Workforce/Youth How to Develop Your Talent Pipeline

1. Workforce/Youth How to Develop Your Talent Pipeline August 26, 2010 1:30 – 3:00pm EST

2. Panelists • Gary Goosman – Director of the TOWER™ Initiative at the US Business Leadership Network® (Moderator) • Patricia Gill – Senior Program Associate, Center for Workforce Development, The Institute for Educational Leadership • Sara Mahoney – Business Development Specialist, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy • Jim Hanopy – Assistant Commissioner, DARS – Division for Rehabilitation Services, Texas • Kathy West-Evans – Director of Business Relations, National Employment Team, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation

3. USBLN’s® TOWER Initiative • Started in January of 2010 • Focused at providing our affiliates and employer members training and technical assistance on engaging with and including people with disabilities to provide tools on work and employment readiness • Current focus is on helping our affiliates create Student Advisory Councils and creating or expanding internship and mentoring programs to include students with disabilities

4. Getting Youth with Disabilities into Your Talent Pipeline: The Guideposts http://www.ncwd-youth.info

5. Agenda • Who am I? • Who are You? • Definitions & Why it Matters • Transition Guideposts • What You Can Do: Strategies that Work • What We Can Do: Support is Available!

6. Who Am I? Who are We? • Patricia D. Gill, Senior Program Associate gillp@iel.org 202.822.8405 x154 • Institute for Educational Leadership • National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth • Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP)

7. Institute for Educational Leadership • Builds the capacity of individuals in education and related fields to work together across policies, programs, and sectors in support of better results for all children and youth, from pre-kindergarten through post-secondary education and work. • Three Centers: • Coalition for Community Schools • Leadership Programs (Education Policy Fellowship Program) • Center for Workforce Development

8. National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth • Strives to ensure that youth with disabilities are provided full access to high quality services in integrated settings in order to maximize their opportunities for employment and independent living. www.ncwd-youth.info • 3 levels: system (policy), organizational, and front line (youth service professionals) • Funded by: Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy

9. Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) • Career-focused mentoring for ywd • STEM emphasis • Group, peer, and one-to-one mentoring • Weekly meetings with goal-setting • Career exploration: guest speakers, worksite tours, job shadowing, mock interviews, hands-on work-based experiences • Funded by Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention

10. Who Are You? What do You Do? • Employers (Public & Private) – interested in expanding your talent pipeline (Helping your community?) • Disability Service Providers – interested in connecting youth to career exploration and workforce preparation (Helping your community?)

11. Definitions: Transition The period of time when adolescents are moving into adulthood and is often concerned with planning for postsecondary education or careers. In the workforce environment, it usually encompasses ages 14 to 25.

12. Definitions: Workforce Development System Organizations at the national, state, and local levels that have direct responsibility for planning, allocating resources, providing administrative oversight, and operating programs to assist individuals and employers in obtaining education, training, job placement, and job recruitment (special focus on those involved in preparing youth for work).

13. Why Does It Matter? • Transition is a Tough Time (but fun too!) • Lot of Good Activities & Good People • but no real system • Youth service professionals and employers are the people • Work experience during high school (paid and unpaid) helps ywd get higher paying jobs after graduation

14. Why Focus on This Population? • Three times as likely to drop out of high school • Half as likely to attend or finish college (Those who do finish are more likely to have taken a less rigorous course load) • More likely to be unemployed or underemployed • Three times as likely to live in poverty as adults • Four times as likely to be adjudicated

15. The Guideposts for Success • An extensive literature review of research, demonstration projects and effective practices covering a wide range of programs and services---including lessons from youth development, quality education, and workforce development programs---has identified core commonalities across the disciplines, programs and institutional settings. • The review also points out that no one institution or organization can provide the full range of services; thus, highlighting the interdependence of agencies that requires communities, states, the federal government and multiple organizations at all levels to collaborate with one another in order to help assure quality transitions for all youth.

16. The Guideposts for Success The five Guideposts are the following: • School-based Preparatory Experiences • Career Preparation and Work-Based Learning Experiences • Youth Development and Leadership • Connecting Activities • Family Involvement and Supports (Always divided to two levels)

17. Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning All youth need information on career options, including: • Career assessments to help identify students’ school and post-school preferences and interests; • Structured exposure to post-secondary education and other life-long learning opportunities; • Exposure to career opportunities that ultimately lead to a living wage, including information about educational requirements, entry requirements and income potential; and, • Training designed to improve job-seeking skills and work-place basic skills (sometimes called soft skills).

18. Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning To identify and attain career goals, all youth need • Opportunities to engage in a range of work-based exploration activities such as site visits and job shadowing; Access supports and accommodations for work and community living; and • Multiple on-the-job training experiences, including community service (paid or unpaid) that is specifically linked to the content of a program of study and school credit • Opportunities to learn and practice their work skills (“soft skills”); and, • Opportunities to learn first-hand about specific occupational skills related to a career pathway.

19. Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning Youth with Disabilities Need to: • Understand the relationships between appropriate financial and benefits planning and career choices; • Access supports and accommodations for work and community living; and • Learn to communicate their support and accommodation needs to prospective employers and service providers. • Learn to request, find, and secure appropriate supports and reasonable accommodations at work, at home, and in the community.

20. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work Connect to youth programs in your community (workforce, mentoring) • Guest speakers • Industry materials & information • Mock interviews & résumé reviews • Work-site tours • Job shadowing • Mentoring • Internships

21. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work Preparing & Supporting Youth On-Site • Youth-friendly staff • Identify youth’s interests, goals, and expectations • Provide clear information about your expectations • Recognize transition from school to work (new rules) • Share your own experiences & career pathway • Select hands-on, varied, and interactive tasks • Allow exploration and failure (expect it!) • Connect to resources & training • Have fun!

22. What We Can Do: Support is Available! Benefits to Employers: • New source for reliable loyal employees • New ideas & skills • Professional development for existing staff • Chance to meet & “try out” youth prior to hiring • New partnerships • Services for current employees • Increased capacity of organization • Increased reputation in community • Tax benefits • Fun! Feels good! (Office morale)

23. What We Can Do: Support is Available! Workforce systems and programs provide: • Knowledge of your industry and needs • Documentation of youths’ skills & interests • Stream-lined referrals • On-site, phone, or email support as needed • A single point of contact • Training and coaching for your staff • Services for your staff and their families • Universal design and accommodations expertise • Communication (Follow-up, support, & feedback)

24. Resources, Resources: Some Places to Start • National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ • Disability Employment Guide http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/products/employmentguide/index.html • Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) http://www.adata.org/Static/Home.aspx • Job Accommodation Network (JAN) http://askjan.org/ • Employer Assistance and Resource Network http://www.earnworks.com/ • Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Workplace Supports and Job Retention http://www.worksupport.com/ • DisabilityInfo.gov http://www.disability.gov/

25. Breaking Barriers in the Workplace Sara Mahoney Business Development SpecialistU.S. Department of LaborOffice of Disability Employment Policymahoney.sara@dol.gov

26. Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities • Established in 1995 by DOD • Now coordinated jointly by DOD and DOL • Recruitment and referral program • Connects Federal and private sector employers with highly motivated postsecondary students with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities and potential

27. How It Works In 2010: • Visited 230 college campuses • 2,100 candidates, including undergrad, graduate and law were accepted into database • 510 candidates hired (as of July 28, 2010) • For 2009, 514 candidates hired (586 total hiring actions) in 20 agencies around the world, mostly summer and federal positions

28. How It Works • Students and recent graduates apply online • College Disability Services Office/Career Center confirms and helps recruit and prepare candidates • Trained recruiters from participating agencies visit campus and interview candidates in Sept-Nov timeframe • Candidate information is entered into database • Database is opened to EARN in December • Employers hire students for summer/temp or permanent positions throughout the year

29. How It Works • Recruiters interview candidates and give them a score of 1-5 on: • Qualifications (assessed through review of transcripts, resume, and discussion of experience) • Maturity • Communication (both written and oral) • Direction • Overall Rating (3-5) • Candidate must score 3.0 or better on the overall rating • Resume is provided to private employers via a request through EARN

30. What Does WRP Offer Employers? • Database of college students and recent graduates with disabilities looking for summer/temp and permanent jobs • Pool of candidates available nationwide and in a wide variety of career fields (104 majors) • Access to candidate information year round via EARN, with new candidate data posted annually (each December) http://www.earnworks.com/wrp/internship.asp • Value added from EARN by assisting in the referral process for employers

31. Benefits To Your Company? • Use it as a “pipeline” • Undertake special projects postponed for lack of time or resources • Assist permanent staff with key projects in mission critical fields • Share specialized knowledge and innovative technical skills • Assume responsibilities of staff on vacation or leave of absence • Prove that qualified people with disabilities make excellent employees • Each WRP hire is an investment in your company’s future

32. Business Case for WRP

33. Mentoring • The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has some great resources around Mentoring. You can access the Career Focused Mentoring resource by going to ODEP’s website at: http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/cfm.htm# • This isn’t an official component of WRP, but it is certainly a best practice that all employers should integrate into their internship programs and development plans for new employees.

