s), required program partners, and major contractors providing Adult/Dislocated Worker/Youth program elements. Describe respective roles and functional relationships to one another; B. A list of all local area PA CareerLink centers; include address, phone numbers, and hours of operation; and C. An attached organization chart that depicts a clear separation of duties between the local board and programmatic/service delivery entities. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(1)(F)] A. The Chester County Workforce Development Board is staffed by the Chester County Department of Community Development, which also acts as the fiscal agent. This structure has been established by the Partnership Agreement, known as the Local Elected Officials (LEO) Agreement, between the Chester County Workforce Development Board and the County of Chester. The Chester County Board of Commissioners is an active partner in workforce development, with Commissioner Kathi Cozzone being a member of the Chester County WDB. Membership of the Chester County WDB follows the guidelines established under WIOA, with the Chair and Vice Chair coming from the 51% of the members representing private industry. Under the WDB, there are the following standing committees; Executive - The purpose of the Executive Committee is to set the vision and agenda for WDB. This committee consists of WDB Executive Director, Chair, Vice Chair and one additional private sector WDB member. Governance - The purpose of the Governance Committee is to assist the WDB by: (1) keeping the WDB informed of current best practices in corporate governance; (2) reviewing governance trends for their applicability to the WDB; (3) updating the WDB s governance principles and governance practices; and (4) advising those responsible on the skills, qualities and professional or educational experiences necessary to be effective WDB members. This committee consists of the WDB Executive Director, 25

47 Chairman, Vice Chair, and such other WDB members or staff as may be appropriate. Membership is by invitation. Programming - The purpose of the Programming Committee is to oversee and advise on issues related to WDB-funded programming for all job seekers, including populations in Chester County experiencing barriers to employment. Membership for this committee consists of PA CareerLink - Chester County staff and interested WDB members. PA CareerLink Operator Consortium - The WDB designates the PA CareerLink Operator Consortium as one-stop delivery system committee. The purpose of the PA CareerLink Operator Consortium is to manage, coordinate, and provide oversight for the purposes of ensuring the availability and integration of services and resources within the PA CareerLink - Chester County, in cooperation with the Chester County WDB. Membership is subject to membership requirements set forth in the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry s Workforce Delivery System Policy v.2, effective October 1, 2014, as may be amended from time to time. Youth - The WDB designates the Council for the Workforce of Tomorrow ( Youth Council ) as its standing committee to provide information and to assist with planning, operational and other issues related to the provision of services to youth and young adults, for so long as the Youth Council meets the criteria for a youth committee under WIOA. The further purpose of the Council for the Workforce of Tomorrow is to facilitate a workforce development system designed to provide youth and young adults with access to opportunities for educational enrichment and career exploration. The CWT supports youth and young adults during the dynamic transition from adolescence to adulthood through the provision of services offering academic, career, and post-secondary preparation, and leadership training. Membership shall include community-based organizations and is subject to the specific requirements of the WIOA and is by appointment. Employer Engagement - The purpose of the Employer Engagement Committee is to provide guidance to the Business Services Team, which is responsible for the direct outreach to local employers. This committee acts as the bridge between the Business Services Team and the WDB. Membership for this committee is open to interested WDB members. Industry Partnership - The purpose of the Industry Partnership Committee is to bring together those industry partners with an interest in workforce development in Chester County, including but not limited to; education providers, industry partnerships, HireOne, employment specialists and PA CareerLink - Chester County. The committee discusses the challenges and opportunities for workforce development in Chester County. Membership for this committee is open to interested WDB members. Marketing, Data and Outreach - The purpose of the Marketing, Data and Outreach Committee is to discuss marketing materials and outreach for the WDB and PA CareerLink - Chester County initiatives, including increasing awareness of WDB initiatives to the community, implementing a marketing plan, and dissemination of data to WDB members and the community. Membership for this committee is open to interested WDB members. Disability Services - The purpose the Disabilities Services Committee is to provide information and to assist with operational and other issues relating to the provision of services to individuals with disabilities, including issues relating to compliance with WIOA, if applicable, and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 regarding providing programmatic and physical access to the services, programs, and activities of the one-stop delivery system, as well as appropriate training for staff on providing supports for or accommodations to, and finding employment opportunities for, individuals with disabilities. Membership on this committee is open to interested WDB members. 26

48 Each committee is chaired by a member of the Chester County WDB and is served by a blend of Board members and additional stakeholders as appropriate to the mission of the committee. The PA CareerLink - Chester County currently utilizes the Operator Consortium model. The Operator Consortium is held accountable for the implementation and operations of the CCWDB Local Plan s service delivery system. The Operator Consortium further agrees to manage, integrate, coordinate and conduct oversight of all services and resources in the PA CareerLink - Chester County in cooperation with the CCWDB and in accordance with the CCWDB Local Plan. The CCWDB and Operator Consortium have entered into a CCWDB/One-Stop Operator Agreement (OSOA) that details the relationship The Operator Consortium roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Develop, maintain and continually review service delivery structures for the PA CareerLink - Chester County site to ensure adequate levels of service proportional to customer needs; Manage, oversee and interface with all partners to coordinate the delivery of services as part of the system; Assist CCWDB in determining partners that are required to have OSPA, OSSP and Resource Sharing Agreement (RSA) with the CCWDB; Work, in conjunction with CCWDB, and partners in recommending the site location and negotiate OSSP and RSA for Chartering and Certification of PA CareerLink -Chester County; In conjunction with CCWDB and the partners, evaluate available resources and develop comprehensive operational service delivery plans designed to meet the needs of the labor market; Select a PA CareerLink -Chester County Administrator The current members of the Operator Consortium are; The County of Chester The Bureau of Workforce Partnership Operations (BWPO) The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) The Chester County Assistance Office The PA CareerLink - Chester County has a number of partners who contribute significantly to the workforce development system in the county. Each One Stop Service Partner (OSSP) provides its program operations at the one-stop and agrees to manage, integrate, coordinate and conduct oversight of its program services and resources in accordance with the CCWDB Local Plan. The current Partners are: The County of Chester PA Department of Labor & Industry o Bureau of Workforce Partnership Operations Wagner Peyser o Trade Services o Veteran Services o PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation o Bureau of Unemployment Compensation Delaware County Community College Full Circle Computing PA Department of Human Services PathStone Corporation Manpower Group The Chester County EARN Program 27

49 Chester County OIC Sector Partnership In addition to the One Stop Service Partners, the Chester County WDB contracts with a number of entities to provide direct services in the workforce development system. Those contracted providers include; Providers of Individual Training Accounts as selected by job seekers and included on the statewide Eligible Training Providers List PathStone Corporations, which administers the EARN and Work Ready programs EDSI, which administers the Job Locator Program Chester County OIC, which administers the WIOA Youth Program, The HOOD:PYE, and provides Title II Adult Education services and GED testing administration within the county and at the PA CareerLink - Chester County Chester County Economic Development Council, which administers the five Industry Partnerships in Chester County, as well as the HireOne initiative and Business Education Partnership Open Hearth, Inc., which provides mobile services to all areas of the county The Chester County Title I Adult and Dislocated Worker Contractors have been grandfathered from JTPA. They are county staff and report directly to the PA CareerLink Site Administrator and Consortium. While they are Employees of the County of Chester, they do not fall under the organization chart of the Department of Community Development. Beyond contracted service providers; an important portion of the workforce development system in Chester County is the United Way Financial Stability Center. The Financial Stability Center is located at the PA CareerLink - Chester County and provides a variety of additional and supportive services to citizens of the county and provides a unique holistic element to job seeker services to address additional challenges, such as finances and emotional health, which can impact a job seeker s chances of success. All services within the workforce development system in Chester County operate within constant referrals and information sharing to ensure job seeker success and employer satisfaction. B. There is one PA CareerLink center located in the Chester County Local Workforce Development Area. The PA CareerLink - Chester County; is located at 479 Thomas Jones Way, Suite 500, Exton, PA can be reached by calling can be faxed at can be ed at pacareerlink@chesco.org is found online at operates between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm C. Please see the attached organizational chart 28

50 3.2 Describe the workforce development system in the local area that identifies the programs that are included in that system and how the local board will work with the entities carrying out core and other workforce development programs to support alignment to provide services, including programs of study authorized under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, that support the strategy identified in the State plan under section 102(b)(1)(E). [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(2)] Note: The six (6) core programs identified by WIOA are: Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth, Adult Education and Literacy, Wagner-Peyser Programs, and Vocational Rehabilitation. All six core programs are represented in the PA CareerLink - Chester County Partners and play an active, fulltime role in the day-to-day activities at the PA CareerLink - Chester County. Additional programming is determined through the Chester County Workforce Development Board s annual Request for Proposal process. This process includes different service categories and a panel of Board reviewers. The entry point into the local workforce development system for all participants is the PA CareerLink - Chester County. There, all job seekers interested in individualized or training services first attend an orientation and learn about the variety of services available. Other opportunities to receive this information come in the form of Rapid Response information sessions and PREP orientations. From these introductory sessions, participants indicate their interest in services and are contacted by appropriate staff for the next steps. Initial processes and procedures have been developed to make the transition from one WIOA Title I program to another as seamless to the participant as possible, with file and data entry responsibilities moving from one entity to another in an orderly fashion. The intent of the WDB staff is to work with additional partners and contractors in the coming months to include them in the file transfer and participant co-enrollment processes and procedures where appropriate. Further integrating participant enrollment will allow for more in-depth data sharing and analysis going forward. For Adult Education and Literacy, Chester County OIC (CCOIC) provides contextualized learning to adults through Adult Basic Literacy, GED prep, English Language (EL)/Civics, and English as a Second Language (ESL). CCOIC is currently completing the second year of a three year program improvement plan to align all curriculum and educational resources with Common Core as mandated by the PA Department of Education. The CCOIC Learning Community, which consists of all instructors and representatives of subcontractors (the Chester County intermediate Unit, or CCIU, and La Communidad Hispana) meets regularly to convert lesson plans to Common Core based plans and to assess commonly used learning resources such as educational websites, textbooks, and workbooks for continued use. All learning at CCOIC whether classroom-based, small group or individualized tutoring is work and career pathways contextualized. CCOIC and its literacy partners provide a case manager to assist learners to set short and long term educational goals leading to employment, better employment or a career that will require post-secondary education or training. The case manager assists learners to overcome barriers to persistence, connecting them to resources within the agency and in the community. CCOIC is a partner in the PA CareerLink - Chester County, maintaining a classroom on site for Adult Basic Literacy and GED Prep instruction Monday through Thursday from 9AM to 3PM. The class is taught by CCOIC s lead GED instructor. The class is operated year round on a managed enrollment basis, with learners joining the class at the beginning of fall, winter, spring or summer sessions. Each session is approximately 10 weeks in length and has a two week enrollment period. Many enrollees in the GED class are also participants in the Chester County WIOA Youth Program, The HOOD: A Partnership for Youth Employment. In the coming months, the Chester 29

