PRESENTED BY THE STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD Georgia Integrated State Plan July 1 2012 June 30 2017 Approved by USDOL December 16 2013 1 Per Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 21-11 issued by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to states regarding the requirements for 2012 State Workforce Plans the Governor s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) worked with the following state agencies to submit the Georgia Integrated State Plan Option 1 as outlined The Georgia Department of Labor Technical College System of Georgia Georgia Department of Economic Development Department of Human Services and related state agencies that affect the quality and success of Georgia s workforce. 2 Contents Introduction................................................................................................................................................... 5 The State Workforce Investment Board.................................................................................................... 5 The Governor s Office of Workforce Development ................................................................................... 7 The Georgia Department of Labor ............................................................................................................ 8 Georgia Department of Economic Development ...................................................................................... 9 The Technical College System of Georgia ................................................................................................. 9 Plan Development and Implementation ................................................................................................... 9 Strategic Plan .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Governor s Vision .................................................................................................................................... 12 Market and Education Data and Technology as Drivers of Workforce Development Decisions ....... 12 Post-Secondary Enrollment and Completion...................................................................................... 13 Skills Gap between Education and Training and Business/Industry Needs ........................................ 13 Efficient and Effective Workforce Development System.................................................................... 14 Targeted Populations and Growth Sectors ......................................................................................... 14 Economic and Workforce Information Analysis ...................................................................................... 15 Labor Force Demographics ................................................................................................................. 15 Georgia s Economic Base .................................................................................................................... 17 Industry Projections ............................................................................................................................ 21 Demand for Skilled Labor.................................................................................................................... 24 Georgia s Critical Industries ................................................................................................................ 27 Evaluating Georgia s Inherent Skills Gaps........................................................................................... 29 State Identified Workforce Development Issues ................................................................................ 31 Performance Accountability/Outcomes ............................................................................................. 32 Operational Plan ......................................................................................................................................... 35 Overview of the Workforce System Operational Plan............................................................................. 35 Local Areas .......................................................................................................................................... 35 Internal Service Delivery Assessment ................................................................................................. 36 One-Stop Career Centers .................................................................................................................... 38 GDOL Career Centers .......................................................................................................................... 43 EUC Reemployment Activities ............................................................................................................ 47 Market and Education Data and Technology as Drivers for Workforce Development Decisions ........... 48 Strategies for using quarterly wage record information .................................................................... 48 3 Technology .......................................................................................................................................... 49 Postsecondary Enrollment and Completion ............................................................................................ 50 College and Career Readiness............................................................................................................. 50 Carl Perkins ......................................................................................................................................... 52 The Skills Gap between Education and Training with Business/Industry Needs..................................... 53 Georgia s State-wide Business Engagement Strategy ........................................................................ 53 Manufacturing .................................................................................................................................... 54 Skilled Trades ...................................................................................................................................... 55 Soft Skills ............................................................................................................................................. 55 TCSG Vice Presidents of ED Communication Plan with LWIAs ........................................................... 56 Efficient and Effective Workforce Solutions ............................................................................................ 57 Services to Employers ......................................................................................................................... 57 Rapid Response ................................................................................................................................... 59 Eligible Training Provider list............................................................................................................... 61 Youth Eligible Training Provider List ................................................................................................... 61 Standardized development of IEP/ISS ................................................................................................ 62 Targeted Populations and Growth Sectors ............................................................................................. 62 Veterans Priority of Service and Reemployment Strategies............................................................... 62 Youth ................................................................................................................................................... 64 Parolee and Ex-offender Reentry Programs ....................................................................................... 67 Under- Employed Workers ................................................................................................................. 68 Other Populations and Growth Sectors .............................................................................................. 69 Annual Plan for Agricultural Services Outreach (PY2012)....................................................................... 74 Assessment of Need............................................................................................................................ 74 Outreach ............................................................................................................................................. 75 ATTACHMENT A ............................................................................................................................................ 1 ATTACHMENT B ............................................................................................................................................ 1 ATTACHMENT C ............................................................................................................................................ 1 ATTACHMENT D ............................................................................................................................................ 2 ATTACHMENT E........................................................................................................................................... 12 ATTACHMENT G .......................................................................................................................................... 17 ATTACHMENT H .......................................................................................................................................... 18 ATTACHMENT I............................................................................................................................................ 21 ATTACHMENT J ........................................................................................................................................... 22 ATTACHMENT K .......................................................................................................................................... 23 4 ATTACHMENT L .............................................................................................. Error Bookmark not defined. Introduction The State of Georgia s Integrated Workforce system is comprised of The State Workforce Investment Board the Governor s Office of Workforce Development the Georgia Department of Labor the Georgia Department of Economic Development the Technical College System of Georgia and various other public and private stakeholders. The Integrated Workforce system is designed to improve the quality of Georgia s workforce. The State Workforce Investment Board The Georgia Integrated State Plan was developed for the United States Department of Labor by the Georgia State Workforce Investment Board (Board). The board consists of members selected by the Governor consistent with federal law requirements two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House and two members of the Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. A majority of the members of the board are representatives of businesses in this state. Other members include but are not limited to representatives of individuals and organizations that have experience and expertise in education the economy the Georgia workforce and labor and who meet federal requirements for a broad composition of the board. (Attachment F) The chairperson and vice chairperson of the board are appointed by the Governor. Other officers are elected or otherwise selected as determined by the Governor. The members of the board serve such terms as established by the Governor and the members continue at the discretion of the Governor except for the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate who continue at the discretion of the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor respectively. The board has such powers and duties as specified by the Governor and as provided by federal law. Without limiting the powers and duties of the board the board Promotes the development of a well-educated highly skilled workforce in this state Advocates the development of an integrated workforce development system to provide quality services addressing the needs of business and workers in this state Recommends to the Governor the designation or re-designation of local workforce investment areas for the local planning and delivery of workforce development Identifies and recommends to the Governor incentives to encourage the consolidation on a regional labor market basis of Local boards and committees and Service delivery areas authorized under federal workforce legislation Reviews plans for local workforce development areas and make recommendations to the Governor for approval Evaluates the effectiveness of the workforce development system Uses the administrative records of the state s unemployment compensation program and other sources as appropriate in evaluating the workforce development program 5 Encourages supports or develops research and demonstration projects designed to develop new programs and approaches to service delivery Recommends measures to ensure that occupational skills training is Provided in occupations that are state-wide or locally in demand and directed toward high-skill and high-wage jobs Monitors the operation of the state s workforce development system to assess the degree to which the system is effective in achieving state and local goals and objectives Develops and recommends to the Governor criteria for the establishment of local workforce development boards Carries out the federal and state duties and responsibilities of advisory boards under applicable federal and state workforce development laws or regulations and Reports periodically to the Governor and the legislature. The board adopts bylaws to guide its proceedings. The board is funded by federal law as provided in this chapter which is allocated according to federal requirements. The board is attached to the Office of Planning and Budget for administrative purposes only. Each member of the board who is not otherwise a state officer or employee is authorized to receive reimbursement for reasonably necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the board provided that such funds are available and such reimbursements are allowable under federal law. Should funds not be available or allowable for this purpose such members will serve without compensation. Each member of the board who is otherwise a state officer or employee shall be reimbursed by the agency of which he or she is an officer or employee for reasonably necessary travel expenses actually incurred in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the board provided that such funds are available and such reimbursements are allowable under federal law. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection members of the board receive no compensation for their services. The board is authorized to consult with and form committees with members and persons knowledgeable on the subject matter at issue in order to effectively carry out its duties. Such consultants serve without compensation but will be reimbursed for travel and other reasonable and necessary expenses incurred while attending meetings of or on behalf of the board provided that such travel and other expenses are approved by the director and such reimbursements are allowable under federal law. The Governor s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) is authorized to employ and contract with other individuals and organizations as needed to assist in executing the board s responsibilities provided that funds are available for such expenditures and such expenditures are allowable under federal law. All state departments institutions agencies commissions councils authorities boards bureaus or other entities of the state shall provide all information and support as required by the board to perform its duties. The board is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations for purposes of implementing the provisions of this chapter. The members of the board shall develop and implement policies that Clearly separate the policy-making responsibilities of the members of the board and Provide the public with a reasonable opportunity to appear before the board and to speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of the board. To facilitate the seamless delivery of integrated workforce programs in this state the board 6 Evaluates programs administered by agencies represented on the board to identify any duplication of or gaps in the services provided by those programs and any other problems that adversely affect the seamless delivery of those services Develops and implements immediate and long-range strategies to address identified problems. The board may Adopt rules essential to the internal functions and duties of the board and Make expenditures enter into contracts with public private and nonprofit organizations or agencies and require reports to be made conduct investigations and take other actions necessary or suitable to fulfill the board s duties under this chapter. The Governor with the board and the local workforce development boards shall Identify specific barriers to integrated service delivery at the local level and Request waivers from federal and state regulations. The Georgia Workforce Investment Board meets at least quarterly and at such other times as the presiding officer determines or as provided by the rules of the board. A member of the board can designate another person to attend meetings of the board on such person s behalf. Such designee may participate in the activities and discussions of the board but cannot have a vote in matters before the board. The chairperson of the board may appoint subcommittees consisting of members of the board for any purpose consistent with the duties and responsibilities of the board under this chapter. The chairperson of the board appoints technical advisory committees composed of board members persons who are not board members or a combination of board and non-board members. The board may have an independent staff with expertise sufficient to perform all duties and responsibilities of the board. The staff of the board may be supplemented by staff from other state agencies who are temporarily assigned to assist with special projects. Workforce services in Georgia which include but are not limited to the Workforce Investment Act the Wagner-Peyser Act the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act and related federal labor programs under the management of the Governor s Office of Workforce Development and the Georgia Department of Labor. Both agencies require a priority of service designation for veterans of the United States military their spouses and Georgia citizens receiving unemployment insurance benefits. This chapter cannot restrict a person s authority to contract for the provision of workforce development without state or federal funds. Under this chapter a program year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following calendar year unless otherwise specified under appropriate state or federal law. The Governor s Office of Workforce Development The Governor s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) was established to implement state workforce development policy as directed by the Governor and to serve as staff to the Georgia State Workforce Investment Board. GOWD is authorized and encouraged to work with the state s emerging workforce including rising and graduating high school students with the goal that upon graduation high school students have both a diploma and certification in soft skills and work readiness to increase their chance of success in postsecondary education a career pathway or both. GOWD collaborates 7 with the Department of Education and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to facilitate coordination with high schools and enable students an opportunity to attain certification in soft skills. Additionally GOWD is authorized to explore local national and international soft skills programs for the purpose of developing a soft skills certification system. The GOWD Executive Director is appointed by the Governor and tasked with duties which include implementing state-wide workforce development policy as directed by the Governor serving as workforce development policy advisor to the Governor and serving as Executive Director to the board. GOWD is attached to the Office of Planning and Budget for administrative purposes only. The Georgia Department of Labor The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) was established in 1911. Known then as the Department of Commerce and Labor it had broad authority over industrial and occupational safety and administration of labor laws. The Wagner-Peyser Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1935 mandated a federal-state partnership for operation of employment service agencies. As a result the Georgia General Assembly enacted the Employment Security Law of 1937 officially creating a Georgia Department of Labor. The agency was placed under the control of an elected commissioner. The Georgia Department of Labor provides a wide range of services to job seekers and employers. These include administration of Georgia s unemployment insurance employment service provision of workforce information to the public and private sectors and oversight of child labor issues. The state s Division of Rehabilitation Services was merged with the department on July 1 2001 by an act of the state legislature. Prior to the merger Rehabilitation Services was under the administration of the Georgia Department of Human Resources. In 2012 the Georgia General Assembly enacted legislation transitioning Rehabilitation Services into the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency attached to the Georgia Department of Human Services effective July 1 2012. GDOL s mission is to work with public and private partners to build a workforce system that contributes to Georgia s economic prosperity. This is accomplished by Helping individuals attain their work goals and increasing self-sufficiency through employment training and support services Helping employers meet their business needs through employee recruitment and selection services workforce information and technical support. With a staff of approximately 2 000 under the leadership of State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler the GDOL consists of the following divisions and offices Employment Services Unemployment Insurance and Workforce Statistics & Economic Research. Also the Georgia Department of Labor has a network of local Career Centers throughout the state that are connected and fully integrated into the state s workforce system. State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler is the ninth person to hold the office. He took the oath of office on January 10 2011. 8 The Department of Labor is charged with the following areas of responsibility To assist those who are seeking jobs in their quest for satisfactory and productive employment To aid employers in the search for qualified workers To refer workers in need of additional skills to the proper job training program To administer the state s unemployment insurance program To gather maintain and report labor market information To administer laws relating to child labor. Georgia Department of Economic Development The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state s sales and marketing arm. GDEcD is the lead agency for attracting new business investment encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses developing new domestic and international markets attracting tourists to Georgia and promoting the state as a location for film video music and digital entertainment projects as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. The Technical College System of Georgia The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) oversees the state s technical colleges adult literacy programs and a host of economic and workforce development programs. TCSG provides a unified system of technical education adult education and customized business and industry training through programs that use the best available technology and offer easy access to lifelong education and training for all adult Georgians and corporate citizens. The Technical College System of Georgia is a key training provider for local Workforce Investment Areas. TCSG has a 100% employer guarantee meaning that if a TCSG graduate was educated under a standard program and his/her employer finds that the graduate is deficient in one or more competencies as defined in the standards the technical college will re-train the employee at no instructional cost to the employee or the employer. TCSG also has an impressive geographic footprint with 25 colleges across the state. TCSG ensures flexible curriculum and schedules which benefit WIA customers especially adult learners who may have full time jobs and/or families. High demand programs that result in real careers are a primary focus on TCSG campuses around the state. In FY11 35 034 TCSG students graduated with either technical certificates diplomas or associate degrees and were ready to enter Georgia s workforce. Quickstart is also a workforce program housed under TCSG. Quickstart is Georgia s internationallyacclaimed program dedicated to providing customized workforce training free-of-charge for qualified new expanding and existing businesses. Plan Development and Implementation 9 The Integrated State Plan was created in consultation with applicable private and public sector partners throughout 2012-2013. Each of the programs included in the plan (WIA Employment and Training Wagner-Peyser and Unemployment Insurance) are administered by either GOWD or GDOL. The plan is reviewed and approved by the State Workforce Investment Board s Executive Committee before posting for public comment and before final submittal to USDOL. GDOL has reviewed and submitted appropriate sections of the plan. Input regarding local service strategies was obtained from the local workforce areas and boards. The Georgia Integrated State Plan was hosted on GOWD s official website (www.workforce.georgia.gov) for a 30 day commentary period. State-level workforce partners were also invited to review the plan and offer recommendations. The following partners contributed to the Georgia Integrated State Plan State Workforce Investment Board Governor s Office of Workforce Development Georgia Department of Labor Georgia Department of Economic Development Technical College System of Georgia Members of the University System of Georgia Georgia Department of Education Georgia Department of Human Services Georgia Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Georgia Department of Driver Services Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice Georgia Secretary of State Office Georgia Chamber of Commerce Local Chamber of Commerce Local Workforce Investment Areas Organizations Invited to Review the Draft Agricultural Outreach Plan include Consul General de Mexico Consulate Guatemala Consulate Honduras East Georgia Health Care Center Farmworker Health Project GALEO Georgia Agribusiness Council Georgia Department of Agriculture Georgia Department of Education Migrant Education Agency Georgia Farm Bureau Georgia Farmworker Health Program Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 10 Georgia Legal Services Farmworker Division Latin American Association League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC 950) Mexican American Chamber of Commerce Region 1 Live Oak MEA Region 2 Southern Pine MEA Region 3 Piedmont MEA Telamon Corporation University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development (CAED) University of Georgia Extension County Operations USDOL Wage and Hour (Savannah office) 11 Strategic Plan Governor s Vision Mission To meet the needs of Georgia s growing economy by aligning programs and leveraging state resources to create an effective and efficient method of workforce development and provide college and career ready students from Georgia s educational systems. Governor s Goals for Workforce Development Use market and education data and technology to drive workforce development decisions Increase Post-Secondary Enrollment and Completion Address growing skills gap between education and training outcomes with business/industry needs Design and actuate a more efficient and effective workforce development system Assist targeted populations such as military veterans at-risk youth ex-offenders and those seeking employment in high demand sectors to improve the quality of Georgia s workforce outcomes Market and Education Data and Technology as Drivers of Workforce Development Decisions The Governor s Office of Workforce Development utilizes a number of resources to extract and analyze workforce data. For population and national labor statistics GOWD utilizes federal databases such as the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When data is needed for Georgia and local workforce areas data is analyzed from the GDOL s Workforce Statistics and Economic Research division as well as from EMSI Inc. data tools. GOWD s Data and Information team collaborates and utilizes other federal and state agency resources when appropriate for specialized data requests. Governor Deal s Competitiveness Initiative established key workforce development opportunities strategies and actions. The Competitiveness Initiative was a yearlong intensive research survey of more than 4 000 Georgiansfrom all twelve economic development regions and representing large and small businesses rural and urban communities and the many industries that call the state home. Ten of the 12 service delivery regions in Georgia reported workforce development as their number one priority. After analyzing this data it is evident that all efforts involving "workforce development" must be effective and efficient. Governor Deal and GOWD looked to market and education data to determine what programs were appropriate for the state to carry out. When looking at the 82 000 skilled tradesmen needed by 2016 it is clear Georgia needs to focus on filling this gap. The lack of qualified skilled labor was a common issue that resounded across the state. GOWD looked at the number of veterans returning to Georgia by 2016 which is an estimated 60 000 to 80 000 military personnel. Further Georgia is in the top four nation-wide for veterans on Unemployment Insurance rolls. This data led GOWD to determine that veterans should be a priority in the workforce system. Considering the importance of the military and veterans population on Georgia s 12 present and future economy their employment is essential to maintaining low Unemployment Insurance rolls and low unemployment rates. Post-Secondary Enrollment and Completion Governor Deal has placed emphasis on Complete College Georgia a state-wide effort to increase attainment of a high quality certificate or degree. Complete College Georgia is a subset of Complete College America which addresses the need for remediation and overall college completion rates. By 2020 it is projected that over 40 percent of job growth in Georgia will require some form of a college education whether a certificate associate s degree or bachelor s degree. Today only 42 percent of the state s young adults its burgeoning workforce qualify. Georgia s level of higher education attainment is not expected to noticeably increase in this time period. To reverse the current path the state has committed to Complete College America s goal of 60 percent of young adults holding a college certificate or degree by 2020. The goal is for Georgia to have these graduates form a competitive workforce with a mixture of certificates associate s degrees and bachelor s degrees. Throughout the Competitiveness Initiative Georgia businesses repeatedly spoke out that the need for remediation prior to postsecondary is slowing workforce goals. Governor Deal as well as legislative leaders placed a priority on making changes to the HOPE Grants that deal specifically with the TCSG schools. Current law requires a 3.0 grade point average to obtain the HOPE Grant for technical schools. Legislative action will change the GPA requirement to a 2.0. Many Georgia citizens within the Technical College System have limited financial means available for education as well as lifestyle barriers that restrain their access to traditional education. When the change was made to set the requirement at a 3.0 GPA to receive the Hope Grant TCSG saw a large decline in enrollment numbers. This change will allow Georgians greater access to the education necessary to fill the state s in-demand career opportunities. Skills Gap between Education and Training and Business/Industry Needs To increase the importance of skilled trade education Governor Deal launched Go Build Georgia in 2012. Go Build Georgia a labor-neutral public-private partnership aims to educate Georgians about careers in the skilled trades and how to pursue opportunities in these industries. Go Build Georgia is a public-private partnership in collaboration with the Go Build Georgia Educational Foundation (GBGEF). The GBGEF is organized as a nonprofit corporation under the Georgia Nonprofit Corporations Code and is dedicated to addressing Georgia s skilled labor shortage. The Governor s Office of Workforce Development established the Go Build Georgia High School Teams project in the fall of 2012. The teams are comprised of educators counselors and business leaders spanning across five key high-growth industry sectors including manufacturing industrial construction energy telecommunications and transportation industries with the goal of promoting career paths in the skilled trades. This project provides a grassroots component in Georgia s public high schools to disseminate information directly to students and parents. By targeting those high school students who may be struggling to find a path to post-secondary education or training Georgia is able to raise the high school graduation rate. 13 Efficient and Effective Workforce Development System With Georgia s unemployment rate above the national average Governor Deal and GOWD have sharpened the focus on Georgia s workforce development. All stakeholders must work together to move the needle on unemployment in order to strengthen Georgia s economy. By pulling together available resources from all stakeholders Georgia will be able to maintain an effective and efficient government as well as reduce the chance of any duplication of funds or efforts. Key partners have been identified to ensure Georgia s Workforce System is working to its full potential. These partners include but are not limited to GDOL TCSG and GDEcD. GDOL provides services to job seekers and employers most importantly the administration of Georgia s unemployment insurance program. GDOL also administers Wagner-Peyser which funds reemployment services and core services. GDOL and GOWD work together to outline data and labor market information important to Georgia s workforce delivery system. With 82 campus locations TCSG has a broad footprint across the state of Georgia. Offering Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services at local technical college campuses will streamline workforce development services by leveraging the colleges existing programs and resources to best serve citizens throughout Georgia. Governor Deal has also required that representatives from any TCSG school and the GDEcD within the local workforce investment area sit as members on the Local Workforce Investment Boards. This allows all stakeholders to share ideas and best practices for each Local Workforce Area and form a strong relationship between LWIAs and local business communities. GDEcD works diligently to attract new companies and industries to Georgia. GOWD through their oversight of WIA funds assists GDEcD in providing potential companies with a complete picture of Georgia s current workforce and assist in educating the companies on the different programs that are available to all Georgia companies. The state continually strives to improve the efficiency of the workforce system. Governor Deal believes that voluntary re-designation and consolidation among Local Workforce Areas will streamline the workforce service delivery system for both job seekers and employers. It will also provide greater efficiencies in the workforce system and reduce administrative costs. Voluntary re-designation has been supported by other states both in the southeast and nationally and shown to provide greater funds with a larger number of participants. Governor Deal has also tasked the SWIB with identifying incentives to encourage consolidation and making recommendations for consolidation of local boards and service delivery areas authorized under federal workforce legislation. Targeted Populations and Growth Sectors A component of Governor Deal s vision includes the alignment of all entities involved in Georgia s workforce development efforts. This includes an increased emphasis on skilled trade education veteran s services returning unemployment insurance claimants to work offender re-entry and at-risk youth programs. These programs must operate resourcefully without redundancies in effort or funding. An increased emphasis on reducing administrative and overhead costs will allow more participants to be served more efficiently. 14 Governor Deal and GOWD in partnership with the Georgia Department of Labor launched several statewide workforce development initiatives aimed at Georgia s veterans returning from active duty. With an estimated 80 000 new veterans expected to enter Georgia s workforce by 2016 these new programs will help ensure veterans have a smooth transition back into civilian life. Operation Workforce is a webportal that serves as an online one-stop for veteran employment resources and services in Georgia. A military crosswalk is also hosted on this website that allows veterans to translate their military occupational classifications into civilian occupations that best align with their skill set and training. Also through the program Troops to Trucks GOWD will partner with the Department of Driver Services (DDS) to certify military installations as third-party testers and form partnerships with the transportation industry to get service members into the projected 12 778 truck driving jobs that will be available within the next three years. These programs are supported through the use of Unemployment Compensation Exchange UCX grant funds. To help Georgia s returning veterans avoid the Unemployment Insurance rolls Governor Deal and GOWD are working to expedite licensure for in-demand occupations. Georgia must be focused on the at-risk youth population. With a graduation rate of approximately 67% lower than the national average of 75% there is significant room for improvement in servicing Georgia s at-risk youth. WIA youth services are designed to target these populations through several different programs mentioned in the Operational Plan. Governor Deal has ordered the State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB) and the Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIB) to focus on Georgia s in demand occupations and growth sectors to appropriately designate training funds. This will allow funding to be directed to the most needed and most beneficial sectors for the state. Economic and Workforce Information Analysis The Governor s Office of Workforce Development and the Georgia Department of Labor collaborate to provide local workforce areas with the tools and information to serve Georgia s workforce. Through the state s Workforce Information Grants GDOL provides up to date labor market information. GOWD and GDOL regularly communicate to analyze economic forecasts and determine how industry projections will impact Georgia s economy and the needs of the workforce. This communication allows Georgia to provide participants with the most current labor market information and assist the local areas in helping participants access high skill and high demand occupations. Labor Force Demographics Georgia continues to be one of the fastest growing states in the nation. From April 2010 to July 2011 Georgia s population grew by 1.32% adding 128 000 residents. The current population has grown to 9 815 210 showing continuous growth since 2000 (pop. 8 186 453). Census projections show that Georgia should continue this growth over the next decade. 