Narrative: III. a. 2. G.

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, philanthropic, and local investments from DEED, Adult Basic Education, Department of Human Services, MinnState, and philanthropic funders. These programs align and leverage customized training programs and academic programming at MinnState community colleges across Minnesota. In addition, MinnState’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 six regional plans have all identified key industry sectors. The regional sectors have or are in the process of establishing employer-led sector partnerships. These partnerships are at varying stages of maturity. Some of the more mature partnerships have brought together and leveraged resources; federal, state, philanthropic and most importantly private sector. These mature sector partnerships have been successful and can be demonstrated by moving these employers from casual partners to investors in developing local and regional workforce strategies. The outcome of this work is dependent on bringing together stakeholders from workforce, education, economic development, philanthropic communities, and private sector to become investors in career pathways that lead to meaningful employment. 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. Minnesota’s Career Pathways system provides a structure to increase educational access. There are several other initiatives that align and support efforts to increase educational access. In 2017, 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. The impact of their efforts is reported to the Minnesota Legislature which includes their outcomes on the value of sector strategies, work—based learning opportunities, and how career pathways models are implemented in the region. Early indicators of their impact is evident throughout the organizing and development of the six regional plans. These coordinators were able to prioritize the development and building the regional relationships. This work included bringing together key stakeholders in the regions to begin to develop strategies to focus on the six elements in this plan. This work continues to be focused on the first three elements in this plan — business and community engagement and customer-centered design. The outcomes of their efforts will provide a perspective on the successes of career pathways models to 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. The ETPL provides 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.