51 County WDB staff will work closely with Chester County OIC to determine a procedure for co-enrolling adult GED students in workforce development activities for more comprehensive, concurrent services. Currently, the Industry Partnership network of Chester County works closely with the secondary and postsecondary providers of Perkins-authorized programs of study. A primary goal of their partnership is to increase student and parental awareness of the pathways included in and related to Perkins programs of study. The secondary Perkins provider participates on the Business Education Partnership committee and is intricately involved in the parents event, Explore the Future, with focus on several areas of Programs of Study. It is the hope of the Chester County WDB to expand that awareness to job seekers and help them understand the pathway and program of study that relates to a certification or short-term training program. This can help job seekers not only be more employable faster, but identify their next steps towards related future career goals. Additionally, the secondary Perkins provider offers job seeker workshops, funded by the Chester County Workforce Development Board, which introduces job seekers to a job search toolkit, high priority occupations information, and networking and interviewing skills, similar to the secondary student preparation. The secondary Perkins provider, the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), has a seat on the WDB with the Director of Career, Technical, and Customized Education. The postsecondary Perkins provider, Delaware County Community College (DCCC), also has a seat on the WDB the Dean of the division of Workforce Development and Community Education; DCCC is also a partner in the PA CareerLink - Chester County. All Industry Partnerships administered by the Chester County Economic Development Council in Chester County share the results of their employer training requests in order to assist Perkins providers in meeting employer and job seeker needs. As per Perkins guidelines, these active partnerships create a critical teacher and workforce link through professional development, including visits and occupational advisory participation, technology donations and advisory group participation. The secondary and post-secondary Perkins providers listed also create a link for parents and students regarding the path from secondary school to a post-secondary opportunity and then to a career. Industry certifications offered in both levels improve the rate of employability for the students. The Chester County WDB will continue to increase information sharing and engagement with these crucial partners through the increase in workshops and information sessions relating to Perkins Programs of Study and other education options for youth and job seekers. Through these partnerships, job seekers will have more opportunities for continuing education relating to Perkins programs of study and training coupled with job search skills. 3.3 Describe how the local board, working with the entities carrying out core programs, will expand access to employment, training, education, and supportive services for eligible individuals, particularly eligible individuals with barriers to employment. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(3)] The Chester County Workforce Development Board has created a One-Stop model that includes the PA CareerLink - Chester County, United Way Financial Stability Center, Chester County EARN and Work Ready Programs, Chester County Assistance Office, and other appropriate partners. Other related programs and resources within the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center will collaborate with all partners on the delivery of services to individuals who need more than just workforce development services. 30

52 Chester County partners and service providers will connect with customers to provide registration into CWDS, assessments to determine barriers to employment, education and training needs. The United Way Financial Stability Center provides services to address three goals: increase income, increase assets and decrease debt. The Chester County EARN and Work Ready Programs provide services directly to the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (ABAWD/SNAP) recipients. Since co-located within the PA CareerLink - Chester County and the Financial Stability Center, this will allow the program customers staff to easily access and streamline other available activities, employment opportunities, trainings and resources through the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center. This partnership and model is a tremendous example of coordination along with maximizing and leveraging resources that are available to all individuals WIOA requires that priority of service is provided to eligible program participants regardless of funding levels. The priority of service policy includes recipients of public assistance, other low-income individuals, those who are basic skills deficient, and veterans. Under WIOA there is a stronger focus on addressing the needs of eligible individuals with barriers to employment. Individual Employment Plan will be developed for persons eligible, in addition to providing career services and training needs, and will address any barriers to employment that are identified through an appropriate service plan or referral. Contracted service providers will be prepared to provide interpreting and translation services for English language learners as well as for individuals who are hard of hearing. At the point of entry there will be information provided to all individuals to inform them of the available resources and services. The LWDB and PA CareerLink - Chester County recognize the importance and value in co-enrollment to meet individual s needs. In early 2016, the Chester County WDB held the inaugural meeting of its newest committee, focused on job seekers with disabilities and barriers to employment. This committee brings together not only PA CareerLink - Chester County partners such as OVR and Title I, but also representatives from the Chester County Department of Mental Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (MH/IDD) and Adult Probation. Going forward, we will invite representatives of the Decade to Doorways initiative in this committee. This committee will focus on services to job seekers with disabilities and barriers, as well as performance metrics for those populations. Partners and service providers will work to increase awareness of local agencies and programs of the priority of service policy to have a more direct connection with individuals who meet the priority of service definitions. The Chester County WDB and PA CareerLink - Chester County will continue to work with local agencies, employers and service providers to seek out eligible individuals for co-enrollment and those individuals that meet the priority of service criteria through brochures, meetings, networking events and the WDB and PA CareerLink - Chester County website. The LWDB will work to strengthen and target marketing techniques to increase engagement and outreach to the priority of service populations. The LWDB providers will develop and implement a process to track individuals eligible for priority of service to ensure that at least 70 percent of openings are provided to those within the priority of service. Specific methods of determining and tracking priority of service are still being finalized to determine methods that will assist staff and also help those most in need of services without a delay. Staff development and trainings should be provided to ensure knowledge capacity. Collaboration with crosssystem partners and providers will be important to reduce duplication of effort. This will increase operational efficiency to provide quality and timely access of service delivery. Individuals with barriers to employment will 31

53 have the opportunity to access all resources including those associated with the career pathways regardless of eligibility for other program services. In another effort to expand resources and services to those experiencing barriers to employment, the Chester County Workforce Development Board is collaborating with the Chester County Prison and the Chester County Department of Adult Probation to make a stronger re-entry program for our returning citizens from the prison system. The Platform to Employment program has already been piloted for the long-term unemployed, with a second cohort scheduled to begin in spring of Identify and describe (for each category below) the strategies that are and/or will be used to: A. Facilitate engagement of employers, including small employers and employers in in-demand industry sectors and occupations, in workforce development programs in addition to targeted sector strategies; B. Support a local workforce development system described in element 3.2 that meets the needs of businesses; C. Better coordinate workforce development programs with economic development partners and programs; and This must include the implementation of incumbent worker training programs, on-the-job training programs, work-based learning programs, apprenticeship models, customized training programs, industry and sector strategies, career pathways initiatives or utilization of effective business intermediaries and other business services and strategies that support the local board s strategy in element 3.1. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(4)(A) and (B)]. A. The PA CareerLink -Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center has a history of providing customized workforce development and recruitment for local business customers and is the exclusive initial entry point for all job seekers and employer engagement. It has provided onsite recruitment for numerous employers throughout Chester County and provides assessment testing, such as KeyTrain, for job seekers engaged in training services as well as employers seeking to employ skilled workers. The PA CareerLink -Chester County has partnered with the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry to meet new employers in Chester County and with the Chester County Economic Development Council to both recruit and retain a diverse business population. Specific staff members have been assigned to provide services to individual business customers. The PA CareerLink - Chester County and the United Way Financial Stability Center s goal is to provide a full range of economic and workforce development services through our partnering agencies to meet the needs of our job seekers and employer customers. The office offers on-site recruitment services to all employers at no charge. Employers may have recruitment events, use desk/office space, telephone, fax and copier as well as prescreening services from staff. A comprehensive calendar is kept with access for all to schedule employers. This process has prevented employer conflicts and overlap, providing quality service to both the employer and the job seeker. They have also used staff from other PA CareerLink offices as needed; such as bi-lingual staff to assist with mushroom industry workers. Partners have assisted with space and staff to conduct specialized recruitment, job fairs and job search workshops. 32

54 Employers in in-demand industries are often initially engaged through the five Industry Partnerships administered within Chester County. These partnerships engage employers within manufacturing, IT/Communications, agriculture, smart energy, and healthcare. Businesses of all sizes and industries are engaged by the Business Services Team, Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry, Board member referral, and the HireOne Task Force. B. Over the next several years, the Chester County WDB plans to expand the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability center model to include other related services. The PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center are co-located for the integration of services. This collaboration offers Chester County residents a core set of employment, financial education and coaching services, as well as public benefit access in a bundled and integrated fashion. The goal is to assist individuals and families achieve greater economic stability by increasing income, decreasing debt and building savings and assets. The Chester County WDB and PA CareerLink - Chester County, with all partners, will continue to stay attuned to the hiring methods being used by employers and adjust programs to meet the needs of the jobseekers to compete for these jobs. The PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center supports employers and jobseekers with an understanding of the hiring processes through open communication and dialogue. The PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center staff assists the employer and job seeker community through first identifying their needs, developing services to meet those needs then revisiting the employer as a team to offer the required services. Through a weekly orientation process, information is disseminated and presented to populations seeking training or direct employment engagement. These services may include On-the-Job Training, Veterans services, and OVR services. Skill shortages may be addressed through OJT, ITA offerings, and customized job training. The staff will facilitate conversations with business partners regarding services that may assist them in achieving the fulfillment of customer needs. One of the goals of employer outreach and engagement is to ensure that there is a pool of engaged employers ready to hire job seekers at all skill levels and in all industries to provide the most effective services possible. C. In Chester County there are industry partnerships that work to address the needs of high-priority industries. Those partnerships are in five industries: manufacturing, energy, information technology, agriculture and health care, and are administered by the Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC). Each partnership is driven by the private sector and has a board, executive committee, and subcommittees that currently address the training, pipeline development, recruiting/hiring and business resource needs of its employers. In addition to the private sector members, the partnerships have significant representation from all levels of education, chambers of commerce, industry associations, economic development organizations, and the PA CareerLink Chester County, as well as active representation on the local Workforce Development Board. These partnerships not only convene employers and facilitate industryfocused discussion, they also provide incumbent worker training and youth career exploration and maintain a network of volunteers. Staff of the Chester County WDB are actively participating in meetings and on committees to ensure the inclusion of workforce development in local career pathways with various entry and exit points. While there are apprenticeship opportunities in the county and region, there have not been active partnerships between workforce development programming and apprenticeships in the past. Beginning with the WIOA youth 33