15 As Georgia s population grows in size it also ages. Figure 11 demonstrates the percentage of Georgia s working-age population from 2000 to 2020. In 2000 the median age was 31.5. Today the median age in Georgia is 35. This upward trend is due to an increase in the number of older individuals and a shrinking of the youth population. Although all age groups expect to increase in size the younger segment of the population will shrink as a percentage of the total population while the over 55 age groups percentage of the total population will grow. The increase in the percentage of the population over 55 will have significant impacts on Georgia s economy. First it will create an increase in demand for health care particularly for the elderly and aging populations which will be reflected in the long term projections. Second the large percentage of the population over 55 will signify a high percentage of workers on the verge of exiting the labor force. This turnover will create a need for replacement workers in addition to growth openings. Georgia s population has limited language barriers with only about 3.1% of households without a member over the age of 14 who speaks English. The overall state population is predominantly white (61% of total population). The largest minority group is African Americans with 31% of the population. Asian and other minority groups each make up about 3% of Georgia s population. 1 Although youth become eligible at age 14 Figure 1 is based off of data from the U.S. Census Bureau which dissects age groups into 5-year intervals. The most inclusive age bracket which affects WIA eligible participants begins at age 15. For this reason the dataset does not include those WIA eligible participants of 14 years of age. The included age brackets do however reflect the majority of Georgia s working-age population. 16 One of Georgia s most valuable labor resources is our returning military veteran population. Georgia has one of the largest veteran populations in the nation with over 773 858 service heroes. Nationally returning veterans have an unemployment rate of 12.1% and young male veterans have an unemployment rate of 29.1% (compared with 17.6% among young male non-veterans). Many of these military veterans possess core competencies which correlate directly to civilian occupations in Georgia s high demand industries. Georgia s Economic Base In cooperation with the Workforce Statistics and Economic Research division of GDOL the SWIB and GOWD have outlined a series of data points and their importance to Georgia upon the guidance of TEGL 33-11. After three years of significant decline current data shows that Georgia is beginning to show signs of growth. Since taking office in January of 2011 Governor Deal and his administration have worked to improve Georgia s staggering unemployment. In January 2011 unemployment in Georgia was at 10.3%. Governor Deal and Commissioner Mark Butler have seen the gap between Georgia and the national unemployment rate shrink during their terms in office. By September of 2011 unemployment had fallen to 9.8%. To encourage further growth the Governor appointed new leadership to the Governor s Office of Workforce Development with directions to take a more active role in strengthening the states workforce. Since taking over as grant administrator GOWD has worked with GDOL to lower Georgia s unemployment to 8.6%. The Georgia Department of Labor provides total employment data through 2011. Utilizing ten year employment data Georgia s employment can be compared to the total U.S. Employment trends including data before the most recent recession occurred. Figure 2 compares the state and national Total Non-farm Employment not seasonally adjusted from 2001 through 2011. Figure 2. Total Non-farm Employment 2001-2011 United States Georgia Year Total Employment Annual Change Percent Change Total Employment Annual Change 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 131 826 000 130 341 000 129 999 000 131 435 000 133 703 000 136 086 000 137 598 000 136 790 000 130 807 000 129 874 000 131 358 000 -1 485 000 -342 000 1 436 000 2 268 000 2 383 000 1 512 000 -808 000 -5 983 000 -933 000 1 484 000 -1.14% -0.26% 1.09% 1.70% 1.75% 1.10% -0.59% -4.57% -0.72% 1.13% 3 943 300 3 869 500 3 844 900 3 898 500 4 001 200 4 089 100 4 145 500 4 102 200 3 880 900 3 842 600 3 880 000 -73 800 -24 600 53 600 102 700 87 900 56 400 -43 300 -221 300 -38 300 37 400 Percent Change -1.91% -0.64% 1.37% 2.57% 2.15% 1.36% -1.06% -5.70% -1.00% 0.96% Source Georgia Department of Labor Workforce Statistics & Economic Research 17 Georgia added 37 400 jobs in 2011 a 0.96% growth (reflective of 1.13% nationally) reversing the previous three years of decline. Figure 2 further illustrates that economic conditions in Georgia have mirrored larger trends occurring nationally. From 2001-2003 there was steady decline in jobs both nationally and in Georgia. In both instances Georgia was hit more severely than the total economy (1.91% Georgia vs. -1.14% U.S. in 2002 -0.64% Georgia vs. -0.26% U.S. in 2003). Beginning in 2004 Georgia exceeded national growth with the largest gains coming in 2005 (2.57%). This growth continued until the recent recession started in 2008 where Georgia s decline was again more severe than the decline experienced nationally. The worst year for job loss in Georgia came in 2009 with a decline of 5.7% representing nearly 221 300 jobs. This decline had significant impacts on Georgia s labor force. Figure 3 compares unemployment and the civilian labor force from 2001 to 2011. As Figure 3 illustrates from 2001 through 2007 Georgia s unemployment rate remained between 4% and 5.2%. The total civilian labor force grew steadily during this time adding just over 570 000 workers into the labor pool. Unemployment grew in 2008 increasing 1.7%. It rose again in 2009 rising another 3.5% before slowing in 2010 to a rate of 10.2%. With the growth of 37 400 jobs in 2011 unemployment fell for the first time in four years to 9.8%. National trends reflect an identical three year spike in unemployment followed by slow growth in 2011. 18 Five industries comprise 75% of Georgia s total non-farm employment. In 2001 the top five industries were comprised of four service industries (Trade Transportation and Utilities Government Professional and Business Services and Education and Health Services) as well as one goods-producing industry (Manufacturing). Figure 4 shows the change in total non-farm employment by industry from 2001-2011. Figure 4. Total Non-Farm Employment Georgia Industry Total Non-Farm Employment Employment 2001 2011 3 943 400 3 880 100 Industry Share 2001 2011 100.00% 100.00% Trade Transportation and Utilities Government Professional and Business Services Educational and Health Services Leisure and Hospitality Manufacturing Finance Other Services Construction Information Natural Resources and Mining 863 000 609 600 516 200 364 900 339 200 505 000 214 200 169 200 207 100 141 800 13 200 821 000 669 200 547 100 499 000 379 600 350 200 208 800 153 400 145 500 97 300 9 000 21.88% 15.46% 13.09% 9.25% 8.60% 12.81% 5.43% 5.25% 4.29% 3.60% 0.33% 21.16% 17.25% 14.10% 12.86% 9.78% 9.03% 5.38% 3.75% 3.95% 2.51% 0.23% Source Georgia Department of Labor Workforce Statistics & Economic Research The largest gain has been in Education and Health Services growing from 9.25% to 12.86%. Government Professional and Business Services also grew. Leisure and Hospitality grew to become one of Georgia s top five industries overtaking Manufacturing which fell by 3.78%. To get a better understanding of where job loss occurred during the recession and how the state s economy was impacted Georgia broke down total employment by industry over this ten year time period. Utilizing ten year data allows the state to get a better understanding of the trends occurring within each industry. 19 Figure 5. Total Non-Farm Employment (thousands) Georgia 2001-2011 Industry 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Trade Transportation and Utilities 863 840.4 824.6 830.2 852.9 871.3 886.9 873.9 819 810.7 821 Government 609.6 623.5 630.6 634.7 646.7 659.6 672.5 690.7 688.4 679.1 669.2 Professional and Business Services Educational and Health Services Leisure and Hospitality Manufacturing Finance Other Services Construction Information 516.2 364.9 339.2 505 214.2 169.2 207.1 141.8 503.9 376.9 340.6 471.2 214.9 158.9 197.8 129.2 494.4 396.8 348.1 452 216.4 155.5 195 119.4 512.5 411.7 360.1 448.3 218.8 156.2 199.8 114.1 536.1 427 372 449.8 225.4 158.3 208.8 112.2 551.5 442.8 384 447.5 230.7 159.2 218.8 111.4 563.6 458.7 396.1 431.4 231.2 160.5 221.2 111.5 556.7 469.3 393.9 409.1 224.3 160.9 204.1 109 511.4 476.6 379.6 358 211.7 156.6 165.8 104.6 526.4 488.6 374.2 345 206.4 153.6 149.7 99.8 547.1 499 379.6 350.2 208.8 153.4 145.5 97.3 Natural Resources and Mining 13.2 12.4 12.3 12.2 12.1 12.2 11.9 10.4 9.4 9.2 9 Black- Net Increase in Jobs Orange- Net Decrease in Jobs Red- Decrease in Jobs 10k Source Georgia Department of Labor Workforce Statistics & Economic Research Figure 5 shows that the industries hardest hit by the recession were Construction and Manufacturing. This decline is consistent with trends in the U.S. Labor market with manufacturing declining throughout the nation. In 2001 there were over 207 000 jobs in the Construction industry. This number grew in the economic boom of the mid-2000 s. With the collapse of the housing market the industry suffered major job losses losing 17 000 jobs in 2008 38 000 in 2009 and another 16 000 in 2010. The housing crash severely impacted Georgia regions dependent on the housing industry such as Northwest Georgia (WIA Area 1). The industry is still shrinking although not as severely. Manufacturing has been steadily losing jobs since 2001 like Construction the effects and causes of the latest recession were also magnified in this industry. There were over 16 000 fewer manufacturing jobs in 2007 followed by a loss of over 22 000 in 2008 51 000 in 2009 and another 13 000 in 2010. This steady decline helps illustrate how Leisure and Hospitality has replaced Manufacturing in Georgia s top industries. The service providing industries were less negatively affected by the recent recession. Education and Health Services was the strongest industry with steady growth since 2001. Leisure and Hospitality had a sharp decline in 2009 followed by slower decline in 2010 ultimately returning to 2010 s jobs loss number in 2011. 20 Industry Projections GDOL s Workforce Statistics and Economic Research division produces short term projections annually and long term projections biennially. The most current short term projections are for base year 2011 while the most current projections for long term are base year 2010. Figure 6 provides employment projections for Georgia s industries through 2013. Figure 6. Short Term Industry Employment & Projections Georgia 2011-2013 Industry Title Goods Producing Agriculture Forestry Fishing and Hunting Mining Construction Manufacturing 2011 Estimated 2013 Projected Total 2011-2013 Employment Employment Employment Change Total Annual Avg. Percent Change 72 335 4 828 147 569 350 476 70 492 4 830 149 383 352 640 -1 843 2 1 814 2 164 -1.28 0.02 0.61 0.31 Service Providing Trade Transportation and Utilities Utilities Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Transportation and Warehousing Information Financial Activities Finance and Insurance Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Professional and Business Services Professional Scientific and Technical Services Management of Companies and Enterprises Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Education and Health Services Educational Services Health Care and Social Assistance Leisure and Hospitality Arts Entertainment and Recreation Accommodation and Food Services 819 708 19 500 197 489 438 894 163 825 97 976 213 913 158 090 55 823 545 590 221 767 55 157 268 666 807 491 380 709 426 782 389 916 44 122 345 794 834 753 19 537 199 261 447 584 168 371 94 425 217 552 160 114 57 438 572 094 232 811 55 971 283 312 830 089 380 695 449 394 400 740 42 594 358 146 15 045 37 1 772 8 690 4 546 -3 551 3 639 2 024 1 615 26 504 11 044 814 14 646 22 598 -14 22 612 10 824 -1 528 12 352 0.73 0.09 0.45 0.99 1.38 -1.83 1.04 0.64 1.44 1.96 2.46 0.74 2.69 1.31 0.00 2.61 0.01 -1.75 1.77 21 Other Services (Except Government) 183 477 180 271 Government Federal Government Excluding Post Office 319 890 105 329 304 989 95 703 State Government Excluding Education and Hospitals 73 264 71 276 Local Government Excluding Education and Hospitals 141 297 138 010 Source Georgia Department of Labor -3 206 -14 901 -9 626 -1 988 -3 287 -0.88 -2.36 -4.54 -1.37 -1.17 Georgia is projected to continue developing its service based industries. Short term projections (Figure 5) show the largest growth taking place in Professional and Business Services specifically in administrative and support capacities (14 646 additional jobs). There are also expected to be sizable gains within the Education and Health Services industry with gains coming in the health care field (22 612 additional jobs). Growth is expected in the Trade Transportation Utilities and Leisure and Hospitality industries. These projections show a temporary reprieve for two critical parts of Georgia s economy. The State can expect short term gains in the Construction and Manufacturing industries two areas that have been the hardest hit by the recession. This change echoes through other sectors illustrated by a slight return of jobs within the real estate and leasing sectors. One industry showing significant decline is Government. This is the largest decline within the service providing industries and continues the trend that began in 2008. Most of the decline in the public sector employment is coming from a shrinking of federal employment (9 626 fewer jobs by 2013). There is also significant decline at both the local (3 287 fewer jobs) and state level (1 988 jobs). 22 Figure 7 provides the industry employment projections through 2020. Figure 7. Industry Employment & Projections Georgia 2010-2020 Industry Title Goods Producing Agriculture Forestry Fishing and Hunting Mining Construction Manufacturing 2010 Estimated 2020 Projected Employment Employment Total 2010-2020 Employment Change Annual Avg. Percent Change Total Percent Change 38 857 4 935 149 331 343 272 31 961 4 799 177 989 334 578 -6 896 -136 28 658 -8 694 -1.93 -0.28 1.77 -0.26 -17.70 -2.80 19.20 -2.50 Service Providing Trade Transportation and Utilities Utilities Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Transportation and Warehousing Information Financial Activities Finance and Insurance Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Professional and Business Services Professional Scientific and Technical Services Management of Companies and Enterprises Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Education and Health Services Educational Services Health Care and Social Assistance Leisure and Hospitality Arts Entertainment and Recreation Accommodation and Food Services Other Services (Except Government) Government Federal Government Excluding Post Office State Government Excluding Education and Hospitals 808 481 19 680 196 451 433 438 19 680 101 495 236 787 181 119 55 668 524 353 216 583 53 579 254 191 800 665 380 897 419 768 373 106 38 960 334 146 167 691 305 625 89 567 73 536 879 421 21 304 213 110 466 342 21 304 107 910 251 856 191 531 60 325 613 468 251 875 59 973 301 620 984 588 444 689 539 899 437 244 48 550 388 694 186 860 303 892 76 899 75 938 70 940 1 624 16 659 32 904 1 624 6 415 15 069 10 412 4 657 89 115 35 292 6 394 47 429 183 923 63 792 120 131 64 138 9 590 54 548 19 169 -1 733 -12 668 2 402 0.88 0.80 0.82 0.73 0.80 0.61 0.69 0.56 0.81 1.46 1.52 1.13 1.73 2.06 1.56 2.55 1.88 2.23 1.52 1.09 -0.20 -1.51 0.32 9.20 8.30 8.50 7.60 8.30 6.30 7.05 5.70 8.40 15.63 16.30 11.90 18.70 22.65 16.70 28.60 20.45 24.60 16.30 11.40 -1.60 -14.10 3.30 23 Local Government Excluding Education and Hospitals 142 522 151 055 8 533 0.58 6.00 Source Georgia Department of Labor Georgia s long term projections show these positive growth trends continuing for most major industries. Education and Health Services will continue to be one of the largest areas of growth (2.06% annual growth) reflecting the need to take care of an aging population. Georgia s other service providing industries will continue to show growth. Government is projected to recover and experience slight growth among the state (3.3% total growth) and local level (6% total growth). While Construction jobs are projected to continue their growth seen in short term projections Manufacturing projects a return to its decline eliminating about a quarter of a percent of jobs each year. Figure 7 shows that there will be a demand in multiple sectors for skilled labor. Although the major industry of Trade Transportation and Utilities is expecting limited growth the transportation and warehousing sector is expected to drive most of the growth for the entire industry growing by 15.8% long term. Similarly within the Education and Health Care industry the growth is mostly being driven by the demand for health care services. Demand for Skilled Labor Skilled labor is defined as those jobs signified by either high skill (postsecondary education vocational or long term on-the-job training) or by higher wages. Figure 8 shows the top skilled labor occupations with the most annual openings through 2013. Figure 8. Top 20 Occupations Based on Annual Openings 2013 Projections SOC Code Occupation Title 2011 2013 Total Change Annual Percent Change Growth Openings Replace Annual Avg Hourly Openings Openings Wage 43-4051 Customer Service Representatives 93 460 95 310 1 850 29-1111 Registered Nurses 53-3032 Truck Drivers Trailer Heavy and Tractor- 29-2061 Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses Licensed 43-3031 Bookkeeping Accounting Auditing Clerks and 49-9071 Maintenance General and Repair Workers 43-3071 Tellers 53-3033 Truck Drivers Services Light or Delivery 67 620 71 730 4 110 52 610 53 740 1 130 26 820 27 840 1 020 59 620 60 670 1 050 44 680 45 240 560 15 760 16 060 300 31 270 31 770 500 0.98% 2.99% 1.07% 1.88% 0.88% 0.62% 0.95% 0.80% 43-6013 Medical Secretaries 14 900 15 960 1 060 3.50% 920 2 060 570 510 530 280 150 250 530 2 560 1 030 970 690 650 740 710 580 3 480 3 090 1 540 1 200 1 180 1 020 860 830 $14.27 $29.33 $18.56 $17.32 $15.45 $16.29 $13.52 $13.49 200 730 $14.06 24 49-3023 Automotive Mechanics Service Technicians and 19 800 20 210 410 1.03% 210 41-9022 Real Estate Sales Agents 16 320 16 890 570 1.73% 280 500 710 $14.56 350 630 $14.19 43-6014 Secretaries Except and Executive Legal Medical 46 750 46 580 -170 -0.18% 0 620 620 $12.69 43-3011 Bill and Account Collectors 31-9092 Medical Assistants 47-2031 Carpenters 43-5052 Postal Service Mail Carriers 17 370 17 930 560 1.60% 280 15 310 16 110 800 2.58% 400 21 970 22 290 320 0.73% 160 18 710 16 840 -1 870 -5.13% 0 340 620 $14.31 210 610 $13.53 440 600 $14.29 580 580 $23.98 33-3051 Police and Sheriff s Patrol Officers 19 040 18 610 -430 -1.14% 0 530 530 $18.50 43-3021 Billing and Posting Clerks Machine Operators and 16 440 16 970 530 1.60% 260 260 520 $15.40 43-5071 Shipping Clerks Receiving and Traffic 19 700 19 600 -100 -0.25% 0 500 500 $13.53 13-1161 Market Research Analysts Marketing Specialists and 8 070 8 610 540 3.29% 270 210 480 $27.70 Based upon most recent available projections base year 2011. Published by GDOL Workforce Statistics and Economic Research Division. http //explorer.dol.state.ga.us/default.asp The short term needs will have high demand for nursing (3 090 registered nurses 1 200 licensed nurses) and medical assistants (210) as well as truck drivers (1 540 heavy 830 light). These occupations have the most demand for skilled workers today. Figure 9 shows the top skilled labor occupations based on annual openings through 2020. Figure 9. Top 50 In Demand Occupations Based on Annual Openings 2020 SOC Code Occupation Title 2010 2020 Total Change Annual Growth Growth Openings Replace Openings Annual Avg Hourly Openings Wage 43-4051 Customer Service Representatives 91 150 101 390 10 240 1.1% 1 020 2 590 3 610 $15.26 29-1111 Registered Nurses 25-2021 Elementary Education School Teachers Except Special 43-3031 Bookkeeping Accounting and Auditing Clerks 69 190 45 250 58 320 90 020 20 830 53 470 8 220 64 810 6 490 2.7% 1.7% 1.1% 2 080 820 650 1 250 990 640 3 330 1 810 1 290 $29.49 $25.16 $15.83 49-9071 Maintenance and Repair Workers General 44 400 48 470 4 070 0.9% 410 29-2061 Licensed Nurses Practical and Licensed Vocational 26 400 31 470 5 070 1.8% 510 13-2011 Accountants and Auditors 33 670 38 380 4 710 1.3% 470 25-2031 Secondary School Teachers and Vocational Education Except Special 30 730 33 250 2 520 0.8% 250 53-3033 Truck Drivers Light or Delivery Services 30 560 33 330 2 770 0.9% 280 820 1 230 $20.91 700 1 210 $17.46 720 1 190 $30.36 840 1 090 $25.69 610 890 $14.57 25 Figure 9. Top 50 In Demand Occupations Based on Annual Openings 2020 53-7051 Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 26 730 28 010 1 280 0.5% 130 760 890 $13.49 47-2031 Carpenters 24 850 27 760 2 910 1.1% 290 530 820 $14.14 15-1121 Computer Systems Analysts 25 570 28 900 3 330 1.2% 330 480 810 21-1093 Social and Human Service Assistants 17 900 22 060 4 160 2.1% 420 390 810 $13.37 25-2022 Middle School Teachers Vocational Education Except Special and 19 710 23 300 3 590 1.7% 360 430 790 $24.88 43-6013 Medical Secretaries 15 780 21 440 5 660 3.1% 570 210 780 $14.32 43-6014 Secretaries Executive Except Legal Medical and 44 990 46 310 1 320 0.3% 130 600 730 $13.06 33-3051 Police and Sheriff s Patrol Officers 19 270 20 530 1 260 0.6% 130 570 700 $19.24 49-3023 Automotive Mechanics Service Technicians and 19 470 20 830 1 360 0.7% 140 500 640 $15.05 31-9092 Medical Assistants 14 850 18 880 4 030 2.4% 400 230 630 $13.65 41-9022 Real Estate Sales Agents 16 660 19 120 2 460 1.4% 250 380 630 $14.50 43-3011 Bill and Account Collectors 20 600 22 810 2 210 1.0% 220 400 620 $14.84 43-3021 Billing and Operators Posting Clerks and Machine 16 140 18 990 2 850 1.6% 280 280 560 $15.83 13-1161 Market Research Specialists Analysts and Marketing 9 100 12 040 2 940 2.8% 290 240 530 47-2073 Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators Other Construction 13 480 15 490 2 010 1.4% 200 310 510 $15.49 13-1199 Business Operations Specialists All Other 23 250 23 610 360 0.2% 40 450 490 $33.01 43-5071 Shipping Receiving and Traffic Clerks 15-1142 Network and Computer Administrators Systems 25-2041 Special Education Teachers Preschool Kindergarten and Elementary School 13-1078 Human Resources Training and Relations Specialists All Other Labor 31-9091 Dental Assistants 13-1031 Claims Adjusters Investigators Examiners and 13-1151 Training and Development Specialists 19 050 18 490 -560 -0.3% 0 490 490 $14.01 10 670 13 610 2 940 2.5% 290 180 470 9 060 11 020 1 960 2.0% 200 270 470 $24.70 12 270 14 610 2 340 1.8% 230 210 440 $30.28 8 760 11 180 2 420 2.5% 240 180 420 $16.35 13 480 14 050 570 0.4% 60 340 400 $27.09 10 500 12 710 2 210 1.9% 220 180 400 51-4121 Welders Cutters Solderers and Brazers 10 000 11 310 1 310 1.2% 130 270 400 $15.63 27-1024 Graphic Designers 8 730 9 900 1 170 1.3% 120 270 390 $20.44 33-3012 Correctional Officers and Jailers 17 820 18 570 750 0.4% 80 310 390 $14.64 47-2111 Electricians 9 830 10 930 1 100 1.1% 110 270 380 $18.91 27-3031 Public Relations Specialists 7 800 9 380 1 580 1.9% 160 210 370 $26.28 33-9032 Security Guards 13 850 15 360 1 510 1.0% 150 220 370 $18.62 51-9199 Production Workers All Other 9 080 10 290 1 210 1.3% 120 240 360 $13.51 15-1132 Software Developers Applications 12 160 14 300 2 140 1.6% 220 130 350 29-2021 Dental Hygienists 6 470 8 710 2 240 3.0% 220 130 350 $30.46 41-3021 Insurance Sales Agents 8 140 9 770 1 630 1.9% 160 190 350 $24.08 26 Figure 9. Top 50 In Demand Occupations Based on Annual Openings 2020 25-2012 Kindergarten Education Teachers Except Special 7 210 8 660 1 450 1.8% 150 190 340 $22.65 43-9041 Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks 9 070 9 730 660 0.7% 70 270 340 $16.08 49-9041 Industrial Machinery Mechanics 8 280 9 940 1 660 1.8% 170 160 330 $19.53 15-1133 Software Developers Systems Software 8 980 11 260 2 280 2.3% 230 90 320 23-2011 Paralegals and Legal Assistants 7 750 9 890 2 140 2.5% 210 110 320 $25.19 33-2011 Fire Fighters 9 410 9 960 550 0.6% 60 43-4181 Reservation and Transportation and Travel Clerks Ticket Agents 13 770 14 400 630 0.4% 60 51-9061 Inspectors Weighers Testers Sorters Samplers and 11 840 12 480 640 0.5% 60 260 320 $17.19 260 320 $15.42 260 320 $16.17 Most recent projections available based off of 10 year long term projections base year 2010. Published by GDOL Workforce Statistics and Economic Research Division. http //explorer.dol.state.ga.us/default.asp Long term needs will be similar to the immediate demand for skilled labor. The health care industry will remain in high demand to fill new positions. Additionally there will be the need to replace nurses who approach retirement as part of the aging workforce. Commercial truck drivers reflect another important long term consideration with demand being driven by replacement openings rather than growth openings. Long term projections were expanded to include the top fifty occupations to account for the longer time frame. A broader occupations list also provides the necessary framework to adequately direct the training programs for WIA participants. Some occupations may have high demand for skilled labor without being included in the top twenty of short and long term projections. Georgia is currently facing a skilled labor gap among its advanced manufacturing occupations. A symptom of the systemic problem of Baby Boomers set to retire Georgia will need to replace almost half of the current workers in the skilled labor occupations. Due to the extensive amount of specialized knowledge and lengthy training requirements many of these skilled trade occupations will be in demand for new workers to take their place. As Georgia attracts new business to the region there will also be a need to meet the labor requirements of these companies. Georgia has had recent success in attracting manufacturing plants to the state and must be prepared to provide able workers to operate advanced machinery. These new opportunities can create a high demand for new labor skills within a region or across multiple local areas in the state. Georgia s Critical Industries Georgia s critical jobs are those which have been identified by the Governor and the economic development community as integral to the sustainability and growth of Georgia s economy. These industries were determined based upon multiple data points including job growth contribution to GDP and integration with workforce development resources or educational institutions. The industry clusters identified by the State are Aerospace 27 Agribusiness Bio & Life Science Construction Energy Logistics and Transportation Manufacturing Telecommunications Aerospace- Georgia has strong ties to the aerospace industry. Some of Georgia s numerous military bases attract aerospace manufacturers who work closely with these bases and provide employment opportunities. Dobbins and Robins Air Force Bases are key locations for major aerospace firms such as Lockheed and Boeing which manufacture defense technology. Additionally Atlanta s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is one of the busiest airports on the eastern seaboard and metro Atlanta s largest employer. With the addition of a new international terminal Atlanta continues to play a key role in transporting goods and people on a global scale. Agribusiness- Much of Georgia s economy is supported by agricultural activity. Agribusiness represents an important component of the economy for Georgia s rural workforce areas. In nearly two thirds of Georgia s counties agricultural production represents one of the top two largest segments of all goods and services. In 2011 Agribusiness contributed $71.1 billion to Georgia s economy and created more than 359 000 jobs.2 Bio- & Life-Science- Georgia is blessed with a unique blend of resources which allow the state to attract innovative companies to the state. Within the last five years Georgia has attracted nearly 2 400 jobs in the bioscience industry from companies relocating to the state. As an industry the life sciences employ over 19 902 Georgians projecting Georgia to be among the fastest growing bioscience states in the next five years. Construction- Although the construction industry has been unsteady current needs and projected long term growth demonstrate a critical link between the industry and Georgia s economic interests. Georgia s leadership is committed to maintaining and developing Georgia s infrastructure. In addition as Georgia continues to attract new firms industrial construction will be in demand to build their offices and factories. Skilled labor will be vital to achieving these goals. Georgia Power has begun construction of a new nuclear energy plant near Augusta requiring nearly 3 500 workers for completion between 2012 and 2017. Similarly Caterpillar has begun construction of a new manufacturing facility outside of Athens using workers to build the plant as well as creating employment opportunities for skilled laborers once the facility is completed. Energy- Georgia is a leading source of sustainable biomass and renewable energy sources with bioenergy alone contributing nearly $5 billion to the state s economy. Georgia s timber industry is a leading example for leveraging training programs such as Quick Start in developing skilled harvesters. The Energy industry is expected to add nearly 17 000 jobs in Georgia by 2020 creating a total industry workforce of over 163 000. 2 The Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development The University of Georgia 2013 28 Logistics and Transportation- The improvements at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are just one example of Georgia cementing its role as a key player in the transportation industry. The state has many other resources for participating in the global exchange of goods. Savannah Harbor for example is a major port for goods entering and exiting on the eastern seaboard. Currently public and private leaders are gathering support to expand the Savannah Harbor hoping to provide access for larger and a greater volume of vessels to access Georgia s transportation network. With the addition of new intermodal rail terminals in the state Georgia continues to be a key player in rail transportation. The Transportation industry creates over 2 500 annual job openings. Manufacturing- As the U.S. economy is transitioning to service-based industries total output by manufacturing as a percentage of the GDP has fallen. This has coincided with a decline across the country in manufacturing employment. However in one area of manufacturing Georgia is facing a severe labor shortage. Advanced manufacturing and skilled labor jobs are overwhelmingly held by older workers. As population projections have demonstrated a large portion of Georgia s workforce is nearing retirement. In the advanced manufacturing sector nearly 49% of workers are Baby Boomers. Georgia is currently only replacing one worker for every four skilled laborers that retire. Manufacturing plays a vital role in Georgia s economy and as new companies relocate to take advantage of Georgia s transportation network there will continue to be demand for skilled workers in these manufacturing plants. A skilled labor force is vital for advanced manufacturing to build roads expand the Savannah Harbor and provide for Georgia s economic needs as the transport of manufactured goods expands. The manufacturing sector accounts for 2 420 annual openings throughout the state. Telecommunications- The Telecommunications and Information Technology industry connects with several of Georgia s economic sectors through strategic partnerships. Georgia is one of the nation s leaders in Health IT connecting the industries of IT and Bioscience. The Telecommunications and IT cluster supports over 250 000 jobs in Georgia. Evaluating Georgia s Inherent Skills Gaps Labor Supply Figure 10 below represents the educational attainment of Georgia s population 25 years and over. Figure 10. Educational Attainment Georgia vs. United States United States Estimate Population 25 years and over 206 471 670 Less than High School 29 089 305 High school graduate (includes equivalency) Some college no degree 58 653 211 43 822 166 Associate s degree 16 016 175 Bachelor s degree 36 915 459 Graduate or professional degree 21 975 354 Percent 14.1% 28.4% 21.2% 7.8% 17.9% 10.6% Georgia Estimate Percent 6 308 961 989 332 15.7% 1 849 141 29.3% 1 311 569 20.8% 419 954 6.7% 1 119 648 17.7% 619 317 9.8% Source U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 29 Georgia s population over 25 mirrors national distribution of educational attainment. A higher percentage of Georgians have less than a high school diploma than the national population. Georgia also has fewer residents with post-secondary education. This means that compared to national data Georgia has fewer residents with high school diplomas and fewer residents with advanced education. Labor Demand To evaluate the gaps in the state s labor force Georgia compared this labor supply to the demand for all jobs based upon educational achievement. That comparison is presented in Figure 11. Figure 11. Labor Demand Georgia- All Industries 2010 Jobs 2020 Jobs Growth Annual Georgia Degree Openings Labor Supply Less than High School High school graduate (includes equivalency) Some college no degree 1 071 550 1 776 280 1 195 310 1 940 340 123 760 164 060 204 070 234 590 30 520 44 480 57 060 7 410 989 332 1 849 141 1 311 569 Associate s degree 232 280 271 460 39 180 8 310 Bachelor s degree 687 170 780 000 92 830 24 530 Graduate or professional degree 138 320 169 170 30 850 5 950 Source U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 419 954 1 119 648 619 317 Future Demand 1 071 550 1 776 280 204 070 232 280 687 170 138 320 % of Growth 25.7% 34.1% 6.3% 8.1% 19.3% 6.4% Figure 11 illustrates Georgia s current skill gaps. The current labor supply supports the current economic climate in which there is a surplus of workers particularly those with advanced degrees resulting in high under- and unemployment. Most openings are concentrated in positions which require a high school diploma or less. However projections through 2020 illustrate that there will be a need for individuals with all levels of educational attainment. Most importantly Georgia will need to provide more high school graduates (34.1% of growth) and college graduates (19.3% of growth) to meet the areas of economic growth. Gaps between Supply and Demand The largest inherent gaps in the labor force are the development of skills in two areas. The first is raising the floor of Georgia s education to align with national levels. This can be measured through the number of Georgians without a high school diploma or its equivalent a rate higher than the national average. A high level of 18-24 year olds without high school diplomas creates a future workforce unable to attract new firms. Georgia needs to develop strategies for increasing its high school graduation rate as well as connecting out of school and older youth with programs to complete degree equivalency programs. Georgia must align its educational systems to produce students armed with the tools to be college and career ready. While Figure 11 illustrates the skills needed for the entire economy it also masks important workforce needs. Georgia s In-Demand occupation list accounts for 24% of all annual openings and all require at least a high school diploma. Nearly a quarter of these in-demand occupations require a bachelor s 30 degree. The demand for jobs across the entire economy includes openings with low end and seasonal openings inflating it over the true demand for skilled labor. These skilled labor occupations are Georgia s second inherent skills gap. Georgia will need to align strategies to provide for attracting and training workers to meet the in-demand occupation list. Figure 12 shows that among these top 50 occupations there is an increase in the growth of jobs requiring either a high school diploma or college degree. Figure 12. Labor Demand Georgia- Top 50 In Demand Occupations 2010 Jobs 2020 Jobs Growth Less than High School - - - High school graduate (includes equivalency) 615 880 681 150 65 270 Some college no degree 44 570 52 610 8 040 Associate s degree 83 410 108 620 25 210 Bachelor s degree 251 410 294 790 43 380 Graduate or professional degree - - - Source U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey Annual Openings - 19 390 1 950 4 000 9 770 - % of Growth - 36.9% 4.5% 14.2% 24.5% - Most new job openings throughout the state require only a high school diploma. However the high school graduate category does not completely explain the skills gaps present in Georgia. The prescribed educational achievement levels are focused on degree programs and traditional academics. They do not reflect other educational opportunities which may not result in a diploma but may produce a certificate or licensure. The occupations categorized as requiring only a high school diploma include advanced manufacturing and skilled trades such as truck drivers carpenters and welders. These occupations align with in-demand occupations growth sectors and the Governor s strategic industries. Through training programs or apprentice programs Georgia citizens could enter one of these vital careers. State Identified Workforce Development Issues The Governor and the SWIB are committed to addressing the needs of Georgia s workforce by aligning programs to meet the demands of the state s economy. In order to address the needs of the state Georgia has identified a number of key workforce development issues which will guide the Integrated Workforce Plan First the state will seek to better prepare our youth for entry into the workforce. This includes charging local workforce investment areas to actively assist in raising high school graduation rates. As illustrated in Figure 10 Georgia has a higher percentage of adults in the labor force that lack a high school diploma or its equivalent. The high level of adult illiteracy is holding back the economic development in some portions of the state. The growth projected in Georgia s economy will be centered in jobs that require at a minimum a high school education. Georgia s workforce system must address these concerns by working with stakeholders to both improve Georgia s high school graduation rate as well as provide opportunities for adults to earn the equivalent diploma. 