Narrative: III. a. 2. A.

Integration of Services to Better Serve Customers

Missouri’s goal is to have an efficient and effective network, which allows both jobseekers and businesses access to all of their needed services in the state workforce system regardless of their agency access point. This supports the overall state strategy to implement policies and practices for service design and delivery. The MPWS continues working together to improve referral processes and ensure seamless service delivery throughout the workforce system:

Capitalizing on the governor’s priority of strengthening workforce development, the MPWS is utilizing partnerships to expand the integration of education and occupational training programs. AEL focused resources on developing IET opportunities throughout the state. By offering AEL, workplace readiness, and occupational training contextually and concurrently, IET programming effectively addresses the MPWS strategies to utilize, foster, and generate partnerships that develop career pathways for participants. The AEL 2023-2028 Strategic Plan for IET provides a framework to expand workforce literacy and occupational training opportunities through local AEL programs and Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) for adult learners. The Strategic Plan connects the MPWS combined task of creating sector strategies with IET programming through partnerships.

To address the specific needs of Missouri's citizens, local workforce regions and AEL service providers customize partnership activities. Programs co-locate in partner facilities where possible and in-person referrals occur throughout the state. Local AEL service providers must expose all students to Missouri Job Center services at orientation and record referrals in the statewide AEL data system. To address duplication of services, the MPWS relies on AEL’s experience with delivering assessments. Job Center and AEL local program staff share assessments such as the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) and WorkKeys. In many cases, MPWS partner staff also serve as AEL instructors. Multiple local programs provide virtual access to job center services within their AEL location. This year, the MPWS facilitated one-on-one conversations between local WDBs, job center staff, and AEL career advisors to improve referral procedures on a local level.

The MPWS sees a growing population needing English language proficiency and aims to serve them through IELCE programming. IELCE service providers collaborate with local WDBs to address employer, community, and student needs through evolving IET offerings. Providers assess students before occupational training to ensure aptitude and interest. Through AEL, the MPWS facilitates connections to local refugee support organizations for supportive service assistance such as transportation, childcare, translation services, and cultural understanding. In addition, IELCE providers focus on digital literacy for all students to support workplace readiness and future learning. Capitalizing on partnerships led to a quarterly median earnings value for IELCE participants in 2021-2022 of $8,456.27, much higher than the adult basic education programs. Of the 520 IELCE students taking a post-test during that period, 450 (86.5%) students attained academic gain. The MPWS utilizes these remarkable outcomes to introduce English language students to Missouri’s workforce.

In addition:

• OWD has developed an overarching co-enrollment policy for its stakeholders. Additionally, each local workforce region is required to include its own written referral policy in its local plans.

• DOLIR makes all Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimant referrals to OWD, who in turn pre-registers claimants for services.

• All participants in the RESEA program are co-enrolled into Wagner-Peyser services.

• OWD staff provides meaningful assistance to each UI claimant to provide information about their claim process and to educate them on job center and partner services.

• OWD and AEL collaborate to provide an exciting opportunity for co-enrolled WIOA youth to earn a paycheck while pursuing their high school equivalency and gaining workplace readiness. This opportunity addresses both immediate and long-term career needs. The MPWS allows local flexibility for state regions to align programming with needs and available resources.

• MVR’s Progressive Employment Program requires co-enrollment into WIOA services for all of their participants.

• The DSS OWCI employment and training programs require an assessment and employability plan with steps to self-sufficiency, which is monitored for compliance on a regular basis.

• The DSS OWCI programs utilize OWD’s case management system, MoJobs, for the SkillUP program, which allows job center and local WDB staff to have a “full picture” of client services.

• The DSS OWCI regularly attends partner events to coordinate and explain the available employment and training programs and other wrap-around services offered through DSS such as SNAP, Cash Assistance, child care, the Emergency Food Assistance Program, Domestic Violence Shelters and Services, and CSBG services.

• Local AEL service providers must employ a designated staff person as their student advocate or transition specialist. The MPWS utilizes these specialized team members to explore all relevant partner services for each participant as well as postsecondary training and employment goals. AEL class sites have direct access points to OWD’s case management system, MoJobs, through designated computer stations on site.

• MVR is actively participating with all local WDBs through disability subcommittees and working as a disability employment resource.

• RSB assisted in the implementation of new accessibility software and hardware in job centers to ensure access for all jobseekers.

• RSB participates at the local WDB meetings and provides representation on the disability subcommittees and Nexus business/employment meetings.

