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issue 4 - august 2005 |
wib.news@state.mn.us |
In this Issue:
- Commissioner's Corner: Business Services Specialists Rise to the Challenge
- From the MWCA Chair: Where We Are, and a Look Ahead
- Progress Report on WorkForce Center System Business Plan
- Update on the Business Services Initiative
- Manufacturing Initiative to Provide Better Services
- Continuous Improvement Efforts in Rehabilitation Services
- Employers’ Use of Public Job Banks is Gradually Rising
- Federal Grants Update: Incentive Grant Awards
- News Note: Minnesota Unemployment Rate is Sixth Best in the Nation
- Federal Grants Update
- Check It Out: Useful Products, Services, Resources
- Kudos
Business Services Specialists Rise to the Challenge
By Matt Kramer
The first quarter reports submitted by our Business Services Specialists (BSS) staff offer an encouraging picture of a successfully evolving organization. Our team has risen to the challenge of offering broad business services, and I’m incredibly proud of the energy, enthusiasm and professionalism that the team has brought to the task. We’re getting national attention for our work and with just a few months under our belt, the Minnesota model is well on its way to becoming a model for the nation. By creating a truly demand driven workforce system, we’re writing the book on business interaction.
The more we know about our primary customers - the employers of this state – the better we can serve jobseekers. To accomplish this goal, statewide BSS staff is building relationships with business decision-makers in their area and assessing their needs. They’ve developed new, dynamic and resourceful relationships among DEED staff, local officials, MNSCU officials, workforce investment boards, chambers of commerce, economic developers, and other key partners. And they’ve developed a coordinated approach among all our partners to identify and present business solutions. That’s what the BSS enterprise is all about: offering solutions to the unique problems of our business customers.
Among the highlights of the first quarter reports is the emerging sense of surprise and delight by the “team power” that BSS staff has discovered as they work with their new partners. It’s heartening to learn that more and more people are “getting it” and taking pride in the results that we (all of us) are delivering.
Taken as a whole, the first quarter reports are both enlightening and encouraging, but this transition has not been entirely pain-free. While it is gratifying to celebrate the many successes reflected in these reports, it’s also important to examine some of the challenges we’ve encountered along the way.
For example, we need to do a better job of communicating a clear and consistent message to the BSS staff working in the field. There remains some confusion about DEED’s primary responsibility to monitor both the quality and performance of the BSS program. We need to work harder to articulate goals and expectations while ensuring a measure of flexibility and freedom to meet business people on their own terms.
We also must provide the tools and support that BSS staff needs to continue on the path to success. Staff throughout the state noted the importance of networking and training (soft skills and industry-specific) and many requested a more streamlined approach in approving special expense requests.
I want to reassure everyone that we’ve already taken steps to address some of these problems and that we’ll continue to make improvements and course corrections as the BSS enterprise continues to evolve. These first quarter BSS reports give us the information, recommendations and success stories that will guide us as we move forward together. The reports will soon be posted at www.deed.state.mn.us/business/reports/.
Where We Are and a Look Ahead
By Trish Taylor
We are only days away from the Minnesota Workforce Council Association (MWCA) summer meeting (www.mncounties3.org/mwca/About_MWCA/meetings.htm) in Duluth, August 8 and 9, and it looks to be interesting, fun and informative. I hope you will be attending, since it’s a great opportunity to network and become informed. Even though we are individual service areas, we do have the same goals.
We were given only a short time to write the local Workforce Investment Act (WIA) unified plans and submit them to the state and the U.S. Department of Labor, but plans were completed, thanks to a truly joint effort of partners and the local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs). It is the WIBs’ and partners’ ownership that will make the plans successful and better detail the responsibility of the WIBs, so it will become easier for us to move forward.
From the local WIA unified plans, the MWCA has asked the review team [comprised of staff from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and partners from local Workforce Service Areas (WSAs)] to put together a list of best practices and share them with all WSAs and WIBs. I have heard many compliments from the review team, and send my congratulations to all the WSAs on a job well done in a timely manner. Granted, some "fine tuning" of plans will need to be completed, but it was the first time WIB's took the lead and worked together with partners on ways to better integrate services.
Economic Development: I am participating in a week of training with the University of Minnesota - Duluth in what I call “Economic Development 101.” I plan to bring back some of the ideas and information to share with you.
