MICHIGAN WORKS

2. Strategic Planning Goals

The WIA youth program has a local goal identified above, that directly ties to several goals in the Strategic Assets and Career Development System Report Card. The WIA Youth activities relate to the following goals from the Strategic Assets and Career Development Report Card:

Goal 1: Determine workforce needs and what skills employers want their new employees to have and then develop common measures of workplace readiness and occupational assessment.

This goal is based on information from employers and work completed and to be done to identify common goals with the intent to use this information to influence workforce preparation activities, including those provided by WIA programs. Considerable information is available, but it is not in a consistent format or as broad based as desired. However, there is considerable agreement on the importance of many of the items considered to be basic work skills.

The WIA Youth programs will provide training to youth in the workforce and preparatory to entering the workforce in basic skills, basic work skills which are sometimes referred to as work ethic or good work habits, and occupational skills.

Goal 3: Improve the quality of the incumbent workforce

Some of the youth who receive services are in the workforce, are entering the workforce. Training will assist them in being more successful in obtaining and retaining employment. Program services will provide training, placement, and follow-up assistance. Some youth eligible for the program will have had employment, but a lack of basic or specific skills has resulted in high turnover and unsuccessful or less successful participation in the labor market, which signifies a need for training that contributes to the achievement of this goal.

Goal 4: Improve career exploration and decision making through a partnership of students, parents, teachers, business and industries.

WIA youth participants will have an opportunity to learn career decision making skills and engage in activities that provide them with information and preparation for making decisions about occupations they are interested in. WIA youth programs are a part of the partnership addressing this goal

B. Vision of How the Workforce Investment System will Help Attain these Goals

The Workforce Investment System, in partnership with area schools, and agency partners will assist youth in attaining these objectives. While WIA programs will provide services to eligible youth, other partners will be encouraged to increase the services available to all students, including WIA participants. WIA funds will serve both in-school and out-of-school participants.

1. In Five Years

4. How will youth Programs be Enhanced and Expanded

Beginning with WIA activities of Work Experience, including the sub-divisions under this heading, and occupational training, a system will develop that shares the provision of services among partners to meet the needs of participants. The following examples occur after assessment.

For example, for an in-school participant, training may start with job shadowing under the auspices of the school partner, move to paid work experience for basic skills, followed by an internship in the private sector over the summer. The participant may continue a private sector occupational training to job placement or retention, or proceed to training at an appropriate institution using financial aid.

An out-of-school participant may begin with a training session on basic skills, a short term paid work experience in the private sector followed by a work experience in the private sector that includes occupational skill training. The participant may continue the private sector experience to job placement and retention, but could also proceed to institutional training.

Institutional training and work experience may be combined.

Expansion of the training available will largely be through coordination and articulation with existing resources so WIA funding is primarily used for activities that cannot be provided with other funding.

The division of responsibilities in partnership will evolve over the five year period so more services become available as the level of partnership increases.

C. Youth Council

The WDB serves as the Youth Council. The WDB receives advice from the Educational Advisory Group on matters pertaining to educational activities and career preparation. The majority of the activities reviewed by the EAG are provided to persons who are in the age range of youth in WIA.

The broader representation of sectors required in WIA for the Youth Council are being added to the EAG. The EAG with these members will work with the WDB to assure the requirements for the Youth Council are met. The EAG will advise the WDB on youth employment issues as well as educational issues.

D. Who are Youth Customers of the Workforce Investment System

In one respect, we hope that all youth will be customers of the Workforce Service Center System, by using WIA youth programs, the Employment Service, or benefitting from the School-to-Work and Career Preparation activities.

The youth customers for WIA services will be those youth who meet the eligibility requirements for WIA. These include being economically disadvantaged and having one or more of the recognized barriers, with a possible exception allowing 5% of the participants who are not economically disadvantaged.

At last count (PY’99 APIR), there are 3,615 potential participants who are economically disadvantaged: 1,427 of them are in the labor force; 541 are members of a minority group; and 725 are high school dropouts, 306 of which are also economically disadvantaged.

Only a portion of this eligible population can be served each year with the available funding. WIA requires that a minimum of 30 percent of the funding must be used for youth activities to out-of-school youth.

Referring agencies and the youth Service Provider have the tasks of selecting individuals from the eligible population at a point where WIA and combined services can be of benefit to their preparation for the labor market.

Individuals can also refer themselves to the program, and older youth may visit or contact a Michigan Works! Workforce Service Center for Employment Services and Adult Services. A part of the operational responsibility for these programs is to work with agency and school partners to assure adequate information is available to potential candidates to make an informed choice on applying for services.

E. Description of the Competitive and Non-Competitive Process to Award Funding

WIA funding will be awarded on a competitive basis to one or more Youth Service Providers.

1. Notification of Potential Bidders

Potential bidders are notified that the RFP process has started by an advertisement in one local newspaper in each county. A mailing is also made to current Service Providers and those who have indicated an interest in bidding.

2. Pubic Meeting

In most cases, there is a public meeting with potential bidders. At the public meeting, the program, vision, and funding is described. This often involves a review of the appropriate plan or summary of the requirements where several funding sources are used. The information provided at the public meeting is intended to give potential bidding agencies the information necessary to make an informed decision about bidding.

The bid process, including the time line, are also provided at this meeting.

3. Letters of Intent to Bid

A Letter of Intent to Bid is due a few days after the Public Meeting. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and the Request for Proposal (RFP) are released to agencies that have provided a letter of Intent to Bid.

4. Request for Qualifications

The Request for Qualifications provides information about the bidding agency. In addition to standard information like name and legal structure of the bidder, the RFQ asks about Conflict of Interest and for a cost projection of three years of agency cost on operating similar programs or equivalent staff/management positions. This information from all potential bidders, identified over a three year period for all major RFPs is used along with historical information to conduct a cost-price analysis. In some cases, the RFQ may be released with the RFP. The RFQ may also be released at the public meeting.

