A Frontline Decision Support System for Georgia Career Centers

1. A Frontline Decision Support System for Georgia Career Centers Randall W. Eberts and Christopher J. O’Leary W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research www.upjohn.org

2. Goals of One-stop Career Centers • To integrate and coordinate employment services into a comprehensive and cohesive delivery system • To facilitate employment and career development through informed choice and high quality services

3. Goals for FDSS • To inform customer choice • To integrate information from customer application, administrative records and labor market information systems • To present relevant information in an accessible way for customers and staff • To appropriately target services to customers

4. Targeting • With limited WIA funds, not all workers receive intensive or training services • Currently, funds are allocated using informal “targeting” methods • First-come, first-served basis • Preference to certain groups • Is there a better way to target WIA resources?

5. FDSS Tools Tools assist career center staff to: • Quickly assess needs of customers • Target services to meet customers’ needs • Deliver services in an effective and efficient manner … And aid customers to: • Become better informed about job options (reality check) • Quickly and systematically access labor market exchange information and services • Find better job matches more quickly • Identify services that best meet their needs • Determine eligibility for services

6. Georgia FDSS • Frontline Decision Support System is a joint effort of the USDOL/ETA, the Georgia Department of Labor, and the Upjohn Institute • It provides customized guidance for each individual seeking assistance • FDSS informs choices during: • The job search process • The service referral process

7. “As a case worker I would spend at least 30 minutes with each client inputting information that I knew was not going to be used to help my client directly, but only to fill out reports… …Now we have an opportunity to use this information to do a better job helping clients.” State ESD Staff person

8. Service Flow of Career Centers Intake Core Services Referrals Training Services Intensive Services

9. Career Center Services Core • Assessment interviews • Resume workshop • Labor market information • Job interview referral

10. Career Center Services Intensive • Individual and group counseling • Case management • Aptitude and skill proficiency testing • Job finding clubs • Job search plan • Career planning • Job search review • UI eligibility review

11. Career Center Services Training • Adult basic skills education • On-the-job training • Work experience • Occupational skills training • Youth educational achievement services • Additional support for youth services • Citizenship skills for youth

12. FDSS Tools • Tools are customized to reflect an individual’s needs and propensities • Based on the experience of people who have similar characteristics and similar histories of program participation and work • Tools relate outcomes to personal characteristics and other factors

13. FDSS Tools Two components: • Tools to help job seekers appraise employment prospects • A ranking of services that may be most effective given a claimants background characteristics

14. FDSS Tools Systematic Job Search Module • Chance of returning to same industry • Estimate likely reemployment earnings • Scan job prospects • Identify related occupations • Provide targeted information about specific jobs Service Referral Module • Rank services by effectiveness for re-employment • Indicate typical use

15. FDSS Tools Intake Core Services Systematic Search Module • Review intake info & work history • Estimate chance of returning • To industry/occupation • Earnings history & estimate • Search job orders • Choose related occupations Referrals Service Referral Module Training Services Intensive Services

16. Data Sources • UI wage records Employment/earnings history • Program records: ES, UI, JTPA/WIA WtW Worker/client characteristics Program participation Employment history • Labor Market Information Local unemployment rates Occupation/industry projections Related/transferable occupations Massive layoffs

17. Individual Customer Time Lines Program participation (services) Work History Registration Work Outcomes • Industry of post job • Labor market • Conditions • Industry of prior job Personal Characteristics Occupation

18. Available Data

19. Customized • Modules are customized for different types of job seekers • UI claimants: by risk of exhausting benefits • ES registrants not eligible for UI • Veterans • Job seekers referred to special assistance unit, because of barriers to employment • Youth

20. Customized • And different regions • Atlanta • Coastal • Northern • Balance of Georgia

21. Systematic Job Search Module • Chance of returning to same industry and occupation • Expected job growth in prior occupation • Estimate likely employment earnings • Explore “What if” scenarios • Scan job prospects • Identify related occupations and continue search

22. Systematic Job Search Module • Chance of returning to same industry and occupation • Expected job growth in prior occupation • Estimate likely employment earnings • Explore “What if” scenarios • Scan job prospects • Identify related occupations and continue search

23. Job Prospects (Returning to Same Industry) and Earnings Relates job outcomes to: • Education • Dislocated worker status • Disadvantaged worker status • Age • Prior occupation and industry • Work history • Military service • Barriers to employment (eg., transportation, etc) • Local labor market conditions

24. Returning to Same Industry

25. Returning to Same Industry

26. Returning to Same Industry

27. Predicted Earnings

28. Service Referral Algorithm • Provides a customized list of services that have been shown to be most effective in helping participants possessing similar characteristics find and retain jobs • Core and intensive list • Training list • Based on information about the characteristics and outcomes of recent participants in programs

29. Service Referral • Two basic components • Estimate likelihood of finding a job (needs assessment) • Ranking of services that lead to successful outcomes for individuals with specific measurable characteristics

30. Four Step Process • An employability score is computed and assigned to each participant • The employability score identifies individuals according to their propensity to find a job • The score is divided into quintiles • The effectiveness of each service is computed for clients within each quintile and client type • Services are ranked according to their effectiveness in assisting clients gain steady employment • For each service, the percentage of clients within each quintile is also displayed

31. Characteristics by Quintiles

32. Top Five Services

39. Pilot Offices: Lessons Learned • Two pilot career centers— • Cobb/Cherokee and Athens “MUSTS”: • Involve local (and especially line staff) in initial planning and design • Make the system easy for staff and customers to understand and use • Allow experimentation

40. Pilot Offices: Lessons Learned Our “To Do” List: • TEST, TEST, TEST!!! • Then correct and test again • Add eligibility component • Look for ways to keep information timely • Experiment with a self-service version

41. Summary and Conclusion • FDSS is an enhancement of existing one-stop operating systems • It automatically assembles and presents information to inform the choices of individual job seekers • Re-training of one-stop staff is essential and FDSS offers a framework for staff training

42. A Frontline Decision Support System for Georgia Career Centers Randall W. Eberts and Christopher J. O’Leary W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research www.upjohn.org