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2009 Annual Report Workforce Investment Act State of Nebraska Program Year 2009 July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010 WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD Acknowledgements This is a publication of the Nebraska Workforce Investment Board 550 South 16th Street • Lincoln, NE 68509-4600 • Telephone: (402) 471-9903 • Fax: (402) 471-9917 Published September 29, 2010 Dave Heineman, Governor Catherine D. Lang, Commissioner of Labor, State WIA Liaison Linda Kirk, Editor Vicki Leech, Performance Data Kristin Brehmer and Katie Sorensen, Layout and Design Jonni Cline, Expenditure Reports Nebraska Workforce Investment Board, Compliance Committee Dr. Roger Breed, Bruce Cutright, Dr. Connie Eichhorn, Roger Glawatz, Liz Mazzotta, Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy, Dr. Pearl Van Zandt Equal Opportunity Employer/Program • Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. TDD: 1.800.833.7352 • Lincoln: 402.471.2786 WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 2 Table of Contents Vision and Goals................................................................................... 4 Tables Section Nebraska Workforce Investment Board............................................ 5 . B. Adult Program Results............................................................... 24 . Committee Structure............................................................................ 6 . C. Outcomes for Adult Special Populations................................. 25 Nebraska Workforce Investment Board Membership..................... 7 D. Other Outcome Information for the Adult Program.............. 25 Workforce Investment Act Chart ....................................................... 8 E. Dislocated Worker Program Results......................................... 26 Services and Products.......................................................................... 9 . F. Outcomes for Dislocated Worker Special Populations. ......... 26 . Customer Base...................................................................................... 10 G. Other Outcome Information for the Dislocated Major Career Center Partners............................................................ 11 . Worker Program.......................................................................... 27 . Carl D. Perkins Act.............................................................................. 12 . H.1 Youth (14–21) Program Results.................................................. 27 Nebraska Local Workforce Investment Areas................................. 13 L. Other Reported Information...................................................... 28 Revenues............................................................................................... 14 M. Participation Levels..................................................................... 28 Workforce Investment Act Financial Statement.............................. 15 N. Cost of Program Activities......................................................... 29 . Career Center Office Locations.......................................................... 16 O. Local Performance....................................................................... 30 Awards and Recognition..................................................................... 17 Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Area....................... 30 Successes............................................................................................... 18 . Greater Omaha Tri County Workforce Investment Area....... 31 Evaluations and Continuous Improvement..................................... 19 Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Area.......................... 32 . Waivers.................................................................................................. 20 Analysis of Performance..................................................................... 21 Key Web Sites....................................................................................... 22 Nebraska Workforce Development is a Proud Member of America’s Workforce Network WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 3 Vision and Goals Nebraska’s Vision... Our vision for the years ahead must be about preparing Nebraska to compete in the 21st Century, in an age of technological marvels, new educational challenges, international competition and entrepreneurial opportunity. The Governor’s Vision is expressed in four goals: • Maintain a dynamic, demand-driven workforce development system focusing on highgrowth, high-demand industries within a regional development context; • Increase the integration of services to employers and job seekers by multiple public and private partners; • Recognize the need to meet the changing long and short-term needs of businesses and individuals with a coordinated, efficient, and less bureaucratic delivery system; and • Provide the knowledge, skills and resources for learning, earning, and living. Governor Dave Heineman “In 2010 and beyond, we will continue to position Nebraska for future economic growth. Our roadmap is clear and my focus will be on three priorities: growing our economy by focusing on job creation; strengthening Nebraska’s education system so that our students can compete in the 21st Century economy; and developing a more efficient government through greater use of technology. I am confident that the year ahead will provide us with new opportunities to continue to move Nebraska forward.” Governor Dave Heineman WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 4 Nebraska Workforce Investment Board • Organized in December, 1999. • 39 Members, plus 3 ex-officio members. • Majority of membership (20) comes from business and industry. • The Chair is Gayle McClure (Dutton-Lainson Co. - Hastings, NE). • The Vice-Chair is Jim Linderholm (Alfred Benesch & Co., Lincoln, NE). The Board is a public body as defined by Nebraska law and is subject to both the Public Records law and the Public Meeting law requirements. Catherine D. Lang, Commissioner of Labor/State WIA Liaison and Nebraska Workforce Investment Board Member “It has been my pleasure to serve on the Nebraska Workforce Investment Board since its inception in December of 1999 and to currently serve as Chairman. The membership of the Board is made up of a diverse, dedicated group of men and women from across Nebraska who have been appointed by Governor Heineman to address matters relating to Nebraska’s Workforce issues.The Board meets regularly and is charged with providing input to and supporting the outstanding Staff at the Department of Labor who must deal with the day to day operations. I speak for the entire Board when I say how proud we are to serve our great State of Nebraska.” Gayle McClure, Director of Environmental Affairs, Dutton-Lainson Company and NWIB Chairman WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 5 Committee Structure