Narrative: III. a. 2. A.

The lead State agencies responsible for WIOA core programs and non-core programs included in the combined plan are the Office of Workforce Opportunity (OWO), New Hampshire Employment Security (NHES), and New Hampshire Department of Education (DOE). Program responsibility by agency is as follows: DRED/OWO administers the Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth WIOA Title I programs and the Senior Community Service Employment Program (Title V Older Americans Act). NH Employment Security administers the Wagner-Peyser and Trade Adjustment Assistance for Worker Program, Jobs for Veterans State Grants and Unemployment Insurance programs. NH DOE administers the Adult Basic Education and Family Literacy (WIOA Title II) , Vocational Rehabilitation (Title I Rehabilitation, as amended by Title IV) and the Career and Technical Education (Card D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act). The Federal Apprenticeship program is also an important non-core partner essential to the going development of apprenticeship opportunities. The Office of Workforce Opportunity (OWO), New Hampshire Employment Security (NHES), and New Hampshire Department of Education (DOE) will work in partnership to carry out the goals of the SWIB through the network of collaboration described in section 3(a)(1).The workforce development system core (DRED, NHES, NH DOE) and non-core (Federal Apprenticeship, DHHS, NHDOE/CTE) partners will execute the following goals and strategies. GOAL 1: CREATE A DEMAND-DRIVEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM THAT BASES STRATEGIES, SERVICES, AND INVESTMENTS ON A DATA-INFORMED APPROACH, WITH A FOCUS ON SECTOR STRATEGIES. Strategies: 1.1 Establish a framework to support industry-driven sector partnerships throughout the state;1.2 Build upon the Interagency Business Team’s (IBT) momentum surrounding collaborative business services strategies by engaging additional partners and formalizing information sharing protocols;1.3 Engage more locally with economic development to ensure the systems are aligned and operate from an up-to-date understanding of in-demand sectors and occupations with regular sector analysis at the state and local levels GOAL 2: OFFER FLEXIBLE TRAINING AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE ALIGNED TO BUSINESS NEEDS, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAREER PATHWAYS AND APPRENTICESHIPS FOR ALL POPULATIONS, INCLUDING YOUTH AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES TO PREPARE FOR EMPLOYMENT. Strategies: 2.1 Leverage knowledge/experience from industry-driven sector partnerships to inform career pathways offered in New Hampshire and promote greater access for youth, persons with disabilities and other target populations. 2.2 Ensure career pathways include opportunities to develop foundational skills; Include adult education as an entry-point to career pathways for individuals who have not previously earned their high school diploma or the equivalent; continue the NHWorkReady and/or similar programs for individuals in need of soft skill/employability skill development.2.3 Work with network of the state’s community colleges and other post-secondary education institutions to expand best practices related to flexible, business-driven training and education. 2.4 Work with K-12 education, career and technical education, postsecondary education, and business to promote career pathways for in-demand sectors and occupations to students in the talent pipeline. 2.5 Continue to advance apprenticeship as a workforce strategy GOAL 3: INCREASE AWARENESS OF SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE TALENT DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS. Strategies include: 3.1 Employ proven strategies for marketing and outreach that target audiences (e.g. small and medium-sized businesses, sector-specific stakeholders, long-term unemployed individuals, underemployed individuals, youth, etc.). 3.2 Work with chambers of commerce, business and industry associations to promote services of NH Works and its partners to businesses.3.3 Work with community-based organizations, libraries, schools, and partners’ networks to promote services of NH Works and its partners to individuals and youth. GOAL 4: STREAMLINE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT AND WORK-AND-LEARN OPPORTUNITIES Strategies: 4.1 Explore a common information system or the ability for system interfaces that will increase individuals’ and businesses’ access to all employment and training resources available to support their needs. 4.2 Expand the infrastructure for employers and individuals to pursue work-based learning opportunities along the full spectrum of options (internships, apprenticeship, etc.); map the existing resources and assets to support work-based learning in New Hampshire; continue to assess business interest in work-based learning and the ideal engagement strategies from the businesses’ perspectives; determine the most appropriate way(s) to link resources from various programs and partners to offer full spectrum of work-based learning opportunities.4.3 Make it easier for businesses and individuals to navigate the workforce development system by simplifying language and avoiding acronyms and “system lingo”. GOAL 5: EXPAND COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AMONG PARTNER AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS Strategies: 5.1 Explore opportunities to share information more systematically among partners.5.2 Prioritize professional development of front-line staff on business services, partner programming/resources, and best practices.5.3 Develop a peer-to-peer learning network that offers opportunities for all levels of staff to identify best practices within the state, encourages information sharing among partners, and reinforces professional development of staff.