34. Strategies for Success • Incorporate WRP hires into your company’s overall strategy for other internship programs • Ensure the “right fit” position for each employee and employer • Strong support from upper management helps • Communicate success stories!

35. QUESTIONS? • Thank you for your time and attention… • Any Questions?

36. For More Information • Workforce Recruitment Program: www.wrp.gov • EARN Works: www.earnworks.com • For the Business Case from EARN: http://www.earnworks.com/BusinessCase/index.asp • For the online request form for WRP from EARN: http://www.earnworks.com/wrp/internship.asp • ODEP Resources: http://www.dol.gov/odep/ and http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/cfm.htm# • WRP Program Manager: Sara MahoneyMahoney.Sara@dol.gov

37. The VR/NET: Successful Transition Programs Through Partnerships with Schools and Business Jim Hanophy, Assistant Commissioner DARS- Division for Rehabilitation Services, Texas Kathy West-Evans, Director of Business Relations, NET/CSAVR

38. CSAVR and The NET • CSAVR: Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation • The NET: National Employment Team • 80 Agencies: every state, territory and D.C. • 225,000 qualified staff • 10,000 community partners • One million individuals served per year

39. To create a “one company” model to serve business customers through a national VR team that specializes in employer development, business consulting and corporate relations. The NET Vision Statement

40. The NET: VR as a Customer Driven System • Dual Customer Focus • Customer Driven • National in Scope • VR as One Company • Easily Accessible Network • VR Points of Contact • VA Employment Coordinators • Community Partners • Leveraging the Strengths of a National System Through Delivery at the Local Level

41. The NET:VR Business ServicesDefined by Business Customers • Pre-Employment • Internships • Training • HR/Staffing • Recruitment & Promotion • Benefits & Compensation • Retention Supports • Employee Advisory Services • Accommodations • Work Site Assessment • Assistive Technology • Staff Training • Disability Awareness • ADA/Employment Laws • Diversity Programs • EEOC/Affirmative Action • Universal Design • Contracts • Facilities • Programs/Services • Assistive Technology • Information Technology • Financial Supports • WOTC • Barrier Removal • Legal & Compliance • Labor Relations • Policy Development • Risk Management • Product Development • Customer Service • Marketing & Outreach

42. The Bottom Line for Business Customers • Easy Access: work with the national VR network through a single point of contact • The foundation of the network must be: • Trust • Responsiveness • Deliverability • Consistency • Quality • Sustainability • Return on Investment (ROI)

43. Why Build a VR Network? Consumer Interests, Skills and Abilities Business Needs and Position Requirements Informed Choice / Responsiveness Provides consumers with needed information about qualifications for jobs and Provides businesses with quality applicants who meet their requirements

44. What A Business Should Expect from VR and Its Partners • To take the time to understand their business and their needs, including their needs for quality and productivity, their company’s rules, policies, dress code and other aspects of their unique work culture • To understand the qualifications they seek in an applicant, including the “intangibles” such as personality traits and interests

45. What Should a Business Expect from VR and Its Partners..continued • For us to bring applicants to them that are fully screened to match their needs • To design outreach, recruitment, training and retention strategies that are customized to meet the business’s needs • For us not to interfere with their business, but to work with them to address any concerns • For us to be responsive to their needs, concerns and questions • For us to treat them professionally

46. Options for Partnering With VR to Attract, Hire and Retain Qualified Employees with Disabilities • Direct hire through effective screening and on site job supports • Hiring Degreed Professionals through targeted marketing • On site, pre-hire training for potential employees • Summer and work study programs for high school students • Recruitment of and internships for college students.

47. “Business does not know the adjustment needed for the job, but VR does” Senior Manager, Major Pharmacy Retailer, 8/5/10

48. VR's Role with schools and students with disabilities - Introduction to work opportunities- Career development activities- Coordination of work experience opportunities- Linking with post secondary education

49. Contact Information • Kathy West-Evans • Kwest-evans@rehabnetwork.org • 206.999.9455 • www.rehabnetwork.org • Jim Hanophy • Jim.hanophy@dars.state.tx.us • 512-424-4220