Executive Committee Compliance Committee • Authority to act on behalf of the NWIB between scheduled meetings • Grant planning, administration and service delivery • Performance measures • Youth services and programs • Adoption of continuous improvement Gayle McClure, Chair Director of Environmental Affairs, Dutton- Lainson Co., Hastings Bruce Cutright, Chair Vice President of Human Resources, Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital, Hastings • Allocations State Energy Sector Partnership Charter Committee The Nebraska Workforce Investment Board (NWIB) was awarded a State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP) grant through the US Department of Labor. This $4.8 million SESP grant will allow Nebraska to develop employment opportunities and create training curriculum for the Renewable Energy sector, specifically for Wind, Bio-Fuels, and Green Building Technology. The project Nebraska has developed for this grant is the “syNErgy” project. NWIB leadership designated SESP committee members, and a Charter has been signed by this membership. The Charter Committee will serve as an industry advisory committee throughout the life of the syNErgy project and ensure the overall success of the Energy Sector Plan. Under the leadership of the NWIB, the SESP and syNErgy have developed a comprehensive strategy that aligns the Governor’s Workforce Vision with the State’s energy policy to prepare an educated and skilled workforce to meet the current and emerging needs of the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries in Nebraska and the US. One of the responsibilities of the SESP Charter Committee is to identity and encourage synergies with other Recovery Act projects, and Federally and State funded initiatives that fund job retention and training programs for workers, such as the WIA program. The NWIB and the SESP Charter Committee will coordinate efforts to maximize syNErgy project resources and ensure the optimum amount of training can be offered to Nebraska workers. The Chair of the Nebraska Workforce Investment Board and the Lieutenant Governor will co-chair the SESP Charter Committee which will provide oversight of the syNErgy project. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 6 Nebraska Workforce Investment Board Membership GOVERNOR OF NEBRASKA BUSINESS Gayle McClure, Chair Jim Linderholm, Vice Chair Mitch Arnold Charles Baldwin Bruce Cutright Mathew Fleischer Michael Geary John Grabowski James Hanson M. L. Martin Liz Mazzotta Mark Moravec Robert Mueller Don Nordell Terri Ridder Bradley Schroeder Jennifer Sedlacek Becky Stitt Suzanne Mahel Tyrrell Julie Younkin Hastings Lincoln Omaha Sidney Hastings Columbus Omaha Omaha Omaha North Platte Omaha Grand Island Exeter Lincoln West Point Omaha Omaha Scottsbluff Lincoln Ainsworth Governor Dave Heineman Lincoln LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy Lincoln* Bellevue* Lincoln* Omaha Omaha GOVERNOR DESIGNATE Mayor Roger E. Glawatz Patricia “Sue” Hartwell Michelle Olson Paulo Reynoso Clyde Tyndall Dr. Pearl Van Zandt Lincoln Education Dr. Roger Breed Lincoln Seward Crete Omaha North Platte Lincoln Lincoln Labor Catherine D. Lang Lincoln Post Secondary Education Marshall Hill LABOR Ken Mass Mark McColley Economic Development Richard Baier Health and Human Services Kerry Winterer Lincoln LEGISLATURE Sen. Abbie Cornett Sen. Tony Fulton STATE AGENCY Lincoln University of Nebraska Pete Kotsiopulos Lincoln Veterans’ Affairs John Hilgert Lincoln YOUTH Dr. Connie Eichhorn Ronald Johns Omaha Gering COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION Dennis Baack TBD Lincoln * ex-officio WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 7 Workforce Investment Act Governor Dave Heineman Nebraska Workforce Investment Board Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Area (Serves Lancaster & Saunders Counties) CEO: Mayor Chris Beutler Greater Omaha Tri County Workforce Investment Area (Serves Douglas, Washington & Sarpy Counties) CEO: Mayor Jim Suttle Local Workforce Investment Board Local Workforce Investment Board Local Youth Council Local Youth Council Workforce Investment Areas Are Responsible For: • Local plan and budget • Establish and certify One Stop Delivery System • Provide Rapid Response services to laid off and dislocated workers • Choose eligible service providers • Establish performance accountability system • Establish reporting and monitoring capabilities Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Area (Serves 88 rural county area) CEO: Local Elected Officials Board Region I – County Commissioner Donald W. Blausey, Chadron; County Commissioner Casper Brixius, Alliance; Mayor Wendall Gaston, Sidney Region II – Mayor John Fagot, Lexington; County Commissioner Joe Hewgley, North Platte Region III – Mayor Stanley Clouse, Kearney; Mayor Hal Haeker, Alma; County Supervisor Pamela Lancaster, Grand Island Region IV – Mayor Tom Crisman, Crete; Mayor Roger E. Glawatz, Seward; County Commissioner Scott Stuhr, Utica Region V –Mayor Don Edwards, Fremont; County Supervisor Ron Pfeifer, Lindsay; Mayor Lois Shelton, Wayne Local Workforce Investment Board • Develop and implement a continuous improvement plan Local Youth Council WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 8 Services and Products Core Services Training Services • Alternative Secondary School Services • Eligibility Determination • Occupational Skills Training • Summer Employment Opportunities • Outreach, Intake, and Orientation to Available Services • On-the-Job Training • Work Experiences, including Internships and Job Shadowing • Initial Assessment • Combination of Workplace Training with Related Instruction • Job Search • Private Sector Training • Leadership Development Opportunities • Placement Assistance • Skill Upgrade and Retraining • Adult Mentoring • Career Counseling • Entrepreneurial Training • Follow-Up Services • Labor Market Information Delivery • Job Readiness Training • Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling • Performance and Program Cost Information on Eligible Providers of Training Services • Adult Education and Literacy Activities Supportive Services • Local Area Performance Information • Customized Training • Information on Filing Claims for Unemployment Compensation • Assistance in Establishing Eligibility for other programs • Follow-Up Service • English as a Second Language Youth Services • Tutoring, Study Skills Training, and Dropout Prevention Strategies • Occupational Skills Training • As defined in Local Plans, may include services such as transportation, child care, dependent care, housing, needs-related payments that are necessary to enable an individual to participate in authorized activities. • Supportive Service Information Provided Intensive Services • Comprehensive and Specialized Assessments • Development of an Individual Employment Plan • Group Counseling • Individual Counseling and Career Planning • Case Management • Short-term Prevocational Services Students in a Literacy Class in Lincoln. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 9 Customer Base *Accessing Services Through One-Stop System 50,000 Labor Force (June 2010) 500,000 45,588 500,000 458,170 400,000 40,000 Employment (June 2010) 25,000 436,636 400,000 363,169 Unemployment (June 2010) 21,534 20,015 20,000 343,154 32,409 300,000 30,000 20,433 20,000 300,000 168,234 200,000 15,000 200,000 160,232 10,000 100,000 0 Greater Nebraska Greater Omaha Greater Lincoln Source: Greater Nebraska and Greater Omaha data is captured from the NWAS/SASi MIS and Greater Lincoln data is locally self-reported. 100,000 5,000 0 10,000 0 8,002 0 Greater Nebraska Greater Omaha Greater Lincoln Source: NE Dept. of Labor, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Greater Nebraska Greater Omaha Greater Lincoln Source: NE Dept. of Labor, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Greater Nebraska Greater Omaha Greater Lincoln Source: NE Dept. of Labor, Local Area Unemployment Statistics * Self-service customers may not always be reflected. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 10 Major Career Center Partners Partners Working Together • Adult Education and Literacy • Adult Employment and Training Activities • Community • Dislocated Services Block Grant Worker Employment and Training Activities • Employment • Health • Job Services and Human Services Corps • Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Programs • Native American Programs • Post Secondary Vocational Education • Title V of the Older Americans Act • Trade Adjustment Assistance • U.S. Department of Housing / Urban Develpment Employment and Training Programs • Unemployment Insurance • Veterans’ Programs • Vocational Rehabilitation • Youth Activities The Southeast Nebraska Economic Development Summit was held on June 16, 2010 as the capstone event for the Greater Lincoln Regional Innovation Grant (RIG). The RIG project is a 12 county collaborative initiative to generate opportunities for further regional economic prosperity. Summit speakers included Angelos Angelou and Steve Vierck of Angelou Economics, the firm that produced the region’s Economic Scan, the Target Industry and Asset Map Assessment, and finally the Action Plan. Working with the RIG Executive Committee, the final Strategic Action Plan linking economic development, workforce development, and education was formalized and released along with the Lincoln Business Conditions & Indicators Report. The Summit was followed by the annual Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development luncheon featuring Rebecca Ryan, founder of Next Generation Consulting, as the keynote speaker. Over 300 attendees from the 12 county region participated in the events.The Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development recognized Jim Linderholm for his service to Lincoln’s economic development efforts. Linderholm, Chairman of HWS Consulting, and Steve Frayser, President of the University of Nebraska Technology Park, were honored for their outstanding work in advancing economic development in Lincoln. As a result of the Regional Innovation Grant awarded to the City of Lincoln and the Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Board, local education, economic development and workforce development entities have agreed to enter into the Lincoln Regional Innovation Compact. The participating entities agree to continue formal and informal collaboration in order to prepare the Southeast Nebraska workforce for 21st century jobs and find unique ways to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and agree to continue to work with the RIG Steering Committee over a five year period to evaluate progress in fulfilling strategic objectives set through the RIG process. Signatories on the Lincoln Regional Innovation Compact are: • Mayor Chris Beutler, City of Lincoln • Jim Linderholm, Chairperson, Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Board • Roger Glawatz, Chairperson, Greater Nebraska Chief Elected Officials Board • M.L. Martin, Chairperson, Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Board • Wendy Birdsall, President, Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development • Jack Huck, President, Southeast Community College • Pete Kotsiopulos, Vice President, University of Nebraska • Dr. Todd Drew, Vice President, Peru State College WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 11 Carl D. Perkins Act Give a brief explanation on Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act funding and how it coordinates with the Workforce Investment Act program and funding. Nebraska receives approximately 8 million dollars annually to support career technical education. Eighty five percent goes directly to public schools and community colleges to support the improvement and expansion of career technical education. Of the 85% flow through, 55% is directed to public secondary school districts and 45% to Nebraska community colleges. All eligible recipients are encouraged to coordinate activities with their local career centers and Workforce Investment Boards. The state utilizes the remaining 15% for administration (5%) and statewide leadership activities (10%). The focus of these resources allow for exploration and support of leveraging opportunities with WIA activities for maximum impact. The Department of Education Career Education staff and the Department of Labor staff meet periodically to coordinate efforts and maximize the use of resources. Have there been any changes and new directions for Carl Perkins programs due to economic realities? We continue to work to align secondary career education programs with Nebraska’s current economic and workforce needs. Through the work of the Partnership for Innovation (PFI) statewide Perkins consortium, we are aligning secondary and postsecondary programs of study. PFI also provides economic modeling data for all secondary and postsecondary institutions in Nebraska. This information is particularly useful in projecting future employment needs. Career academy programs are growing rapidly. These programs bring secondary and postsecondary career education together by aligning curriculum and allowing for more dualcredit courses to be available statewide. Two new teaching certificates have been implemented to assist with making dual-credit courses possible for more Nebraska students. What is FutureForce and what benefits does the program bring to Nebraska? Since Nebraska is the recipient of federal incentive funds based on Program Year 2008 performance, do you anticipate some innovative actions taking place that will impact WIA, Adult Education, and Perkins IV programs? The proposal that was submitted to the Department of Labor was an integrated proposal that benefits all three programs. The development of the new Career Readiness Standards and implementation strategies to be applicable to all three programs is innovative and will continue to move our programs forward as a workforce development system rather than three individual programs. Comment: The Compliance Committee reviewed the information on coordination with the Federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) and found it acceptable. FutureForce continues to exist as a brainstorming or think-tank structure to be activated when needed for the coordination of secondary and postsecondary education, workforce development and economic development activities. It is particularly beneficial in seeking grants that require the collaboration of all three entities. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 12 Nebraska Local Workforce Investment Areas Keya Paha Boyd Brown Rock (Ainsworth) Holt Dawes (Chadron) Sioux Cherry Sheridan Knox Grant Morrill Banner Kimball Hooker Thomas Blaine Loup Garfield Wheeler Boone Garden McPherson Arthur Logan Valley Greeley Custer Cheyenne (Sidney) Deuel Lincoln (North Platte) Perkins Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Area Region I Chase Hayes Dundy Hitchcock Region II Region III Region IV Frontier Dawson (Lexington) Buffalo (Kearney) Hall (Grand Island) Red Willow Furnas (McCook) Harlan Thurston Burt Dodge Platte Colfax (Fremont) (Columbus) Polk Merrick Hamilton Adams Clay Gosper Phelps Kearney (Hastings) (Holdrege) Wayne Madison Stanton Cuming (Norfolk) Nance Sherman Howard Keith Dixon Dakota Pierce Antelope Box Butte Scotts Bluff (Scottsbluff) Cedar Washington Douglas Saunders (Omaha) Butler (Wahoo) Sarpy York Seward Lancaster (York) (Seward) (Lincoln) Fillmore Saline (Wilber) Cass Otoe (Nebraska City) Nemaha Gage Johnson Franklin Webster Nuckolls (Beatrice) Richardson Thayer Jefferson Pawnee (Falls City) Region V Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Area Greater Omaha Workforce Investment Area WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 13 Youth Revenues Program Year 2009 WIA Title I Funding Total = $6,917,651 Youth $2,290,428 Adult $2,148,465 Adult Adult Dislocated Workers $2,478,758 Dislocated Workers Greater Nebraska Area Youth Rapid Response State Administration $247,876 $345,881 Incentive/TA/Capacity Building $172,942 Statewide Programs $518,823 Youth Local Area Funding Total = $5,632,129 Greater Lincoln Area $930,065 Greater Nebraska Area $1,627,262 Greater Omaha Area $3,074,802 State Administration Greater Omaha Area Statewide Programs Incentive/TA/Capacity Building Greater Nebraska Area Greater Omaha Area Greater Lincoln Area Total = $1,285,522 Dislocated Workers Greater Nebraska Area Greater Omaha Area State Level Funding Rapid Response Greater Lincoln Area Greater Lincoln Area WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 14 WIA Financial Statement Operating Results Available Expended Percent Balance Remaining Cost-Effectiveness* C-E Ratio $15,278,679 $7,480,147 49.0% $7,798,532 Overall, All Program Strategies $1,965 Adult WIA Program Funds WIA Carry in Monies (no add) $1,718,576 $1,298,440 $716,855 $1,298,440 41.7% 100.0% $1,001,721 – Adult (WIA and ARRA) Program $1,821 Dislocated Worker WIA Program Funds WIA Carry in Monies (no add) $1,598,162 $1,089,100 $1,238,607 $1,089,100 77.5% 100.0% $359,555 – Dislocated Worker (WIA and ARRA) Program $2,422 Youth WIA Program $1,601 Youth Program WIA Funds WIA Carry in Monies (no add) Out-of-School WIA Youth In-School WIA Youth $3,678,837 $770,824 $1,012,385 $770,824 $1,281,405 $501,804 27.5% 100.0% $2,666,452 Local Administration WIA Funds WIA Carry in Monies (no add) $777,285 $349,890 $104,962 $349,890 13.5% 100.0% $672,323 – Rapid Response WIA Funds WIA Carry in Monies (no add) $247,876 $300,287 $0 $54,208 0% 18.1% $247,876 $246,079 Statewide Activity WIA Funds WIA Carry in Monies (no add) $1,415,422 $2,033,980 $56,629 $788,247 4.0% 38.8% $1,358,793 $1,245,733 Total All ARRA Funds $5,002,757 $1,946,621 38.9% $3,056,136 Adult ARRA Program Funds $1,012,752 $319,103 31.5% $693,649 Dislocated Worker ARRA Program Funds $1,908,246 $808,694 42.4% $1,099,552 Youth ARRA Program Funds $689,981 $677,116 98.1% $12,865 Local ARRA Administration Funds $430,943 $42,299 9.8% $388,644 $94,112 $0 0.0% $94,112 $866,723 $99,409 11.5% $767,314 Total All WIA Funds Sources Rapid Response ARRA Funds Statewide ARRA Funds WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD *Cost per Participant is calculated by taking the total program costs in terms of expenditures and dividing by the number of participants served during the year by the particular program. NOTE: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was signed into law on February 17, 2009. Local areas were directed to fully utilize the additional ARRA workforce funding to substantially increase the number of customers served, and to substantially increase the number and proportion of those customers who receive training. In January, 2010, a State Issuance provided the opportunity through an application process for the local designated Workforce Investment Areas to request funds set aside for Dislocated Worker Rapid Response and Statewide Activities under ARRA. Through an application process, the State made funds available in the following two categories: 1. ARRA Dislocated Worker Rapid Response funds (up to $200,000) to provide direct client services as allowed under the dislocated worker program. The funds were expected to support services for eligible dislocated workers. In applying for this category the local area had to (1) document increased numbers of unemployed individuals due to plant closings, mass layoffs or labor force reductions AND (2) have expended 100% of their PY 2008 Dislocated Worker Funds and at least 50% of their PY 2009 Dislocated Worker Funds. 2. ARRA Dislocated Worker Statewide Activity funds (up to $150,000) to conduct research and/or demonstrations that aid in developing strategies and action plans to assist communities in rapid re-employment of dislocated workers. This activity had to include linkages with local and state economic development entities and available state and local business retention and recruitment activities. Regional concepts were encouraged. This category could also include lay off aversion strategies. 