Located in:
- III. Operational Planning Elements
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports 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—
- 2. Implementation of State Strategy
- a. State Strategy Implementation
III. a. 2. F. Partner Engagement with Other Education and Training Providers
Describe how the State’s Strategies will engage the State’s other education and training providers, including providers on the state’s eligible training provider list, as partners in the workforce development system to create a job-driven education and training system.
Current Narrative:
WV’s workforce development strategy is integrally tied to education, starting with the secondary school system, including CTE centers, and continuing through postsecondary education to include community colleges, and public and private colleges and universities. Adult Education as a core partner is fully engaged with all levels of education within the state.
In WV, Secondary CTE is delivered through comprehensive high schools, county CTE centers, and multi-county CTE centers. Post-secondary CTE is delivered through the State’s CTCS. County CTE centers also provide postsecondary CTE instruction.
The core programs will work with the education system to support and develop career pathways identified by employers and the workforce system. The state will be partnering with several community colleges to develop micro-credentials that demonstrate measurable skill gains and are part of a clearly defined career pathway for individuals with barriers to employment. Because the community colleges are Strengthening Career and Technical Education Act for the 21st Century (Perkins V) postsecondary recipients, the model developed by these community colleges will serve as a model that can be replicated by all of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education Act for the 21st Century (Perkins V) postsecondary recipients across the state. In addition, many of the approved secondary CTE programs of study will offer badges to recognize incremental attainment of skills. Badges are earned when a student achieves a minimum score on the technical assessment. A digital badge is an electronic indicator of one’s skills, performance, and achievement.
In collaboration with WVDE, providers of CTE programs of study have worked to align industry credentials to high-demand occupations. Secondary career and technical centers make appropriate credentials and micro-credentials available through end-of-program assessment.
Another key area of collaboration and cooperation is the transition from the workforce development program to postsecondary education. Title II program managers, DRS counselors, SPOKES student coordinators and WIOA and Wagner-Peyser employment specialists are establishing relationships with educational staff in Adult Education programs to support the successful transition of their customers to postsecondary programs. The postsecondary programs include those offered by Strengthening Career and Technical Education Act for the 21st Century (Perkins V) postsecondary recipients.
All West Virginians exiting Adult Education services will be prepared to participate successfully in postsecondary level instruction. To support this vision, adult education providers have implemented the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education. At the local level, many adult education providers have developed relationships with postsecondary education providers in the CTE centers and community colleges. Students who do not earn a high enough score on placement tests at the postsecondary institution are referred to a local adult education program for remedial work. After the student has demonstrated sufficient academic progress at the local adult education program, as determined by an approved standardized test, the student is referred back to the postsecondary institution. The state will build on best practices developed through these relationships. For example, in the most successful partnerships, both the adult education program and the postsecondary institution have points of contact for referrals. Also, the adult education and postsecondary programs are working together to identify key content areas for the adult education program to cover to support successful transition to the post-secondary program.
The State will strive to connect youth and adults seeking postsecondary education with available financial aid. The State will also encourage those students without a high school diploma or recognized equivalent deemed eligible under Ability to Benefit for financial assistance to enroll in eligible career pathway programs. Contextualized instruction will also be used as a mechanism for encouraging students without a high school diploma or recognized equivalent to enroll in eligible career pathway programs in providing integrated basic education and skills training for adults with basic skill deficiencies, and a proven skills-building strategy. Post-secondary career and technical education programs will work with adult basic education programs to establish integrated education and training programs throughout the state.
In serving individuals with disabilities, DRS will continue to work collaboratively with local community colleges, career and technical schools to explore the development of training programs that are implemented with universal design to train individuals with disabilities for competitive, integrated employment in jobs that meet local labor market demand. This will include working to replicate successful programs and to expand postsecondary education options for youth with disabilities. DRS will also work to develop and implement interagency agreements with community colleges and career and technical schools to fill unmet needs within the local WDS.
In serving veterans, DRS will continue to work closely with the WVDE and student veteran organizations at colleges, universities, trade schools and other institutions of higher learning to create “veteran friendly” learning environments. The state will continue to support partners in education with focused outreach and coordination with community partners while supporting veterans and their family members to take full advantage of educational benefits that they have earned. This alignment of services will leverage these education and training platforms to focus on job skills that meet the needs of employers within the regions. Education will coordinate with partners to link employers to these educational institutions and programs to ensure that we graduate skilled applicants who have the greatest potential to move successfully into employment.
Coordinating with Economic Development Strategies
Through its Employer Partnership Programs, West Virginia’s CTCS provides the training workers need while leveraging the company’s training dollars to achieve maximize worker productivity.