Narrative: a. 1.

As background information, the Division of Employment Security (DES) under the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR) is primarily responsible for the payment of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to claimants who are unemployed through no fault of their own and the collection of UI tax contributions from employers. Division of Workforce Development (DWD) which is under the Department of Economic Development (DED) is responsible for the provision of employment and training services to various populations, including the unemployed.

In order to provide high quality services to both jobseekers and employers the DES and DWD utilize a collaborative approach to providing training to continuously enhance the professional development for the Missouri Job Center staff. Various methods are utilized to present training to staff and employers on new programs and services including: in-person training by subject matter experts from both agencies, webinars, captivating videos imbedded in the state’s case management system, program specific desk aides, on-the-job training, and conference calls.

The DWD Training Unit provides professional staff development for all staff through various instructional methods - desk aids, webinars and conference calls, instructional videos, and in-person training. As initiatives and issuances are updated and implemented, DWD Training works with subject matter experts to provide relevant, accurate, and timely training. A good example of in-person training is Workforce Development 1.0 Essential Skills Training. This week-long course is designed for new job center employees (DWD and Partner Staff) to learn the workforce system and specific strategies and information for working with employers and job seekers. DWD Training also offers training as requested by Central Office staff, program managers, and job center staff. These trainings range from communication and teamwork to policy- and program-specific subjects.