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Plan: West Virginia PYs 2016-2017
Unified Plan U

Section: WIOA State Plan Common Elements

Narrative: III. a. 2. G.

Published
Located in:
  • III. Operational Planning Elements
    The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that support the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II.(c) above. Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs. This section must include—
    • a. State Strategy Implementation
      The Unified or Combined State Plan must include—
      • 2. Implementation of State Strategy
        Describe how the lead State agency with responsibility for the administration of each core program or a Combined Plan partner program included in this plan will implement the State’s Strategies identified in Section II(c). above. This must include a description of—

III. a. 2. G. Leveraging Resources to Increase Educational Access

Describe how the State’s strategies will enable the State to leverage other Federal, State, and local investments that have enhanced access to workforce development programs at the above institutions, described in section (E).

Current Narrative:

West Virginia is leveraging investments to enhance access to workforce development programs through various initiatives. Some examples are below:

Career Technical Education plays a critical role in a state’s economy. West Virginia is fortunate to have an adult career technical system that is currently producing high skilled students who will be the face of West Virginia’s highly trained workforce. WV Adult Education is collaborating with CTE to address the issues of increasing successful postsecondary enrollment of adult students in CTE programs and improving persistence toward completion once successfully enrolled. This collaboration will include shared intake and assessment as well as dual enrollment in linked basic skills and occupational courses, integrated, contextualized instruction and wrap around services for students. These programs will combine basic skills and career–technical content, including general workforce readiness skills, academic and English language skills, and specific occupational knowledge and skills, supported by comprehensive student services along a well– defined career pathway.

A significant collaboration between the state workforce development system and community colleges exists in the delivery of multiple Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grants received. The TAACCCT I grants have been used to develop curriculum and customize programs to re–train dislocated workers in the Advanced Manufacturing, Energy Distribution, Production and Conservation, and Healthcare Technology industries. Career coaches at each college aided students by arranging for wrap–around supportive services, as necessary. Adult Education partners at some of the colleges, provided academic support for students prior to and during enrollment in classes. The state will analyze the results of each project and utilize best practices and lessons learned to help improve the broader workforce development system.

WV Adult Education has a successful history of collaboration with the State’s Department of Health and Human Resources. Through a cooperative relationship built on trust and commitment to serving economically disadvantaged West Virginians, the two State agencies work together to respond to the mandates of welfare reform. SPOKES, an academic and job preparation skills program (Strategic Planning in Occupational Knowledge for Employment and Success) was created by WVAdultEd under a contract between the WVDE, Office of Adult Education and Workforce Development and Department of Health and Human Resources, and in collaboration with some WDBs. The SPOKES program model was also designed to provide intense daily activities that would address academic and soft skills necessary for adults to pursue gainful employment. In addition, students may select certification training from a list of state–approved and industry recognized certifications as a part of this program.

In partnership with workforce education and adult education, Training delivered through WV Advanced Technology Grants at BridgeValley Community College is market–driven and focused on providing employers with a highly trained workforce and complementing the economic development efforts of the state. The intent is to provide training services to employers that have a positive economic outcome on West Virginia as determined by the West Virginia Development Office.