NOLA-Workforce-Development-System-Strategic-Plan-FINAL

Creating Pathways to Prosperity for the People of New Orleans New Orleans Workforce Development System Strategic Plan Prepared for New Orleans Workforce Development Board December 2016 www.skilledwork.org Table of Contents Vision for New Orleans Workforce Development System Strategic Planning Process Overview Current Workforce System Insights & Observations Background on New Orleans Workforce System Strengths Weaknesses Challenges Facing Job Seekers Challenges Facing Businesses (Business Needs) Future System Initial Design Ideas System Governance/Leadership and Alignment Sector Strategies and Business Engagement Job-Seeker Services System Design Elements Governance & Leadership Funding Business Engagement & Services 10 Job-Seeker Services 10 Goals and Proposed Actions for the New Orleans Workforce Development System 11 Summary of Goals 11 System Governance, Leadership and Funding 11 Sector Strategies and Business Engagement 14 Job-Seeker Services 16 Data Sharing and Management 20 Appendix 1: Strategic Planning Process Overview 23 Steering Committee 23 Document Review 23 Stakeholder Interviews 23 Listening Sessions 23 Research on National Promising Practices 24 Assessment-Planning and Design Sessions 24 Appendix 2: National Best and Promising Practices 27 New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page of 35 Vision for New Orleans Workforce Development System The New Orleans Workforce Development Board (WDB) is committed to building a strong and collaborative workforce development system that meets the needs of New Orleans' businesses and job seekers through regional priorities which include:  To provide relevant and value-added services to businesses and jobseekers, with attention to meeting the needs of New Orleans' most at-risk individuals and families, including those who face challenges caused by racial and socio-economic disparities, who have limited work experience, and/or who are returning citizens  To prepare the workforce to meet the current and future needs of businesses through training that is responsive to the needs of industry  To serve as a center for workforce innovation through capitalizing on models developed by local partners, learning from our peers around the country and collaboratively crafting high quality initiatives  To promote effective regional alignment, collaboration, and partnerships in conjunction with a broad array of businesses, public sector institutions, nonprofit organizations, education institutions and other stakeholders The New Orleans Workforce Development Board believes that setting these overarching priorities will realize the governor's statewide vision of "Putting Louisiana First" by creating an environment in which businesses can grow and people can prosper Ensuring that the workforce development services provided to businesses and job seekers are relevant and value-added will promote a healthier business and workforce environment for the city and region Continually assessing the needs of businesses and adapting our strategies to meet those needs creates a nimbler workforce development system that businesses require We seek new and innovative service delivery models and promote effective collaboration and partnership allowing for the system to develop new best practices that can serve as a model for other areas of the state Being more innovative and collaborative also provides greater opportunity for attaining leveraged funding through existing and emerging investments Strategic Planning Process Overview New Orleans engaged workforce development consultants the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce to support the Workforce Development System Design process to gain objective insights on the current New Orleans system and bring national expertise and perspectives to the system assessment and planning work They joined New Orleans staff and a local consulting team, Converge for Change, in leading the multi-part process during late Summer and Fall 2016 The process was led by a 19-member Steering Committee made up of New Orleans Workforce Development Board (NOWDB) members, representatives from the business community, leaders from system partners and other experts This group met monthly during the System Design process and provided critical feedback and guidance to the development of the vision, goals, strategies and planned actions (A list of members is in the Appendix) The strategic design process included:  A review of documents related to the workforce system including prior plans, research studies and policy papers to gain a clear understanding of the current state of the publicly funded workforce system  Stakeholder interviews with more than 20 key leaders with perspectives on the workforce development system and community needs New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page of 35  Listening Sessions: These gatherings of key stakeholder groups (employers, system partners, workforce board members, staff, and program participants/jobseekers) helped focus input on the background and current state as well as give a guide to an initial vision and set of priorities for the future system  Promising Practices research to secure insights on how New Orleans might adopt and learn from successful models from around the country  Design Sessions including a series of conversations held over a two-month period among the Steering Committee and a broad array of stakeholders, with a focus on building the goals, actions and activities outlined in this Plan Topic sessions included:  Funding, System Governance, and Leadership  Job Seeker Services (Including Youth, Adult, and Special Populations)  Partnership and Collaboration  Sectors, Business Services, Career Pathways and Training  Data Sharing & Management Current Workforce System Insights & Observations The document review, stakeholder interviews and listening sessions surfaced many valuable insights regarding the local workforce system, the New Orleans economy and workforce needs, and the role social-economic issues and race plays in the system and the provision of services Background on New Orleans Workforce System  The system is built on collaboration and additional partnerships will be the key to future success  The system is "New Orleans' best kept secret;" particularly in terms of business We must work to change that  The multiple entities and providers make for a confusing system to job-seekers and businesses How can we improve this?  Social-economic issues and race are relevant considerations when assessing how best to structure the system and provide services Strengths  JOB1 staff are generally considered committed and helpful to their customers Some customers clearly receive fewer services based on the triage-ing necessary in the system, and may be less satisfied based on not being eligible/suitable for training or more intensive service  Some unique programs, like STRIVE and Cafe Reconcile seem to be developing particularly strong foundational skills preparation and building a sense of community among workers which can help build their professional networks JOB1 appears to this as well, but with larger numbers it is challenged to deliver this same level of service  OJT, work experience, and transitional jobs allow people time for taking care of personal responsibilities and earning a living Can these services be expanded? Weaknesses  Job seekers and businesses report that worker preparation is inconsistent Problem-solving skills are lacking in workers coming from the system And, foundational skill training - workplace behavior, New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page of 35 