Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Wagner-Peyser Program (Employment Services)
All Program-Specific Requirements provided for the WIOA core programs in this section must be addressed for either a Unified or Combined State Plan.
a. 2. 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:
IDOL is committed to investment in professional development activities for ES staff. The central office team that supports the ES program recently hired a new ES Program Specialist to focus on best practices in ES program design, and develop training to assure consistent, high-quality services around the state. The ES Program Specialist is working with a team of local office supervisors to improve onboarding processes and identify gaps in training as well as identify priorities and resources for ongoing professional development. With the multitude of webinars, resources and toolkits available through Workforce GPS, IDOL seeks to leverage these and other online tools to standardize ES staff training using quality sources, and supplement with classroom training, peer-learning and regional program meetings. IDOL hopes to be able to offer a statewide ES conference in the next year or two to bring new and seasoned staff together for professional development and reinvigorate the networking and personal connections that have faded due to travel limitations and staff turnover during the pandemic.
Additional Ongoing Professional Development for ES Staff
- Idaho’s One-Stop core partners are responsible for 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 and make appropriate referrals.
- Staff training for all ES and select One-Stop partner staff on effective employer outreach techniques and coordination of business outreach among One-Stop partners.
- Training on work-based learning opportunities that can assist employers in meeting skilled-workforce needs, particularly registered apprenticeship models, and One-Stop partner programs that support work-based learning.
- In-depth analysis of regional/local labor market data, including ‘real-time’ labor market data provided by IDOL’s Regional Economists
- One-Stop partner staff meetings to develop knowledge of partner program offerings and activities, and maintain working connections and effective referral processes.