31 Second the state will work closely to maintain and develop our current supply of skilled labor. This will mean exploring ways to provide skills upgrading in an effort to retain existing manufacturers and developing a more aggressive Rapid Response program. By matching dislocated workers with our indemand occupation list Georgia can take advantage of ensuring an adequately skilled labor force. The state will also encourage skilled labor as a strong career choice. As more and more skilled workers retire the state must find ways to recruit and replace these workers. This recruitment will be driven by the indemand occupation list particularly careers in transportation manufacturing and construction. Georgia has one of the largest veteran populations. State agencies continue to pursue programs for our returning and current veterans building upon their existing skills and matching them with occupations for success. This includes partnerships with the Georgia Department of Labor the Secretary of State and the Department of Driver Services to help transition military licenses into commercial trucking and skilled trade licenses to help lower the extremely high unemployment rate among veterans nationally. Current methods for matching military occupations to civilian careers are inadequate. Georgia will work alongside military leadership to help develop new pathways to effectively place our veterans in a civilian career and further develop the skills which they already possess. Finally Georgia will target specific sub-populations most in need of WIA services. This includes a heightened focus on the at-risk youth population highlighting the needs of those between 14-16 years old and re-entry programs for parolees and ex-offenders. Some of Georgia s local areas have already begun programs which focus on getting ex-offenders into steady jobs such as the program in local area 13 discussed later in the plan. Georgia s workforce system will be most efficient by leveraging the whole of state resources through a data driven demand based approach. The In-Demand occupations are tightly woven into the strategic industries Governor Deal has highlighted. These industries provide job opportunities in regions throughout the state not just in our heavily populated areas. Georgia s in-demand occupations provide for a significant portion of all annual openings taking advantage of Georgia s current labor force skills and providing growth to encourage Georgia to continue to develop a skilled work force. Focusing on high growth industries is vital for Georgia s economy to successfully emerge from the recent economic downturn and prepare for the growth ahead. Performance Accountability/Outcomes After assuming the administrative role over the WIA system in Georgia the Governor s Office of Workforce Development explored various case management and reporting solutions available in the marketplace including the current system Georgia Department of Labor s Georgia Workforce System (GWS). After a thorough evaluation and in accordance with all state and federal procurement policies GOWD determined that Geographic Solutions Virtual One-Stop provided the best solution for the state. GOWD moved its WIA case management and reporting activities from GDOL s GWS system to Geographic Solution s Virtual One-Stop System July 1 2013. The state is currently in the midst of the implementation process and is collaborating with GDOL to ensure a smooth transition. GOWD and GDOL have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to match UI and WRIS wage data of participants enrolled in the Virtual One-Stop System. Geographic Solutions will provide GDOL with a wage match file which GDOL will return with wage information. Geographic Solutions will then run the WIASRD file through DRVS to check for possible edits correct any edits that appear and submit that file to GDOL for upload via EBSS on GOWD s behalf. GOWD is also currently developing a process to identify participants who are co-enrolled in WIA and Wagner-Peyser and extending service for participants who qualify for 32 an extension due to their co-enrollment. GOWD is confident that this new system will help local areas better serve their customers and will help the state administer the grant in a more efficient manner. Negotiated Performance Levels Following the end of each program year LWIAs have the opportunity to make data corrections before WIASRD files are submitted to USDOL as part of the annual report. GDOL produces quarterly reports and submits them to GOWD for approval before transmittal to the USDOL Employment and Training Administration. Performance negotiations begin by examining past performance and engaging local areas in discussions on current service delivery. GOWD collects information on participants being served including reports on the number of targeted populations being served. These discussions serve as a means to understand how each LWIA has implemented their local plan in alignment with state strategic goals and potential challenges or unique circumstances to meeting performance levels. These discussions also serve to provide a basis for discussions of performance standards with USDOL. In proposing PY13 goals GOWD staff considered Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals Georgia s past performance and the performance of our regional neighbors. Also taken into consideration was available labor market information and new priorities and strategies inherent in decisions by the SWIB. As the new grant recipient GOWD considered the new administration and targeted services in proposing performance levels. In PY12 Georgia exceeded performance targets on seven measures and nearly exceeded the remaining two. In looking to build upon this success and strive for continual improvement Georgia successfully negotiated the following targets for PY13 Adults Entered Employment Rate Employment Retention Rate Average 6-Month Earnings Previous Year s Performance (PY12) 71.5 84.2 $12 494 Negotiated Performance PY12 71.5 82.4 $12 500 Negotiated Performance PY13 72.5 85.0 $12 750 Dislocated Workers Entered Employment Rate Employment Retention Rate Average 6-Month Earnings 77.7 90.3 $17 766 77.5 88.3 $16 250 79.0 90.3 $17 062 Youth Placed in Education and Employment 66.4 60 62 Attainment of Degree or Certificate 74.5 70 71 Literacy and Numeracy Gains 49.8 40 41 33 Georgia does not have any additional performance measures beyond the nine common measures. Negotiated performance for subsequent program years are posted as a modification to the state plan at workforce.georgia.gov. Sanctions and Incentive Policies If a local workforce development area fails to meet performance standards the state will provide technical assistance including the development of a performance improvement to help the LWIA improve performance and meet the standards. If a local workforce development area does not meet performance standards for two consecutive years the Georgia Workforce Investment Board shall develop and impose a reorganization plan that may include but is not limited to Restructuring of the board Prohibiting the use of designated service providers including state agencies and Merging the local workforce development area with another. A local workforce development area that is the subject of a reorganization plan may appeal to the Governor to rescind or revise the plan not later than the thirtieth day after the date of receiving notice of the plan. If as a result of financial and compliance audits or for another reason the Georgia Workforce Investment Board finds a substantial violation of a specific provision of this chapter or another federal or state law or regulation and corrective action has not been taken within 60 days the Georgia Workforce Investment Board shall Issue a notice of intent to revoke all or part of the affected local plan Issue a notice of intent to cease immediately reimbursement of local program costs or Impose a reorganization plan for the local workforce development area. 34 Operational Plan Overview of the Workforce System Operational Plan The state s workforce development system strategically incorporates multiple stakeholder goals to achieve the Governor s vision. The Governor s vision aligns programs and leverages state resources to create an effective and efficient method of workforce development to meet the needs of Georgia s growing economy. In doing so students from Georgia s educational systems are prepared to either further their studies or embark on a career. The goal of Georgia s Workforce Investment System is to provide employment education and training activities to participants through the funds made available under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. These services help eligible participants gain and maintain employment as well as provide them with an up-to-date occupational based skill set that reflects the needs of the current job market. Georgia s Workforce Investment System provides seamless and fully integrated delivery for a qualified well trained and marketable workforce that will foster economic growth in Georgia. Local Areas WIA requires the Governor to designate LWIAs throughout the state. LWIAs are designated based on factors such as population resource availability location of labor market area and various other geographic limitations. Georgia s Workforce System is divided into twenty local areas. The chief elected official of each local area establishes the LWIB as the administrative entity responsible for service delivery of the WIA. The LWIB provide the strategic direction as well as set training and investment priorities of the local area in cooperation with state-wide activities and workforce objectives. It is the primary goal of the LWIB to ensure the workforce development programs operating within their areas effectively and efficiently support the labor and job training needs of employers and WIA participants. WIA enumerates additional LWIB roles and responsibilities such as Develop and submit in partnership with the local area s chief elected official a local plan to the Governor. Designate and certify operators of One-Stops in the local area. Identify eligible providers for intensive and training services. Coordinate workforce investment activities with economic development strategies and develop linkages to employers. Oversee workforce program activities in its local area. Enter into Memoranda of Understanding with required partners to establish the area s One- Stop Delivery System. Each CLEO designates a fiscal agent to serve as the grant recipient. State policy limits "fiscal agent" to a local government a city government a county government or a regional commission within the geographic area of the LWIA. This does not include any charitable organization receiving federal or state tax exempt status. The SWIB and the Governor are responsible for establishing the criteria for the chief elected officials to secure LWIB appointments. Under federal law LWIB membership requires the majority of each LWIB to 35 be made up of local business representatives. The LWIB must include members from local educational entities local labor organizations local economic development agencies and representatives of each One-Stop partner. The Governor and the SWIB in an effort to increase the coordination of organizations involved in workforce related activities require each LWIB to include a senior representative from each technical college governed by TCSG located in the local area. The LWIBs are also required to include a representative of the GDEcD s staff. These members are then certified prior to being officially designated as the LWIB by the Governor and the chief elected official in their area. This certification occurs once upon their original formation and is then repeated biennially. Recertification verifies that the LWIB s WIA activities have enabled their local area to meet previously established performance goals. Certification assures the SWIB has maintained membership guidelines while allowing flexibility to the LWIB to serve their local community. Each LWIB must also comply with federal and state conflict of interest policies and Sunshine Provisions. Federal regulations require LWIB make available to the public at regular intervals all information regarding their activities. Under Georgia Law passed in 2012 both LWIBs and LWIAs now constitute an "agency" as defined in OCGA 50-14-1(a)(1) and are subject to the state s Open Meetings and Records Acts. The Chief Local Elected Official (CLEO) the Local Workforce Investment Board Chairperson the Local Workforce Area Director and members of each Local Workforce Investment Board shall be required to sign and file an affidavit with the Governor s Office of Workforce Development stating that HE/SHE "took no official action which had material effect on such board member s/ CLEO s/ Local Area Director s private financial or business interests in the previous certification period." This affidavit must be filed on or before January 31 of each year of recertification and covers the preceding certification period for existing CLEOs Area Directors and Board Members. New CLEOs Area Directors and Board Members must file the affidavit by January 31 of their first year in office. For the 2013 certification period this affidavit will cover October 1 2012 thru December 31 2012. Local Boards were made aware of this change September 10 2012. Subsequent years for affidavit collection will begin in Sept for the upcoming year. GOWD provides technical assistance to the local areas and their boards for further coordination and oversight. In addition to providing technical assistance the GOWD as the fiscal recipient of WIA is charged with monitoring the LWIBs to ensure compliance with all state and federal requirements. GOWD also maintains financial responsibility for WIA state-wide and dispenses and executes drawdowns to the local workforce areas per the annually determined allocation formulas. Internal Service Delivery Assessment GOWD contracted a One-Stop and Service Delivery assessment for internal use in winter of 2012-2013. The assessment included five site visits and several stakeholder interviews. Summary of Baseline Statistics in Georgia s "Current State" 2011 WIA served only 6.4% of Georgia s Unemployment Insurance Beneficiaries. Federal Workforce Systems are designed by their nature to pull people off the Unemployment Insurance rolls thus returning them to the workforce faster. Encouraging LWIAs to mine data available to them for those participants on the Unemployment Insurance rolls would create a cohesive system between GDOL s Unemployment Insurance program Wagner-Peyser TAA and WIA activities at the local and state level. The average cost per customer in 2011 was $2 404. Considering federal state and local budget 36 restrictions increasing the number of customers in the state workforce system will ensure that more Georgians have access to services during this time of higher than average unemployment. Decreasing the amount of cost per customer should increase the number of participants considering there is no increase in financial resources from federal state and local governments. Looking at these numbers alone it is clear that Georgia s Workforce System is not operating in the most efficient and effective manner which is a goal noted in the Governor s Vision. Strategic Recommendations Through this internal assessment GOWD received strategic and operational recommendations to help improve the workforce system for Georgia. In areas where it is appropriate voluntary consolidation can help achieve a more efficient workforce. This is evident in workforce areas 18 (South Georgia) and 19 (Southeast Georgia). These two areas have similar customer bases and demographics. By merging these areas can lower administrative costs and in turn designate a larger amount of funds to serving their LWIA. Consolidation can be achieved through filling open positions and creating a new organizational structure for the area creating a merged LWIB and delegating board responsibilities as well as managing and distributing assets to the new local area. A centralized point of control for Wagner-Peyser (WP) Trade Adjustment Assistance Program (TAA) Jobs for Veterans Act and WIA can allow for easier access for customers as well as reduce transportation and travel costs. GOWD along with GDOL and other agencies could work together to create this centralized point of control. As stated previously GOWD is continuing to leverage the Technical College infrastructure as a touchpoint for participants to access WIA services. TCSG and WIA have similar end-goals in developing Georgia s workforce by providing the necessary training to those in need. GOWD is in the process of developing a communications strategy to ensure and enable continuous communication and collaboration between GOWD SWIB LWIBs and WIA Directors. GOWD staff hosts monthly best practices calls with Local Area Directors to keep lines of communications open. Financial Impact of Consolidation An estimated $350K is spent per LWIA on Local Boards WIA Directors Finance Directors and support staff salary and administrative expenses. This estimation takes into account a WIA Director salary of $100K Finance Director $100K 2 support functions $50K each office space and other related expenses of $50K. Consolidation would present opportunities to increase efficiencies and reduce waste throughout the WIA Program and could result in a conservative cost savings of $350K for each LWIA eliminated. The WIA Administration Cost Allowance (10%) is $6.9M for the State of Georgia. Through voluntary consolidation cost savings can be realized through the standardization of processes improvement of compliance and accountability structures and the ability to leverage economies of scale. 37 One-Stop Career Centers3 The 2012-2017 Strategic Plan of Georgia Workforce Development calls for the restructuring and streamlining of the One-Stop Career Center service delivery system for both job seekers and employers. Goals include Creating a new framework and operational guidelines for a more integrated One-Stop delivery system Measuring how well the system delivers quality service and Assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of data collection tools for tracking and planning purposes. Per WIA Section 112(b)(8)(A) Georgia s state operating systems support coordinated implementation of state strategies (i.e. labor market information systems data systems communication systems etc.). The One-Stop system has always focused its efforts on enhancing the level of services for employers dislocated workers displaced homemakers low-income individuals public assistance recipients women minorities individuals trained for non-traditional employment veterans ex-offenders the homeless individuals with multiple barriers to employment and individuals with disabilities. Proven strategies to address individual s needs include literacy and basic skills programs occupational skills training job accommodations assistive technologies disability awareness training and other activities that may address barriers and support achievement of positive outcomes. Georgia s workforce development structure is coordinated at both the state and local levels to ensure collaborative planning and integrated service delivery. Each Comprehensive One-Stop Center provides a wide range of employment training and career education services to Georgia employers and job seekers and is accessible to all in the state s multi-tiered approach. One of the LWIB s most important roles is the establishment of the local area s One-Stop Delivery System. Georgia s leadership has long supported the provision of workforce services to a universal population through Georgia s One-Stop System. One-Stop Career Center staffs are organized to serve customers regardless of their barriers to employment level of need or degree of career development. All core services are accessible to the "universal customer" at all of the One-Stop Centers throughout the state. The requirement to make core services available to all customers is included in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the heads of the state agencies that provide workforce services. Services are generally available to individuals based on need and availability of funding. Where appropriate and where WIA funding is not available referrals will be made to other sources where support may be available. In addition a variety of labor market information and career development tools are available to the universal population at all centers. The One-Stop Delivery System is responsible for administering the state s workforce investment activities education and other human resource programs and funding streams. The One-Stop Operator is the administrative entity responsible for accomplishing this in a seamless and fully integrated fashion so as to provide better access to the various programs services and to improve long-term employment outcomes for individuals receiving assistance. As provided in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 the Local Workforce Investment Board with the agreement of the chief elected official must designate and certify One-Stop Operators in each local 3 For more information see Attachment K. 38 area. Local Boards are charged with utilizing criteria and quality standards for the purpose of holding Operators accountable for the one-stop system or center(s) operations they oversee. In order to ensure that certification provides a consistent level of quality across the local workforce investment areas each Local Workforce Investment Board will be required to submit a business plan to the State Workforce Investment Board using the following process 1. The local entity will submit a business plan to their LWIB that will be forwarded to the SWIB for written determination within 90 days of submittal. a. If denied a written explanation will be given and a LWIB may submit a revised plan to re-initiate the process at any time. b. Requirements for the business plan composition are included in the GOWD Policies and Procedures Manual. 2. The LWIB conducts a site review within 60 days of the business plan approval. The reviewer will use the business plan interview site and partner staff to ensure compliance. Notification will be given within 30 days of the site review. a. If denied then a corrective plan is provided with written determination and technical support to aid in reaching compliance. Within 60 days of resubmission the LWIB will conduct a new site review. b. On-site Reviews may be delegated to an administrative entity as long as the reports are received by the LWIB. 3. Once the LWIB has completed the on-site review the State Board grants certification status. Georgia s current certification process closely mirrors the minimum federal requirements therefore it is the goal of the SWIB and the Governor to add further criteria that will enhance the effectiveness of local areas One-Stop systems. The current certification process can be supplemented to verify that at a minimum the One-Stop Delivery System has made each of the programs services and activities described in WIA section 134(c)(1)(A-E) available in no less than one physical center in each local area. This addition would support the intent of WIA to have all required programs and services physically located at one location within a local area to provide a true "One-Stop" for potential customers. Although WIA allows for required partners and services to be accessed electronically the SWIB and the Governor have made it a priority to foster an increased physical presence of the required partners and programs in comprehensive One-Stop Centers. This will consolidate and conserve valuable resources and cut down on the duplication of services throughout the local areas. The Workforce Investment Act in addition to requiring one comprehensive site per area allows for an arrangement of satellite or affiliate sites to supplement the one comprehensive center. Currently these affiliate sites are not required to meet the requirements set forth in WIA section 134. These sites provide a variety of services from core and intensive to training service as well as different social service and workforce programs. Although these sites are connected and integrated into the workforce system and provide some valuable services the state will be looking to improve this lack of uniformity. WIA and Wagner-Peyser funded services must be provided for the universal population in all chartered One-Stop Centers. GOWD is coordinating with GDOL to ensure that Wagner-Peyser funding is available at all American Job Centers. Futhermore both organizations are collaborating to see that WagnerPeyser funding is being used as the "front door" to provide core (tier 1) and intensive (tier 2) services to participants at the initial point of entry into the workforce system and that WIA funds are being utilized largely for training (tier 3) services. The tiers of services are listed below 39 Tier I Core Services are primarily self-service or informational in nature and include o Eligibility determination o Outreach intake profiling information on services available o Initial assessments including support needs o Provision of labor market statistics o Job vacancy listing o Information on skill requirements for occupations o Local occupations in demand earnings and skill requirements for jobs o Performance and cost information on eligible training providers on Georgia s Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) o Information on the availability of support services o Customer follow-up Tier II Intensive Services begin with the development of an Individual Employment Plan and require selective service registration including o Comprehensive assessments o Specialized assessments o Diagnostic testing o In-depth interviewing and evaluation to identify education and employment barriers o Development of an Individual Service Strategy (ISS) for youth (14-18 years old) and development of an Individual Employment Plan (IEP) for adults 18 and older o Client-centered case management o Job and career counseling o Life skills training/coaching o Job-readiness training o Job referrals Tier III Training Services also require registration engagement in Tier I and Tier II services and enrollment in one of the following o Occupational skills training including training for non-traditional employment o On-the-job training o Programs that combine workplace training with related instruction which include cooperative education programs o Training programs operated by the private sector o Skills upgrading and retraining o Entrepreneurial training o Job readiness training o Adult Education and literacy activities provided in combination with other skills training services listed above o Customized training conducted with a commitment by an employer or group of employers to employ those who successfully complete training In order to insure that WIA and Wagner-Peyser services are co-located at all One-Stop Centers and that participants are readily co-enrolled into both funding mechanisms GOWD has employed certain 40 measures to bring full integration into the state s One-Stop Delivery System. To assist in this process a working group will be established between GOWD and GDOL to discuss the integration milestones as they occur. The integration working group will provide technical assistance to all of the local entities involved in this process. The group will be made up of members of the programmatic staff from each of the entities. November 2012 February 2013 GOWD contracted a One-Stop and Service Delivery assessment for internal use. The findings of this assessment (outlined on pg. 38) highlighted many areas in which improvements could be made including the integration of WIA and Wagner-Peyser services. May 2013 GOWD began the process of conducting LWIB Certification and will occur every two years. Through this process GOWD was able to determine whether or not LWIBs were in full compliance with federal board composition standards. One of the standards tested was whether all 19 LWIB s board rosters contained representatives from their required and additional One-Stop partners. LWIBs that did not contain these members were required by GOWD to add these individuals prior to July 1 2013. The LWIB membership of One-Stop partners is crucial to ensure that services are being delivered efficiently and effectively. July 2013 December 2013 During the monitoring of PY 2012 which will occur from July 2013 to December 2013 GOWD will ensure that each LWIA and its corresponding LWIB has a written process for the re-certification of all One-Stop Centers. GOWD will ensure that the processes in place will verify the co-location of all required partners including Wagner-Peyser. LWIAs that do not currently have a complete and timely One-Stop certification process in place will be issued findings and observations accordingly. When GOWD issues a finding to an entity the entity must submit a corrective action response. It is through this process that GOWD will ensure that the entity has properly addressed any lack of appropriate processes for re-certification. November 2013 GOWD will submit guidance to all LWIAs for local plan submission in November of 2013. Per GOWD instruction LWIAs will be required to assess the current integration of WIA and Wagner-Peyser services in their One-Stop Centers. This assessment will include details on the co-location of WIA and Wagner Peyser at One-Stop Centers as well as the co-enrollment of participants. Additionally LWIAs will be required to address how they plan to move to a more integrated system as it is the intent of GOWD to encourage a system of seamless integration. LWIAs will also be required to submit a revised One-Stop Business Plan to GOWD as part of the local plan submission process. The revised One-Stop Business Plans must include o A vision and mission statement o A diagram or narrative of customer flow throughout the tiers of services o Identification of the clear flow of services between all partners o Identification of the facility s service delivery structure i.e. location service mix and customer flow o Demonstration of a plan for increased enrollment in various programs and increased use of facilities o Identification of a system for referral to training services and use of ITAs 41 o Identification of leveraged resources with various funding streams educational grants and other financial aid programs o Identification of a community outreach plan o Identification of all One-Stop partners and the ways in which services are integrated January 2014 LWIAs will submit local plans to GOWD July 2014 December 2015 GOWD will evaluate the LWIA s progress during PY 13 monitoring with the goals that they set for themselves in their local plans and revised business plans. GOWD will also review any reports from the LWIB on the entity s One-Stop Re-Certification process. Necessary guidance and technical assistance will be issued in the following months should any LWIAs fall behind their stated targets. July 2015 GOWD anticipates WIA and Wagner-Peyser services to be progressing toward full integration in all 19 LWIAs. The Georgia State Workforce Investment Board supports uniform branding and will explore the cost of branding for the State and inclusion of "America s Job Center" brand. The SWIB will make a future decision based on cost analysis. The state is currently applying for an extension on additional waivers to increase the flexibility of local area program design. One such waiver will allow the state to use a portion of Rapid Response funds for incumbent worker training. To strengthen this resource Georgia is requesting the extension of a waiver to increase the transfer of funds between adult and dislocated worker funding streams. These waivers will provide Georgia s local areas with the flexibility to best serve the needs of their area. GOWD currently has waivers in place that benefit Georgia s employers especially those who run medium or small companies. In addition to applying for incumbent worker training waivers the state is seeking to extend two existing waivers that allow a greater reimbursement to employers who provide On-the-Job Training and customized or specialized training. The waivers allow for the modification of the requirements established in WIA Section 101(8) (c) and 20 CFR 663.715(c) which requires employers to pay not less than 50% of the costs of customized training. The modification will allow employers with fewer employees to pay less of the training cost as outlined below. 1-50 employees 10% contribution 51-250 employees 25% contribution 251 and more employees standard 50% contribution GOWD also provides technical assistance to the local areas. As part of this assistance GOWD has encouraged the local areas to reach out to the business community in a greater way to get information on their workforce needs. Also GOWD informs employers of the services that their local area currently provides. The local areas are also encouraged to be in communication with their local Chambers of Commerce to help foster business participation. 42 GDOL Career Centers Atlanta-based CredAbility reports that Georgia is the third-most financially distressed state in the nation. While Georgia s unemployment rate has recently dipped below double-digits housing foreclosures and bankruptcies continue and far too many experienced workers are unable to find new jobs. As the "front door" to the workforce system GDOL career centers identify customers needs assist them with Unemployment Insurance employment and reemployment assistance trade services automated resources workshops and referrals to more intensive services such as training which are provided by GOWD through the LWIAs and other workforce partners. Career centers staff and other partners are busier than ever assisting employers. In the past year more than a dozen new large employers and many new small businesses have relocated to Georgia and are employing thousands of workers. Through the aggressive efforts of the Governor and various state agencies Georgia was ranked second in the nation as a site selection of choice4 and for best business climate5. Employment services provided with Wagner-Peyser funding are available to all individuals eligible to work in the United States those with jobs looking for better career opportunities individuals who have lost their jobs and those seeking employment for the first time. These services form a continuum ranging from self-service online to group presentations to customized one-on-one assistance. Individuals with more specialized needs (e.g. veterans migrant and seasonal farmworkers and others) receive customized services to further their career goals. GDOL has more than 40 sites across the state at which services may be accessed. To enhance the efficiency of operations while ensuring customers continue to have access to services in their communities the department closed several offices during PY2011 and established resource centers through collaboration with community partners. GDOL will continue to seek opportunities to consolidate service sites and maximize efficiency. Employment Services (ES) are provided to more than half a million individuals annually and Georgia businesses listed 170 000 jobs with the department in the most recent year. More than 1.6 million referrals to jobs were provided last year and nearly 900 special recruiting events were conducted. 4 Georgia Department of Economic Development Area Development 9/11 5 Site Selection 11/11 43 400000 350000 300000 250000 200000 150000 100000 50000 0 PY 2007 ES Registrants PY 2008 PY 2009 PY 2010 PY 2011 Services routinely provided to Employment Service customers throughout the state include self-service resources including books videos pamphlets access to computers job search software rsum development and typing tutorials job openings in Georgia the Southeast and the nation labor market information for career exploration fields in demand average salaries and much more training and education resources financial aid options vocational assessment automated referral assistance workshops on a variety of employment-related topics (e.g. effective job search interviewing rsum development coping with job loss financial management) career expos job search assistance and job referral job development job clubs individualized assistance for customers with unique needs specialized assistance for veterans other eligible individuals and migrant and seasonal farmworkers assistance for ex-offenders assistance with federal bonding referral to partner and community provider services Through the GDOL design of comprehensive service delivery - both on-site and online assistance for Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants - Georgia s UI duration is consistently one month lower than 44 the national average. This is especially significant given Georgia s high unemployment rate relative to many other states. An additional strategy envisioned for PY12 is the implementation of an initial skills assessment for Unemployment Insurance applicants. Similar to Florida s model this assessment will help staff and customers identify the most appropriate next step towards achieving employment. This assessment will not be a mandatory step in order to file an UI claim. However the immediate access to such an assessment will enable a more seamless transition from UI to WIA training services enabling that customer to re-enter the workforce more quickly. One of the many strategies that promote this strong connection between UI and the Employment Service (ES) is that the federal Profiling model for claimants is run at intake. Thus customers know at the outset of an eligible UI claim whether they will be eligible for reemployment services. At that initial contact a schedule of services and activities is provided. Staff is trained to identify customers needs and recommend the best resources and activities to promote their success. This may involve job search activities soft skills training development of a professional-quality rsum or referral to WIA for retraining. Other community resources are recommended and accessed as needed. GDOL also created the Special Workforce Assistance Team (SWAT) to help connect unemployed Georgians with jobs. SWAT offers Job Readiness Kickoff and Talent Attraction events to work with job seekers to help them create new attention-grabbing rsums develop a new understanding of what employers are looking for increase hope and self-confidence Job seekers take advantage of free workshops to improve interview skills market themselves to potential employers and maximize their job search skills using social media. Those who attend Job Readiness and Talent Attraction events receive a first chance to meet with representatives from local companies that have jobs to fill. 45 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 Top Five States Ranked by Average Number of Weeks Individuals Collect Unemployment Insurance Benefits 1st Quarter 2012 State Average Duration of Benefits * 12-month Initial UI Claims ** 12 month Number of Weeks Compensated ** 12-month Benefits Paid ** North Dakota 12.2 Georgia 13.4 Iowa 14.1 Idaho 14.3 Indiana 14.4 30 051 678 762 203 179 135 753 403 209 184 356 3 505 104 1 469 022 868 783 2 728 198 60 216 000 912 047 000 445 988 000 202 163 000 777 373 000 United States 17.4 20 595 003 159 971 601 45 840 338 000 * -Average Duration of Unemployment Insurance Benefits presented in weeks ** -12 month period beginning April 2011 through March 2012 USDOL UI Data Summary Tables 1st Qtr 2012 GDOL Workforce Statistics & Economic Research Average Unemployment Insurance Claim Duration State of Georgia & National Comparison for 2007 to 2011 20 18 16 14 12 Claimed Weeks 10 8 6 4 2 15.2 11.2 14.9 11.6 18.8 15.3 18.9 14.7 17.5 13.3 Georgia United States 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 46 Georgia has maintained an active Eligibility Review Process through which UI customers are evaluated typically at the 5th 9th and 14th weeks of their claim. At each of these dates they receive additional guidance and resources for effective reemployment. Centers also offer workshops during these visits on topics including interviewing techniques networking and dressing for success. These strategies contribute to the state s continued low average duration of UI claims. The GDOL career centers comprise nearly three-quarters of the state s comprehensive One-Stop sites at which both required and optional partners provide services. Career centers work with WIA offices technical colleges and adult education providers Department of Human Services offices Job Corps housing authorities libraries military bases and other partners to ensure individuals unique needs are met. Each career center has a resource area which customers can access for their employment needs. Some of the resources available to any and all customers include the Job Information System including Georgia jobs job listings throughout the Southeast and access to the national job bank labor market information including Georgia Labor Market Explorer O*Net tools and others self-directed career exploration and assessment tools instructional software for typing and rsum development automated job referral options training and education resources financial aid information online filing of initial Unemployment Insurance claims telephones fax machines and copiers. EUC Reemployment Activities Georgia has quickly and successfully implemented the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) reemployment initiative specified in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. ES and UI staff in career centers are working together to ensure that EUC claimants receive all possible services to hasten their reemployment. Activities for these individuals include an orientation to resources ES registration a skills assessment workshops job referrals and referral to training and other needed services. To address the federal requirement for assessment the national My Next Move assessment instrument is used. This provides each participant and the staff that assist them with a clear picture of the customer s transferable skills and prospects for reemployment in the community. This is the foundation for a customer-staff discussion on future career directions and service needs. Customers are encouraged to access self-service and online resources so they may continue a productive job search once they leave the career center. Following workshops rsum assistance job referrals information on federal bonding and other pertinent resources EUC customers submit their work search information to staff on an ongoing basis and are welcome to access all career center resources throughout their period of job search. From April through June 2012 Georgia DOL completed more than 38 600 EUC reemployment assessments. 