MET CENTER
Metropolitan Education and Training Center
A MET CENTER CASE STUDY
Presented to
Working Families Success Network National Conference
Detroit, Michigan
November 7, 2013
By Carolyn Seward
President & CEO - FWCA/MET Center
2
THE HISTORY OF MET CENTER
 Vacant, Manufacturing Building
o Formerly Wagner Electric
 Located in an economically challenged area in the urban
community
o Unemployment Rate (year 2000) - 16%
o Average Household Income $24,688
o Poverty Level – 39.1%
 Received federal funding to create a training facility for lowincome residents
o 6-Story Facility
o 3 Floors Renovated
THE HISTORY OF MET CENTER (cont’d)
 5-7 Years of Existence
o 2 Partners (Community College & CBO)
o Approximately 200 customers served each year
 Community College & CBO Programs
o Began to expand from 200 to 700 customers per year
 Center Focus
o Training
o Employment
TARGET POPULATION
A. Who will be served by the MET Center?
 Low-Income Adults w/Criminal Backgrounds &
Educational Deficiencies
 Unemployed
 Adult Ex-Offender
 Community Residents
B. Funding Sources
 TANF
 WIA
 ITAs
 Pell Grants
 Other Federal, State & Private Funding Opportunities
GROUP DISCUSSION #1
1. How do you begin to coordinate partners &
resources that will benefit the community?
2. How do you develop the governance &
organizational structure for a CWF?
MISSION
The MET Center is a strategic partnership created to stimulate the
economic self-sufficiency of individuals living in low-income
communities of the St. Louis Region.
The Center seeks to accomplish this mission by delivering focused,
comprehensive, and accessible job training, placement, assessment,
career development services and transportations services.
We serve the underemployed, unemployed, and displaced workers,
leading to sustainable work and a competitive regional economy.
• Centrally Located Near the MetroLink
• Comprehensive Skill-Based Training
• Focused Individual Employment Planning
• Accessible Career Development and Placement Services
• Personal Financial Education/Transportation Services
MET CENTER GOVERNANCE
 Board of Directors
 City & County Workforce Investment Board
 Community College
 CBOs
 Public School System
 Economic Development
 Quarterly Meetings
 MET Program Directors Meeting
 Program Directors/Representatives
 MIS Representative
 Executive Director
 Monthly Meetings
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
MET Board of Directors
-Responsible for conducting Labor Research
-Program Recommendations
-Resource Development
MET Executive Director
-Responsible for
communication flow between
programs and services
Coordination of Educational
Programs
Responsible for all skill-based
educational programs
St. Louis Community College
Services
-Recruitment
-Orientation
-Assignment/Referral
-Eligibility
-Enrollment
-Client Services
-Job Search
-Placement
-Retention
-Mobility Center
-Community Outreach
-Special
Projects/Initiatives
-Adult Education
Literacy
-Tax Prep
-Asset Building
St. Louis County Public
Works
Industry Advisory
Group
-RCGA
-WIB
-Employer
Committee Group
advisor for each skill
training program
-Performance reports to
Steering Committee
-Coordinate and report Issues
and Problems concerning
programs to Board of Directors
-Information Management
coordination
Educational Programs
-Work Readiness (BFL)
-Skill-based Training
-Business Services
BOAT, MIIS, BTT
