Region VII Workforce Investment Board Strategic Plan July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 Eastern Panhandle Counties of Berkeley * Grant * Hampshire * Hardy * Jefferson * Mineral * Morgan * Pendleton Region VII Workforce Investment Board 1929-2 State Road 55 Moorefield, WV 26836 Phone: (304) 530-5258 Fax: (304) 530-5107 Web-site: www.wvregion7wib.org Mr. Bradley Close Chief Local Elected Official Mr. Ted Bostic Chairperson Mr. Thomas J. Van Meter Executive Director 1 Region VII Workforce Investment Board Local Plan Table of Contents Section Number Section Title I Mission of WorkForce West Virginia Executive Summary 4 4 II Industry Profile for Region VII West Virginia 8 Industry Profile for Region VII West Virginia Other Targeted Industries or Business Current Worker Skills and Characteristics Education/Training Capacity to Meet Current Demands Current Resources 8 10 11 14 14 The Desired State of the Workforce 16 Local Area Vision, Mission, and Goals Projected Employment Opportunities Projected Workforce Needs The Supply Pipeline 16 18 21 21 Analysis and Strategic Planning for Achieving the Desired State of the Workforce 23 Gap Analysis Strategic Goals / Action Strategies 23 24 Local Area Governance 26 Local Elected Officials The Local Workforce Investment Board Rapid Response Youth Council Fiscal Agent 26 26 30 32 32 The WorkForce West Virginia System 34 WorkForce West Virginia System Development WorkForce West Virginia Partner Services WorkForce West Virginia Services to Specific Populations 34 38 40 III IV V VI Page Number 2 VII VIII WorkForce West Virginia Governance 42 Workforce Investment Services 42 General Information Regarding Access to Services Access to Services for Adults and Dislocated Workers Access to Services for Employers Access to Youth Services 42 43 50 51 Additional Information 56 Procurement Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Grievance Procedures Local Grievance Procedures Performance Management Signature Page 56 56 57 58 59 Attachments: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U Local Elected Officials Agreement Memorandum of Agreement between Local Elected Officials And the Region VII Workforce Investment Board Statement of Work between Eastern WV Community Action Agency and the Region VII Workforce Investment Board Meeting Schedules (LEOs, WIB, and Youth Council) Region VII Organization Chart Career Center WorkForce West Virginia Business Plans and Partner Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) Negotiated Performance Measures Public Comments WV Occupational Projections Workforce Investment Area 7 2010-2020 WV Occupation Demand Listing Region VII Occupation Demand Listing WV Occupational Projections Statewide WIB Bylaws One-Stop Chartering Criteria MOU between the Region 7 Workforce Investment Board and the One-Stop Management Consortiums Cost Allocation Plan Region VII Training Provider Memorandums of Understanding Statement of Work between United Way of the Eastern Panhandle and Region VII Workforce Investment Board for Year-Around Youth Services WIB and LEO Roster Interagency Collaborative Team Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Regional Policies see www.wvregion7wib.org 3 The Mission of the WorkForce West Virginia System Overall Mission: Provide a framework in which the workforce of West Virginia can attain necessary skills required for the 21st century. This effort should serve both individual and business/industry needs within Region VII. Primary Objective: Utilizing a system of One Stop Centers, integrate all elements of the public sector that contribute to the mission. This action will be delivered through a coordinated system of Case Management, Management Information System, and Business Services teams. Deliverables will be directly linked to skills training in demand occupations. These actions include mentoring, work readiness, and job development/placement. This integrated system will be developed by the public and private sector. The individual job seeker will serve as the supply side for employers. Employment opportunities are created from the current demands of business and industry. Technology and innovation will serve as the catalyst that drives employer’s need for a skilled workforce. The system will produce the demographics of skill needs, skill sets and skills training essential to employment needs. The aforementioned information will be made available to job seekers, businesses, training providers and partner agencies. An essential element of this endeavor is to establish a regular and consistent standard to measure the successful completion of this mission. In the largest sense, each person entering a One Stop Center will be served and directed toward their employment goals. The success of this system is measured by: Individuals entering the One Stop with a goal of procuring employment, or improving their work skills; Establishing an assessment of current capabilities as well as potential skill sets; Provide case workers who will, by using services available throughout the integrated system, direct appropriate individuals to demand industries and occupations; Referral to the appropriate agency or organization; Success by credentialing, followed by job placement with a self-sufficient wage and benefits. By utilizing the most appropriate career path, time and resources will be saved for the individual job seeker and the system. Skilled workers will be supplied for emerging demand occupations in business and industry. Employers will reduce initial training costs since initial hires will reach full performance at a faster rate. Incumbent workers will also keep up with technology advances, allowing them to keep their present job or advance in the workplace, thus cutting turnover costs, and as current workers advance, more entry level positions will become available. In addition, information will be available to link students with internships, co-op programs, and similar employment situations. This effort will assist in retraining our next generation(s). Section I. Executive Summary The Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands region of West Virginia, known as the Region VII Workforce Investment Board includes the counties of Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Pendleton. County populations based on the 2010 Census range from 7,390 persons in Pendleton County to 103,854 persons in Berkeley County. The latest U.S. Census data places Berkeley County as the second most populous county in West Virginia while Pendleton County shows a population loss. The overall population of the area has grown at a rate of approximately 20% since the 1990 Census. In 1990, the total population in Region VII was 179,961. The 2010 population of Workforce Investment Area 7 is 255,722. The total civilian labor force in Workforce Investment Area 7 for January 2012 was 4 110,780 of which 102,290 were employed and 8,490 were unemployed. The unemployment rate for Region 7 as of January 2012 was 7.6 percent, compared to 10 percent a year ago. The largest growth industry in Region 7 is Merchant Wholesalers and Durable Goods with an estimated annual growth rate of 6.34% and job openings estimated at 983 from 2006 to 2016. The second largest growth industry is Educational Services with a 1.01% annual growth rate and an estimated 833 job openings from 2006 to 2016. Ambulatory Health Care Services is the third largest growth industry in Region 7. This industry sector expects a 2.62% annual growth rate and 617 job openings over the same ten year span. In recent years, the Eastern Panhandle has been one of the fastest growing regions in the state with services, government, trade, manufacturing and agriculture employing most of the active labor force. However, the recent Recession has led to a strikingly different scenario for Region 7. Unemployment data as of January 2011 reflects an increase from 4.7 percent to 10 percent over a three year period. More recently, the unemployment rate as of January 2012 has dropped to 7.6 percent. This dip in the unemployment rate has optimistic economists anticipating a period of strong growth and economic recovery for 2012. However, other experts predict much more modest recovery for 2012 and an economic recovery period that may take years if not decades before we see the type of growth we enjoyed in the early and mid-2000s. Historically, Region 7 has demonstrated one of the lowest unemployment rates in West Virginia. As of February 2012, the national unemployment rate was 8.3%. West Virginia’s unemployment rate stood at 7.2% as of February 2012. This is consistent with the 7.6% unemployment rate experienced by Region 7. However, it is worth noting that the job losses brought on in the last few years due to the global recession have impacted Region 7 more severely than other areas of the state and the nation as a whole. As previously noted, Region 7 routinely had the lowest unemployment rates in the state. The region also enjoyed an unemployment rate well below the national average. In today’s Region 7 this is not the case. The altered employment landscape in Region 7 is largely due to the declining manufacturing industry as a whole. Job loss in this area can be attributed to foreign market competition and the lack of disposable income consumers have to place orders. In less than five years Workforce Investment Area 7 has seen Total Employment decrease of 113,600 in 2007 to 102,290 as of January 2012. This shows 11,310 jobs lost in the region in less than five years. During the same time period the Total Unemployment has nearly doubled in Region 7. There was an average of 4,500 unemployed persons in 2007 compared to 8,490 unemployed persons in January 2012. This marks an increase of 3,990 unemployed individuals. According to the February 2011 West Virginia Economic Summary provided by the Labor Market Information team at WorkForce West Virginia; Merchant Wholesalers (+983), Educational Services (+833), and Ambulatory Health Care Services (+617) are the top three projected “Growth Industries” in Region VII. This study is based on actual employment numbers and projections from 2006 through 2016. During that same time period the top three “Declining Industries” in Region VII are Gasoline Stations (148), Printing & Related Support Activities (-146), and Construction of Buildings (-143). Overall, the projection calls for growth over the same ten year base period. This February 2011 report is somewhat conflicting, especially considering the latest five year trend clearly demonstrates a loss of nearly 9,000 jobs in the region. While there is still time to reverse this trend since the projection was on a ten year basis, one might conclude that the study was an optimistic forecast rather than a completely realistic one. 5 NAICS Growth Industries (top 15) Estimated 2008 Employment Projected 2018 Employment Growth Rate Numeric Change 622 Hospitals 3,970 4,412 1.06 442 621 Ambulatory Health Care Services 2,265 2,671 1.66 406 722 Food Services and Drinking Places 4,921 5,298 0.74 377 623 Nursing and Residential Care Facilities 2,049 2,416 1.66 367 713 Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries 1,887 2,171 1.41 284 Federal Government, excluding Post Office 2,661 2,915 0.92 254 611 Educational Services 8,444 8,670 0.26 226 236 Construction of Buildings 1,073 1,285 1.82 212 238 Specialty Trade Contractors 2,028 2,230 0.95 202 541 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 2,294 2,423 0.55 129 624 Social Assistance 1,451 1,565 0.76 114 2,700 2,783 0.30 83 2,573 2,653 0.31 80 2,511 2,589 0.31 78 73 813 Local Government, excluding Education and Hospitals Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Org 452 General Merchandise Stores 721 Accommodation NAICS Declining Industries (top 15) 1,363 1,436 0.52 Estimated 2008 Employment Projected 2018 Employment Growth Rate Numeric Change 337 Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing 1,218 1,013 -1.83 -205 522 Credit Intermediation and Related Activities 1,306 1,228 -0.61 -78 323 Printing and Related Support Activities 478 402 -1.72 -76 321 Wood Product Manufacturing 970 896 -0.79 -74 812 Personal and Laundry Services 522 464 -1.17 -58 333 Machinery Manufacturing 525 470 -1.10 -55 212 Mining (except Oil and Gas) 408 355 -1.38 -53 Postal Service 445 405 -0.94 -40 327 Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing 494 459 -0.73 -35 517 Telecommunications 333 304 -0.91 -29 325 Chemical Manufacturing 341 317 -0.73 -24 442 Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores 235 211 -1.07 -24 332 Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 224 200 -1.13 -24 447 Gasoline Stations 916 894 -0.24 -22 445 Food and Beverage Stores 1,906 1,889 -0.09 -17 The Region VII Workforce Investment Board (WIB) has two comprehensive WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers (One-Stops). Moorefield and Martinsburg, WV serve as the strategic locations for the Career Centers. The One-Stops provide all three WIA tiers of service (core, intensive, and training), either on-site, through referral, or through the use of computer technology. The Martinsburg One-Stop focuses on serving employers and job seekers in the counties of Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, and parts of Hampshire County. The Moorefield One-Stop site serves employers and job seekers in the counties of Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Pendleton counties. The One-Stop partners have formed Management Consortiums at each Career Center. The Management Consortiums provide leadership and guidance to the Career Centers. This management system has alleviated problems by having on-site partners who contribute significantly to the One-Stop System. 6 The WIB continues to identify business as the primary customer of the WorkForce West Virginia service delivery network. The Career Center system has an active Business Service Team (BST) with the primary task of working with all area employers to identify workforce needs and other ancillary needs of employers to keep them competitive, as well as prepare them for being competitive in the growing global economy. Businesses are very active and display a leading role on the Region VII Workforce Investment Board. Through business interaction on each WIB Committee, business needs are identified and discussed by all members including mandated and optional partners, and area Training Providers, to meet business needs. Short-term trainings will be based on employer needs and such training programs will result in a recognized certification issued by the training provider, recognized by both business and industry. Additionally, the WIB will utilize a State recognized assessment tool, WorkKeys, as its primary skill assessment tool for worker skill certification. The T.A.B.E. will continue to be standard educational assessment utilized for WIA clients seeking skills upgrades or training. The WIB and WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers continue to develop external agency partnerships to expand Career Center services to better equip both businesses and job seekers with the education and workforce skills needed in the modern day workforce. Partnering with other agencies provides services such as the Department of Health and Human Resource’s Strategic Planning in Occupational Knowledge for Employment and Success (SPOKES), Key Train, Adult Basic Education, and many other partner Core Services. County economic development agencies are playing a vital role in connecting Workforce Investment activities with both local economic development and business initiatives. The Local Elected Officials (LEO) and the Region VII Workforce Investment Board submitted a Request for Proposals for administrative and fiscal entity in January of 2011. The bidder’s conference was held January 19, 2011 at the Berkeley County Commissioner’s office. Proposals were due by February 10, 2011. Three prospective bidders submitted proposals for consideration. Currently, the evaluation team is still considering the proposals. The WIB and LEOs unanimously selected Eastern West Virginia Community Action Agency as the Fiscal and Administrative agent for the Region VII Workforce Investment Board beginning July 1, 2011. This contract may be extended each year for two years. See Attachment C for a copy of the current EWVCAA/WIB contract. There will be a mandatory 30-day public comment period allowing all citizens the opportunity to comment on the Region VII Workforce Investment Board strategic Plan. Written comments will be accepted and submitted with the Plan to WorkForce West Virginia. A Youth Council has been established to develop, implement, and oversee the year round youth academic and occupation learning activities. The council requires that all youth activities be closely linked to local labor market needs and with other community youth programs and services. Youth programs include activities that promote youth development and citizenship, such as leadership development through interacting with business mentors and voluntary community services opportunities, adult mentoring and follow up, and targeted opportunities for youth living in high poverty areas. As of July 1, 2010 the Region 7 Youth Council and Workforce Investment Board accepted the proposal from United Way of the Eastern Panhandle, Inc. to offer WIA Youth Services within Region 7. Although much has been accomplished, further development is needed to meet the changing needs of the modern day workforce. Community coordination, support and assistance for common goals and efforts among business, economic development, education institutions, and the One-Stops must continue to evolve. The gap between businesses and job training must continue, daily, to be bridged to best meet the needs of local employers. The continuous growth of the One-Stop Business Service Team (BST) should help bridge these gaps. 7 One of the obstacles in fully developing the planned WorkForce West Virginia Career Center delivery service network in Region VII is the lack of mandated partners contributing to the Career Center operating costs. This directly impacts all service integration and hinders the use of a well-coordinated and documented participant referral system. These areas have the full commitment of the WIB, LEOs and the Management Consortium members to move forward in building modern Career Centers in the Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands of West Virginia. However, the WIB may be required to call upon the assistance of WorkForce West Virginia and the Interagency Collaborative Team (ICT) to further develop full partnerships within the Career Centers. The accomplishments to date in Region VII are due to the vision and commitment of the Local Elected Officials, the Workforce Investment Board, the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center Consortiums, the many workforce partners, and the leadership of WorkForce West Virginia. Continued focus will remain on further developing the area’s seamless comprehensive service delivery network to keep businesses competitive in an ever-changing global economy. In addition to business services, the Career Centers will remain committed to developing employment and re-employment strategies for individuals that are without jobs. Such strategies include but are not limited to: training, subsidized employment programs, resume writing workshops, interview skills workshops, assistance with job searches, etc. Section II. Industry Profile for Region VII West Virginia A. Industry Profile for Region VII West Virginia Before examining the industries within the Region VII counties, it is important to note that the region is a large exporter of workers to neighboring counties and states. In 2010, just over half of all employed Region VII residents (50.7%, or over 51,000 individuals) worked outside of the region, with many of those commuting to jobs in and near the Washington DC area. 21% of the region’s workers have work locations that are more than 50 miles from their homes (this includes both in-region and out-region commuting). 8 Workers commute outside the region for a wide variety of jobs, and concentrations of industry type between people who both live and work within the region and those who live in the region but work elsewhere are generally very similar. That said, jobs in construction and professional, scientific and technical services industries are slightly more concentrated in workers who leave the region. Jobs in “bedroom community” industries such as education, health care and social assistance, and accommodations and food services are slightly more concentrated in workers who remain in the region. In terms of jobs within Region VII only, in 2012, 25% of all jobs were in the government sector (20,462 jobs). This includes federal, state and local and government. Nearly 8,500 of these jobs (10% of all jobs) are in education, such as local K-12 schools and state colleges/universities. Other large industries are service based, such as health care and social assistance (12%), retail trade (11%) and accommodation and food services (11%). Health Care Services (NAICS 621-623) is an important industry across the entire region, with 9% of all jobs. Counties with particularly high percentages of employment in health care include Morgan (13%), Hampshire (12%), and Pendleton and Berkeley (both 10%). This industry will only become more important in years to come, as employment is projected to grow by 22% through 2022, with over 8,800 jobs total. Health care occupations are both significant sources of employment in the region, and projected to grow, with 5 of the 11 largest growing occupations being health care related, such as registered nurses, nursing aides, and home health care aides. Other key industries tend to be concentrated within particular counties. For instance, manufacturing makes up 9% of total jobs in the region, but different counties and areas specialize in different kinds of manufacturing. Nearly 40% of jobs in Hardy County are in manufacturing, including 1,800 jobs in food manufacturing (NAICS 311). This accounts for 94% of all food manufacturing jobs in Region VII. Food manufacturing dominates Hardy County, where 28% of all jobs are in that industry, and it has a location quotient of 28.5, meaning that employment in food manufacturing is 28.5 times more concentrated within Hardy County than in the nation as a whole. The vast majority of this employment is with a single employer, Pilgrim’s Pride. Food manufacturing employment is projected to decline slightly through 2022. The Wood Products cluster (consisting of NAICS 113 – logging & forestry, NAICS 321 – wood product manufacturing and NAICS 337 – furniture manufacturing) has been a historically important cluster in the region, particularly in the Potomac Highlands region, with a location quotient of 8.9 in 2012. However, while employment is relatively more concentrated here than in the nation, Wood Products jobs only account for around 3.5% of all jobs in those counties. Additionally, since 2004 there have been sharp declines, particularly in Grant county, where wood products manufacturing employment has declined by nearly 50%, and in Hardy County, where furniture manufacturing has declined by more than 50%. Further steep declines are projected for these two counties, fueling an over projected decline of 25% for the cluster in the region through 2022. Transportation equipment manufacturing (NAICS 336) is important in Mineral County (13% of total jobs in the county) with a small 4% decline projected through 2022. No other counties had more than 5% employment in any single 3-digit manufacturing sector. Elsewhere in the region, mining is important in Grant County, where 8% of all employment is in Mining (NAICS 212) or Support Activities for Mining (NAICS 213), with a 7% decline projected through 2022. 