47 Market and Education Data and Technology as Drivers for Workforce Development Decisions6 Strategies for using quarterly wage record information Georgia in accordance with state laws uses several database reporting components to ensure a common data system and reporting process which meets USDOL requirements for quarterly wage record information and measurement of the state and local performance measures (common measures). In order to meet the requirement of WIA 136(f)(2) the use of social security numbers from registered participants and other information as is necessary to measure progress through quarterly wage record information is authorized and reported at an aggregate to keep consistent with Personally Identifiable Information (PII) regulations. In addition to the federally-funded workforce programs Georgia has been a member of the Wage Record Interchange System (WRIS) since its inception. Georgia also participates in the USDOL-sponsored Federal Data Exchange System (FEDES) through which employment and salary information is obtained from several federal sources including the Department of Defense U.S. Postal Service and the Office of Personnel Management. The Unemployment Insurance Division promotes the Georgia wage records for partnering agencies. GOWD will also be partnering with the Georgia Department of Labor to ensure wage information is included in the new WIA case management system s reporting. GDOL Workforce Statistics and Economic Research Division staff works closely with state and local workforce system partners stakeholders and the economic development community to provide timely and relevant labor market data. Publications and presentations training sessions and one-on-one technical assistance are well-received by a wide range of data-users (e.g. LWIBs economists Regional Coordinators teachers and career counselors One-Stop partners businesses and job seekers) as evidenced by positive feedback on participant surveys. The high quality of these products has led to strong word-of-mouth marketing of the division s products and services. Georgia participates in the Local Employment Dynamics (LED) program which includes the Quarterly Workforce Indicators Industry Focus and On the Map tools. This program combines state-level employment data with census information to produce new workforce resources. The Quarterly Workforce Indicators include total employment new job flows job creation new hires separation turnover average monthly employment and average new hire earnings. In addition this data is available at an industry level by age group and by gender. Industry Focus allows users to create reports by industry to look at leading indicators. On the Map allows users to study where people live and work. This gives workforce developers transportation experts and city planners the opportunity to look at their populations and determine commuting patterns in- and out-migration of residents and workers and other valuable information. Workforce Statistics and Economic Research staff continue to cultivate close working relationships with state and local workforce staff assisting in all areas of requests. Staff assist a variety of workforce and economic development partners with labor market tools including Chambers of Commerce state and 6 For more information see Attachment K. 48 local economic developers LWIBs Employer Committees industry organizations and educators. Assistance ranges from discovering tools and/or locating data to understanding and interpreting data. Training and technical assistance are also provided with various products. The Workforce Information Core Products and Services grant supports the work of the division in providing quality labor market information to the workforce education and economic development systems throughout the state. Customized data is developed and provided to local workforce systems businesses economists and economic development teams to help them plan and carry out their strategic priorities. In addition to assisting with current products and resources staff strives to develop and use new products they determine will be useful for their diverse customers. Workforce Statistics and Economic Research staffs are key players in the department s economic development focus. In the first half of 2012 the division prepared customized labor market information for GDEcD project managers in support of 123 active economic development projects. Typical turnaround time for this data has been significantly reduced to less than one business day. Several staff members have been cross-trained to ensure that this vital activity receives top priority. During PY12 the office will continue to refine products to optimize assistance to GDEcD as they work with business prospects. Staff also develop and provide technical assistance and formal training to workforce staff and their partners. These activities ensure that Georgia s workforce system serves as a catalyst for the state s talent development process. The Georgia Labor Market Explorer is a web-based source of workforce information for businesses job seekers economic developers analysts researchers and students. Some of the information in this system includes wages by LWIA area and state service delivery regions for all occupations and industries growth and declining industries and occupations employment trends regional commuting patterns information about education and training opportunities a variety of career exploration tools This site provides business assistance such as tools for writing job descriptions tax information recruitment options and resources for employee training. Job seekers can link to current job openings and check wages qualifications and job outlook for occupations in which they are interested. Students can link to information on schools and training providers in the community sources of financial aid and which career fields are growing. Analysts and researchers can access a wide variety of labor market economic and demographic data. Visitors to the Georgia Labor Market Explorer can set up personal profiles to store data for future reference and includes a feature for asking questions and receiving answers online. Enhancements to the system are planned for the coming year. Technology GDOL serves customers through its website (www.dol.state.ga.us) by providing access to more than 5 000 electronic pages of information and documents. These include a variety of publications and links to additional resources. For example employers may enter job order requests file quarterly reports and pay taxes individuals may file Unemployment Insurance claims and search for jobs and youth may access the online work permit process for compliance with state and federal child labor laws. 49 Through the GDOL Internet Job Information System over 10 million pages are viewed monthly and on average 36 000 referrals to job openings are requested weekly. The website advertises career expos employer seminars and other events to the community and provides access to a variety of labor market information resources and pertinent information for businesses. To further enhance participant service quality the department is developing a request for proposal for a major redesign of current online resources. All of the graphic redesign work has been done in-house and has resulted in significant cost savings. GDOL provides an array of resources services and information in as many social media formats as possible to reach the most businesses and job seeking customers. The department will continue to maintain its presence on Facebook You Tube Twitter and RSS Feed and is developing smart phone applications for real-time labor market information and job matching services. The department s staff-focused Intranet site is currently being redesigned to expand the user-friendly compilation of information and resources available to staff in the field. Currently there are a variety of self-study materials training manuals and detailed policy guidance available. Additional information and resources will further strengthen service integration among local GDOL WIA and partner staff in the years to come. Postsecondary Enrollment and Completion College and Career Readiness Georgia s current high school graduation rate is 67% remaining below the national graduation rate of 75%. Like many states Georgia reported lower graduation rates after changes to the reporting method were announced by the U.S. Department of Education in 2011. As a key indicator of the health of a state s workforce Georgia s current graduation rates are in need of improvement. Keeping a student on track to graduate in four years begins when a student enters a Georgia high School as a freshman. Studies indicate that 64% of students who fail one grade will eventually drop out of high school7. Additionally a student that fails 9th grade has a 75% chance of dropping out8. Therefore reaching these students is vitally important. During the last program year (PY 2011) 13 of the 20 local areas served fewer than 100 Younger Youth. Two of those local areas served no Younger Youth.9 In order to effectively improve the state s high school graduation rates there must be an increase in the state-wide service of Younger Youth. Services that have been found to be most effective in increasing high school graduation rates are tutoring lost credit redemption classes and/or software mentoring and entrepreneurship training. Increasing the number of Younger Youth who are enrolled in these types of programs will not only benefit the state s high school graduation rates and overall workforce health but will also benefit the participant. 7 Approaches to Dropout Prevention Heeding Early Warning Signs With Appropriate Interventions National High School Center at the American Institute for Research 8 Approaches to Dropout Prevention Heeding Early Warning Signs With Appropriate Interventions National High School Center at the American Institute for Research 9 Georgia Department of Labor 2012 50 Considering students that fail 9th grade have a 75% chance of dropping out of high school the SWIB has voted that the LWIAs are to be required to increase the number of Younger Youth served in their WIA programs. Of their total number of youth participants local areas shall be required to have at least 20% of youth participants ages 14-16 at the time of enrollment. Of the 20 local areas seven fell below the imposed standard for the 2011 program year. Therefore those seven areas will be required to increase the number of Younger Youth they serve by varying percentages. Local areas are also encouraged to place a high level of importance on tutoring lost credit redemption classes and/or software and mentoring for these Younger Youth. Of their total number of youth participants local areas shall still be required to have at least 30% of their youth participants be out-of-school youth as USDOL prescribes. Local areas may use their own discretion to allocate the remaining 50% of participant slots. College readiness has been defined by the Youth Committee as the ability for every Georgia high school graduate to attain admittance into a postsecondary option and participate fully in college level coursework without the need for remediation. Postsecondary options can be a four year institution two year institution technical school program certification program or apprenticeship. Career readiness has been defined as the ability to find appropriate gainful employment upon completion of a postsecondary option. Studies show that for every four skilled tradesmen that retire only one tradesman enters the field. This has created a skills gap in Georgia which leaves the state in need of young qualified workers. Go Build Georgia seeks to show students all of their educational options as well as dispel any myths that the skilled trades do not offer competitive salaries and great lifestyle benefits. Local areas should encourage participants to seek education and employment within the skilled trades. Each local area is further encouraged to examine their own labor market information to determine which of the skilled trades are most needed in their areas. The Georgia Department of Education is currently implementing a new learning model called Career Pathways. Career Pathways is an integrated collection of programs and services intended to develop students core academic technical and employability skills provide them with continuous education and training and place them in high-demand high-opportunity jobs. The program requires students to think about college and career earlier. Students are able to explore 17 career clusters representing approximately 96 career pathways. These career clusters are based on the National Career Clusters model with the addition of an energy cluster to meet the needs of in-demand occupations specific to Georgia. Students are then offered many opportunities to learn more about the career clusters as well as develop their skills within the cluster of their choice. Go Build Georgia maps to 5 of the 17 career clusters and provides a state-wide framework for workforce development integration within Georgia schools. Additionally more in-school assistance can be provided to Georgia s youth when student performance is determined to be at the critical failing point. WIA in-school Youth programs should be designed to leverage assessments determining at-risk youth before remediation is necessary. The Georgia Department of Education is also currently implementing a comprehensive K-12 counseling and advisement program. Through this program 8th grade students will develop an Individual Graduation Plan to help guide them through high school coursework. This plan will be reviewed by students counselors teachers-as-advisors and parents continually so that students can adapt the plan to reflect their changing interests and career coursework. This early emphasis and awareness allows students to identify their own strengths and passions better preparing them for secondary and postsecondary success. SWIB and the LWIBS are committed to working with these students parents and 51 educators to ensure that students are aware of career opportunities within all of Georgia s in-demand occupations. Many scholarship programs in Georgia can be used in conjunction with WIA funding to make postsecondary attainment a reality for Georgia students with financial needs. Georgia s HOPE Scholarship is available to Georgia residents who have demonstrated high academic achievement. The scholarship provides money to assist students with their educational costs of attending a HOPE eligible college in Georgia. Georgia s industries and employers continue to demonstrate commitment to the health of Georgia s workforce. Therefore the public-private partnership model is designed to encourage employers and potential employees to work together for the betterment of Georgia s workforce system. More industries are reaching out with corporate donations to assist the growth of Georgia s workforce. The Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Scholarship is a needs based scholarship a private partnership with Georgia businesses also designed to lessen the financial burden of higher education for eligible students. An integral part of college readiness is being prepared to engage in full coursework without the need for remediation. Remediation is used within the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia when the institution through a series of testing determines that the student is not ready to engage in full college coursework. 25% of University System of Georgia students require remediation10 and 23% of Technical College System of Georgia students require remediation.11 When a local area makes the decision to send a participant to a postsecondary option for training the added cost of remediation can be financially draining. Certain local areas have achieved lower costs when contracting with other entities to fully prepare students to achieve the scores necessary to enter these educational institutions without the need for remediation. Local areas are encouraged to seek out these entities in order to better prepare youth to receive the training that they need as well as using their allotted funding in the most efficient manner. Summer Work Experience Activities continue to play a vital role in Georgia youth program offerings. Work Experience services give enrolled youth an up close look into the world of employment. Participants learn skills specific to the jobs that they are participating in as well as soft skills that can be applied anywhere. An outstanding example of this program can be found in the City of Atlanta. This LWIA partners with the Atlanta Mayor s office to provide summer employment for local youth by way of the Mayor s Youth Program. The internship component of the program offers students practical and invaluable work experience by exposing them to the business world. This internship program also boasts a strong partnership with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Business community. Carl Perkins Carl Perkins Act funds are used within the state of Georgia to fund vocational-technical education. The act defines vocational-technical education as organized educational programs offering sequences of courses directly related to preparing individuals for paid or unpaid employment in current or emerging occupations that don t require a baccalaureate or advanced degree. Programs include competencybased applied learning which contributes to an individual s academic knowledge higher-order reasoning problem solving skills and the occupational-specific skills necessary for economic 10 University System of Georgia 2012 11 Technical College System of Georgia 2012 52 independence as a productive and contributing member of society. Carl Perkins Act funds are allotted between the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) as the secondary recipient and the Technical College System of Georgia as the postsecondary recipient. GDOE in accordance with the Perkins Act will distribute funds on an annual basis to eligible recipients according to several allocation factors. The majority of the funds are distributed based on two main factors Local population of school-age children relative to state population of school-age children Percentage of local system enrollees whose families qualify for free/reduced school lunch An additional portion of the funds may be withheld from allocation under the above formula and may be allocated based on a combination of factors that include but are not limited to the following Rural or urban designations Local percentage of CTAE enrollees Local number of CTAE enrollees Carl Perkins Act secondary funds must be used only for students in grades 7 12 and only for new programs or improvement of existing programs. Carl Perkins Act also encourages state and local recipients to ensure that students are engaged in programs related to high-skill high-wage or highdemand occupations. SWIB will work to further partner with GDOE to expand and improve career pathways and career clusters within the Governor s identified high-demand occupations. TCSG in accordance with Section 132(a) of the Perkins Act distributes postsecondary Perkins funds to eligible institutions within the state by a formula which allocates funding proportionate to the college s percent of the state-wide total of Pell grant recipients. No grant provided to any institution under this section shall be for an amount less than $50 000. Any amount which is not allocated pursuant to Section 132(c) (2) shall be redistributed to eligible institutions in accordance with provisions of this section. From amounts made available under subsection 112(a)(1) TCSG will allocate up to 10% reserve to each eligible recipient as allowed under Section 112(c)(1) of the legislation. The reserve will be allocated using the percentage of rural areas in the state. Rural areas will be determined by the percent rural population for the college s service area according to 2000 census data. The Skills Gap between Education and Training with Business/Industry Needs Georgia s State-wide Business Engagement Strategy The Governor s Office of Workforce Development understands the importance of business involvement in all aspects of the workforce development system. The State Workforce Investment Board has strong business representation from across the state to voice business and industry workforce concerns. GOWD and the SWIB work closely with the economic development and education communities to strengthen linkages and leverage resources. Through the Go Build Georgia High School Teams project business representatives are engaged locally within their school systems to educate students on career choices and opportunities within the skilled trades. 53 GOWD staff members keep open communications with local Chambers of Commerce Regional Commissions and local governments to ensure the needs of local workforce and businesses are heard and met. GOWD also communicates with business through the Operation Workforce portal. This webportal allows businesses to post available jobs for our returning veterans. GOWD has a strong relationship with the Georgia Department of Economic Development. When GDEcD has a potential business looking to locate in Georgia they look to GOWD to ensure the state can provide a workforce to meet the companies hiring needs. GOWD educates new companies on the benefits of incumbent worker and on-the-job training programs. When a company decides which county or general area they would like to locate in within the state GOWD works with the LWIA to foster a relationship between all parties in order to gain an understanding of that LWIA s specific policy regarding Incumbent Worker and On-The-Job training programs. GOWD can then provide the company and GDEcD with an exact list of things that they can expect while working with LWIA on any given project. It is important that the business community as well as other state agencies have confidence in the services provided and the above process ensures that this is the case. Manufacturing The recession has negatively impacted almost every sector of the economy and Georgia s manufacturing has been one of the worst hit sectors. Every state in the nation lost manufacturing jobs since 2007 but Georgia has been among the worst with the collapse of the construction industry and a slower demand for textiles. Since 2001 Georgia has lost over 150 000 jobs12. To ensure that manufacturing remains one of Georgia s top industries the state is addressing the business community s response to the immediate workforce issues facing the manufacturing industry. The state is applying for a waiver to use a portion of Rapid Response funds for incumbent worker training to provide resources to Georgia s companies to train current employees with outdated skills (e.g. workers who lack the skills needed for new technology the employer is using to remain competitive) in order to avert layoffs and promote job retention. If the waiver is granted the intent is to explore ways of using skills assessments to determine the training needs of the workforce in existing manufacturers and apply the necessary training for under-skilled workers in jeopardy of losing their jobs. While Georgia continues to remain competitive both nationally and internationally by recruiting new companies to the state it is imperative that the state take critical steps to ensure that the existing manufacturing companies remain and their workforce demand is fulfilled. In the current economic conditions Small Manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs) many of which are suppliers to major manufacturing firms are an integral part of the growth potential of manufacturing. For Georgia to increase its output SMEs must take an innovative approach by up-skilling the current workforce and recruiting employees with higher skills. To address the challenges of SMEs that can lead to downsizing the state is encouraging LWIBs and the workforce delivery system to collaborate with the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) which is a federal and state sponsored program and their regional offices. MEPs can assist manufacturers with finding and training employees retraining reducing layoffs cost savings and strategic planning to increase top-line growth. By enhancing communication between the LWIBs and MEPs the state can ensure that Georgia s manufacturers grow and stay competitive. 12 Figure 3 Georgia Department of Labor Workforce Statistics and Economic Research 54 In addition to working with MEPs the state is encouraging LWIA One-Stops to work collaboratively with the Technical College System of Georgia to provide more quality improvement and safety training courses for manufacturing employees to meet industry demands. Skilled Trades Georgia s highly skilled industrial workers are aging and there are not enough young people entering the workforce to replace those retiring. Unless something is done Georgia and the nation will face severe labor problems in the near future. Over the next year 16 500 projected jobs will become available in the five industries that rely heavily on skilled labor construction manufacturing telecommunications transportation and energy. If Georgia wants to remain competitive nationally and internationally we must fill these positions from the workforce population within our state. In addition to a depleted labor supply the skilled trades face negative perceptions. According to the Go Build Georgia website 66.8% of 18-26 year olds have very little to no interest in a career in the skilled trades. 77.8% of parents think their child entering into the skilled craft labor trades will have a negative impact on their child s health and safety and 44% think it will have a negative impact on their child s financial goals. To address this challenge and strengthen Georgia s competitiveness Governor Nathan Deal along with GOWD launched the Go Build Georgia initiative on January 17 2012. This public/private partnership aims to change the perception of skilled trade jobs through public outreach designed to educate young people and the public at large about the wage lifestyle and employment benefits in the skilled labor trades thereby encouraging a new generation of highly-skilled workers. The Governor s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) has formed a Go Build Georgia Advisory Council to analyze industry trends and industry growth potential with a focus on manufacturing as one of its sectors. The council ensures that the state addresses industry feedback pertaining to workforce needs and the skill attainment activities that are necessary for manufacturers to stay competitive. By building a broad coalition of key stakeholders Go Build Georgia aims to increase the number of those entering the skilled trade workforce while increasing our participant level in training programs to fulfill these in demand occupations. Through this strategic focus on the skilled labor supply in our state Georgia seeks to reduce the skilled labor gap and current unemployment rate by putting more Georgians back to work through these meaningful trade careers. Soft Skills While hard to quantify soft skills are becoming increasingly important in today s workplace. Education is necessary to gain employment but an applicant s soft skills are what will get that individual from the interview to the job site. Employers however are indicating that they see decreased levels of soft skills in today s youth. The lack of these necessary skills in the next generation of Georgia s workforce is a large problem facing the state s business climate. Likewise failure to equip youth with these skills throughout the course of their education is detrimental to that individual s future. In order to avoid these issues with WIA youth participants local areas are encouraged to supplement the participant s education with soft skills training. While specific soft skill training is available through software and classroom sessions there are other options that prove successful. Job shadowing and internships introduce participants to different work environments as well as the customs and practices therein. 55 While soft skills attainment is a common problem the problem can be worse in certain populations. One of the identified populations is the youth population within Youth Detention Centers (YDC). While many of these youth are able to finish high school or attain their GEDs while serving their time they are not exposed to the work place. This can severely cripple their efforts to attain employment upon release. To further understand and help correct this problem the Governor s Office of Workforce Development is partnering with the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to establish a soft skills pilot program in the Eastman YDC location within the state of Georgia. This program will target youth who have already graduated high school or have attained their GED and will be overseen by the DJJ the State Workforce Investment Board Youth Committee and the LWIA. Youth who graduate from this program will be enrolled if eligible in WIA services when they are released to ensure a seamless transition into the workforce. Early in 2012 GDOL in partnership with businesses and the Georgia Department of Education launched the GeorgiaBEST initiative. GeorgiaBEST was conceived by Labor Commissioner Mark Butler in response to hearing frequent complaints from businesses that young applicants and workers lack work habits and soft skills vital for today s jobs. The GeorgiaBEST course was piloted in 21 Georgia high schools during the winter/spring of 2012. Available to high school juniors and seniors content for this elective includes the following ethics and core work traits discipline/character attendance/punctuality work habits/team work professional image time management attitude and respect oral and written business communication skills problem-solving Students also have the opportunity to participate in mock job interviews assistance in developing a quality rsum and more. Participating students earn points for each of the standards in the curriculum. Teachers evaluate students on how well they model these skills and students that achieve at least 25 of 30 possible points on the evaluation receive a GeorgiaBEST certificate. In the spring of 2012 1 003 students at the 21 pilot sites attained certification. The certificate will validate to employers that these youth successfully display strong work habits an especially important asset in Georgia s current labor market where the teen unemployment rate is over 25%. For the 2012-13 school year all 21 pilot schools wish to continue GeorgiaBEST and at least 27 additional schools plan to implement the initiative. GDOL hopes to continue expansion of this valuable resource. The Georgia Employer Committee has endorsed this model and plans to award their first GeorgiaBEST scholarship to a deserving student at their 2012 fall conference. TCSG Vice Presidents of ED Communication Plan with LWIAs In an effort to increase communication between Georgia s business community and economic development stakeholders the SWIB will develop a communication plan for TCSG Vice Presidents of Economic Development and Quick Start representatives to work more closely with LWIBs. Through 56 greater LWIB involvement with these partners business needs will be better communicated through local area partners in an effort to match training needs with qualified WIA participants. In addition LWIBs could potentially assist with funds for training employees after the initial Quick Start implementation is complete and increase the opportunity for on-the-job training arrangements with the businesses in our state. As these boards prepare to train Georgia s workforce to meet current and projected in demand occupations it is vital that the needs of businesses looking to grow and locate in our state is communicated to the members of our workforce system. By creating a comprehensive two-way communication plan there will be improved communication of workforce services available to businesses within our state. The SWIB will assist LWIBs with establishing themselves as partners in the economic development efforts of their local areas and the development of various communication tools to highlight the qualified applicant pool within the workforce development system in Georgia. These will include participant fact sheets quarterly workforce reports and newsletters that provide information on new training programs labor market trends LWIB websites and information regarding employer services available at the local one-stops in the area. Efficient and Effective Workforce Solutions Programs Supporting Critical Industries The H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant Program funds projects that provide training and related activities to workers to assist them in gaining the skills and competencies needed to obtain or upgrade employment in high-growth industries or economic sectors. Georgia currently has three H-1B programs in the state. The programs take place at Atlanta Technical College Urban League of Greater Atlanta and Pacific Systems. Some of Georgia s high growth industries include bioscience and biotechnology healthcare and information technology and telecommunications. The Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge is a multi-agency competition created to support the advancement of high-growth regional industry clusters. Investments from three federal agencies and technical assistance from 13 additional agencies promote development in areas such as advanced manufacturing information technology aerospace and clean technology in rural and urban regions across the country. Projects are driven by local communities that identify the economic strengths of their areas with funding awarded to the best proposals. In 2011 the Georgia Tech Research Corporation received funds for the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge. The objectives of this program are to deploy to the entire healthcare sector a trained and job-ready Healthcare IT workforce to meet a growing demand in Georgia to accelerate commercialization of new ONC-compliant HIT in the software supplier sector to the cluster and throughout the healthcare provider network and to involve eligible businesses in Healthcare IT employee training and hiring. Services to Employers GOWD is committed to leveraging resources and efforts in order to meet the needs of the business customers of the One-Stop System in an integrated fashion. Furthermore GOWD works with many state entities to inform Georgia employers of the services that are available to them through their LWIA. When new companies relocate or expand in Georgia GOWD and the LWIAs work with the Georgia Department of Economic Development in order to ensure that those companies are aware of the services offered. 