Narrative: III. a. 2. D.

One-Stop Center staff:

• provide direct outreach services to businesses to develop job opportunities for all customers.
• collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce in their communities to connect with employers in their communities.
• collaborate and provide resources and training to employers in related to hiring people with disabilities through VR Program Consultants
• assist in coordinating local job fairs and hiring events for employers. To compliment DWS Employer Seminars provided in local communities on a rotating basis.
• utilize social media and Wyoming at Work to promote open jobs to job seekers.

To ensure the One-Stop Centers remain committed to Wyoming’s mission and vision, the One Stop Administrator or designee shall submit an annual outreach and goal achievement plan to the Wyoming Workforce Development Council representative. The plan shall set forth numerical goals of the projected number of Business Engagement efforts to support the Effectiveness in Serving Employers’ goals: Employer Penetration and Employer Retention.  The Business Engagement and Outreach plan shall include at a minimum, the following components:

• Each office shall be included in the submission of the outreach plan.
• The plan must be signed by the Director, or designee, and submitted to the Wyoming Workforce Development Council yearly no later than April 30th.
• The plan must identify how business outreach efforts will be planned and delivered to the local area with an emphasis on building relationships. Further, the plan shall include how the One-Stop Center shall provide education on services available, workforce development, and recruitment efforts to assist with business needs.
• A goal for the actual number of contacts/events to support Business Engagement outreach efforts for the upcoming program year.  The plan must be designed to fit the needs of the local area and customized to the respective Workforce Center coverage area.
• A synopsis of the goals that were met or not met from the previous year’s plan. If the goals were not met, the plan must address the reasons the goals were not met, and identify new approaches to achieve new goals.
• The Wyoming Workforce Development Council representative and Program Strategy Team will be available to provide technical assistance for the plan development, and will negotiate the plan’s goals with the Director or designee.
• The Wyoming Workforce Development Council representative shall give final approval of the local office plan.

Staff maintain memberships with human resource organizations to determine industry trends and work closely with groups tasked to bring in new businesses. They also provide labor market information and collaborate with required programs to meet business needs. The Wyoming Workforce Development Council helps to assist and drive DWS’ focus on sector strategy development and partnerships through Next Generation Sector Partnerships.

Workforce Center Managers, Vocational Rehabilitation Area Managers, Adult Education Directors, and other representatives from DWS are members of the local and/or regional Next Generation Sector Partnership Regional Teams.

Staff conduct candidate screening as needed for specific job orders posted on Wyoming at Work for job seekers currently registered and looking for work. Through the WIOA training program, staff work closely with employers prior to or post- training to place qualified individuals into a worksite matching their skills and abilities.

One-Stop Centers hold on-site hiring events to provide employers with a known location to connect job seekers with their business. Customized meetings are conducted with businesses to address industry needs and Vocational Rehabilitation offers customized employer services related to disabilities based on employer and client needs.

One-Stop Center staff:

• write and review job descriptions for job orders.
• provide mock interviews for clients to improve interviewing skills.
• explain basic labor laws to employers, disseminate labor law posters and make referrals to Labor Standards when appropriate.
• provide Labor Market Information (LMI) at the request of employers including wages, available workforce, and current market trends using Wyoming at Work and Research & Planning.
• when staff do employer visits or have discussions with community partners and college staff they discuss whether an apprenticeship program could be applicable for the employer’s needs.
• Staff refer employers to the Department of Labor’s apprentice representative and work with employers in developing an apprenticeship program by connecting training entities, DOL’s representative, and DWS staff including the registered apprenticeship expansion grant.
• staff work with employers to develop job descriptions in Wyoming at Work and/or train employers how to post job orders in Wyoming at Work.
• refer qualified job applicants to employers to help facilitate the labor exchange process.
• conduct outreach to employers to determine current and future workforce needs.
• staff provide referrals to economic development entities and community partners for assistance as appropriate.
• provide both large and small meeting rooms for employers to use to conduct on-site interviews, hiring events and meetings during regular business hours.
• work in partnership with partner programs and industry on focus panels to develop strategies through individualized/ group meetings and Next Generation Sector Partnerships Regional Teams to improve local workforce skills deficiencies or other industry needs. Staff refer employers to the Workforce Development Training Fund (WDTF) for skills improvement/credentialing for incumbent worker training. Basic (Wagner-Peyser), individualized, and training services are available when appropriate.
• outline services available such as screening services, job postings, hiring events, referrals to other community resources such as Wyoming Small Business Centers and Wyoming Business Council.
• perform outreach and/or respond to employer’s requests to provide information about the Federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program and connect them with a WOTC representative for assistance with the application process if necessary.
• have knowledge of and can refer to the Federal Bonding Program Manager for additional assistance for the Federal Bonding Program. Staff refer employers to community resources for additional needs.

Customer Service is a priority focus of the One-Stop Center's front-line staff regardless of the entry point whether via telephone, email, etc.  Intake assessment forms are an integral part of ensuring a job seeker receives all services needed. Job seekers and employers are provided the option to complete forms on their own or are assisted by a Workforce Specialist.

If the customer is identified as an employer, they will be connected with a business representative at the One-Stop Center. The business representative will familiarize the employer with services provided at the One-Stop Center, other DWS and community programs if applicable.  For example, if an employer is interested in hiring individuals with disabilities, these opportunities will be shared with Vocational Rehabilitation staff.  Customized meetings may be scheduled if this is determined to be the best course of action for the employer.

If the employer chooses to post and/or recruit for a job opening, the business representative will assist the employer to create an employer registration on Wyoming at Work (www.wyomingatwork.com). The business representative may complete this registration on behalf of the employer.

One-Stop Center staff must verify all employers are in good standing with Wyoming Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment Insurance prior to creating or approving an account on Wyoming at Work. If the employer has not registered as a business with the State of Wyoming, they will be directed to the joint business registration form.

The employer has the option to utilize self-service features or staff-assisted business services. With self-service, the employer may post jobs on Wyoming at Work and review the resumes of registered job seekers. At any time, an employer may opt to utilize a combination of self-service and staff-assisted service.

All job postings are reviewed by One-Stop Center staff for accuracy and clarity. If the One-Stop Center staff create a job posting on behalf of an employer, this process can occur in person, by phone, or by email prior to posting the job. In the case of an employer posted job, the One-Stop Center staff will utilize the Job Order Creation/Proxy Email Review Checklist, and will contact the employer to address any inconsistencies and necessary corrections.

For every job posting on Wyoming at Work, the One-Stop Center staff will complete notifications to all Veterans who qualify for the job. Notifications may also be completed for qualified non-Veterans. Notifying qualified Veterans of jobs is a requirement for all job postings that fall under the Wyoming Preference Act of 1971.

The employer has several options at every step of this process, and a variety of additional services may be provided to the employer based on request. These options and services include having One-Stop Center staff pre-screen and/or collect application materials, One-Stop Center staff assisting in the early interview process as a part of pre-screening, and utilizing conference rooms and other in-house resources such as fax machines and printers.