Located in:
- III. Operational Planning Elements
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above. Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs. This section must include—
- a. State Strategy Implementation
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include–
- 2. Implementation of State Strategy
Describe how the lead State agency with responsibility for the administration of each core program or a Combined Plan partner program included in this plan will implement the State’s Strategies identified in Section II(c). above. This must include a description of—
- 2. Implementation of State Strategy
- a. State Strategy Implementation
III. a. 2. A. Core Program Activities to Implement the State’s Strategy
Describe the activities the entities carrying out the respective core programs will fund to implement the State’s strategies. Also, describe how such activities will be aligned across the core programs and Combined State Plan partner programs included in this plan and among the entities administering the programs, including using co-enrollment and other strategies, as appropriate.
Current Narrative:
Colorado has a long history of coordinated implementation as a result of the Governor’s 1997 Executive Order to integrate employment and training services in local One-Stop Delivery systems. All state policies that have followed have been designed to ensure that the local workforce areas and key partners are aligned with the strategic direction of USDOL, the Governor, and the Colorado Workforce Development Council. Colorado has excelled as one of three demonstration states for devolving Wagner-Peyser services to locally administered merit systems, fully embracing the key principles of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. This has allowed our statewide network of locally operated workforce centers to achieve total integration of Workforce Investment Act, Wagner-Peyser, veterans, and Trade Act employment and training programs, as well as launch state and local partnerships with TANF, SNAP, Adult Education and Family Literacy, Vocational Rehabilitation, and other required partners for the one-stop system.
With the implementation of WIOA, specific strategies have been utilized to align the work of core and required partners at both the state and local level. Leadership from the one-stop partner programs comes together monthly as an Implementation Team to provide guidance on the work and make commitments to specific actions necessary for moving forward. MOUs between agencies will be implemented as needed to support the alignment of efforts and activities.
Over the next four years, several tactics will be deployed to achieve the ambitious goals outlined in this plan. Businesses are engaged in the talent development system through sector partnerships and through our statewide business services team. To continue the excellent work that has been done over the past three years, one-stop partner programs will be included in the business services team and common procedure manuals will be developed to align the work of multiple agencies. The roles of partners and the resources they can provide are brought to the table to serve businesses through our overall sector strategy approach.
By providing intensive technical assistance to focus the workforce areas on the key industries that drive their local and regional economies and provide the spark for increasing economic vitality, Colorado has taken the next step in implementing its long-term sector strategy approach to system transformation. The local boards will convene local decision makers and respond to the recruitment and retention issues of these industries. Successful sector partnerships are aligned with career pathways strategies and the Colorado Community College System, and designed to address the skill upgrade needs of low-skilled adults. Sector strategies serve as the driver for all discretionary initiatives funded by the Colorado Workforce
Development Council, as well as those that will be funded with Dislocated Worker 25% dollars.
Through this strategic planning process the clear need for staff development for all system partners has been made apparent. Therefore, Colorado will develop training toolkits and implement cross-agency training to ensure that all of the resources of the system can be funneled appropriately to customers. The expertise of specific partners will be utilized, such as having adult education and family literacy programs provide training on assessment delivery to workforce center staff and using DVR’s expertise to provide disability awareness and etiquette to core and combined partner staff.
Additionally, a commitment to innovation exists throughout Colorado and a framework will be developed for pilot projects that will allow for adequate, reliable, and safe experimentation to take place. Partner programs are also committed to scaling successful innovations and the necessary structures, guides, and training will be deployed to ensure that it is feasible to broaden successful programs.
While all of these initiatives will enhance the services that existing customers and those who are funneled to programs receive, the full vision of WIOA cannot be realized unless the system overall is understood as an asset and utilized as a resource by a much broader base of businesses and jobseekers. All of the agencies responsible for programming under this combined plan are committed to the branding initiatives that will take place and will appoint the right staff with communications expertise to collaboratively achieve this goal. The Advocacy Committee of the Colorado Workforce Development Council will provide the vehicle to launch these efforts and will support the implementation of awareness strategies throughout the state.