California

1) State Youth Council and Youth Council Initiatives

The State Youth Council provides the leadership that is needed to integrate youth services at all levels of the system and strengthens and focuses on youth services in the One-Stop delivery system. The Youth Council Institute provides training and technical assistance to local boards, youth councils and related professionals that is customized to meet a variety of diverse needs.

John Merris-Coots

E-mail: jmerris-coots@cwib.ca.gov.

Phone: 916-324-2486

2) Performance-based Accountability (PBA) System

The PBA system measures performance outcomes for programs administered by multiple state agencies that include community colleges, the Department of Rehabilitation, the Department of Education, the Department of Social Services, the Employment Development Department and the Employment Training Panel. The system produces annual reports that show and earnings outcomes for individuals participating in these programs. The Third Annual PBA Report is available on the California Workforce Investment Board Website.

Megan Juring

Email: mjuring@cwib.ca.gov

Phone: 916-324-2886

Website: http://www.calwia.org

Colorado

Ticket to Work

Colorado created a steering committee and a strategic plan for implementation of Ticket to Work in Colorado. The committee and the State WIB created a dynamic Ticket web site to ensure dissemination of timely and accurate information on the state plans to begin the program.  They also conducted extensive statewide briefings to acquaint potential partners and workforce boards with the program and the Employment Network program.

Joe Eitel

E-mail: joe.eitel@state.co.us

Phone: 303-866-4991

Website: http://www.state.co.us/ticket/

Connecticut

1) Information Technology (IT) Initiative

The IT Initiative will advance the education, training, and retention of skilled IT workers in Connecticut. A number of elements are included in the initiative including: programs to support IT education in grades K-8, supporting IT mentoring in secondary and post-secondary levels, certifying IT skills, transitioning non-IT workers into growth IT careers, and development of IT curriculum at the high school level based on skill standards.

Rob Keating

E-mail: rob.keating@po.state.ct.us

Phone: 860-258-4308

2) Capacity Building Project

The Capacity Building Project, sponsored and funded by the Governor’s Office for Workforce Competitiveness and the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission, is a collaborative effort of local WIBs and state agency partners. The project’s purpose is to design and implement a statewide training and development program for Connecticut’s workforce development professionals to support and strengthen the one-stop system.

Janice Schuyler

E-mail: janice.schuyler@po. state.ct.us.

Phone: 860-263-6670

Delaware

The Rosie Opened Alternative Realities Committee (ROAR)

This initiative is focused on developing nontraditional opportunities for women and men, such as our initial initiative to bring women into the construction industry, with an additional goal toward enticing more men into the healthcare industry as nurses, CNA’s, lab techs, and other allied health professions.

Patty Cannon

E-mail: pcannon@state. de.us

Phone: 302-577-6202

Website: http://www. delaware.works.com

Florida

1) Chairman’s Challenge

In 2000, the Chairman of Workforce Florida, Inc., challenged the new board of business executives and public officials to devise strategies to train 3,000 workers with higher skills in higher paying jobs within the following six months. Specific assignments were given to the Boards of three individual workforce councils to do so.

Andra Cornelius

E-mail: acornelius@work forceflorida.com

Website: http://www2. myflorida.com/awi/

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2) Operation Paycheck

Operation Paycheck seeks to minimize economic downturns by preparing displaced workers for re-employment in high demand jobs. The program emphasizes building upon already acquired skills so workers can quickly be placed in high demand areas such as information technology, health care, and construction.

Lucy Hadi

E-mail: Lucy.hadi@ awi.state.fl.us

Website: http://www2. myflorida.com/awi/

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Kentucky

Kentucky Employability Certificate

The Kentucky Employability Certificate Program awards portable credentials to individuals in reading, applied mathematics, and locating information. The certificate was created to provide skill-based credentials to Kentucky citizens, and to provide employers with a pool of certified workers. 

Nancy Laprade

E-mail: nancye.laprade@ mail.state.ky.us.

Phone: 502-564-6066

Maine

Career Learning Connections

Maine is planning a new initiative for Career Center marketing and capacity building. It is the collaboration among the Public Broadcasting Corporation (PBS), Career Centers, and Adult Education to provide integrated GED and work preparation modules delivered via television, video, and self-directed text to workforce customers. Simultaneously, the partners in this collaboration will provide broadcast quality marketing materials targeted to job applicants.

Tim McLellan

E-mail: Tim.McLellan@ state.me.us.

Phone: 207-624-6390

Nevada

1) Job Connect Ancillary and Affiliate Sites

In order to expand the capacity of JobConnect, Nevada’s One-Stop system, local WIBs have established criteria for ancillary and affiliate employment services sites in order to expand on the system’s capacity to provide businesses and individuals greater access to workforce development and system services.

Tami Nash

E-mail: tlnash@nvdetr.org

Website: http://www.nevada jobconnect.com

New Jersey

Consumer Report Card

The Consumer Report Card is an online information system that allows training providers to apply to be included on the Eligible Training Provider List and consumers to view provider and program information. Individual student record information can be entered by providers and then matched against the UI wage record system to develop performance results for WIA and Perkins grants.

Larry Seidel

Email: lseidel@dol. state.nj.us

Website: http://www.nj trainingsystems.org

New York

Career Zone

New York State has developed Career Zone, an on-line career counseling and placement tool. This user-friendly site allows individuals to assess what careers are well-suited to their education, skills, and work experience. This site also provides information on those careers. It also offers information on testing, educational institutions, financial aid, scholarships, and loans.

Doug Reamer

E-mail: douglas.reamer @labor.state.ny.us

Phone: 518-457-1228

Website: http://www. Wdsny.org

Oregon

1) Healthcare Sector Employment Initiative

The Healthcare Employment Initiative is sponsored by the Oregon Workforce Investment Board to alleviate skills and staffing shortages in the health care sector. The program aims to identify the demands of health care employers in order to supply skilled workers who will be successful in the industry.

Jana Hofer

E-mail:jana.m.hofer@ odcwd.state.or.us

Phone: 503-378-8648

2) System-wide Performance Indicators                    

Oregon’s Workforce Investment Board adopted 14 workforce-related system-wide performance indicators in December of 1999 to measure the success of Oregon’s workforce system as a whole. The 14 indicators address 5 measure categories: skill gain/workforce preparation; employment and earnings; movement from public support to self-sufficiency; customer satisfaction; and cost effectiveness.

Jana Hofer

E-mail: jana.m.hofer@ odcwd.state.or.us

Phone: 503-378-8648

Texas

1) Rural Initiatives Program

The Texas Workforce Commission awards grants to promote employment opportunities, job retention, and reemployment in rural areas. Grants can be used to improve and develop child care, transportation, and education services as well as to expand adult literacy and job search services for welfare recipients.

Kris Dudley

E-mail: kris.dudley@ twc.state.tx.us

Website:http://www.twc.

state.tx.us

Kim Bunting

2) Dallas Business Project

This is a partnership between the Dallas Workforce Development Board’s WorkSource and Business Access, a private company building on-line communities. Welfare-to-work eligible clients who have entered the workforce receive donated home computers installed in their home, connected to education and training programs. Project Access is an on-line training program with the goal of helping workers advance to better paying jobs and economic security. The public/private partnership provides the means for participants to receive training, services, and information in their homes through an on-line, interactive network.

Kim Bunting

E-mail:kbunting@business-access.com

Phone: 214-290-1000