5. Request for Proposal

The RFP is released to all bidders at the same time. The RFP provides information and instructions for preparing a bid and the factors considered in reviewing proposals.

All bidders who have submitted a Letter of Intent to Bid receive an RFQ and an RFP, unless they withdraw prior to these issuances.

6. Bidders Meeting

All bidders attend a mandatory bidder’s meeting. The RFP is reviewed and questions are answered.

7. Proposal Review

Proposals are reviewed by staff and a cost-price analysis is done. Comments are provided to the WDB/LEO Review Committee. The Review Committee reviews the proposals, and has a meeting to discuss the proposals. Bidders may be invited to this meeting to individually explain their proposals and answer questions.

The Review Committee rates the proposals, using a consensus model and completes a rating sheet for each proposal.

8. Selection

The Review Committee makes a recommendation to the WDB/LEO on the selection of Service Provider(s). The WDB/LEO may ask questions and makes the final selection.

F. Locally Determined Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility for WIA is: Age14 to 21 (inclusive), AND Low Income, AND one or more of the following:

" Linkages between Academic and Occupational Learning

Agreements with local school districts will request that academic instruction be given with a work based context. The other activities provided by agreement, such as tutoring, study skills training, etc., will also be done with a work based context to prepare students for employment after High School or after further training. All training sponsored with WIA funding will link academic and occupational learning.

Examples would include: remedial training of youth up to entry level workforce standards; leadership, social behavior, and occupational skill training with a direct application to the workplace; and activities such as work experience, internships, job shadowing, etc. that connect academic learning with the workplace.

" Preparation for Unsubsidized Employment Opportunities

Preparation for employment and placement into employment will be the primary focus of WIA funding. Preparation for employment will include all of the activities listed in this section.

Preparation will include occupational training at a school, and in the workplace. Activities include classroom training, customized training, work experience, private sector work experience referred to as internships to avoid confusion, and direct placement with services.

" Linkages with Intermediaries with Strong Employer Connections

Linkages with programs that are a part of the Workforce Service Center System will be a requirement. These include the Employment Service, MDCD-RS, MDCD-ESA, and Welfare Reform programs that may also meet the needs of job seeking participants. In addition, participants will have access to the linkages of public school systems, including training and placement opportunities.

Participants who receive training from post-secondary institutions and programs will have access to the employer connections for training and job placement as students of the institution.

The Michigan Job and Talent Bank are expected to be the connection used most frequently.

" Alternative Secondary School Services

These services are provided by area school districts, and will continue to be available to participants on a referral basis. Alternative School students are considered to be in-school youth and do not apply to the out-of-school service requirement under WIA. This is a change from JTPA.

The MWA and Service Providers have close linkages with alternative school programs, and will continue to work with eligible youth in these programs for training in preparation for employment.

" Summer Employment Opportunities Directly Linked to Academic and Occupational Learning

Summer Employment opportunities are required. Activities with WIA funding will consist of paid work experience in the public and private non-profit sites and internships (paid work experience) in the private sector.

The training will be linked to academic learning provided by area public schools for in-school youth. Youth will have an opportunity to obtain some basic “world of work” skills and relate academic training to the workplace. The individual ISS may indicate that the academic instruction may occur in sequence or concurrent with the work experience. Youth may also have the opportunity to obtain leadership development and related activities during the summer.

Occupational learning will occur at many public and private non profit worksites, and at private sector worksites as well. This training may be linked to occupational training provided prior to the work experience or in sequence with the work experience.

" Paid and Unpaid Work Experiences

WIA allows several types of work experience activities. Work experiences may be paid or unpaid. They may be in the private, for-profit sector, the non-profit sector, or the public sector. Work experience may include opportunities for career exploration and skill development, internships and job shadowing.

Work experiences are designed to enable youth to gain exposure to the working world and its requirements. Job Shadowing, unpaid work experience, and paid work experience may be used for this.

Work experiences are also designed to assist youth to acquire personal attributes, knowledge, and skills needed to obtain a job and advance in employment. Unpaid work experience, paid work experience in the private sector, referred to as internships, and in the public sector, will be used for these. The private sector internships will also be used to provide skill training in occupations and job placement for participants.

Michigan Works! West Central plans to have agreements with area school districts to provide a range of work experience activities to participants. School partners will be asked to continue or increase career exploration through job shadowing and unpaid work experience. WIA funds will be used for paid experiences with an emphasis on those involving the private sector.

" Occupational Skill Training

Occupational Skill Training will occur at area colleges including Ferris State University, West Shore Community College, and Baker College, and other appropriate training sites, including K-12 sites. Training may also be customized on an individual basis to meet the needs of participants

Occupational training will also occur in conjunction with private sector work experience and internships.

" Leadership Development Opportunities

This type of training may include activities such as positive social behavior, soft skills, decision making, team work, and other activities. Exposure to post secondary educational opportunities, community service learning projects, peer-centered activities, including peer mentoring and tutoring, organizational training including team work, decision making, life skills, and work behavior training may also be included.

These activities may be provided via agreement with area school districts, or by Service Providers to provide workshops and training linked to work opportunities.

" Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling

Career Pathways is the most common comprehensive guidance and counseling system used in many area school districts. The MWA, in partnership with ISDs and Ferris State University has sponsored training for area counselors and purchased the books for area school districts. Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling is provided via this system in most area school districts. Most in-school participants will receive comprehensive guidance and counseling in their home school, and WIA activities will be coordinated with school-based personnel. In-school youth who do not receive comprehensive guidance and counseling because they are out of school will receive counseling from the program.