15 Career Center Office Locations Career Centers serve as the cornerstone of the Workforce Investment system. These centers unify training, education, and employment programs into one customer-friendly system across Nebraska. Includes Comprehensive and Affiliate Sites Certified Comprehensive Career Center Certified Affiliate One Stop Career Center Norfolk Alliance Scottsbluff Columbus Fremont Sidney North Platte Lexington Omaha Grand Island York Hastings Lincoln Nebraska City Alliance 302 Box Butte Avenue Alliance, NE 69301-3342 (308) 763-2935 Fax: (308) 763-2936 Fremont 835 N. Broad Street, Suite 102 Fremont, NE 68025-5136 (402) 727-3250 Fax: (402) 727-3264 Beatrice 5109 West Scott Road Suite 413 Beatrice, NE 68310-7059 (402) 223-6060 Fax: (402) 223-6088 Grand Island * 1306 West 3rd Street Grand Island, NE 68801 (308) 385-6300 Fax: (308) 385-6029 Lexington 1308 North Adams Lexington, NE 68850 (308) 324-2064 Fax: (308) 324-6320 McCook 220 West 1st Street McCook, NE 69001-3601 (308) 345-8470 Fax: (308) 345-8471 Norfolk 105 East Norfolk Ave., Ste 100 Norfolk, NE 68701 (402) 370-3430 Fax: (402) 370-4431 Columbus 3020 18th St., Ste. #1 Columbus, NE 68601-4254 (402) 564-7160 Fax: (402) 563-2715 Hastings 2727 West 2nd Street, Ste. 338 Hastings, NE 68901-4684 (402) 462-1867 Fax: (402) 462-1896 Lincoln * 1010 "N" Street Lincoln, NE 68508 (402) 471-2275 Fax: (402) 471-9776 or (402) 441-6038 Nebraska City 917 Wildwood Lane, Ste J Nebraska City, NE 68410-0700 (402) 873-3384 Fax: (402) 873-3552 North Platte 306 East 6th, Ste. 140 North Platte, NE 69101-4160 (308) 535-8320 Fax: (308) 535-8085 Beatrice McCook WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD Omaha Blue Lion Centre * 2421 North 24th Street Omaha, NE 68110 (402) 444-4700 Fax: (402) 444-3755 5717 F Street Omaha, NE 68117 (402) 595-3000 Fax: (402) 595-2701 Scottsbluff 1930 East 20th Place, Ste. 200 Scottsbluff, NE 69361-2708 (308) 632-1420 Fax: (308) 632-1414 Sidney 923 8th Avenue Sidney, NE 69162 (308) 254-6937 Fax: (308) 254-6916 York 510 Lincoln Avenue York, NE 68467-2997 (402) 362-5891 Fax: (402) 362-5901 16 Awards and Recognition Greater Nebraska • Donna Kuskie WIA representative in the Alliance Career Center was noted in an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, February 21, 2010, “Obama Tries New Tack to Collect Student Data.” Greater Omaha (Tri County) • Crystal Browning-Prince, Adult program participant, was nominated to attend the Student Leadership Conference in September by her teachers at Metropolitan Community College. She was also nominated to Phi Theta Kappa, made the Dean’s List, and received a certificate of appreciation • Alliance One Stop Career Center collaborated with the for participating in 6 hours of community service during City Of Alliance, Box Butte Development Corporation, the 2010 Winter quarter while taking 18 credit hours of and Chamber of Commerce to have Alliance become a classes. (Crystal is a single mother of three children.) Certified Economic Development Community. Alliance received this designation in November, 2009. • Jesse Twohig, Youth Program participant, received the Independence Award at Goodwill’s Annual Dinner in Statewide March, 2010. • The Nebraska Department of Labor in partnership with several agencies received a grant for $4,839,511 • Chris Parker, Youth program participant, was selected to implement training and employment strategies to attend Goodwill International’s Advocacy Day in in wind, biofuels, and green sustainable building Washington DC in April. Goodwill International paid for technologies. Chris and his wife to fly to Washington DC and meet with members of Nebraska’s congressional delegation advocating • Goodwill Industries, Inc. serving Eastern Nebraska for continued funding for programs like the Partnership. and Southwest Iowa received a Health Care and High Growth training grant of $2,007,846 funded by the • Douglas County Commissioner Chris Rodgers, a member American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 of the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board (TCWIB), to train unemployed workers in the Insurance and was recently elected Second Vice President of the National Banking industries. Association of Counties (NACo). • Goodwill Industries, Inc. of Omaha received a Green Jobs Capacity Building Award of $71,714. • TCWIB member, Sarah Stoakes, who is the Executive Director of the Ridgewood Senior Living Community in • Nebraska’s Labor Market Information was part Bennington, NE, received Midlands Business Journal’s “40 of a Montana Department of Labor and Industry under 40 Award” in December, 2009. consortium that received a grant of $3,877,949. The consortium also included Iowa, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. • Nebraska (in coordination with the three local areas) applied for and received $534,080 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds for an On-the-Job Training, National Emergency Grant. • A “Pathways Out of Poverty” training grant was awarded to the Southeast Community College area in Lincoln for $2,331,278. • Rose Welindt, TCWIB member and Human Resources Director at Hilton Omaha, was recertified in January 2010 through the Professional in Human Resources Certification program. • Raymond Weinberg, metapHRases Solutions, Inc., received the “Service Above Self” Award from the Rotary International Board in April (114 awarded throughout the world). Ray also received the “Individual Contributor” Award at The Best Places To Work Awards in May (given by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and Baird Holm LLP). WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD Former Lincoln Mayor Don Wesely, Greater Lincoln WIB Chair Jim Linderholm, Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler Greater Lincoln The Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Board celebrated its tenth anniversary at a recognition ceremony on December 2, 2009 at Speedway Motors Museum. Mayor Don Wesely had made the first appointments to the Board on December 1, 1999. Of the founding members, thirteen were recognized as still active on the Board. They were: Terry Adair Jacob North Companies Donna Behlen Behlen Video Services Clint Burge IBEW Local Union #265 Tammie Burns Duncan Aviation Dick Harding Kenexa Jack Huck Southeast Community College Kal Lausterer Greater Wahoo Economic Development Jim Linderholm HWS Consulting Group, Inc. Rich Marshall Regional Council of Carpenters Local 1055 Vicki Rasmussen Client Assistance Program Steve Richman Nebraska Workforce Development Carol Swigart Hillaero Modification Center Gerry Tyler Tyler Graphic Services, Inc. 17 Successes John’s Story Prior to his enrollment into the Adult WIA Program, John had been laid off from his drywall finisher job. He had not been successful in securing employment as work in the construction industry has slowed dramatically in the current economy. He was interested in truck driving although he had no previous experience or training in this area. With WIA’s assistance he attended a truck driving course in May. In less than three weeks after finishing his training, he was on the job. John was quick to let his case manager know of his success and to thank her for the new start. “I have taken a job. They have offered me a regional driving position. The rate of pay will be $600 to $800 a week. I actually had four pre-hire offers through the driving school and really had to do my homework to make a choice. That’s more offers than I’ve had in the past five months. Thanks for the new start!” Greater Omaha (Tri County) Adult Customer Cherri’s Story Cherri worked as a Materials and Production Planner at a factory in Dewitt until the plant moved production to China. Although Cherri had a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, she lacked the Teaching Certificate that would allow her to teach business classes at a high school or college level. Cherri had done all