57 The One-Stop delivery system is equipped to support businesses in many different ways. One of those ways is through applicant screening at the One-Stop Centers. This service reduces the time and cost that a business would need to employ in order to find qualified applicants. The LWIAs can also provide applicant referral and job posting services for businesses that need to hire. This service can increase the qualified applicant pool that an employer has to choose from. Conducting job fairs and letting companies use One-Stop Center space for interviews are also services that local areas can provide. Additionally LWIAs can provide pre-employment assessments. Local areas use a variety of different assessments in order to screen qualified applicants for a potential employer. The use of these assessments can give an employer greater insight as to where an applicant s competencies and skills gaps lie. LWIAs can also offer employers a variety of different data including in demand occupations labor market information and economic trends. On-the-job training (OJT) is perhaps the most involved service that an LWIA can offer an employer. Georgia s LWIAs work with local industry and business leaders to determine where there may be a need for on-the-job training. Georgia LWIAs strive to make this process as streamlined and hassle free as possible for potential employers. OJT services the employer by paying for a portion of an employee s training cost and wages while that employee is in the training period. Employers are then able to use resources in other ways while not compromising on the quality of training that their new hires are receiving. OJT training is especially helpful for companies that are newly locating or expanding operations in Georgia. OJT can provide an infrastructure for large scale hiring while ensuring that a company is able to train their employees correctly. If an employer is not able or deems it unnecessary to conduct their training in house then the LWIA can refer the employer to the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) or the University System of Georgia (USG) and their applicable programs. Likewise if an employer is unable find appropriate training programs to train their future employees the LWIAs may work with TCSG in order to develop customized training for the employer. TCSG will work with the LWIA and the employer in order to create a training plan and curriculum that meets the needs of the employer while still working within the constraints of WIA funding. GDOL has a new focus for serving business customers. A significant enhancement to current services is the designation of a team of Regional Coordinators. These staff many of whom worked in career centers serving the employer community are each assigned to one of the state s service delivery regions. Their role is to coordinate the department s services to businesses and to facilitate connections between the business community and local career center/WIA services. To accomplish this the Regional Coordinators work closely with Chambers of Commerce economic development partners Employer Committees and other business groups to establish relationships and to spread awareness of GDOL services available to them. The coordinators assist with Rapid Response events and career expos in their territory and providing customized labor market information produced by Workforce Statistics and Economic Research for business groups local government officials and economic development partners. Many of the Regional Coordinators serve on local Workforce Investment Boards and collaborate extensively with local WIA staff on business matters. These individuals have been very influential in enhancing GDOL services to employers. In their first six months of operation the Regional Coordinators established contact with over 7 000 businesses. Their job involves traveling throughout their region to meet with diverse businesses and employers/economic development organizations which provides them with a regional perspective on employer needs. The next step in the evolution of quality service to businesses is the formation of Business Services Units in 58 GDOL career centers. The Regional Coordinators Employer Marketing Representatives and job order takers and Reemployment Services Specialists will be functionally aligned to maximize assistance to the business community throughout the state. This focus will also expand the job opportunities available through the GDOL system which will assist claimants and other job seekers in attaining employment more quickly. These teams will receive intensive training to prepare them for their role. It is also envisioned that the Business Services Units will have close ties with Local Workforce Investment Boards. GDOL continues to work with local Employer Committees to ensure employer input for the department s services. GDOL has 49 local Employer Committees that continue to provide valuable information on the workforce system. There is considerable cross-participation among the Employer Committees and within the LWIAs and the SWIB. GDOL values the important role Employer Committees play in shaping and strengthening the services of the department and will continue to support their efforts in the coming year. Rapid Response The Governor s Office of Workforce Development serves as the state s Dislocated Worker Unit. Georgia retains 25% of Dislocated Worker formula funds for rapid response activities to ensure that the state is poised to meet the needs of local employers. Georgia s approach to Rapid Response leverages the relationships and knowledge of local workforce areas to help provide services to dislocated workers. This integrated approach ensures that the state both responds in a timely manner and that the state has a presence with employers and employees after services have been provided. Rapid Response teams include GOWD Rapid Response staff LWIA staff representatives from GDOL local career centers and other economic development or community partners. In accordance with federal law Georgia responds to layoffs of 50 or more employees from eligible employers subject to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) guidelines. Additionally the state makes an effort to respond to the needs of employers by providing rapid response services to layoffs of 25 or more employees. Layoff notices are filed with the Rapid Response team electronically or by telephone available through workforce.georgia.gov. GOWD Rapid Response staff then enters this information into Georgia s case management system through a WARN module. This module allows GOWD to share additional details pertaining to the layoff to local workforce areas GDOL Mass Separation and Trade Adjustment staff and any other pertinent groups. The WARN module tracks notices filed with the state collecting details such as NAICS industry codes SOC codes of the affected employees and dates of Rapid Response activities. Local areas are able to search these notices when performing intake or case management for participants. For each notification received by GOWD the Rapid Response team makes contact with the LWIA representative to discuss the details of the event and determine the capability of the local area to assist in the layoff. This team of GOWD Rapid Response staff and local area representatives then make contact with the employer to gather any additional information and schedule an employer meeting. During the employer meeting the Rapid Response team determines what services would be appropriate to provide to the affected employees. The LWIA representative plays a vital role in communicating with both the employer and the employees identifying themselves as the point of contact once services have been completed. Georgia utilizes these local relationships and presence in the area to better meet the needs of each unique workforce area. 59 To help local areas support Rapid Response activities Georgia distributes a minimum of 25% of the state s reserves in a formula allocation to local workforce areas based upon the Dislocated Worker formula. A minimum of 50% of the state reserves are held for emergency response funds to assist for significant layoff events. The remaining funds are withheld for state administration of Rapid Response services. The allocations to local areas act like formula funds and are not permitted to be transferred during the first program year. Should an area exhaust their allotment during a program year they may petition for additional funds from the state s emergency reserves. These allocations can only be used for activities relating to Rapid Response and provide a local area with greater flexibility to meet the needs of their participants and economic climate. GOWD communicates regularly with GDOL to coordinate services for UI and TAA. Each notification received by GOWD is shared with GDOL s regional Trade staff Mass Separation Unit UI Policies and Procedures Unit and contact is made with the local career center. GOWD and GDOL discuss layoff policy and have coordinated to ensure that Rapid Response services facilitate filing of UI claims. Similarly GOWD and TAA staffs communicate on layoffs which may be trade eligible and provide early warning of potential notices. Layoff Aversion Georgia s Rapid Response strategy is designed to extend beyond basic response and distribution of reemployment information. The state views the program as an opportunity to mitigate the impacts of a layoff and return employees back to the workforce as quickly as possible. This includes not only providing access to reemployment services such as job search assistance and training opportunities but also partnering with other organizations that can assist in the transition. GOWD seeks out opportunities to help transfer dislocated workers while helping to provide for their necessities during their layoff by involving services in the community such as Goodwill United Way food banks and the Department of Community Affairs HomeSafe program. GOWD has taken steps to increase communication with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and their regional team who are most in tune with both employee demand for new companies moving to Georgia and existing companies wanting to expand. Enhanced collaboration with GDEcD staff will be an important component in layoff aversion company retention and recruitment and training. This partnership will allow GOWD to stay informed of industry shifts identify potential changes in worker production and promote Georgia s available workforce to strengthen the state s competitiveness. Georgia s Rapid Response team will take a proactive role in averting layoffs by joining with various stakeholders in the business community to support human capital investment. GOWD will work statewide to discover industries or businesses which would benefit from an upgrade in employee skills which may be able to sustain production and prevent a layoff. Regionally GOWD will support local areas in their efforts to build similar relationships with their local businesses community. These local relationships will form a statewide collaboration to attract potential business to the state and provide thorough labor market information for potential job openings. The state has requested and been granted a waiver to use a portion of Rapid Response funds as part of a layoff aversion strategy. The flexibility provided by this waiver supports the need to address Georgia s skill gap. By utilizing the Rapid Response team and developing partnerships with the business community Georgia will be able to invest in the state s workforce to help reduce Georgia s skills gap. 60 Eligible Training Provider list GOWD requires applications from providers first be submitted to and evaluated by a LWIB pursuant to WIA section 122. The application is then referred to GOWD for state-wide review and approval to the state-wide provider list. The training provider will then be made public at https //www.workreadyga.org. GOWD requires a provider of training services to be determined eligible under subsection (C) of WIA section 122 prior to receiving funds. As described in subsection (a) of WIA section 122 such provider shall under subsection (C) submit verifiable program-specific performance information information on program costs and complete a subsequent eligibility application. Eligible Training Providers may be removed from a state-wide list in accordance with Federal Regulations. Under 20 CFR 663.565 a training provider must deliver results and provide accurate information to retain its status as an eligible training provider. If the provider s programs fail to meet the established performance levels the programs will be removed from the eligible provider list. ALL STUDENTS Past Performance Information From xx/xx Through xx/xx (Must pass at least 2 of the 3 measures below) Measure Minimum Performance Level Definition Unsubsidized Employment Rate 55% Number and Percent of Completers exiting the program during the applicable period who obtained employment Completion Rate 55% Number and Percent of total students exiting or scheduled to exit the program during the applicable period who met the training program s completion requirements Average weekly Earnings at $254/wk Average weekly earnings at Placement placement of completers obtaining employment during the applicable period Youth Eligible Training Provider List In order to become an eligible Youth Training Provider the entity must first contact the local area to apply. LWIAs undergo a competitive bidding process to award locally procured youth contracts. The state-wide youth eligible provider list is only a list of those locally procured youth contracts. Once the entity has successfully completed the application process dictated by local board policy the application is then referred to GOWD for state-wide review and approval to the state-wide youth provider list. The youth training provider list is public and can be found at https //www.workreadyga.org 61 Standardized development of IEP/ISS In an effort to streamline the development process of Individual Employment Plans (IEP) and the Individual Service Strategy (ISS) for both adult and youth participants the SWIB will work in partnership with LWIAs to create a standardized IEP and ISS development process. Through a revised and mutually developed IEP/ISS process we will establish a uniform approach for identifying employment education and personal development goals and an action plan for the participant to achieve these goals. In collaboration with business and education stakeholders the SWIB will work to ensure that through a standardized IEP and ISS process individuals are accurately assessed and directed to areas of training that lead to employment upon completion of training. By creating a uniform process for plan creation for case managers across the state to follow greater mobility for participants across LWIAs will be ensured. In addition a greater understanding of how a participant s outcome correlates to the development of each individual s IEP/ISS is necessary. The state will further work to ensure that the workforce system integrates business needs into an individual s reemployment plan from the beginning. The SWIB anticipates a greater level of participant involvement in the development of the IEP/ISS for understanding and ownership of their identified path to employment. A uniform state-wide development of participants strategic plans will allow for greater system efficiency and more measurable outcomes. Targeted Populations and Growth Sectors Veterans Priority of Service and Reemployment Strategies Georgia is a state with a large military presence with 9 military installations. Some 106 000 active duty reserve and guard forces live in the state and 773 858 13veterans call Georgia home. Georgia is honored to provide priority of service for all Department of Labor funded workforce programs as outlined in Title 38 Chapter 42 4215 United States Code (USC) and the provisions of the Jobs for Veterans State Grant. To further ensure that Georgia remains one of the most veteran-friendly states in the country the State Workforce Investment Board established policy that public assistance recipients and other individuals with low incomes would receive the highest priority for WIA services after all eligible veterans and eligible spouses of veterans have been considered for services. Covered persons (veterans and eligible spouses) are identified at the initial point of contact within the One-Stop offices so that priority of service can be provided to veterans for the delivery of employment training job placement and related services as stated in the Jobs for Veterans Act (P.L. 107-288). The Local Veteran Employment Representatives (LVERS) and Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP) staffs are available for intensive employment and employability development and are both required One-Stop partners. The roles of LVERS and DVOP staff are distinct from each other. LVERs responsibility is to provide outreach and discuss the benefits of hiring veterans with employers while DVOP focuses on providing individual services to veterans and assists them in overcoming barriers to employment in the form of intensive services or case management. Georgia has a strong reemployment service delivery strategy that links a network of organizations serving veterans to include the Governor s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) Georgia 13 Georgia Department of Veteran Services 2010 Annual Report 62 Department of Labor (GDOL) Georgia Department of Veteran Services Georgia National Guard and Reserve Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Progress is being made to enhance communication between agencies serving veterans and develop a seamless delivery of employment services and data exchange that would offer veterans the most immediate entry into the workforce. Due to the large veteran population served in Georgia it has been challenging to target ex-service members receiving Unemployment Insurance (Unemployment Compensation Exchange (UCX) customers) for additional intensive services to ensure swift reemployment. On July 1st 2012 USDOL awarded GDOL in partnership with GOWD a $750 000 grant for reemployment services to recently separated military members. This grant focuses on U.S. Army Reserves and National Guard veterans. The two-year UCX grant will enable Georgia s team to develop the following services and service strategies Resource event(s) linking veterans to employers retraining and services Centralized web site access linking veterans to information and resources from key agencies A structured comprehensive curriculum for veteran-specific workshops for claimants (piloted initially in the four areas with the highest military populations Metro Atlanta Columbus Augusta and Hinesville) Regional marketing outreach training for front line staff responsible for promoting the hiring of veteran customers Encouraging UCX veterans to retrain for various credentialed sectors in civilian employment Training for key staff to help better serve veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce Improved data sharing among Georgia agencies and the Department of Defense To expedite the road to civilian employment the state is working on transferring military certifications and skills into civilian licenses for veterans in high demand occupations. GOWD is working with the Georgia Secretary of State s office to transfer military skills into civilian work licenses. Several of the licenses being targeted include Utility Foreman General Contractor Individual Electrical Contractor Restricted Journeyman Plumber and Conditioned Air Restricted. If the Veteran applicant has skills that meet or exceed Georgia licensing requirements they may be able to obtain the civilian license without the written test required. Reciprocity will also be available for veterans spouses if their existing license is deemed equivalent for a Georgia license. The intent is to accelerate veterans transition into Georgia s workforce. GOWD is also working with the military transportation-related businesses and additional state agencies to advance the entry of veterans into civilian employment in the transportation industry. It is projected that there will be over 12 778 14 openings in the transportation industry in Georgia in the next three years. This project ensures qualified veterans are viable candidates for these jobs. GOWD is working with the Georgia Department of Driver Services to ensure military personnel with a 348 Military License are able to obtain a Georgia Commercial Driver s license (CDL). Other options that are being explored include on-base customer service centers and after-hours access to select DDS sites. The pilot is currently at Fort Benning with plans to develop a state-wide model for other installations. 14 Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. November 2011 63 With a multi-agency approach in mind Georgia has developed an online infrastructure that integrates the existing workforce investment resources and services into a holistic system to support all aspects of veterans integration into a civilian work life. Operation Workforce is a veteran s portal designed with dynamic content that is comprehensive intuitive and appealing to veterans and employers alike. Veterans are able to find jobs in Georgia and employers are able to find qualified veterans to hire via the "Hire a Georgia Veteran" campaign and pledge portal. Employers who sign the pledge will be asked to submit their Tax ID number to allow wage data to be tracked through GOWD s case management system. GOWD can then verify whether the employer has hired a veteran since signing the pledge. It brings outstanding public and private resources into an online access for veterans to explore careers build career pathways and find and apply for available jobs from veteran-friendly employers. Another multi-stakeholder initiative is the Georgia Military and Veterans Education and Training Support Center (GMVETSC) is a cooperative program involving the TCSG and the University System of Georgia (USG). This new 50 000 square foot training center in middle Georgia is designed to meet the education and training needs of military bases active duty military personnel veterans and civilian DOD employees throughout the state. Drawing upon the resources of the USG and the TCSG the program assists the United States military in the following three areas Veterans Training and Education Documenting credit for military service and identifying academic pathways and transition assistance involving both USG and TCSG programs Post-Secondary DOD Technical Training Military base training and educational support (Robins AFB and all other DOD organizations in GA) for military personnel and DOD employees Post-Secondary DOD Academic Training DOD sponsored training such as the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) courses and USG institute programs in logistics and other applicable undergraduate and graduate programs for military personnel and DOD employees. In addition the GMVETSC staff will consult with various DOD support organizations to enhance coordination of opportunities and benefits for the defense community. Coordinating organizations may include the 21st Century Partnership the United States Veterans Administration and the Middle Georgia Military Affairs Committee. Working together these public quasi-public and private partners will offer Georgia and the defense community a unified and focused DOD support network. Youth The WIA youth funding stream serves youth ages 14-21. Eligible youth are low-income and must also face one or more of the following challenges to successfully qualify for workforce entry school dropout basic literacy skills deficiency homeless runaway or foster child pregnant or parent an offender or need help completing an educational program or securing and maintaining a job. GOWD is committed to providing through the local areas the ten program elements required to be made available to each WIA participant. Those program elements include tutoring study skills training and instruction leading to completion of secondary school (including dropout prevention) alternative school services mentoring by appropriate adults paid and unpaid work experience (such as internships and job shadowing) summer employment opportunities that are linked to academic and occupational learning occupational skills training leadership development appropriate supportive services and follow-up services. The SWIB Youth Committee mission states "On behalf of the Governor the SWIB Youth Committee provides direction to GOWD on workforce development issues particularly those pertaining to 64 implementation of the Workforce Investment Act. We the Youth Committee seek to resolve the barriers to employment that face Georgia s Youth and produce an employable competent and in demand workforce." With that mission in mind the Youth Committee has identified three areas of priority for youth in the state of Georgia for the next five years. Those areas include increased high school graduation rates increased college and career readiness and increased soft skills levels. Separate from the goals set by the committee serving at-risk youth and out-of-school youth remains a priority for the state. A myriad of initiatives and strategies for youth in and out of school are underway in local workforce systems. LWIBs and Youth Councils have conducted resource mapping efforts to determine the particular needs of the community services available to meet these needs and what additional services should be developed or procured to address unmet needs. Additionally several LWIAs participate in school initiatives and all areas host job fairs and career expos many of which are targeted to youth job seekers. GDOL career centers assist youth in a variety of ways including job fairs and career expos workshops on career planning information on job search strategies resume writing workshops and guidance with career exploration. At-Risk Youth The Jobs for Georgia Graduates (JGG) program is a school-to-work transition program that provides atrisk high school students with pre-employment training leadership training motivational activities and job development. JGG specialists also provide follow-up services to encourage students successful transition from school to work. JGG involves collaboration among local high schools businesses communities and the GDOL. This partnership results in JGG graduates who are productive employees and involved community members. JGG is a state affiliate of the national organization Jobs for America s Graduates which has achieved extraordinary outcomes for youth for more than three decades. Georgia became a state affiliate in 1987 and has built a solid network since that time. The program currently serves students in 34 high schools across the state. During the 2012- 2013 school year all JGG sites will convert to the multi-year program model through which students receive early vocational assistance and guidance beginning in the ninth grade and throughout high school. Two service delivery models are used. One focuses on high school seniors while the second model serves youth in grades 9-12. The GOWD will also focus on strengthening linkages between JGG and the broader workforce system including career centers WIA technical colleges and other partners to ensure seamless integrated services for JGG youth. The GOWD plans to reconstitute the JGG board of directors with a focus on seeking additional dollars for the program. Recent JGG accomplishments include the following JGG has consistently maintained a 90% or higher graduation rate for program participants for the past ten years. The 2011 JGG class of 857 youth achieved a 97% graduation rate considerably higher than Georgia s overall graduation rate. 65 The positive outcome rate for the 2011 JGG graduating class was 90% with 89% of participants in a full-time placement including full-time jobs (50%) and further education (71%). A great deal of the success of JGG can be attributed to the strong partnership among teachers and school officials JGG job specialists youth parents employers and GDOL Employer Committees. Both the state and local Employer Committees have been extremely supportive throughout the years by providing scholarships monetary donations and employment for JGG youth. All of JGG s partners are fully committed to the same goal student success. Job Corps is a program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16 through 24 improve the quality of their lives through vocational and academic training. As of February 2013 Job Corps services are currently not in effect by USDOL. Should that change the following statewide activities would apply to Job Corp currently there are three Job Corps centers in the state of Georgia.15 Areas close to the centers develop partnerships with those entities. Job Corps helps students finish their education while learning marketable skills. The areas with nearby Job Corps Centers have developed partnerships. The Southwest Georgia area has a cooperative agreement with the Turner Job Corps Center likewise the Brunswick Job Corps Center partners with the Coastal Workforce Board. The City of Atlanta works with the Atlanta Job Corps Center and the local technical college to allow high school students to gain skills while still in school. The LWIAs coordinate services and share resources with their local Job Corps in order to better serve the youth in their area. Georgia High School/High Tech (HS/HT) is a comprehensive community-based transition and enrichment program providing youth with disabilities a link to academic and career-development experiences that will enable them to achieve success as a part of the 21st century workforce. HS/HT gives students the opportunity to explore real jobs helps them think about career choices and lets them explore the possibility of attending technical school or college. HS/HT encourages students to see more options in the future and to make better more informed decisions about that future. HS/HT motivates students to focus on what they can do not on what they cannot do. GOWD also works with the Department of Juvenile Justice to ensure that multiple educational programs are offered to at-risk youth in long term facilities once the students have finished either high school or GED coursework. Some of the courses focus on construction welding automotive repair and cosmetology. These two agencies also work together to provide WIA program and referral information to educators inside youth correctional facilities that is distributed to students once they have been released. Once back at home these students may choose to enroll in WIA services within their local area and continue training for an in-demand occupation. Georgia currently has five YouthBuild programs in the state. These programs are in Fulton County City of Atlanta Forrest Park and Savannah Georgia. YouthBuild enables young people ages 16 to 24 work full-time for 6 to 24 months towards their GEDs or high school diplomas while learning job skills by building affordable housing in their communities. Emphasis is placed on leadership development community service and the creation of a positive mini-community of adult and youth committed to each other s success. Students may earn AmeriCorps education awards through their homebuilding and 15 http //www.jobcorps.gov/centerlocations.aspx statename ga 66 other community service. At exit they are placed in college jobs or both. Local areas with YouthBuild sites utilize the services provided through these grants to better serve their customers. Out of School Youth Due to the recent economic conditions of our country and our state Georgia s young adult population has experienced heightened levels of unemployment. The unemployment rate for the 18-19 age group alone is 24.5%. During this time of recession and jobless recovery young adults tend to experience above average rates of job loss and reduced access to high-skilled positions. As more and more Georgians find themselves unemployed young adults especially those with little work experience and other challenges will be competing against more qualified workers for fewer available entry-level positions. The consequences of this population not being employed will greatly impact the state. The unfavorable combination of lack of employment and education may lead to crime and other hardships increasing the likelihood of disenfranchisement and dependency on social service subsidies. By creating multiple points of entry into the state workforce system for this population individuals will be directed to opportunities that best fit their needs with a heightened focus on Georgia s high demand occupations. Through strategic outreach with both public and private partners the focus will be on an increased distribution of information to this age group so that they are fully aware of the entry points to the workforce system. By creating easy to navigate websites such as GoBuildGeorgia.com which provide greater online access to educational resources training and career information Georgia will continue to focus on outreach efforts to this target population. To prioritize efforts significant barriers to employment for young adults will be identified and efforts will be directed against the top three ranked barriers. Post-program follow-up services and postemployment services for these individuals after exiting a program are crucial as they continue to develop early in their career. Although securing employment is a crucial first step some young adults require continued follow-up to assess the need for additional services to increase their chances of staying employed and progressing in their chosen career path. GOWD also intends to continue promoting GED programs throughout the state. All LWIAs have some form of GED training. However strategies and coursework differ throughout the state. LWIAs work with other community stakeholders to provide GED-type classes for many different populations. For instance Georgia Mountains LWIA 2 is starting a GED program with the Department of Juvenile Justice. Partnerships at the state and local levels with the Department of Juvenile Justice assist youth transitioning from the justice system by providing occupational skills development orientation to work training and support to facilitate their success. LWIAs are also working with local businesses in order to create apprenticeship programs which would greatly benefit out-of-school youth. Parolee and Ex-offender Reentry Programs One in thirteen people in Georgia are under some type of corrections supervision. Parolees have a 31% unemployment rate. Georgia will target this hard to serve population through workforce development initiatives to reduce the recidivism rate with parolees and ex-offenders. The state will work closely with the business community to solicit employer feedback in order to gauge perceived challenges to hiring ex-offenders. In doing so Georgia will enhance reentry success by increasing opportunities for career seeking ex-offenders. As a state-wide parolee and ex-offender re-entry employment strategy is developed for WIA and extended throughout Georgia s workforce system the Governor intends for the 67 SWIB and GOWD to work alongside the State Board of Pardons and Paroles to tighten communication and increase access to eligible participants. Part of the Governor s vision for the State of Georgia in the coming years is the reform of the criminal justice system. The main focus of this reform is to decrease the Georgia prison population which is one of the highest in the nation. GOWD intends to collaborate with GDOL the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Department of Juvenile Department of Community Affairs and Department of Corrections to create a viable pathway to employment will help decrease the recidivism rate GOWD is working to increase the hiring of ex-offenders in the business community. One of the ways this is being accomplished is by promoting the GDOL Federal Bonding Program a program that alleviates much of the potential risk involved in hiring an ex-offender. GOWD is also working to promote exoffender participation in On-the-Job-Training contracts with local companies. GOWD works to promote LWIA initiatives that support the Governor s vision. East Central Georgia Workforce Investment LWIA 13 Offender Workforce Development personnel have received specialized training through National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Georgia Department of Corrections U.S. Probation and various community partners to conduct Offender Employment Specialist (OES) training. ECGWI is proposing to host a modified one-day training class to any career advisor case manager or community partner that is interested in assisting offenders in their re-entry efforts GDOL will seek to assist the Governor in achieving his goal of reducing recidivism through training opportunities and other services for ex-offenders. One innovative effort that has demonstrated success is The Offender Parolee Probationer State Training Employment Program or TOPPSTEP. This initiative includes the GDOL the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Counselors in correctional facilities identify potential participants and refer them to TOPPSTEP staff. The TOPPSTEP staff conducts pre-release workshops and provides employability assessments. They also help the customers obtain necessary work-related documents (e.g. Social Security cards drivers licenses). Academic and vocational instruction is provided through TCSG. Customers then receive career counseling and specialized workshops to prepare them for reentry into the job market. Upon release customers meet with the TOPPSTEP staff for assistance with the Federal Bonding program job referrals and continued career counseling. Staff coordinates with parole officers to ensure the customers are on track for success. Under- Employed Workers Due to current economic conditions many Georgia workers are currently under employed. LWIA staff helps to identify such workers and offer services based on the individual s needs. If the customer has all of the skills necessary to gain better employment the local area will assist in interview preparation resume critiques and job search and placement. If the customer is in need of a skills upgrade the local area will work with the customer to determine what type of training would be appropriate. Local areas continue to work with the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia in order to ensure that customers have a wide variety of training options. For instance the offering of night and weekend flexible condensed and online classes enables those who are currently working to be enrolled in WIA training services. 68 Other Populations and Growth Sectors Low Income Individuals LWIA staff use a variety of assessment processes to identify barriers that different customers face. Those barriers are then considered when an employability plan is developed. Partners work with customers on public assistance unemployed or under employed customers individuals with mental health or substance abuse issues and any other individual determined eligible. Local case managers seek to use all available resources to serve low income individuals and to make training options viable for those who cannot afford to sustain their households while in training. Homeless Individuals Like other large metropolitan areas Atlanta is faces the challenge of addressing the needs of a large homeless population. A consortium of organizations including the City of Atlanta has established a comprehensive center to assist homeless individuals. The services at the Gateway Center include emergency shelter beds for men women and children substance abuse treatment rehabilitation counseling job counseling and referral training opportunities credit assistance health services and community court services. GDOL staff provides employment services at the center. In other parts of the state homeless shelters and resources for individuals who are homeless or in fragile living situations are part of the One-Stop system. GDOL partners with these organizations to provide information and referral to job seekers that need the assistance. Support for local service strategies is also provided by the Georgia Interagency Homeless Council. This group is comprised of state agencies and non-profit organizations with expertise in mental health housing solutions and other supports. Replicable community planning models for integrated housing and other services for homeless individuals are addressed through the Council. Many local areas have maintained strategic partnerships in order to better serve this population. For instance the City of Atlanta Area 3 partners with the Atlanta Housing Authority to provide residents with assessments skills upgrades GED preparation training and job referrals. Customers with Limited English Proficiency The in-migration of non-English speaking residents into Georgia continues. To meet federal requirements and to ensure that services are provided effectively many of the GDOL forms and publications are available in other languages. A number of the career centers and other One-Stop sites have staff that is fluent in languages other than English and GDOL has an international career center in metro Atlanta s Gwinnett County one of Georgia s most diverse counties. The full range of ES and UI services is provided at this center in a multi-lingual environment. A multitude of central office career center and workforce partner staff speak other languages and make themselves available to assist customers as needed throughout the state. Additionally all sites have access to a contract interpretation service with telephone interpreters in more than 150 languages and dialects. Sign language interpreters are also available through a state-wide contract. Adult education and ESL programs are an integral part of local workforce systems and these staff members assist communities in preparing non-English speakers for the workplace. Older Workers The segment of Georgia s labor force that is 55 and older is rapidly growing. Growing life expectancy rates as well as the uncertainty of retirement plans seem to be driving this trend. A broad range of services is provided to older workers through the workforce system. Many LWIBs work closely with the 69 Georgia Council on Aging to develop comprehensive service strategies. Other local senior strategies include partners such as senior employment services senior centers Vocational Rehabilitation public libraries arts councils transportation providers and others. GOWD and LWIAs work closely with the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). The SCSEP program promotes individual economic self-sufficiency and increases the number of persons who may benefit from unsubsidized employment in both the public and private sectors by providing individuals with appropriate training for targeted jobs in the community. All SCSEP grantees have current Memorandums of Understanding with all WIA One-Stops across the states. Grantee and subproject coordinators are active members of their local Workforce Investment Boards to ensure that the needs of older adults seeking employment are identified and addressed. A number of One-Stop and Career Centers are active customer service locations for SCSEP participants. These participants work with case managers to assist customers with resources and/or provide administrative support. This enables the participants to develop soft skills customer services skills and other useful tools to help them in their job search. It also helps to foster a cross-referral system between SCSEP and LWIAs. An emerging emphasis in serving older workers is to assist with part-time employment opportunities. Several businesses are working with their local areas to provide seniors with part-time jobs flexible hours and telecommuting. Using these options companies meet their staffing needs while accommodating the preferences of older workers. NOTE SCSEP is included in their own unique state plan as delivered to the Federal government by Georgia s Department of Human Services. SCSEP is not a part of the Georgia Integrated State Plan. Migrant Seasonal Farmworkers The Migrant Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) program is an integral part of Georgia s workforce development system particularly in Central and South Georgia where most of the agricultural activity is concentrated. The system offers migrant workers the full range of available employment and training services benefits and protections. For Migrants settling into communities workforce staff coordinates the following services outreach through faith and community based partnerships career exploration English as a Second Language training occupational and on-the-job training computer literacy training and job referral assistance. Local partners work together to address these customers needs through community resources. For example the Telamon Corporation is a partner at three comprehensive One-Stop sites in the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha Area 16. In addition to interpreter services they assist in marketing the centers services run a Head Start program and sponsor a Reading is Fundamental Program through which books translated to both English and Spanish are provided to children in the community. Migrant Seasonal Farmworker Youth are given the same in-school and out-of-school services that other youth participants are given. GOWD is working with the Piedmont Migrant Education Agency to develop best practices in order to best serve this population. Individuals with Disabilities Georgia is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have all available service opportunities. Job seekers with disabilities are served just as any other job seeker would be. However if additional expertise or resources are needed Vocational Rehabilitation and other community partners will assist. Many of the individuals with disabilities seeking services at One-Stop sites are veterans who receive one-on-one assistance from veteran grant staff in addition to the broad array of services 70 otherwise available. Cross training for staff system-wide is promoted to ensure a seamless continuum of services. To facilitate universal access One-Stop resources areas are equipped with a variety of tools including large computer monitors low vision readers screen reading software large track balls TTY and adjustable work stations. In addition LWIA staff is available at all sites to orient customers to these resources and to assist them throughout the service experience. The Georgia Department of Vocational Rehabilitation s (VR) mission is to prepare people with disabilities to achieve successful employment and independence and to support businesses in meeting their workforce needs. While this report does not outline the totality of resources available through VR the following are a sample of programs provided to individuals with disabilities. Assist individuals with disabilities to attain their work goals and increase self-sufficiency through assessment rehabilitation counseling work skills preparation training and education assistive technology job placement and support services. Assist employers to meet their business needs through referral of qualified job applicants with disabilities to fill vacancies support in retaining job incumbents with disabilities training and technical assistance. The goals to accomplish VR s vision of being the premier organization that assists people with disabilities to maximize their work potential and level of independence include the following Assist individuals with disabilities to go to work. Enhance services to un-served and underserved populations. Enhance services for transition students with disabilities. Help employers meet their human resource needs. Strategies to reach these goals were developed with input from the State Rehabilitation Council VR customers VR leadership team and staff the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation Executive and Advisory Committees the Business Enterprise Program Committee of Blind Vendors the State-wide Independent Living Council advocacy groups and constituents public and private partners and comments received at public hearings. These strategies to enhance employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities include recruiting training and retaining qualified staff expanding the capacity of services expanding the number of qualified service providers increasing the use of assistive technology partnering with local school systems to have dedicated rehabilitation counselors located in high schools maintaining productive relationships with employers providing specialized training to staff to improve services to persons who are minorities performing outreach and developing relationships in minority communities designing customized VR services for veterans and enhancing services to persons with sensory disabilities. The Georgia VR Program believes that cooperation and collaboration with public and private entities is essential to assisting people with disabilities to work. Ongoing collaboration maximizes resources and addresses all aspects impacting individuals ability to obtain retain and maintain employment. The VR Regional Directors are members of the LWIBs local VR managers work closely with local workforce partners to identify and address community-specific issues and improve employment opportunities. 