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2 Year Modification

Idaho PYs 2018-2019

Located in:

a. 1. Describe How the State Will Utilize Professional Development Activities for Employment Service Staff to Ensure Staff is Able to Provide High Quality Services to Both Jobseekers and Employers.

Current Narrative:

As Idaho’s designated Wagner-Peyser employment services state agency, the Idaho Department of Labor’s (Department) ongoing professional development of its Employment Service (ES) merit staff has provided the backbone for the successful performance of Idaho’s One-Stop system which has been continually reflected in the state’s Wagner-Peyser performance measures as well as in all workforce program performance measures for over a decade.

With the implementation of WIOA, the Department and other One-Stop core partners have a renewed vision for investment in the professional development activities for not only ES staff, but all staff within the one stop system and particularly within the American Job Centers (AJC). In the past, professional development activities for ES staff were provided by centralized Department staff. Under WIOA, central office staff will continue to provide initial training, technical assistance and guidance, however, two central office program managers are now out-stationed, travelling each month to engage with core partners and frontline staff on a daily basis, supporting all workforce programs to increase staff capacity and improve communications between state-level and field offices, with the goal of providing a professional level of service in a timely manner to both jobseekers and employers.

Job seeker services will see an increased integration of core partner programs’ services in Idaho’s AJCs and affiliate sites that enhances access to the programs’ services and improves long-term employment outcomes for individuals receiving assistance. As witnessed in each Memorandum of Understanding, Idaho’s One-Stop core partners will be responsible for ongoing, regularly scheduled cross-training of co-located staff to ensure all staff have a working knowledge of all program services available at the facility to increase public access to those services. Training will develop service delivery skills of all One-Stop staff, but will have a higher focus on ES staff who interact with a wider swath of the public. Ongoing professional development will focus on:

  • Understanding of each partner’s career services and any eligibility requirements
  • Knowledge of training services offered and any eligibility requirements
  • Appropriate training to ensure all staff physically present at the One-Stop can correctly provide information to customers about the programs, services and activities available through partner programs
  • Working knowledge necessary to correctly provide direct linkage through technology to program staff who can provide meaningful information or services
  • Development of capacity to guide job seeker’s completion of application forms or online screen programs/activities carried out in the One-Stop system
  • User training regarding Idaho’s employment service web-based, online system, IdahoWorks, which provides job openings and referrals for job seekers
  • User training regarding Idaho’s web-based unemployment insurance system, iUS, to strengthen linkages between the One-Stop system and the UI program, and to increase awareness of UI issues across core programs
  • User training regarding Idaho’s Career Information System, which provides staff and job seekers with comprehensive career information, resources and services to help make successful education and career decisions

Employer services will witness an increase in quality as the Department of Labor takes the lead in further aligning services toward Idaho’s targeted industry sectors. Idaho’s Workforce Development Council analyzed key industries, occupations, demographics and other workforce and economic conditions. The state’s analysis identifies a broad array high-growth, high-demand, livable-wage jobs. The state has prioritized specific sectors and occupations as to focus on and leverage its resources. The targeted sectors of energy, healthcare, technology and advanced manufacturing with an emphasis on aerospace and food processing - identified by various regional, economic development, industry and community leaders - are viewed as the economic engines to drive regional economic growth and provide individuals with strong wages and career paths.

The state has dedicated the Governor’s Employment Service 10% Reserve Funds to support its Business Solutions Initiative focused on sector strategies, implemented through enhanced business services activities such as:

  • extensive outreach;
  • one-on-one meetings with targeted employers to learn their workforce need;,
  • office team discussions and strategy session on how best to respond to identified employer needs; and
  • coordinating workforce needs with education, economic development and workforce partners.

Ongoing professional development will include:

  • Staff training for all ES and selected One-Stop partner staff AJC on business outreach techniques, sales and promotion of services and how to effectively work with industry sectors prioritized by the planning process
  • In-depth analysis of regional/local labor market data, particularly ‘real-time’ labor market data provided by Department of Labor’s Regional Economists
  • One-Stop partner staff meetings to develop knowledge of current training projects, training completers, who meet the in-demand needs of local targeted sector employers
  • Training regarding work-based learning opportunities that can assist employers in resolving workforce needs, particularly registered apprenticeship models and, One-Stop partner funding opportunities available to support work-based learning.