her research on what she needed to do to get a teaching certificate and found that the University of Nebraska at Kearney had a great program. Cherri started classes and is now finishing up her student teaching. She will graduate in December 2010. During this education adventure Cherri has faced the challenges of cancer and treatments, plus relocating her family to York, Nebraska for her husband’s job. Cherri has always kept a positive attitude and her grades and college performance have been more than outstanding. Florence’s Story Florence is a refugee from Sierra Leone. She came to the U.S. to escape the Civil War that was taking place in her country, join her father and pursue a better education. Her dream was to become a doctor. Unfortunately, Florence continued to experience difficulties after her arrival. Her dad and his girlfriend mistreated her so Child Protective Services had to place her in foster care. When Florence came to the One Stop Employment Solutions WIA SummerWorks program, she was a senior with a 3.8 GPA, “aging-out” of care. She has since graduated from high school, successfully completed her SummerWorks employment and has been hired part-time by the worksite. After enrollment in WIA as a “Year Round” participant, she moved into her own apartment. She is currently attending Southeast Community College. In addition to school and her part-time job, Florence has been completing the requirements of U.S. Immigration Services in the hope that she will one day become a U.S. citizen. Florence continues to excel in her undergraduate studies. She is well on her way to achieving her dream to complete medical school and is an inspiration to all youth. Greater Lincoln Youth Customer Greater Nebraska Dislocated Worker/Trade Customer WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD Jane’s Story Jane moved to Lincoln from out of state with the expectation of employment at a healthcare facility. She found out after moving here with her three children that she was not being offered employment. Although she had a Nursing Assistant degree from a different state, it was not transferable. In fact, she would need courses to be taken in Nebraska, and pass the State exam before she could get on the State Registry to receive her CNA. She was quite ‘down’, seeing little opportunities and not familiar with access to support services in a new community. When Jane applied for WIA, she was working part-time trying to make ends meet as a single parent. She was receiving ADC and Food Stamps, but was struggling. WIA funds were used to provide training for Jane to get her CNA and take her State exams. Upon completion of training, Jane found employment as a Home Health Aide and Med Aide (her employer assisted her with attaining Med Aide). While her income is not great, she has surpassed the income threshold for food stamps and Title XX, so she is managing without public assistance. She is happy to be working, supporting her family, and maintains a positive outlook. Greater Lincoln Adult Customer Charlie’s Story Charlie had lost his job in Omaha. While enrolled in the program, he had a stroke and is very fortunate that through therapy he was able to minimize the stroke’s affects. The WIA case manager referred Charlie to Experience Unlimited to develop networking skills. They provided him with several job leads. Charlie’s 16 year old son had a friend whose dad worked for a company that proved to be the most successful lead. The company interviewed Charlie and hired him for a position earning $55,000 per year in Lincoln. He and his wife bought a house in the Ashland/Gretna area so they can be near his son as well as close to work. Greater Omaha (Tri County) Dislocated Worker Customer 18 Evaluations and Continuous Improvement Statewide Nebraska conducts a standard Customer Service Survey in each of the seventeen One Stop Career Centers in the state to gain further insights into services received by our customers. Feedback to questions on timing, services, perceived treatment, and suggestions for improvement, etc. are compiled and reported to the Nebraska Workforce Investment Board at their Compliance Committee meetings held three times each year. An estimated 90-95% of the employers sampled participate in the survey. Another 7.7% of the job seekers and participants visiting the Career Centers also provided survey responses in PY09. In June, 2010, Nebraska participated in the NASWA/CESER ARRA Implementation Study funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor/ Employment and Training Administration. The on-site visit addressed state progress and challenges in implementing the Recovery Act. The local areas also promoted continuous improvement of their services and Career Center delivery as identified: Greater Nebraska • The Alliance Career Center continues to conduct monthly Workforce Development meetings in partnership with the local hospital, Box Butte Development Corporation, and employers. The meetings are very productive and increase the level of partnerships and communications within the community. These partnership meetings warrant a true partnership commitment with excellent relationship building throughout the community. • The Greater Nebraska Administrative Entity attended the 2010 Heartland Conference in Chicago, Illinois. • Four Greater Nebraska One Stop Career Centers (Beatrice One Stop; Hastings One Stop; Nebraska City One Stop; Sidney One Stop) were re-certified through June 2013. Greater Omaha (Tri County) Greater Lincoln • Partnership also focused on improving performance as it relates to the common measures. The Partnership improved the orientation process for participants, including updating a power point presentation as well as having the Business Outreach Specialist position conduct focused one-on-one job readiness/job search meetings. • During Program Year 2009, staff and Board members attended numerous training sessions and conferences. Local training opportunities included attendance at workshops on Anger Management, Workplace Bullying, Co-Dependency and the Dysfunctional Family, and Fair Employment Practices. The Beverly Ford DVD series on Case Management was also provided. On a regional level, staff attended the 2010 Heartland Conference and various workshops held in conjunction with the Midwest Innovation Initiative. Greater Lincoln also had representation at national level conferences: the 2009 National Youth Development Symposium, the 2010 National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) annual conference, and the 2010 National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) Forum. • The Tri-County Partnership for Youth Development Program made a number of continuous improvement efforts during PY 2009. The Partnership Program felt there was a need to improve the leadership component to WIA activities. The program added monthly volunteer opportunities for youth, a monthly group counseling session and quarterly speakers. The Partnership also started GED classes at the Blue