Description and Assessment of Adult and Dislocated Worker Employment and Training Activities
WFS Cameron strives to improve comprehensive skill assessments of adult and dislocated job seekers to analyze skill gaps, identify skill deficiencies, and match qualified job applicants to local employers. Qualification of occupational skills is becoming the norm among many industries, and the Business Services Unit coordinates with employers to acquire, whenever possible, employer skill assessment and pre-screening tools to integrate into our assessment process. The current assessment tools utilized for workforce participants include the COPSystem, and the TABE. The Board is exploring the CASAS test for basic skills as an alternative to the TABE test. These assessments will validate the essential skills, knowledge, and abilities of a job seekers to identify the best match between the individuals’ existing skills, interests and experience for job postings. The assessment will also identify whether an individual who is exploring new career options in
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any of the targeted occupations is suitable for the working conditions, environment or job demands of the position.
Any customer entering the workforce center for the first time will receive basic career services including but not limited to:
• Outreach (including worker profiling), intake and orientation regarding other services available at the workforce center
• Job search and job placement assistance, including the provision of information on nontraditional employment and in-demand industry sectors
• Referral and coordination with other programs and services within and outside of the workforce center
• Local, regional, state and national labor market information (LMI) including job vacancy listings, job skills requirements, and occupational information
• Information on filing unemployment insurance (UI) claims • Assistance with Work-In-Texas (WIT) registration
• Use of self-directed career exploration and other online resources. • Referrals to other community resources
• Use of resource room materials, equipment, and information on how to access online resources
• Training programs
• Work readiness workshops
If a customer is identified as suitable for WIOA services and needs individualized career services to obtain or retain employment, center staff will assist the participant in providing and accessing a mix of individual career services that will enable participant to achieve their employment goals.
Individualized career services may include:
• Comprehensive assessment using diagnostic testing for determination of skill level and in-depth interviewing
• Development of an individual employment plan (IEP) to identify employment goal, barriers and support service needs
• Short term prevocational services • Workforce preparation activities • Transitional jobs
• Financial Literacy
• Internships, paid and unpaid work experience linked to a career pathway Training Services
Training services are provided to enable participant to acquire the skills essential necessary to enter and retain employment. Participants must have the skills and qualifications to participate successfully in training services based on assessment results. The types of training available include, but are not limited to:
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• Occupational skills training, including training for nontraditional employment • On the job training (OJT)
• Registered Apprenticeship • Incumbent worker training
• Workplace training and cooperative education programs • Private sector training programs
• Skills upgrading and retraining • Entrepreneurial training
• Customized training • Transitional jobs
Specific occupations are targeted annually within targeted industry clusters. The Board has developed a system for the review and approval of training programs based on the State’s List of Targeted Occupations, as well as other local and state requirements under ETPL. This List of Targeted Occupations is available to training providers seeking to provide training services through the statewide system known as the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). If minimal responses are received from annual solicitation, and it is determined that there are insufficient numbers of eligible training providers in the local area that can provide specialized training services, an RFP will be issued by the Board. This process will enable the Board to engage other providers that offer these services through contractual agreements. WFS Cameron implemented various strategies to address the employment and training needs of basic skills deficient customers, as well as our Limited English Proficient population. One of those strategies includes the expansion of training offerings by encouraging the development and submission of Spanish language or bilingual programs for this population. Additionally, the Board has a strong partnership with the Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) provider to access basic skills programs and targeted occupational skills training. The AEL provider offers basic skills participants their own trainings in demand occupations. In an effort to enhance the workforce experience, participants interested in training are enrolled in job readiness, soft skills and financial literacy services to provide them a comprehensive mix of services in preparation for entrance into the workforce.
For those individuals with a disability, Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRs) is now co-located within our workforce centers. As core partners, center equipment and services, including assessment testing, are available for use by VR staff for basic career services for their customers and co-case managed participants. A more comprehensive assessment is conducted by VR staff on a one-on-one basis for their customers.
B. Priority to Recipients of Public Assistance and Low-Income Individuals
Board policy to ensure that priority for adult individualized career services and training services will be given to recipients of public assistance, other low-income individuals, and individuals who are basic skills deficient, as well as veterans and foster youth
WFS Cameron has in place an approved policy in compliance with above cited section. Our Board policy is also compliant with the TWC Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: Guidelines for
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Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth, stating: Service Priority for Individualized career services and training services must be given on a priority basis, regardless of funding levels to:
• public assistance recipients; • other low-income adults; and
• individuals who are basic skills deficient.
The priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses applies across all qualified employment and training programs. The priority of service for public assistance receipts, other low-income individuals, and individuals who are basic skills deficient is a statutory priority that applies only to the receipt of individualized career services and training services in the WIOA program. Veterans and eligible spouses receive priority of services for all program services, including childcare. Priority of service means the right of eligible veterans to take precedence over non- eligible persons in obtaining workforce services.
Foster youth will receive priority of service over other equally qualified individuals except eligible veterans in the receipt of federal and state-funded services.