Narrative: b. 6.

The state’s strategy for continuous improvement in the level of SCSEP participants’ placements in unsubsidized employment focuses on fostering a multitalented workforce.

The technical and occupational skills of many SCSEP participants often lag behind today’s employment requirements. Qualities offered by the older worker, such as work ethic and reliability, are valued by employers, but the need for technical skills is also a concern. Training and retraining of SCSEP participants is designed to help their employability.

SCSEP service providers seek to gather input from the business community, community leaders, host agency supervisors, the participants themselves, and local government officials about the job skill needs within their organizations and community. This effort includes networking at chamber of commerce events and other business organizations’ functions. The information gathered enables development of meaningful training opportunities for older workers and suitable matches for unsubsidized work.

Recommendations include the following:

• Place SCSEP “graduates” in industries and occupations with high growth or substantial employment need;
• Research labor market information and consult with Boards and their contractors, economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, and local business partners to identify targeted industries and high-growth occupations appropriate for seniors, local employers that are hiring, and skills and qualities needed to be successful in these jobs;
• Strengthen initial assessments of participant skills, knowledge, interests, aptitudes, and qualities, and define career objectives that are relevant for the participant’s interests and abilities and local business needs;
• Assess the participant’s barriers and skills gaps to create IEPs with timelines for OJT, specialized training, and support services;
• Ensure host agency assignments provide skills training that is relevant for participant career objectives and employer needs;
• Develop effective relationships with participants and monitor their training progress so grantees can gauge when participants are ready to start looking for employment and intervene or revise IEPs;
• Promote a motivated attitude through counseling and monitoring participants;
• Coordinate with Workforce Solutions Offices to provide effective job search preparation and support;
• Require participants to register with a Workforce Solutions Office and with WorkInTexas.com;
• Follow up frequently with participants in on-the-job experience arrangements to ensure that participants have the skills, confidence, and qualities to be successful in the job;
• Intervene early, as needed, to resolve any obstacles to successful employment; and
• Respect participants’ right of refusal of a job when they feel unprepared or unsuited for the job.

Grantees will implement the following strategies:

• Continue to remind participants and host agencies during initial orientations and throughout participants’ SCSEP tenure that SCSEP is a temporary training program, not an employment program.
• Encourage participants to take advantage of online advice to older job seekers, such as AARP.org, Monster.com, and Quintscareer.com.

Additionally, TWC provides online resources developed by its Labor Market and Career Information Department:

• Texas Career Alternatives Resource Evaluation System (Texas CARES) (http://www.texascaresonline.com); and
• Texas WorkPrep Learning Management System (http://www.texasworkprep.com/texasworkprep.htm), which includes these online courses: Texas Job Hunter’s Guide, Succeed at Work, and Your Next Job

Specialized Training Plans

• Pursue low-cost or no-cost computer training for participants before they report to their community service assignments or early in their assignments. Free or low-cost training is often available at libraries, Workforce Solutions Offices, school districts’ community education programs, Goodwill, and community colleges. AARP’s Virtual Career Network (VCN) - SCSEP Checklist and EW’s JobReady provide skills and knowledge training for a variety of occupations, software training that crosses most industries, and testing and certification for skills learned.
• Pursue agreements with local employers for on-the-job experience.
• Pursue specialized training opportunities in which a job opening is not required by employers. Participants attend training for potential placement.
• Pursue certificate training opportunities for high-growth occupations and industries. For example, teacher assistant classroom training followed by six-week internships leading to a certificate and employment offer from a local school district.
• Identify relevant curricula for short-term training that is free or low-cost, and encourage local training providers, such as community colleges, to offer training in these areas.

Pursue or provide transferable workplace skills training. For example, SER provides 30 hours of training for participants who are close to being job ready but who need a little more self-assurance and motivation. Community colleges and Workforce Solutions Offices will be encouraged to offer more transferable workplace skills courses.

