Based on a review of relevant examples from around the United States, New Orleans has identified several critical success factors common among best models of workforce development. This Strategic Plan draws significantly from these ideas and innovative programs and practices from other exemplary city and regional workforce development initiatives.
Critical Success Factors Sector Partnerships
Business service representatives work collaboratively with other partners and have an impactful role in workforce service delivery, such as identifying industry-recognized competencies, curriculum, and credentials appropriate to regional economies.
Multiple employers, business associations, and/or labor partners often jointly develop and participate in the career pathway programs and make demonstrated investments.
Engagement of employers in workforce development programs is critical, including small employers and employers in in-demand industry sectors and occupations.
Coordination of workforce investment activities with economic development activities is needed, including the promotion of entrepreneurial skills training and microenterprise services.
Career Pathways
Workforce development, educational institutions, foundations, and community organizations are partnering with employers in industry sectors to develop career pathway and work-based learning programs.
In some places, community colleges offer stackable credentials, providing a pathway approach for adult learners, who can complete one credential and advance to the next credential.
Bridge programs are also offered to adults who need to bolster skills before advancing to college-level work and these programs address both foundational work and literacy skill development.
System partners use labor market intelligence on current and future industry sector demand to inform the development and ongoing relevance of career pathways.
Career Services
Customers experience a “common front door” for all partner programs supported by common registration and a triage/assessment process to measure academic and occupational skills.
Processes and procedures are developed to encourage co-enrollment of job seekers in one or more core programs delivering services through career centers.
Intake, case management, and career advising data systems are integrated between partners to allow for more efficient access to services.
Partners offer robust training services (ITAs, customized training, work-based learning, etc.) leading to industry-recognized credentials in in-demand career paths based on labor market data.
Strong relationships and agreements with partners are established to provide educational and supportive services for job seekers with significant barriers to employment.
Some of these programs focus on populations specifically of interest to New Orleans, programs serving returning citizens and two-generation programs, serving parents and their children.
Youth Services
Key partners and stakeholders develop an on-going, collaborative approach for recruiting, referring, and providing holistic youth services, including: financial Literacy, leadership and entrepreneurial skills training, career planning and advising, education offered concurrently with workforce preparation activities, and preparation for post-secondary education and training.
An assessment (resource mapping) of available organizations and programs within the region that currently provide services to eligible populations to determine areas of strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that ensure maximum leveraging and alignment.
An integrated vision for serving youth that leverages other federal, state, local, and philanthropic resources.
Outcomes focused on the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, entry into post-secondary education, and career readiness for participants.
Relationships with employers, including small employers, in in-demand industry sectors and occupations to provide youth work experience opportunities, including: academic and occupational education, summer employment, internships, and service learning and on-the-job training.
Supportive Services
Coordination with local partners to provide access to highest quality and most comprehensive service provision possible, including:
Transportation
Child care
Dependent care
Housing, and
Mental health
Needs related payments for those engaged in training services to help individuals meet their non- training expense and help them complete training successfully.
Data and Technology
Local system for the identification and dissemination of best practices for meeting the needs of employers, workers, and job seekers
Objective criteria and process for assessing effectiveness and continuous improvement of programs and service providers
Integrated data and performance management systems to increase use of common intake and data collection
Technological improvements aimed at:
Increasing customers’ digital literacy
Providing access to online services
Delivering technology-based services accessible to all individuals
National Examples
Sector Partnerships and Business Services
Chicago, IL –Business Relations and Economic Development (BRED) unit staff, located at the WDB, engage City and County economic development departments, regional chambers of commerce, and other regional
workforce and economic development partners to identify opportunities to provide high quality, innovative, and integrated services to regional employers. This unit also leads cohorts of WIOA Business Services Teams to create a system-wide approach for continuity in the delivery of public workforce system services to regional business customers. Chicago also uses WIOA and other funds to operate sector centers in Manufacturing, Healthcare and Hospitality/Service.
Boston, MA –The Boston Private Industry Council has prioritized developing pipeline strategies in healthcare, life sciences, information technology, and hospitality. They also have several policy initiatives such as the Boston Compact, Youth, and Postsecondary Transitions that are all linked to their industry sector partnerships and business services.
New York, NY –The Mayor's office released a new vision for the workforce system, including industry sector initiatives and Sector-Based one-stops. In addition, Industry Partnerships will be comprised of teams of industry experts focused on addressing mismatches between labor market supply and demand in six economic sectors.
To define and fulfill labor demand in their respective sectors, Industry Partnerships will establish ongoing
“feedback loops,” or a platform for regular interaction with employers. Industry Partnerships will work to determine the skills and qualifications that employers need, and continuously upgrade curricula, training, and credential attainment programs to reflect local market conditions. Industry Partnerships will collaborate with organized labor, educational institutions, service providers, philanthropy, and City agencies to develop workforce development strategies and mobilize resources in their respective sectors.
Kansas City, MO –The WDB has a strong partnership with the local economic development agency (CEO is former chair of EDC). There is a unified, regional employer workforce services network.
Career Pathways
Chicago, IL –WDB (Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership) utilizes WIOA funds for Career Pathway training programs- typically cohort-based, skills training programs that are demand driven within The Partnership’s focus industry sectors and may also include bridge programs designed to serve individuals with basic skills deficiency and/or limited English skills. The Chicago Workforce Funder's Alliance, with support from the Walmart
Foundation, have created the Customer Service Career Pathways Initiative. The initiative is built on the recognition that many career pathways can start with transferable skills gained through retail employment, especially customer service skills. The Initiative’s investments are designed to explore ways that retail employers can play a greater role in supporting their entry-level employees to access those career pathways both within retail and into other sectors.
New York, NY –Career Pathways is a new system-wide framework that aligns education and training with specific advancement opportunities for a broad range of jobseekers. All agencies overseeing workforce development programs are reorienting their services toward career progression instead of stopping at job placement. This effort includes sector-focused bridge programs, skills training, job-relevant curricula, and work- based learning opportunities.
Boston, MA –The One-Stops utilize career pathways models that provide clear sequences and connections between education and training programs and jobs with defined career ladders that allow participants to progress from one level to the next to improve their career prospects. They use partnerships and collaborations to ensure there are no gaps in the continuum of quality education, training, workforce development and
supportive services to address a wide range of barriers for various populations, with a goal of helping individuals obtain and retain jobs and achieve economic security.
Seattle, WA –The Seattle Jobs Initiative offers low-income individuals training that leads to college credentials in growing local industry sectors. The program aligns support services – intensive college navigation, housing, childcare and transportation – to provide participants the best opportunity to complete their career pathways and to secure and retain well-paying jobs. IBEST program offers integrated ABE/ESL instruction and
occupational skills linked to college credit and certificates, resulting in significant participant credential attainment and wage increases. Replication of I-BEST model is on-going around the country
Career Services (Employment, Education and Training, and Supportive Services)
Boston, MA –There are three entry points for services- Comprehensive One-Stops, Affiliates and Access Points.
Chicago, IL –The Chicago system is comprised of One-Stops, Delegate Agencies (smaller centers serving job seekers from a distinct geographic community and/or special populations.
Delegate agencies are in and/or demonstrate a capacity to serve a preponderance of residents from: high poverty areas and/or target population; targeted sectors; youth; and/or career pathway training
Coordinated system-wide recruitment through Career Connect, an online database of jobs
Additionally, an Integrated Workforce System is now in development, which will be the first in the nation.
Supportive Services
Boston, MA –The PIC specifically prioritizes vulnerable populations. One-Stops must provide a high degree of coordination and accessibility of wrap-around support services which address a wide range of individual and family needs.
Adult Special Population Services
Detroit, MI –The Mayor's Office and WDB are working with CEO's of premier businesses on pilot programs to hire returning citizens based on similar work in Baltimore through the Coalition for a Second Chance.
Baltimore, MD –The Coalition for a Second Chance is a public private partnership working to address the causes of recidivism and to help ex-offenders secure jobs. One key goal of this GBC-led effort focuses on educating business owners and leaders about the role that business must play in reducing recidivism and the
corresponding benefits and value of hiring ex-offenders. Part of this effort includes negating the misperceptions about ex-offenders and encouraging companies in Baltimore to open up job opportunities to meet the
employment needs of their company. They have also established a program through the Mayor’s Office of Employment in which they place about 400 returning citizens through the Northwest One-Stop Career Center/Re-Entry Center.
Boston, MA – PIC offers integration of work readiness for those with the lowest levels of literacy and skills that recognize pursuing work is an interest and motivation throughout literacy levels. The RFP requires that One- Stop operators have a strategy to provide higher intensity career services for WIOA-eligible job seekers – dislocated workers and low income adults – through collaborative partnerships with entities that also share a mission to serve those with significant barriers to employment: public assistance recipients (Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Housing and Urban Development, Supplemental Security Income), individuals with basic skills deficiency (Adult Basic Education (ABE), English Language Learners (ELL), Community College), and veterans.
Chicago, IL –WDB mainly serves special populations through allocation of funds to affiliate sites, which must serve certain populations and/or high-poverty areas. Chicago is home to a variety of programs focusing on the re-entry population. Many of these programs are transitional jobs programs, where the participant works while enrolled in job preparation courses. Many are social enterprises. Some examples include the Safer Foundation and Growing Home, Inc, among others.
New York, NY –The Workforce Institute’s City College Mobility and Opportunity for Valuable Employment by Upskilling Parents (MOVE UP) Pilot is part of a six-city national pilot project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to help low-income, working parents move up the economic ladder and into midlevel jobs along a career pathway.
Austin, TX –The United Way of Greater Austin (Texas) committed to funding 2Gen approaches to three community organizations to deliver effective programs and services that assist parents and children together.
Services include for children: health and education services, home visiting, early childhood education, out-of-school time programs and for parents: education for parenting, literacy and basic educational skills, as well as workforce training for jobs that pay well and offer opportunities for advancement.
