Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Wagner-Peyser Program (Employment Services)
All Program-Specific Requirements provided for the WIOA core programs in this section must be addressed for either a Unified or Combined State Plan.
- e. Agricultural Outreach Plan (AOP). Each State agency must develop an AOP every four years as part of the Unified or Combined State Plan required under sections 102 or 103 of WIOA. The AOP must include an assessment of need. An assessment need describes the unique needs of farmworkers in the area based on past and projected agricultural and farmworker activity in the State. Such needs may include but are not limited to: employment, training, and housing.
- 5. Services provided to farmworkers and agricultural employers through the one-stop delivery system
Describe the State agency's proposed strategies for:
- 5. Services provided to farmworkers and agricultural employers through the one-stop delivery system
- e. Agricultural Outreach Plan (AOP). Each State agency must develop an AOP every four years as part of the Unified or Combined State Plan required under sections 102 or 103 of WIOA. The AOP must include an assessment of need. An assessment need describes the unique needs of farmworkers in the area based on past and projected agricultural and farmworker activity in the State. Such needs may include but are not limited to: employment, training, and housing.
e. 5. A. Providing the Full Range of Employment and Training Services to the Agricultural Community, Both Farmworkers and Agricultural Employers, Through the One-stop Delivery System. This Includes:
i. How career and training services required under WIOA Title I will be provided to MSFWs through the one-stop centers
ii. How the State serves agricultural employers and how it intends to improve such services
Current Narrative:
(A) The Office of Workforce Development (OWD) provides Wagner-Peyser funded services to migrant and seasonal workers (MSFWs) and to prospective and active employers of these individuals. OWD makes every effort to strengthen its working relationships with MSFWs and employers to encourage utilization of Missouri Job Centers. Efforts continue to include the full range of the Missouri Job Center services delivered through an outreach effort designed to locate, contact, and inform migrant and seasonal farmworkers about the employment and training services available statewide and particularly in the Southeast, Southwest and West Central local workforce development areas. Additional efforts include ensuring that MSFW customers are referred to the 167 grantees for assistance.
OWD ensures that MSFWs are offered an equitable range of employment services, benefits and protections, including counseling, testing and job training referral services, which are the same services available to non-MSFWs.
Career Services provided through the Missouri Job Centers include:
- Registration for Wagner-Peyser and other services, including Tittle I Career Services
- Explanation and use of jobs.mo.gov
- Career counseling, including development of career pathways
- Job matching and referral to job openings
- Job development
- Assistance in improving job seeking skills
- Testing
- Assessment
- Referrals to supportive services and other providers including UMOS, 167 NFJP grantee
- Information on employment and training opportunities
- Labor market information
- Information on the job Employment Service and Employment-Related Law Complaint System, including filing and processing of complaints, and Complaint System poster
In-take Process
Upon first arriving at a Missouri Job Center, the following methods are used to provide career services:
- Adequately identifying the MSFW at the point of registration;
- Explaining services available;
- Assessing the immediate needs of the farmworker;
- Referral to appropriate service providers, including Tittle I WIOA as needed; and
- Systematic follow-up with each individual to ensure their needs are met.
Upon completion of intake, the MSFWs training needs are assessed. Many times completion of training or an upgrade of skills is difficult to accomplish because workers have a family they must support. If training is possible and necessary, then the participant is referred to the Missouri Job Center WIOA Title I for evaluation. If training options do not meet the individual’s needs, then referral to other service providers such as the 167 NFJP Grantee, UMOS, will be made. In addition, English as a Second Language (ESL) and high school equivalency classes are provided by Migrant Education Programs throughout the state.
To better serve the agriculture employer, OWD provides outreach and awareness training about the services available to assist in their agriculture businesses. The jobs.mo.gov website has a dedicated AES page promoting services to agricultural employers. The AES page contains related resources such as the Agricultural Recruitment System guide flyers for both employers and jobseekers. The OWD jobs.mo.gov website includes valuable information for all employers, including information on job postings and recruitment services, work-based learning programs, available tools to help assess employees, available workshops for employers, links to business resources and contact information for business services staff throughout the state.
OWD strives to improve services to agriculture employers by reaching out to better learn how OWD can be of assistance and tailor services specific to the agriculture community. AES staff attend agricultural- related conferences, farm fests, and other venues enabling outreach staff to interact with the agriculture employer. As new information is gained OWD continues to update the website and outreach materials to stay current with the agriculture employers’ needs. OWD’s Community Development Team staff also regularly contact employers to provide tailored services.