Narrative: II. c. 1.

Continuous improvement is a key value of the CareerSource Florida network. CareerSource Florida is evaluating and redefining all standards and measures (as well as removing any deemed unnecessary) in customer service. This effort enables Florida business, especially those in key target sectors aligned to the state and regional economic development priorities, to fully benefit from CareerSource Florida- administered training grant programs as well as facilitate seamless access to tools and services across partner/organization programs. CareerSource Florida is continuing to build on its Salesforce-based Customer Relationship Management platform to improve business services.

Creating a Total Talent Delivery System / Expanded Business Engagement 3.0

The umbrella of business support and training services available throughout the CareerSource Florida network enables Florida to be better positioned to respond to short-term and long-term talent needs of existing and new-to-Florida companies. The goal is to facilitate a seamless, external-focused talent solution strategy for Florida business.

Using the market segmentation framework and planning tools in the CareerSource Florida Professional Business Development Tool Kit developed, in part, through the USDOL Expanding Business Engagement grant, helps ensure that businesses of all sizes in all sectors are identified for proactive talent support strategies. CareerSource Florida’s Business and Workforce Development Unit will continue to lead network-wide webinars for all business liaisons/account managers who interface with business on talent needs. A strategic outreach plan associated with Florida’s human resources professionals will be developed to maximize marketing opportunities. Further, the under-utilized talents and skills of job seekers with barriers to employment are consistently marketed to Florida businesses.

Implementing Sector Strategies

The state board is continuing its focus on sector strategies for healthcare and advanced manufacturing - two key sectors of importance in Florida’s economy. These sector initiatives build on a continuous effort to obtain essential business feedback from employers so the entire workforce network can be responsive to their talent needs. The need for market-relevant business intelligence remains important due to rapid economic and competitiveness changes that directly correlate to a skilled talent pipeline.

Advanced Manufacturing Marketplace Business Intelligence Research and Sector Strategy Approach Services: This three-year initiative, begun in 2014, will result in the promotion of business growth by better connecting Florida’s advanced manufacturers to existing public and private resources essential for increased competitiveness and profitability, which includes among those resources, leveraging the workforce and talent development assets within the state. The Manufacturers Association of Florida’s (MAF) Center for Advanced Manufacturing Excellence (CAME) serves as the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Leadership Council and coordinates with its 12 Regional Manufacturing Associations (RMAs). Both the Council and the RMAs, comprising Florida industry, drive business-led improvements in talent delivery.

The purpose of the initiative is to:

• Promote advanced manufacturing business growth.

• Better connect Florida’s advanced manufacturers to existing public and private resources.

• Leverage the workforce and talent development assets within the state.

• Create a new sector strategy approach for advanced manufacturing.

• Create an essential business feedback loop to ensure a robust Florida workforce network.

• Develop solutions for the advanced manufacturing talent delivery system.

• Establish how the USDOL and other selected grants have impacted the talent pipeline in the last three to five years.

The first year of the three-year initiative resulted in the following:

• A Florida Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Leadership Council was established within CAME.

• Manufacturing focus groups were held in 12 regions.

• Two problem-solving sessions with manufacturers and partnering organizations.

• Research was conducted to define the advanced manufacturing sector, identify core occupations, and evaluate data points for the sector and how they are used for decision making.

• Preparation of a plan to analyze USDOL and other key manufacturing investments in Florida.

• Preparation of a Year-end Summary of activities and findings with proposed action for subsequent year(s).

Details on this project can be found at mafcenter.org.

Healthcare Business Intelligence Research and Sector Strategy Approach Services: Florida’s Healthcare Workforce Initiative resulted in the formation of a Statewide Florida Healthcare Workforce Leadership Council (FHWL) in 2014-2015. The Council serves as the primary point of contact for statewide healthcare industry-specific labor market intelligence and is used by the state’s workforce network to facilitate policy and strategy development. The FHWL resulted in a new sector strategy approach for healthcare to develop and continue an essential business feedback loop to ensure Florida’s workforce network has a deep understanding of and is responsive to the talent needs of the state. Common issues and needs of employers are identified and coordinated solutions developed for the healthcare talent delivery system. Professional and State Advisory Resource Groups have been established as a source for information and data, which is essential to enable healthcare workforce policy and strategy development. In addition, the initiation of regional councils is underway to consider issues specific to Florida’s unique cultures that exist at the local level.

The purpose of the initiative is to:

• Identify gaps in healthcare workforce supply and demand data, and design a collection system to effectively analyze data at the state and regional level;

• Develop strategies for recruitment and retention of healthcare workers, including critical need areas across all health professions; and

• Identify emerging workforce roles, such as in healthcare informatics, and develop a method to educate the current workforce regarding value-based care.

Additional information on Florida’s Healthcare Workforce Initiative may be found at: www.FLHealthcareWorkforce.org.

Sector Partnership National Emergency (NEG) Grant: With the award of a nearly $7 million Sector Partnership NEG, CareerSource Florida and DEO will build on Florida’s sector strategies approach by providing intensive services and training to program participants in 10 LWDBs so they may obtain industry- recognized credentials and ultimately employment.

