Located in:
- II. Strategic Elements
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include a Strategic Planning Elements section that analyzes the State’s current economic environment and identifies the State’s overall vision for its workforce development system. The required elements in this section allow the State to develop data-driven goals for preparing an educated and skilled workforce and to identify successful strategies for aligning workforce development programs. Unless otherwise noted, all Strategic Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs.
- c. State Strategy
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include the State's strategies to achieve its strategic vision and goals. These strategies must take into account the State’s economic, workforce, and workforce development, education and training activities and analysis provided in Section (a) above. Include discussion of specific strategies to address the needs of populations provided in Section (a).
- c. State Strategy
II. c. 1. Describe the Strategies the State Will Implement, Including Industry or Sector Partnerships Related to In-demand Industry Sectors and Occupations and Career Pathways, as Required by WIOA Section 101(d)(3)(b), (d). “career Pathway” is Defined at WIOA Section 3(7). “in-demand Industry Sector or Occupation” is Defined at WIOA Section 3(23).
Current Narrative:
Of Missouri’s six strategies to achieve our strategic vision and goals, the first three are strategies the state will use to implement industry partnerships and career pathways: Utilizing Partnerships to Provide High-Quality Customer Service, Create Sector Strategies, and Develop Career Pathways.
Strategy 1 - Utilize Partnerships to Provide High-Quality Customer Service
Each WIOA partner is committed to providing the highest quality customer service possible. This is evident in the way Missouri’s customer service methodologies are used as models across the nation. WIOA has written into law many of the initiatives Missouri has already undertaken but also reemphasizes the need to continue to look for ways to enhance customer service with a focus on improving co-enrollment and synergizing services. Over the next four years Missouri’s WIOA partners will:
• develop strategies to better communicate to employers, workers and jobseekers about all partner services available through the workforce system. Enhanced coordination of services include co-location, knowledge of other services, better communication, and leveraging supportive services provided by mandatory partners.
• increase communication and collaboration between education, workforce boards and economic development agencies as it specifically relates to industry demand and supply of the needed talent pipeline.
• identify barriers and means for removing barriers to better coordinate, align, and avoid duplication among the programs and activities carried out through the workforce system.
• develop a strategy to support low-skilled adults, youth and individuals with barriers to employment with workforce investment activities, education and supportive services to enter or retain employment.
Strategy 2 - Create Sector Strategies
Missouri recognizes effective sector-based strategies are data driven, regionally designed, and guided by business and industry. It also requires an openness to a new way of doing business and new levels of cooperation among stakeholders in workforce, economic development and education. Our approach expands efforts to ensure that the entire state is developing and implementing a more systematic and streamlined approach to sector strategies, while allowing regional flexibility in service design and delivery.
In 2015, Missouri commenced efforts to implement a comprehensive strategy to assist regions in developing sector strategies. Beginning with data analyzes of local economies, regional workforce teams identified target sectors and completed self-assessments and regional SWOT analysis of resources. From that data the top targeted sectors included:
• Diversified/Advanced Manufacturing
• Healthcare
• Information Technology
• Transportation, logistics and warehousing
During the next four years, Missouri will strive to collaborate with these demand industries and cultivate a talent development system by aligning the resources of all partners to create meaningful career pathways, such as register apprenticeships, for a range of workers and skill levels. Our workforce system will embed sector strategy focus at the service delivery level and develop a web-based toolkit to support regional implementation of sector strategies statewide. Strategies will be developed to provide effective outreach to and improved access for employers, workers and job-seekers that could benefit from services provided through the workforce development system. By developing strategies and career pathways within demand-driven industries, and by effectively collaborating and communicating with industry and workforce partners, Missouri will ensure a qualified, educated workforce that will allow industries to continue to grow and thrive.
Strategy 3 - Develop Career Pathways
Career pathways are designed to be a partnership between industry and education at the secondary and postsecondary levels, and forge important links to strengthen local economies. It includes rigorous academic and career courses beginning in high school and leading to an associate’s degree and/or industry-recognized certificate and beyond. Through sector partnerships, Missouri will develop career pathway that align with the skill needs of industries within the region and be a catalyst to assist individuals enter or advance within a specific occupation. Through our workforce system, individuals will receive education, training, and other services to meet the particular needs of individuals. Missouri recognizes that education and training are clear paths to better careers. Ideally, it is optimal to first obtain all the needed education and skills and then find a career. Missouri realizes that there are also clients who need to have concurrent and in some cases consecutive sessions of education and skill attainment with employment. Missouri intends to offer multiple entries and exit points for clients who need additional skills and employment until they reach a self-sufficient career. Additionally, Missouri will continue to support WIOA’s focus on low-income adults, youth who have limited skills, lack of work experience, and face other barriers to economic success. Through our core WIOA partners, Missouri will ensure that all eligible individuals, including those with disabilities, acquire marketable skills to secure a self-sustaining wages and careers in high growth occupations