timeliness, other "soft skills" are critical needs but workers coming out of the system are not always well prepared  Training cycles sometimes leave workers with gaps before they can enter training This results in some people failing to participate in training scheduled to start months later It can also result in recidivism when returning citizens have long gaps without income or program engagement  There are different opinions on who should be providing job placement Should it be the education and training providers? Should it be centralized by JOB1? By another partner? Challenges Facing Job Seekers  Criminal backgrounds remain a significant challenge Future system work needs to continue to focus on helping with returning citizens and partnering with employers willing to hire these workers  Drug testing is a challenge for many Work must be done to help workers understand the career paths that require it, those that don't, and make their career plans accordingly  Jobs either pay a higher hourly salary (but offer less than full-time hours), or provide a low hourly wage and full-time (and more) hours, but less often both Thus, workers are still limited in ability to earn a living  Computer skills training is a major need, and a current deficiency among many people coming through and out of the workforce system  Many job-seekers have had many jobs, but no career, and this results in a weaker resume that doesn't show real experience in any one field Career pathway supports are critical Challenges Facing Businesses (Business Needs)  Reflect some of the same challenge as workers, from the other perspective  Have difficulty finding workers who can pass a drug test  Want to help with forecasting future needs and work with the system to prepare workers for emerging needs  Some training doesn't prepare people sufficiently for their workplace needs They want to provide more guidance on the training the workforce system provides  The employers interviewed work with the system for their entry-level needs, but less so for higher skilled positions Work must be done to meet their wider needs  Businesses note that some worker preparation for interviews is "scripted" and doesn't give the worker a chance to show their own personality, interest in the job, and skills Future System Initial Design Ideas During the Listening Sessions, Stakeholder Interview and Design processes, several overarching commitments were developed These included the following, organized in the same key topic areas as the remainder of this Plan will be built: System Governance/Leadership and Alignment  System coherence and collaboration – This is the time to bring together the many disparate entities (JOB1, the Network for Economic Opportunity, Opportunity Centers, Employ, Anchor Collaborative, and others) into a coherent, collaborative system that is efficient/effective, uses the strengths of each player and avoids duplication and confusing service pathways New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page of 35  System efficiency and effectiveness – Outcomes of this process should include: a coherent, clear system map/process flow across all system providers; each person should get exactly the services they need; the system should "master co-enrollment" to be most efficient  Business engagement with the system – Sector Advisory Groups that are part of the Network for Economic Opportunity could benefit the whole system Sector Strategies and Business Engagement  Career pathways and navigation support – Career Pathways and development of clear paths for workers to move up in their industries and for employers/businesses to help workers gain skills and move up are critical to the future  College and career readiness – Start before high school with career pathway information, site visits, mentoring and employer involvement to help youth identify their interests, skills and abilities and select a career they can enter and move up in  Business and education partnerships Related, consider encouraging more companies to "adopt" schools and provide more involvement in schools related to identifying careers in their industries, offering information to students, and providing opportunities for internships, etc  Workforce demand forecasting and planning – The system must become well-positioned to forecast emerging labor market trends and deliver training to meet these industry needs  Training relevancy and outcomes – Accountability is key for training providers Training should be relevant to industry needs, vetted by employers, and result in "training-related" job placements with clear benchmarks for both elements Job-Seeker Services  Racial and socio-economic disparities – Important to address the racial disparities that continue within New Orleans' workforce and economy Also, need to create a culture that respects blue collar work, such that blue collar work can provide for family self-sufficiency  Service priorities and partnerships Serving 39,000 individuals is an incredible challenge for JOB1 Any future system must focus on efficiency and methods of leveraging a broad range of partnerships to successfully serve such large numbers  Whole family and 2-generation approaches – Efforts should take a generational/whole-family approach where possible, helping students/children with career planning, while helping their parents find jobs, careers, stabilize incomes, plan financially, etc., all while providing wrap-around support services for the entire family  Human/social service partnerships – Find ways to embed workforce development in existing organizations delivering human/support services, and vice versa For example, can some of the existing entities that work with low-income families participate in a network, providing foundational skills and case management for people within the workforce system?  Job seeker networking – "Alumni networks" from workforce programs can help workers stay motivated, build career/professional networks among participants and help with job retention How can these be built in the wider system?  Entrepreneurship training – Self-employment can be a real path, particularly for workers who have criminal records or other barriers, and the system should offer more related training New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page of 35 System Design Elements The NOWDB believes the following approach, which is based on considering different national examples and existing assets in New Orleans, will provide a solid foundation for building a unified and innovative workforce development system in New Orleans This section describes high-level concepts for the future Workforce Development System for New Orleans, including visual and verbal descriptions of system components Governance & Leadership The system will be built around a convening and connecting role for the New Orleans Workforce Development Board, that includes partnership building and performance oversight The long-term vision is to create a quasigovernmental non-profit organization to oversee and coordinate all workforce development activity in New Orleans This entity will coordinate the various areas of policy, strategy, system development, partnershipbuilding, program design and management, business engagement and oversight of the system performance In this approach, the Board will continue to maintain senior executive level leadership from representative organizations, including those who can make decisions and commit their organizations to tangible partnerships, initiatives, and action Workforce Board members from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors bring the commitment and active engagement of their organizations and