9 Key industries in Pendleton County include animal production and truck transportation, both with 5% of all jobs in the industry. The Data Processing, Hosting and Related Services industry (NAICS 518) has a location quotient (LQ) of 3.6 for the region, but this is driven by just two counties, with Berkeley having a LQ of 3.5 and Mineral having an LQ of 17.8 thanks to an IBM data processing facility. Another industry with a high regional location quotient is Accommodations (NAICS 721), at 3.3. This industry is particularly strong in Jefferson County, with a location quotient of 12.0, but it is important in other counties in the region as well, with links to the general tourism industry. B. Other Targeted Industries or Business As identified herein, Region VII is made up of two distinct areas, one being industry heavy and skirting the Washington DC Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) while the five western counties of the region consist of mainly wood, agriculture and agriculture food processing (i.e. poultry farming and processing). However, both areas have potential growth in other business or industry segments, such as information technology. These options are being pursued by economic developers throughout the region. Healthcare. Healthcare is expected to grow in the state. Of the top fifteen occupations projected to grow in the state of West Virginia, twelve of these are in the healthcare industry. Of the top twenty occupations projected to grow in Region VII, ten of these are in the healthcare industry. Region VII continues to explore training opportunities for healthcare professionals. Working closely with training providers and healthcare employers allows Region VII to identify potential areas of need within this employment sector. Tourism. Tourism is yet to be fully recognized in its ability to be a larger contributor to regional growth and income. Many areas of the region are known for their beauty, serenity, sporting abundance, hospitality, folklore, and simply their ability to draw visitors from all over the east coast of the United States. The region has four distinct seasons, with noticeable climate distinctions within the region. For instance, in the Allegheny Mountains, you may find several inches of snow and blustery weather and only twelve miles away in the flatlands of the Potomac Highlands you will have no snowfall and temperatures ranging from 5 degrees to 15 degrees warmer. In a day’s time, one can enjoy trout fishing in the morning and skiing in the afternoon and evening. This is but a sample of the abundance of year round activities that can greatly enhance the region’s tourism market, if properly marketed. There are numerous bed and breakfast “homes” throughout the region. More hotels and motels are being built in anticipation of the expansion of the West Virginia Corridor H Interstate System, which will connect the western part of the region with Interstate 81 in Virginia. Along this new corridor, distribution is expected to grow like that of the industry along the I-81 and I-68 corridor near Martinsburg, WV. Building of the Corridor has already prompted communities to start planning and building Industrial Parks to accommodate business that will be willing to move into the western counties of the region, as well as along the approximate 100 miles of new interstate highway. Impact of Plant Closures. The region has been highly impacted by plant closures and downsizing over the past five years. Among these are American Woodmark, the abrupt closure of AB&C Group and Rayloc in Hancock, Maryland. Several other layoffs have occurred in the region that impacted 30 workers or less. Many of the workers in the region leave their respective counties and state to find self-sustaining employment in neighboring states. Local economic developers, community and technical schools, chambers of commerce, and the WIB, to name a few, are all working together to attract new industry to the region and retain its current skilled workforce. Berkeley County was able to claim an enormous 10 success in their continued efforts to attract jobs to the region. Macy’s Department Stores built a vast 30+ acre warehouse and distribution center in Berkeley County. This brought nearly 2000 jobs to Berkeley County between late 2011 and 2012. This gave much needed relief to people that have been faced with prolonged unemployment and very few job opportunities. The jobs created by the opening of the Macy’s distribution center were a welcome sign that true economic growth and recovery were taking shape in our region. Areas of Potential Growth. In the past six years, hundreds of windmills have been erected in the Potomac Highlands. Several hundred more are projected in the near future. Due to the increasing demand for electric in the Metropolitan D.C. and Northern Virginia Area the electric production from the windmills will continue to be a growth area for Region VII. Windmills bring two distinct job clusters with them. Construction workers of all types are needed for installation and maintenance workers are needed to maintain their operation. Other “green jobs” such as weatherization, are projected to be growth industries in both the national and regional market places. C. Current Worker Skills and Characteristics Region VII Demographic Overview. Region VII consists of nearly 3500 square miles, or 14.4 percent of West Virginia's total land area of 24,228 square miles. Eighty percent of the region's land area comes from the Potomac Highlands sub-region. Of West Virginia's 1,852,994 residents (as of 2010), 255,722 (13.8 percent) live in Region VII. The three most populous counties in Region VII reside in Jefferson, Berkeley, and Mineral. Since 2000, West Virginia’s population has grown 2.5 percent, according to 2010 U.S. Census figures. This modest increase is slightly below national averages for growth; however, it is important to note that the population increase within the state has been largely concentrated in Region VII. For example, over the last ten years Berkeley County has experienced a tremendous 37.5% population boom. Berkeley County remains the most populated county in the region and the second most populated county in the state. It is worth noting that Jefferson, Morgan, Hardy, and Hampshire Counties also experienced population booms over the last ten years. Seven out of eight counties in Region VII experienced population increases. Five of those counties grew at or above the state and national rate. Pendleton County was the only county within Region VII to show any population decline (-454 persons). The 2010 Census provides some data on migration patterns within Region VII and its neighboring areas. For instance, 21 percent of Jefferson County’s population resided in another state in 2009. The other Eastern Panhandle counties also received a large number of migrants from other states. Residents of the remaining counties in Region VII, except for Grant County, also exceeded both the national (2.6 percent) and state (3.0) rates of in-migration from other states. Over 75 percent of West Virginia residents in 2010 claimed to have been born in the state. On the other hand, except for Grant County, the counties of Region VII are much more likely to have residents that were not born in West Virginia. This ranges from Pendleton County with 44.6 percent born outside the state to Hampshire County at 61.3 percent. Among the U.S. population, only 27.7 percent claim to live in a state other than that in which they were born. Among Region VII counties, the mean commuting times all exceeded the national mean commuting time of 25.2 minutes. The average commute time for residents of Region VII is 28.7 minutes. Hampshire County residents have the longest average commute within the region, averaging 39.7 minutes, while Hardy County residents enjoy the briefest average commute of 26.0 minutes. These numbers reflect the large amount of Region VII residents that commute to D.C. and Northern Virginia for work as well as the concentration of manufacturing and poultry processing jobs within Hardy County. 11 About 60 percent of Eastern Panhandle residents work within their own region. Slightly higher proportions (63.9 percent) of Potomac Highlanders live and work in the same region. There is very little employment transfer between the two regions. As might be expected, a much higher proportion of Eastern Panhandle residents (19.9 percent) commute to the remaining areas of the Washington, DC PMSA than do residents from the Potomac Highlands (3.1 percent). Among all Region VII employed residents, 39.3 percent work in the Eastern Panhandle, 22.6 percent work in the Potomac Highlands, and 14.0 percent commute to the non-West Virginia portion of the Washington, DC PMSA. The remaining workers commute to a variety of other areas for their jobs. Interestingly, only 10.3 percent of residents from areas outside of Region VII commute to the region for their employment. So, nearly 90 percent of all Region VII jobs belong to the region’s residents. Transportation Public transit is not an important part of Region VII’s transportation infrastructure. Despite 12.5 percent of the Washington, D.C. PMSA and 5.0 percent of U.S. residents claiming to use some form of public transit to get to work, Region VII counties had public transit usage levels less than 1 percent. (Only 0.9 percent of West Virginians claimed to use public transit as a means to get to work in 2010.) Only Jefferson County, at 2.6 percent, posted a figure anywhere near the national average. Perhaps to make up for the lack of public transit, commuters in Region VII rely more on carpooling as a means to travel to work. In fact, every county in the region had higher rates of carpooling than either the state, the nation, the surrounding states, or the Washington, D.C. PMSA. Housing At 74.3 percent, West Virginia has a very high rate of housing that is owner-occupied. In other words, apartment dwelling is far less popular in West Virginia than in other states. In contrast, the national rate of owner-occupied housing is 66.9 percent. Except for Berkeley County, all other counties in Region VII have owner-occupied housing rates exceeding the state average. Hardy, Grant, Hampshire, and Morgan counties all have rates above 80 percent. Perhaps one reason for such high rates of owner occupation is the relatively low housing prices both in Region VII and in West Virginia in general. Although median home values in all Region VII counties exceed the state median home value of $91,400, they all fall short of the U.S. median value of $185,400, and are far below the value of $440,500 posted by Washington D.C. Jefferson County, at $116,700, is the only county to exceed $100,000. Within the Washington, DC PMSA, Berkeley County has the lowest median housing value, with Jefferson County having the third lowest value among counties. Only Manassas Park and Warren County in Virginia have lower median home values. In contrast, three cities and two counties in Virginia, and two counties in Maryland have median home values that exceed $190,000. No Potomac Highlands County has a median home value that is above $79,000. Mobile homes are far more prevalent as a means of housing in Region VII than in the U.S. This could partially explain the region’s lower housing prices. With rates exceeding West Virginia’s 16.9 percent, Hampshire, Hardy, Grant, Pendleton, and Berkeley counties have between 18.6 percent and 22.4 percent of their respective housing as mobile homes. In addition, only two counties in Region VII have a median gross monthly rent that exceeds the state median rent of $401. At $453, Jefferson County has the highest monthly rent in Region VII, with Berkeley Count having a median monthly rent of $409. However, these still trail the national rate of $602 12 by over $100 and the Washington, D.C. PMSA rent of $811 by much more. The low housing prices and monthly rents may partially explain the longer commuting times addressed above. Housing Bubble Foreclosures have hit Region VII particularly hard. According to Realtytrac.com, as of February 2012 one in every 3,758 homes in Jefferson County was in foreclosure. At the time, Jefferson County had the highest rate of home foreclosures in West Virginia. As of March 2013, one in every 5,465 homes in Jefferson County is in foreclosure. While foreclosure rates have improved slightly in Jefferson County, Region VII remains plagued by foreclosures. Four of the five highest rates of foreclosure in West Virginia are counties within Region VII. Berkeley County has the highest rate, 1 in every 2329 homes, Grant County has the second highest rate, 1 in every 3181 homes, Morgan County is third, 1 in every 3230 homes, Hampshire County is fourth, 1 in every 4521 homes, and Cabell County is fifth, 1 in every 4614 homes. This information clearly demonstrates the housing market and job market alike have not rebounded from the economic devastation inflicted by the Great Recession. Nationally, the threat of mass foreclosures appears to be the most serious in states with highly speculative real estate markets, such as California, Florida, Arizona, New York and the District of Columbia. Population Age Berkeley and Jefferson counties each have a much lower median age than any other county in Region VII. This, along with other data on the counties’ respective population age distributions, suggests that Berkeley and Jefferson are home to a larger proportion of younger families. Although the median age of Region VII cannot be calculated, based on the median ages from the component counties, and their respective populations, we can estimate that this region's median age is lower than that of West Virginia, but much higher than the age of the U.S., the Washington, DC PMSA, or either of the region’s border states. Income The Eastern Panhandle dominates Region VII's population and income levels. Although Berkeley and Jefferson counties contain 55.6 percent of the region's population; they have 61.9 percent of the total personal income. So, it may not be surprising that these counties have much higher levels of per capita personal income than the other six counties. Five of the Region’s counties have very similar income levels, all hovering in the $19,000 range, while Hampshire County lingers far behind at $16,591. Personal income is a broad measure of income flowing to residents within a region. It consists of earnings from work (wages and fringe benefits), asset income (dividends, interest, and rent), and transfer income (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and welfare payments). Per capita personal income is computed by dividing the total personal income of a region by its population. Region VII did not keep up with the nation or surrounding states with respect to per capita personal income. At 4.4 percent annual growth, the region's per capita income trailed the income growth posted by Maryland, Virginia, the Washington, DC PMSA, and the nation as a whole. These regions all had income growth exceeding five percent. However, this region still surpassed West Virginia's annual per capita personal income growth of 4.1 percent. Since we use the growth rates of nominal per capita income for all states and regions for our comparisons, the inflation adjustment is not necessary. 13 It is important to remember that per capita income depends on a region's total personal income and its population. Since Region VII's population grew so quickly, it was difficult for personal income to match these growth rates. The population growth can be largely attributed to the in-migration of young families. Since wage earnings usually grow with experience, young families typically earn less than betterestablished families. Except for Grant County, the remaining counties in the region have median household incomes exceeding that of West Virginia. Jefferson County's median household income of $44,374 is even larger than the U.S. level of $41,994. However, the other counties are far behind. Median household income differs from per capita personal income by concentrating on income that is available to households, not individuals. Also, household income excludes in-kind payments, like Medicare and Medicaid. It tends to be higher than per capita income in areas where households have many non-working members, such as dependent children and the elderly. Poverty Level Region VII's poverty rate in 2012 was 17.4 percent, slightly below the national rate of poverty of 14.3 percent. West Virginia's poverty rate was 17.4 percent in 2012, one of the highest figures in the nation. Although Eastern Panhandle counties had less poverty (11.0 percent) than their Potomac Highlands neighbors (14.5 percent), each respective county was at least 1.5 percentage points below the state poverty rate. D. Education / Training Capacity to Meet Current Needs West Virginia ranks among the bottom of the 50 states and Washington, DC with respect to the percentage of the population that has earned a bachelor's degree or higher. This is important because educational attainment is a major determinant of a worker's potential wages. Region VII's rate of educational attainment (14.5 percent) even falls short of the state's level of 14.8 percent. Jefferson County has the highest percentage of its population with a bachelor's degree (21.6) or higher, followed by Berkeley County (15.1 percent). The remaining counties fall far short, with no other county exceeding 12 percent. As the wage gap between college and high school-educated workers widens, the relative importance of a college degree continues to increase. E. Current Resources. Training and education resources are abundant within the region. Post-Secondary education and vocational centers are also located near the adjoining states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Agencies within the region include educational entities, private-training organizations, apprenticeshiptraining programs sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor, and training provided through business, i.e., On-the-Job Training and/or Customized Training. Land Grant University and Community and Technical Colleges. Training institutions within the region include an extension of West Virginia University known as Potomac State College located in Keyser, WV. This institution provides both two and four year degrees in traditional areas of study. Shepherd University, located in Shepherdstown, in Jefferson County, also offers two and four year degrees. Blue Ridge Community & Technical College (BRCTC), located in Berkeley County, and Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College (EWVCTC), located in Hardy County offer two year degree programs, technical education and certificate programs. Blue Ridge Community and 14 Technical College primarily serves residents in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties, but also students from surrounding states. Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College serves Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral and Pendleton counties. Additionally, the school serves Tucker County, which is outside the Region VII Workforce Investment Area. Each school works with area employers, economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, and the Region VII Workforce Investment Board to determine and meet employer needs. Other Training Services. Other Training Providers within Region VII include the Vocational and Technical Schools of James Rumsey, Mineral County, South Branch and Hampshire County. These vocational schools offer a wide variety of educational and vocational opportunities including General Education Diploma (GED), Adult Basic Education (ABE); entry level construction, electrical, auto mechanic, and healthcare training, as well as refresher courses in basic word processing software and computer skills. Training Funds. Funding for training can come from many sources such as self-pay, scholarships, grants, loans, and other payment forms. Many of the clients assisted through the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers may require financial assistance from second or third party sources. Depending on the client’s needs the partner service can dictate the funding stream that can be utilized by the client. However, in some cases a client may be eligible for multiple programs and multiple funding avenues. These particular cases end up in collaboration between the agencies to eliminate service duplication, thus ensuring available monies can be more efficiently used for each client. Workforce Investment Act funds are limited in the Region and will be used as the last source of training funds for any Workforce Investment Act eligible client. It remains unclear what impact this will have on the overall economic recovery efforts. The WIB has established maximum funding limits on each of its training mechanisms that will be described later in this Plan. Case Managers from each partner located in the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers are trained on the services of each partner and can refer clients to the appropriate agency for services and possible training dollars.`123456 In some instances, agencies do not provide training dollars but can assist the WIA eligible client with child care expenses, transportation needs; dental work, tools, housing, and assist the individual overcome other barriers to employment.78 Demand Occupations. The WIB has approved specific area Training Providers that provide training in identified regional demand occupations. The employment forecast for Years 2010 through 2020 published by the Labor Market Information staff at WorkForce West Virginia is used as the base line for determining demand occupations in Region VII. A copy of this demand occupation list is provided as Attachment K. In addition, economic development agencies and businesses are routinely surveyed to determine other needs as a result of new and emerging businesses. The assistance of the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers’ Business Service Team (BST) is instrumental in assisting the WIB identify needs of employers. Other Training Emphasis. The Region VII WIB has noted the popularity and success of short-term training among WIA clients for some time. Focusing on short-term training (defined by the Region VII WIB as one year or less) allows the WIA clients to re-enter the workforce at a faster rate without continued disruption to their lives. It also provides Region VII the opportunity to serve more WIA customers with training services. Region VII will continue to collaborate with our training providers and business customers to identify what short-term trainings are valuable. Currently approved Region VII Training Providers include: 15 Allegheny College of Maryland Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Garrett College James Rumsey Technical Institute Marshall Community and Technical College Mineral County Technical Center PIA – Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics Potomac State College Road Pro Shepherd University Valley College of Technology Training Programs offered by Training Providers not approved by Region VII, but approved by other WV WIBs, may be used by Region VII residents if the Training Program is a Region VII Demand Occupation. Region VII residents that desire Training not on the Region VII Demand Occupation list but on the West Virginia Demand Occupation list may be approved through a waiver process contingent on approval by the Region VII Workforce Investment Board Executive Director. Section III. The Desired State of the Workforce A. Local Area Vision, Mission and Goals Vision Statement: The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will provide a fully integrated OneStop delivery system for workforce development meeting and exceeding the needs of the employers and citizens - a diverse group of adults, dislocated workers, displaced homemakers, and youth of Region VII in Eastern West Virginia. We are the first place that employers and employees go for their employment and training needs. We provide all job seekers with: Training Education Supportive Services Resume Writing Interview Skills Job Placement Follow-up Activities Referral Services We provide business and industry with: Labor Market Information Business Tax Incentives Job Matching Employee Screening Training and Education of New, Current, and Future Workers Funding opportunities for business needs Identify the needs of employers and industry 16 We work in cooperation with Education Entities, Economic Developers and Chambers of Commerce to: Promote Region Resources Identify Demand Occupations Provide and Distribute Market Survey Data Attract Business into the Region Fully Train Job Seekers to Obtain Self-Sustaining Income We are recognized as involved and accountable leaders in the region - beyond bureaucracy - for career advancement for the future. Mission Statement: The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will partner with business and industry, economic development agencies, and Training Providers to educate, train, and place appropriate skilled personnel in available jobs specific to employer needs. The Board will help maintain the highest level of economic development in the state through the local WorkForce West Virginia Career Center system by: Providing a choice of education and employment opportunities to help keep our youth in the state and attract youth from surrounding states; Helping individuals focus on career tracks to help them realize their full potential; Promoting jobs that support a self-sufficient livable wage; Promoting overall outreach to the community about WIA services; Providing training funds to improve workforce skills for area business and industry; and Refer One-Stop clients to various needed partner services to overcome employment barriers. Guiding Principles: Guiding principles are what we value and believe to be true. They are the behaviors and attributes we hold in high regard in all that we do and say at the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers: Business will be the primary customer of the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers; Provide equal opportunity for all without regard of race, gender, or educational attainment; Maintain the highest quality of services in all we provide; Provide opportunities for all individuals to reach their fullest potential; Maximize the use of our resources by maintaining fiscal responsibility; Maintain the integrity of individuals while maintaining confidentiality of those individuals; and Be responsive to the needs of employers and job seekers on a day-to-day basis through the one-stop delivery system. Region VII LWIB Goals: Develop a workforce that is responsive to changing economic conditions through nimble and effective workforce training programs that will increase work readiness certifications statewide by 20 percent. 17 Activities: 1) The Region VII WIB will provide WorkKeys Testing to all WIA registered Dislocated Workers and Adults. 2) Eligible WIA Youth will be WorkKeys tested prior to exiting the Youth Program. Develop a broader pool of appropriately prepared natural gas support and downstream industry workers in West Virginia to take full advantage of economic opportunities in the emerging Marcellus Shale industry by working with primary education, Career and Technical Centers, and Community and Technical Colleges to develop statewide curriculum to meet industry demands. Activities: 1) The Region VII WIB supports the State’s efforts to realize this goal. However, there is currently no Marcellus Shale activity in our region. Therefore, Region VII WIB will support clients in Marcellus Shale training and employment when specified and approved in their Individualized Employment Plan (IEP). 2) The Region VII WIB will support regional training providers efforts to develop training programs congruent with the Marcellus Shale employment demands should drilling or fracking activity commence in our local area. Promote technical training and education among students and job seekers to adequately prepare West Virginia workers for highly technical work environment. In collaboration with Community and Technical Colleges and Career and Technical Education centers, the state will increase the number of people receiving technical training by 10 percent. Activities: 1) The Region VII WIB will continue to receive referrals from partner agencies including Community and Technical Colleges and Career & Vocational Centers. The LWIB continues to support our regional training provider’s efforts to train in USDOL identified Demand Occupations that require specialized degrees, certifications, and/or professional licenses. 2) The Region VII WIB will continue to have regular quarterly meetings with regional training providers in order to keep the lines of communication open and active throughout the WIA process. Local training providers remain interested in seeking the support of the WIB for newly formed programs. 3) The WIB will continue to offer written letters of support to approved regional training providers that are seeking resources for the development of new programs that meet the Demand Occupations criteria. To ensure job development and workforce readiness is a priority throughout West Virginia, the state will increase the number of credentials awarded through Individual Training Accounts by 10 percent for Adults and Dislocated Workers. Activities: 1) The Region VII Workforce Investment Board is committed to increasing ITA and OJT participation by 10 percent. 2) The Region VII WIB will continue to seek business partners interested in offering OJT opportunities. 3) The Region VII WIB will continue to work with approved regional training providers to offer insight on in-demand trainings that lead to sustainable careers. 4) The Region VII WIB will continue to utilize our network of partners and the One-Stop Delivery System to identify individuals eligible WIA participants. B. Projected Employment Opportunities A review of Attachment I, Region VII Occupational Projections: 2010-2020 lists the following as the top twenty “growth fields” based on the number of annual new and replacement jobs: Office and Administrative Support Occupations18 297 Sales and Related Occupations276 Food Preparation and Service Related Occupations262 Education, Training, and Library Occupations171 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations168 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations142 Personal Care and Service Occupations138 Production Occupations128 Management Occupations 97 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations79 Construction and Extraction Occupations75 Healthcare Support Occupations70 Business and Financial Operations Occupations 63 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations- 58 Computer and Mathematical Occupations47 Community and Social Service Occupations42 Protective Service Occupations40 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations- 39 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations23 Architecture and Engineering Occupations19 Forecast: 2010 - 2020 The outlook for the Region VII Workforce Investment Area depends in part on the performance of the national and international economies. Economic recovery has proven to be slower than originally anticipated. Geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East and domestic reluctance to drill off-shore for oil has exacerbated the recession. Gas prices once again approach $4 a gallon as of March 2013. It is important to note that in 2008, when most economist agree the Great Recession first took hold in the U.S., gas prices exceeded $4 a gallon for the first time in our history. Late 2008 and most of 2009 saw oil and gas prices plummet and economic recovery hopes heighten. However, in late 2009 political turmoil in the Middle East, as well as Afghanistan pushed oil prices over $100 a barrel and gas prices to nearly $4 a gallon. Due to our nation’s dependence on foreign oil it is easy to see the correlation between oil and gas price stability and economic recovery. Currently, crude oil is trading for $93.83 a barrel and national gas prices are $3.69 a gallon as of March 2013. Increased transportation costs effect nearly every facet of American lives. Whether it’s the cost of commuting to work or inflation of products related directly to the increased cost of shipping a product into the marketplace. All of these factors as well as the overall volatility of the oil market perpetuates a cycle of economic uncertainty. In April 2008, the prime rate stood at 5.25%. As of March 2013, the prime rate is 3.25%. The 2 percent cut over the last five years has been an attempt by the Federal Reserve to stave off a deeper global and national recession. The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates several times in the recent past, but financial market conditions continue to only show slight improvement. The cuts to prime were supposed to encourage financial institutions to lend and consumers to buy; however, to date that methodology has not worked, at least not at the rate the Federal Reserve had originally anticipated. Many economists speculate that uncertainty surrounding fuel prices remains the prevailing issue stalling true economic recovery. 19 Slower economic growth, the cost of war, increased homeland security spending and tax cuts have widened the deficit to over $16.7 trillion as February 2013. Meanwhile, Congressional sequestration has deadlocked Washington over where cutbacks on government spending should occur or if tax increases should be introduced. The dollar is expected to continue its current slide, with its value versus an average of industrial countries currencies falling by 35 percent over the last decade, according to an http://www.mycgfinancial.com report. The declining dollar and the continued loss of manufacturing impose significant challenges to the traditional notion of the working class. Recent dislocation data in Region VII shows evidence that manufacturing in the region is declining much like elsewhere in the United States. Most jobs generated in Region VII during the next five years are expected to come in the serviceproducing sectors, particularly trade, and government. Services, including health care, business services (including computer programming and call centers), and many travel and tourism related sectors (including hotels, motels, and racetrack/slots), are forecast to drive service-producing job growth. This is connected to dramatic population gains in the region over the last ten years (which spurs gains in locallyoriented services, like health care). While the tourism sector is likely to grow during the forecast, it does face competitive pressure from nearby states. This is particularly true for the racetrack/slots sector (Charlestown Races), as Maryland discusses legalization of slots at nearby venues. Tourism could be adversely affected by the high gasoline prices, which are not predicted to decrease dramatically in the near future. Most of the population growth concentrates in the Eastern Panhandle region, with expected annual gains of 2,500 residents per year. These annual additions translate into an annual rate of growth of 1.5 percent per year, far greater than the small losses predicted for the state, and far faster than the 0.9 percent per year growth rate for the nation. However, upon completion of Corridor H, which will connect a major north to south Interstate (I-81) in Virginia with a major north to south Interstate (I-79) in central West Virginia, more population migration to include business and industry are expected to move westward towards the Potomac Highlands counties. Job growth in the region also drives inflation-adjusted increases in personal income. On a per capita basis, real personal income is forecast to rise at an average annual rate of 1.6 percent per year. Corridor H’s influence could increase the average annual rate. This is close to the state rate, but falls well below the national rate of 2.3 percent per year. Income growth for the Eastern Panhandle is forecast to outpace gains in the Potomac Highlands region. Current and Future Outlook. As of this writing, there are abundant downside risks to the baseline national forecast. These include the fact that the war with Iraq has turned out to be a more complicated and disruptive conflict than previously expected. Political and military complications in the Middle East have the capacity to continue to disrupt oil supplies. Many forecasters predict that oil prices will continue to increase in the U.S. In 2008, the U.S. experienced record high fuel prices. Gasoline soared past $4.00 per gallon. Since that time gas prices have fallen to as low as $2.25 to their current price of $3.65 as of April 2013. These events have created an economy shrouded in extreme uncertainty. As a by-product, consumer confidence has been reduced, consumer spending has decreased, business investment plans have been placed on hold, and stock market valuations have been dwindled. Thus most economists remain in agreement that we are in the midst of recovering from our worst recession since the early 1990s and perhaps the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. 20 For the region, this scenario will reduce, but probably not eliminate, economic growth. Export-oriented sectors, like business services (especially call centers), tourism, and manufacturing would be most at risk. For the Eastern Panhandle, increased federal spending on homeland security may translate into additional opportunities in the region. In addition, the Eastern Panhandle counties are economically tied to the Washington, D.C. PMSA. Since the PMSA specializes in professional services, research, and federal government activities that seem likely to grow in the future, this should serve to insulate population and income growth from some of the risks tied to geopolitical concerns. However, insulation from financial crisis does not mean exclusion. Continued layoffs by manufacturers and less disposable income most Americans has adversely impacted the regions tourism industry. C. Projected Workforce Needs Attachment K contains a listing of annual demand occupations for the Region VII Workforce Investment Area. It shall be the practice of the Region VII Workforce Investment Board to allow eligible WIA clients to receive training in demand occupations if the individual qualifies and funding is available. The WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers will be required to report on a monthly basis to the WIB the number of Individual Training Accounts (ITA), On-the-Job Training placements, as well as Customized Training placements identified by occupation to ensure supply does not exceed demand. Various studies conducted on West Virginia’s Workforce, as well as current comments from area business leaders, has identified that workers are not only deficient in specialized workforce skills but also many workers lack the basic soft skills necessary to obtain and retain employment. Issues identified by employers are relevant in both young and adult workers, however more prevalent in younger workers. The primary deficiencies cited by employers are work attendance, communication, basic math and reading competency, personal hygiene, work ethic and other attributes that can be more readily identified by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration’s “Building Blocks for Competency Models.” WIA Case Management will provide the necessary referrals to remedial training and education needed to overcome such barriers. Referral to such programs as ABE, SPOKES, Key Train, and others will be the standard when such barriers are identified at the case management level. The workforce of today must be flexible, adaptable, versatile and willing to learn more than the customary “one job for life” skill. Today, it is almost a certainty that any worker cannot go into a business and expect to stay with that business until retirement; much less the same job functions until retirement. The global economy, competition and new technology dictate that our workforce adapts to the demands of business. With this adaptability comes the need for a solid “base education” from K-12. The Workforce Investment Board, through its Youth Council and the Business Service Team at the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers will work with area education institutions to better prepare tomorrow’s workforce today. Emphasis will be placed on a solid base education with the need for advanced post-secondary training or education in a demand occupation. This reality is the expectation of the business community. Therefore, the workforce in our region, West Virginia and the nation must realize that if they are to succeed in a competitive global market they must arm themselves with the skills employers’ value. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will remain committed to providing eligible customers with advanced training through ITAs, OJTs or Customized Training. D. The Supply Pipeline The future workforce in Region VII and in the state of West Virginia rests upon our young people. Many of our region’s talented youth (educationally and vocationally) leave the state to find self–sufficient 21 employment elsewhere. Many never return, with some only returning to retire in their later years of life. If you talk to business owners they will tell you they cannot find qualified or dedicated workers. Are we losing our best talent and workers to other regions or states? Many will argue this to be the case. Others will argue that if there were ample businesses in the region which paid quality wages, many of our talented young workers would stay or would come back after completing college. Regardless of who is right or wrong, until every able-bodied individual that is of working age has a self-sustaining job, all factors of economic development (education, workforce development, and economic development agencies) have failed the community and its citizens. All stakeholders in the region must embrace more collaboration and focus on regional development and the Region VII Workforce Investment Board will help facilitate this move. Every young adult must come away from high school able to read, write, and compute math at the 12th grade level and be ready to take one of two steps for a successful future: be equipped educationally to continue through higher education; or enter into a profession with the necessary entry level workforce skills. A goal of the Region VII Workforce Investment Board is to work with all government and community agencies, business and industry to prepare every youth for either continued higher education or to have the workforce skills necessary to obtain a family sustaining income. American workers, including those of Region VII, have allowed the workforce marketplace to pass them by over the years. Fact: manufacturing jobs have decreased per capita in the United States since 1900. However, many Americans have ignored this fact and allow themselves to become victim to the conditions of the 21st century economy. In today’s global economy it is no longer realistic to believe you can sustain a middle class life style as a laborer in a manufacturing setting. This is a fact that a large portion of working adults have ignored for years. Current unemployment conditions indicate that working adults have been left jobless because of plant closures or relocations to foreign countries for the purposes of cheaper labor and/or less government regulation. A large majority of the newly unemployed persons in Region VII lack any sort of post-secondary degree or specialized training. Without an in-demand industry recognized degree or credential the displaced factory worker will continue to struggle to become reemployed in the global market. Bring into the mix “counter business” regulations such as NAFTA and the situation only worsens. The families and workforce development system within our region must take the lead in developing our youth. We are challenged with two pressing priorities: first, we must meet the challenges of today – educating and unskilled labor pool with the training employers need; second, we must meet the challenges of tomorrow – constant assessment and planning is required by all workforce development professionals in order to stay in-tune with the demands of tomorrow’s competitive global market economy. Additionally, the region needs to be adaptive to the needs of Dislocated Workers, Displaced Homemakers, and Low-Income Adults to ensure when the need arises for a change in work skills, the opportunities to obtain the newly needed skills are available. Collaboration between business and industry that are downsizing and/or closing will require all the parties of economic development (education, workforce development, EDA, and business and industry) to come together and provide the training modules necessary to keep these proven workers in the workforce and keep the economy strong. Community and Technical Colleges are coming on board with new short-term curricula such as “Fast Track” that should equip displaced workers, in a short time, with the necessary work force skills to get them back into the area workforce. In addition the workforce development system needs to keep its finger on the pulse of emerging industries such as “Green Energy.” 