Narrative: III. a. 2. B.

Through WIOA implementation, the MPWS has recognized the criticality of including additional partners to scale out best practices and to ensure that all jobseekers, particularly those under-served populations, are able to access needed services for success. Additionally, collaboration, while important at the state level, truly needs to be implemented at the local level where jobseekers and employers are being served. This supports the MPWS strategies to implement policies and processes for service design and delivery and provide better services for employers. 

The WIOA State Plan is the driving document for the MPWS activities. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the WIOA partners to share and align the plan with other plans, which include Missouri initiatives. This includes the Apprenticeship Missouri Five-year plan, the State Board strategic plan, and individual state plans constructed by partner agencies. The Steering Committee is the team that helps to identify and align these strategic planning processes as well as ensures it supports the vision of the governor.

At the state level, Missouri participates in several issue-specific, national cohorts. These include topics on co-enrollment, employer engagement data, and disability services. This gives Missouri the opportunity to showcase strong partnerships and work closer together on specific projects, share outcomes, and apply knowledge gained from cohorts at the local levels. 

In addition:

• Apprenticeship Missouri has partnered with other state agencies, including the Department of Corrections (DOC), the Department of Mental Health (DMH), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) to develop Registered Apprenticeships specifically to expand the state workforce. These partnerships have also spawned additional apprenticeships designed to address areas with significant workforce shortages, including a career-pathway oriented teacher apprenticeship aimed at paraprofessionals and other incumbent staff at DESE, and a child development associate apprenticeship to address the shortage of childcare workers. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) has developed a registered apprenticeship program solely aligned to their maintenance worker series of two levels, each of which takes two years to complete. The progression of skills that the apprentice will need to complete within the program aligns directly with the needs of the expectations and tasks of the MODOT employee. As of September 2023, MODOT has 250 maintenance worker apprentices. In 2023, OWD implemented an internal apprenticeship program for front line staff. This unique approach to the “earn while you learn” model within OWD will reduce turnover, enhance skill development, and allow staff to gain a credential for their career pathway within workforce development.
• The MPWS partners collaborate with the Department of Economic Development (DED) to deliver services to employers who are expanding or relocating to Missouri by offering them a collaborative talent pipeline network. Additionally, DED is taking an active role in working with partners to develop and implement the 2024 combined plan, as well as DED’s state plan.
• The MPWS partners with the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Developments’ Postsecondary Policy team to create new pathways and opportunities for educational attainment. This “no wrong path” initiative includes significant changes and alignment for the Eligible Training Provider System and an education initiative for MPWS participants focused on financial aid programs as well as partner funding opportunities, such as WIOA and SkillUP.
• DOC coordinates with the MPWS through a client-based approach that includes career and technical education programs to develop new career pathways for justice-involved individuals.
• Missouri consistently explores avenues to collaborate on carrying out respective partner programs. MVR, RSB, and OWD all participate in the National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON) technical assistance grant. In Missouri, this grant focuses on the development of a tiered system for benefits planning. 
• Missouri state agencies come together on a monthly basis to collaborate on hiring for state employees. This includes agency presence at career fairs, community events, and local job centers. In addition, this group also addresses and promotes state initiatives such as Reentry 2030, Missouri as a Model Employer, and other similar programs. For example, Office of Administration, which coordinates some state recruiting efforts, is examining background check policies and determining what rules/legislation may need to be changed to ensure Reentry 2030 success. 
• JVSG staff provides outreach services to veterans at service delivery points (SDPs) that have no LVER, DVOP, or CODL assigned. In rural areas, Missouri assigns CODL staff to maximize services, affording regularly scheduled availability at remote job centers or other sites where DOL funded programs operate to maximize opportunities for veterans and minimize travel requirements for unemployed veterans. Outstation and outreach sites may include job centers, military installations, National Guard and Reserve component armories, Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) facilities, homeless shelters, prisons, and other sites as appropriate and agreed to by impacted parties. CODL staff will conduct outreach to employers and conduct outreach to community agencies, veterans' organizations, etc. and share information gained from these contacts with SDP staff.
• The JVSG LVER and CODL staff participate on business teams as outlined within the workforce region’s “single point of contact plan.” This plan includes not only OWD staff but also other business services teams within the MPWS. The plan outlines the Job Center’s strategy to promote the area’s workforce services, including promotion of veterans and eligible persons among employers. This approach assures maximum opportunity to promote the veteran and eligible person as a trained, skilled, and reliable product to market to the employer. All staff conducting employer contacts promote veterans and veteran programs and document their contacts in the state’s electronic data system.

Missouri also fosters local partnerships with meetings to connect core and combined state plan partners, required partners, and additional partners, as well as other stakeholders.

• The MPWS formed Nexus groups comprised of core, required, and other interested partners in sharing local job opportunities and responding with one voice to area employers.
• Where possible, the MPWS co-locates AEL classrooms with one-stop services to ensure effective referrals. Regions develop standardized referral systems where co-location isn’t possible. AEL programs also share assessment results and co-enrolled student barriers to provide streamlined service delivery.
• AEL and MVR join forces to address the needs of students with disabilities through co-enrollment and identifying employers eager to hire those individuals.
• The DSS OWCI programs and local WDBs coordinate on systems, processes, and referrals to assist DSS clients with available resources they may not know exist.
• MPWS partners collaborate to represent the employer community with one voice. This collaboration of MVR, RSB, OWCI, OWD, and DED’s business outreach teams allows for stronger representation to employers in Missouri.
• DOC has collaborated with the MPWS to establish 10 Reentry Connect Centers across Missouri. These “one-stop centers behind the walls” offer employment preparation activities, training, career exploration, access to supportive services, and direct linkage referrals to MPWS services upon release.