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. 1. Describe how the State will staff the provision of labor exchange services under the Wagner-Peyser Act, such as through State employees, including but not limited to state merit staff employees, staff of a subrecipient, or some combination thereof.
Current Narrative:
NOTE: The contents of this section are based upon current practices and requirements found in 20 CFR 653.108 and 20 CFR 653.101 prior to issuance of the Wagner-Peyser Act Staffing Final Rule, which became effective January 23, 2024. DWD is currently evaluating the merit-staffing revisions for Employment Services staff and how it may impact Wagner-Peyser service delivery and will update this segment of the Plan as applicable.
Indiana’s Wagner-Peyser program covers the full range of labor exchange activities in our WorkOne system. In the WorkOne centers (Indiana’s term for American Job Centers), the Indiana Department of Workforce Development employs over 120 employees through Wagner-Peyser funding. These employees partner with the other staff who implement key components of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Their tasks include, but are not limited to, initial client evaluation and assessment, job search assistance, re-employment assistance through the RESEA program, employer recruitment and other employer services. Indiana’s Wagner-Peyser State merit staff are closely tied to our employers across the State and provide a full range of services directly to our employers to assist them in filling their open positions.
In addition to staff, the Wagner-Peyser grant provides tools for State staff and their partners to manage the labor exchange services necessary to match an employer with a potential employee. Some of these tools include Indiana’s labor exchange system called Indiana Career Connect. Assessment tools to help employees and employers evaluate the skills needed for critical positions such as Indiana Career Explorer (INCE), WorkKeys, and Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) to name a few.
Indiana will also leverage the Skillful Governor's Coaching Corps to provide labor exchange services to constituents. This program is a partnership between Skillful and the State of Indiana. It is an 8-month program that gives career coaches the tools and training they need to better serve Hoosiers in our rapidly changing labor market. The participants represent a diverse mix of organizations: public workforce centers, adult educational institutions, K-12 schools, and non-profits from all 12 Indiana workforce regions. The work that this group completes serves as a foundation for professional development for school counselors and other school personnel to help provide career guidance and advisement to students and parents to help them make more informed decisions.