staff teams into all convening, governance, funding alignment, program development and service delivery innovation efforts The city will also will also build upon the roles and work of the Network for Economic Opportunity (the Network) and the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD), including:  the system development work already underway by the Network, leveraging new and growing institutional and collaborative efforts  the OWD’s role in managing the implementation of WIOA funded programs and services While the long-term vision for the roles and work of these entities is to be combined into one organization, the interim strategy is to bring together the current functions of the Board and the Network for Economic Opportunity into one entity, and retain the program management and oversight work with the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development Close coordination and collaboration between these two organizations would remain Workforce Development Board incorporated as The Network for Economic Opportunity STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION Employer Engagement Partnership Management Anchor Collaborative Opportunity Center Network Industry Advisory Boards Business Services Network Other Employer Groups Training Provider Network OWD OVERSIGHT Program Management Policy Making Oversight & Compliance Supportive Services Network New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page of 35 Because New Orleans has several strong institutions focused on workforce development efforts, NOWDB will expand and formalize strategic alliances with key institutions to lead the direction setting and oversight for workforce system strategy, funding, policy, and program and service delivery innovation for the publicly funded workforce system and beyond This system includes:  Economic, business, and community development partners and entities such as Greater New Orleans, Inc., NOLABA, the anchor collaborative, the Industry Advisory Boards, the funder community and formal funder collaboratives;  Education and training partners and entities such as, Delgado Community College, and other 2- and 4year educational institutions, K-12 institutions and intermediaries supporting K-12 innovation, and other non- and for-profit education and training providers; and  Employment, training, and supportive service providers such as the current JOB1 Center, the Opportunity Centers, YouthForce NOLA – Educate NOW! EMPLOY, and other non-profit and communitybased organizations that provide employment, training, and supportive services The WDB will convene a range of strategic alliances and ensure that key partners work together as a unified system This will require initial buy-in from key organizations, but based on national best practices and models, having a Board as the convener and connector gives a level of national recognition, allows the partnership to successfully bid on competitive national grants (especially from USDOL) and begins to create a common branding for aligned workforce development activities Partners will continue to deliver a range of services, all working toward some shared outcomes NOLA Workforce Development System Outcomes Training and Service Providers •Shared commitment, goals, and outcomes •Aligned and blended funding •Co-located and integrated services •MOUs across system •Aligned and targeted education and training programs •Better information sharing/shared data systems •New innovations in service delivery •Shared customer service standards, processes, and tools •Cross-system capacity building Employers •Labor shortages and skill gaps closed •Increased pool of qualified job applicants •Reduced recruitment and hiring costs •Increased retention and reduced turnover •Particular training and HR service needs met •Workforce diversity goals or social responsibility objectives met Job Seekers (Adults & Youth) •Increased employment •Greater retention •Increased earnings/benefits •Credential attainment •Skills gains •Advancement in career pathway Key Partner Roles  GNO, Inc will partner for economic development, data around businesses and labor market information, and business engagement NOLABA will also be engaged in related ways tied to the local business community New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page of 35  The Anchor Collaborative group of employers will continue to meet as a high-level resource for employer intelligence and the WDB will work to provide support and share the group’s work and insights across the workforce system  The Industry Advisory Boards will become more formal components of the Board, whether as subcommittees or as formal advisory boards, not necessarily part of the board’s committee structure  EMPLOY will continue to be the home for discussions around all aspects of services and activity for Opportunity Youth The WDB will interface directly with this group to ensure its activity and workforce system priorities are aligned YouthForce NOLA – Educate NOW! will also be engaged in similar ways tied to K-12 initiatives  Education and training institutions including community colleges, other trainers, and the K-12 system will deliver a range of skills training for youth and adult job-seekers Training will be guided by and focused on targeted industries and in-demand occupations, and employer feedback will drive highest quality training opportunities Delgado Community College will continue to be a lead on career pathway development and integrating adult education with foundational and occupational skill development  The adult education system and literacy providers will be more closely engaged and embedded within workforce services through delivery of career pathway training based on quality models such as the nationally recognized Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Program (I-BEST) and Bridge programs, which integrate literacy, work, and college-readiness skills training into a work-based and accelerated learning approach  Opportunity Centers will deliver job-seeker services This Plan outlines a combination of programs and services funded directly through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and other partner resources, along with a novel "network" model whereby entities across the city share a "common brand" or Board-designated "stamp of approval," work as a coherent system together, and begin to utilize common processes and tools to streamline services for employers and job-seekers Funding Public, philanthropic, and private-sector dollars can be blended to various degrees in provision of workforce development services The vision is to align and blend as much funding as possible, recognizing this may be a multi-step process A longer-term goal is to align/blend funding at the funder level and release a common Request for Proposals for entities to deliver collaborative and integrated services, where possible, through these resources Entities can align and share functions, through common oversight, technical assistance and monitoring staff as much as possible within each entity's external constraints Sources to be blended/leveraged together would include WIOA (all four Titles including Adult/Dislocated funding, Title II Adult Education, Title III Wagner Peyser and Title IV Vocational Rehabilitation), TANF Employment and Training, SNAP Employment and Training, funds through the foundations that fund workforce development efforts, City funds, and others to be identified Recognizing that this may take time and significant agreements/MOUs among partners, an interim step is for funders to work together to align shared goals, outcomes and performance metrics, and investments, while