Last - but not least - please put the 10th Annual Minnesota Development Conference (www.deed.state.mn.us/events/devConf.htm) on your calendar for October 5 and 6.
Thanks again for your participation.
Progress Report on WorkForce Center System Business Plan
On June 30, the Systems Excellence Committee of the Governor’s Workforce Development Council (GWDC) endorsed new criteria for WorkForce Centers. Based on the principles of the Minnesota WorkForce Center System Business Plan, these criteria will offer local leadership more clarity and flexibility in defining when a site is a WorkForce Center.
When these criteria are implemented in July 2006, all certified WorkForce Centers will have a Resource Area to serve the general public. Equipped with trained and certified staff, the Resource Area will provide career exploration and job search resources, labor market information, and job listings, and other core services. (Procedures and timelines for Resource Area staff training and certification will be developed over the next months.)
At least one WorkForce Center in each workforce service area must offer comprehensive onsite services and staff from Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title I-B (Adult, Youth, and Dislocated Worker), Title III (Wagner-Peyser/Job Service) and Title IV (Vocational Rehabilitation or State Services for the Blind). Other locations must align with the criteria, including the availability of a Resource Area and services to the general public.
As of today, designation as a WorkForce Center will require the approval of the local Workforce Investment Board (WIB). The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) plans to monitor WorkForce Centers to ensure compliance with the yet-to-be-developed WorkForce Center franchise standards and maintain a level of quality associated with the brand. The Committee is continuing to work with state and local leadership to negotiate appropriate standards.
This agreement is just one piece of the Committee’s work this year to translate the recommendations of its WorkForce Center Business Plan into operational specifics. The Committee is working with DEED and local leadership to produce an Implementation Guide with sufficient detail for local leadership and staff to implement the Plan's recommendations. The Committee anticipates submitting its Implementation Guide to the full GWDC for approval at its December meeting.
All WIB chairs are invited to attend and participate in the meetings of the Systems Excellence Committee. Future meetings are on September 29 and December 1 (locations to be determined).
Meeting minutes are available online at www.gwdc.org/committees/systems-excellence-committee.htm
To review the Minnesota WorkForce Center System Business Plan, visit www.gwdc.org/pubs/2005business-plan.pdf
Update on the Business Services Initiative
The business services initiative has been launched across the state, and the resulting partnerships among the local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), labor market analysts, WorkForce Center partners, MnSCU, local chambers of commerce, economic developers, and business services specialists are expected to continue to generate new successes.
A couple of examples of successful partnerships formed as a result of the business services initiative are in the workforce service areas (WSA) of Southeastern Minnesota (WSA 8) and Winona County (WSA 18).
For Southeastern Minnesota (WSA 8) the WIB used a committee structure that is based on the high-demand industry cluster identified through their regional profile. Four major committees were set up for each identified industry: healthcare, manufacturing, high-tech/biosciences, and service trades. Additionally a fifth committee was set up to deal solely with administrative details between the partners, according to Randy Johnson, Executive Director of WSA 8.
Winona County (WSA 18) formed a task force for business and industry that provided the information for its regional profile. With the regional profile completed, local industries that are growing and need workforce development were identified.
Each partnership applied the demand-driven model, a focus on industries and occupations that are most needed by businesses in their local areas. A great deal of data was collapsed into organized lists of targeted businesses that each business services specialist could visit and help solve their economic development challenges.
Southeastern Minnesota (WSA 8)
“Randy and the partnership did a fantastic job of making sure that they are keeping in contact with local businesses and we are meeting their workforce needs,” said Diane Simon, Chair of the WIB and manager at Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc., Albert Lea. “They do an outstanding job of working collaboratively. We have a variety of people who serve on the WIB who go to great lengths to make this happen in our area. The results they’ve gotten are just phenomenal.”
The WSA has committed over 75 percent of its training resources for WIB targeted occupations, according to Rick Roy, Southeast Regional Administrator. In Southeastern Minnesota, jobseekers eligible for training services received additional tuition reimbursement for training in these high-demand occupations.
“The practices are clearly making a difference in our WSA,” said Johnson. “We’ve aligned the workforce development training with the needs of local businesses.” For eligible jobseekers who have the aptitude and the desire to work in a high-demand occupation, participants receive up to $3,500 for suitable workforce development training, according to Johnson. Before that policy was initiated only 28 percent of the WSA’s training resources went to train participants in high-demand occupations.