Lion for participants. • Tri County came across a need during PY 09 and met it head on, bringing together the ideas and support from several agencies. As the end of the Summer Youth Employment Program drew near, it was obvious to those agencies that were involved in the summer program that the summer participants who were not headed back to school should somehow be engaged to keep them headed down a productive path. Goodwill Industries did what they could to encourage the youth ages 21 and younger to join the year-round Partnership program. For those young adults that were in the summer program that qualified for the Adult Program (ages 18-24), Tri County moved forward to encourage their participation in the Young Adult Pilot Program (YAPP). To assist the older young adults, the idea led to a contract, between Urban League of Nebraska and the Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL), for Urban League to provide intensive, training, and supportive services to up to 60 transitional ARRA 2009 WIA Summer Youth Program participants who were eligible for the WIA Adult program. It was soon discovered that many of the YAPP participants were also in great need of job readiness and basic skills training. A contract was signed between Metropolitan Community College and NDOL to provide employability skills and basic skills training to YAPP participants. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD • The Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Board was a sponsor of the 2010 Civil Rights Conference presented by the City of Lincoln Commission on Human Rights. Over 350 people attended the Fair Housing and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) conference held April 20-21, 2010 at The Cornhusker Marriott Hotel. Topics included an update on the employment significance of LB 403 and immigrationrelated unfair employment practices. • The Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Board and Southeast Community College conducted a “Networking and Workforce Seminar” on June 29, 2010 for individuals laid off due to the closure of TierOne Bank. • For Program Year 2009, results of customer surveys distributed to job seekers by staff at the One Stop Career Center showed the following results: 97% of the respondents said they were treated as a valued individual; 96% of the respondents said that staff answered questions to their satisfaction; 90% of the respondents said the entire process made efficient use of their time; and 92% of the respondents said they would recommend our services to family and friends. 19 Waivers Nebraska received approval of the following waivers : Waiver to allow the transfer of 50 percent between adult and dislocated workers funding streams (does not apply to Recovery Act funds). Nebraska has three Local Workforce Investment Areas with very diverse needs. The Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Area must meet the needs of an 88 county, mostly rural population. It is often necessary to move funds from Dislocated Worker funding to Adult program funding to serve low income participants. During all of the last four program years, the Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Area has chosen to transfer funds. In PY09, the Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Area moved $75,000 in Dislocated Worker funds to the Adult program. This transfer allowed the Greater Nebraska area to serve approximately 20-25 more new adults. The Greater Omaha and Greater Lincoln local areas did not transfer funds in PY09. However, they support having this waiver. The Greater Lincoln Program Manager says “this waiver ability does allow better planning and quick reactions to local economic changes.” Nebraska as a whole is still experiencing major layoffs and business closures. Since there is no hold harmless when allocating dislocated worker funds within the State, this waiver has assisted local areas in keeping services available even when experiencing a drop in their dislocated worker funding. Waiver to permit implementation of and reporting only for the Common Measures. Nebraska received a waiver to permit the State to replace the WIA seventeen performance measures with the common measures for PY08. This waiver was subsequently approved for PY09. Approval of this waiver streamlined administrative processes and allowed the Nebraska Department of Labor to focus the maximum amount of resources on employment outcomes. Administrative cost savings were realized when the State and the local boards were able to discontinue administration of the Customer Satisfaction Surveys and the number of performance reports generated. Waiver of the time limit on the period of initial eligibility for training providers. The Nebraska Department of Labor has an approved waiver to extend the period of “Initial Eligibility of Training Providers.” This waiver postpones the “Subsequent Eligibility of Training Providers” process. The waiver was needed to bring a larger number of training provider choices delivered through the State’s Eligible Training Provider List and to prevent providers from deciding to not renew their program applications due to the reporting burden. In addition, it has prevented providers from waiting to add programs until they have an interested WIA student because of the reporting burden. There are public and private universities, state colleges, community colleges, private postsecondary career colleges and schools, community based organizations, and approved apprenticeship programs on the ETP list. By waiving subsequent eligibility requirements, customers have a broader range of approved providers (especially in rural areas that have very few providers) from which to select and the student is able to start school on time. Waiver to permit the use of a portion of local area formula allocation funds to provide incumbent worker training and other statewide employment and training activities. Although Nebraska was approved for this waiver previously, it was never used and the State did not submit a request to extend this waiver. It expired as of October 13, 2009. Nebraska received approval of these waivers for the Recovery Act funded programs: Waiver related to WIA procurement requirements for youth summer employment providers. Nebraska requested a waiver of the requirements under WIA section 123 and 20 CFR 664.610, stating that providers of summer youth employment opportunities must be selected by awarding a grant or contract on a competitive basis. Nebraska sought the waiver to expand its existing contractual relationship with an existing WIA youth service WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD provider by a set percentage through a companion contract for the specific use of Recovery Act funding allocated for 2009 WIA youth summer employment. Waiver of performance measures for youth who participate in work experience only. The Nebraska Department of Labor requested a waiver of the three Youth Common Measures for out-of-school youth ages 18-24 served with Recovery Act funds beyond the summer months (October 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010) who participate in work experience only. This waiver was approved on June 3, 2009 and allowed Nebraska to use the work readiness indicator as the only indicator of performance for such youth. 