releasing their individual RFPs and/or directing their resources toward a common set of goals and coordinated activities This will ensure that there is minimal duplication across providers and programs and no gap in service delivery goes unfilled A starting point for shared goals and outcomes includes: In this approach, WIOA funds can be used as some of the "glue" which holds the various funding streams together By providing some WIOA funds and embedding WIOA supported programs and services in a larger number of providers, the WDB can ensure a true system that engages in planning and aligning investments together rather than as disconnected entities For example, the WDB may release an RFP to fund partnerships New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page of 35 developed by the field, seeking insights and a bottom-up approach to partnership building, while it also describes the kind of partnerships it envisions and works with other funding entities to align services Business Engagement & Services As noted above, the existing Anchor Collaborative and Industry Advisory Boards continue to be excellent methods of convening employers and communicating their needs and priorities to the workforce development system However, some employers are weary from too many convenings and don't understand the different roles that staff are playing, including the role and work of the service providers contacting them about job opportunities for their clients The WDB can serve as a central clearinghouse and connector of conveners for business engagement As outlined in the graphic above, the Anchor Collaborative, Industry Advisory Boards, and other employer groups continue to be important business engagement vehicles, with the Industry Advisory Boards engaging multiple employers within targeted industry sectors Sector Leads assigned to each Industry Advisory Board help secure workforce intelligence, distill employer needs related to training and worker preparation, and serve as a central hub for the career pathway development efforts described below They can be considered "agents" for the employer community They interface directly and lead the Sector Teams, made up of "job developers" or "business service representatives" who serve as the "agents" for job-seekers This Business Services Network, which will be consistent, ongoing, formalized, informal and constant, is the place where the work of aligning business needs with job seeker qualifications happens, as described in greater detail below Job-Seeker Services The WDB will lead the job-seeker service community, again as convener, connector, and as one key funder The first primary activity will be development of a city-wide brand and common identity for the workforce system While the research and stakeholder listening sessions surfaced many strengths about specific programs, and the work that JOB1 staff in serving their clients, it is evident that the "JOB1" brand has been weakened The WDB is envisions that the Opportunity Center brand be expanded both through dispersed funding to several partners and through strategic alliances where entities in the future seek to affiliate themselves with the Opportunity Center Network brand as the “go-to” place for career development services The WDB will identify a core group of Opportunity Centers that agree to blend their own funding sources with a modest portion of WIOA funds and serve as a coherent network Other entities may join this network if they are interested in building their own expertise, developing improved and common processes and services, considering methods of specialization and role alignment, and participating in the Sector Teams described above A key role of the Board and its team (The Network and Office of Workforce Development) will be to build the capacity of this service provider network, offer training and technical assistance, and oversee the WIOA funded portions of this network's efforts There are several bundles of work that should be delineated among these partner entities The WDB does not envision that only one entity should deliver a given service, there are cases where "from each according to its ability" rings true, and appropriate specialization should be put in place  Intake, assessment, and case management Often bundled as "triage," these activities are best done together The current "outreach partner" roles can be expanded and enhanced such that a common process for these activities can be delivered city-wide through a "no wrong door" approach  Co-location and comprehensive services delivered by a coordinated system should be promoted as much as feasible, such that an individual can be assessed, trained, and placed all within the same place (both physically and programmatically), through innovative service delivery methods New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 10 of 35 Identify where data currently exists and streamline data gathering processes where possible Leverage points include:  GNO, Inc & LWC – Employer Data and Labor Market Information  EMPLOY – Opportunity Youth Case Management Data  HIRE – Public Workforce System Data  Others While a clear list of the data that is needed is being generated, the work group will pay attention to the sources, to streamline the data gathering processes Understand data sharing and management mandates and limitations across system partners Make the case for data sharing across system partners at the State level, including the use of data sharing agreements Convene public and private sector funders to discuss data sharing to improve outcomes and ensure system alignment Link to national workforce data initiatives, e.g., Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI), to drive enhanced access to and use of data at the state and local levels (e.g., policy directives, enhanced outcomes, and quality) Actions to fall in a sequence and build upon one another Funder and program mandates continue to result in providers having multiple data entry requirements for customer data; programs and individuals not being able to depend on the labor market or other data that is available; and failure at efforts to use data across programs and systems While privacy is always at the forefront, efforts must be made to share data of various types to improve service Some key resulting activities of this process will include:  Development of a City-wide dashboard or scorecard that can be shared across programs Once the work groups have identified the commonalities, they will develop a set of the "lay person" performance measures that are clear, simple and easy to communicate to a range of audiences The EMPLOY collaborative has begun to form a set of core outcomes measures for Opportunity Youth and an initial list building upon these may include:  Connected to a service provider  90-days retained in employment  Credential attainment  Securing diploma or equivalent  Earning a living wage  Build measures around program quality The work group will engage in a dialogue among providers to develop a shared understanding of quality outcomes on the various measures What is a good job? What is a quality credential? How can data be used for continuous improvement? These efforts will interface with the customer flow and other working groups building a more streamlined, less duplicative and more coherent system overall New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 21 of 35  Align outcomes to drive program alignment and collaboration Currently since different programs have different measures, they often deliver different activities not because the activities are superior but because they result in the outcomes measured