55 program s upcoming pre-apprenticeship initiative through The HOOD:PYE, Chester County will reach out to apprenticeship programs to provide additional options and opportunities to job seekers. 3.6 Describe the workforce activities, including activities for youth with disabilities. Identify successful models and best practices for youth workforce activities relevant to the local area. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(9)] Young adult participants at The HOOD: A Partnership for Youth Employment (HOOD:PYE) with disabilities are active partners in developing an Individual Service Strategy that meets their needs in their quest for success. Academic remediation and GED-preparation classes are adjusted with the accommodations and adaptations included in an Individual Education Plan issued by a former school district whenever possible. Workforce Development classes and Job Coaching also assist youth to succeed in the world of work with their disability. When a youth has a disability that exceeds the capacity of the HOOD:PYE, referrals are made to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) for further assistance. In 2016, the Chester County WDB established a Disabilities Services committee to better collaborate on the service of participants with disabilities. The creation of this committee has also led to stronger relationships with OVR and the Chester County Department of Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (MH/IDD). As a core partner, OVR has the ability to collaborate with the local Workforce Development Board to provide inschool youth with disabilities opportunities to participate in pre-employment transition services (PETS) to better prepare these students for life after high school. PETS services include, but are not limited to, paid work experiences, job shadowing, and workplace readiness trainings. These skills gains will help to meet one of the intentions of WIOA, to better prepare in-school youth with disabilities to graduate high school and work toward meaningful careers. The current youth program provides work-based learning experiences to participants with disabilities by placing them into activities that relate to their interests and strengths. For example, a participant with Autism assists in creating PowerPoint presentations and other computer-based materials, which allows him to showcase his technology talents while minimizing customer service-based interactions. Another participant was placed in an intensive food service internship that led to full-time unsubsidized placement. As a core partner and member of the Council for the Workforce of Tomorrow, connections have been strengthened between youth programming and OVR. Chester County places a great value on youth career exploration and exposure to targeted industries. It has been the practice, spearheaded by the industry partnerships, to provide students throughout the county with guest speakers, showcases, and other career exploration activities. Beyond these activities, which are available to all students, not only youth participating in WIOA-funded programming, there has been a long-standing effort to expose youth to non-traditional occupations. The primary activity showcasing non-traditional occupations is Girls Exploring Tomorrow s Technology (GETT) GETT is an annual day-long event in the spring for girls in grades 5-10 and their parents to learn about career opportunities in a broad scope of STEM related industries. The day is filled with exciting, enlightening and experiential workshops led by successful women in STEM fields. GETT has been an annual even since 2001 and in 2015 hosted 531 students and 184 parents and educators. It has long been the practice of youth workforce programming in Chester County to focus on Out of School Youth (OSY). That experience in serving the OSY population has provided the basis for a successful youth serving 34

56 model under WIOA. For additional detail regarding youth services in Chester County, please see section 4.4 of this plan. 3.7 Describe how the local board coordinates education and workforce investment activities with relevant secondary and postsecondary education programs and activities to coordinate strategies, enhance services, and avoid duplication of services. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(10)] The Chester County Workforce Development Board actively partners with the three Technical College High Schools in the county, as well as Delaware County Community College. These partnerships extend to sharing of data, committee participation, program development, High Priority Occupation petitions, and much more. In the upcoming months, the newly-funded mobile navigator initiative will establish regular office hours at the Technical College High Schools Pennock s Bridge and Pickering campuses to bring workforce development services to those education partners in the further reaches of the county. Activities recently begun or scheduled to begin prior to the end of Program Year 2015 include; increased active partnership between WIOA Youth programming and the Technical College High Schools, meetings and workgroups regarding career pathways, exploration of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and expansion of certification programs to meet job seeker demand. These activities will continue to be expanded and enhanced in Program Year The Chester County WDB also maintains an active partnership with the Chester County OIC, which provides Title II Basic Adult Education in Chester County. The Chester County OIC is a partner in the PA CareerLink - Chester County and currently operates the WIOA Youth programming in the county. Through the WIOA youth program, Adult Basic Education and workforce development is integrated in daily programming. A portion of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) youth funds are allocated to a local non-profit organization offering a summer program as well as a year round program where youth are provided with mentoring and exposure to STEM careers, academic preparation for High School and College in STEM-related curricula, and career readiness projects and programs. Offerings in this program include coding and competing in robotics competitions throughout the region. Once a participant reaches their senior year of high school, they are offered a small scholarship for their hard efforts and time spent as an active participant throughout the program. The same TANF provider partnered with our OSY program in providing services for those participants enrolled at the HOOD:PYE. A quality assurance analyst program with a focus on STEM was created to meet the needs of this population. While participants are enrolled in the program, they will gain knowledge and exposure to quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) processes. Participants will learn to apply QA to different technical and non-technical industries and will participate in hands-on workshops in specific industries using QA such as software development or information technology. The Chester County WDB convenes an annual meeting with the local WedNET providers (Cheyney University, DCCC and WCU) along with an Industry Partnership rep from the Economic Development Council to discuss the upcoming year and specifically how the schools plan to market and attract employers into the program. Beyond those ongoing active partnerships, the Chester County WDB frequently collaborates with other education entities for special projects and programs. Student showcases are conducted by all five Industry Partnerships in Chester County, as well as educator outreach and industry visits to demonstrate workforce needs and opportunities to educators. All Industry Partnership boards include at least one representative of 35

57 education. Staff of the Chester County WDB and PA CareerLink - Chester County present to middle and secondary schools, staff and students, in the county regarding High Priority Occupations and other valuable information, such as how to interview for a first job. The Chester County WDB is currently contracted with the Chester County Economic Development Council to implement the Business Education Partnership grant. This grant aims to complete the following activities in its first year; Bring together representatives from industry, school districts, youth-serving agencies, and local colleges to act as an advisory committee. Provide training for up to ten high school counselors regarding the development of effective school counseling plans incorporating PA Career Education and Work Standards. Offer career events for up to thirty high school counselors and teachers to visit 3-4 employer sites to learn about industries and high priority occupations. Partner with Chester County VISTA2025 to provide a youth component as part of their 2015 Workforce and Education Summit Deliver up to six career showcase events for high school and out-of-school youth. Offer up to three parent/student Industry Focus nights to provide relevant industry and career information. Collaborate on up to three career fairs for high school students. 3.8 Describe efforts to coordinate supportive services provided through workforce investment activities in the local area, including facilitating transportation for customers. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(11)] The Financial Stability Center model is a tremendous example of coordination, along with maximizing and leveraging resources. Appropriate partners within the Financial Stability Center will not only co-locate services, but also collaborate on the delivery of services to individuals who need more than just workforce development services. Just one of the many facets of the Financial Stability Center acknowledges that those who have been out of work often end up facing a number of challenges beyond their job search, such as financial and emotional challenges that are often new to them. This collaboration offers Chester County residents a core set of employment, financial education and coaching services, as well as public benefit access in a bundled and integrated fashion. The goal is to assist individuals and families achieve greater economic stability by increasing income, decreasing debt and building savings and assets. Data collection continues to be refined so that it may be reported as both real-time and accrued data as accurately as possible. To further the collaboration under the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center model, all staff attend quarterly information sharing meetings and orientations are co-facilitated by both Title I staff and Financial Stability Center staff. Collaborative projects have increased, with the Platform to Employment program integrating supportive services through the United Way Financial Stability Center and the new community0based partnership grant brining all services to the more difficult to reach areas of the county. Transportation continues to be a challenge in some of the rural areas, but the recent Community Partnership grant will allow the local providers to be mobile and take some PA CareerLink - Chester County services on the 36

58 road to provide services to the more challenging geographical areas of the county. Measures taken to alleviate transportation challenges so far include the addition of a bus stop for the Route A bus just across from the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center, as well as vans utilized by the HOOD:PYE program for participant transportation to the one-stop and other program-related locations. 3.9 Describe strategies to implement the operational goals of the local one-stop system, maximizing coordination of services provided by the Department s merit staff, and the local board s contracted service providers in order to improve services and avoid duplication. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(12)] In August 2013, the PA CareerLink - Chester County initiated an Action Plan and Goal Setting Strategy Session for the purposes of: Aligning the operational goals of our local one-stop system with our Workforce Investment Board (now the Workforce Development Board), Maximizing the coordination of our services; Aligning our vision, mission and values with that of our Workforce Investment Board (now Workfoce Development Board) to ensure that resources are being leveraged and services are being integrated and delivered in a manner that increases our customer s competitive advantage while not duplicating services. Finalizing the PA CareerLink - Chester County s One-Stop Service Plan The action steps identified in these Strategy Sessions were critical in enabling the PA CareerLink - Chester County to firmly support the Strategic Plan developed by the Chester County Workforce Investment Board (now Workforce Development Board). Objectives developed in these strategy sessions were helpful in developing action steps, process measures, accountable individuals, and success targets that support the accomplishment of the key strategies defined in the Board s Strategic Plan. These objectives provide clear direction and action steps for staff by maximizing the coordination and integration of our services. These objectives have been incorporated as part of the final Action Plan and Goal Setting Strategy Sessions Outcomes documents and have been included as a key component in the PA CareerLink - Chester County One-Stop Service Plan. The PA CareerLink - Chester County Operator Consortium and the PA CareerLink - Chester County Site Administrator play significant roles in ensuring the implementation of operational goals for the local one-stop system in Chester County. The PA CareerLink - Chester County Operator Consortium oversees operations at the site level. This responsibility includes maintaining standards and accountability, promoting consistent, coordinated and quality services, supporting communication, as well as coordinating staff training and bi-monthly partner staff meetings. The Operator Consortium roles and responsibilities include: Develop, maintain and continually review service delivery structures for the PA CareerLink -Chester County site in the LWDA to ensure adequate levels of service, proportional to customer needs. Work in conjunction with the WDB in the development of procedures. Integrate, coordinate, streamline and consolidate workforce development services for employers and job-seeking customer. 37

59 Ensure the PA CareerLink -Chester County site adheres to policy and procedures established by the WDB and the Operator Consortium. Manage, oversee and interface with all partners to coordinate the delivery of services as part of the system. Provide levels of staff support and staffing patterns that will be required to conduct activities within the service delivery system. Work with the other decision-making authorities of those agencies whose funding streams are not represented on the Operator Consortium but who may seek to integrate staff and/or offer services in the PA CareerLink -Chester County site. Monitor the PA CareerLink -Chester County site for quality, outcome and cost performance. Measure performance and customer satisfaction through job seeker and employer surveys and Implement Continuous Improvement procedures and identify Best Practices. Assist WDB in determining partners in recommending the PA CareerLink -Chester County facility location and negotiate OSSP and RSA for Chartering and Certification of the PA CareerLink -Chester County site. Work in conjunction with WDB and partners, evaluate available resources and develop comprehensive operational service delivery plans designed to meet the needs of the labor market. Ensure that adequate services exist and partner conflicts are resolved. Select a PA CareerLink -Chester County Administrator for the site. Ensure necessary resources are available to the PA CareerLink -Chester County Administrator to conduct business and to support and reinforce their management authority among all partners. The PA CareerLink Site Administrator is responsible for the day-to-day operations to provide universal access and seamless customer service. The PA CareerLink Site Administrator will direct, manage and coordinate all functions and operations of the PA CareerLink -Chester County on a daily basis to ensure compliance and alignment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Chester County Workforce Development Board s Strategic Plan and certification requirements and the Local Plan, Agreements, One-Stop Service Plan and Policies and Procedures. The PA CareerLink Site Administrator will demonstrate superior skills in the key areas of: Leadership, Local planning, Workforce Connections, Job Seeker Service Delivery, Business Services, Resource Management, and Facility Maintenance. Demonstrate superior skills in the seven key areas as detailed in the PACareerLink Administrator Position Description, incorporated by reference: Leadership, local planning, workforce connections, job seeker service delivery, business services, resource management, and facility maintenance. To avoid duplicative costs, and to ensure that customers have immediate access to services all partners are colocated within the PA CareerLink - Chester County. The key workforce entities co-located with the PA CareerLink - Chester County include: WIOA Title I - The County of Chester has staff on site to coordinate services and programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA), including eligibility determination for WIOA programs such as the ITA and OJT programs. Additionally, the WDB has contracted with EDSI, Inc. to provide job seekers with Job Locator program services and to coordinate the OJT program. Bureau of Workforce Partnership Operations (BWPO) BWPO has staff on site to assist job seekers and employers with their employment needs. 38

60 Office of Vocational Rehabilitation OVR has counselors on site and provides services and resources for individuals with disabilities. County Assistance Office - The CAO has staff on site to assist clients with applications for public assistance. Trade - Commonwealth staff is on site to provide Trade/TAA customers services and to assist customers with their Trade/TAA applications. VETS A Disabled Outreach Veterans Specialist is available to assist Veterans who have serious barriers to employment. EARN Program The EARN and Work Ready programs, initiatives of the Department of Human Services offers eligible customers program services on site. Delaware County Community College The local community college is on site one day per week to provide information and enrollment assistance to job seekers interested in pursuing education and training through the Community College. Full Circle Computing A for-profit training provider is on site one day per week to provide information and enrollment assistance for job seekers interested in technology training. ABE/Literacy Chester County OIC is the Adult Literacy partner and provides classroom training and GED preparation services on site daily. GED Testing Center GED testing services are available on site at PA CareerLink - Chester County. Bureau of Unemployment Compensation (UC) A direct dial phone and individual work station is available to customers who have a need to speak with someone at UC or to file an application for benefits. Manpower Staffing The ManpowerGroup is on site one day a week to provide temporary employment opportunities to job seekers. United Way Financial Stability Center - Under the umbrella of the Financial Stability Center, various agencies such as Open Hearth, Family Service of Chester County, Chester County Library, Chester County Health Department, Clarifi, Wings for Success, Life Transforming Ministries are available on site on various days of the week to provide job seekers services surrounding: o Financial Coaching/Navigation and Counseling o 1-1 Counseling Services and workshops on topics such as job loss o Free Tax Preparation Services o Healthy LIfesyle workshop topics o 1-1 and group help for Understanding Affordable Health Care options Mandatory bi-monthly meetings are held for all staff for the purposes of ensuring that all staff keep updated on the various services and programs available through individual agencies. Team building exercises, staff training activities on topics such as Disability Awareness, Violence Prevention, Dealing with Customers with Tact and Skill, Managing Multiple Priorities and Customer Service are among the topics included regularly on bi-monthly meeting agendas and individual staff training sessions Describe how the local board will carry out a review of local applications submitted under WIOA Title II Adult Education and Literacy, consistent with the local plan (as described in WIOA Sec. 107(d)(11) and WIOA Sec. 232). [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(13)] The application process to receive Title II Adult Education and Literacy funds through the PA Department of Education is set to change to a competitive format in the future. Agencies eligible to receive funding must provide literacy education to adults through classroom, small group and one to one tutoring and include referral 39

61 to distance learning. Under WIOA, the grant proposal will be submitted to the Workforce Development Board for review, input and alignment at a WDB meeting and be consistent with the CCWDB workforce plan Based on the analysis described in Appendix B - Section 1, identify the targeted populations that the local board plans to focus additional effort and resources towards. In terms of the targeted populations, briefly describe the local board s objectives, goals, and strategies. The Department of Community Development, and, by extension, the Chester County Workforce Development Board, has always been dedicated to prioritizing the hardest to serve populations. While services at the PA CareerLink - Chester County will begin by following the Priority of Service outlined in WIOA, there will be an emphasis on additional populations experiencing barriers as well. Beyond the Priority of Service Policy, the Chester County WDB has identified six additional targeted populations on which to focus outreach and engagement efforts as well as develop specific services for; Returning Citizens (ex-offenders) o Working to strengthen a developing partnership with the Chester County Prison and Chester County Adult Probation Department to more effectively assist returning citizens secure employment Job Seekers with Disabilities o Working with providers to create more intensive services to support those with disabilities o Partnering with OVR for additional staff training in order to better assist those with disabilities Chester County Residents Experiencing Homelessness o Strengthening an existing strong referral relationship with the local shelter system by adding more one-on-one assistance Long-Term Unemployed o Refining already robust programming in the form of the Platform to Employment program Young Adults o Updating youth and young adult programming with a pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship focus Limited English Proficiency o Expanding existing services for those with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) already offered through the United Way Financial Stability Center to include a workforce-centric component Each of these populations will be emphasized in the upcoming Program Year 2016 Request for Proposals and will be targeted for increased outreach and engagement Briefly describe any additional funding outside of WIOA title I and state general funds, and how such funding will be leveraged in support of the local workforce system. The administration and staffing of the Chester County Workforce Development Board falls within the Chester County Department of Community Development (DCD). Within DCD, various funding sources are utilized and leveraged to provide a variety of services to the citizens of Chester County. DCD is the Community Action Agency for Chester County, and administers the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the 40

62 Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds from the Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, state funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to administer the Employment Advancement and Retention Network (EARN) as well as the Work Ready programs and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Youth programming, are administered by DCD. The Decade to Doorways initiative to end homelessness in Chester County operates through DCD and allows for a broader range of grant opportunities beyond frequent state and federal grant applications. Funding has also been administered by DCD for more locally-funded programming at the discretion of the Chester County Board of Commissioners and in partnership with other County departments. CSBG funding will be leveraged for supportive services to reconnect Returning Citizens from the justice system to integrate employment services with the broader workforce initiatives of the WDB and streamline a pathway from prison to the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center for individuals needing to gain meaningful and sustainable employment. The program will develop benchmarks and serve individuals who are job ready (or close) and who are eager to engage workforce development resources. Some screening will be completed during incarceration through an 8 week pre-release job readiness program. Enrollment into the CWDS is expected immediately upon release and with the expectation that participants will remain in communication with re-entry staff throughout their job search. These methods begin to increase awareness and uptake of workforce initiatives and resources and also create a structured pathway between the prison and the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center. The United Way of Chester County provides funding for the core services offered through the Financial Stability Center. In addition, many of the supportive and educational programs and services are partially funded through United Way s regular allocation process. Other supportive and educational services are provided through leveraging strong community working relationships and linking existing services. Creative flex space is offered to partners of the FSC. This flex space model offers the ability to schedule various options of programs and services at the amount needed and extend provider s reach to customers outside their home office location. For the jobseekers, this also helps eliminate barriers by receiving both workforce development and supportive services in a one-stop location. Administrative oversight of these supportive services through the United Way Financial Stability Center is provided by UWCC and is an in-kind contribution. The Chester County Department of Community Development is dedicated to pursuing funding opportunities beyond formula funds and recurring awards. To that end, a number of grant applications are submitted annually. The most recent grant award received is designed to bring the basic services of the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center to those areas of the county where transportation to the one-stop is challenging. This mobile outreach service will not only provide engagement, eligibility and technical assistance, as well as introductory services, it will increase awareness of the full menu of services available at the one-stop. We have been in discussion with the Chester County Library System, which would be a logical partner in this endeavor, as libraries are located in these specific areas, with physical space available to provide needed services. 41

63 Section 4: Program Design and Evaluation Many of the responses below should be based on strategic discussions between the local board and one-stop partners. Please provide a separate response for each of the elements listed below. 4.1 Describe the one-stop delivery system in the local area including: A. The local board s efforts to ensure the continuous improvement of eligible providers of services, including contracted service providers and providers on the eligible training provider list, and ensure that such providers meet the employment needs of local employers, workers and jobseekers. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(6)(A)] B. How the local board will facilitate access to services provided through the one-stop delivery system in remote areas, through the use of technology, and through other means. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(6)(B)] C. How entities within the one-stop delivery system, including one-stop operators and the one-stop partners, will comply with WIOA section 188, and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 regarding the physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs and services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities, including providing staff training and support for addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(6)(C)] (See Appendix C: Transitional Planning References and Resources) A. The Chester County WDB s Workforce Programming Committee reviews provider reports and outcomes semiannually. These reviews lead to requesting additional information when questions remain as well as recommendations from the committee to improve performance where needed. Implementation of those recommendations is then overseen by staff. File monitoring reports, conducted semi-annually, as well as provider monitoring reports, conducted per the local monitoring policy, are utilized to record areas of concern, request improvement plans, and identify best practices that can be shared or duplicated. Dialog with eligible training providers remains open throughout the program year, so that any participant or provider issues can be addressed swiftly. When an area of concern is noted across the local system, recommendations are made by the committee regarding multiple areas of improvement or change. Internal processes for Title I staff and contracted providers are reviewed and updated throughout the year to allow for the most seamless and timely provision of services possible. Needs of job seekers and employers not being addressed by the more active programs on the eligible training providers list are addressed by reaching out to additional providers to expand that list, or working with current providers to adjust offerings to meet those needs. Through various levels of reporting, reviewing, and monitoring, the Chester County Workforce Development Board operates in a state of continuous improvement. B. Services to remote locations in the county will be enhanced by the recent receipt of the Community Based Partnership Grant. This particular grant will bring the basic services of the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center to those areas of the county where transportation to the one-stop is challenging. This mobile outreach service will not only provide engagement, eligibility and technical assistance, as well as introductory services, it will increase awareness of the full menu of services available at the one-stop and strengthen partnerships in those areas of the county more challenging to reach. 42

64 The PA CareerLink - Chester County has already taken some initial steps to make services available through technology by developing a new local website that allows job seekers to view workshop/event calendars, register for workshops and access job seeker tools such as the Big Interview, CTORQ, Virtual Job Shadow and PA Career Coach. The website also provides individuals the opportunity to receive daily job postings via an RSS Feed and allows them to customize the RSS Feed to their job search preferences. The Chester County Workforce Development Board (WDB) and PA CareerLink - Chester County Operators and Partners will continue to explore ways in which more services can be accessed through the use of technology, which may include archiving workshop presentations on videos and making them available on-line and the use of webinars for the delivery of workshops. C. EO/ADA Certification The PA CareerLink - Chester County partnership is fully committed to providing accessibility and services to individuals with disabilities. On July 30, 2014, the Office of Equal Opportunity, Department of Labor and Industry conducted an on-site Equal Opportunity (EO)/Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Compliance Review of the PA CareerLink - Chester County. The purpose of the compliance review was to ensure that the PA CareerLink - Chester County was operating within the guidelines to determine whether services to applicants, participants and registrants are provided in accordance with the Equal Opportunity and nondiscrimination requirements of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Section 188 of WIA, 20 U.S.C. 2938) and its implementing regulations (29 CFR Part 37). As a result of the review, effective July 20, 2014, the PA CareerLink - Chester County was declared in compliance for Equal Opportunity (EO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility requirements until July 30, The PA CareerLink - Chester County will work closely with the Office of Equal Opportunity during the transition to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA), specifically as it relates to the requirements in WIOA Sec. 108(b)(6)(C) and any new EO/ADA recertification requirements. Language Assistance Plan The PA CareerLink - Chester County has developed a Language Assistance Plan for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) persons. This Language Assistance Plan consists of the following: PA CareerLink - Chester County s Language Assistance Plan for LEP persons is reviewed and updated annually and submitted to the Office of Equal Opportunity for approval. The approved LEP plan is then provide to all Partners and Partner staff. PA CareerLink - Chester County has an active license with Language Line ( to provide translation services for individuals accessing services at our center. Language Line provides over the phone interpretation and document translation in more than 150 languages for individuals in need. PA CareerLink - Chester County has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in place with the Deaf Hearing Communication Centre based out of Swarthmore, PA for the purposes of providing hearingimpaired customers with interpretation services. Training is provided to staff on an annual basis as it relates to the local Language Assistance Plan. Subsequent training will be provided annually as part of the Disability Awareness Training agenda. 43

65 Staff Disability Awareness and EO Training The PA CareerLink - Chester County EO Officer and EO Liaison, along with technical assistance and training provided by the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) conducts annual Oversight Monitoring and Disability Awareness Training for all PA CareerLink - Chester County partner staff. PA CareerLink -Chester County works closely with OVR and will continue to use them as a resource to provide annual Disability Awareness Training for partner staff. PA CareerLink - Chester County is equipped to provide handouts/information in Braille and in alternative formats such as large print and audiotapes. Assistive technology is available in our center s Career Resource Center (CRC). Disability Awareness Training, facilitated by OVR, is provided to all partner staff annually. The partnership performs an annual review and inventory to ensure continual monitoring of our resources and make any necessary enhancements to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities who access our services. The monitoring will ensure compliance with related job seeker and employer services in PA CareerLink operations. Additionally, beginning in 2016, all PA CareerLink - Chester County staff were required to participate in an Equal Opportunity (EO) orientation/training provided by the PA Department of Labor and Industry s Office of Equal Opportunity staff. Topics surrounding protected classes, non-discrimination statutes, policies on sexual harassment, disability-related employment and equal opportunity are covered as part of this training. 4.2 Describe the local board s assessment of the type and availability of adult and dislocated worker employment and training activities in the local area. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(7)] The Chester County Workforce Development Board issues a Request for Proposals annually in order to solicit innovative job seeker services. Creative best-practices and targeted services for specific job seeker populations, as well as employer services, are encouraged. This annual proposal process also allows Board members and staff an opportunity to review deliverables and proposed changes for existing providers for each new Program Year. Each proposal is scored objectively by a committee of WDB members. After two rounds of scoring and discussion, recommendations from the scoring committee are presented to the full Workforce Development Board for discussion, review, and approval. This method of issuing Requests for Proposals and emphasizing a desire for innovative services with proven job seeker or employer need has resulted in the implementation of some of the most successful workforce development services within Chester County. Throughout the course of the program year, the Workforce Programming Committee reviews reports and deliverables from each contractor, requesting additional information, offering technical assistance, or adjusting deliverables as needed. Contractor reports are also shared with the entire WDB as part of each meeting packet. This ongoing review allows for open discussion throughout the program year and a more timely intervention with technical assistance when an issue is identified. All orientations and workshops include a customer survey, which are reviewed regularly by staff in order to determine best practices and enact change when necessary. This ongoing review and analysis makes responses proactive rather than reactive and allows for a constant state of programmatic improvement. For those providers who fall under the Eligible Training Provider List and not the competitive proposal process, an annual review of performance during the ETPL initial application period, and throughout the year, is 44

66 conducted. Where gaps in job seeker and employer need are noted, WDB staff reaches out to additional providers to engage them and encourage them to apply for the ETPL. With additional opportunities for microcredentials allowed in the new ETPL model and the Local Provider list under WIOA, opportunities to engage additional training providers to fill job seeker and employer needs will broaden significantly. This broadening of opportunity will allow the Chester County workforce development system to better fill gaps that were previously left out of the training provider options. 4.3 Describe how the local board will coordinate workforce investment activities carried out in the local area with statewide rapid response activities. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(8)] PA CareerLink - Chester County staff participates on the Rapid Response team that is coordinated by the PA Department of Labor and Industry s Rapid Response Coordination Services. The local Rapid Response team includes staff from PA Labor and Industry Rapid Response Coordination Services, Unemployment Compensation, PA CareerLink - Chester County staff, and United Way Financial Stability Center staff. When word is received that a WARN notice has been issued, local staff from these agencies mobilize to provide on-site information sessions for employees impacted by a layoff or plant closure. Information surrounding the eligibility and process for applying for Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits as well as resources available to impacted employees are provided at the initial Rapid Response orientation. Additionally, information surrounding workshops, training opportunities, job locator program services, counseling services for those affected by the loss of their job and information surrounding financial planning and navigation services are made available at the orientation. Additionally, affected employees are encouraged to utilize the Computer Resource Center (CRC) on site at PA CareerLink - Chester County as a means of keeping with a routine of leaving home, avoiding distractions and treating their job search like it is job in itself. Provided there is a need, PA CareerLink - Chester County staff make arrangements to provide special JobGateway registration sessions for impacted employees to ensure that they are in compliance with the work search requirements to receive unemployment compensation. Whenever possible, local staff acts proactively and is available to provide similar assistance to employers and employees impacted by a layoff of less than the WARN threshold. 4.4 Provide an analysis and description of youth workforce activities, including activities for youth with disabilities. Identify successful models and best practices, for youth workforce activities relevant to the local area. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(9)] Note: This section must include a description of the program design elements as well as how the local area will implement the 14 program elements. Unemployment rates for older youth and young adults remain substantially higher than those for the population as a whole. For example, although Pennsylvania s overall unemployment rate has fallen to a seasonally adjusted 5.1 percent (as of October 2015), the rate for year-olds stands at 11.1 percent, and at 13.4 percent for year-olds. Further, because the likelihood of employment correlates with educational levels, rates of 45

67 employment and labor market participation for individuals with secondary credentials or less are substantially lower than for those with postsecondary credentials. Recognizing the employment challenges faced by older youth and young adults, particularly those without postsecondary credentials, WIOA prioritizes employment, education and training services for year-old outof-school youth (OSY), establishing an expenditure floor of 75 percent, reducing the burdens of income determination, and extending automatic eligibility for services to a range of high-risk populations. Appreciating the importance of preparing all Pennsylvanians for active and productive citizenship, the PA Department of Labor & Industry will provide guidance and support for efforts by the Chester County WDB to expand services to these high-risk young people. In particular, the Chester County WDB will place a strong emphasis on ensuring that eligible OSY have access to a full range of services across core programs, as appropriate. To ensure a strong and continuing focus on youth employment, the Chester County WDB has a youth standing committee, known as the Council for the Workforce of Tomorrow (CWT). In addition, the updated performance measures will be monitored to ensure that they reflect the needs and challenges of the new service population. In this way, Chester County will not be penalized for enrolling high-need and difficult to serve individuals who are the focus of WIOA youth activities. WIOA youth activities will focus on young people with barriers to employment, including those who are in foster care and/or juvenile justice systems, are homeless, have a disability, are involved in the public mental health system, or are pregnant or parenting. Local youth serving agencies will work together to build coordinated approaches in efforts to enroll and retain these young people. In addition to the PA CareerLink - Chester County, the HOOD: A Partnership for Youth Employment is a center designed for the year old population to assist and support training activities that will help young adults enter and be successful in the workforce along with choosing a career path that aligns with Chester County s High Priority Occupation (HPO) list. WIOA also places a new emphasis on providing eligible youth with high-quality work experiences, requiring that at least 20 percent of youth funding be dedicated to this activity. This requirement is consistent with a growing body of research which demonstrates that young people who have access to jobs in their teens tend to graduate from high school, earn secondary and postsecondary credentials, and earn at higher levels than their peers who do not work. However, research also shows that young people in low-income families have much more limited access to employment than their more affluent peers. Therefore, the WIOA work experience requirement represents a powerful tool to help lower-income youth, particularly those with barriers to employment, to gain invaluable and potentially life-changing experience in work places. In support of this priority, the Chester County WDB will increase partnerships with employers to provide access to high-quality work experiences for eligible youth, including internships, workplace learning, transitional jobs, pre-apprenticeships, and summer jobs, with particular emphasis on OSY. Additional efforts will be made around career exploration strategies to provide students and their parents access to key information in making decisions about secondary and postsecondary education options and employment goals. As we increase opportunities for Pennsylvania s out-of-school youth population, we must also develop strategies that align career pathways with HPO s in targeted industry clusters, encourage partnerships that align state agencies and inspire co-enrollment in multiple programs to ensure youth have the opportunity to pursue the skills, training and education they need to obtain employment that will lead to financial stability and economic security for themselves and their families. 46

68 As out-of-school youth are one of WIOA s primary focuses, it is imperative that we work together with our partners to develop and build new models for recruitment, retention, performance, co-enrollment, partnerships and career pathways. Recognizing the new priority of OSY, best practice models are still being identified to better assist Chester County WDB staff to successfully meet the needs of those individuals. In the meantime, Chester County has had much success with self-developed strategies and best practices that have been implemented, such as the following; 1. 75% OSY/25% ISY Over the last seven program years, Chester County has had much success in assisting with OSY population and their needs. Since PY 2009, youth services under WIA have been serving 70% OSY and 30% ISY, which was opposite of WIA s minimum requirements. 2. One-Stop Center The CWT and WIB formed a One-Stop Youth Center, known as the HOOD: A Partnership for Youth Employment which serves eligible youth who are both economically disadvantaged and have significant barriers to employment. The mission of the HOOD: A Partnership for Youth Employment is To provide a comprehensive array of services for at-risk youth, which include job readiness and life skills, academic remediation/ged preparation, post-secondary educational opportunities and career counseling/mentoring. These services promote positive self-esteem/selfawareness, augmented literacy skills, leading to post-secondary opportunities, and enhanced job readiness skills that facilitate self-sustaining employment. 3. Case Management/ Follow-Up Services This combines both a programmatic and outcome-oriented approach, providing all parties with a documented account of what, why, and how success is achieved. Participants are motivated by a clear and achievable selection of training choices designed to lead them to self-sufficiency. Services offered include education, training and job placement, and other services designed to assist participants achieve self-sufficiency. The case manager is involved daily with participants to meet specific needs. A 12 month follow-up is not only a requirement, but it is thoroughly beneficial for the participant. Through case management, participants are provided an integrated system of challenges, achievements and rewards on the path to individual success. 4. Transportation The HOOD: A Partnership for Youth Employment is located on a bus route. The provider offer transportation services to clients to perform job search activities, for job interviews, driver s tests, and apparel shopping for training/employment. Currently the CWT provides transportation services for youth from the West Chester and Coatesville areas to access program services. Youth are encouraged to provide their own transportation if they have it. Transportation can be arranged for youth for the entire county as needed. 5. Career Pathways a. Job Readiness Job Readiness Activities, which combine life skills, job preparation, job readiness, and job search, assists participants in locating appropriate employment. Self-Directed Job Search skills are provided within this framework. The objectives of the classroom training curriculum are; verbal communication skills; self-awareness/self-help images; decision-making concepts pertaining to employment barriers; resume writing skills; completion of employment applications; practical interviewing techniques; and individualized counseling. Staff provides job development for each participant, while maintaining labor market information on high priority occupations, industry partnerships, the regional career education partnership, new employers, interview arrangements, and direct follow-up with employers following interviews. 47

69 b. Vocational Training Vocational education training provides youth with skills in specific occupations. These trainings are offered based on the labor market needs of Chester County and High Priority Occupations. c. Academic Enrichment All levels of education, High School Diploma, GED, ABE, and ESL are coordinated with remedial math and reading, computer instruction, workplace readiness and GED or High School preparation when needed. This portion of the program is treated as a real job with a dress code and rules. At specific intervals, work experience/vocational training may be incorporated to connect the participant to the ultimate goal of unsubsidized employment and post-secondary education. Employers are also connected to this component to both directly to students about why "lifelong learning" is significant to their future upward mobility. d. Focus on Job Seekers Our staff consistently encourages and assists youth in seeking appropriate employment. During enrollment and during participation in program, staff ensures that each youth's strengths and goals are maximized in assisting with job search activities and placement to ensure success. Staff utilizes the PA Job Gateway system to assist youth participants with seeking employment. Staff continues to focus and educate youth on High Priority Occupations and will continue to assist youth participants in choosing post-secondary training that directly results in securing employment. Staff will continue to stay attuned to the hiring methods being utilized by employers in order to optimize the opportunity for youth participants to be prepared for the application process. As a core partner, OVR has the ability to collaborate with the local Workforce Development Board to provide inschool youth with disabilities opportunities to participate in pre-employment transition services (PETS) to better prepare these students for life after high school. PETS services include, but are not limited to, paid work experiences, job shadowing, and workplace readiness trainings. These skills gains will help to meet one of the intentions of WIOA, to better prepare in-school youth with disabilities to graduate high school and work toward meaningful careers. OVR is working with the local youth program to assist with services and referrals for youth with disabilities. The youth program also implements any possible accomodations and modifications that may be included in a participant IEP to help develop the best service delivery and ensure participant success. The current youth program provides work-based learning experiences to participants with disabilities by placing them into activities that relate to their interests and strengths. For example, a participant with Autism assists in creating PowerPoint presentations and other computer-based materials, which allows him to showcase his technology talents while minimizing customer service-based interactions. Another participant was placed in an intensive food service internship that led to full-time unsubsidized placement. The youth program incorporates all aspects of the 14 youth program design elements as listed below, and is always in search of best practices in order to improve and expand upon them; 1. Tutoring and similar services, including dropout prevention services, leading to a high school diploma The case manager is responsible for introducing dropout prevention strategies to participants and assisting in the implementation of those strategies. 2. Alternative education services 48

70 Participants take part in a GED and tutoring program following the protocol of the PA Department of Education, Bureau of Adult and Secondary Education. 3. Summer employment linked to academic and occupational learning PArticiapnts are referred to the Coatesville Youth Initiative or Phoenixville Youth Initiative summer youth employment programs. 4. Paid and unpaid work experience Participants have taken part in a cohort-based intensive internship program with Sodexo, leading to a number of permanent placements. Additionally, participants are placed into paid work experiences that cater to their interests and abilities wherever possible. 5. Occupational skills training Programming offers training leading to certifications including the National Retail Federation (NRF), ServSafe, forklift safety and operation, and Certified Nurse Aide. 6. Leadership development, including community service Participants assist in loading, unloading, stocking, and distributing food donations for the Chester County Food Bank once a week, through a partnership with the Rotary Club. 7. Supportive services Referrals are made to area agencies for supportive services. GED testing fees are paid by the program for those participants who are ready to take the test. 8. Adult mentoring during program participation One-on-one tutors have been designated as mentors for participants needing additional support. Additional mentoring opportunitites are being looked into. 9. Follow-up services for at least 12 months Program utilizes phone calls, electronic outreach in the form of social media, and home visits to conduct follow-up. Outreach is recorded in a log. 10. Comprehensive guidance and counseling, including drug and alcohol Participants are referred for guidance and counseling, as well as substance abuse services, when needed. 11. Financial literacy education Program participants take place in workshops and one-on-one sessions through the United Way Financial Stability Center. 12. Entrepreneurial skills training Career corps has developed relationship with community businesses. These relationships are utilized to inspire career goals and entrepreneurial opportunities. Additionally, all interested youth particiapnts are able to attend the Fundamentals of Starting Your Own Business workshop presented by SCORE and regularly offered at the PA CareerLink - Chester County. Activities offered within the Youth program also offer youth the opportunity to create their own business plan, mission statement, and logo. 13. Career awareness, career counseling, and career exploration services Participants utilize various assessment and exploration tools, including Career Cruising and CareerScope, as well as participating in job shadowing, employer visits, and career presentations within the program. 14. Preparatory and transition activities to postsecondary and advanced training 49

71 The program takes participants on tours of post-secondary and training schools, invites schools to present to participants within the structure pof the program, and assists with college applications, registration, and financial aid paperwork. 4.8 Describe the process utilized by the local board to ensure that training provided is linked to in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the local area, or in another area to which a participant is willing to relocate. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(22)] and [WIOA Sec. 134(c)(3)(G)(iii)] As part of the review and approval process for every request for training, Program Coordinators review the ETPL application in CWDS for the related High Priority Occupations (HPOs) listed. During that review, Program Coordinators check to ensure that the training ties to the High Priority Occupations list for Chester County. If the training does link to an HPO in Chester County, that request moves to the next round for approval. If the training does not link to an HPO in Chester County, staff will discuss willingness to relocate with the participant. Those participants who do not indicate a willingness to relocate will not have their training request approved. Those who indicate a willingness to relocate will indicate that willingness and the reasons for it in a written statement, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. 4.9 Describe the process and criteria the local board will use to include a wide range of providers and opportunities through the Local Training Provider List (LTPL). [Workforce System Policy , Eligible Training Providers] Note: Such criteria must include the factors listed in the WSP in addition to any criteria established by the local board. Eligibility of a provider and/or program must be based solely on measurable factors. The Chester County WDB Workforce Programming Committee will continue to refine the process and criteria for the new Local Training Provider List, which has been directed thus far by the guidance found in Workforce System Policy Following the distinctions made by the guidance, the LTPL process and criteria will be separated into Employer-Centric and System-Centric Training categories. All program manuals, such as the OJT Manual, and contract requirements, will be streamlined and updated to include the same requirements as the LTPL. This process and related criteria will be regularly revisited as additional guidance, baseline performance data, and CWDS functionality becomes available. Employer-Centric Training will; Result in a credential, unsubsidized employment, or measurable skill gain Directly relate to a High-Priority Occupation Include a training plan Record accurate and timely program completion and service exit data Demonstrate the ability to provide the participant with continued long-term employment with wages, benefits, and similar working conditions as those during program participation Provide required performance information System-Centric Training will; Focus on serving those with a barrier to employment Supplement employer-centric training or training found on the Statewide ETPL, when appropriate 50

72 Prioritize programming which leads directly to a credential, unsubsidized employment, or measurable skill gain, while also allowing for programming that is a stepping-stone to such outcomes Demonstrate alignment with the High-Priority Occupations List Record accurate and timely program completion and service exit data Provide required performance information Participation on the Employer-Centric Training portion of the LTPL will be increased through active employer outreach of the HireOne, Industry Partnership, and Job Locator Programs, as well as the Business Services Team, which we anticipate will allow for a wider range of opportunities in high-priority occupations and industries. Initial outreach to System-Centric providers will be done through the Industry Partnerships in order to determine employer-requested trainings that would be suitable for inclusion. Section 5: Compliance Responses are focused on the local area s compliance with federal or state requirements. Please provide a separate response for each of the elements listed below. 5.1 Describe the replicated cooperative agreements, as defined by WIOA 107(d)(11), in place between the local board and the Department of Labor & Industry s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) with respect to efforts that will enhance the provision of services to individuals with disabilities and to other individuals, such as cross training of staff, technical assistance, use and sharing of information, cooperative efforts with employers, and other efforts at cooperation, collaboration, and coordination. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(14)] The Chester County WDB has a long-standing relationship with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR). This relationship is supported by OVR s participation on various boards and committees to ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to services and programs. These boards and committees include: Chester County Workforce Development Board PA CareerLink Chester County Operator Consortium PA CareerLink - Chester County Partners PA CareerLink - Chester County Business Services Team Council for the Workforce of Tomorrow OVR s participation on the Operators Consortium and the Partners offer evidence that Chester County is taking a proactive approach to ensure that accessibility to services in integrated within the one-stop center and that individuals with disabilities have access to the provision of services. Additionally, PA CareerLink - Chester County s collaboration with OVR is highlighted by: OVR s participation on the PA CareerLink - Chester County Certification Team As part of the certification process for the physical site of the one-stop, OVR staff participates on the team to identify potential accessibility issues and work as part of the team to remediate and provide solutions in ensure that the physical site meets ADA requirements. 51