(STLCC)
-Construction
CPC
-Healthcare
LPN (SSD)
-Transportation
Diesel (STLCC)
-Science
BioScience &
Technology
-Construction
HVAC
-Manufacturing
MTA (MTA)
Information
Management
-Client Database
-Client Case Files
-Performance Reports
-Enrollment
-Graduates
-Initial Placements
3,6,9,12 months
retention
-Employment Reports
-Special Project Data
-Transportation Data
-Supportive Service
-Financial Literacy
Facility Management
Responsible for all facility management
St. Louis County
Facility
-Staff
-Space
-Telephones
-Security
-Maintenance
-Utilities
-Grounds
GROUP DISCUSSION #2
1. At what point is the customer considered a CWF
participant?
 Center Orientation
 Skills Training
2. How to ensure you have the right partners delivering
services to the community (i.e. financial institutions)?
3. If the focus is training & employment services, what
type of supportive services are needed and who will
deliver them?
MET CENTER/CWF
INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL
Services
Customer
Recruiting Orientation
Educational Programs
Bundling & Sequencing
Work Readiness Training
Employer Specific
Orientation
for Job Seeker
CWF
PATHWAY
Eligibility for financial
Assistance, client services,
ITAs
Program Enrollment
(Bundling of Services begins
here)
Adult Education Literacy
Transportation, Job Search,
Mobility, Counseling Services
Financial Literacy and Asset Building 4 Weeks
Bundling & Sequencing of Service
Skill Based Training Programs
Business Services
B.O.A.T. (STLCC)
MIIS (STLCC)
BTT (STLCC)
Transportation
Diesel (STLCC)
Career Pathways to Employers
(FWCA)
Construction
CPC
Manufacturing
HVAC (MTA)
Energy Auditor (MTA)
Healthcare
LPN (SSD)
BioScience & Technology
(FWCA)
Distance Learning (FWCA)
Placement & Retention
Financial Services / Asset
Building
Employment Services
Graduates from all programs
can immediately obtain
employment
Missouri One Stop Career
Center (NGCC) – Placement
Services
Supportive services
(Based on Funding)
MET Mobility Center
Counseling
Job Search
Tax Prep
Financial Literacy
Housing Counseling
Legal Services
Teen Pregnancy Prevention
MET CENTER/CWF
INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL
Services
Customer
Recruiting Orientation
Educational Programs
Bundling & Sequencing
Work Readiness Training
Employer Specific
Orientation
for Job Seeker
CWF
PATHWAY
Eligibility for financial
Assistance, client services,
ITAs
Program Enrollment
(Bundling of Services
begins here)
Adult Education Literacy
Transportation, Job Search,
Mobility, Counseling Services
Financial Literacy and Asset Building 4 Weeks
Bundling & Sequencing of Service
Skill Based Training Programs
Business Services
B.O.A.T. (STLCC)
MIIS (STLCC)
BTT (STLCC)
Transportation
Diesel (STLCC)
Career Pathways to Employers
(FWCA)
Construction
CPC
Manufacturing
HVAC (MTA)
Energy Auditor (MTA)
Healthcare
LPN (SSD)
BioScience & Technology
(FWCA)
Distance Learning (FWCA)
Placement & Retention
Financial Services / Asset
Building
Employment Services
Graduates from all programs
can immediately obtain
employment
Missouri One Stop Career
Center (NGCC) – Placement
Services
Supportive services
(Based on Funding)
MET Mobility Center
Counseling
Job Search
Tax Prep
Financial Literacy
Housing Counseling
Legal Services
Teen Pregnancy Prevention
SERVICES & TRAINING
SERVICES & EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMS








Recruiting & Orientation
GED/AEL
Transportation
Job Search
Work Readiness
Tax Preparation
Employment Training
Placement & Retention
SKILL-BASED TRAINING
PROGRAMS








Business Services
Transportation
Career Pathways
Construction
Manufacturing
Healthcare
BioScience Technology
Distance Learning
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
 Financial Education &
Asset Building Services
 Home Buyers Education &
Investment Services
 Tax Services (Vita Site)
 Transportation Services
(MWA)
 Health and Wellness
Education (Clinical)
 MET Mobility Center
 Dr. J’s Family Weight Loss
 Healthy Relationship
Education/Responsible
Fatherhood
 Individual and Group
Counseling Services
(Clinical)
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS

St. Louis County Government

ARAMARK

St. Louis County WIB

Washington University in St. Louis

St. Louis Community College
(STLCC)

Annie E. Casey Foundation
(AECF)

East-West Gateway Council of
Governments

Special School District (SSD)

St. Louis Public Schools

Construction Prep Center (CPC)
BFL, Inc. (CBO)



St. Louis Economic Development
Partnership
St. Louis Regional Chamber &
Growth Association (RCGA)
Family and Workforce Centers of
America (FWCA) – CBO

St. Louis City WIB (SLATE)

Fathers’ Support Center

Metropolitan Training Alliance
(MTA)


Saint Louis Community Credit
Union (STLCCU)
GROUP DISCUSSION #3
How do you bundle services?
CWF PROCESS FLOW
Intake/Recruitment
Assessment/Orientation
CWF—MET Center St. Louis
Funnel Process
7-1-06 – 9-30-13
Pre-Assessment Services
1. TABE
2. Work Keys
Assessments (Individual Plans)
1. IEP: Case Manager
2. ITP: Case Manager
3. IFP: Financial Literacy Coach
Individuals Receiving Services (Enrollments)
Each enrollment requires CWF Snapshot Form
Employment Career and Education Service




Job Readiness Training
Skilled Training
ABE/GED/ESL
Career Counseling
Work Support Service




Applying for DWD/FSD/SS benefits
Screening for Benefits
Participating in income / tax prep services
Missouri Career Center Services
Financial Services & Asset Building
 Attending Financial Literacy
Classes
 Participating in On-On-One
Financial counseling
 Applying for a Credit Score
Bundling of Services
91% of All Customers Received Bundled Services
Performance Measures
(Placement/Retention/Advancements)






Employment & Career Advancement
Became employed
Achieved 3, 6, 12 month retentions
Achieved Career/Life Advancements
Completed ABE/GED/ESL
Completed Job Readiness
Completed Skilled Training




Work Support
Receiving Public Benefits
Received Transportation Services
Received Tax Refund
Received EITC
Financial Stability and Asset Building
 Obtain credit report
 Correct errors on credit report
 Improve credit score
 Savings Account
 Retirement Account
 Drivers License
 Car
 Saving for down payment on home
 Purchased home
EFFECTIVENESS OF BUNDLING
AND SEQUENCING SERVICES




Bundling Leads to Long-Term Engagement
o Increase in participant contact frequency
o Multiple partners collaboration and resource integration
Sequencing Leads to Effectiveness of Services
o Recruitment, orientation, assessment, incomes support
[training, employment, retention, continuing financial
education and asset building)
o Specific sequencing is designed to optimize customers’
utilization of services
Increase in Customer Retention
Increase in Participants Wages
GROUP DISCUSSION #4
How do you capture the data?
MET CENTER DATABASE

Unified Data Source

In addition to all of the
training and supportive
services offered at the
MET, we also have the
ability to store,
collect/manage, and
report program data in a
single secured data
source.
DATABASE FUNCTIONALITY
Customer Demographics
 Program Enrollment
 Program Cost/Funding
 Placement & Employment History
 Customer Advancement
 Milestone Reporting by Program

CHALLENGES W/DATA

Managing Data Integration from multiple
data sources (double data entry)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
 Since 2006, 18,132 unduplicated residents have requested Employment and Training
services from The MET Center. As of September 30, 2013, the following outcomes have
been achieved through our CWF initiative :
– 5,469 Enrolled in training/3,716 Completed training
– 5,431 Receiving financial literacy services
– 4,876 Placed in employment
– $9.00 per hour average wage
 2012 Estimated Economic Impact: $31.9M
(1950 placed into employment at $9/hr. by 35 hrs./wk by 52 wks/yr= $31.9M)
 Partnered With Saint Louis Community Credit Union to implement Behavioral
Economics and offer financial products to participants (co-located at MET Center)
 Increase in Participant’s Wages (Post training wages are higher)
 Strategic partnership reduced total cost (by minimizing duplication of services)
 Publication: “A Bottom-up Definition of Self-Sufficiency” (Hong, Sheriff, 2009)
THE FUTURE
 Funding received to complete 4th, 5th & 6th floor
renovations
o 4th and 5th floor completion – January 2014
 Accredited early childhood education center opening
August 2014
 Build relationships with major corporations to deliver
pre-employment services for entry-level positions
w/potential career pathways within the company
QUESTIONS