By a working group effort to align outcomes they will also drive the process of aligning activities As the measures are being developed, find ways for all partners to be able to generate reports/data on that pool of measures regularly and consistently, across the same timelines, and share that information together In the future, this information can reside with the WDB or with The Data Center, if partners concur, as a site where programs and initiatives can be reported out to stakeholders and the community through a common, easily understood set of measures New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 22 of 35 Appendix 1: Strategic Planning Process Overview New Orleans engaged national workforce consultants the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) to support the Workforce Development System Design process to gain objective insights on the current New Orleans system and bring national expertise and perspectives to the system assessment and planning work They joined New Orleans staff and a local consulting team, Converge for Change, in leading the multi-part process during late Summer and Fall 2016 Steering Committee A 19-member Steering Committee made up of New Orleans Workforce Development Board (NOWDB) members, representatives from the business community, leaders from system partners and other experts This group met monthly during the System Design process and provided critical feedback and guidance to the development of the vision, goals, strategies and planned actions Document Review Project consulting staff reviewed more than 50 documents related to the New Orleans workforce system to gain a clear understanding of the current state of the publicly funded workforce system Materials included prior local and regional workforce plans; numerous research reports and policy papers regarding New Orleans' economy and needs; all relevant WIOA documents such as Memoranda of Understanding among system partners, performance reports, policies and procedures; and other related materials Stakeholder Interviews One-on-one or small group interviews were held with more than 20 key stakeholders with perspectives on the workforce development system and community needs Interviewees included City elected officials, City and program partner staff, education system leaders, workforce development board members, funders and other policy makers The insights from these served as a baseline of information on which the subsequent processes were built Listening Sessions As a part of the New Orleans Workforce System Design process, Listening Sessions were conducted with key system stakeholders The purpose of the sessions was to seek input on a range of questions related to (1) individual and organizational experiences with, and perspectives on, the workforce system as it currently operates in New Orleans; and (2) feedback on what priority areas the system should focus and what it should become Information gleaned from this process was used to shape upcoming Design Sessions, as well as frame the strategic plan and WIOA services RFP Sessions were co-facilitated by staff of Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and Converge for Change The following sessions were held:  Workforce System Design Kickoff Event Activity - 80 participants  New Orleans Workforce Board members - participants  Employers - participants  Cafe Reconcile (Job Seekers) - 14 participants  Workforce System Partners - 25 participants  STRIVE (Job Seekers) - 24 participants  YouthWorks (Youth Job Seekers) - participants New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 23 of 35  JOB1 (Job Seekers) - 10 participants  Youth Empowerment Project (Youth Job Seekers) - participants Research on National Promising Practices Consultants conducted an analysis of the workforce systems in more than a dozen other municipalities with an aim toward identifying promising practices that could be replicated and used in the development of the New Orleans system These were summarized in a report to the Steering Committee (See Appendix 2) Assessment-Planning and Design Sessions On October 20, 2016, more than 50 stakeholders gathered for a full-day session to process the learnings from the activities thus far, identify key insights that should drive the subsequent process, and begin a Design phase by identifying the key elements that should be part of the New Orleans workforce system Participants rotated among a series of "stations" on topics as follows: Job Seekers Services (includes different populations) Career Pathways Sector Strategies AND Business Services Supportive Services Data sharing, data management AND Technology Solutions for Services Partnerships / Collaboration Each Station's discussion helped begin to develop the recommendations outlined in the Plan below Subsequently on November 17, 2016 Design Sessions were held on four key topic areas (including the merger of several of the topics from the Assessment-Planning phase) These sessions included four topics:  Funding, System Governance, and Leadership  Job Seeker Services (Including Youth, Adult, and Special Populations) AND Partnership and Collaboration  Sectors, Business Services, Career Pathways and Training  Data Sharing & Management Attendees included stakeholders and system leaders with particular expertise and roles tied to the specific topics (See list of participating organizations below.) The results of these discussions led to the key Goals and Actions making up the Strategic Plan being presented here New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 24 of 35 Design Session Participants Ashe Cultural Arts Center Job1 Business and Career Solutions Behrhorst, Perrin & Du Plantier Group, LLC JobCorps Café Reconcile LCMC Health CASA Louisiana Green Corps CCRA Louisiana Workforce Commission Members of City Council New Horizons - New Orleans City of New Orleans- Mayor's Office New Orleans Business Alliance City of New Orleans- Office of Workforce Development New Orleans Job Corps City of New Orleans- the Network for Economic Opportunity Coastal College Code for America Conrad N Hilton Foundation Cowen Institute Data Center Delgado Community College Educate NOW! EMPLOY Entergy Services FFLIC/Black Man Rising Foundation for Louisiana GE Capital Greater New Orleans, Inc Greater New Orleans Foundation NOLA for Life- Midnight Basketball Ochsner Health System Orleans Parish School Board Project Homecoming QCS Logistics Recovery School District STAND with Dignity Strive NOLA Total Community Action Tulane University United Way of Southeast Louisiana Urban League Walgreens YMCA of Greater New Orleans Youth Empowerment Project YouthForce NOLA Hope Enterprise Corporation JP Morgan Chase New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 25 of 35 New Orleans Workforce Development Board 2016-17 Strategic Planning Steering Committee Roster Name-Committee-Sector Company and Title Sheila Burns Business QCS Logistics Robin Barnes Business Greater New Orleans, Inc Jordan Collins Job Seeker Flozell Daniels Business Foundation for Louisiana Thelma French Workforce Total Community Action Ashleigh Gardere Governmental Economic and Community City of New Orleans The Network for Economic Opportunity Mary Garten K-12 Orleans Parish School Board Alejandra Guzman Business New Orleans Business Alliance Nicole Jolly Opportunity Youth EMPLOY Erin Landry Education and Training Delgado Community College Dr Larissa Littleton-Steib Education and Training Delgado Community College Margaret Olmos K-12 Recovery School District Melissa “Missy” Hopson-Sparks Business Ochsner Health System Jana Sikdar Funder Cate Swinburn Youth Domonique Thomas Job Seeker Conrad N Hilton Foundation