Narrative: III. b. 1. A.

Connecting Colorado Data/Reporting System: This is the case management, data collection, and reporting system that Colorado developed for statewide use in all of the Workforce Centers. The system provides the ability for Workforce Centers and their partners to track all WIOA Title I–B, TAA, Veteran, Wagner–Peyser, state and local programs (approximately 100), plus discretionary grants in one common database. All reports generated from this system are “up to the minute,” thus allowing better management of day–to–day activity and performance. Along with the federally–mandated reports, Colorado has developed a variety of locally requested reports that allow staff to track their caseloads, correct data entry errors, and analyze performance at the state, local, and case manager level. In addition, the system is agile enough to allow the as–needed addition of reports, and program and service codes that will track new statewide initiatives supporting the state’s workforce strategies. Workforce partners may make use of this system through data sharing agreements with the state or the local workforce areas. This system will be updated to reflect all WIOA changes and requirements over the life of this four–year combined plan.

Connecting ColoradoSelf–Service– Connecting Colorado allows job seekers and employers to self–enter their work registration, resume, or job order data directly into the statewide database via the Internet, as well as search for jobs or qualified applicants. Colorado uses a skill based job matching system that focuses on experience, skills, and education level in addition to O*Net job titles, as well as allowing the upload of applicant resumes. All job listings are automatically searched after entry based on the employer’s requirements and in compliance with veterans priority of service. Job seekers can search for new jobs at any time or receive an e–mail notification once a job is entered that matches their specifications. Likewise employers may run applicant searches on demand or rely on the automated searches. Connecting Colorado also provides access to a Tool Box of job search assistance links that has been customized for each workforce region. Links include direct access to the local area’s web page, career exploration, training resources, and self–marketing tools, Unemployment Insurance information, and additional job banks. Colorado is in the process of developing a mobile application that will allow customers to access these resources on smart phones and other portable devices.

State Financial Reporting System – This system was developed to track all Federal and state funds disseminated to the statewide system of local workforce areas, who are sub–recipients of the state. Such funds include the allocations for WIOA Title I–B, Wagner–Peyser, and TAA, JVSG, national, and state discretionary grants. It provides on–line access to state financial and program staff, as well as sub–recipient staff, to report expenditures and run real–time on–demand reports for budget monitoring purposes. Data from this system feeds the federal 9130 fiscal reporting formats that are required by USDOL. The software also embodies the payment system for the Trade Readjustment Assistance (TRA) program and generates reports covering TRA payment data. This system will be modified to incorporate all WIOA changes and requirements over the four–year life of this combined plan.

Virtual Job Fair (VJF)—Developed in–house by CDLE staff and Beta–tested September 2011 in Pueblo, CO, the VJF has been rolled out to all local workforce areas statewide, and staff have been trained on how to create and maintain their own local VJFs. To date more than 83,000 job seekers have participated in VJFs statewide.

• The purpose is to reduce costs of job fairs and other services, and increase access to workforce services for job seekers and businesses statewide, especially in the rural areas of the state.
• Local workforce areas, other service providers and businesses can partner to target a job fair to a particular business sector or population of job seekers.
• This system has been used to provide resources and job information to National Guard troops before their return from Afghanistan.
• Features include:

o Job listings, on–line workshops and career exploration resources

o On–line presentations by employers and access to their websites

o On–line real–time job interviews

o Run more than one job fair simultaneously

o Automatic upload of data to Connecting Colorado to track services and outcomes

o Site usage reports

CDLE Knowledge Management Portal – e–Colorado

Link:https://e–colorado.coworkforce.com

The CDLE Knowledge Management Portal, e–Colorado, is designed to manage virtual resources through a single, comprehensive, electronic interface developed for workforce stakeholders and partners including business customers, workforce professionals, government, and others. The portal provides documents, team rooms, calendars, and more. e–Colorado provides improved services and tools which include the Virtual Job Fair and online fillable “smart” forms. In addition, it houses the Adobe Connect on–line meeting capability utilized by CDLE and Colorado’s workforce centers to conduct webinars.

e–Colorado was successfully migrated from Northern Illinois University to the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment servers on August 30, 2013. From September 2013 – November of 2015, the e–Colorado team has been working on re–designing e–Colorado. e–Colorado will be on a new content management system: Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Sites, which will enhance the user experience and provide options for the addition of new features over the next four years. The re–design project will be completed by December 2015

LMI Gateway

The Colorado LMI Gateway is a powerful labor market information system designed to meet the needs of workforce professionals, job seekers, and businesses, as well as economists, economic development organizations, and the media. Examples of LMI Gateway features include:

• A wide variety of regional labor market services, such as labor trends, statistics, economic, demographic, salary, and employer data
• Tools to chart and analyze labor market data
• Career exploration data
• A personal home page that allows a registered used to save items that fit their needs
• Recruitment Services: find qualified candidates and access a wide variety of information designed to help a business succeed
• Education and Training Resources: Find a suitable training or education program, as well as information on training providers and schools. This is also known as the Eligible Training Provider List for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs.