WIOA State Plan Common Elements

State Workforce Development Structure

Delaware is a single service area. All core programs except two (Adult Education and the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Division of Visually Impaired (DVI)), are consolidated within the Delaware Department of Labor. All the Employment & Training programs are housed in the Delaware Department of Labor, Division of Employment and Training (DOL-DET). Vocational Rehabilitation and Unemployment Insurance are separate divisions in the Delaware Department of Labor.

DOL-DET is the One-Stop operator. Three of the four core programs (Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Programs; Title III Wagner-Peyser, and Title IV Vocational Rehabilitation) are fully housed in four comprehensive One-Stop Centers. The fourth core partner (Title II Adult Education and Literacy) provides services including Adult Basic Education Classes in each of the One-Stops on a part time basis. (These classes increase the reading, writing and/or math skill levels of DOL clients so they can meet the skills qualifications of DOL-funded training programs and/or attain a secondary credential necessary for some jobs.) Adult Education services are also being provided outside of One-Stop centers at locations throughout the state.

Also housed in the One-Stops are the following DOL-DET programs:

• Trade Adjustment Assistance

• Jobs for Veteran’s Grants

• National NEG Grants

• Job Corp is also housed in the comprehensive One-Stop.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) employment and training is part of Delaware Job Link, the statewide electronic case management, reporting, and labor exchange system. Some programs authorized under the Second Chance Act are also linked electronically, such as the Individual Assessment, Discharge, and Planning Team (IADAPT).

Other one- stop mandatory partners linked into the comprehensive system on a referral basis but not electronically include:

• Senior Community Service Employment Program

• Employment and Training programs under the Community Service Block Grant

• Employment and Training Programs carried out by the Department of Housing and Urban development

State Workforce Development Activities

Delaware’s publicly-funded Workforce System is a demand-drive system that ensures Delaware businesses have adequate workers to meet demands. The First State addresses skills gaps through its Demand Occupation List; career pathways - through Delaware’s Pathways Evolution initiative - that drive adult, dislocated worker, and youth services; and Delaware Job Link, the state’s job search engine.

The Demand Occupation List.As described earlier in the plan and included in Appendix C, the Demand Occupation List uses an array of data and business input to identify the rank-ordered occupational openings in the state. It is also the basic screening criteria for inclusion of training providers onto the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). Simply, training that does not align with the needs of employers is not considered for inclusion to ETPL and is not eligible for Individual Training Account (ITA) or training contract consideration.

Career Pathways

Adults - Adult workers may have multiple barriers as well large gaps between their current skill set and the skills employers want. Each adult seeking services undergoes several assessments, which include testing, goal counseling, and skills cross-walking. When the assessments are complete, an Individual Employment Plan (IEP) is developed to ensure the adult is either employed based on a match of current skills or sent to training in a demand occupation to fill identified gaps and make the job seeker job ready.

Dislocated Workers - An affiliate One-Stop has been established in Newark, Delaware, to provide services to those let go in mass layoffs and/or downsizing. The assessments are similar to those discussed above, with dislocated worker skills relative to employer needs the overarching driver of reemployment activities. The workers who need skill training to fill gaps are enrolled in appropriate programs to assure reemployment.

Basic Skills Deficient Delawareans - Each Delaware One-Stop Center has a dedicated GED resource. This resource is funded in part by the DWDB. Other funding for this comes from Delaware Adult Basic Education resources as well as money from each of the state’s three counties. When a Delawarean comes to a One-Stop, staff conducts an assessment to determine educational skill level, credentialing, and any remediation needed to facilitate additional skill training.

Youth Pathways Evolution -- Delaware is committed to exposing youth, throughout their school experience, to in-demand employment pathways and to ensuring young people know what is needed to achieve success in a given career. Each Delaware pathway is driven by labor market data and appears on the demand occupation list. The pathways approach is governed by a gubernatorial special committee with the secretaries of Labor, Education, and Economic Development having seats. The president of Delaware’s Community College system chairs the committee, and the DWDB chair also has a seat. It is important to note private business also has representation and also has access to actionable immediate intelligence due to the wide variety of advisory councils imbedded with many members (e.g. DWDB and Delaware Technical Community College).

Adult Pathways -Delaware’s publicly-funded workforce system is also aligning in-demand pathways with its adult and dislocated worker services. To do this, the Demand Occupation List will use the Pathways as its starting point to ensure ITA expenditures and contracted services are aligned with the pathways. The aligning of these approaches will lead Delawareans to mid-wage jobs and family sustaining wages and ensure effective use of resources.

DVR - DVR also works to address skills gaps through its relationships with other agencies, both public and private, that provide services to individuals with disabilities. DVR maintains cooperative agreements with public and private non-profit agencies such as programs that serve individuals with developmental disabilities, individuals with mental health and/or substance abuse disabilities, and community rehabilitation programs. Moreover, DVR works closely with its own providers to mitigate skills gaps and ensure clients meet employer requirements. The pathways initiative includes the DVR client population for in-school students and adult students. Moreover, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) has a strong relationship established with the Delaware Department of Education (DOE) and many other transition stakeholders throughout the state.

Delaware Job Link.Delaware’s labor exchange system conducts a skills gap analysis when a client enters his or her resume. The system tells the jobseeker - based on ONET codes - the shortfalls in a resume based on skills needed in a specific career field. This information is used to drive skill development decisions, job search strategies, resume development.