Erika Wright Funder J.P Morgan Chase YouthForce NOLA Appendix 2: National Best and Promising Practices Based on a review of relevant examples from around the United States, New Orleans has identified several critical success factors common among best models of workforce development This Strategic Plan draws significantly from these ideas and innovative programs and practices from other exemplary city and regional workforce development initiatives Critical Success Factors Sector Partnerships  Business service representatives work collaboratively with other partners and have an impactful role in workforce service delivery, such as identifying industry-recognized competencies, curriculum, and credentials appropriate to regional economies  Multiple employers, business associations, and/or labor partners often jointly develop and participate in the career pathway programs and make demonstrated investments  Engagement of employers in workforce development programs is critical, including small employers and employers in in-demand industry sectors and occupations  Coordination of workforce investment activities with economic development activities is needed, including the promotion of entrepreneurial skills training and microenterprise services Career Pathways  Workforce development, educational institutions, foundations, and community organizations are partnering with employers in industry sectors to develop career pathway and work-based learning programs  In some places, community colleges offer stackable credentials, providing a pathway approach for adult learners, who can complete one credential and advance to the next credential  Bridge programs are also offered to adults who need to bolster skills before advancing to college-level work and these programs address both foundational work and literacy skill development  System partners use labor market intelligence on current and future industry sector demand to inform the development and ongoing relevance of career pathways Career Services  Customers experience a “common front door” for all partner programs supported by common registration and a triage/assessment process to measure academic and occupational skills  Processes and procedures are developed to encourage co-enrollment of job seekers in one or more core programs delivering services through career centers  Intake, case management, and career advising data systems are integrated between partners to allow for more efficient access to services  Partners offer robust training services (ITAs, customized training, work-based learning, etc.) leading to industry-recognized credentials in in-demand career paths based on labor market data  Strong relationships and agreements with partners are established to provide educational and supportive services for job seekers with significant barriers to employment  Some of these programs focus on populations specifically of interest to New Orleans, programs serving returning citizens and two-generation programs, serving parents and their children New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 27 of 35 Youth Services  Key partners and stakeholders develop an on-going, collaborative approach for recruiting, referring, and providing holistic youth services, including: financial Literacy, leadership and entrepreneurial skills training, career planning and advising, education offered concurrently with workforce preparation activities, and preparation for post-secondary education and training  An assessment (resource mapping) of available organizations and programs within the region that currently provide services to eligible populations to determine areas of strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that ensure maximum leveraging and alignment  An integrated vision for serving youth that leverages other federal, state, local, and philanthropic resources  Outcomes focused on the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, entry into post-secondary education, and career readiness for participants  Relationships with employers, including small employers, in in-demand industry sectors and occupations to provide youth work experience opportunities, including: academic and occupational education, summer employment, internships, and service learning and on-the-job training Supportive Services  Coordination with local partners to provide access to highest quality and most comprehensive service provision possible, including:  Transportation  Child care  Dependent care  Housing, and  Mental health  Needs related payments for those engaged in training services to help individuals meet their nontraining expense and help them complete training successfully Data and Technology  Local system for the identification and dissemination of best practices for meeting the needs of employers, workers, and job seekers  Objective criteria and process for assessing effectiveness and continuous improvement of programs and service providers  Integrated data and performance management systems to increase use of common intake and data collection  Technological improvements aimed at:  Increasing customers’ digital literacy  Providing access to online services  Delivering technology-based services accessible to all individuals New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 28 of 35 National Examples Sector Partnerships and Business Services Chicago, IL – Business Relations and Economic Development (BRED) unit staff, located at the WDB, engage City and County economic development departments, regional chambers of commerce, and other regional workforce and economic development partners to identify opportunities to provide high quality, innovative, and integrated services to regional employers This unit also leads cohorts of WIOA Business Services Teams to create a system-wide approach for continuity in the delivery of public workforce system services to regional business customers Chicago also uses WIOA and other funds to operate sector centers in Manufacturing, Healthcare and Hospitality/Service Boston, MA – The Boston Private Industry Council has prioritized developing pipeline strategies in healthcare, life sciences, information technology, and hospitality They also have several policy initiatives such as the Boston Compact, Youth, and Postsecondary Transitions that are all linked to their industry sector partnerships and business services New York, NY – The Mayor's office released a new vision for the workforce system, including industry sector initiatives and Sector-Based one-stops In addition, Industry Partnerships will be comprised of teams of industry experts focused on addressing mismatches between labor market supply and demand in six economic sectors To define and fulfill labor demand in their respective sectors, Industry Partnerships will establish ongoing “feedback loops,” or a platform for regular interaction with employers Industry Partnerships will work to determine the skills and qualifications that employers need, and continuously upgrade curricula, training, and credential attainment programs to reflect local market conditions Industry Partnerships will collaborate with organized labor, educational institutions, service providers, philanthropy, and City agencies to develop workforce development strategies and mobilize resources in their respective sectors Kansas City, MO – The WDB has a strong partnership with the local economic development agency (CEO is former chair of EDC) There is a unified, regional employer workforce services network Career Pathways Chicago, IL – WDB (Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership) utilizes WIOA funds for Career Pathway training programs- typically cohort-based, skills