• The JVSG Program’s primary activities are designed to remove barriers to employment in addition to standard Wagner Peyser activities. These activities include assessing the qualified individual to determine the needs to be addressed, creating a plan of action on how to address those needs, referrals to partnering agencies and programs for support, and continuous follow up to ensure the individual is successful. Services are provided one on one, either in person or virtually, and can either be accessed at the job centers, or if a transportation barrier exists, the staff can travel to where the qualified individual is located. Referrals and co-enrollments to programs such as WIOA for financial and training supportive services, Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Readiness and Employment for education and certification opportunities to improve employment prospects, and Homeless Veteran Reintegration Programs for individuals that are homeless or at risk of homelessness are critical to the success of the program. 

Strengthen Career Pathways

The MPWS continues to explore new and flexible ways to provide opportunities for career pathways. This not only strengthens services for jobseekers, including youth, but also enhances the services to employers and assists in retention. Programs such as registered apprenticeships and work-based learning, customized and supported employment, and short-term, industry-focused credential training are high-focus areas in Missouri. Employing these new sector strategies is intended to provide more opportunities for jobseekers to enter the market sooner and with the right preparation needed for the employer.

Education and training are paths to better careers. There may be customers who need to have concurrent and, in some cases, consecutive sessions of education and skill attainment with employment. Missouri advises and encourages customers to manage their own careers with information on what services are possible. Missouri also offers multiple entry and exit points for customers so they can access additional education, training, skills, and employment until they reach a self-sufficient career. 

All partners are committed to supporting the efforts of the other partners by ensuring that their services are available to the referred participants. It is agreed that once an individual is on a career pathway, it is the responsibility of all partners to contribute as appropriate to the participant’s success along the pathway. 

Missouri’s examples include: 

• The MPWS supports the expansion of Integrated Education and Training (IET) for AEL service providers. The state AEL office and multiple local programs participated in IET Design Camps and developed a strategic plan with targeted technical assistance. Several Missouri service providers will participate in a study analyzing the efficacy of training for local career advisors. This opportunity affords those programs access to current professional development for their staff. These efforts are part of a push to expand IET opportunities for citizens the MPWS serves.
• OWD programs are developing new initiatives to expand apprenticeship opportunities for Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth such as new contracts with labor organizations and local employers, as well as other state agencies.
• In addition to training services, OWD, MVR, OWCI, and RSB partners have work-based learning programs such as on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and work experience, which offer customers the opportunity to combine education, training, and employment services. MVR and RSB support career pathways by providing a variety of services to students, youth, and adults with disabilities. Additional services may include assistive technology, case management, and post-employment support to provide job retention. OWCI contracts with job centers to provide work-based learning for youth 16 to 24.
• MPWS AEL providers use Missouri Connections for student career development. Funded by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, this comprehensive online career development and planning program is at no cost to all Missouri citizens. To assist with specific career pathway goals identified through Missouri Connections, local AEL programs rely on MPWS partners who assist students in finding job opportunities, apprenticeships, and postsecondary tuition assistance.
• Among Missouri’s most common barriers to developing a career pathway is the lack of a high school diploma, basic skills, literacy deficiency, and the lack of English language skills. The MPWS allows individuals to acquire basic skills through AEL providers, which are necessary to function in today’s society. Classrooms utilize both traditional and modernized instruction delivered in conjunction with workplace readiness, training, and retraining programs.
• TANF, SNAP, CSBG, RSB, MVR, and OWD partners provide supportive services that assist workforce customers with overcoming barriers to begin career pathways.
• TANF funds allow the OWD partners to provide subsidized employment to youth between the ages of 14 to 24 that are at or below the 185% poverty level.
• The DSS OWCI offers customers access to computers in their local offices to complete job searches using the workforce site, jobs.mo.gov. For TA (cash assistance) recipients and Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents, this activity is counted toward meeting their employment and training monthly hour requirements.
• SkillUP is offered by the local WDBs, which receive referrals from OWCI when a household indicates interest during a SNAP interview and job center staff who conduct Wagner-Peyser activities.
• The DSS OWCI requires an assessment and employability plan, with steps to self-sufficiency. This is monitored for compliance on a regular basis.
• The DSS OWCI Program administers the Jobs for America’s Graduates Program, which focuses on students with barriers to graduating high school and entering postsecondary school, the military, and employment. This program is a high school elective. High school staff are aware of the SkillUP program for referrals that allow for continued wrap-around services and short-term training funding for eligible students.
• The Excel Centers offer the ability to gain high school diplomas and industry certificates. Clients who are also enrolled in SkillUP or Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) receive supportive services and case management from their case manager.

Model Best Practices through Strong Collaborative Leadership

To ensure that MPWS provides leadership and guidance to implement state plan goals and support the vision, each core partner has representation at a quarterly WIOA Steering Committee meeting. These meetings are utilized to do the following:

• Review quarterly performance for common measures and combined plan partner data to assess the effectiveness of service delivery
• Review each state strategy to perform an analysis of the coverage and appropriateness of services and identify any gaps
• Utilize meeting time to invite partners outside the state plan to ensure that there is effective delivery of workforce services