Workforce Development Overview

1. Workforce Development Overview Travis County HHS&VS UT Austin: Ray Marshall Center WorkSource Travis County Commissioners Court Work Session, November 29, 2007

2. WFD System Goals • Successful Workforce Development efforts are built around the following functions: • Pursuing a “dual customer approach”, serving businesses looking for qualified workers and job seekers and workers looking to advance their careers; • Organizing multiple institutions and funding streams around common goals; • Providing or brokering services—training and supports—that help workers gain access to the initial rungs on the ladder to economic opportunity and advancement; • Serving a variety of workers but recognizing and addressing the special needs of lower-skilled, lower-wage workers and job seekers;

3. WFD System Goals • Successful Workforce Development efforts are built around the following functions: • Reducing turnover and increasing the economic mobility of workers; • Testing and adapting innovative approaches to workforce problems; and • Catalyzing improvements in public systems and business employment practices; • Emphasizing a mix of labor force attachment and intensive skill training services tied to high-wage, high-demand sectors

4. Investment Summary • Our current investment falls into three broad categories: • Long-term training: degree or certificate training targeting high wage careers • Short-term training: employability and technical skills for quick entry into employment – including the REM pilot • Basic Education: literacy, ESL, GED and other foundation skills

5. Long-Term Training • Current Investment 2007: $700,213 • Target Number Served 2007: 600 • Performance goals: • Outputs: Number of clients receiving basic education and/or job training • Outcomes: 95% placement rate, 97% placement at $9/hr or more, 96% retention at 6 month • Description: • Wraparound services through up to 36 months to high wage employment in demand occupations in health care, technology, finance, and construction trades

6. Performance Summary: Long-Term Training * Excludes participants who are continuing in education and training services.

7. Performance Summary: Long-Term Training Note: Comparison group members received workforce services through ES/WIA core. ** Significant at the 95% level.

8. Performance Summary Quarterly Earnings Trajectories Capital IDEA Participants v. Comparison Group

9. Short-Term Training • Current Investment 2007: $347,802 • Target Number Served 2007: • 152 in adult basic education, • 353 in work readiness, • 96 in job training and • 151 receive only placement assistance • Performance goals: • Outcomes: 66% to 85% placement rate, 50% to 85% retention rate, 50% to 85% start at $9/hr or more; • Description: • Includes a range of short-term services including Goodwill, Construction Gateway, Crime Prevention Institute, Austin Area Urban League and The Austin Academy

10. Performance Summary * Outcomes likely under-reported due to employment in construction trades, a sector with low UI coverage.

11. Performance Summary * Outcomes likely under-reported due to employment in construction trades, a sector with low UI coverage.

12. REM Pilot • Short-term training system • Current Investment 2007: $249,275 • Performance goals: • Outputs: screen 85, 68 enter job training • Outcomes: 70% job placement, 50% retention at 6 months, $9/hr average wage at entry • Description: • Customer-driven model that leads to employment in demand occupation within 6 weeks.

13. REM Performance Summary * Outcomes likely under-reported due to employment in construction trades and truck driving, sectors with low UI coverage.

14. Adult Basic Education • Current Investment 2007: $141,399 • Target Number Served 2007:1950 • Performance goals: • Outputs: number clients receiving Literacy, ESL, or GED instruction • Outcomes: 60%-75% of participants show a gain in standardized test scores (BEST for ESL, TABE or Literacy, or GED tests) • Description: classroom or individualized instruction, largely volunteer based, coordinated with local school districts and community college for broadly accessible adult education.

15. Other Services • Travis County also invests roughly $500,000 in highly specialized services that do not fit neatly in the above categories: • Volunteer Firefighter Academy at ESD #4 • Skillpoint Alliance – Youth college and career activities • American Youthworks: • MetroTrails partnership with TNR • Workforce development for older youth and young adults (included in the RMC evaluation project) • Austin Urban Youth Corps

16. Other Services • American Youthworks provides both education and workforce development services to youth ages 16-25

17. Other Findings • Overall, participants experienced more stable employment in the post-service period, resulting in a larger share qualifying for the first-tier safety net of Unemployment Insurance (UI), a system supported by both employers and workers • Participants as a whole had significantly fewer UI claims in the post-service period

19. Regional Workforce System The Capital area regional workforce system is comprised of a number of independent components: • Pre-K programs • K-12 • Colleges/Universities • Technical schools • Community & Faith-Based Organizations • City/County funded programs • WorkSource funded programs

20. The WorkSource Board The WorkSource Board, appointed by the Chief Elected Officials of the City and County, serves as the governing and leadership body for the regional workforce system, setting the policy framework which provides direction, focus and alignment to the system’s many components.

21. Board Objectives • Provide focus & direction for the regional workforce system • Align the various components of the workforce system to a common set of goals • Advocate for workforce issues/needs • Facilitate partnerships/collaborations • Strategically invest workforce funds • Leverage resources to enhance/expand services to customers • Yield a positive return on investment of workforce funds

22. LONG-TERM ENDS • A better-educated, skilled workforce • More globally competitive employers • A diverse employer base • A prosperous community

23. Sample Measurements • % of population with an education credential (high school diploma, GED, post-secondary degree/certificate) • % of population with a post-secondary degree or certificate • % of students enrolled in 9th-12th grade who attain a high school diploma • % of students enrolled in 9th-12th grade earning a high school diploma who are “college ready” • % of minority students entering post-secondary education

24. Sample Measurements • Increase in region’s per capita income • Increase in region’s average weekly wage • Decrease in % of families/individuals living below poverty level • % of net new jobs created with employers in targeted industries • % of net new jobs created in high-skill, high-wage occupations • Increase in region’s gross regional product

25. Board Priorities - 2008 • ESL/vocational training needs of the Limited English Proficient (LEP) population • Employment/training needs of the ex-offender population • Development/implementation of a work readiness certification initiative • Adopt an industry sector (cluster) approach to workforce development

26. WorkSource Programs • Workforce Investment Act (economically disadvantaged youth and adults, and dislocated workers) • Trade Adjustment Assistance • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Food Stamp Employment and Training • Project Re-Integration of Offenders • Child Care • Wagner-Peyser Employment Service • Special Grants/Awards Average annual budget (all programs) = $30 million; Serving over 100,000 Individuals and 6,000 area businesses.

27. Looking Ahead: Funding • Funding Strategies & Leverage Opportunities • Alternative funding strategies - RMC • UI-related Training Fund Options • Bond Financing • Food Stamp Employment & Training • Program-related Investments • Tuition-based Strategies • Leveraging opportunities – WorkSource

28. Looking Ahead: Investing • Also expect: • Multiple career paths for participants • Ability to leverage resources • Cooperation with ongoing third-party evaluation • Increase and diversify investment in independent evaluation