22 Section IV. Analysis and Strategic Planning for Achieving the Desired State of the Workforce A. Gap Analysis The current education level in the region has been discussed in Section II. C. Additional “skill gaps” can come forth any time a company downsizes, closes, or new technologies dictate increased skill by the existing workforce. What has been discovered in Region VII is that both employers and job seekers do not want to be tied down in long-term training (i.e. training longer than six (6) months). Employers require trained employees immediately and cannot wait for potential workers to be trained via a long-term training program. Job seekers too, especially dislocated workers and displaced homemakers, need and want to get back into the workforce as soon as possible. In most cases, these populations have a family to support and bills to pay. This is where the collaboration between the needs of the business and the job seeker need to be facilitated to the area Community and Technical Colleges. Within Region VII, several networks are now in place to alert all stakeholders in economic development of any sudden or near term needs of both employers and job seekers. Some of these networks include the Small Business Service Team located in the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers, Rapid Response Unit that have members located at the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers, County Economic Developers, area Chambers of Commerce, Local Elected Officials, and businesses and industry leaders. Minimum Assessment Score. The WIB has established that “A WIA eligible client will not be recommended eligible to receive WIA funded training (ITA, OJT, Customized Training, or Contracted Training) unless the individual meets the minimum industry basic skill requirements, whether the requirements be identified by use of the TABE, Work Keys, or any other industry recognized skill standard assessment”. When a standard is absent, the WIB will utilize a minimum score of 9.0 on the TABE for participants to be eligible for consideration for WIB funded training. Participant Assessment. The WIB, through the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers, utilizes WorkKeys and/or the TABE as assessment tools to gauge academic or skill-based aptitudes. Use of the TABE allows for a cost effective and accurate preliminary assessment of the individual. WIA Case Managers are then aware if an individual needs a referral to a partner service such as ABE/GDE services, SPOKES, etc., thus enhancing the individual’s chances of scoring well on the WorkKeys assessment. Once the TABE test has been scored, remedial training can be scheduled through additional WIA Core and Intensive Services as needed. Upon completion of remedial training and should job placement not take place, the individual can be assessed further by use of WorkKeys. WorkKeys assessments give students and workers reliable, relevant information about their workplace skill levels. Three WorkKeys tests are provided: Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information. Possible test results on each test range from a low of 1 to a high of 7. Through job profiling and research by ACT, approximately 80% of the jobs throughout the United States require a level 3 score (entry-level skills in many cases). The largest hurdle for many potential employees is to overcome their deficiencies in “soft skills” (i.e. showing up for work on time, attitude, communication skills, team work, proper dress, and other personal areas). As stated previously, a primary focus of all partner Case Managers will be to identify such barriers during an initial assessment and future contacts, and referring the individual to the proper support element to overcome any and all barriers to self-sustaining employment. 23 B. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board has established strategic objectives to define steps toward fulfilling the area’s vision and mission statement. Strategic objectives include: Market WIA services to encourage employers to become involved and to utilize the many services offered at the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers; Coordinate activities/services provided by all agencies and advocate for a seamless workforce development system by creating an integration of all partner services; Create educational and training opportunities that meet the needs of the region’s employers; Have active participation and involvement of all WIB members and committee members, and rotate meeting locations throughout the region to accommodate all members creating an integration of all stakeholders; Continually assess the effectiveness of the WIB and One-Stop services; and Create a partner referral process to track customer movement throughout the various partner services to include tracking by use of the MACC, by all partners. Achieving the goals of the Region VII Workforce Investment Board will result in a strong service delivery system that can meet the needs of the region’s businesses and citizens. This will allow individuals to enhance their skills for jobs in growing industry and thereby increase their employment and income potentials. The region will develop programs and systems that effectively serve the business community and further its ability to compete globally by providing a pool of well-trained workers. The end result is a healthy regional economy that contributes to the sustainability of a thriving state and national economy. STRUCTURED ACTION PLANNNING. The WIB will use a structured process for implementing the strategic plan to ensure the identified items are put into practice. Developing such a structured approach is important for the following reasons: All desired strategies are assigned and being addressed. Responsibility and accountability are clearly defined for developing the action plan to address each strategy. Monitoring and tracking will be more effective. Strategic plan implementation stays focused within the Region VII WIB. Progress reporting (accomplishments) can be done easily. When progress is not being made, modification or attention can be given sooner. GENERAL TIMELINE. The Region VII WIB will submit a multi-year strategic plan and identify appropriate timelines. This plan, while updated on an annual basis to keep it current, will be implemented 24 over a five-year horizon. The expectation is that all strategies will be addressed concurrently, however, some will have greater efforts expanded in any given time period. STRATEGIC PLAN ACTION INITIATIVE ASSIGNMENT TABLE. Each strategy will be assigned to the most appropriate level of responsibility in the organization (could be assigned to an individual, unit or team). Each strategy must have a primary owner responsible for making sure the action is being implemented. However, the person who “owns it” may not be the person doing all of the actual implementation. In fact, they may do part or simply lead the process. For each strategy, there may be several discrete actions to fully implement it. An action might help achieve more than one strategy and ultimately fulfill a targeted goal. Actions can be completed by: An individual Two or more individuals A unit/area within the Region VII WIB A team of WIB staff specifically charged to further address the strategy or take action to implement the strategy Contractors Outsource to others (e.g., other agency, consultants) Combination of the above Not all actions can or should be done at once. Determining the priority of actions will be vital. In some cases there are specific sequential steps needed. Also, some actions will by definition take longer to research and develop strategies. There should be greater concern for quality outcomes that quantity. ACTION PLAN PROCESS. Once a strategy is assigned, the individual or team should develop the action plan for implementing said strategy. The following should serve as a suggested template for documenting how the strategy will be defined: 1. Overall approach / tactics to address the assigned strategy. 2. Suggested timeframes or completion date (priority). 3. Involvement by others (staff, external assistance, other resource people). 4. Resources needed (beyond normal or routine). 5. Performance outcomes (how will success be measured). 6. Key contact person for this initiative (i.e., if team, could be team leader). 7. If applicable, what process will be studied / improved. 8. Special considerations or notes. 25 Section V: Local Governance A. Local Elected Officials. Recognizing the need for greater local implementation of federally funded training programs, the Workforce Investment Act declared Local Elected Officials central to its implementation. Local Elected Officials (LEOs) appoint Workforce Investment Board (WIB) members in accordance with the Act and in partnership with the WIB. They are responsible for establishing policy and providing direction. Importantly, financial accountability ultimately rests with the LEOs. WorkForce West Virginia identifies Chief Local Elected Officials as presidents of county commissions and mayors of municipalities of 10,000 or more people. The Region VII Workforce Investment Area contains eight counties and one eligible municipality (Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, and Pendleton Counties, and the City of Martinsburg). These nine officials come together to form the Region VII Local Workforce Investment Board’s Local Elected Official body. The LEO’s appoint, re-appoint or revoke WIB members every two years, or earlier if the need arises (i.e. member resigns, conflict of interest issue, etc.). Appointment and revocation will be based upon consensus of the LEO Board. WIB members relieved by consensus of the LEO’s prior to the fulfillment of their two-year term can appeal the LEO’s decision, in accordance with the WIB’s Grievance Policy, to the entire Local Elected Official Board. Appeals to the final LEO decision can be made to WorkForce West Virginia as outlined later in the Plan. The LEOs have assumed financial responsibility. The LEOs of Region VII are governed by a formalized Local Elected Official’s Agreement (Attachment A). The Chief Local Elected Official is elected by his or her peers and serves as the lead for the group for a two-year term. Meetings are conducted utilizing Robert’s Rules of Order with minutes published for each meeting. Quorum for a formal meeting is five of the nine members present. Business motions are approved by a majority of those in attendance. LEOs convey their concerns and support, in person, by attending scheduled full Board meetings and Executive Committee meetings. Attachment D provides a listing of LEO, WIB and Youth Council meeting dates during Program Year 2013. B. The Local Workforce Investment Board (LWIB). The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will carry out its activities in an open manner so as to build public trust for WIA programs. The Board will comply with the “West Virginia Sunshine Law” that requires public notice of its meetings and agenda. All meetings will be held in accessible places and a variety of formats will be used to distribute notices of meetings. The Board will refrain from making decisions out of the public sight. The Board will adopt its budget after appropriate public discussion. The Board will adopt financial management policies that will assure that expenditures result from a known process that promotes accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness. To this end, the Region VII WIB has adopted the West Virginia State Procurement Policy. Contracts issued by the WIB for WIA services will be required to adhere to the West Virginia State Procurement Policy. Contracts, to include Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) and other agreements issued by the WIB will contain the above verbiage. 26 Vendors will be required to have approval from the WIB prior to sub-contracting for any services utilizing WIB funds. Any sub-contract issued must also contain contract Assurances. The WIB will conduct no less than two annual monitoring visits to each WIB funded contractor to ensure contract compliance. Plan Development. The Board will use an open planning process that encourages participation by community leaders, employers and the public. The process will feature meetings to allow input from a wide range of individuals. The board will make the draft-planning document available to the public prior to adoption. Citizens will be encouraged to review and comment on draft plans. While planning and early decision making serve as the basis for implementation and oversight, monitoring and corrective action are essential to a successful Workforce Investment Act delivery system. The Board will establish performance measures for its training providers and its partners' activities. The WIB staff will continuously monitor these measures. Using reports from the staff, the Board will participate in the development of improvement efforts. The WIB has adopted a Monitoring Policy that will be used to monitor Training Providers and contractors no less than twice annually. Formal written reports will be provided upon conclusion of any monitoring visit. A copy of the report will be provided to the contractor and/or Training Provider with technical assistance provided, when required. The Board will base its process on the State’s quality principles as developed by WorkForce West Virginia to assure compatibility with the other WIB regions. These principles are contained as part of the One-Stop Chartering process and must be addressed by each One-Stop. Participation from a broad range of groups and individuals is critical to developing an effective workforce investment plan. Recognizing the critical nature of such participation, the Region VII Workforce Investment Board (WIB) committed itself to developing an open planning process capable of obtaining input from a variety of people and organization. The Board, through the Executive Director, will solicit input from members prior to the draft modification submission date of June 28, 2013. The plan modification will be open to the public for comment for thirty (30) days. The Board and Executive Director began efforts by reviewing planning guidelines and WorkForce West Virginia’s plan modification guidance. There was an effort to collect relevant data from sources such as the Bureau of Employment Programs, economic development agencies, employers, education institutions, and contracted survey information from the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at WVU, as well as the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce. The information was combined with a labor market study of Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Pendleton Counties. Likewise, a review of a Region VII economic forecast using data prepared for the Eastern Panhandle and the Potomac Highlands was analyzed during the planning process. This effort established an economic and statistical base for the Region VII Workforce Investment Board Plan Modification. An economic and demographic analysis does not provide an all-inclusive basis for developing a sound workforce investment plan. A sound planning effort requires information available only by discussion with a wide range of individuals. The committee utilized a series of facilitated meetings to collect information. The Board extended invitations to its members, Local Elected Officials, economic developers, educators, training providers, community leaders, the general public, and representatives of industry and business. Planning information was gathered from other sources such as Customer Surveys (job seekers) and Employer Surveys conducted at each of the two One-Stops. The Board has appointed specific committees to address issues concerning WIA mandates and service delivery of the region’s WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers. These various committees provide 27 feedback to the Board concerning strengths and weaknesses within the service delivery network. Committee feedback is openly discussed at each Board meeting to keep WIB members informed of WIB activities and compliance factors. WIB active committees include: 1) Executive Committee; 2) Business and Economic Development Committee; 3) Programs and Accountability Committee; and 4) Youth Council. The WIB developed its budget based on allotted funds and on historic data, such as numbers of participants previously served through Individual Training Accounts (ITA) and On-the-Job Training (OJT) contracts and costs associated with the training. The number of participants projected to be served during the new program year was also based on historic data and the availability of WIA funding. The draft Workforce Investment Plan Modification was made available to all board members and Local Elected Officials by May 13, 2013. Simultaneously, the Board made the document available for public review. The Board supplied copies of the draft plan to both One-Stop Career Centers as well as the WIB central office. The Plan is available on the WIB’s website, www.wvregion7wib.org for review. The Board published advertisements in the eight county newspapers in the publication editions closest to May 13, 2013. The advertisement briefly reviewed the Plan’s purpose, encouraging the public to comment on the Plan by June 13, 2013 and state the locations of the plan review copies. The advertisements noted that the Board will receive both written and e-mail comments. Public Access to Meetings. Individual members are the strength of the Workforce Investment Board. The Board’s operations must encourage their fullest participation in all activities if the Board is to succeed. To this end, the Board will hold all of its meetings in accessible places at times and locations convenient to Board members. Advertisements of scheduled meetings will be published in regional newspapers. The Board will meet at least six times each year. Members will receive notices of meetings at least five days in advance of regular meetings and at least three days in advance of special meetings. The meeting notice will describe the purpose of the meeting and will be in a format appropriate to the needs of the membership. To the greatest extent possible, members will receive documents, reports, and other items requiring action five (5) days prior to the meeting in which they will be considered. A quorum established by the organizational bylaws must be present at a meeting to conduct WIB business. At all times WIB staff will have responsibility for taking actions to encourage member participation. The staff will act to keep members informed and will refrain from taking action on matters appropriate for members. The Region VII WIB bylaws are attached as Attachment M. The Region VII Local Elected Officials and Workforce Investment Board have adopted jointly a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that creates a basis for their interaction, including their coordination of efforts. The memorandum identifies activities that are the responsibility of the WIB. These would include, but are not limited to, identifying service providers, overseeing youth activities, overseeing employment and training activities and governance and monitoring of the regional WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers. Other activities that are the sole responsibility of the LEOs include, but are not limited to, nominating and revocation of WIB members, serving as the local grant recipient, and identifying a fiscal agent. Other tasks such as adopting a budget, preparing the Workforce Investment Plan, certifying One-Stop operators and identifying an administrative agent are jointly shared tasks. The 28 memorandum calls for the Chief LEO to serve as an ex-officio member of the WIB executive committee. LEO and WIB meeting minutes are available for review by any Board member. Individual LEOs attend WIB meetings and the Chair of the WIB has participated in LEO meetings. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Local Elected Officials and the Workforce Investment Board is provided as Attachment B. Conflict of Interest. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board bylaws state that no director, officer, employee, Youth Council member, staff member or agent of the WIB shall: a. Cast a vote on the provision of service under the training plan by that member, by any member of his/her immediate family, or by any organization of which that member or any member of his/her immediate family is an officer, owner, or employee (immediate family member refers to a spouse residing in the individual’s household and any dependent child or children and dependent parent or parents); b. Participate in any decision relating to specific terms of a contract, the determination of performance standards in a contract, or the development of Request for Proposals (RFP) or other processes leading to a contract, is prohibited from receiving any direct financial benefit from any resulting contract; c. Participate in the award or administration of any grant or contract that is funded through the job training plan, where he or she knows that any of the following has a financial interest in the person or organization that will receive the grant or contract: (a) the officer, employee, or agent; (b) any family member of the officer, employee or agent; (c) any partner of the officer, employee, or agent or (d) any persons or organization that employs, or is about to employ, any persons described in (a), (b) or (c); or d. Engage in any business transaction or private for profit arrangement, which accrues from that member’s position on the board. e. Training providers active on any One-Stop Management Consortium or acting as the lead agency of the One-Stop Management Consortium will not be engaged in the hiring or supervision of One-Stop personnel that deal directly with One-Stop customers, to include WIA customers. This hiring and supervision covers the One-Stop Director, One-Stop Greeter and the WIA Case Manager. The hiring and supervision of these staff must come from an agency that cannot benefit from the individual’s duties (i.e. refer customers to the hiring agency due to being employed by the agency, etc.). Management Consortium members must abstain from discussion and or voting on any issue relevant to their program and or services and the abstaining must be documented in the relevant meeting minutes. f. LEOs and WIB members must refrain from discussing published Requests for Proposals (RFP) with anyone or any agency outside the confines of the WIB organization. Any and all questions concerning any RFP must be addressed as so identified in the RFP. Any officer, employee, agent, or staff of the Board or the Youth Council with a potential conflict of interest must disclose that fact to the Board as soon as the potential conflict is discovered. If the potential conflict of interest is discovered during a Board or Committee meeting, the member must declare such potential conflict and excuse themselves from the remainder of the discussion and voting on the item. 29 If the Board believes that a conflict of interest provision has been violated, the Board Chair will require the potential conflict of interest to be reviewed by the Board’s Executive Committee. The committee shall make a recommendation to the Board concerning its findings. If the committee finds that a conflict of interest violation occurred, the Board Chair can recommend to the Chief Local Elected Official (LEO) that the Board member be removed from the WIB. A consensus of the LEO body has the authority to remove the member from the Board. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will use §6B-2-5 of the Code of West Virginia as its ethic standard. Each WIB member must sign a Conflict of Interest Statement. WIB Staff. Mr. Thomas J. Van Meter, an Eastern WV Community Action employee, will serve as the WIB’s Executive Director and report directly to the Region VII WIB. Mrs. Stacy Vance, an Eastern WV Community Action employee, will serve the Board as the Training Specialist and EO Officer for Region VII. Mr. Matthew H. Martin, an Eastern WV Community Action employee, will serve the Board as the Youth Program Coordinator for Region VII. Mr. Michael Ratliff, an Eastern WV Community Action employee, will serve the Board as the Employment Specialist for Region VII. Eastern WV Community Action will not govern nor attempt to govern the day-to-day operations of the Region VII Workforce Investment Board. Eastern WV Community Action Agency is not a One-Stop Operator or WIA approved Training Provider. Eastern WV Community Action Agency’s Administrative Assurances are applicable to any officer, employee, agent, or staff of the WIB and Youth Council. Workforce Investment Board Composition. The WIB is currently compliant with the mandated representation outlined in the Act (see attachment S). To keep the board size to a minimum, some partners represent more than one required board entity. The WIB currently has one optional partner, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR). Other optional partners are being recruited into the local WorkForce West Virginia Career Center service delivery network. C. Rapid Response. WorkForce West Virginia, by publication of Policy Guidance Letters No. 02-03, 03-03, 24-03 and Informational Notice dated October 4, 2006, has established procedures for the operation of Rapid Response activities throughout the state. These policies establish WorkForce West Virginia as the lead state agency. Although WorkForce West Virginia is the lead, their goal is to operate the Rapid Response program as a collaborative effort between the State and the local WIB. Thus, a Rapid Response Team including the state and local representatives will be used in all Rapid Response situations. The team will consist of: Representative from WorkForce West Virginia Representative from the local WIB The appropriate local One-Stop Director or Business Service Team representative The appropriate local Unemployment Insurance representative The appropriate local Resource Center Peer Advocate The appropriate Wagner-Peyser staff The appropriate WV Development Office Existing Industry Representative 30 The State Trade Adjustment Assistance Act Unit Local Economic Development personnel Local Community and Technical College personnel The process flow for combined state and local Rapid Response activities will be conducted as follows: Initial contact from the employer, either direct or indirect contact, to either WorkForce West Virginia or the local WIB (first party notified will immediately notify the other party). State and local representatives discuss coordination of services for the employer and employees. Establish state roles and local roles, to include roles of neighboring WIBs and WIBs located in adjoining states (who will be the lead agency). Contact employer for additional information regarding the layoff, plant closure, etc. Determine if plant closing, layoff, or downsizing is due to international competition. Set up initial meeting date with the employer and union (if applicable). Develop appropriate materials and presentation on programs and services. Contact the Rapid Response Team members and brief them on upcoming events with employer and employees. Rapid Response Team meets with company officials and union officials (if applicable). Prepare and distribute initial employee meeting agenda to include discussion about the employee survey. Identify employee’s skills, wages and needs. Present services offered at the local WorkForce West Virginia Career Center (One-Stops) Determine the need for an Adjustment Committee (does the company and union want an Adjustment Committee?). Conduct Adjustment Committee training. Conduct meeting(s) with employees to inform them about available services. One-Stop partner services. Market community programs. Conduct employee needs survey. Identify Unemployment Insurance requirements. Inform about job search methods. Inform about training opportunities. 31 Identify services that maximize reemployment opportunities. Analyze other needed services through surveys and distribute results. Assist employees find jobs. Provide WIA Core, Intensive and Training Services. Provide WIA Case Management Services. Provide WIA Supportive Service needs. Assist individual obtain unsubsidized self-sustaining employment. Provide follow-up activities. Funding of local Rapid Response activities will come from local Dislocated Worker funds. Once local Dislocated Worker funds are depleted the WIB can request additional Dislocated Worker funds from WorkForce West Virginia. D. Youth Council. The LEO and WIB Board chairs ask their members to submit lists of potential Youth Council members. The chairs request that members solicit input from individuals and organizations representative of the groups required by the Act to participate on the youth council. Where needed, nominations were solicited directly from individuals and organizations supportive to youth needs in the region. The LEOs and WIB reviewed names and developed a membership that met the criteria of WIA. In filling future vacancies, the Region VII WIB and LEOs will send letters requesting membership nominations to groups, agencies, and organizations with special interest in youth. The WIB chairperson will appoint youth council members. As with the WIB, individual members are the strength of the Youth Council. The Council’s operations must encourage members’ full participation in all activities, if the Council is to succeed. To this end the Council will hold all of its meetings in accessible places at times and locations convenient to its members. Meetings will be open to the public as required by the Sunshine Law. Meeting locations will vary to encourage participation. Members will receive notices of meetings at least five days in advance of regular meetings and at least three days in advance of special meetings. The meeting notice will describe the purpose of the meeting and will be in a format appropriate to the needs of each member. To the greatest extent possible members will receive documents, reports, and other items requiring consideration prior to the meeting where they will be considered. The Chair of the Youth Council will brief the WIB at regularly scheduled WIB meetings. E. Fiscal Agent. The Region VII Local Elected Officials and WIB issued a Request for Proposal for fiscal and administrative agent in January 2011. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board and the Local Elected 32 officials unanimously selected Eastern WV Community Action Agency as the LWIB fiscal agent. Attachment E is an organization chart for the WIB. Fiscal Management. The WIB will ensure the future fiscal entity is familiar with the federal government’s requirements for financial management. The use of a double entry electronic accounting system to maintain financial information on a fund basis will be required. The financial management system must provide the following: Accurate, current, and complete disclosure of financial results; Records that adequately identify the sources and application of grant funds; Effective control over and accountability for all funds, property, and other assets; Comparison of actual outlays with amounts budgeted for the grants; Procedures to minimize the time elapsing between transfer of funds from the U.S. Treasury and the disbursement; Procedures for determining reasonableness and allowable costs; Accounting records that are supported by source documentation; and A systematic method to assure timely and appropriate resolution of audit findings and recommendations. At the present time, WIB funds are deposited in a WIB non-interest bearing bank account in a bank with FDIC insurance coverage. The WIB will seek collateral coverage for any amount greater than the FDIC limit. The WIB uses pre-numbered checks and two signatures are required on all checks. Bank records are maintained and reconciled on a monthly basis. The fiscal entity will be required to maintain a cash receipts journal, a cash disbursement journal, and a general ledger. These will meet standards established for federal programs. The fiscal entity will keep these records separate from its own financial management system. The fiscal entity will support these records with appropriate source documentation such as invoices and timesheets. The fiscal entity will provide the WIB with data to allow a comparison of budgeted and actual costs. The fiscal staff will use federal cost principles to determine the reasonableness, allowable costs, and allocation of costs. The fiscal entity on behalf of the WIB will maintain an inventory of property acquired with WIA funds costing $5,000 or more. The inventory will include a description of the property, the property’s location, its acquisition cost and date, the source of funds used for acquisition, and final disposition. The fiscal entity will tag all property with a permanent tag that bears a unique serial number. This serial number will be recorded as a part of the inventory system. The tag will indicate the property belongs to the Region VII WIB and was acquired with WIA funds. The fiscal entity will update the inventory as significant property is obtained and the WIB will perform at least an annual reconciliation of records. The WIB will have its financial management records audited annually as required by applicable OMB Circulars to determine compliance with federal requirements. 33 Section VI. The WorkForce West Virginia System A. WorkForce West Virginia System Development. The service delivery system in Region VII will be an evolving system, one that continues to improve on the quality of service, service accessibility, and remain adaptable in meeting the needs of area employers and job seekers. The system’s primary focus is to provide a framework in which the workforce of West Virginia can advance skills needed for the 21st century. The delivery system will be dependent on web-based portals that allow immediate transfer and processing of information between rural access points such as the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center partners and other state and federal agencies. In keeping with the One-Stop delivery philosophy, the Board faces many challenges to provide services throughout a rural area. To meet the challenges, the Board is committed to maintaining at least one comprehensive WorkForce West Virginia Career Center, and one affiliate site and various access points throughout the region, to enable universal access by all employers and job seekers. Currently, the WIB has chartered the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center located in Moorefield, WV and the Career Center located in Martinsburg, WV. Throughout the eight counties of the region, the Board will continue to develop access points with WIA partners. These access points will have computers linked to the WorkForce West Virginia delivery system for job seekers and employers to access services. The Board plans to have multiple sites with computers in each county, allowing maximum accessibility. Job seekers will have at their disposal extensive listings of jobs available locally, across the region, state and nation. Employers will have access to an extensive database of available workers, online labor market information and the ability to post job listings on the network. Computers will be available during normal business hours and in some cases, dependent on the hosting location, on a 24-hour basis. Computers will have access to the Internet and be linked to the regional and state job information system. Current computer locations are listed below: Berkeley County Martinsburg WorkForce West Virginia Center 891 Auto Parts Place, Ste. 135 Martinsburg, WV Martinsburg Rehabilitation Services 891 Auto Parts Place Martinsburg, WV Martinsburg Parole Office 120 West John Street Martinsburg, WV James Rumsey Technical Institute Rt. 9 West, 3274 Hedgesville Road Martinsburg, WV Berkeley County DHHR Office 34 433 Mid-Atlantic Parkway Martinsburg, WV Grant County South Branch Vocational Center in Petersburg 401 Pierpont Street Petersburg, WV Hampshire County Department of Corrections Parole Office in Romney 66 North High Street Romney, WV Rehabilitation Services in Romney 301 East Main Street Romney, WV Hampshire Career Center Sunrise Blvd. Romney, WV Romney Unity Apartments (Senior Citizen Housing Project) 250 Fairfax Street Romney, WV Hardy County Moorefield Job Service Rt. 55 North, Harco Complex Moorefield, WV Moorefield High School 401 North Main Street Moorefield, WV Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College in Moorefield 316 Eastern Drive Moorefield, WV Jefferson County Jefferson County Adult Learning Center in Charles Town Jefferson County TeleCenter 401 South Fairfax Blvd Ranson, WV Harpers Ferry Job Corps Center 237 Job Corps Road Harpers Ferry, WV Shepherd College in Shepherdstown 301 South King Street Shepherdstown, WV Mineral County Mineral County Technical Center in Keyser 35 600 Harley Staggers Sr. Drive Keyser, WV Rehabilitation Services in Keyser 603 Locust Street Keyser, WV Potomac State College in Keyser 101 Fort Avenue Keyser, WV Morgan County Current negotiations are underway to have a site at the Senior Center in Paw Paw, WV. Pendleton County WV Department of Motor Vehicles HC 61 Box 18A Franklin, WV One-Stop Operator Selection. In selecting comprehensive “One-Stop” sites for the region, the Board focused on finding sites that would provide a full range of services for a maximum populous. The Board concentrated on establishing two comprehensive sites, meeting the requirements of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and WorkForce West Virginia, as well as the needs of the region. The Board conducted a review of services offered throughout the region by mandated partners, service organizations, public entities, non-profit organizations, employers, and educational institutions. Factors considered by the Board in the One-Stop location selection process were: location (accessibility, parking, ample space, etc.); availability of mandatory partners; potential numbers of customers in the area; ADA compliant facilities; availability of optional partners; employer concentration; public transportation; and cost of one-stop operation. Selection Results. A review throughout the region determined the Martinsburg site, located within a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) making it a prime location, serving both the greatest concentration of residents and employers. The Martinsburg site re-located to 891 Auto Parts Place as of April 1, 2007. A Management Consortium was established in Martinsburg in order to charter this site as a full service comprehensive One Stop Center. This location is more populous, with manufacturing being a major industry. The site serves the three panhandle counties of the region. The second comprehensive site is located in Moorefield, WV. Both 36 locations offer at least three mandated partner Core, Intensive and Training services. Both locations offer these services to the Adult, Dislocated Worker, Displaced Homemaker, and the Youth population defined in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Other services available at the each location include Bureau of Employment Services (Job Service) and Unemployment Insurance (UI). Moorefield is home to a large industrial sector and lower population area. Major industries include poultry, wood products, and agriculture. The Moorefield One-Stop Site is located to serve the western population of the region. The site has ample parking and is within close proximity of Eastern WV Community and Technical College. The WIB has identified “Conflict of Interest” issues on page V-5 of this Plan that governs the hiring and supervision of the One-Stop Director, Greeter and WIA Case Manager to be other than a Training Provider for each One Stop Career Center. WorkForce West Virginia Career Center Chartering. The Board utilized the Act and guidance contained in Governor’s Workforce Investment Office Policy Guidance Letter 12-00 to develop its One-Stop chartering procedures. The chartering process is based on criteria established by the WorkForce West Virginia, with emphasis placed on the employer as the primary customer. Certification of a One-Stop Center will be for a maximum of one-year and can be renewed upon agreement of all parties. Attachment N contains the WIB’s One-Stop Chartering Criteria. De-certification of a One-Stop Center. The WIB has reviewed WorkForce West Virginia Policy 12-00 and would comply with the established guidance regarding de-certification of a One-Stop. The WIB will utilize its Chartering Criteria, approved Business Plans, Memorandums of Understanding, and applicable performance measures to gauge One-Stop performance. Termination occurs only after the Board has worked with the One-Stop Operators to devise a corrective action plan and has provided ample technical assistance. The WIB will make all corrective action available in writing and include areas where corrective action has been initiated. De-certification may occur for the following reasons: 1. Failure to meet performance measures for two consecutive years. 2. Failure of a mandated partner to participate in the MOU. 3. Failure to gather information for quality assurance or continuous improvement. 4. Other reasons established in the MOU. 5. Failure to take action outlined on a corrective action plan. Provision of WIA Core, Intensive, and Training Services. Job seekers and employers in Region VII will have unlimited access to core services. Core services can be obtained through the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers and their partners, and access points by use of any computer with Internet access. Individuals that cannot obtain employment through core services can be provided intensive services. Intensive services will be coordinated through the One-Stops and will involve more intensive evaluation, testing, assessment, case management services, and development of the Individual Employment Plan (IEP). Case Managers will put emphasis on identifying any and all possible barriers to employment and refer the individual to agencies that can assist the individual to overcome known barriers. Case Managers will utilize to the fullest, services of Adult Basic Education (ABE), DHHR’s SPOKES Program, Division of Rehabilitation Services, Key Train, and other services that are known to enhance an individual’s employability 37 skills. In no instance, should any individual be referred to a training program or employer unless all barriers preventing success have been overcome at the Case Management level. In the event intensive services do not result in employment for the individual, additional assessment and case management services will be provided. At this point, the individual may be qualified for either on-the-job training or occupational training in a demand occupation specific to the regional labor market. Training under the ITA will be used only after customized training and/or OJT are used or determined not appropriate for the participant. On-the-Job Training will have priority over contracted occupational training. Individuals eligible for the Individual Training Account (ITA) will be provided training by a Training Provider approved by the Board and WorkForce West Virginia. The Training Provider must offer training in a regional demand occupation. Meeting Training Needs. The WIB will work with area training providers to develop more short-term training programs, as requested by area employers and job seekers. In the 2007-2008 program years, the WIB elected to limit training costs to $4,000, and being a year or less in duration. Higher training costs or those longer in duration are on a case by case basis at the discretion of the Region VII Workforce Investment Board Executive Director. B. WorkForce West Virginia Partner Services. The Board’s local One-Stop system reflects the core principles of the Workforce Investment Act. Specifically, universality, customer choice, continuous improvement, performance outcomes and integrated service guide not only the management of the system but are put into practice as part of daily operations. At the present time, the regional WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers are working with mandated partners to further develop the sites as extensive service centers in accordance with WIA. It is the intent of the Board to continue improving and expanding on the Centers’ services, in particular business services. This will be achieved by focusing on the following One-Stop development initiatives. 