Performance Measures

As a result of the Older Americans Act Reauthorization of 2016, TWC adopted new SCSEP performance measures to align with WIOA. The following is a list of the new performance measures and a brief description of the strategies that national and state grantees will use to successfully transition to the new performance measures.

Percentage of participants who exited during the reporting period who are employed in unsubsidized employment during the 2nd quarter after the exit.

National Grantees

Strategy: The grantees will conduct follow-up with exited SCSEP participants monthly and quarterly to maintain a consistent contact with placed participants. The grantees will also ensure the participants’ files are updated and properly documented in SPARQ.

Grantees will conduct job development activities to increase the percentage of entered employment and enroll participants with limited English proficiency in English Second Language (ESL) classes.

Barriers: SCSEP participants do not respond to follow-up emails and phone calls. In addition, grantees do not have access to unemployment data.

State Grantee

Strategy: Sub-grantee will increase effective communication and follow-ups with participants after the exit of the program. Sub-grantee will continue to conduct individualized and intensive assessment to assist participants to focus on their employment goals. Also, sub grantee will continue to focus on older worker friendly employers to develop job postings for specific employment availability in rural communities.

Barrier: Communication after the exit to the participants can be challenging if the contact information is no longer valid.

Percentage of participants who exited during the reporting period who are employed in unsubsidized employment during the 4th quarter after the exit.

National Grantees

Strategy: The grantees will communicate to the SCSEP participants the purpose of conducting follow-ups during orientation and exit appointments and remind the participants about the importance of follow-ups during the SCSEP program.

Grantees will continue to follow-up with the participants with emails, phone calls, and engage with participants who have not have had contact with the program in over a year.

Barrier: Communication with the participants after the exit can be challenging if the contact information is no longer valid.

State Grantee

Strategy: Sub grantee will increase effective communication and follow-ups with participants to offer support and ongoing job search assistance as needed. During the follow-ups, sub grantee staff will be able to identify challenges initially so they can provide support services and job referrals to participants.

Barrier: Communication with the participants after the exit can be challenging if the contact information is no longer valid.

Satisfaction of employers with their experiences and services provided

National Grantees

Strategy: Grantees will conduct follow-ups to encourage employers to complete and return surveys during pre- and post-placement.

Grantees will maintain good customer service practices and continuous communication with employers.

Barrier: Employers do not respond to requests to complete and return survey.

State Grantee

Strategy: State sub grantee will continue to recruit older worker friendly employers and educate them about the benefits of hiring older workers. We will also continue to work with employers to identify their employment needs so our sub grantee can update the curriculum in their Job Ready system.

Barrier: Employers are hesitant to participate in SCSEP program due to the amount of paperwork.

Satisfaction of the host agencies with their experiences and the services provided.

National Grantees

Strategy: Grantees will continue to provide effective communication and build partnership with host agencies based on mutual respect, understanding, and support. They will also work diligently and consistently to encourage host agencies to complete and return surveys.

Barrier: Host agencies do not respond at the request to complete and return surveys.

State Grantee

Strategy: Sub grantee will continue to engage with host agencies to develop participants’ goals and to provide individualized training for assignments and potential job postings within the host agencies. An effective correlation between the SCSEP participant and the host agency is essential to ensure host agency satisfaction.

Barrier: Host agencies do not respond to complete and return surveys.

Satisfaction of the participants with their experiences and the services provided

National Grantees

Strategy: Grantees will continue to provide assessments to assist participants to create and achieve their goals with appropriated assignments and support services. Also, grantees will maintain effective communication with the participants during and after exit from the SCSEP program.

Barrier: Participants do not respond to requests to complete and return surveys.

State Grantee

Strategy: State sub grantee will begin with thorough assessment of skills and barriers to better understand the needs of the SCSEP participants. There will be an increase in communication and follow-ups with participants during the SCSEP program and after the exit from the SCSEP program to ensure participants’ satisfaction and their needs are met in the program.

Barrier: Unrealistic expectations of employment goals can cause dissatisfaction with SCSEP participants who only want minimal training.