71 VR is strongly connected with partners of the State-wide Workforce Investment System. In addition the agency maintains cooperative agreements and working partnerships with agencies and entities outside the workforce investment system. Examples include The Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) and local school systems Community Rehabilitation Programs Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities The Georgia Council on Development Disabilities and the Department of Corrections Transitional Centers. Unemployed Due to Shifts in Production The Trade Acts of 1974 2002 and 2009 and various amendments provide states with the opportunity to assist eligible individuals whose unemployment is linked to shifts in production to other countries. A broad variety of services is provided to these Georgia customers through the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. Georgia DOL works closely with the Governor s Office of Workforce Development when layoffs and business closings occur including those with a foreign trade impact for which Trade petitions are submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor. The continuous communication among Rapid Response and TAA staff promotes a seamless array of activities from the initial phase of a Trade-certified layoff through ongoing services provided to Trade customers. All Trade customers receive the opportunity for Rapid Response and employment services. The Trade program is closely aligned with the Unemployment Insurance program. Trade customers in training may receive a specific type of Unemployment Insurance payments known as Trade Readjustment Allowances. These payments are structured to sustain the customers with income until they complete their training programs. Trade Act funds provide states with additional resources to deliver customized workforce services to Trade-eligible customers. These customers are often older and less educated than the typical laid-off worker. Many of the Trade customers have spent their career doing one job often at a low-skilled but well-paid level. Due to their backgrounds Trade-eligible workers may initially be reluctant to enter training opting instead to look for a job to restore their family s standard of living as quickly as possible. Georgia currently assists approximately 5 000 Trade participants. Services may include Training Relocation allowances Health Coverage Tax Credit (to help pay health insurance premiums) Comprehensive and specialized skills assessments Individual service plans to set employment goals and strategies Career counseling Labor market information GED preparation Job search assistance Other services customized for these harder-to-serve dislocated workers Trade-eligible individuals are always encouraged to seriously consider enrolling in Trade-funded training as learning new skills typically provides the best chance for a good job in a demand occupation. This message is reinforced early in the customer s period of unemployment to ensure that TRA benefits can 72 sustain the customer throughout training. Georgia has had up to 3 000 workers enrolled in training at any one time. Staff takes every opportunity to promote the use of Trade funds to pay training costs for eligible customers as this allows WIA training funds to be targeted to other dislocated workers. There is extensive collaboration among state Trade staff local WIA staff and Georgia DOL career center staff regarding the continuum of Trade services. Collaborative efforts take the form of initial information sessions for affected workers coordination in the application and assessment processes and integrated funding to meet the needs of enrolled customers. Initial assessment by WIA staff often begins during the first orientation session. More than half of the Trade customers that choose training are co-enrolled in Trade and WIA. Co-enrollment allows customers to receive WIA supportive services while they are developing new marketable skills funded through the Trade Act and co-enrollment is strongly encouraged by state Trade staff. In instances where Trade assists customers in receiving remedial education customers are frequently co-enrolled with WIA once they begin occupational training. State TAA staff work to support dislocated workers whether they are in intensive job search taking GED preparation or are co-enrolled in WIA dislocated worker training. For example at the request of one local workforce area TAA staff is determining if Trade Act money can help fund On-the-Job training for Trade-eligible workers. In addition TAA staff provided program training to approximately 300 WIA and Georgia DOL staff during 2011 and maintains an up-to-date Trade manual available for staff use throughout the state. Furthermore TAA staff have partnered with WIA and the Technical College system to support Community College and Career Training Grant applications. Every effort is made by the One-Stop partners to eliminate barriers to coordination on behalf of shared customers. In-depth assessment is carried out by WIA staff for customers interested in occupational training. Training recommendations are based on customer choice and the high demand occupations in the local area for which training is available. In addition to developing Individual Employment Plans for customers staff uses the following diagnostic assessment tools O*Net Skills Assessment and Interest Inventory (through the Georgia Career Information System) SAGE CAPS Participants who need remedial training take the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) and distance learning participants complete a self-assessment through the Georgia Virtual Technical College (http //www.gvtc.org/Resources/SmarterMeasure.aspx). At the time an application for training is completed staff assess the six training criteria Suitable employment is not available in the commuting area The training is appropriate There is a reasonable expectation of employment following training completion Training is reasonably available to the worker The worker is qualified to undertake and complete the training The training is available at a reasonable cost 73 The new federal rules regarding financial support for customers in Trade-funded training are encouraging trainees to give serious consideration to how they will sustain themselves financially during the full training period should weekly income support be exhausted prior to training completion. It is hoped that this will enhance training completion rates. An example of the opportunity TAA provides for individuals to significantly enhance their career options is the story of Mr. Dean. Mr. T. Dean was employed with Flint River Textiles for more than a decade before the company closed. His next job was with Cooper Tire another manufacturing firm yet a company he thought he would retire from. However Cooper Tire announced in 2009 that it was shutting down and Mr. Dean lost his $25 an hour salary that spring. Cooper Tire was certified as a Tradeaffected company and Mr. Dean decided it was time to prepare for a high-demand occupation. He enrolled in the Physical Therapy Assistant training program at Darton College in Albany Georgia. After much hard work and dedication Mr. Dean was awarded an Associate of Science degree for Physical Therapy Assistant at the end of 2011. He then attained state certification and has since worked for three organizations as a Physical Therapy Assistant. The current job is close to home and provides a $57 000 annual salary. Adult Education Participants In calendar year 2010 there were 19 006 GED diplomas awarded. This class of Georgia GED graduates saw their combined earnings increase by almost $170 million dollars. There are an estimated 1.2 million adults over the age of 18 in Georgia who have less than a high school education. There are 29 counties where more than 30% of adults do not have a high school or GED diploma. While Georgia works to identify the barriers to adult education within the state the SWIB will strive to increase the number of adult learners taking part in Adult Basic and Secondary Education GED preparation and testing and English as a Second Language programs. By utilizing the mobile units within the state the SWIB will work to expand the availability of GED preparation and testing to remote rural locations. Annual Plan for Agricultural Services Outreach (PY2012) Assessment of Need Agribusiness is Georgia s oldest and largest industry with farm production valued at $68.9 billion. One in seven Georgians works in agriculture forestry or related fields involving some 383 000 jobs. Georgia is perennially the top state in the nation in production of peanuts pecans and broiler chickens. With 4.5 million acres of cropland Georgia produced nearly half of the nation s peanuts and had the nation s second highest acreage in cotton spring onions rye and blueberries in 201016. While most of the crops are concentrated in the south and south central parts of the state nursery products agritourism and vegetable growers are found in the north and central parts of the state. Thus agriculture is expected to continue to be a significant economic driver in most of Georgia s regions. The following crops produced in Georgia involve a significant number of migrant and seasonal workers beans blueberries cabbage cantaloupe sweet corn cucumbers eggplant greens nurseries Vidalia onions peaches pecans peppers tomatoes watermelon yellow squash and zucchini. However major 16 USDA Georgia Agricultural Facts October 2011 74 crop activity for cotton and peanuts as well as wheat field corn and pecans is mechanized and requires minimal workers for production. Table 1 provides the major crops and dates for which labor is typically needed. Georgia ranks as one of the leading states in providing employment services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFWs) according to the United States Department of Labor. However the trend toward a decreased need for MSFW agricultural workers in the state in the past few years continues. Some of the contributing factors include declining number of farms with labor-intensive crops an emphasis on growing corn for ethanol production to meet Energy Act mandates grower retirement or getting out of the business due to reductions in profit margins increased reliance on crews from Florida substantial increases in the number of H-2A orders uncertainty in states and federal immigration laws changes in MSFW migration patterns often result in worker surpluses in some areas and shortages in others During calendar year 2011 Georgia received 93 H-2A applications for 7 512 workers an 8% increase from the prior year. The H-2A program continues to expand in response to employers requests. The Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development reports17 that Georgia has 47 846 farms totaling 10 150 539 acres. Through the activities of GDOL the Telamon Corporation and local workforce partners the workforce system has made every effort to meet growers and workers increasing needs. A relatively new area of agricultural activity is blossoming that of agritourism. This unique experience combines traditional agriculture with tourism and includes visits to working farms orchards ranches wineries and other agricultural operations. This "win-win" model supports and sustains Georgia s farmlands while providing tourists with educational relaxing outdoor adventures. Shopping and dining experiences are also often part of agritourism opportunities and operators are continuously updating their operations to incorporate new activities and events. Agritourism is currently one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry in Georgia. Outreach Georgia s Available Resources for the Agricultural Community GDOL has a strong commitment to serving the agricultural community both growers and workers. The employment-related needs of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers (MSFWs) are a specific focus for career centers. There are nine career centers that focus on agricultural activities including Americus Bainbridge Cordele Career Center Counties Served Marion Schley Sumter Taylor Webster Decatur Early Miller Seminole Crisp Dooly Macon 17 Ag Snapshots A brief focus on Georgia s agricultural industry 2012 75 Douglas Dublin Moultrie Tifton Vidalia Waycross Atkinson Coffee Emanuel Johnson Laurens Treutlen Wheeler Colquitt Ben Hill Berrien Irwin Tift Turner Candler Evans Jeff Davis Tattnall Toombs Bacon Brantley Charlton Clinch Pierce Ware Each of these offices has knowledgeable designated staff that works 24-32 hours weekly prior to and during peak season to assist growers and MSFWs through outreach activities. Wagner-Peyser Employment Service-funded positions are used for MSFW outreach in these offices and Wagner-Peyser resources support growers and agricultural employers as they support employers in all industries throughout the state. Agricultural staff contacts growers prior to planting and harvesting seasons to plan for upcoming labor needs. Staff coordinates with the growers and with other career center staff to match the labor needs of the employers with qualified workers to fill these jobs. In line with GDOL s renewed focus on services to business state staff plans to provide outreach staff with comprehensive listings of area growers to aid in scheduling visits throughout the agricultural community. GDOL is also enhancing collaboration with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to ensure that all resources for growers and agricultural workers are coordinated in a seamless fashion. Another goal for PY2012 is to expand joint efforts with the University of Georgia county extension service/Department of Agriculture field staff. GDOL is also providing growers with intra/interstate clearance order assistance on a pilot basis. These employers are informed that they can list interstate clearance orders with the GDOL to obtain domestic referrals. This effort expands job opportunities to workers in other states. Georgia used an innovative approach to publicize the job openings by enlisting the assistance of the National Monitor Advocate and multiple Regional Monitor Advocates states with large farm worker populations such as Texas and Arizona were able to notify available workers of these opportunities. Another recent innovation with the clearance order process is the establishment of a single point of contact in the GDOL central office to assist growers with the clearance order process - from start to finish. Staff provides agricultural forums to educate growers on various labor-related subjects including market trends compliance with federal and state laws and the variety of GDOL services available to assist them. Budget permitting these activities will be continued in PY2012. Staff also assists growers with information about child labor requirements federal and state tax credit information and many other resources. Additionally staff meets with Farm Bureaus County Extension Agents Young Farmers and other local agricultural organizations and business groups to inform them of services the department can provide to the growers. Career center staff also assists with Farm Labor Contractor registration and seminars on current labor issues. Agricultural employers are welcome to use GDOL career centers for their business service needs (e.g. Internet copy and fax machines) and to interview job applicants. Worker recruitment provision of forms for farm labor contractor registration and assistance with the H-2A temporary agricultural program are other resources available to agricultural employers. Another innovative process to assist the agricultural community has been development of a new model for prevailing practice surveys. In 2012 the department released findings of a new comprehensive 76 Prevailing Practice for Farm Workers and Laborers Survey. The survey included responses of 226 farm operations employing more than 10 000 seasonal workers and was conducted in partnership with the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association the Georgia Farm Bureau Georgia Agribusiness Council and other agricultural partners. The survey highlighted the emergence of stronger food safety practices across the industry as well as reinforcing the prevailing practice of paying workers on a weekly basis. As a result of the positive feedback from the grower community additional states have expressed interest in replicating the comprehensive survey approach with the involvement of a broad array of agricultural partners. The department plans to continue similar comprehensive surveys in the future expanding involvement to include worker-related organizations. Monitor Advocate Services The role of the full-time Monitor Advocate includes working with local workforce systems to educate them on the needs of migrant workers and ensuring that available resources are coordinated to promote the best possible services in each community. The Monitor Advocate works closely with other community partners and resources many of whom are noted later in the plan. The State Monitor Advocate provides technical assistance and support on outreach to MSFWs and related functions including on-site reviews of local services provided to MSFWs. Additional state staff assist local specialists with agricultural employment issues. Further the Monitor Advocate and Employment Services staff train local staff and provide suggestions to enhance services to MSFWs (e.g. conducting workshops in Spanish introducing migrants and other customers to office technology and offering translation assistance within local communities). Additionally the Monitor Advocate performs the following required activities Conducting annual state-level reviews of career center services and protections provided to MSFWs Consulting with state and local staff to ensure accurate reporting of MSFW-related information Compiling and reporting on all statistical and other MSFW-related data reported by agricultural offices quarterly Reviewing proposed state directives manuals and operating instructions that pertain to MSFWs Participating in federal monitoring reviews Preparing an annual summary report of state-wide services. The State Monitor Advocate also performs a variety of advocacy activities including overseeing the operation and performance of the MSFW complaint system contributing to the state Agricultural Outreach Plan and reviewing the daily reports of outreach workers participating in public meetings throughout the state and meeting with farm worker groups and employers to promote the use of GDOL services. In addition to these activities the Monitor Advocate conducts field visits to the working and living areas of MSFWs to offer and verify job services. He also meets and works with other workforce agencies to coordinate services to MSFWs. The Monitor Advocate raises issues as appropriate to ensure that the development of new systems and strategies for service delivery will address the needs of MSFW customers. The Monitor Advocate conducts onsite reviews at the local career centers providing assurance that local workforce systems are in compliance with the equity indicators and minimum service levels for MSFWs. The Monitor Advocate also provides training as needed to staff of partner agencies regarding outreach and services to MSFWs and the Employment Service complaint system. 77 Central office staff visits the agricultural career centers between July 1 and October 31 to evaluate the previous year s performance. Field checks are conducted on 25% of the job orders where workers are referred by GDOL and hired by employers. Staff also provides ongoing technical assistance to these nine career centers regarding seasonal labor labor exchange activity and other areas of concern. Table 2 illustrates job order activity for PY2011. The Role of Outreach Specialists Outreach contacts with MSFWs are made primarily during peak agricultural activity periods which vary for different crops. Contacts are made at locations where MSFWs live and congregate. Written and oral presentations are provided in the language(s) readily understood by the workers. The typical menu of services includes the following Referral to agricultural H-2A orders and non-agricultural employment Referral to training Referral to supportive services Career counseling Job development Information on the GDOL complaint system Summaries of farm worker rights (terms and conditions of employment) Staff obtains permission from the grower prior to entering the property to conduct outreach and obtain permission from the workers prior to entering their living areas. After describing services outreach staff encourages MSFWs to visit the nearest career center for the full range of workforce services. All services available at career centers may be accessed by MSFWs. However in the event MSFWs cannot or do not wish to go to a career center outreach staff assist these customers in completing an application for Employment Services provide referrals to employment opportunities for which they are qualified assist then in preparing complaints or make appointments for needed services. As appropriate outreach staff carries out follow-up contacts with MSFW customers. In PY2011 GDOL anticipated serving approximately 3 270 MSFWs. In fact 3 062 MSFW applicants were registered for Employment Service during the program year. While 288 days (2 304 hours) of outreach activity were provided by field staff the lower number of registrants reflects the ongoing decline in the number of migrant workers spending time in Georgia. For PY2012 GDOL anticipates serving 2 900 MSFWs and providing 275 days of outreach. Staff follows all prescribed policies and procedures regarding documentation and reporting for all services provided. Outreach staff records each outreach contact on the Log of Daily Outreach Activities (DOL-544). Copies of the DOL-544 are maintained for two years. The monthly report of Services to Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers is compiled for quarterly reporting on the ETA-5148 report. See Tables 3 and 4 for data on Equity Indicators and Minimum Service Indicators. Each outreach staff person establishes a list of available resources and develops partnerships with other organizations serving MSFWs. Resources include but are not limited to the Department of Human Services Georgia Farmworker Health Program the Georgia Association for Primary Health Care Inc. Georgia Free Clinic Network Telamon Corporation Georgia Migrant Education community food banks Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Family Connections Goodwill Industries Community Action 78 Agencies the Salvation Army and Catholic Baptist Methodist and other religious organizations that provide assistance to migrant populations. Georgia s technical colleges and regional educational organizations provide Adult Literacy English as a Second Language and GED services to MSFWs. Career centers collaborate with local Workforce Investment Boards to ensure that MSFWs have training opportunities for jobs in demand in the area. In PY2012 GDOL will continue collaborative efforts to assist MSFWs to access needed resources. Outreach staff participates in local clinics and fairs targeted to MSFWs and their families and where possible assist local health departments to educate migrant workers on health issues. Staff partner with other career centers in their area to provide services at the locations most convenient for the migrant workers. For example the Statesboro and Vidalia career centers work together to serve both growers and MSFWs that live closer to one or the other office regardless of the counties each office typically serve. The same is true for the Americus and Cordele offices. Staff conducting outreach refers MSFWs to both seasonal agricultural employment and non-agricultural employment. This provides additional career opportunities and lengthens the period of employment for MSFW workers. With the diverse range of crops grown in Georgia MSFWs have the opportunity for agricultural employment for nine to ten months of the year. Additional GDOL Services to MSFWs GDOL continues to expand the electronic information and services available within Georgia s communities. The department s website contains a broad array of employment resources for job seekers and businesses as well as information about other community resources. Job search for jobs in Georgia and the Southeast region can be performed electronically through an enhancement to Georgia s state job bank known as Georgia Jobs Plus. The GDOL website address is www.dol.state.ga.us. The department also continues its efforts to assist customers with limited English proficiency. Information on department services including registering for services is available in Spanish and in other languages ensuring that Spanish-speaking farmworkers have the full range of services available in their native tongue whether services are received in the field or in a career center. Partner Services to MSFWs The GDOL s approach to service delivery includes planning and coordinating services for workers and agricultural employers at the local level as appropriate for the agricultural parts of the state. This ensures that each community provides the unique services needed by local customers and elevates the awareness of MSFW issues among local partners as they serve customers. GDOL has a strong partnership with the Telamon Corporation which operates the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) in Georgia. This program is funded under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act to provide core intensive and training services and related assistance for MSFWs. The cooperative agreement between GDOL and Telamon was developed to coordinate and enhance service delivery to MSFWs. In addition to sharing labor market information training supportive services and job-related resources available to MSFWs GDOL and Telamon share reports on the staff hours spent performing MSFW outreach activity. In several parts of the state Telamon staff is co-located in the area s Comprehensive One-Stop Center. For PY2011 Telamon provided outreach contacts to 421 customers. It is anticipated that perhaps half this number choose to receive workforce services such as job readiness classroom or on-the-job training work experience referral to English as a Second Language training or emergency assistance. Telamon anticipates 337 outreach contacts for PY2012. This is consistent with 79 GDOL s observation that there are fewer MSFWs working in the state. These contacts will focus on the following parts of the state Dublin Douglas Lyons Moultrie Statesboro Tifton Valdosta The Telamon Corporation also has Memoranda of Understanding with local Workforce Investment Boards and other community partners. These agreements focus on integrated service strategies and resource sharing. Collaborative approaches reduce duplication of effort and ensure that resources are used effectively for the benefit of customers. Additionally Telamon serves as a delegate agency for the East Coast Migrant Head Start Program. This program has a long tradition of delivering comprehensive and high-quality services to foster healthy development in low-income children aged six weeks to five years. The Migrant Head Start program provides a range of individualized services in the areas of education and early childhood development such as medical dental and mental health nutrition and parent involvement. In addition the entire range of Migrant Head Start services is responsive to and appropriate for each child s and family s developmental ethnic cultural and linguistic heritage and experience. The GDOL outreach workers partner with Telamon in identifying parents with youth that could benefit from these services. The Telamon Corporation is also the NFJP Housing grantee for the state of Georgia. The State Monitor Advocate and outreach workers coordinate with Telamon staff to assist growers in providing safe and affordable housing for farmworkers. Telamon provides housing support services to MSFWs through rental and utility assistance. 80 Tables 1 4 Table 1 Significant Levels of Agricultural Activity Requiring Seasonal Labor All Georgia Crops Crop Beans Blackberries Blueberries Butter Beans Cabbage Cantaloupe Carrots Collards Corn (sweet) Cucumbers Eggplant Grapes Green Onions Greens Mustard Greens Peas Peaches Pecans Peppers Pine Straw Pine Tree Seedlings Pine Trees Strawberries Squash Tobacco Tomatoes Turnip Greens Vidalia Onions Harvest Vidalia Onions Plant Watermelons Months of Peak Labor Needs March November April June May June July October January December March July February April May June February November March November February July July May April May June January May June March July January August September December March November May July March June October November March February November February September March July May June April June September December March July 81 Table 2 Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Job Orders and Job Order Activity Program Year 2011 Type of Order Ag Orders (including H-2A) Non-Ag Orders Number of Orders 236 68 400 Number of Referrals Requested 833 896 Number of Referrals Made 10 395 2 471 328 1 596 220 Number of Placements 2 262 41 114 Total Applicants Referred to Jobs Provided Some Services Referred to Supportive Services Counseled Job Development Contacts Table 3 MSFW Equity Indicators Program Year 2011 Non-MSFW Customers PY11 % MSFW Customers PY11 781 200 268 688 568 554 10 099 34.4% 72.8% 1.3% 3 062 2 375 2 770 1 697 % 77.6% 90.5% 55.4% Equity Targets 34.4% 72.8% 1.3% PY12 Projections MSFW Customers 2 900 2 200 2 000 1 500 8 094 1.04% 55 227 7.1% 440 14.4% 1 347 44% 1.04% 7.1% 385 1 000 Placed in jobs Placed in jobs at .50 above Minimum Wage Non-Ag Jobs ( 150 Days) Table 4 MSFW Minimum Service Indicators Program Year 2011 Number of MSFWs Receiving Service PY11 2 036 1 951 % of Total MSFWs PY11 66.5% 63.7% Required Levels 42.5% 14% PY12 Projections 1 800 1 700 286 9.3% 3.8% 200 82 Review and Public Comment GDOL has provided the opportunity for all interested parties to review and comment on the draft PY12 Agricultural Outreach Plan. Telamon Corporation migrant advocacy groups and agricultural employer organizations have been sent the draft plan and their comments were invited. The list of organizations to which the draft plan was sent is included below. The State Monitor Advocate was involved in development of the plan and approves the plan as drafted. 83 ATTACHMENT A STATE OF GEORGIA WAIVER REQUEST Common Measures The State is requesting a waiver to replace the 17 performance measures under WIA Section 136(b) with the nine common measures pursuant to TEGL 17-05. A. Statutory or Regulatory Requirements to be Waived The State is seeking to waive the provisions of WIA Section 136(b) and (c) of the Workforce Investment Act and 20 CFR 666.100 and 20 CFR 666.300 which require states and local areas to report on 17 performance accountability measures. B. State or local statutory or regulatory barriers There are no state or local statutory or regulatory barriers related to this waiver request. C. Goals of the waiver and expected programmatic outcomes if waiver is granted The proposed waiver for common measures will allow the state to be measured with other states including all states in Region 3. By simplifying reporting requirements by the state and local workforce areas the State will streamline service to participants with less time spent on administrative functions. This waiver will also allow for greater tracking of participant outcomes and program improvement. D. A description of individuals impacted by the waivers This waiver will affect all participants of the workforce investment system. Participants will be positively impacted through increased opportunities due to less time spent on administrative requirements. Local area staff and state personnel will spend less time completing and distributing reports and will be able to focus on program service and demand driven outcomes. E. Process used to monitor implementation provide notice to any local workforce investment board affected by the waiver provide affected local workforce investment boards an opportunity to comment on the waiver request and ensure meaningful public comment including comment from business and labor. GOWD and the local area will develop policies regarding the implementation of this waiver which will include 1. GOWD partnering with GDOL to track the nine (9) performance accountability measures defined as common measures for all nineteen (19) workforce areas on a quarterly basis 2. GOWD staff will monitor the local workforce areas with the use of the monitoring tool to regulate implementation 3. Submission in response to specific requests from State Workforce Investment Board committees and local workforce areas 4. A copy to all local Workforce Investment Boards of this waiver request for review and comment from the public through www.workforce.georgia.gov 1 STATE OF GEORGIA WIA WAIVER REQUEST Use of Local Funds for Incumbent Worker Training The State is requesting a waiver to permit use of Rapid Response funds up to 20 percent to conduct allowable state-wide activities as defined under WIA Section 134(a)(3) specifically incumbent worker training as part of a lay-off aversion strategy. All training delivered under this waiver is restricted to skill attainment activities. A. Statutory or Regulatory Requirements to be Waived The State is seeking to waive the provisions under Section 134(a) of the Workforce Investment Act and 20 CFR 665.310 and 665.320 which limit the use of state-wide Rapid Response funds. B. State or local statutory or regulatory barriers There are no state or local statutory or regulatory barriers related to this waiver request. C. Goals of the waiver and expected programmatic outcomes if waiver is granted The proposed waiver for funds reserved for Rapid Response activities will allow the state to provide resources to Georgia s companies to train current employees with outdated skills (e.g. workers who lack the skills needed for new technology the employer is using to remain competitive) in order to avert layoffs and promote job retention. State Rapid Response guidelines will remain in effect to approve and distribute funds for Rapid Response activities. In July 2012 Georgia s unemployment rate was still above the national average. If granted this waiver would allow companies to retain their employees and prevent contributing to this unemployment. The goal of this waiver is to assist companies in improving the skills and human capital of their employees reducing turnover and improving productivity through morale as a result of greater job security. D. A description of individuals impacted by the waivers This waiver will affect all WIA participants by providing local Workforce Investment Boards with greater flexibility to best serve the needs of their participants. As each local area faces different challenges and demands for labor this waiver will provide them with the greatest resources to adapt to changes to their stakeholders and participant needs. E. Process used to monitor implementation provide notice to any local workforce investment board affected by the waiver provide affected local workforce investment boards an opportunity to comment on the waiver request and ensure meaningful public comment including comment from business and labor. GOWD and the local area will develop policies regarding the implementation of this waiver which will include 1. Exploration of ways to use skill assessments to determine the training needs of the workforce high demand industries 2 2. GOWD staff will monitor the local workforce areas with the use of the monitoring tool to regulate implementation 3. Submission in response to specific requests from State Workforce Investment Board committees and local workforce areas 4. A copy to all local Workforce Investment Boards of this waiver request for review and comment from the public through www.workforce.georgia.gov 3 STATE OF GEORGIA WIA WAIVER REQUEST Adult / Dislocated Worker Transfer The State is requesting to increase the limit on the allowable transfer amount between Adult and Dislocated Worker funding streams under WIA Section 133(b)(4). A. Statutory or Regulatory Requirements to be Waived The State is seeking to waive Section 133(b)(4) of the Workforce Investment Act and 20 CFR 667.140 which state that local boards may transfer no more than 20 percent of funds allocated to the Adult and Dislocated Worker funding streams. The proposed waiver would allow local Workforce Investment Boards upon the approval of the Governor to transfer up to 50 percent of their fiscal year allocation between Adult and Dislocated Worker streams. B. State or local statutory or regulatory barriers There are no state or local statutory or regulatory barriers related to this waiver request. C. Goals of the waiver and expected programmatic outcomes if waiver is granted The proposed waiver allows local Workforce Investment Boards to transfer up to 50 percent of their fiscal year allocation between the Adult and Dislocated worker funding streams. This waiver provides local Workforce Investment Boards flexibility in allocating and expending adult and dislocated worker funds. Each local area serves a different population group with unique characteristics and needs. This waiver would allow local areas a greater amount of control to adapt to the needs of their area. Local areas that serve a greater population of one funding stream would be able to transfer funds to better serve the needs of those participants. Local area monitoring and technical assistance by the Governor s Office of Workforce Development would ensure that funds are not transferred at the detriment to the services provided through the other funding stream. GOWD policy also requires approval of financial staff and by the Executive Director to ensure the transfer of funds is necessary. D. A description of individuals impacted by the waivers All Adult and Dislocated Worker participants will be affected by this waiver which will provide greater opportunities for program choice and greater flexibility of resources. It will also affect local boards and staff which will have greater local control of resources to meet the needs of their environment and stakeholders including local businesses. E. Process used to monitor implementation provide notice to any local workforce investment board affected by the waiver provide affected local workforce investment boards an opportunity to comment on the waiver request and ensure meaningful public comment including comment from business and labor. GOWD and the local area will develop policies regarding the implementation of this waiver which will include 4 1. Waiver to be approved by the local Workforce Investment Board 2. GOWD staff will monitor the local workforce areas with the use of the monitoring tool to regulate implementation 3. GOWD financial team will verify that transfer of funds is necessary before submitting to Executive Director for approval 4. Submission in response to specific requests from State Workforce Investment Board committees and local workforce areas 5. A copy to all local Workforce Investment Boards of this waiver request for review and comment from the public through www.workforce.georgia.gov. The State is requesting a waiver to permit an increase in the amount state is allowed to transfer between the adult and dislocated worker funding streams up to 50 percent. 