Narrative: II. b.

Missouri’s WIOA partners will make economic self-sufficiency attainable for customers through high-quality services and a fully integrated workforce system.

MPWS partners have developed five goals to achieve Missouri’s vision:

1. Overcome employment barriers

By design, Missouri agencies are well equipped to assist individuals with barriers. WIOA core partners opted to write a combined state plan to specifically include TANF and SNAP programs, as well as CSBG. This move was meant to leverage partnerships with these agencies and ensure access to serve individuals with disabilities, those who are homeless, foster care youth, single parents, those with low-income, displaced homemakers, as well as those who are exhausting their TANF benefits within two years. OWD implements priority of service, which prioritizes recipients of public assistance and other low-income individuals as well as those who are basic skill deficient (including English language learners) for WIOA funding. Additionally, OWD provides priority of service for veterans and their eligible spouses for job training programs, including WIOA funds. Through strategic planning and purposeful engagement with community resources, the MPWS can expand and enhance the resources available to serve this integral workforce pipeline.

2.  Maximize efficiency and access to services

Missouri endeavors to eliminate duplication of effort and values cost effective services. Missouri recognizes there will always be a need for additional resources and acknowledges the importance of providing efficient and effective services. Partner agencies are motivated to provide access to quality services for the greatest number of customers. As agencies work to align their strategies and processes, this will enhance the efficiency of the MPWS.

3.  Develop career pathways

Workforce customers often have needs that require multiple supports to overcome barriers and develop skills necessary to enter and excel in the job market. Missouri maintains a network of support services for customers to use, as and when needed, to aid them in achieving their employment goals. This network of support services forms the foundation of Missouri’s approach to career pathways. By utilizing the labor market information which identifies the Now, Next, and Later occupations, the MPWS can focus on the development of career pathways, which will truly benefit Missouri’s workforce and employers. The MPWS learns about careers in order to determine opportunities for the workforce customers, then communicates to the customer the different types of jobs that have steps to help build the future for the next and later occupations. This is done through education of short-term certificates that can lead into a high demand field where employers are offering professional development and tuition reimbursement to stack on credentials or continue education.

4.  Place a strong emphasis on employment retention

Missouri leverages partner services to focus not only on jobseekers returning to work, but also empowering them with the knowledge and skills to maintain successful employment. It is unlikely that entry-level positions yield enough income for an individual to become self-sufficient. Research indicates that on-going education and training supports greater job satisfaction and employee retention. In addition, up-skilling while employed can improve employees’ opportunities for career advancement. Missouri is committed to providing education, training, and resources to gain stackable credentials and skills that will help customers retain employment and advance within their chosen profession. Partnerships with other agencies, such as DED who provide employment retention programs will contribute to the success of this goal.

5.  Engage employers to meet their needs

The MPWS is employer driven; therefore, customers must be prepared to respond to the existing job market and future economic conditions. Matching skilled labor to employer needs promotes self-sufficiency of the state’s workforce and spurs economic growth. The state listens to the needs of current employers and develops engagement opportunities with new businesses. By engaging beyond the core, state plan and required partners, the MPWS can increase access to new resources and services, which will further enhance the employer experience. 

Section 116 of WIOA establishes performance accountability indicators and performance reporting requirements to assess the effectiveness of states and local workforce development areas in achieving positive outcomes for individuals served by the workforce development system’s six core programs. The following indicators are used to measure the core programs’ performance:

1. Employment Rate –Second quarter after exit: The percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the 2nd quarter after program exit.

2. Employment Rate –Fourth quarter after exit: The percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the 4th quarter after program exit.

3. Median Earnings –Second quarter after exit: The median earnings of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after program exit.

4. Credential Attainment: The percentage of participants in an education or training program (excluding on-the-job training and customized training) who attain a recognized postsecondary credential/certificate during the program or within one year after exit or attain a diploma or equivalent from a secondary education program while in the program or within one year of exit and who are employed or enrolled in an education or training program leading to a recognized postsecondary credential within one year after exit.

5. Measurable Skill Gains: The percentage of participants, who during a program year, are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving measurable skill gains, defined as documented academic, technical, occupational, or other forms of progress, toward such a credential or employment.

6. Effectiveness in serving employers: This measure gauges MPWS’ effectiveness in meeting the workforce needs of employers. As of this writing, the departments of Labor and Education have proposed using “Retention with the Same Employer” as the measure of this indicator.

Refer to Appendix I for expected levels of performance based on primary indicators of performance. All partners federally funded programs are measured in the same way and a penalty could be applied to WIOA discretionary funds for repeated missed performance targets. This creates a shared accountability for shared customers and their outcomes.

The core and combined state plan partners are involved in assessing the overall effectiveness of the workforce development system as well as determining how to best use the results in pursuit of continuous improvement. The assessment includes the utilization of data to identify the efficacy of initiatives implemented to meet the goals, a review of governmental structure and policies, evaluation of interagency partnerships and an investment in shared technology.

Missouri’s goal for assessment is to ensure a statewide demand-driven workforce system. The state employs numerous strategies to assess the MPWS’s effectiveness in achieving its vision and goals. The WIOA Steering Committee is composed of representatives from each core and combined state plan partner. The question of how effective the MPWS is in delivering services to meet Missouri’s vision and goals is the force that drives the committee’s meeting agendas. The question keeps the committee on track and assists in determining whether the MPWS is effectively integrating to provide high-quality services in order to make economic self-sufficiency attainable for its customers.

Steering Committee meetings include a quarterly assessment of progress by each agency on common performance indicators along with an assessment of combined partners’ progress on their goals. Assessment includes the utilization of data to identify the efficacy of initiatives implemented to meet the goals, a review of governmental structure and policies, evaluation of interagency partnerships, and an investment in shared technology. The Steering Committee provides reports about the status of WIOA implementation and its progress on performance measures to the State Workforce Development Board. These reports are provided on at least a quarterly basis.

Each partner assesses its own effectiveness through different methods of feedback collection. To gauge effectiveness of the system as a whole, the MPWS administered the Missouri Public Workforce Employment Challenges survey. The Missouri Public Workforce Employment Challenges survey will allow the MPWS to review and assess the results for further conversations at the local and regional level. The results from the survey will be provided in a file format to create different data frames that allow organizations to drill down to specific demographics and are based on county responses. The results will be presented at future MPWS workgroups and forums to discuss desired training needs, how to remove perceived barriers, and meet the needs of the individuals from the results of the survey.

Missouri uses assessment results to drive continuous improvement efforts. The Steering Committee identifies deficit areas and uses ad hoc WIOA subcommittees to address the issues.