73 Annual Disability Awareness Training for Staff OVR staff provide on-site Disability Awareness Training for all PA CareerLink - Chester County staff. The purpose of the training is to heighten staff s awareness of how to recognize disabilities and how to provide services in an appropriate manner. Business Service Team Efforts National Disability Awareness Month (NDAM) As part of the PA CareerLink - Chester County Business Services Team, OVR staff provide an annual employer workshops and trainings on topics that include: Disability Awareness Training for Employers and Benefits of Hiring Individuals with Disabilities. The PA CareerLink - Chester County works with the OVR and the Chester County Mental Health Intellectual Developmental Disabilities to coordinate an annual job fair for individuals with disabilities. 5.3 Describe the competitive and non-competitive processes, as well as the process for sole-sourcing, used for procuring goods and services within the local area. This includes, but is not limited to, the process used to award funds to a one-stop operator and other sub-recipients/contractors of WIOA title I adult, dislocated worker, and youth services. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(16)] The Chester County Workforce Development Board follows the procurement process set forth by the Chester County Department of Procurement and General Services at all times. The Chester County Department of Community Development (DCD) is the entity designated by the Chester County Workforce Development Board (WDB) and the Chester County Commissioners to provide staff support to the WDB and act as the administrative entity and the fiscal agent for the operation of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Programs in the Chester County Local Workforce Development Area. Eligible applicants under the annual Request for Proposals are consulting firms, for-profit organizations, not-forprofit organizations, and educational organizations with experience in delivering workforce development services. Proposals are reviewed, scored and evaluated through a review team consisting of Workforce Development Board Members and staff. The review team will make recommendations to the Chester County WDB, who will select the providers and make final decisions for program funding. Sole-source providers are contracted following the process set forth by the Chester County Department of Procurement and General Services. As of July 1, 2017, under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), it is a requirement for each local workforce board to procure one-stop operator services for their local areas. Chester County plans to release an RFP in early 2017 for all WIOA Title 1 Adult, Dislocated Worker and youth services, including the onestop to support this request. 5.4 Describe the local area s negotiated local levels of performance for the federal measures and their implications upon the local workforce system; attach the completed Performance Targets Template. [WIOA Sec. 108(b)(17)] Note: See Appendix C: Transitional Planning References and Resources Performance Targets Template. 52

74 With uncertainty about the initial impact of the changes to performance measures under WIOA, the Chester County Workforce Development Board is proposing to mirror the proposed levels found on pages of the Pennsylvania WIOA Combined State Plan. There are so many changes to the measures, in timeframe and definition, predicting a baseline is difficult. Additionally, the emphasis within WIOA of prioritizing the hardest to serve will have an indeterminable impact on the performance levels. As the local area works towards those state targets, the Chester County WDB staff will be developing methods to track outcome data differently internally during the transition and awaits instruction regarding CWDS-based tracking for the Credential Attainment, Measurable Skill Gains and Effectiveness in Serving Employers measures. The Chester County WDB already tracks increases in employer engagement for the Chester County Strategic Business Plan and will continue to enhance the tracking of employer services under WIOA. Historically, Chester County has exceeded the state in some measures and fallen below the state level in others. The Performance Targets Template at the end of this plan has been completed to reflect the levels proposed in the statewide plan. 5.6 Describe the process used by the local board for the receipt and consideration of input into the development of the local plan in compliance with WIOA section 108(d). Describe the process to provide an opportunity for public comment prior to submission of the local plan. Be sure to address how members of the public, including representatives of business, labor organizations, and education were given an opportunity to provide comments on the local plan. [WIOA Sec. 108 (b)(20)] The local plan was reviewed by the Workforce Programming and Executive Committees of the Workforce Development Board at multiple stages of the drafting phase. Upon full WDB review and approval, the Plan was placed on the Chester County WDB website and with hard copies available at the Chester County Department of Community Development and PA CareerLink - Chester County on April 27, The public comment period was advertised in the Daily Local News on May 5, 2016, and through Chester County WDB e-newsletters on April 29, May 1, May 5, and May 19. The public comment period was also announced on PA CareerLink - Chester County social media. A public hearing was held on Friday, May 20 th, with a presentation of the local plan and an opportunity for public comment. Representatives of business, labor, and education were able to comment during the drafting of the plan through positions on the Chester County Workforce Development Board, as well as through the advertised public comment period. 5.7 Prior to the date on which the local board submits a proposed local plan (i.e., no later than Thursday, June 2, 2016), the proposed local plan must be made available to members of the public through electronic and other means. A. Describe how the local board made the proposed local plan available for public comment. [WIOA Sec. 108(d)(1)]; B. Describe how the local board collected and considered public comments for inclusion in the proposed local plan. [WIOA Sec. 108(d)(2)]; and C. If any comments were received that represent disagreement with the proposed local plan, include such comments within the local plan s attachments. [WIOA Sec. 108(d)(3)] 53

75 A. The Plan was placed on the Chester County WDB website and with hard copies available at the Chester County Department of Community Development and PA CareerLink - Chester County on April 27, The public comment period was from April 27, 2016 through May 27, The public comment period was advertised in the Daily Local News on May 5, 2016, and through Chester County WDB e-newsletters on April 29, May 1, May 5, and May 19, The public comment period was also announced on PA CareerLink - Chester County social media. A public hearing was held on Friday, May 20 th, with a presentation of the local plan and an opportunity for public comment. The Chester County Workforce Development Board, PA CareerLink - Chester County, and other workforce development system partners participated in the presentation. There were 19 attendees at the public hearing. B. Public comments were received via and hard copy from three community representatives. Each individual public comment was reviewed and discussed internally and will be brought to the Workforce Development Board s attention for further discussion at the next Board meeting. C. The Chester County Workforce Development Board s Local Plan Draft received significant comment from the Community Justice Project. In response, the PA Department of Labor & Industry has provided clarification that this local plan is transitional in nature, and does not need to include the items included in the Community Justice Project s comments. The purpose for this plan is to provide for the overall strategy with regard to WIOA transitional implementation. Please note the multi-year local plans, projected to be completed over the next year, will include a more operational perspective, and as such will come with guidance that outlines the local area s priority of service in more detail in alignment with the State Plan. All public comments can be found in Appendix B of this plan. 5.8 List the name, organization, and contact information of the designated equal opportunity officer for each PA CareerLink center within the local area. The Chester County Equal Opportunity Officer is Lila Singleton, Workforce Development Manager Department of Community Development and staff to the WDB ; lsingleton@chesco.org The Equal Opportunity Liaison is Jason Foster, PA CareerLink Supervisor, BWDP ; jasfoster@pa.gov 54

76 5.9 By checking the box adjacent to each line item, the local board attests to ensuring the compliance components/documents listed are in place and effective prior to July 1, Copies of the listed compliance components/documents are not required at this time, but may be requested during monitoring and/or auditing. Agreement between all counties and other local governments, if applicable, establishing the consortium of local elected officials Agreement between the chief elected official(s) and the fiscal agent, if a fiscal agent is designated Agreement between the local elected official(s) and the local workforce development board One-Stop Partner Agreement(s) Resource Sharing Agreement(s) Resource Sharing Agreement Budget(s) Local workforce development board policy and process that provides for nomination, appointment and removal of board members; resolutions; bylaws; code of conduct; and conflict of interest Financial management policy and process including cost allocation plan; internal controls; cash management; receipts of goods; cost reimbursement; inventory and equipment; program income; travel reimbursement; audit requirements and resolution; annual report; property management; debt collection; and allowable costs Local procurement policy Program management policy and process including equal opportunity for customers; supportive services; needs related payments; file management; eligibility; self-sufficiency criteria; individual training accounts; layoff assistance; priority of services; grievance for eligible training providers list; transitional jobs; stipends; and training verification/refunds Risk management policy and process including records retention and public access; public records requests; monitoring, grievance; incident; and disaster recovery plan Human resources policy and process including employee classification; benefits; holidays and PTO; recruitment and selection; employee development; discipline; layoffs, terminations and severance; sexual harassment; and equal opportunity/non-discrimination Professional services contract(s) for administrative services such as staffing and payroll, if applicable 55

77 Transitional PY16 Local Plan Appendix C: Local Area WIOA Negotiated Performance Goals Appendix C, Attachment Name of local workforce development area: WIOA Performance Measures Local Area PY16 Performance Goals Employment (Second Quarter after Exit) Negotiated Goals Adult 65% Dislocated Worker 74% Youth 65% Employment (Fourth Quarter after Exit) Negotiated Goals Adult 65% Dislocated Worker 75% Youth 57% Median Earnings (Second Quarter after Exit) Negotiated Goals Adult $5,000 Dislocated Worker $7,000 Youth Baseline Credential Attainment Rate Negotiated Goals Adult 55% Dislocated Worker 757% Youth 70% Measurable Skill Gains Negotiated Goals Adult Baseline Dislocated Worker Baseline Youth Baseline Effectiveness in Serving Employers Negotiated Goals Adult Baseline Dislocated Worker Baseline Youth Baseline 56