training programs that are demand driven within The Partnership’s focus industry sectors and may also include bridge programs designed to serve individuals with basic skills deficiency and/or limited English skills The Chicago Workforce Funder's Alliance, with support from the Walmart Foundation, have created the Customer Service Career Pathways Initiative The initiative is built on the recognition that many career pathways can start with transferable skills gained through retail employment, especially customer service skills The Initiative’s investments are designed to explore ways that retail employers can play a greater role in supporting their entry-level employees to access those career pathways both within retail and into other sectors New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 29 of 35 New York, NY – Career Pathways is a new system-wide framework that aligns education and training with specific advancement opportunities for a broad range of jobseekers All agencies overseeing workforce development programs are reorienting their services toward career progression instead of stopping at job placement This effort includes sector-focused bridge programs, skills training, job-relevant curricula, and workbased learning opportunities Boston, MA – The One-Stops utilize career pathways models that provide clear sequences and connections between education and training programs and jobs with defined career ladders that allow participants to progress from one level to the next to improve their career prospects They use partnerships and collaborations to ensure there are no gaps in the continuum of quality education, training, workforce development and supportive services to address a wide range of barriers for various populations, with a goal of helping individuals obtain and retain jobs and achieve economic security Seattle, WA – The Seattle Jobs Initiative offers low-income individuals training that leads to college credentials in growing local industry sectors The program aligns support services – intensive college navigation, housing, childcare and transportation – to provide participants the best opportunity to complete their career pathways and to secure and retain well-paying jobs IBEST program offers integrated ABE/ESL instruction and occupational skills linked to college credit and certificates, resulting in significant participant credential attainment and wage increases Replication of I-BEST model is on-going around the country Career Services (Employment, Education and Training, and Supportive Services) Boston, MA – There are three entry points for services- Comprehensive One-Stops, Affiliates and Access Points Chicago, IL – The Chicago system is comprised of One-Stops, Delegate Agencies (smaller centers serving job seekers from a distinct geographic community and/or special populations Delegate agencies are in and/or demonstrate a capacity to serve a preponderance of residents from: high poverty areas and/or target population; targeted sectors; youth; and/or career pathway training Coordinated system-wide recruitment through Career Connect, an online database of jobs Additionally, an Integrated Workforce System is now in development, which will be the first in the nation Supportive Services Boston, MA – The PIC specifically prioritizes vulnerable populations One-Stops must provide a high degree of coordination and accessibility of wrap-around support services which address a wide range of individual and family needs New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 30 of 35 Adult Special Population Services Detroit, MI – The Mayor's Office and WDB are working with CEO's of premier businesses on pilot programs to hire returning citizens based on similar work in Baltimore through the Coalition for a Second Chance Baltimore, MD – The Coalition for a Second Chance is a public private partnership working to address the causes of recidivism and to help ex-offenders secure jobs One key goal of this GBC-led effort focuses on educating business owners and leaders about the role that business must play in reducing recidivism and the corresponding benefits and value of hiring ex-offenders Part of this effort includes negating the misperceptions about ex-offenders and encouraging companies in Baltimore to open up job opportunities to meet the employment needs of their company They have also established a program through the Mayor’s Office of Employment in which they place about 400 returning citizens through the Northwest One-Stop Career Center/Re-Entry Center Boston, MA – PIC offers integration of work readiness for those with the lowest levels of literacy and skills that recognize pursuing work is an interest and motivation throughout literacy levels The RFP requires that OneStop operators have a strategy to provide higher intensity career services for WIOA-eligible job seekers – dislocated workers and low income adults – through collaborative partnerships with entities that also share a mission to serve those with significant barriers to employment: public assistance recipients (Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Housing and Urban Development, Supplemental Security Income), individuals with basic skills deficiency (Adult Basic Education (ABE), English Language Learners (ELL), Community College), and veterans Chicago, IL – WDB mainly serves special populations through allocation of funds to affiliate sites, which must serve certain populations and/or high-poverty areas Chicago is home to a variety of programs focusing on the re-entry population Many of these programs are transitional jobs programs, where the participant works while enrolled in job preparation courses Many are social enterprises Some examples include the Safer Foundation and Growing Home, Inc, among others New York, NY – The Workforce Institute’s City College Mobility and Opportunity for Valuable Employment by Upskilling Parents (MOVE UP) Pilot is part of a six-city national pilot project funded by the W.K Kellogg Foundation to help low-income, working parents move up the economic ladder and into midlevel jobs along a career pathway Austin, TX – The United Way of Greater Austin (Texas) committed to funding 2Gen approaches to three community organizations to deliver effective programs and services that assist parents and children together Services include for children: health and education services, home visiting, early childhood education, out-of-school time programs and for parents: education for parenting, literacy and basic educational skills, as well as workforce training for jobs that pay well and offer opportunities for advancement New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 31 of 35 Youth Services Boston, MA – The Youth Transitions Task Force, a broad cross-section of organizations that includes the Boston Public Schools, community organizations, city departments and state agencies is supported by the Youth Transitions Funders Group, a coalition of national foundations, providing financial support as part of national campaign to bring struggling students and dropouts to the center of high school reform The Task Force in Boston has mainly been doing research thus far and piloting smaller initiatives Kansas City, KA – Project Rise includes a Young Adults Career Connections Center and provides young adult internships and services to obtain a GED or high school diploma Los Angeles, CA – The WDB Youth Council provides oversight for WIOA and summer employment funded programs Collaboration with the local school district and LACCD offers post summer bridging activities to encourage older youth to enroll in community college Organized around career pathways and employers