Establishing Career Pathways During the next four years, the DCAE will collaborate with adult education programs and continue to pilot and refine the integrated education and training model for FICAPS. FICAPS is based on the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) model from the state of Washington with some adaptations. The initial pilot year includes eight programs with a cohort of students that are simultaneously enrolled in the GED® Preparation program (GED®-i course) and a career and technical certificate program. Students will learn about career ladders and how to earn stackable credentials. This will provide options for accelerated learning for those adults that are motivated to move ahead as quickly as possible. The goal is to increase the number of students that earn their high school diploma or equivalent and earn entry level industry recognized certification/credential. Statewide implementation of the FICAPS will occur in phases as additional programs begin the planning and design activities. Support will be provided in planning and implementation grants as funds are available. AEFLA programs will collaborate with the LWDB to identify high wage high demand job and implementing sector strategies. DCAE promotes the development of contextualized instruction with a specific career pathway focus, career development, and transition services to be integrated into the lower levels of Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). This content will provide adults with the knowledge and skills they need to enroll and be successful in postsecondary education. After students have achieved the educational functioning levels in ABE and ESOL, the next step for those without a high school diploma may include concurrent enrollment in the GED® Preparation program (GED®-i course) and a career and technical certificate program. Training will be provided to support the development and implementation of contextualized instruction with a career focus, career exploration and planning, and transition services.

Utilizing a Market-Driven System Approach

Florida is utilizing the CareerSource Florida network’s leadership in market intelligence and market- responsive workforce solutions, Florida will develop a market intelligence portal that will enhance strategic integration throughout Florida’s Talent Supply System. The new portal will better position Florida education, workforce and economic development partners to leverage education and training programs to support future economic development, both regionally and statewide, through data-driven solutions.

Enhancing Performance Measurement

Over the past year CareerSource Florida, through a collaborative statewide process, has designed a data-driven, outcome-based Performance Funding Model for the CareerSource Florida network that will inform policy discussions and decisions, align resources to shared goals, reward excellence and showcase improvement through a series of critical metrics. This model will be the basis for awarding annual performance incentives and reflects essential system-wide success indicators that align with both state and local priorities. Performance will be awarded based on the TIE Model - Target, Improve and Excel. Long-horizon metrics and short-horizon metrics are being developed for job placements, employer engagement, cost of doing business, and customer satisfaction. These metrics are being designed at the local level with full collaboration across all 24 LWDBs. CareerSource Florida is working to implement the new Performance Funding Model and drive the types of outcomes the CareerSource Florida Network needs for Florida to become the global leader for talent.

Providing Quality Services to Individuals with Disabilities

Recognizing the unique barriers Floridians with disabilities may face in finding a job, the CareerSource Florida network will continue to lead, invest and participate in several initiatives to connect these individuals to employers who are ready to hire. In Program Year 2014, DEO launched a new (Employ Florida Marketplace) EFM portal, Abilities Work, to better link employers with job seekers with disabilities. The Abilities Work help desk is administered by VR, and is a resource to support the linkage employers to qualified job seekers with disabilities. More discussion on this portal can be found in section II(2)(A) of this plan.

Other key employment initiatives to assist Floridians with disabilities include:

• Employment First Florida - Seven of Florida’s state agencies and nonprofit organizations, including CareerSource Florida, Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), the Department of Economic Opportunity, the Department of Education (BEESS, VR, and FDBS) the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, RESPECT of Florida, and Department of Children and Families- Mental Health and Substance Abuse, coming together through an interagency cooperative agreement to facilitate improved coordination of services to help people with disabilities gain employment and achieve self-sufficiency. The Employment First collaborative is developing a comprehensive and coordinated statewide communications plan to improve outreach regarding the services available in Florida to support employment and training for people with disabilities. This initiative responds directly to a key recommendation of the Governor’s Commission on Jobs for Floridians with Disabilities.

• Family Café - Through the leadership of Governor Rick Scott, who has led the charge for state agencies and nonprofits to better leverage public and private resources for supporting employment for Floridians with disabilities, CareerSource Florida has become an investor/supporter of the annual Family Café. For over seven years, VR has been involved in planning and presenting information

at the Café’s annual conference, and FDBS has been an active participant. The Café is a statewide summit that attracts about 7,000 Floridians with disabilities and their families. It provides a forum for the CareerSource Florida network to offer employment workshops and educate Floridians with disabilities and their families about how to access local workforce services through career centers and take advantage of special resources such as incentives for businesses that hire people with disabilities.

• Ticket to Work - Seventeen Florida LWDBs are designated as Employment Networks by the Social Security Administration enabling their participation in the federally funded Ticket to Work program. Through Ticket to Work, recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance and/or Supplemental Security Income receive priority assistance such as job search, career planning and skill building through participating CareerSource Florida network career centers to enhance their efforts to find and retain a job and work toward becoming self-sufficient. Participating LWDBs receive funding for workforce services provided to “ticketholders” from the Social Security Administration. In Florida, the Ticket to Work program is administered by VR. VR’s Ticket to Work unit is responsible for overseeing the program and systems that track and manage ticket assignment and payments, ensuring timely filing and reimbursement of SSA claims requested by Employment Networks, and providing technical assistance and training to customers and personnel involved in the program.