55 youth were impacted by this waiver. Waiver of certain provisions under WIA section 129 and 20 CFR 664 to provide program design flexibility in serving youth who participate in work experience only. WIA section 129 and 20 CFR 664 require the design framework of youth local programs to include 10 elements for improving the educational and skill competencies of its participants. By receiving this waiver approval on June 3, 2009, Nebraska was able to provide program design flexibility in serving out-of-school youth ages 18 to 24 who only participated in work experience that occurred outside of the summer months. It specifically allowed for a waiver of the requirement to provide a minimum of 12 months of follow-up services, to allow local areas to provide follow-up services with Recovery Act funds as deemed appropriate for such youth participants. It, also, waived the requirement to provide an objective assessment and the requirement to develop an individual service strategy (ISS) to allow local areas to provide an assessment or ISS as deemed appropriate for such youth participants. This waiver only applied to youth participants served through WIA Youth program funds made available through the Recovery Act and it was only applicable from October 1, 2009, through March 31, 2010. 55 youth were impacted by this waiver. 20 Analysis of Performance • Tracking and Validating Performance The Tracking and Reporting Exchange System (TREX) continued to meet WIA Title I regulatory and reporting requirements for tracking WIA Title I participants in PY 2009. It is able to draw local and unemployment insurance data into a format that allows for federal reporting from a statewide perspective. The performance data identified in the Tables section of this report was provided through this system. Data Validation policy and procedures were followed during PY 2009 ensuring the accuracy of the data reported. In October, 2009, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was published to allow for the implementation of new technology to replace several existing systems, including TREX. The new replacement system shall be called NEworks and it is expected to be in place to track WIA participants in October of 2010. • Sharing Information with Other States The Wage Record Interchange System (WRIS) is a clearinghouse for state wage data. By participating in this system, Nebraska is able to track the wage records of individuals who have participated in its workforce programs, then moved to another state. • Negotiation of Levels for Standards Due to the decline in the economic conditions across the state, in March, 2010, Nebraska requested to renegotiate the State PY 2009 Adult and Dislocated Worker WIA performance goals. This request was not granted. However, in June, 2010, Nebraska was able to reach agreement regarding the PY 2010 WIA performance goals for the State and these were incorporated into the State Plan. The Greater Nebraska local area requested consideration be given to the difference in wage rates between urban and rural areas when setting the local Adult and Dislocated Worker Average Earnings performance measures. Labor market information was reviewed by the Nebraska Workforce Investment Board. It was decided that the values of the local area goals were to remain the same as the State goals for all three areas. However, a new definition of failure and a revised State Incentive policy were implemented into the State Plan. • Nebraska’s Decisions “Failure to meet performance standards occurs when a local area does not meet a cumulative average of 90% of the core performance level per program (adults, youth and dislocated worker). Local areas that fail to meet performance standards will not receive incentive awards for the particular program for that program year.” [State Plan] WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD • Challenges The Literacy and Numeracy Gains common measure for Youth continues to require a lot of attention. The State WIA policy was revised during PY09 to incorporate additional federal guidance. In addition, reporting issues related to this measure were discussed with federal representatives. The use of Unemployment Insurance (UI) wage records for ascertaining data for many of the performance measures is cost effective and brings credibility to the measurement process. However, Nebraska has many workers who are in employment not covered through the unemployment insurance system, i.e., federal government and railroad workers. To meet the challenge of capturing wage record data on Federal civilian and military employees, Nebraska continues to join other states in a project called Federal Employment Data Exchange System (FEDES.) • Overall Results Nebraska achieved at least a 95% cumulative program area score for each of the program areas. In addition, all of the common measures for the state were 89% or more of the negotiated performance levels. The Greater Omaha and Greater Lincoln Workforce Investment Areas shall receive state incentive funding for all programs. The Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Area failed to meet the 90% cumulative program level for the Youth program. 21 Key Web Sites State State of Nebraska — www.nebraska.gov NE Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired — www.ncbvi.ne.gov NE Department of Economic Development — www.neded.org NE Department of Education — www.nde.state.ne.us NE Health and Human Services — www.hhs.state.ne.us NE Unicameral Legislature — http://nebraskalegislature.gov NE Vocational Rehabilitation — www.vocrehab.state.ne.us NE Department of Labor — www.dol.nebraska.gov (Workforce Investment Act) Recovery Act— www.Recovery.Nebraska.gov Local Youth Work Readiness Class in Norfolk – Teambuilding Exercise Greater Lincoln — www.lincoln.ne.gov/city/urban/WIadmin/index.htm www.lincolnjobs.com www.lincolnarearig.com www.lincoln.ne.gov Keyword: YESS Greater Omaha — www.dol.nebraska.gov (Workforce Investment Act-Tri County Workforce Investment Board) http://www.goodwillomaha.org/partnershipforyouth.php Greater Nebraska — www.dol.nebraska.gov (Workforce Investment Act-Greater Nebraska Workforce Investment Board) National Employment and Training Administration — www.doleta.gov U.S. Department of Education — www.ed.gov U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — www.hhs.gov U.S. Department of Labor — www.dol.gov Recovery Act — www.Recovery.gov “It is so amazing the amount of people that look at your website! You are doing an excellent job assisting people to find work - that must be so rewarding. Thank you!” Jennifer Smith, Home Health Solutions, North Platte, NE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 22