in public and private sectors Data and Technology Chicago, IL – WDB is developing Career Connect, an integrated workforce data system for the region Career Connect will serve as the front-end data system for workforce service providers to track job seeker clients across programs and funding streams The Business Services functionality includes a system to manage employer contacts, post and share job orders across agencies, and track employer services Soon Career Connect will add comprehensive case management tools for staff and a universal customer portal and provide cross-system referrals Career Connect is funded by a $3 million Workforce Innovation Fund grant from the U.S Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration and by the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance Detroit, MI – The Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development is in the process of developing a unified approach and platform for system-wide data sharing and reporting This system will ensure there is a common way to collect system-wide data and evaluate outcomes, help to establish shared communication channels across the system, and improve the way data is used throughout the system for integrated service delivery They are also developing a workforce system dashboard that would display key performance indicators (the equivalent of an electronic medical records system for each workforce user) and a workforce coordinating council to monitor and adjust strategies in response to the workforce system dashboard New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL Page 32 of 35 Summary of Strategy & Practice from Other Cities New York City Structure  WIOA Adult Services in Dept of Small Business Services  WIOA Youth Services in Dept of Youth and Community Development  Workforce System Design Special Populations One-Stop centers, 15 additional centers  Healthcare and Industrial sector centers Industry Partnerships through SBS and Mayor's Office  Center focused on immigrants  Staff focused on veterans  Will have staff and/or staff training for criminal records population   501c(3) nonprofit corporation  WDB, WIOA administration for city & county – adult + youth Baltimore  Mayor's Office of Employment Development  Separate WDB Boston  Private Industry Council is home to the WDB Council has 50 members, executive committee is WDB  MOWD is fiscal agent for WIOA WDB and Office of Workforce Dev in Mayor’s Office   Chicago Early stages of programming for  10 One-Stops  One-Stops  Career Centers  Healthcare, Retail, Hospitality, IT sector centers  satellite centersone funded by Casino  center specializes in Healthcare  community job hubs- city employee 50% time at local community organization  New RFP for Access Points, which will include geographic diversity and specialized sectors  One of two OneStops focuses on reentry population   Most clients of the WIOA system have many barriers to employment Trying to reach out to Haitian Populations and disabled through new Access Points   One satellite is focused on TANF recipients Re-entry services in each career center, funding outside of PIC   Affiliates throughout the city Fund a variety of community-based organizations that work with special populations, including returning citizens, veterans, immigrants and CHA residents Philadelphia  PhiladelphiaWorks is home to the WDB The WDB and nonprofit board are the same and are appointed by the mayor  President and CEO is also appointed by the mayor  Fiscal agent  large centers, integrated and colocated with TANF workforce services  Community Connections groupstrained on web services  Experimenting with community-based affiliates (2 currently)  Criminal Backgroundsextensive special programs, including expungement programs located in the centers  Peer-to-Peer conversations with employers about hiring people with criminal records, New York City Chicago Baltimore Boston Philadelphia people with disabilities Business Service Teams Career Pathways and Bridge Programming  Entire system is oriented around serving businesses  SBS provides coordination for business services: centers are assigned industry sectors and geographies to prevent overlap  Job orders are filled system wide  Performance based payments  Pilot bridge programs with youth and ESL clients  TANF piloting bridge in 2017 including ban-thebox, limiting liability, reviewing job postings and working with parole officers  Staff is divided up across sectors  Coordinate events and job fairs  Monthly meetings of all business service staff  Goals for "shared placements"  Utilize WIOA funds for healthcare bridge r but results were not stellar  TDL bridge funded by WIOA New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL  Currently in transition Operations study underway  Employer service team at PIC, mostly focuses on youth and summer jobs  Expect staff to be sector based and placed in economic development office  Career Centers each have a business service team One of the Centers focuses on healthcare, the other has sectorbased staff Accelerated Careers (ACE) grant- modeled after I-Best  PIC provides persistence coaches at high schools and community colleges  Privately funded bridges at CBOs  WIOA funding provided for some youth bridge programs  Page 34 of 35  Welcoming Center for immigrants and refugees is in same building as one of the Career Centers  Board has business engagement teams, including sector partnerships in manufacturing, healthcare, financial services and retail  Centers provide direct services to employers, working as one-system to fill job orders  American Apprenticeship Initiative Grant through 2020 The grant is regional and includes preapprenticeship programs Working to incorporate apprenticeship into the larger workforce New York City Chicago Baltimore Boston Philadelphia system so that it is long term using WIOA and other funds Examples of Partnerships and Other Initiatives  Mayor's Office released two reports setting Career Pathways as systemwide frameworkgoals for bridge programming, training for middleskill occupations and opportunity youth  Summer Youth employment  Utilize contract training (in addition to ITAs)- Partner with CUNY system and others  Occupational training and bridge programming for opportunity youth  Workforce Funders Network  Mayor’s Center for Economic Opportunity - $100M public-private fund for anti-poverty innovation  Summer Youth employment  Utilize contract training (in addition to ITAs)    Work with CPS to provide WIOA services to students who are not collegebound and to reengage youth Juvenile justice youth program (DOL funded)Comprehensive model with support services, education, mentoring, case management Cook County Sheriff's office partnership targeting young adults from most dangerous communities Includes behavioral therapy and WIOA services New Orleans Workforce Development System – Strategic Plan – FINAL  Summer Youth Employment- Annie E Casey Foundation support  PIC runs a healthcare consortium with community colleges and businesses  Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare  Skilled Careers in Life Sciences Consortium  IT Consortium being developed  Hospitality Consortium is also being developed Culinary training demand is very high Incorporating career ladder  Boston Foundation funds consortiums  Youth contract training, adult is only ITA  Neighborhood Jobs Trust funding source for contract training Page 35 of 35  Philadelphia Youth Network Includes a year-round program focuses on training for career pathways and preapprenticeship as well as a summer jobs program  New Mayor is working on a strategic plan to coordinate all workforce initiatives across the city