WIOA State Plan Common Elements

Wisconsin's Business Services Teams (BST) coordinate activities and resources with WIOA core and Combined State Plan programs to provide comprehensive, high-quality, customer-centered services to employers. The core programs and Combined State Plan partners meet regularly and collaborate to ensure that employers receive the best services available to them. Teams provide services that include, but are not limited to, recruitment, human resources consultation, workforce incentive information, and resources, training programs, tailored labor market information, and access to a deep labor pool.

Representatives on each BST include a representative of the local Workforce Development Board (WDB), DWD Division of Employment and Training's Bureau of Job Service, Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards, Office of Veterans' Employment Services and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and other WIOA partners programs as required or deemed appropriate by local teams. WTCS and Title II are active JCW partners serving adult education, literacy and other education and training needs, often in coordination with Title I and employer partners, across the state; TANF and FSET local staff are represented where the programs are co-located.

DWD's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR or Title IV) has 12 business service consultants and one business services program manager who work to align business outreach strategies in a tiered approach, focusing on national (National Employment Team, or NET), state (such as energy sector), and regional business needs and initiatives.  Strategic business outreach and relationship development, whenever possible, includes Combined State Plan partners in a coordinated effort to provide seamless, cohesive services to Wisconsin businesses. Title I, III, and IV work collaboratively at the state level to coordinate business workforce initiatives. Title I, III and IV business service representatives complement each other's skill sets to best serve business establishments in Wisconsin; for example, Title IV has specific knowledge and resources related to job seekers with disabilities, while Title III has business initiatives and services, such as apprenticeship, they are skilled in.

Regional teams will continuously assess the local workforce landscape and identify additional allies and contributors that can add value to the team, including partners that serve underrepresented individuals. WIOA partner programs are continuously exploring methods to co-enroll customers who can benefit from diverse services.

The Business Service Teams use a shared platform – Job Center of Wisconsin Business (JCWB or JCW Business) as the system of record for all business services reporting and business customer management. Any user from a WIOA core or partner program with a demonstrated business need may access the system. Specifying a single tracking system reduces repetitive employer contacts and promotes collaborative business services. Information entered and tracked in JCW Business informs and guides services focused on employer's specific needs. In addition, the skills matching functions of the JobCenterofWisconsin.com (JCW) tool provide great benefit to employers searching for candidates. Additionally, user-friendly LMI tools available through JCW provide a resource for employers seeking to fill openings. Real-time reporting from JCW Business is available within the robust capabilities of the Business Intelligence platform, allowing for data-informed decision making.

In February 2023, DWD launched its new eGain system, which allows customers to chat virtually with JCW customer service representatives while responding to required questions or navigating specific pages.

Title III and Title IV are actively engaged in a project designed to modernize the existing JCWB platform. The goals include using "plain language" to describe services, expanding service options to include specific options each WIOA Title offers business customers, and developing the capacity to create reports that offer a clear picture of the types of services the business is requesting, receiving, and benefitting.

Additionally, WIOA partners are continuously engaging in statewide events, such as WIOA Roundtables and the Winning with Wisconsin's Workforce forums, designed to bring regional business and workforce system partners together to discuss economic and labor market opportunities, resources and innovative solutions to meet a variety of workforce needs.

Title II (AEFLA) programs play a pivotal role in serving Wisconsin employers by delivering a talent pipeline that is responsive to workforce and industry needs. The supply of skilled labor to Wisconsin employers through Wisconsin Title II program efforts is most clearly exhibited in Corrections/Re-Entry Education, Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE). Title II (AEFLA) programs also see the growth of internationally trained professionals (ITPs) statewide as an incredible opportunity and is working to ensure that Title II programming addresses their unique needs so that they can be employed in fields which utilize their skills and expertise thereby benefitting Wisconsin employers.

These service delivery models are informed by the analysis of regional labor market data, designed through ongoing collaborative activities with regional employers and local Workforce Development Boards, and maintained to ensure industry relevancy through modification activities. The success of these programs is possible through the participant support and collaboration with other critical WIOA partners including DOC, TANF and DHS. Collectively, these intentional efforts will ensure that Re-Entry Education, IET and IELCE offerings provide employers with skilled labor to address their workforce needs and prepare AEFLA participants with industry-driven education and training.

Title II funded programs that connect learners to the workforce are approved by the WTCS Office and require vetting through a labor market needs assessment to ensure the offering are designed to prepare adults for employment in in-demand industries and occupations. The needs assessment process includes the collection, analysis, and synthesis of regional employer and local Workforce Development Board input. Needs assessment data is collected through surveys, focus sessions, or discussions with other education and workforce system partners. Additionally, each offering will be aligned with at least one occupational classification code from the Department of Labor’s Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. Together, coordination with workforce system partners, regional employers, and alignment with the SOC system will support intentionality of career pathway programs to ensure gainful employment for participants.

Title II providers of IET and IELCE collaborate with workforce system partners and regional employers to design curriculum and integrate the appropriate workforce preparation activities. Curriculum design efforts informed by workforce partners will ensure learning activities provide participants with occupation specific knowledge, skills, and abilities that are vital for employability upon exit from the program. Through the curriculum design process with workforce system partners, IET and IELCE participants will have the employability skills to address employer workforce needs.

Once an IET or IELCE offering is fully implemented and enrolling participants, employer partners will continue to be engaged through the IET and IELCE modification process. In addition, Title II providers will coordinate annual review activities with workforce system partners to verify continued relevancy of Corrections/Re-Entry programming in relation to the regional needs of labor and industry.