1. Partner and Service Integration. Strong partnerships are instrumental in the development of a full service, fully integrated One-Stop. Building strong partnerships that lead to full integration is a high priority of the WIB to ensure customers are afforded the myriad of services available through the various partners. A One-Stop Director will be responsible for full integration of partner services for the provision of streamlined customer oriented One-Stop services. The WIB will continue to be aggressive with other service development initiatives to enhance the services at its One-Stops. A priority of the WIB will be partner-operating cost sharing in the One-Stops by all the WIA mandated partners. Failure at the local level to achieve this DOL mandate will cause the WIB to seek resolve from WorkForce West Virginia, the Interagency Collaborative Team (ICT), or the WV WIA Legislative Oversight Committee. Partner cost sharing in the One-Stops is not controlled locally, thus hindering the full development of the regional One-Stops. For the most part, WIA and WorkForce West Virginia bear all the costs for operating the One-Stop Career Centers in Region VII. This is due to partner funding being controlled by state agency heads, located outside the local WIB area. Partners will be asked to support only those costs associated with serving their clientele, to include those “common services” received by all partners, whether they be for services, space utilization, equipment usage, personnel, and other shared activities. 2. Partnerships with Business - The Board implemented several mechanisms for utilizing the expertise and knowledge of the business community to guide and refine the service delivery system. Business is the primary customer of the Region VII WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers. Employer services offered at the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers are focused on providing streamlined, user-friendly, responsive services to employers. Existing employer committees comprised of local businesses are active in providing feedback related to the needs of employers and work with One38 Stop partners to ensure that service delivery focuses on meeting those needs. The WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers also participate in activities sponsored by Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development Councils in order to stay informed of labor market trends and to establish new initiatives with business partners, as costs allow. An initiative resulting from the WIB’s participation in the DOL Protégé Project is the adoption of Business Service Team (BST) in the One-Stops. These units are actively interacting with area businesses to determine needs and adding such services to the current menu of business services. 3. Co-Location and/or Electronic Connectivity – The Board is committed to ensuring that job seekers and businesses have full access to the information and resources necessary to meet their needs. Future availability of mandated partner services and the electronic connectivity of a variety of other community resources will help achieve this goal. Additionally, the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers have been linked to the WIB website to provide customers with information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These components will help to reduce the cost of physical facilities as resources are channeled directly into services for customers. 4. Open Lines of Communication – The Board is committed to the inclusion of all sectors of the community and believes in soliciting their input as part of the planning and implementation of the OneStop system. This is evident through a variety of established practices including, but not limited to, the following: active participation of Board members in a variety of subcommittees; use of local WIB website www.wvregion7wib.org and the Internet to provide information and solicit input; the establishment of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) specifying expectations and responsibilities; periodic Board meetings to address WorkForce West Virginia issues and delivery issues; and joint training sessions to ensure that all partners are aware of policies as well as state-of-the-art techniques for providing quality services. This WIB conducts an annual dinner meeting and invites all Local Elected Officials and all regional legislators. Monthly WIB Director Meetings are conducted to ensure communication from the “topdown” is continuous and updated. 5. Continuous Quality Improvement – The Board utilizes a methodical process to charter and monitor the Career Centers. The current Chartering Criteria will be reviewed in the new Program Year due to the One-Stops being at a level where new expectations can be placed upon the service delivery. Should the Chartering Criteria change prior to the next Plan modification, a copy will be submitted to WorkForce West Virginia. Monitoring of all Training Providers and contractors will also provide the WIB with information geared towards continuous improvement of service delivery. 6. Commitment to Staff Development – The Board attributes the success in delivering quality services to customers in Region VII to the high caliber of staff operating throughout the One-Stop delivery system. All partners have an individual and collective commitment to ongoing staff development as a way of promoting innovation, accountability, and providing the highest quality services. The One-Stop concept is evidenced in the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers which includes the below partner services required by WIA. NOTE: All partner core services are identified in the Partner MOU’s which are contained in Attachment F. Programs authorized under Title I of WIA (Adults, Dislocated Worker’s, Youth, Job Corps, Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker Programs, and Veterans’ Workforce Programs). 39 Programs authorized under the Wagner-Peyser Act; Adult education and literacy activities authorized under Title II; Programs authorized under Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Activities authorized under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965; Postsecondary vocational education activities authorized under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act; Activities authorized under Chapter 2 of Title II of the Trade Act of 1974; Employment and training activities carried out under the Community Service Block Grant Act; Programs authorized under State unemployment compensation laws. The Board is pursuing the support of other optional partners. Each partner of the One-Stop delivery system will be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the appropriate WorkForce West Virginia Career Center and the WIB. Participant Tracking and MACC. The goal of the WIB, as well as the state, is to have all the mandated partners, as well as any optional partners participating in the One-Stops, to utilize one management information system. Such collaboration would greatly enhance customer services, improve accountability and tracking, coordinate participate case management between partners, greatly enhance referrals between partners, enhance all partner performance outcomes, and on and on. However, the “buyin” of all partners will not happen overnight, if at all. The WIB, with the assistance of WorkForce West Virginia and the ICT, will continue to seek partner use of the MACC. Until such time as all or most partners convert to MACC, manual and cumbersome referral processes will have to be used and documented at the local level. C. WorkForce West Virginia Services to Specific Populations Welcome to the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center. The activities and services of the WorkForce West Virginia system are streamlined to provide immediate access to a wide variety of both job seeker and employer services. This streamlined approach provides responsive customer service whether it is one-on-one customer support at a WorkForce West Virginia Career Center, one-on-one interaction with a WIA partner, services at an Affiliate Site or access point, or by field visitation by a WorkForce West Virginia staff member. Upon entry into the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center, customers are informed of all service options available and are encouraged to utilize those services most appropriate to meet their needs. Although initial utilization of these resources encourages self-assessment and independent use of resources, the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center recognizes that some customers may require more assistance in order to become and remain gainfully employed. As a result, Resource Room staff and the One-Stop staff with diversified backgrounds from the various partners are available to work with customers as part of Core and Intensive Services in order to achieve a positive selfsustaining employment outcome. This can include enhanced career counseling, referral to other programs, referral to support services, and intensified employability skills training (i.e., ABE, SPOKES, KeyTrain, Fast Track, etc.) in addition to the options listed above. 40 Training Services available through the WorkForce West Virginia delivery system encompass a wide array of services offered by partnering with public and community training agencies. Adult training is provided to assist customers in improving basic skills, employability skills and job skills. Basic skill instruction is provided in labs within the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers and includes literacy instruction, basic skill remediation and GED preparation. English proficiency instruction is available in adult education centers throughout the region. Employability skill training is provided for all adults and dislocated workers who lack work history and is available to others who desire this instruction. Partner programs such as Adult Basic Education (ABE), Strategic Planning in Occupation Knowledge for Employment and Success (SPOKES) and Key Train are provided through the Region VII WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers. ADA compliant computers are located at the One-Stops for handicapped job seekers. Other programs for customers that are provided by partner agencies include Veteran Employment Programs, the Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker Program, Job Corps, Older Worker Programs, Rehabilitation Programs, Community Action Programs, and Youth Programs. Another service available for adults and dislocated workers is Rapid Response, which provides services to displaced homemakers and dislocated workers. Youth Activities in an Integrated Service Delivery System and Access of Youth Services. Youth services will be offered through the Region VII WorkForce West Virginia delivery system to provide youth access to services and activities throughout the region. Each youth applicant who meets the criteria to be considered a WIA eligible youth will be provided information on youth services that are available through the WorkForce West Virginia system. Upon youth program eligibility determination, the youth will be referred to the WIB Youth Services’ Provider. A service strategy will be developed for each youth participant, which will identify self-development goals, appropriate achievement objectives, and other appropriate services for the youth. The Region VII WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers will provide strong linkages between academic and occupational learning. Youth will be provided counseling by mentors/case managers at the local OneStop or at the youth program level. Case managers will focus on career counseling, career interest assessment, and career information. In keeping with the state’s vision on youth, the WIB views strong involvement by the employer/private sector, union shops, community colleges, apprenticeships, and other youth programs as very important links in providing youth mentoring, internship, and job shadowing. The WorkForce West Virginia Career Center can provide information that emphasizes academic skills relevant to demand occupations in the region. Youth will be able to obtain individual assessment, job readiness skills, work maturity, and job maintenance skills prior to referral to unsubsidized employment. Hands on preparation will be critical to future employment success due to the techniques taught in job shadowing, work experience, and internships. The youth council will act as the intermediary between youth and the local business community and education institutions. Increasing local youth literacy and workforce skills will be of paramount importance to all stakeholders, public and private. Supportive services such as transportation assistance or childcare may be necessary to eliminate barriers that prevent training or employment. Follow-up is crucial. Ongoing assistance will be provided to ensure youth stay connected to the labor force and/or the educational system. Feedback will provide vital information on service delivery and how techniques can be improved upon. The local WIB, complying with the intent of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Training Employment and Guidance Notice No. 3-04 (TEGN), has approved the use of no less than 70% of its total Youth Allocation to serve Out-of-School Youth and at-risk youth. The WIB, as DOL, views Out-of-School Youth and at-risk youth, an important part of the new workforce “supply pipeline” needed by business to fill job vacancies in the growing economy. By providing more local funds for Out-of-School and at-risk 41 youth, the WIB is investing in a catalyst to connect these disadvantaged youth with quality secondary and post-secondary educational opportunities and high growth and other employment opportunities. The WIB enforced this new delivery strategy by issuing a Request for Youth Training Services Proposal, which required at least 70% of the funding allocated to be used to serve Out-of-School Youth and at-risk youth. During the summer of 2009, the Region VII WIB was able to successfully place 93 youth into six-week work experience programs. Building on the success of this program, the Region VII WIB was able to offer a summer youth work experience program in 2010 & 2011 with funding provided from a grant obtained from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. In 2012, a smaller version of the program was funded with local WIA resources. Veterans. Veterans of Region VII are a priority for service and are being served through state and local veterans programs, including the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program and the Way Station, operating out of Frederick, MD. Walk in participants who are veterans are served at each One Stop location under the Region VII Priority of Service Policy. The Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialist has an office in the South Branch One Stop and serves the entire eight county region. D. WorkForce West Virginia Governance Attachment F contains a copy of the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center Business Plans and partner Memorandums of Understanding. Business Focus. The One-Stop leadership concept calls for the One-Stop to focus primarily on the needs of employers. The One-Stop has implemented a “Business Services Unit” concentrating on interacting with area businesses to gain an understanding of business and industry needs and how the One-Stop will need to adapt to meeting those needs. Each partner that currently provides any type of “employer services” has been asked to join the “Business Services Unit (BSU)”. An important partner and one that can provide the leadership for the BSU is each local community college. The colleges bring to the table vast experience in working with area businesses, thus easing the development and implementation of the BSU. Section VII. Workforce Investment Services A. General Information Services offered by the Region VII WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers will be driven by the needs of employers and the region’s labor demand listing. (Attachment K). WorkForce West Virginia customers can choose from standard or tailored services that provide region specific employability skills. Although the WorkForce West Virginia system is customer-choice driven, the training or career choice must be from a demand occupation within the regional labor market area. Various levels of user-friendly employment and training services are available throughout the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers (i.e., job search assistance, Key Train curriculum, and other resources). Access points, through partnerships, are located throughout regional counties. Staffs at the Affiliate Site and the access points are available to assist customers in accessing WorkForce West Virginia services via computer link. Staff support at the access point 42 is limited, requiring customers that require Intensive Services to be referred to the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers. Access to regional training and employment information is centralized throughout the region and state by use of the Mid-Atlantic Career Consortium (MACC) Management Information System (MIS). Customers, both job seekers and employers, can access employment and training information at each comprehensive One-Stop, in Moorefield, and in Martinsburg, and at access points located in each of the other six counties, through the various partners located throughout the entire eight county area, and last, but not certainly least, through any computer connected to internet service. The dissemination of information electronically as well as social media allows for large quantities of information to be available in short periods of time. Customers will be able to access many partner services by use of electronic links. Web sites currently available for customers to obtain employment and training information include: www.wvregion7wib.org www.facebook.com www.WORKFORCEWV.org www.WORKFORCEWV.org www.WORKFORCEWV.org Region VII Workforce Investment Board Web Site Region VII Workforce Investment Board Facebook Page West Virginia WorkForce West Virginia Career Center Delivery System WorkForce West Virginia WV Bureau of Employment Programs (Labor Market Data, Unemployment Data, Demand Occupational, Regional Forecasts) The WIB web site address is www.wvregion7wib.org. The site provides direct information relating to partner services offered at the regional One-Stop as well as numerous links to other sources of information such as training providers (ITA, OJT, and customized training); Labor Market Information (LMI); Environmental scans and other economic and demographic studies; county and local economic development agencies; job listings (local, state and national); and much more useful information to both job seekers and employers. The site includes mechanisms by which interested parties can request additional information and or direct questions or comments to appropriate WIB personnel. The site can also provide the WIB with statistical data relating to use. The WIB will continuously upgrade the Web Site based on new services, updated services, or other areas of interest to businesses and job seekers. B. Adult and Dislocated Worker Employment and Training Activities. All Adult and Dislocated Workers can be provided WIA Core, Intensive and Training Services through the comprehensive WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers located in Martinsburg and in Moorefield. Core Services can be obtained at any WorkForce West Virginia Career Center, access point, or by use of the Internet. Intensive and Training Services may be provided to WIA eligible job seekers that do not have skills necessary to secure immediate employment and will be coordinated by a WorkForce West Virginia Career Center WIA Case Managers. Training Services will be constantly monitored by the WIB to ensure both quality and success by the approved provider. The Region VII WIB reserves the right to remove a Training Provider or a Training Providers program from our approved regional list if there is a problem related to performance or quality. Services will be provided to current workers, emerging workers, incumbent workers or dislocated workers, the disabled, veterans, low-income, including former and/or older workers re-entering 43 the workforce. Eligibility for services will be in accordance with the WIB Priority of Service Policy and the WIB’s Self-Sufficiency Income Level Policy. The Region VII WIB has no plans at this time to transfer funds between Adult and Dislocated Worker funding streams. Services for the Disabled The WIB, in conjunction with the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) and the BIOSS/WVWIG Center for Excellence in Disabilities is working to develop the One-Stop into a “seamless service center” for people with disabilities. The One-Stop has ADA compliant computers in place for use by the disabled. Staff received training to deal with the special needs of those with disabilities. The One-Stop Business Plans will be required to document and provide service strategies for serving individuals with disabilities. Needs-Related Payments for Dislocated Workers. The WIB established policy authorizing the payment of needs related payments to WIA eligible participants to offset the costs of attending training. As of March 19, 2009 the Region VII Workforce Investment Board has reactivated the supportive service payment policy. The United States Department of Labor Training Employment and Guidance Letter NO. 14-08 places a direct emphasis on the need for supportive service payment delivery. The ARRA viewed supportive service payments as one of the direct tools Workforce Investment Areas can use to remove barriers from individuals that are in need of re-employment or re-training. Region VII WIB continues to recognize the importance of Supportive Service Payments even though ARRA funds have been exhausted. Individual Training Account Policy. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) provides for the Individual Training Account (ITA) to be used on behalf of WIA participants to finance training services. Upon exhausting all other student financial aid sources the ITA shall be one of the primary methods used by the WIB to train WIA eligible participants. Customers will be required to apply for Federal Pell Grants and the portion of the Pell Grant attributable to tuition and other training costs must be applied to the tuition cost before WIA funds are applied. WIA funds may be used to fund an ITA while Pell eligibility is being processed. However, when Pell funds are provided, the portion of Pell attributable to tuition must be repaid to the WIB. The portion of a Pell Grant that is attributable to “education related” expenses is not required to be applied to tuition or reimbursed to the Board. In cases where an individual has a choice between a Pell eligible training provider and a service provider that has not applied or received Pell eligibility, the customer must choose the Pell eligible provider, if performance data are comparable and the Pell-eligible service provider training costs are comparable. The selection of a training provider will be in a manner that maximizes informed consumer choice. However, consumer choice must be in a demand or growth occupation within the Region VII labor market. Applicable portions of the ITA will be completed by the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center Case Manager and the Training Provider, and then forwarded to the WIB for approval. The ITA can only be utilized at training or educational facilities approved by both the local WIB and WorkForce West Virginia. A listing of approved training providers can be reviewed on the state website at www.wvdo.com/workforce/trainingproviders.html. The listing should provide information on school location; program offerings and class dates; school point of contact; program cost; program certification or degree; school completion rates; wage at placement; and 44 rate of retention in unsubsidized employment. The availability of the above information will assist the individual in choosing a quality-training program. ITA Eligibility. The process for determining individual ITA eligibility includes: the individual has received Core and Intensive Services without obtaining employment (core and intensive services received must be documented on the Individual Employment Plan (IEP) and in MACC). Before moving to either a training program or employment, the individual must demonstrate he or she has the necessary basic education or work skills necessary to proceed to training or employment. the individual chooses a training program or educational program from a demand occupation which is offered by a Region VII certified Training Provider; the individual has demonstrated through evaluation, assessment, and case management the abilities, aptitudes, and/or skills to successfully complete the training; the training occupation has the potential to provide the customer a self-sufficient income; the individual is accepted by the training provider; and the WIB approves the ITA. Individual Training Account (ITA) Limitations 1. Training costs shall not exceed $4,000 for a twelve (12) month period and are limited to that twelve (12) month period, to include tuition, fees, books, supplies, tools and other direct training related expenses, unless by approval of the Executive Director. No payments will be made for training costs incurred prior to the time the Individual Training Account is approved. The training provider and/or participant shall provide proof, in writing, of tuition coverage or income to support training programs that cost in excess of the approved WIA amount. 2. Participants will be limited to one (1) occupational skills course or training program within a three (3) year period. The Board, in the case of a dislocated worker that has received prior training and subsequently becomes unemployed due to another plant closing, downsizing, or plant relocation, may make an exception. 3. Participants may transfer from a training institution of higher education to another Board approved training institution as long as the receiving institution provides credit for all successfully completed training. 4. Transfers will not be approved for participants attending providers of training from other than Board approved institutions. 5. Funds shall not be approved for home study courses or sectarian activities. However, courses of study whose main course work is conducted on-site with minimal home study or video teaching can be approved. 45 6. Workforce Investment Act funding shall not be provided for individuals changing programs 7. Unless approved by the WIB. Prior to approval by the WIB, a new ITA will be completed by WorkForce West Virginia staff and the Training Provider and submitted to the WIB. The new ITA must be approved by the WIB prior to any program change. 8. Costs for any repeated course(s), lost books, etc. will not be paid by WIA funding. 9. The participant will be required to apply for student financial aid, to include a Pell Grant, if attending a training provider that participates in the Federal Financial Aid Program. A copy of the award or denial letter must accompany the ITA. 10. The individual must be making satisfactory progress in the program. Satisfactory progress is defined as 2.0 grade point average (GPA) for each term and the cumulative GPA must also be 2.0 or greater. The Board will recognize higher progress standards when required by a school for satisfactory completion of a program. Satisfactory progress, in the case of schools utilizing a pass/fail grading system, will be defined as the progress level the school has established as the benchmark the individual must meet or obtain to be declared “skill efficient” in the school’s program of study. 11. The student must agree to attend classes no less than 12 credit hours/semester hours or 25 classroom hours per week or be enrolled as full-time equivalent student in a West Virginia State Board of Education approved program, or be enrolled in a program approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the West Virginia State Board of Education. Instances where school scheduling will not allow the student to carry the required credit hours/semester hours may be waived and will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the WIB. Summer school students must be enrolled no less than the credit hours/semester hours equivalent to 6credit hours/semester hours or 37.5 classroom hours per week. ITA Payment. The Local Workforce Investment Board will make payment to the training provider in two (2) separate installments per semester/session: ½ at the time of enrollment with submission of an invoice from the training provider; and ½ at mid-point in the semester/session with submission of an invoice and a student progress report. The student must be making satisfactory performance. If a participant drops out of the training program between disbursement periods, the balance due will be prorated, and a refund issued to the WIB. The length of training shall be based on the time needed to learn adequately the occupational skills. Depending on the type of training, it could be as long as twelve (12) months or as short as a few weeks. ITA Disclaimer. Failure to abide by the ITA policy relieves the Local Workforce Investment Board of any obligation to pay for any training cost incurred. The individual may be responsible for payment to the Board of training expenses incurred by the Board in the event the individual does not abide by the ITA policy. Each ITA recipient will have this acknowledged in a signed Memorandum of Understanding. On-the-Job Training Policy (OJT). Region VII customers that are not able to find employment using core and intensive services may be eligible for On-the-Job Training (OJT). 46 OJT is training delivered by an employer to an individual that does not possess the work skills necessary to perform a work function. The OJT training must provide knowledge or skills essential to the full and adequate performance of the job. OJT also may be utilized to: 1. Upgrade current worker skills due to new technology, new service procedures; and allow employees to upgrade skills to earn a self-sufficient wage. Other OJT provisions include: 2. The WIB may provide reimbursement to the employer up to 50 percent of the wage rate (excluding fringe and incentives) not to exceed $6,000 per customer, for the extraordinary costs of providing the training and additional supervision related to the training. OJT reimbursement will be limited in duration as appropriate to the occupation for which the customer is being trained. The WIB will utilize as its training “time standard” the Occupational Information Network guide (O*NET). 3. Prior to entering an OJT contract, the customer’s needs, skills, and career plans will be assessed and documented on the IEP by the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center Staff. Only when the customer will benefit from the OJT experience will the individual be enrolled in OJT. 4. OJT contracts utilizing WIA funds may not be executed if the employer has relocated to the region from another location in the United States within 120 days, and if the relocation resulted in jobs lost by employees at the original location. 5. OJT contracts will not be used when an employer has employees in a lay off status. The OJT participant shall receive and shall sign an acceptance of orientation that shall include an understanding of the terms in the OJT contract. The participant will also be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the WIB, which establishes the roles and responsibilities of the participant while receiving WIA funded OJT services. Employers will be required to sign a contract, which delineates the terms of the OJT contract to include reference to applicable state and federal regulations. OJT Performance Measures Include: Positive outcomes for OJT will be achieving 85% placement at 6 months from the end of the OJT training in unsubsidized employment, either with the OJT provider or another employer with the same or similar occupation. Another outcome will be achievement of the overall program target wage identified in the OJT contract. Employers who have utilized prior JTPA or WIA sponsored OJT contracts must reflect an 85% retention rate one-year after completion of the OJT contract to qualify for additional WIA funded OJT contracts. Employers not meeting the 85% retention rate may be banned from providing WIA funded OJT for a period of two-years after completion of the final OJT contract. In addition, the employer must not have had any employee layoff or employee downsizing one-year prior to applying for a WIA funded OJT. 47 Businesses will be limited to $100,000 annually for OJT ($50,000 for Adults and $50,000 for Dislocated Workers). Region VII Self-Sufficiency Standard. The Region VII WIB will utilize the annual West Virginia 100% Lower Living Standard Income Level for establishing self-sufficiency employment. Customized Job Training. Customized training is intended to meet the special training needs and requirements of an employer or group of employers in the Region VII Workforce area. The training is carried out based on a commitment by the employer, or group of employers, to continue to employ individuals who have successfully completed the training. Customized training can be offered to meet the needs of an employer or group of employers to: 1. Train in new technologies; 2. Train in new production or service procedures; and 3. Upgrading of employee skills required for new jobs. The Region VII WIB has instituted the following guidelines governing the issuance of any customized training contract: 1. The WIB has negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the West Virginia Development Office (WVDO) to collaboratively coordinate customized training activities in Region VII. This collaboration allows both entities to combine resources to assist further the employers in Region VII. 2. All customized training activities will be governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a contract between all parties (i.e. WIB, WVDO, training provider and employer). The MOU or contract will, at a minimum, specify the following: a. occupations being trained to include timeframe of training and number of employees trained; b. employer commitment to hire or retain employees; c. shared training costs of all parties; d. post training skill level attainment goals; e. employer cannot have violated at any time any labor law, discrimination law, environmental protection law, or health and safety laws; f. customized training cannot be used to assist, promote, or deter union organizing; g. WIA funds will not be used for employers that have relocated to the region from another region in the United States within 120 days, and if the relocation resulted in jobs lost by employees at the original location; h. customized training will be limited to the training time outlined in the Occupational Information Network (O’NET) job classification and categorization guides; i. before entering into a customized training contract, the trainee’s skills and needs will be assessed and documented by the WorkForce West Virginia 48 j. Career Center. Only where the employee will benefit from the customized training will the individual be enrolled in customized training; and customized training activities sponsored by the WIB will require the employer to pay at least 50% of the training cost. The Region VII WIB will authorize a maximum of $1,000 per employee for customized training. Customized training for employed individuals (incumbent workers) may be provided if the employee’s earnings are at or below the region’s self-sufficient wage. The training must be needed to upgrade the employee’s skills to continue work in the current job or upgrade to a new job by the employer utilizing customized training. Incumbent worker training will be handled through WorkForce West Virginia. Selection of Regional Training Providers. The WIB has issued Guidance Policy Letter 06, which outlines the complete process and provides the application to be used by Training Providers wishing to be certified by the Region VII Workforce Investment Board. Training Providers interested in becoming certified by the WIB to provide training services to eligible Workforce Investment Act (WIA) participants in regional demand occupations will be required to provide all the information outlined in the Guidance Policy Letter. The WIB reserves the right to deny training provider status to any applicant that submits incomplete information. Only training programs identified as providing training in a regional demand occupation listed on Attachment K will be approved by the WIB. Exception to this rule is when it can be demonstrated by business, industry, education entities, or economic development agencies a demand not listed on the WV Demand Occupation List (Attachment J) to be in demand by area business or industry. Training Providers will be determined eligible on a yearly basis, from January 1 through December 31. Each approved Training Provider will be required to submit for subsequent eligibility annually. Training Provider Denial and Appeal. In the event a Training Provider is denied certification by the WIB, the Training Provider will be notified in writing the reasons for denial. Cases where documents are incomplete or information incomplete, the WIB will allow the Training Provider to submit the required documents / information. If all the application requirements have been met after resubmission, the Training Provider may be approved. However, should an impasse come forth which results in denial of a Training Provider at the local level, the Training Provider can appeal the local decision to WorkForce West Virginia. The following process will be followed when appealing: 1. The applicant has ten (10) working days to respond in writing to the sited deficiencies or the notice of the WIB is final (response must be received within ten (10) working days of the original receipt of the denial letter or proof of mailing at least three (3) working days prior to the ten (10) day deadline). 2. The WIB will review the Training Provider’s response and determine if the response satisfies the sited deficiencies contained in the original denial letter issued by the WIB. 3. If the sited deficiencies have been satisfied the application may be approved and submitted to WorkForce West Virginia for inclusion on the State approved list. 4. If the applicant has not satisfied all WIB sited deficiencies a second denial notice will be issued with a hearing date scheduled with the WIB Chairperson, the Executive Committee Chair, and the Chair of the Performance and Accountability Committee. The applicant shall have the burden of providing by clear and convincing evidence that training provider status was wrongfully denied. The decision rendered by the hearing committee will be final and the applicant cannot submit for training provider status until six months from the date of the denial 49 notice. At the end of six months, the applicant, if reapplying for training provider status, must submit a new training provider application package and meet all certification requirements. 5. The final denial decision issued by the WIB can be appealed by the aggrieved Training Provider to WorkForce West Virginia in accordance with the guidance published in WorkForce West Virginia Guidance Policy 2-00, Change 3. The appeal must be made within ten (10) days after the Training Provider is notified of the hearing committee decision. Priority of Service. The WIB has issued Guidance Policy Letter 10, which determines priority for providing WIB Intensive and WIA Training services. Since Adult funds are limited, a Priority of Service will be utilized in Region VII that will fund all WIA eligible veteran needs and provide adult funding to recipients of public assistance and / or low-income individuals. C. Access to Services for Employers. During Program Year 2003, the Region VII WIB was involved in a pilot project sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor which focused on converting One-Stops from being “job seeker” (supply) oriented to “business” (demand) oriented. Members of the WIB, LEOs and staff traveled to Pennsylvania, Nebraska and Texas participating in the project and much was gained from the participation. Key lessons learned were amassed and brought back to the local WIB and discussed for possible implementation in each of the two regional comprehensive One-Stops. One vital concept taken from the project was the need for dedicated staff in each One-Stop to work exclusively with businesses to orientate them on WIA, build trust between the parties, build collaborations with business, to include partnering with education and economic development. And as importantly as all the above, business conduct the business in the WIB meetings. Cut the red tape and bureaucratic rhetoric, and above all, listen to business. WIA was developed with business and economic development as the forerunners, with the mandated partners and other partners in the One-Stop system as the support element for business needs. Results. All said and done, the WIB currently has a functioning and growing Business Service Unit. The Business Service Unit (BSU) is comprised of staff from the various agencies that have, in the past, independently worked with employers, providing their partner services. By combining all the staff resources of each partner, businesses were served more efficiently and effectively. Many services that were being duplicated are now streamlined. Employers do not get visits or telephone calls from many partners, many offering the same services. Every interaction with an employer now is a coordinated and focused effort to determine employers’ needs and provide assistance. Depending on the nature of the business or industry need, the local Community and Technical College will be called upon to help assess the needs of the employer, whether it is through Job Profiling, researching the pool of already profiled jobs, or developing a training curriculum to train potential employees. Costs of Job Profiling can be offset with the assistance of the WorkForce West Virginia office. In the same instance, the applicable partner(s) at the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers determine the individual skill needs and other requirements of the employer and start the individual screening process. Only those individuals that met the employer’s requirements will be referred to the employer for possible employment. The BSU is in constant contact with the employer during the hiring and training process to ensure all processes operate smoothly without undue hardship on the employer. The BSU, upon completion of working with an employer, will request the employer provide feedback to the WIB on the services provided by the BSU and WorkForce West Virginia Career Center service delivery. This feedback will be 50 used to analyze One-Stop services and to improve services and add services that are currently not on the BSU’s menu. In Region VII, businesses have requested the WIB and local training providers become more flexible in meeting their needs. Businesses want shorter training programs and workers with basic adult skills (i.e. read, write, team skills, show up for work on time, dress properly, etc). To meet these identified needs, the WIB has established the following goals commencing July 1, 2013: 1. WIA Case Managers will be required to closely assess individuals and identify employment barriers and where applicable, forward such individuals to programs such as ABE, SPOKES, etc. These services have been underutilized by the WIB in the past and new usage goals have been identified to all WIA Case managers. 2. SPOKES will be offered to all WIA eligible participants who may want to enter into a WIA funded Training Program. 3. The WIB has enacted policy whereas 50% of available training funds will be used to fund “short-term” training such as OJT, Customized Training and ITAs. “Shortterm” training is any training that can be completed in twelve (12) months or less. 4. The WIB has enacted policy as of 2007 where concentration of ITAs will be on short-term training, lasting twelve (12) months or less. Over twelve (12) months will be on a case by case basis. D. Access to Youth Services. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will procure WIA Youth Services in accordance with West Virginia Procurement Policy. Choosing a qualified Youth Services Provider will be predicated upon the capability of the provider to adapt to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration’s new strategic vision to serve out-of-school and at-risk youth under WIA. In particular, the neediest youth, with priority given to out-of-school youth, high school dropouts, runaway and homeless youth, youth in foster care, court involved youth, children of incarcerated parents and migrant youth. To serve these youth populations, the qualified Youth Service Provider must be able to development a youth service delivery system based upon: 1. Focus on Alternative Education 2. Meeting the demands of business, especially in high-growth industries and occupations 3. Focus on the neediest youth 4. Focus on improved performance The qualified Youth Service Provider will be required to be familiar with the new common measures for youth programs which include: (1) placement in employment or education; (2) attainment of a degree or certificate; (3) literacy and numeracy gains; and (4) an efficiency measure. The certificate measure must be a demand-driven measure in which certificates are awarded in recognition of an individual’s attainment of a measurable technical or occupational skill necessary to gain employment or advance within a regional demand occupation. These technical or occupational skills will be based upon the standards developed and endorsed by employers. The Youth Services Provider, with the assistance of the WIB Youth Council, the WIB, LEOs and other youth oriented agencies, will serve as the catalysts for bringing together employment, 51 education and economic development to ascertain youth in the region are provided the education and skills to be productive citizens in the 21st century. All youth services will start with WIA eligibility determination at the regional WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers. The need of the youth will determine the referral process. Youth not requiring another agency’s services, and initially determined eligible for WIA, will be forwarded to the WIA Case Manager for formal WIA eligibility determination. Youth determined eligible will be referred to the current contracted Youth Services Provider for further evaluation and assistance in overcoming barriers to achieving self-sustaining employment in a regional demand occupation. To achieve the U.S. Department of Labor’s goal to serve the out-of-school youth, the WIB will expend no less than 70% of its youth allocation on the Out-of-School and At-Risk Youth population. Program Design WIA Youth. The design framework of the local youth program will include: After eligibility determination by the WIA Case Manager (located at the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center), the WIA Case Manager will then refer the young person to the Yearround Youth Services Provider. The Youth Services Provider (YSP) will then interview the customer to determine if he or she would benefit from the youth services offered. If the YSP feels that the services offered would benefit the young client, they will register the customer into the MACC computer system. If the services provided are not appropriate for the customer, the YSP will make referrals to other appropriate services in the community. For the Youth accepted into the program, the YSP will then conduct an objective assessment of each youth participant that meets the requirements of WIA section 129C (1) (A) and includes a review of the academic and occupational skill levels, as well as the service needs of each youth; The Youth Services Provider will develop service strategies for each youth participant that meets the requirements of WIA section 129C (1) (B), including identifying a career goal in consideration of the participant’s needs; The YSP will conduct a pre-test within 60 days of enrollment into the program, using a standardized testing instrument (as defined by the Department of Labor as suitable for Common Measures criteria) to identify participant math and reading levels. Basic skill instruction, if the need is identified (anything below 9th grade level), will be provided to assist the youth in increasing basic skill levels. Increased basic skill levels will be documented comparing the basic skills pre-test score with the results of the required post-test using the same standardized testing instrument used during the pre-test; Preparation for post-secondary educational opportunities, linkage between academic and occupational learning, preparation for employment, and effective connections to intermediary organizations that include strong links to be job market employers, and regional demand occupations; The Youth Services Provider will be responsible for arranging and/or providing service for youth based on the results of individualized objective assessments and individual service strategy. If a youth is determined to be in need of any of the ten (10) program elements, those elements shall be made available to the individual served. The YSP will document activities, attendance, and progress of individuals participating in each element. This information will be entered into the Mid-Atlantic Career Consortium (MACC) system by the Youth Case Managers as they occur, to be used for reporting and performance purposes. This will be reported to the appropriate WIB staff for monitoring purposes. Case Managers will maintain a hard copy case management log on 52 each client served, which includes linkages, referrals to other services, services provided, and plan for further activity or follow-up; The Youth Services Provider will identify how services will be offered to youth that were provided WIA youth services under a prior contract. All services will be recorded in the MACC system, and will be maintained on a daily basis. The YSP will continue offering WIA services as outlined on the youth Individual Service Strategy (ISS) and provide follow-up services as required by the Act. The YSP will conduct face-to-face contact with all youth receiving WIA youth services, excluding follow-up services, twice monthly. The YSP will have weekly contact with all WIA youth participants, except those youth receiving only follow-up services. The YSP will conduct quarterly meetings with all partners to develop further the service delivery network. A copy of the minutes of quarterly meetings will be submitted to the WIB. The Youth Services Provider will give enrollment priority to those WIA participants receiving youth services under a prior WIB youth services contract. The YSP will also provide follow-up services to those youth that have exited the WIA youth services elements but still fall into the “follow-up” window for twelve months. Program Design Summer Youth. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 establishes summer employment/work experience as one of the ten primary service elements for WIA eligible Youth. As funding allows, the Region VII Workforce Investment Board will provide eligible youth with summer employment opportunities. Policy: The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will be responsible for directly administering and providing eligible youth with a Summer Youth Work Experience Component in accordance with the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). The period “Summer” will be from May 1 through September 30. Summer employment is “any set of allowable WIA Youth Services that occur during the above referenced summer months as it includes a work experience component.” The Region VII Workforce Investment Board Summer Youth Work Experience Component will provide work experiences for resident youth ages 14-21. The Summer Youth Work Experience Component will operate for a six-week period during the summer months beginning no earlier than June 1st and terminating no later than September 30th. Youth who participate in this component will earn the equivalent of $7.25 per hour. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will have Program Monitors to evaluate participating worksites. Participating youth will work no more than 8 hours per day for a maximum total number of 32 hours per week. Weekly work schedules for participating youth will be Monday – Thursday. We will comply with State laws as they related to the number of hours per week a younger youth can work/perform. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will distribute to all participants a Handbook at the start of the Summer Youth Work Experience Component. The Handbook will explain/describe rules, regulations, policies/procedures, duties/responsibilities, payroll schedule, etc. All participating youth, Monitors and worksites will use all Region VII Workforce Investment Board prepared Summer Youth Work Experience Component forms, handouts, etc. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will request a Blanket Work Permit from the WV Department of Labor for all 14 - 15 year olds working on its Summer Youth Work Experience Component. 53 The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will identify participating worksite(s), public, private sector and non-profit, via a public solicitation process prior to the start of the component. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will be responsible for selecting participating worksites. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will make every effort to match worksites with participants’ interests and goals. Work experience provided to Summer Youth Work Experience Component participants will be structured to impart measureable communications, decision-making and learning skills. Participating worksites will be required to provide participants with age appropriate activities. We will strive to identify “green” jobs and products in an effort to provide participating youth with summer work experiences that prepare them to compete in a “green” economy. Youth, ages 14 – 17, will work primarily at public and non-profit worksites. Youth, ages 18 - 24, may work at public, private sector and non-profit worksites. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board has established a worksite selection criterion for for-profit companies as part of its worksite application process to ensure that the summer employment is a work experience component intended to increase work readiness skills of participants and not impact the profit margin of a for-profit company. Once worksite selections are made, the Region VII Workforce Investment Board will forward worksite information, etc., along with number of youth(s) to be referred to worksite, etc. to the WorkForce West Virginia Career Center Assessment/Eligibility staff that will be responsible for referring youth to their job location(s). The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will comply with all Workplace Safety Guidelines as defined in TEGL 14-08. All participating worksites will also be required to adhere to State and local safety guidelines and applicable federal/state wage laws. Eligibility determination for participating youth will be the same as it is for the WIA Youth/Adult Programs with the exception that youth up to the age of 21 can be served with these funds. The Priority of Services for Youth with these funds only will be as follows: Out-of-School Youth Youth Most at Risk for Dropping Out of School Youth In and Aging Out of Foster Care Youth Offenders Youth At Risk of Court Involvement Homeless Youth Runaway Youth Children of Incarcerated Parents Migrant Youth Indian and Native American Youth Youth with Disabilities All participating youth, once deemed WIA eligible, are to be “TABE” tested. However, those youth who are currently enrolled in a WIA activity and have been TABE tested within a one (1) year period do not have to be re-tested for the Summer Youth Work Experience Component. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board will adhere to Work Readiness requirements as defined in Section 664.460 of the One Stop Guide to the Final Regulations. During the six (6) weeks of summer employment, all participating youth will receive no less than three (3) hours 54 per week of work readiness skills training. The work readiness skills training component will be the only indicator used for youth who participate in “Summer Employment” only. (The basic and occupational skills portions of the skill attainment rate and the literacy/numeracy gains measures will not be required for youth who participant in “Summer Employment” only. In addition, no other WIA or common measure indicators will be required for youth in “Summer Employment” only. However, for reporting purposes, we will be required to track the number of participants enrolled in “Summer Employment” and the completion rate of those in “Summer Employment” (number of youth who complete their “Summer Employment” work experience/number of youth who participate in Summer Employment”) x 100%). All participating youth will be pre and post tested, using a Region VII Workforce Investment Board approved assessment tool(s), to ensure measurable skill(s) have been achieved. A Summer Employment completion rate will be reported. If a youth served with these funds does not participate in “Summer Employment” or is served beyond the summer months, he/she would also be included in the regular WIA reporting mechanisms (ie: WIASRD, MACC, quarterly reporting, etc.) and be subject to the full set of WIA Youth measures or Youth Common Measures. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board Summer Youth Work Experience Component will not have an academic learning sub-component. However, Summer Youth Work Experience Component participants who do not have a high school diploma are to be referred to a local Adult Basic Education facility. Any participant that wishes to be enrolled as a WIA Adult upon the completion of the Summer Work Experience MUST enroll in an ABE curriculum geared towards the attainment of their GED. Follow-up services will not be required for youth who participate in the Summer Youth Work Experience Component only. Regular follow-up services are to be completed for those youth who have ended their participation in the Summer Youth Work Experience Component and are referred to a year-long WIA Youth or Adult Program or Service (ie: Twelve (12) month follow-up services provided to participants in a Year-Long Youth Program or Services and six (6) month follow-up services provided to participants in a Year-Long Adult Program or Service). No less than 30% of those youth enrolled on this Program will be out-of-school youth. Older and Out-Of-School youth will be encouraged to continue appropriate activities beyond Summer months including training opportunities and reconnecting to academic opportunities through multiple educational pathways. Supportive Services (ie: Safety gear, etc.) and Needs-Based Services for youth may be provided depending on need and necessity. Whether a participating youth is in need of these services will be determined on a case by case basis by the Case Manager. Any Supportive Services or Needs-Based Services provided must have prior approval from the Region VII Workforce Investment Board Executive Director. Year-long Youth Providers will be encouraged to help recruit currently enrolled youth into the Region VII Workforce Investment Board Summer Youth Work Experience Component. Year-long Youth Providers will also be encouraged to recruit youth who have not yet been enrolled in a Region VII Workforce Investment Board sponsored youth program/activity into the Region VII Workforce Investment Board Summer Youth Work Experience Component. We will adhere to State and federal guidelines, rules and regulations governing the Summer 55 Youth Work Experience Component. We will adhere to ADA reasonable accommodations and guidelines. Discrimination and harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. Up to 5% of youth participant served by youth programs may be individuals who do not meet the income criterion for eligible youth provided they have additional barriers as identified in Section 664.200 of the One Stop Guide to the Final Regulations. If determined necessary and appropriate, linkages with providers of other youth programs/services, like Mountaineer Challenge Academy and Mission WV, may be explored. Section VIII. Additional Information A. Procurement. The new Administrative Agent for the WIB will administer WIB contracts and grants. Adherence to procurement guidance contained in the West Virginia Purchasing Division Policies and Procedures Handbook, the Federal Acquisition Regulations, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars will be mandatory. The policies in these documents will govern the administration and execution of any procurement instrument that provides supplies and/or services to WIA adult, dislocated worker, and/or youth participants. The Administrative Agent will be advised to use West Virginia vendors for purchases. Services and supplies that are not expected to exceed $1,000 or less require no bids; however competition is always encouraged. For purchases $1,000.01 to $5,000, three verbal bids are required and will be documented. Purchases $5,000.01 to $10,000 require three written bids. Acquisitions over $10,000 will require a Request for Proposal (RFP) process whereby the acquisition is publicly advertised for written estimates. Bids will be evaluated based on the acquisition requirements identified in the Request for Proposal. Proposals will be evaluated by WIB assigned committees. B. WIA Title I Equal Opportunity (EO), Affirmative Action, and Grievance Procedures. WorkForce West Virginia has been designated as the responsible agency for issues related to EO. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board issues the following statement concerning equal employment and nondiscrimination: The Region VII Workforce Investment Board prohibits discrimination in all aspects of the administration, management and operation of Workforce Investment Act programs and activities. Services offered at the Region VII WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers will be provided universally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or political affiliation or belief, in both participation and employment. Programs offered through the Region VII WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers will comply with: (1) WIA Section 188; (2) WIA Section 181(c); (3) Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title II, Subpart A; (4) 20 CFR Section 645.255; (5) 20 CFR Section 667.600-630: and (6) 29 CFR Part 37 and; (7) other applicable federal and state nondiscrimination and equal opportunity regulations. 56 Both WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers are programmatically and architecturally accessible providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. The Governor has designated WorkForce West Virginia as the agency to implement the equal opportunity and nondiscrimination provisions of Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the Department of Labor’s (DOL) implementing regulations at 29 CFR 37. The local Board has assigned an Equal Opportunity Officer (EOO) to coordinate all equal opportunity issues within the Region VII area. The EOO will be governed by 29 CFR 37 in the performance of duties. The EOO for the Region VII Workforce Investment Board is Ms. Stacy Vance at (304) 530-5258. C. Local Grievance Procedures All participating partners of the Region VII Workforce Investment Board WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers, whether on-site partners or partners providing services via technology or referral, will have published grievance procedures specific to their program and services. Partners will be required to address and provide remedy, when necessary, for any grievance specific to the partner’s services. The management consortia of the WorkForce West Virginia Career Centers will have, in writing, grievance procedures in place to handle complaints from services provided by the One-Stop. As stated above, the management consortia will require partners handle any complaint specific to their programs. One-Stop partners and the one-stop management consortia must follow the following minimum procedures when an employer or One-Stop service participant files any complaint: GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE STEP 1 The individual having the grievance shall immediately discuss it with his/her immediate supervisor/instructor. If not resolved, the grievance must be written (using the Region VII Grievance Form) and presented to the immediate supervisor/instructor for a written response. The supervisor/instructor shall give a written response to the grievant within three (3) business days. If the supervisor/ instructor’s written response given at Step 1 is not satisfactory, the grievant may proceed to Step 2. STEP 2 Grievant requests a review from the director/employer within two (2) business days of the receipt of the supervisor/instructor’s written response. The director/employer shall give a written response to the grievant within five (5) business days. The grievant has two business days to respond to the decision rendered by the director/employer at Step 2. Note to director/employer: If the grievant is not satisfied with the decision in Step 2, the director/employer must forward the grievance to: Region VII Workforce Investment Board, Attn: Stacy Vance, Equal Opportunity Officer, 1929-2 State Road 55, Moorefield, WV 26836 within two (2) business days of response from the grievant. Step 3 The Region VII Workforce Investment Board Equal Opportunity Officer (EOO) may review and/or conduct an inquiry of the grievance in an attempt to reach an informal resolution with the grievant. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board’s Equal Opportunity Officer will issue a written summary of the results from Step 3 within 10 days from the date of this meeting. 57 If the written summary of the Region VII Workforce Investment Board’s EOO is not accepted/satisfactory, or the grievant has not received a written summary from the Region VII Workforce Investment Board’s EOO within 10 days from the date of this meeting, then the grievant may proceed to Step 4. Step 4 The request for a formal hearing shall be filed within 10 days of receipt of the written summary at Step 3. The Region VII Workforce Investment Board EOO will conduct the actual hearing. The hearing examiners’ written decision is to be given to both parties no later than 60 days from the date that the grievance was originally filed. If either party does not receive a written decision within the 60-day time frame or receives an unsatisfactory decision, they may proceed to Step 5. Step 5 Step 5 requires review of the grievance by the Governor’s Counsel. This request for review shall be filed within 10 days of receipt of the unsatisfactory decision or 10 days from the date on which either party should have received a decision. This request for review is submitted to WorkForce West Virginia. A written decision will be issued within 30 days. WorkForce West Virginia’s decision is final. The address for WorkForce West Virginia is: Alice McVey, EO Officer WorkForce West Virginia 112 California Avenue Charleston, West Virginia 25305 A. Performance Management. The Board recognizes the Performance Indicators and Goals negotiated between the Region VII WIB and the Governor’s Workforce Investment Division. Attachment G contains the Region VII performance measures. No additional standards have been negotiated. 58 Statement of Approval Local Workforce Investment Plan The signatures below certify that the attached Local Workforce Investment Plan (including Administrative Assurances) have been reviewed and approved by the Chief Local Elected Official and the Workforce Investment Board. Local Workforce Area Region VII Workforce Investment Board Board Contact Person Fiscal Agent T.J. Van Meter, Executive Director Eastern WV Community Action Agency Phone No. 304-530-5258 Phone No. 304-538-7711 Chief Local Elected Official Bradley Close – Chief Local Elected Official Workforce Investment Board Chair Ted Bostic – Workforce Investment Board Signature Signature Date 59 Date