78 Appendix A Organizational Chart 57

79 CHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART CHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Terence Farrell, Kathi Cozzone, Michelle Kichline CHESTER COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD Jennifer Duff, Chair; Diana Kimmich, Vice Chair EARN LOCAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE CHESTER COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW Fran Pierce, Chair LEADERSHIP CONSORTIUM for Decade to Doorways Commissioners, Chair PACAREERLINK OPERATORS CONSORTIUM CHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WIA Fiscal Agent / Staff to WIB and CWT / Chester County Community Action Agency / Administrative Agency for HUD Entitlement and CSBG Funds DIRECTOR of DCD and WIB Patrick Bokovitz PACAREERLINK-CHESTER COUNTY Site Administrator, Walter Urban, Jr. Irene Reese, Support Staff II CAREERLINK PROGRAM COORDINATORS (3) Tracey Dougherty Zachary Nelson Stephanie Smith FISCAL TEAM (7) Helen Ross, Accounting Supervisor Janice Boyle, Account Clerk IV Mike Colarusso, Fiscal Coordinator Donna Closson, Account Clerk IV Vacant, Fiscal Coordinator Lois Forsyth, Account Clerk IV Laurie Smith, Account Clerk III Vacant, Fiscal Coordinator PLANNING TEAM (3) Isidoro Gonzalez, Planning Supervisor Vacant, Planner I Vacant, Planner II DEPUTY DIRECTOR Dolores Colligan WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TEAM (4) Lila Singleton, Manager Patricia Hennessy, Workforce Coordinator Roslyn Roberts, Workforce Coordinator Jeanette Roman, Workforce Coordinator COMMUNITY SERVICES TEAM (6) Gene Suski, Manager Dave Norwood, Redevelopment Coordinator Lindsay Anderson, AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer Heather Martin, Redevelopment Coordinator Jennifer Whalen, Program Coordinator Dawn White, Program Coordinator Layla Gross, MH Housing Coordinator Melanie S. Haake, HMIS Coordinator DECADE TO DOORWAYS (1) Lauren Hutzel, Decade to Doorways Administrator Revised April

80 Appendix B Public Comments Received 59

81 Hennessy, Patricia W. From: CCWIB Sent: Thursday, May 26, :05 PM To: Hennessy, Patricia W. Subject: FW: Workforce Development Plan Comments Attachments: image003.jpg From: Sherwood, Joseph Sent: Thursday, May 26, :58 AM To: Bokovitz, Patrick E.; CCWIB Cc: Dube, Marguerite Subject: FW: Workforce Development Plan Comments Good Morning Pat, Here you go :-) -Joe Joseph L. Sherwood Executive Director Chester County Library System 450 Exton Square Parkway Exton, PA Office: From: Marguerite Dube Sent: Monday, May 23, :35 AM To: Joseph Sherwood Subject: Workforce Development Plan Comments Hi Joe, I read through the entire Local Workforce Development Area Plan, and scanned the State Plan as JoAnn suggested. Here are some places where comments might be appropriate: On page 18 and 19 of the report: While the relocation has allowed for expanded physical space, as well as a more central location within the county, transportation to and from the outlying areas of the county remains a challenge. While we are aware that the issue will not be solved overnight, the Chester County Workforce Development Board has recently been awarded a grant for mobilization of PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center Chester County WDB Local Transitional Plan Public Comment Draft basic services so that those most in need and experiencing barriers in more remote areas of the county can be reached more effectively. We have been in discussion with the Chester County Library System, which would be a logical partner in this endeavor, as libraries are located in these specific areas, with physical space available to provide needed services. On page 20: 1 60

82 Hennessy, Patricia W. From: Nelson, Zachary E. Sent: Thursday, May 26, :03 PM To: Hennessy, Patricia W. Subject: Fwd: Public Comment Here's the comment! Begin forwarded message: From: Rei Horst Date: May 26, 2016 at 4:39:13 PM EDT To: "Nelson, Zachary E." Subject: Public Comment Hi Zach, Here is my public comment on Section 3.3. Sorry if it's late, hope it's helpful. In Section 3.3 of the Appendices to Workforce System Guidance, there is significant mention of prioritization of people with barriers to employment, low-income individuals, and individuals with disabilities. There is mention of an inaugural meeting for a new committee focused on this exact prioritization that included many local agencies and departments. However, there is no mention of Decade to Doorways, the community s 10 year plan to prevent and end homelessness, or any agencies involved in homeless services are involved. Decade to Doorways is currently implementing a prioritization plan for shelter services to serve those most in need. If two county initiatives are working on prioritizing those with barriers, high needs, and disabilities, it seems to me it would make most sense that they collaborate and work together in prioritizing these individuals at the same time so different services can support each other. Representatives from the housing and homeless world should be represented on this committee and vice versa on Decade to Doorways committees. Rei Horst ConnectPoints Program Director Family Service of Chester County ext /7 hotline

83 The Chester County WDB also understands that the future workforce, our young people, needs to be educated on the future occupations and industries in order for them and the education system to prepare to meet these future workforce needs. To that end, the Chester County WDB will facilitate on-going dialogue between the local education institutions and the employment community to create appropriate curriculum within the education system and career awareness events that communicate future employment opportunities to the youth. To that end, the Chester County WDB will facilitate ongoing communication between education, libraries, industry partnerships, and employers. On page 22: d. The Chester County WDB will bring services to all parts of the county, understanding that the county geographically, with 760 square miles, is a large area to provide workforce programming. Consequently, the Chester County WDB has applied for and received funding to provide mobile PA CareerLink Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center programming to the Coatesville, Phoenixville and southern Chester County areas in partnership with the Chester County Library System. On page 23: Governor s Goal 1: Establish Career Pathways For the purpose of making sure that training programs lead to High Priority Occupations, the Chester County WDB will work with our employers, adult education partners, and secondary and post-secondary education partners, and libraries to maintain updated and current listings of high priority occupations and career pathways for the Chester County LWDA and the region. On page 30: Beyond contracted service providers; an important portion of the workforce development system in Chester County is the United Way Financial Stability Center. The Financial Stability Center is located at the PA CareerLink - Chester County and provides a variety of additional and supportive services to citizens of the county and provides a unique holistic element to job seeker services to address additional challenges, such as finances and emotional health, which can impact a job seeker s chances of success. (This is an opportunity for them to expand on the organizations and type of services they provide. See below) Kr6zqb3z2rz9EVhd79KVJeZTAPhPsQsTKrjLtVcQsTd7ar9JeXb38WXXWpJeXzzzzXUVATqNyh05m9_iRu00CX4_FqL00jp3Sfso 7fZvxMVBYQsTWZOWrbX78I8ETLvBHFShhlKCzOEuvkzaT0QSyrpdTV5xdVYsyMCqejtPo09K4FwoQJoDZ9_6RmUjbs01OAF_j6UiDW1ziRyvQDYrlrxcJM077p7_j4XEI2EKc1odxjUP5kumgtdyd2vNclGw2HmfFM04SyyUUYr 5M5id402RyltH6TCy0eYPVZlBvxcQg1o_o6y0iGGHY9QdICzATO9C60nu94Ii On page 41: The Chester County Department of Community Development is dedicated to pursuing funding opportunities beyond formula funds and recurring awards. To that end, a number of grant applications are submitted annually. The most recent grant award received is designed to bring the basic services of the PA CareerLink - Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center to those areas of the county where transportation to the one-stop is challenging. This mobile outreach service will not only provide engagement, eligibility and technical assistance, as well as introductory services, it will increase awareness of the full menu of services available at the one-stop. We have been in discussion with the Chester County Library System, which would be a logical partner in this endeavor, as libraries are located in these specific areas, with physical space available to provide needed services. 2 62

84 We can talk when you get back. Thanks, Marg Marguerite Dube Director, Chester County and Henrietta Hankin Branch Libraries 450 Exton Square Parkway Exton, PA Phone: Fax: N8w2H4_FqL00jtyvQJnw09IxX7Kc3D-LMUsO-qerZuVtdBZzAm4krTLORQX8EGTjhVkffGhBrwqrjdICXYyMCY- ehojd79kvifryvqjk-h2enbze00cn6xfucarg1lh7qu02rhhssudyu2f6y01qnakrzrph07upy-golmcq80ivi3h09lll- 4W6SjhOrKMlT< csdtnnnnzysorjon8w2h4_fql00jtyvqjnw09ixx7kc3d-lmusoqerzuvtdbzzam4krtlorqx8egtjhvkffghbrwqrpdicxyymcyehojd79kvi05odzblfagzipvjw0e6n6xfucarg1lh7qu02rhhssudyu2f6y01qnakrzrph07upy-golmcq80ivi3h09lll- 4W6SjhOrvCOa> [Logo for s] I am currently reading Becoming Grandma: the joys and science of the new grandparenting, by Leslie Stahl This Chester County Library System message, including any attachments, is intended for the sole use of the individual(s) and entity(ies) to whom it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended addressee, nor authorized to receive for the intended addressee, you are hereby notified that you may not use, copy, disclose or distribute to anyone this message including any attachments, or any information contained in this message including any attachments. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender by reply and delete the message. Thank you very much. 3 63

85 Community Justice Project Comments on the Chester County Workforce Development Board Local WIOA Transition Plan (May 23, 2016) The Community Justice Project (CJP) 1 submits these comments on behalf of Success Against All Odds and the many low-income clients CJP represents every year who seek to better their lives through better jobs. The Chester County Workforce Development Board WIOA Transition Plan (CCWDB Plan) was published for public comment on April 27, 2016, with comments due by May 27, Because we work on behalf of low-income clients, our comments focus on: (i) priority of service for recipients of public assistance and other low-income, high needs persons; (ii) Career Pathways; and (iii) Transitional Jobs (subsidized employment). I. Background WIOA, like its antecedents -- the Workforce Investment Act and the Job Training Partnership Act -- places special importance on serving low-income, high needs groups. According to WIOA: Priority for individualized career services and training services must be given to: (i) (ii) (iii) recipients of public assistance; other low-income individuals ;and individuals who are basic skills deficient WIOA Sec. 134(c)(3)(E) WIOA strengthens priority of service requirements under the Workforce Investment Act in a number of ways, including eliminating the provision under WIA that priority of services applies only when funds are limited. Under WIOA, priority of service must be provided, regardless of funding. Strengthening the priority of service requirement was clearly needed, as a declining number of lowincome persons were served under WIA, despite its priority of service requirement. National data show that only 48.7 percent of adult exiters who received training and/or intensive services through the WIA Adult funding stream were low-income individuals in Program Year 2013 a marked decrease from 71.3 percent in Program Year And only 3.8 percent of those served in Program year 2013 were TANF recipients. 2 1 The Community Justice Project is a statewide project of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network focusing on impact advocacy. CJP has worked for many years with its client group Success Against All Odds to improve access to adult and postsecondary education for single parents participating in the TANF and SNAP programs. 2 Comparison of nationwide data from PY2002 and PY2013 presented in Table II-1, Characteristics of Adult Exiters Who Received Intensive or Training Services, in Department of Labor Workforce Investment Standard Record Data (WIASRD) Data Books for PY2005 and PY2013, respectively. Online at: 64