5 STATE OF GEORGIA WIA WAIVER REQUEST Employer Match for Customized Training The State is requesting a waiver of the required 50 percent employer contribution for customized training under WIA Section 101(8)(C) to permit the use of a sliding scale for the employer contribution based on the size of the business. For employers with more than 250 employees the current statutory requirements (50 percent contribution) continue to apply. A. Statutory or Regulatory Requirements to be Waived The State is seeking to waive Section 101(8)(C) of the Workforce Investment Act and 20 CFR 663.715 which require a 50 percent match by employers for customized training. B. State or Local statutory or regulatory barriers There are no state or local statutory or regulatory barriers related to this waiver request. C. Goals of the waiver and expected programmatic outcomes if waiver is granted The local Workforce Investment Boards have the option to adjust the employer contribution requirement for customized training using a sliding scale based on the size of the employer as indicated below 1. no less than 10 percent match for employers with 50 or fewer employees 2. no less than 25 percent match for employers with 51 - 250 employees 3. For employers with more than 250 employees the current statutory requirements remain in effect. This waiver will allow local Workforce Investment Boards to have the option to adjust the employer contribution requirement for customized training based on the size of the employer. This will provide greater flexibility for local boards to provide efficient services to participants. Local areas with small businesses can take advantage of resources to fill vacancies. It will also allow local staff to leverage a greater amount of resources to provide more training opportunities for participants. D. A description of individuals impacted by the waivers This waiver will affect local businesses particularly smaller firms who will have an increased opportunity to become a stakeholder in the workforce investment system. It will also impact local boards which will have greater flexibility in allocating their funds to meet the needs of their economic environment. E. Process used to monitor implementation provide notice to any local workforce investment board affected by the waiver provide affected local workforce investment boards an opportunity to comment on the waiver request and ensure meaningful public comment including comment from business and labor. GOWD and the local area will develop policies regarding the implementation of this waiver which will include 1. Waiver to be approved by the local Workforce Investment Board 6 2. GOWD staff will monitor the local workforce areas with the use of the monitoring tool to regulate implementation 3. Performance of customized training participants served through this waiver will be tracked separately from customized training participants served without the waiver through the WIASRD 4. This waiver has been submitted in response to specific requests from State Workforce Investment Board committees and local workforce areas 5. All local Workforce Investment Boards will be provided a copy of this waiver request for review through www.workforce.georgia.gov and comment from the public 7 STATE OF GEORGIA WIA WAIVER REQUEST Employer Match for On-The-Job Training The State is requesting a waiver to increase the limit on employer reimbursement for on-the-job training as described in WIA Section 101(31)(B). This waiver would allow local Workforce Investment Boards to use a sliding scale to increase the reimbursement to greater than 50 percent based upon the number of employees. A. Statutory or Regulatory Requirements to be Waived The State is seeking to waive Section 101(31)(B) of the Workforce Investment Act and 20 CFR 663.710 which state that an employer may be reimbursed up to 50 percent of the wage rate of an OJT participant. B. State or local statutory or regulatory barriers There are no state or local statutory or regulatory barriers related to this waiver request. C. Goals of the waiver and expected programmatic outcomes if waiver is granted The proposed waiver for employer reimbursement for on the job (OJT) training will provide the local Workforce Investment Boards the flexibility to adjust the employer reimbursement for OJT using a sliding scale as follows 1. Up to 90 percent for employers with 50 or fewer employees 2. Up to 75 percent for employers with 51-250 employees 3. For employers with more than 250 employees current statutory requirements remains in effect As Georgia s economy remains unstable and unemployment continues to drag higher than the national unemployment rate the state must find ways to leverage resources and encourage business participation in the workforce system. If approved this waiver would provide added incentives for local businesses to become a stakeholder in their local workforce investment system. The sliding scale also provides greater flexibility for local boards to utilize resources in the most effective manner to serve a greater number of participants and accommodate a greater volume of local business. D. A description of individuals impacted by the waivers This waiver will create additional training opportunities for individuals eligible for WIA adult and dislocated worker training assistance. This waiver will also affect local businesses particularly smaller firms who will have an increased opportunity to become a stakeholder in the workforce investment system. It will also impact local boards which will have greater flexibility in allocating their funds to meet the needs of their economic environment. E. Process used to monitor implementation provide notice to any local workforce investment board affected by the waiver provide affected local workforce investment boards an opportunity to comment on the waiver request and ensure meaningful public comment including comment from business and labor. 8 GOWD and the local area will develop policies regarding the implementation of this waiver which will include 1. Waiver to be approved by the local Workforce Investment Board 2. GOWD staff will monitor the local workforce areas with the use of the monitoring tool to regulate implementation 3. Submission in response to specific requests from State Workforce Investment Board committees and local workforce areas 4. A copy to all local Workforce Investment Boards of this waiver request for review and comment from the public through www.workforce.georgia.gov 9 STATE OF GEORGIA WIA WAIVER REQUEST Use of Individual Training Accounts for Older Youth The State is requesting a waiver of the prohibition of Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) for older youth and out-of-school youth program participants. A. Statutory or Regulatory Requirements to be Waived The State is seeking to waive 20 CFR 664.510 which prohibits the use of ITAs for older and out-ofschool youth participants. B. State or local statutory or regulatory barriers There are no state or local statutory or regulatory barriers related to this waiver request. C. Goals of the waiver and expected programmatic outcomes if waiver is granted The primary goal of this waiver is an increased focus on customer choice. If this waiver is granted older and out-of-school youth will be afforded additional opportunities to make use of training funds to pursue training paths as part of their Individual Service Strategy (ISS). Georgia expects this waiver to also provide additional flexibility for local workforce boards. If granted this waiver will permit local staff a greater number of options when developing the ISS with the participant. It will also aid the local area in achieving the federally mandated 30 percent requirement for serving these population groups. If granted this waiver would also eliminate administrative restrictions and provide for greater efficiency of program service. D. A description of individuals impacted by the waivers This waiver will create additional training opportunities for individuals eligible for Individual Training Accounts and who are out-of-school youth. E. Process used to monitor implementation provide notice to any local workforce investment board affected by the waiver provide affected local workforce investment boards an opportunity to comment on the waiver request and ensure meaningful public comment including comment from business and labor. GOWD and the local area will develop policies regarding the implementation of this waiver which will include 1. Waiver to be approved by the local Workforce Investment Board 2. GOWD monitoring team will monitor the local workforce areas with the use of the monitoring tool to regulate implementation and to ensure that funds are used for ITAs in the individual service strategies for these youth 3. Submission in response to specific requests from State Workforce Investment Board committees and local workforce areas 4. A copy to all local Workforce Investment Boards of this waiver request for review and comment from the public through www.workforce.georgia.gov 10 11 ATTACHMENT B ASSURANCES and Comments Planning process and Public Comment STATEMENT REFERENCE DOCUMENTATION and COMMENTS 1. The state established processes and timelines consistent with WIA Section WIA Sections Attachment D 111(g) and where appropriate 20 CFR 641.325 (g) to obtain input into 112(b)(9) 111(g) the development of the Integrated Workforce Plan and to give opportunity 20 CFR 661.207 for comment by representatives of local elected officials local workforce 20 CFR 661.220(d) investment boards businesses labor organizations other primary 20 CFR 641.325(f) (g) stakeholders and the general public. (h) 20 CFR 641.335 2. The state afforded opportunities to those responsible for planning or WIA Sections administering programs and activities covered in the Integrated Workforce 112(b)(9) 111(g) Plan to review and comment on the draft plan. 20 CFR 661.207 20 CFR 661.220(d) 3. The final Integrated Workforce Plan and State Operational Plan are Final Integrated Workforce Plan will be available and accessible to the general public. hosted here upon approval http //workforce.georgia.gov/resources- wia-services 4. The state afforded the State Monitor Advocate an opportunity to approve WIA Sections www.dol.state.ga.us See also and comment on the Agricultural Outreach Plan. The state solicited 112(b)(9) 111(g) explanation in Agricultural Outreach information and suggestions from WIA 167 National Farmworker Jobs 20 CFR 661.207 Plan. Program grantees other appropriate MSFW groups public agencies 20CFR 661.220(d) agricultural employer organizations and other interested organizations. At 20 CFR 653.107 (d) least 45 days before submitting its final outreach the State provided a 20 CFR 653.108(f) proposed plan to the organizations listed above and allowed at least 30 days for review and comment. The State considered any comments received in formulating its final proposed plan informed all commenting parties in writing whether their comments have been incorporated and if not the reasons therefore and included the comments and recommendations received and its responses with the submission of the plan. 5. In the development of the plan the state considered the 20 CFR 653.108(t) The State Monitor Advocate was a key recommendations submitted by the State Monitor Advocate in the annual partner in the development of the summary of services to Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers. Agricultural Outreach Plan. 6. The state established a written policy and procedure to ensure public WIA Sections 111(g) Attachment D access (including people with disabilities) to board meetings and 112(b)(9) 117(e) information regarding board activities such as board membership and 20 CFR 661.207 minutes. 7. Where SCSEP is included in the Integrated Workforce Plan the state 20 CFR 641.315(a)(1- N/A established a written policy and procedure to obtain advice and 10) recommendations on the State Plan from representatives of the State and 641.325 (f) (g) (h) area agencies on aging State and local boards under the WIA public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations providing employment services including each grantee operating a SCSEP project within the state except as provided under section 506 (a)(3) of OAA and 20 CFR 641.320(b) Social service organizations providing services to older individuals Grantees under Title III of OAA Affected Communities Unemployed older individuals Community-based organizations serving older individuals business organizations and labor organizations ASSURANCES AND COMMENTS - REQUIRED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES STATEMENT REFERENCE DOCUMENTATION or COMMENTS 8. The state made available to the public state-imposed requirements such WIA Sections http //workforce.georgia.gov/resources as state-wide policies or guidance for the state-wide public workforce 112(b)(2) 129 134 system including policy for the use of WIA title I state-wide funds. 20 CFR 665.100 9. The state established a written policy and procedure that identifies WIA Sections Attachment D circumstances that might present a conflict of interest for any state or 112(b)(13) 111(f) local workforce investment board member or the entity that s/he 117(g) represents and provides for the resolution of conflicts. The policy meets the requirements of WIA Sections 111(f) and 117(g). 10. The state has established a written policy and procedure that describes WIA Sections http //workforce.georgia.gov/resources the state s appeals process available to units of local government or grant 112(b)(15) 116(a)(5) recipients that request but are not granted designation of an area as a 20 CFR 661.280 local area under WIA Section 116. 20 CFR 667.700 11. The state established written policy and procedures that describe the 20 CFR 667.640 http //workforce.georgia.gov/resources state s appeal process for requests not granted for automatic or 20 CFR 662.280 temporary and subsequent designation as a local workforce investment area. 12. The state established a written policy and procedure that set forth criteria WIA Sections Attachment D to be used by chief elected officials for the appointment of local workforce 112(b)(6) 117(b) investment board members. 20 CFR 661.300(a) 20 CFR 661.325 13. The state established written policy and procedures to ensure local WIA Sec 117(c) Attachment D workforce investment boards are certified by the governor every two 20 CFR 661.325 years. 14. Where an alternative entity takes the place of the SWIB the state has WIA Sections N/A written policy and procedures to ensure the alternative entity meets the 111(e) (b) definition under Section 111(e) and the legal requirements for 20 CFR 661.210 membership. 15. Where the alternative entity does not provide representative membership WIA Sections N/A of the categories of required SWIB membership the state has a written 111(b) (e) policy or procedure to ensure an ongoing role for any unrepresented 20 CFR 661.210(c) membership group in the workforce investment system. (Only applicable in cases where a state uses an alternative entity as its SWIB and that entity does not provide for representative membership by individuals in the categories required by WIA Section 111(b).) 16. When applicable the state takes any action necessary to assist local areas WIA Sections Attachment D in developing and implementing the One-Stop system. 112(b)(14) 134(c) W-P Section 8(c) 17. The state established procedures for determining initial and subsequent WIA Sections Attachment D eligibility of training providers. 112(b)(17)(A)(iii) 122 134(d)(4) 20 CFR 663.515 663.535 18. All partners in the workforce and education system described in this plan WIA Section 188 Attachment D will ensure the physical programmatic and communications accessibility W-P Section 8(b) of facilities programs services technology and materials for individuals 29 CFR part 37 with disabilities in One-Stop Career Centers. 20 CFR 652.8(j) 19. The state ensures that outreach is provided to populations and sub- populations who can benefit from One-Stop Career Center services. WIA Section 188 29 CFR 37 Attachment D 20. The state implements universal access to programs and activities to all WIA Section 188 Attachment D individuals through reasonable recruitment targeting outreach efforts 29 CFR 37.42 assessments services delivery partnership development and numeric goals. 21. The state complies with the nondiscrimination provisions of section 188 WIA Section 188 Attachment D including that Methods of Administration were developed and 29 CFR 37.20 implemented. 22. The state collects and maintains data necessary to show compliance with WIA Section 185 Attachment D nondiscrimination provisions of Section 188. 23. For WIA Single-Area States only the state has memorandums of WIA Sections N/A understanding between the local workforce investment board and each of 112(b)(5) 116(b) the One-Stop partners concerning the operation of the One-Stop delivery 118(b)(2)(B) 20 CFR system in the local area. 661.350(a)(3)(ii) ASSURANCES AND COMMENTS - ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS STATEMENT REFERENCE DOCUMENTATION and COMMENTS 24 The state established written policy and procedures that outline the WIA Sections Attachment D methods and factors used in distributing funds including WIA Adult 111(d)(5) Dislocated Worker and Youth formula and Rapid Response funds. The 112(b)(12)(A) (C) 128 policy establishes a process for funds distribution to local areas for youth (b)(3)(B) 133(b)(2)(B) activities under WIA Section 128(b)(3)(B) and for adult and training 133(b)(3)(B) activities under WIA Section 133(b) to the level of detail required by 20 CFR 661.205(e) Section 112(b)(12)(a). In addition the policy establishes a formula prescribed by the governor under Section 133(b)(2)(B) for the allocation of funds to local areas for dislocated worker employment and training activities. 24a. For Dislocated Worker funding formulas the state s policy and procedure WIA Section Attachment D includes the data used and weights assigned. If the state uses other 133(b)(2)(B) information or chooses to omit any of the information sources set forth 20 CFR in WIA when determining the Dislocated Worker formula the state 667.130(e)(2)(i)-(ii) assures that written rationale exists to explain the decision. 25. The state established a written policy and procedure for how the WIA Sections Attachment D individuals and entities represented on the SWIB help to determine the 111(d)(5) methods and factors of distribution and how the state consults with 112(b)(12)(A) chief elected officials in local workforce investment areas throughout the 128(b)(3)(B) state in determining the distributions. 133(b)(3)(B) 20 CFR 661.205(e) 26. The state established written policy and procedures for any distribution WIA Sections Attachment D of funds to local workforce investment areas reserved for Rapid 133(a)(2) 134(a)(2)(A) Response activities including the timing and process for determining 20 CFR 667.130(b)(2) whether a distribution will take place. (e)(4) 665.340 27. The state established written policy and procedures to competitively WIA Section Attachment D award grants and contracts for WIA Title I activities. 112(b)(16) 28. The state established written criteria to be used by local workforce WIA Sections Attachment D investment boards in awarding grants for youth activities including 112(b)(18)(B) 123 criteria that the governor and local workforce investment boards will use 129 to identify effective and ineffective youth activities and providers of such activities. 29. The state established written criteria for a process to award a grant or WIA Sections 123 Attachment D contract on a competitive basis for Summer Youth Employment 129(c)(2)(C) Opportunities element of the local youth program where a provider is 20 CFR 664.610. other than the grant recipient/fiscal agent. 30. The state distributes adult and youth funds received under WIA equitably WIA Section Attachment D throughout the state and no local areas suffer significant shifts in 112(b)(12)(B) funding from year-to-year during the period covered by this plan. 31. The state established written fiscal-controls and fund-accounting WIA Sections Attachment D procedures and ensures such procedures are followed to ensure the 112(b)(11) 127 132 proper disbursement and accounting of funds paid to the state through 184 funding allotments made for WIA Adult Dislocated Worker and Youth W-P Sections 9(a) (c) programs and the Wagner-Peyser Act. 20 CFR 652.8(b) (c) 32. The state ensures compliance with the uniform administrative WIA Sections Attachment D requirements in WIA through annual onsite monitoring of each local 184(a)(3) (4) area. 20 CFR 667.200 .400(c)(2) 667.410 33. The state follows confidentiality requirements for wage and education WIA Sections Attachment D records as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 136(f)(2) (f)(3) 122 1974 (FERPA) as amended WIA and applicable Departmental 185(a)(4)(B) regulations. 20 USC 1232g 20 CFR 666.150 20 CFR part 603 34. The state will not use funds received under WIA to assist promote or WIA Section 181(b)(7) http //workforce.georgia.gov/workforce- deter union organizing. 20 CFR 663.730 professional ASSURANCES AND COMMENTS - ELIGIBILITY STATEMENT REFERENCE DOCUMENTATION and COMMENT 35. Where the SWIB chooses to establish them the state established definitions and WIA Sections N/A eligibility documentation requirements regarding the "deficient in basic literacy 101(13)(C)(i) skills" criterion. CFR 664.205(b) 36. Where the SWIB chooses to establish them the state established definitions and WIA Sections N/A eligibility documentation requirements regarding "requires additional assistance 101(13)(C)(iv) to complete and educational program or to secure and hold employment" 20 CFR 664. 200(c)(6) criterion. 664.210 37. The state established policies procedures and criteria for prioritizing adult Title I WIA Section Attachment D employment and training funds for use by recipients of public assistance and 134(d)(4)(E) other low-income individuals in the local area when funds are limited. 20 CFR 663.600 38. The state established policies for the delivery of priority of service for veterans WIA Sections Attachment D and eligible spouses by the state workforce agency or agencies local workforce 112(b)(17)(B) 322 investment boards and One-Stop Career Centers for all qualified job training 38 USC Chapter 41 programs delivered through the state s workforce system. The state policies 20 CFR 1001.120-.125 1. Ensure that covered persons are identified at the point of entry and given an Jobs for Veterans Act opportunity to take full advantage of priority of service and P.L. 107-288 2. Ensure that covered persons are aware of 38 USC 4215 a. Their entitlement to priority of service 20 CFR 1010.230 b. The full array of employment training and placement services available 1010.300-.310 under priority of service and c. Any applicable eligibility requirements for those programs and/ or services. 3. Require local workforce investment boards to develop and include policies in their local plan to implement priority of service for the local One-Stop Career Centers and for service delivery by local workforce preparation and training providers. ASSURANCES AND COMMENTS - PERSONNEL AND REPRESENTATION STATEMENT REFERENCE DOCUMENTATION and COMMENTS 39. The state assures that Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) significant WIA Section Attachment D office requirements are met. 112(b)(8)(A)(iii) Note The five states with the highest estimated year-round MSFW activities must assign full-time year-round staff to outreach activities. The Employment and Training Administration designates these states each year. The remainder of the top 20 significant MSFW states must make maximum efforts to hire outreach staff with MSFW experience for year-round positions and shall assign outreach staff to work full-time during the period of highest activity. 112(b)(17)(A)(iv) W-P Sections 3(a) (c)(1)-(2) 20 CFR 653.107(a) 107(i) 653.112(a) 653.108(d)(1) If a state proposes that its State Monitor Advocate work less than full-time the state must submit for approval by the Department a plan for less than full-time work demonstrating that the state MSFW Monitor Advocate function can be effectively performed with part-time staffing. 40. Merit-based public employees provide Wagner-Peyser Act-funded labor exchange W-P Sections 3(a) 5(b) All Wagner-Peyser funded staff activities in accordance with Departmental regulations. 20 CFR 652.215 are merit-based public Intergovernmental employees. Personnel Act 42 USC 4728(b) 41. The state has designated at least one person in each state or Federal employment W-P Section 8(b) Attachment D office to promote and develop employment opportunities job counseling and 20 CFR 652.211 placement for individuals with disabilities. 42. If a SWIB department or agency administers state laws for vocational W-P Section 8(b) Attachment D rehabilitation of persons with disabilities that board department or agency 20 CFR 652.211 cooperates with the agency that administers Wagner-Peyser services. ATTACHMENT C STATEMENT OF ASSURANCES CERTIFICATION The State Commonwealth or Territory of ________________________ certifies on the ______ day of _______________ month in __________ year that it complied with all of required components of the Workforce Investment Act and the Wagner-Peyser Act. The State Commonwealth or Territory also assures that funds will be spent in accordance with the Workforce Investment Act and the Wagner-Peyser Act and their regulations written Department of Labor guidance implementing these laws and all other applicable Federal and state laws and regulations. ______________________________ Governor ______________________________ Date 1 ATTACHMENT D ASSURANCES AND COMMENTS 1. The state plan was posted 08/09/2013 for public comment on workforce.georgia.gov. Comments were received at workforce georgia.gov and reviewed by GOWD staff. Additionally GDOL TCSG Carl Perkins DHS and GDEcD contributed to the writing of the integrated state plan. 6. Full board meetings are posted for the GOWD public meetings to address WIA policy considerations and the public meetings are advertised in the Georgia Daily Report. Full board meetings are archived for future use and transcripts of the meetings are available on the Governor s Office of Workforce Development s Web site which has incorporated Section 508 compliance standards for web accessibility. Section 508 is a federal government mandate for web accessibility and is a good benchmark for all government websites to follow. Georgia.Gov goes above and beyond Section 508 by implementing the best practices recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium s Web Content Accessibility. Furthermore the Georgia Open Meetings Act resolution from the Attorney General s (AG) office makes it clear that the local boards and any entities or nonprofits formed to assist the boards in their mission are agencies as defined in OCGA 50-14-1(a)(1). 9. The State of Georgia Financial Disclosure Statement (xhttp //ethics.ga.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2011/03/FormFD.pdf) and the State-wide and local governance (http //www.gdol.ga.gov/pdf/wia/chapter_3.pdf [Page 11]) allows the State to adhere to this policy. "What is the State s conflict of interest policy A member of the state or a Local Workforce Board may not vote on a matter under consideration by the board regarding the provision of services by the member or by an entity represented by that member or that would provide direct financial benefit to the member or someone in the immediate family of the member. Georgia has defined immediate family as husband wife son son-in-law daughter daughter-in-law mother mother-inlaw father father-in-law brother brother-in-law sister sister-in-law uncle niece nephew stepparent stepchild grandparent and grandchild. Local areas should have their own conflict of interest policies that may be more restrictive than the State s policy but at minimum must conform to the State s policy." 12. When establishing a Local Board local areas must select members representing business education labor organizations community based organizations economic development the Technical College System of Georgia the Georgia Department of Economic development and One-Stop partners. In order to identify Local Board members areas should solicit a wide range of businesses and other organizations. Active members from affiliated boards such as Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) Employer Committees technical college advisory boards Regional Advisory Boards and Family Connection collaborative boards can bring extensive knowledge experience and strong skills to the Local Board and should be considered for membership. Criteria for membership and suggestions for each member category are listed below Business- A majority of the members of the Local Workforce Board must be representatives of business in the local area who are Owners of businesses chief executives or operating officers of businesses and other business executives or employers with optimal policy making or hiring authority Representatives of business with employment opportunities that reflect the employment opportunities of the local area Nominated by local business organizations and business trade associations. Business- representatives should include representatives of small businesses and minority businesses to the extent possible. Chamber(s) of Commerce and other business organizations should be used to solicit nominations. Education- Two or more members must represent local educational agencies including school boards providers of adult education and literacy activities and post-secondary institutions (technical colleges two- and four-year colleges and universities). Representatives should be selected from among individuals nominated by regional or local educational agencies institutions or related organizations. Technical College System of Georgia- The LWIB shall include senior representatives from each State of Georgia Technical College governed by the Technical College System of Georgia located in the local workforce area. Labor Organizations- In areas where employees are represented by labor organizations two or more members of the board must be selected from nominations made by labor federations. In a local area in which no employees are represented by labor organizations two or more members of the board must be selected from nominations made by other representatives of employees. Community Based Organizations (CBO) - Two or more representatives must be chosen from CBOs including faith-based organizations and organizations representing individuals with disabilities and veterans if these organizations are present in the area. Nominations from other community based organizations should also be considered. Economic Development- Two representatives must be chosen to represent economic development including private sector economic development entities. Examples of organizations that promote economic development include the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) chambers of commerce local government consortiums industrial authorities colleges and universities the Departments of Economic Development and Community Affairs and other similar organizations. Georgia Department of Economic Development- The LWIB shall include a representative from the Georgia Department of Economic Development Staff. One-Stop Partners- Each of the One-Stop partner programs must be represented on the board although one member may represent more than one program. 13. Once local workforce areas satisfy their board s membership requirements the chief local elected official is required to submit a listing of board and youth council members in preparation for the Governor s recertification of the Local Boards. All 19 Local Workforce Boards are required to be recertified by the Governor every two years WIA Sec 117(c). 16. The Governor s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) established a procedure to assists each of the local areas in implementing and developing their One-Stop system. This procedure was developed based on the requirements set forth by the Workforce Investment Act specifically Sections 112(b)(14) and 134(c) and the Wagner-Peyser Act Section 8(c). The Governor s Office of Workforce Development assigned a staff member of the programmatic financial and compliance teams to provide Technical Assistance to each local area. Staff members from each team reached out to their assigned local area staff to establish an open and efficient way of communication. When a question or concern is raised by a local area the area can contact the GOWD staff member that is assigned to their local area. For complex questions or issues that deal with multiple subject areas the three members of the local areas technical assistance team will meet to solve the issue. Furthermore individuals in the Governor s Office of Workforce Development have been tapped to specialize in certain areas of the Workforce Investment Act and partner programs. This allows these individuals to assist any team member with questions dealing with their area of focus. If a question or issue arises that either the local area s primary technical assistance team or the specialized staff member cannot solve the issue would be forwarded to the manager of either the programmatic financial or compliance team. The manager of this specific team would then solve the issue internally or contact United States Department of Labor regional staff for assistance. The Governor s Office of Workforce Development has designed a monitoring system to assist the local areas in establishing and developing their One-Stop System. As well as being assigned a primary technical assistance team each local area will also be assigned a different member of the programmatic financial and compliance team for monitoring. The assignment of two different teams will provide a more thorough system of assistance for each local area. 17. GOWD requires applications from providers be first submitted to and evaluated by a LWIB pursuant to WIA Section 122. The application is then referred to GOWD for state-wide review and approval to the state-wide provider list. GOWD requires for a provider of training services to be determined to be subsequently eligible under subsection (C) of WIA Section 122 to receive funds as described in subsection (a) of WIA Section 122 such provider shall under subsection (C) submit verifiable program-specific performance information information on program costs and complete a subsequent eligibility application. Eligible Training Providers may be removed from a state-wide list in accordance with Federal Regulations. Under 20 CFR 663.565 a training provider must deliver results and provide accurate information to retain its status as an eligible training provider. If the provider s program/s fail to meet the established performance levels the programs will be removed from the eligible provider list. 18. Each local area must have at least one comprehensive physical center to provide core services specified in WIA Section 134(d)(2) and access to other services and activities carried out by the One-Stop partners. Customer needs and resources available should determine the number of comprehensive service sites beyond the one required by law. At the comprehensive center(s) where required core services must be available delivery options may include the following Physical staff presence - By physically locating staff at the center on a full or part-time basis (e.g. a WIA career advisor who is out stationed at a center outside his/her "home" office five half-days/week and provides full services) Funding by funding a staff person(s) who is already present to perform additional functions (e.g. to partially fund an intake worker previously funded solely through Wagner-Peyser with WIA funds to conduct WIA eligibility determinations) Facilitated access by facilitating access to services (e.g. a counselor in a center outside his or her "home" technical college who conducts initial screenings for potential students onsite then schedules customers to receive full services at the college). If technology is utilized facilitated access must be more than electronic access e.g. knowledgeable staff must be available for assistance as needed Section 662.100 also describes three other arrangements allowed to supplement the comprehensive center(s) a network of affiliated sites a network of One-Stop partners and specialized centers. A customer who enters the system at any of these three types of sites may receive some of the typical services at the site as well as information about how and where all the other services provided through the broader One-Stop system may be obtained. Georgia s local One-Stops have been designed and equipped to ensure that all customers have access to the services and programs they need. One-Stops can ensure compliance with accessibility and reasonable accommodation provisions of the Workforce Investment Act the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and the Georgia Accessibility Code. Additionally One-Stops can provide adaptations to help customers with visual hearing mobility and cognitive or language impairments access services. Georgia s workforce system provides universal access to all Georgians including customers with disabilities. The Georgia Employment Service Operational Procedures Manual is a comprehensive staff tool providing policy for GDOL career center staff. Chapter 7 Services to Persons with Disabilities provides staff with guidance on equal access for customers with disabilities. Adherence to policy is reviewed periodically through the STAR monitoring process. Assistive Technology Solutions for GDOL Public Access an online tool to support staff as they connect customers with disabilities to the assistive technology available in each GDOL career center is located on GDOL s Intranet (e.g. JAWS MAGic Open Book Wynn TTY accessible workstations hardware solutions FM Listening Station etc.) Georgia DOL partners closely with the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency for linkage to specialized services as appropriate. Numerous disability resources as well as links to Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency are on the Georgia DOL web site at www.dol.state.ga.us. GDOL s web site is 508 Bobby Approved. 