Youth Services
Boston, MA –The Youth Transitions Task Force, a broad cross-section of organizations that includes the Boston Public Schools, community organizations, city departments and state agencies is supported by the Youth Transitions Funders Group, a coalition of national foundations, providing financial support as part of national campaign to bring struggling students and dropouts to the center of high school reform. The Task Force in Boston has mainly been doing research thus far and piloting smaller initiatives.
Kansas City, KA –Project Rise includes a Young Adults Career Connections Center and provides young adult internships and services to obtain a GED or high school diploma.
Los Angeles, CA –The WDB Youth Council provides oversight for WIOA and summer employment funded programs
Collaboration with the local school district and LACCD offers post summer bridging activities to encourage older youth to enroll in community college
Organized around career pathways and employers in public and private sectors
Data and Technology
Chicago, IL –WDB is developing Career Connect, an integrated workforce data system for the region. Career Connect will serve as the front-end data system for workforce service providers to track job seeker clients across programs and funding streams. The Business Services functionality includes a system to manage employer contacts, post and share job orders across agencies, and track employer services. Soon Career Connect will add comprehensive case management tools for staff and a universal customer portal and provide cross-system referrals. Career Connect is funded by a $3 million Workforce Innovation Fund grant from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration and by the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance.
Detroit, MI –The Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development is in the process of developing a unified approach and platform for system-wide data sharing and reporting. This system will ensure there is a common way to collect system-wide data and evaluate outcomes, help to establish shared communication channels across the system, and improve the way data is used throughout the system for integrated service delivery. They are also developing a workforce system dashboard that would display key performance indicators (the equivalent of an electronic medical records system for each workforce user) and a workforce coordinating council to monitor and adjust strategies in response to the workforce system dashboard.
Summary of Strategy & Practice from Other Cities
New York City Chicago Baltimore Boston Philadelphia
Structure WIOA Adult Services in Dept. of Small Business Services
WIOA Youth Services in Dept. of Youth and Community
Development
WDB and Office of Workforce Dev in Mayor’s Office
501c(3) nonprofit corporation
WDB, WIOA administration for city & county – adult + youth
Mayor's Office of Employment Development
Separate WDB
Private Industry Council is home to the WDB. Council has 50 members, executive committee is WDB
MOWD is fiscal agent for WIOA
PhiladelphiaWorks is home to the WDB.
The WDB and non- profit board are the same and are appointed by the mayor.
President and CEO is also appointed by the mayor
Fiscal agent Workforce
System Design 5 One-Stop centers, 15 additional centers
Healthcare and Industrial sector centers
Industry Partnerships through SBS and Mayor's Office
10 One-Stops
Healthcare, Retail, Hospitality, IT sector centers.
Affiliates throughout the city
2 One-Stops
2 satellite centers- one funded by Casino
4 community job hubs- city employee 50% time at local community organization
2 Career Centers
1 center specializes in Healthcare
New RFP for 4 Access Points, which will include geographic diversity and specialized sectors
4 large centers, integrated and co- located with TANF workforce services
Community
Connections groups- trained on web services
Experimenting with community-based affiliates (2 currently) Special
Populations Center focused on immigrants
Staff focused on veterans
Will have staff and/or staff training for criminal records population
Early stages of programming for
Fund a variety of community-based organizations that work with special populations, including returning citizens, veterans, immigrants and CHA residents
One of two One- Stops focuses on re- entry population.
Most clients of the WIOA system have many barriers to employment
One satellite is focused on TANF recipients
Trying to reach out to Haitian Populations and disabled through new Access Points
Re-entry services in each career center, funding outside of PIC
Criminal Backgrounds- extensive special programs, including expungement programs located in the centers
Peer-to-Peer conversations with employers about hiring people with
New York City Chicago Baltimore Boston Philadelphia people with
disabilities including ban-the-
box, limiting liability, reviewing job postings and working with parole officers
Welcoming Center for immigrants and refugees is in same building as one of the Career Centers Business
Service Teams Entire system is oriented around serving businesses
SBS provides coordination for business services:
centers are assigned industry sectors and geographies to prevent overlap
Job orders are filled system wide
Performance based payments
Staff is divided up across sectors.
Coordinate events and job fairs
Monthly meetings of all business service staff
Goals for "shared placements"
Currently in transition.
Operations study underway
Expect staff to be sector based and placed in economic development office
Employer service team at PIC, mostly focuses on youth and summer jobs
Career Centers each have a business service team. One of the Centers focuses on healthcare, the other has sector- based staff.
Board has business engagement teams, including sector partnerships in manufacturing, healthcare, financial services and retail
Centers provide direct services to employers, working as one-system to fill job orders.
Career
Pathways and Bridge
Programming
Pilot bridge programs with youth and ESL clients
TANF piloting bridge in 2017
Utilize WIOA funds for healthcare bridge r but results were not stellar.
TDL bridge funded by WIOA
Accelerated Careers (ACE) grant- modeled after I-Best
PIC provides persistence coaches at high schools and community colleges
Privately funded bridges at CBOs.
WIOA funding provided for some youth bridge
American Apprenticeship Initiative Grant through 2020. The grant is regional and includes pre- apprenticeship programs. Working to incorporate apprenticeship into