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Plan: Minnesota PYs 2016-2017
Combined Plan C

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:

Minnesota has several initiatives underway that leverage multiple resources across programs and partners. Minnesota’s FastTRAC and P2P programs leverage and braid funding from federal, state, and local investments from DEED, Adult Basic Education, Department of Human Services, MnSCU, and philanthropic funders. These programs align and leverage customized training programs and academic programming at MnSCU community colleges across Minnesota. In addition, MnSCU’s Centers of Excellence in key industry sectors including agriculture, healthcare, IT, manufacturing, energy, and engineering are a referral network to workforce and the private sector and align resources to best serve individuals who may already be co-enrolled in a federal or state funded program. DEED and DLI are state agency partners in a DOL apprenticeship funded initiative that aligns and leverages resources within higher education and other workforce programs. DEED and DHS coordinate and leverage resources to better serve SNAP E & T recipients through career pathways models which build on career pathways opportunities within post-secondary. The MN Job Skills Partnership program provides state funding for low-wage workers and the incumbent workforce in key industry sectors. This funding is awarded to training and education providers. Program eligible individuals are co-enrolled in multiple programs to ensure successful outcomes for skill development and meaningful employment.

The Career Pathways model, itself, provides a structure to increase educational access. Minnesota also has several other initiatives that align and support efforts to increase educational access. In 2015, the Minnesota State Legislature established funding for five Greater Minnesota Rural Career Counseling Coordinators, RC3 over two years. The RC3s provide a connection to businesses, secondary and higher education, and other workforce stakeholders. They provide services to job seekers through better coordination and access to resources. To further these efforts, a final report will include outcomes on the value of sector strategies, work–based learning opportunities, and how career pathways are implemented in the region. This report will provide a perspective through a career pathways lens and assist the state board, state agencies and local boards with understanding what the access issues are and how coordination could be improve. This effort focuses on greater Minnesota and is being overseen by the local workforce development boards.

The Minnesota Youth Program (MYP) provides short–term, contextualized and individualized training services for at–risk youth, ages 14 to 24. Coordinated at the local level by the Workforce Development Boards/Youth Committees, MYP eligibility criteria is more flexible (inclusive) than the WIOA Youth Program. MYP serves an extremely disadvantaged group of young men and women: participants have multiple challenges such as substance abuse, criminal records, mental health issues, and cognitive learning limitations, in addition to being poor. The Higher Education Career Advisors Pilot Project (HECAP) funded by the Minnesota State Legislature provides funding to focus on assistance to high schools through career exploration and helps students see connections between their education and future careers. HECAP builds on the work of local workforce development boards by using labor market information data and the connections to careers in demand industry sectors.

The eligible training provider list is another component to increasing access through better informed choice by job seekers. By PY16, we will have an efficient mechanism in place for WIOA–certified programs to update program performance outcomes every other year. This will arm job seekers and counselors with the information they need to make wise investments in training. The performance outcomes will mirror the core WIOA Title I performance metrics: employment (second quarter after exit), employment retention (fourth quarter after exit), median earnings (second quarter after exit), credential attainment, measurable skills gain and effectiveness in serving employers, with the last two pending definitions and regulations from USDOL.