19. The State ensures that outreach is provided to populations and sub-populations who can benefit from OneStop Career Center services. http //wfia.cybernetixs.com/ WIA Section 188. 20. The state implements universal access to programs and activities to all individuals through reasonable recruitment targeting outreach efforts assessments service delivery partnership development and numeric goals. https //workforce.georgia.gov/sites/workforce.georgia.gov/files/EqualOpportunity.pdf WIA Section 188. 21. Georgia s Methods of Administration (MOA) are up-to-date. Ongoing training and technical assistance (e.g. regarding customer complaints) is provided to Georgia DOL staff to ensure adherence to the provisions of the MOA. Adherence to policy is evaluated through the STAR review process. The state ensures that it will comply with the nondiscrimination provisions of WIA 188 including an assurance that a combined method of administration manual has been developed and implemented. The manual has been approved by the Governor of Georgia and the DOL ETA office. Further the state assures that it will collect and maintain data necessary to show compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions of WIA 188 through joint partnership with other state agencies. The Methods of Administration for Equal Opportunity ensures that all services are provided in compliance with the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity provisions of WIA 188 Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. 22. The state complies with the nondiscrimination provisions of Section 188 including that Methods of Administration were developed and implemented. MOA link http //workforce.georgia.gov/sites/workforce.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/MOA%20May%202 012%20revised%20july2012.pdf. 24. Eighty-five percent of the WIA title I Adult and Youth funds were distributed to local areas according to methods specified in WIA Section 133(b). Below is a summary of Georgia s methodology Adult Funds The standard allocation formula gives equal weight to the following three formula factors 33.3% Relative number of unemployed individuals in areas of substantial unemployment in each local area compared to the total number of unemployed individuals in areas of substantial unemployment in the State 33.3% Relative excess number of unemployed 1000 individuals in each local area compared to the total excess number of unemployed individuals in the State 33.3% Relative number of disadvantaged adults in each local area compared to the total number of disadvantaged adults in the State Youth Funds The standard allocation formula gives equal weight to the following three formula factors 33.3% Relative number of unemployed individuals in areas of substantial unemployment in each local area compared to the total number of unemployed individuals in all areas of substantial unemployment in the State 33.3% Relative excess number of unemployed individuals in each local area compared to the total excess number of unemployed individuals in the State 33.3% Relative number of disadvantaged youth in each local area compared to the total number of disadvantaged youth in the State Note Georgia has no local areas with rural concentrated employment program grants Dislocated Worker Funds Georgia distributes 70% of available funds by formula to local areas. Funds are allocated according to the six federally mandated factors plus three additional ones. The factors and their weights are as follows 40% Number of individuals who received unemployment insurance with earnings for the most recent twenty four-month period 05% Number of unemployed individuals in excess of 6.5% of the civilian labor force for the most recent twenty four months 10% Number of individuals who received unemployment insurance who were from firms that were part of the Mass Layoff Statistics data for the latest two years 10% Number of individuals employed in industries that have experienced a decline in employment of 5% or greater over the last two years 2.5% Number of individuals employed as farmers or rancher according to the most recently available census data 2.5% Number of individuals who collected unemployment for 15 weeks or more for the last eighteen-month period 10% Number of individuals employed in manufacturing for the last eighteen-month period 10% Number of individuals employed in retail and wholesale trade for the last eighteen-month period 10% Number of individuals enrolled in WIA dislocated worker training services during the prior program year The cash request packet is retrieved from the SAO shared inbox by the AP Specialist. The SAO AP Specialist uses the RFE to generate the payment voucher within PeopleSoft. The SAO AP Specialist manually overrides the net 30 payment terms to allow for immediate payment. The SAO AP Specialist reconciles daily payment vouchers to RFE s in PeopleSoft. Payment vouchers are processed nightly. The following morning the AP Specialist reviews the budget error report. The budget error report indicates any budget exceptions. If exceptions exist the payment voucher will not process. The AP Specialist also checks in PeopleSoft to see if a reference number has been assigned to all payment vouchers. A reference number indicates the payment voucher processed successfully. ACH information has been obtained from each Local Area and entered into People Soft (see grant acceptance process narrative). The payment voucher initiates the ACH wire transfer directly to the Local Area bank accounts funds are deposited into local area bank accounts from the State s General Fund. 24a) Dislocated Worker Funds Georgia distributes 70% of available funds by formula to local areas. Funds are allocated according to the six federally mandated factors plus three additional ones. The factors and their weights are as follows 40% Number of individuals who received unemployment insurance with earnings for the most recent twenty four-month period 05% Number of unemployed individuals in excess of 6.5% of the civilian labor force for the most recent twenty four months 10% Number of individuals who received unemployment insurance who were from firms that were part of the Mass Layoff Statistics data for the latest two years 10% Number of individuals employed in industries that have experienced a decline in employment of 5% or greater over the last two years 2.5% Number of individuals employed as farmers or rancher according to the most recently available census data 2.5% Number of individuals who collected unemployment for 15 weeks or more for the last eighteen-month period 10% Number of individuals employed in manufacturing for the last eighteen-month period 10% Number of individuals employed in retail and wholesale trade for the last eighteen-month period 10% Number of individuals enrolled in WIA dislocated worker training services during the prior program year 25. The state established a written policy and procedure for how the individual and entities represented on the SWIB help to determine the methods of factors of distribution and how the state consults with chief elected officials in local workforce investment areas throughout the state in determining the distributions. Tricia s calendar meetings with CLEOs (see attached) and hosted SWIB Meeting minutes http //workforce.georgia.gov/board-meeting-minutes 20 CFR 661.205(e). 26. Georgia reserves 25% of the dislocated worker funds to expand the state-wide Rapid Response capacity including state-level Rapid Response staff. Staff coordinates extensively with local governments chambers of commerce and community and economic development agencies to maximize resources available to address worker dislocations and workforce development in the community. Georgia also uses a major part of the funds for grants to local areas to meet the needs of dislocated workers. GOWD has a formal process for areas to request additional Rapid Response or formula Dislocated Worker funds. A team consisting of representatives from Rapid Response compliance and finance departments will review such requests that come in from local areas. Based on fund availability the area s performance and knowledge of other impending layoffs additional funds may then been be provided to local areas. GOWD will use data from its case management system Workforce Statistics & Economic Development and the Unemployment Compensation system to pinpoint service needs and enhance services for dislocated workers and employers affected by economic downturns or natural disasters. 27. The State established written policy and procedures to competitively award grants and contracts for WIA Title I activities. Grants are awarded through a competitive RFP process and graded by a rubric system which allows for equality amongst grant applicants. The local grant recipient agrees to and will hold harmless both the Office of Planning and Budget and the Governor s Office of Workforce Development its officers and employees and the State of Georgia from all claims cost damages or expense arising from any acts or omissions of the recipient its employees or agents while performing under this grant award. 28. Youth providers will be competitively procured through the local areas with the recommendations of their Youth Councils. The desired programs will link academic and occupational learning. These service providers should also have strong ties to employers. Programs must include tutoring study skills training and instruction leading to completion of secondary school (including dropout prevention) alternative school services mentoring by appropriate adults paid and unpaid work experience (such as internships and job shadowing) occupational skills training leadership development and appropriate supportive services. WIA Sections 112(b)(18)(B) 123 129 29. The state established written criteria for a process to award a grant or contract on a competitive basis for the Summer Youth Employment Opportunities element of the local youth program where a provider is other than the grant recipient/fiscal agent. Summer employment opportunities must be linked to academic and occupational learning. The programs must be competitively procured by the local areas. The mix of year-round and summer activities is left to local discretion. WIA Sections 123 129(c)(2)(C). 30. The state distributes adult and youth funds received under WIA equitably throughout the state and no local areas suffer significant shifts in funding from year-to-year during the period covered by this plan. Under the Hold-Harmless Clause for the current program year no eligible local area shall receive an allotment under this subtitle that is less than 90 percent of the average allocation for the two preceding program years. Currently Georgia has four local areas that are eligible for hold harmless shares. 31. The State established written fiscal controls and fund accounting procedures and ensures such procedures are followed to ensure the proper disbursement and accounting of funds paid to the State through funding allotments made for WIA Adult Dislocated Worker and Youth programs by incorporating three checks and balances through three different departments. The Request for Expenditure (RFE) is completed by the Governor s Office of Workforce Development and paid through State Accounting Office (SAO) and budget checked through Office of Planning and Budget (OPB). Georgia DOL strictly complies with the rules and regulations set forth by the USDOL for the Wagner-Peyser Act and adheres to all applicable state and federal requirements regarding the receipt disbursement and management of all funds allotted from all sources. The highest standards of accountability are assured. 32. The State ensures compliance with the uniform administrative requirements and 667.410(B) through annual onsite monitoring of each local area. The state has developed a monitoring system through monitoring tools technical assistance (both financially and programmatically) periodic desk reviews and regular email clarification of any changes to the WIA Act provided by documentation received in the Training and Employment Guidance Letters (TEGL). This process is set in place to both assess the strength and quality of the local area system and provide opportunities for continuous improvement to ensure compliance with the WIA. 33. The State follows confidentiality requirements for wage and education records as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). FERPA contains several exceptions to the general rule that education records may not be disclosed without prior written parental consent. One exception allows for disclosures to authorized representatives of the Secretary of Education the Comptroller General the Attorney General and state and local educational authorities. Such a disclosure must be made in connection with an audit or evaluation of a Federal or State supported education program. The disclosure may also be made for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements related to the Federal or State education program. O.C.G.A section 50-18-70(b) describes both the rule and exception applicable to public access of wage and other information to be provided by DOL. The disclosure of personally identifiable student information by TCSG to the DOL and GOWD is for the purpose of complying with the performance reporting requirements of the WIA and is permissible under FERPA. The U.S. Department of Education has concluded that the DOL may be designated an authorized representative for purposes of compiling and reporting information as required by WIA. 37. The State Workforce Investment Board established the policy that public assistance recipients and other individuals with low incomes would receive the highest priority for WIA services after all eligible veterans and eligible spouses of veterans have been considered for services. Covered persons (veterans and eligible spouses) are identified at the initial point of contact within the One-Stop offices so that priority of service can be provided to veterans for the delivery of employment training job placement and related services as stated in the Jobs for Veterans Act (P.L. 107-288). After all eligible veterans and their spouses have received priority of service priority for intensive and training services must be given to recipients of public assistance and other low-income individuals. After these lowincome considerations Georgia has established the following guidelines to assist Local Boards in this task Where training funds are limited local areas may choose to prioritize services for individuals. Policies at the local level may give priority to individuals with one or more characteristics of special target populations. Some examples of these characteristics are unemployed lacks a high school diploma or GED poor work history offender limited English-speaking poor basic skills TANF or Food Stamp recipient under-employed or other factors most relevant to the community. Local areas will identify and prioritize training in occupations in demand in the local labor market. An occupation in demand may include a job where there is limited demand but an individual has a bona fide job offer contingent upon completion of training. Training funds should generally be used to build on existing skills first. If an individual may be trained for a quality job more quickly and economically by building on existing skills that may take precedence over training the individual for an entirely new occupation. The customer s interests the demands of the labor market and limited funds must be taken into consideration. 38. The State Workforce Investment Board established the policy that public assistance recipients and other individuals with low incomes would receive the highest priority for WIA services after all eligible veterans and eligible spouses of veterans have been considered for services. Covered persons (veterans and eligible spouses) are identified at the initial point of contact within the One-Stop offices so that priority of service can be provided to veterans for the delivery of employment training job placement and related services as stated in the Jobs for Veterans Act (P.L. 107-288). The Georgia Employment Service Operational Procedures Manual is a comprehensive staff tool providing policy for Georgia DOL career center staff. Chapter 3 Services to Veterans addresses priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses. Adherence to policy is evaluated during the STAR review process. 39. Details of the career centers process for outreach to MSFWs are included in the Agricultural Outreach Plan. Georgia s Monitor Advocate serves in this capacity full-time. 41. Staff in all Georgia DOL career centers provide services to individuals with disabilities and have received training on assistive technology. Service to individuals with disabilities is the responsibility of all staff not merely one per office. Additionally state resources support these efforts with technical assistance. 42. Effective July 1 2012 the Division of Rehabilitation Services programs were transferred from Labor to a newly-created Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency administratively attached to the Georgia Department of Human Services. Georgia DOL and Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency continue to maintain strong linkages to serve Georgia s customers with disabilities including co-location of staff in some GDOL career centers mutual referrals joint activities for business and job seeker customers and others. ATTACHMENT E PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION DESIGNEES AND PLAN SIGNATURES Name of WIA Title I Grant Recipient Agency Governor s Office of Workforce Development________ Address Two Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Atlanta GA 30334__________________________________ Telephone Number 404-463-5030________________________________________________________ Facsimile Number 404-463-5043_________________________________________________________ E-mail Address gawia georgia.gov_______________________________________________________ Name of WIA Title I Signatory Official Executive Director Blake Ashbee________________ Governor s Office of Workforce Development_________________________________________________ Address Two Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Atlanta GA 30334___________________________________ Telephone Number 404-463-5030_________________________________________________________ Facsimile Number 404-463-5043__________________________________________________________ E-mail Address gawia georgia.gov________________________________________________________ Name of WIA Title I Liaison Governor s Office of Workforce Development_______________________ Address Two Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Atlanta GA 30334___________________________________ Telephone Number __ 404-463-5030__________________________________________________ Facsimile Number 404-463-5043__________________________________________________________ E-mail Address _ gawia georgia.gov______________________________________________________ Name of Wagner-Peyser Act Grant Recipient/State Employment Security Agency Georgia Department of Labor_____________________________________________________ Address 148 Andrew Young International Blvd Atlanta GA 30303_______________________ Telephone Number _404-232-7300_________________________________________________ Facsimile Number _404-656-2683__________________________________________________ E-mail Address brooke.lucas gdol.ga.gov___________________________________________ Name and Title of State Employment Security Administrator (Signatory Official) Georgia Department of Labor_____________________________________________________ Address 148 Andrew Young International Blvd Atlanta GA __________________________ 30303________________________________________________________________________ Telephone Number _ 404-232-7300________________________________________________ Facsimile Number _ 404-656-2683_________________________________________________ E-mail Address _ brooke.lucas gdol.ga.gov_________________________________________ As the governor I certify that for the State/Commonwealth/Territory of __________________ the agencies and officials designated above have been duly designated to represent the State/Commonwealth/Territory in the capacities indicated for the Workforce Investment Act title I and Wagner-Peyser Act grant programs. Subsequent changes in the designation of officials will be provided to the U.S. Department of Labor as such changes occur. I further certify that we will operate our Workforce Investment Act and Wagner-Peyser Act programs in accordance with this plan and the assurances herein. Typed Name of Governor Governor Nathan Deal____________________________ Signature of Governor_________________________________ Date________________ ATTACHMENT F GOVERNOR S OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD MEMBERSHIP Governor Nathan Deal Commissioner Mark Butler Georgia Department of Labor Wagner-Peyser/UI/TAA Representative Migrant Seasonal Farmworker Programs Commissioner Chris Carr Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Gretchen Corbin Georgia Department of Community Affairs Community Service Block Grants Representative HUD Representative Commissioner Ron Jackson Technical College Systems of Georgia Community College Representative Adult Education and Literacy Activities Carl D. Perkins Grants Commissioner Avery Niles Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Keith Horton Georgia Department of Human Services Senior Community Service Employment Program Business Representatives Ms.Lisa Adams Southeastern Technical College Senator Buddy Carter Carter s Pharmacy Inc. Ms. Ann Cramer Coxe Curry & Associates Mr. Wendell Dallas Jr. Chairman Atlanta Gas Light Mr. William (Bill) Dunaway INTL FCStone Inc. Mr. Doug Duncan Vice Chairman Management Analysis and Utilization Inc. Theresa Fisher Sugar Foods Corp. Mr. Gerry Harkins National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Ms. Beth Herman Adecco Mr. John Krueger Georgia Chamber of Commerce Ms. Liza Leiter Cobb County Youth Museum Mr. Joseph S. Marks Timco Aviation Service Mr. Thomas Morrill Varian Medical Systems Mr. Lawton Sack James L. Oates III Enterprises Inc. Jim Seymour Interior Design Services Mel Stowers Stowers & Company Ms. Karen Viera WellCare Health Plans Inc. Mr. Joe Vogt Solvay Workforce Service Delivery Representatives Ms. Sarah Harrison Northwest Georgia Regional Commission Local Government Representatives Ames Barnett Mayor Washington Georgia Mr. Melvin Davis Oconee County Board of Commissioners Mr. Ivan Figueroa John Creek City Council Mr. Travis Turner White County Board of Commissioners Youth Activities Representative Ms. Gayle Silvey Skills USA Labor Representative Mr. Richard Ray Georgia State AFL-CIO Keith Thomas North Georgia Building & Construction Trades Council Senator Representatives Frank Ginn Georgia State Senate District 47 Lindsey Tippins Georgia State Senate District 37 Representatives Representative Buddy Harden Georgia House of Representatives District 148 Representative Terry England Georgia House of Representatives District 108 ATTACHMENT G SUMMARY OF VOLUNTARY RE-DESIGNATION Process of Voluntary Re-designation In order to initiate a voluntary consolidation the Chief Local Elected Officials (CLEO) of both areas to be consolidated must submit an Intent to Consolidate form to the Governor by way of GOWD. This form should include the name of the LWIAs to be consolidated a list of the counties that will comprise the new LWIA the CLEO s signature and the date signed. This may be a single document with both CLEOs signatures or a document from each CLEO. With consideration of comments received through the public comment process and consultation with the State Board the Governor will approve or disapprove the consolidation. At this point GOWD will provide tools to aid the process of consolidation such as a checklist and a schedule and a technical support contact form the GOWD staff. GOWD will be active throughout this process ensuring timely progression and providing support as requested. Once the consolidation is approved the Local Elected Officials (LEO) must meet to elect a CLEO for the new LWIA. The newly elected CLEO must then appoint a new fiscal agent. In order for GOWD to approve an entity to serve as the fiscal agent for an LWIA the entity must have adopted a resolution to accept the duties of the fiscal agent and must meet all state policy financial requirements. Once selected and approved the fiscal agent along with the CLEO will need to establish new fiscal agent policies reporting capabilities and a chart of accounts. The newly elected CLEO must also appoint or approve a merged LWIB. It is expected that the existing LWIBs will meet to establish a new board with the CLEO s approval. The new board will review the fiscal agent s policies and procedures as well as appoint and assign tasks to new committees. The board must provide updated board information to GOWD for approval. The new LWIA will submit a plan to GOWD for how they will provide services to participants during transition. Due to the diversity in management processes for participant case files from LWIA to LWIA local plans for continuance of service through a transition will vary greatly. The local plans should at a minimum require a pre-transition inventory of case files to be completed a tracking plan for the maintenance of those files through the transition and a plan for a final inventory of case files to be conducted once the transition is complete. The LWIA should be able to identify the location of the all case files at all times throughout the transition. LWIAs should provide a clear timeline for this process and should outline any complications they anticipate due to the variations in case management processes between the merging areas. A plan to address these complications should be established. The transition plan for continuance of services should provide a deadline to ensure that participant case files and financial case files are updated and ready to crossover. The following is a list of additional tasks that must be accomplished during the consolidation process An inventory of LWIA property must be conducted both before and after the consolidation. 45 day cease of contract notice to venders and sub recipients Vender/subrecipient contracts will be terminated and resolicited with the new LWIA fiscal agent New contract language should be reviewed to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements GOWD will provide a draft of the grant award for review to the new LWIA. Participants should be notified of the transition Finally the new LWIB and LWIA will receive new grant award from GOWD. ATTACHMENT H CONSOLIDATION CHECKLIST Consolidation Checklist Status Designee responsible Task Filling positions Determine CLEO Appoint Fiscal Agent Establish new fiscal agent policies reporting capabilities and chart of accounts Schedule transition meeting between GOWD Old fiscal agent and New fiscal agent Verify that new board and new officials meet federal and state standards Determine date duties are assumed Create and provide to GOWD new organization chart Select LWIA Executive Director GOWD Approval needed Determine Director s management need for multiple intake centers Board Duties Select and structure joint board Collect signed affidavits and disclosures from board members Provide updated list of board members and officers to GOWD Approve joint bylaws and get GOWD approval Approve joint P&P Appoint committees Review Fiscal Agent selection P&P approve MOUs with One Stops Approve transition service plan Review Fiscal Agent s Director selection Staffing issues Determine position descriptions titles and salaries Staff selection and notification process Create a comprehensive staff list assign duties Train staff on any new systems and new duties New Hire Paperwork Offer Letter(agree upon salaries and positions) Update tax documents (I-9 W-2 W-4 ex..) HR set up for each staff member under new entity (Benefits check deposit grant access to building arrange parking set up email addresses access to systems business cards...) Assets Inventory all WIA assets in each area office Identify jointly owned assets Establish policy for apportionment of assets jointly owned by WIA and other entity Determine assets needed by the newly formed LWIA Relocate any assets to the selected location Set a plan for the surplus of assets (according to existing procedure) Document action and justification for any surplus of assets Determine and acquire needed additional assets Update inventory after transition Location change Transfer service if necessary (cell phone wifi...) Close out lease and other agreements if moving location Address any utility accounts that will no longer be needed Notify utility/service providers and update licenses for software/hardware Determine a new location and set lease agreement if necessary according to procurement policy Connect any utilities and services such as internet wifi Notify local offices of contact information/location changes and effective dates Be sure all vital WIA information/documents/resources are made available on a shared servicer at a new location Update website Financial Select last date for drawdown. Final date for sending all invoices to old fiscal agent notice for contractors Create form for old fiscal agent requesting payment from new fiscal agent Create a new formal agreement between new fiscal agent and old fiscal agent for invoices received after crossover date Federal contracts awards and contracts 45 days advance notice to all contract holders or vendors of cease of contract Review draft of Grant Award provided by GOWD about mid April Close out prior year grants Close out program year grants and federal fiscal year grants Close out portion of youth grant spent and determine transfer of funding plan Review language in contracts and verify federal state and local compliance (CFDA number federally required clauses....) Determine how to bill in-progress work Receive new grant award from GOWD Return Grant agreement June COB Signed by all required parties if they want to do Drawdowns on the first Update Signature card (form) by COB Update emergency contact form Close out all local contracts Re-solicit contracts Misc. Determine process and persons involved in handling monetary approvals LWIA must submit plan to GOWD for how they will provide services to participants during transition Ensure participants notes/files are complete up to date and fully documented Ensure no client matters are unresolved One stops notify required partners and entities with which they have a resource sharing agreement or MOU LWIB approve MOUs with One Stops Notify education providers of new fiscal agent GOWD is changing vendors for the management access system and the schedule for the following three actions will be set by the new vendor (schedule expected by mid February) Submit completed forms to vendor (a few days processing) Submit area parameters to vendor of the new participant management access system Training on new tracking system ATTACHMENT I GOVERNOR S OFFICE OF WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART ATTACHMENT J GEORGIA S LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT AREAS ATTACHMENT K Memorandum for Clarification on the Georgia Integrated State Plan Submitted on September 15 2013 Memorandum To Winston Tompoe United States Department of Labor (USDOL) From Blake Ashbee Governor s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) Date November 8 2013 Re Clarification on the Georgia Integrated State Plan Submitted on September 15 2013. On November 1 2013 USDOL staff met with GOWD staff in order to provide feedback and voice concerns about several sections of the Georgia Integrated State Plan submitted to USDOL on September 15 2013. Three specific areas of concern were identified integration of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Wagner-Peyser (WP) services State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB) composition and GOWD operating systems. GOWD has drafted a response to each of the sections of concern below. Integration of WIA and WP Services (p. 38-43) The State of Georgia understands the need for service integration between WIA and WP and has developed several steps to ensure a broader level of integration for the future. As proposed in the Georgia Integrated State Plan "GOWD is coordinating with GDOL to ensure that Wagner-Peyser funding is available not only in the comprehensive One-Stop career centers but all of the One-Stops. Futhermore both organizations are collaborating to see that Wagner-Peyser funding is being used as the "front door" to provide core (tier 1) and intensive (tier 2) services to participants at the initial point of entry into the workforce system and that WIA funds are being utilized largely for training (tier 3) services (page 39.)" To that end GOWD and the Georgia Department of Labor have developed a comprehensive process to ensure integration will be implemented by July 2015. GOWD has already taken several steps towards integration. GOWD is currently conducting LWIB certification which includes the verification of LWIB participation by One-Stop partners. LWIBS that are not in compliance are provided assistance in obtaining the necessary board members. Additionally GOWD is currently using PY12 on-site monitoring to identify current One-Stop re-certification processes utilized by each LWIB. GOWD is identifying best practices and taking this opportunity to provide technical assistance. One of the next steps that will be taken by GOWD and GDOL will be to form a working group for LWIB plan review. This group will include at a minimum GDOL and GOWD staff members and may engage individuals from other mandated One-Stop partners as well as the SWIB. GOWD will submit guidance to all LWIAs for the LWIB plan submission as soon as the state receives state plan approval. The LWIB plan guidance as stated on pg. 41 of the state plan will require the LWIAs to among other things assess the current integration of WIA and WP services in their One-Stop Centers including co-enrollment and co-location. LWIAs will then be required to address how they plan to move towards a more integrated system. Additionally the LWIAs will be required to submit updated One-Stop business plans. The business plans must include the items referenced on pg. 41 of the state plan. Rubrics will be developed to guide review of the plans. Rubric formulas and section weights will include input from LWIAs. These rubrics will ensure that both the local plans as well as the business plans meet all federal and state criteria and will also include components to evaluate the feasibility both financially as well as programmatically of the proposed integration efforts. Based upon their review the working group will make recommendations to the SWIB for the approval of rejection of each LWIB plan. This review will also help GOWD and GDOL establish baselines for current levels of integration throughout the state and develop customized guidance and technical assistance for each LWIB based on their current status. Once this group has completed their reviews a secondary working group will be established to assist with the implementation of statewide WIA and Wagner-Peyser integration. This working group will include members of the original group while adding LWIB collaborators to provide local opinions and consideration. These members may include GOWD and GDOL staff as well as SWIB members other One-Stop partners LWIB members LWIA directors or other local staff. The WIA-Wagner-Peyser integration working group will develop several integration "benchmarks" along the way. These benchmarks may include joint state policies on workforce development vision and mission statement use of funds service delivery strategies definitions of partners and/or affiliate sites or other policies as recommended by the group. These benchmarks may include additional deadlines for integration to ensure full integration is reached by July 2015. For any local areas that are struggling with the integration deadline the working group will be provided with some discretion to approve waivers on certain portions or extended deadlines for specific local areas. GOWD staff will also provide updates to this integration working group based on observations and information gleaned from PY13 monitoring. PY13 monitoring is scheduled to occur in the fall of 2014 and will provide good feedback about the status of integration within each local area. The monitoring tools may be updated to include confirmed compliance with any additional policies requirements or benchmarks as set forth by the integration working group. GOWD will also review any reports from the LWIB on the entity s One-Stop re-certification process. This will provide additional opportunities to identify best practices as well as provide technical assistance to local areas that may be struggling with integration targets. This working group will also collaborate to develop One-Stop certification criteria above and beyond the federally-mandated minimum to ensure the highest levels of integration have been achieved in Georgia s OneStop centers. The working group will collaborate with LWIAs to develop these criteria and ensure full understanding. At the completion of the intended July 2015 integration deadline GOWD in concert with GDOL and the integration working group will complete a full certification of all One-Stops using the newly developed criteria to ensure full compliance with all federal criteria as well as state criteria joint state policies and any additional requirements as recommended by the working group and approved by the SWIB. Once this full certification is complete GOWD will update their annual on-site monitoring tools to ensure continual compliance in the local areas. SWIB Composition (Attachment F) GOWD has updated the SWIB board member listing and included it in Attachment A. This updated listing includes all company identifications for business representatives as well as identifies other affiliations relevant to federal and state criteria. GOWD does not currently have a Native American Program representative as the Native American population comprises less than 3% of Georgia s total population. While Georgia does not currently have a Job Corp Representative on the SWIB the state is interesting in pursuing future representation. GOWD Operating Systems (p. 48-50) In PY13 GOWD began utilizing a new case management system provided by Geographic Solutions. Geographic Solutions case management system Virtual One-Stop is a proven system used by dozens of states as their statewide WIA case management system including multiple states within our ETA region. Unfortunately due to the shortened implementation timeline GOWD and GDOL were not able to collaborate to engage both WIA and Wagner-Peyser by the launch date of the new case management system. Currently the GOWD s Virtual OneStop (VOS) system does not directly communicate with GDOL s Georgia Workforce System (GWS). GOWD and GDOL still collaborate to ensure that both systems recognize co-enrollment of participants. GOWD provides GDOL with a list of current WIA participants which GDOL uses to match to current W-P participants. GDOL identifies any participants receiving services from both systems and they are flagged. Both GOWD and GDOL note this current enrollment in service in their respective systems to ensure that no participant still receiving services is exited from either program. At a minimum this review is performed quarterly to ensure accurate and updated information is shared between the two systems. Georgia will continue to emphasize the long term goal of full programs integration. Georgia recognizes that one component is the integration of up-to-date data availability. To that end the integration working group (as referenced above) will be tasked to research and identify possible strategies for system interaction and/or integration.