Winona County (WSA 18)
The business services initiative has led to several success stories in Winona County. One example is the partnership's work with Truss Specialists, Inc., a manufacturer located in La Crescent, Minnesota.
The partnership in Winona County determined that the manufacturing occupations were among those high in demand among local businesses. As a result, Tom Kujawa, business services specialist, received a list of manufacturers, which included Truss Specialists, Inc. Tom teamed up with Barb Breza, Winona Technical College’s Custom Training Representative, to meet with Harvey Larson, the manufacturer's Human Resources Manager.
Kujawa subsequently learned that the company needed to hire forklift operators and production assemblers for the manufacture of custom-made trusses used for building roofs by construction companies. The manufacturer was unable to attract many Winona applicants, so Kujawa worked with Larson to post the openings on Minnesota’s Job Bank. The business was also highlighted as the “Employer of the Month” for May at the WorkForce Center in Winona. A web page was created by Kujawa, which displayed photos featuring the production facility as an inviting place to work.
But that’s not all. Kujawa linked Larson to Jennifer Ridgeway, regional labor market analyst, who sent labor market information to help solve the applicant shortage. That information included a salary survey and benefits survey, so Larson could compare the wages and benefits offered for the openings against the median wage offered by local employers, and see if benefits were competitive. Kujawa also gathered human resource information about a variety of labor pools so Larson could expand his applicant search.
All these efforts paid off—the manufacturer has already hired a number of applicants for these jobs.
“Truss (Specialists) has been one of our ‘employer’s of the month,’ so it’s great that we can supply business solutions for the company,” said Mike Haney, DEED (WSA 18). He said the WorkForce Center in Winona has always had a good relationship with South East Technical College - Winona and this strength continues to be built upon.
What's Next?
In Southeastern Minnesota the partnership is working to begin marketing their services to local area businesses in the fall. An event in each county within the WSA will highlight the role of the partnership in helping to provide solutions to area businesses and build awareness of the local WorkForce Centers.
A training consortium, comprised of Randy Johnson (Workforce Development Inc, WSA 8), Jane Carter (MNSCU), Mike Haney (DEED, WSA 18), Rick Roy (DEED), and Sandy Oppegard (WSA 7) and other representatives from MnSCU campuses and DEED will continue to work together to determine current training needs of businesses and the best approaches for workforce development.
A model is being developed by DEED to measure the number of business contacts made, jobs filled, median wage levels, and other performance measures.
For more information on practices in Southeastern Minnesota and Winona County contact Randy Johnson (rjohnson@wfdi.ws), Mike Haney (mike.haney@state.mn.us) or Rick Roy (rick.roy@state.mn.us).
Manufacturing Initiative to Provide Better Services
DEED has teamed up with the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association to launch a new manufacturing initiative. Under this new initiative, Debra Bultnick, Industry Manufacturing Specialist, (Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association) will use her in-depth knowledge of quality-process-improvement practices to assist the Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) and their partners in serving manufacturers in the area of workforce development.
“This is an exciting partnership,” said Bonnie Elsey, Director of Workforce Services Division of DEED. “Debra Bultnick’s access through the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association will bring credibility to our business services initiative and access to manufacturers. Ultimately, it will allow government to understand the issues facing Minnesota's manufacturing industry and allow us to partner in providing solutions to keep them competitive."
Bultnick will provide expertise in the following ways:
- Assess workforce needs within the manufacturing industry
- Track manufacturing trends and their impact on manufacturers’ workforce needs, and find solutions
- Act as a resource for the WIBs and WorkForce Centers
- Monitor business solutions
- Promote Minnesota’s Job Bank and encourage its use among manufacturers
- Serve as a liaison to Minnesota’s manufacturers
- Develop and retain contacts within the industry
- Team up with business services specialists as they meet with manufacturers to help solve any problems that interfere with business growth
- Give presentations to workforce groups
Bultnick’s credentials include experience with the Minnesota Council for Quality. She is an experienced evaluator with the Minnesota Quality Award and has assisted several organizations in improving their processes using the Baldridge criteria for quality. Bultnick will work closely with Diane Knutson, Minnesota’s Manufacturers’ Advocate. For assistance from Bultnick call (612) 298-2592.
Continuous Improvement Efforts in Rehabilitation Services
Rehabilitation Services (RS) branch of the Department of Employment and Economic Development has begun to embark on a redesign effort that is intended to serve more people with disabilities while realizing better quality outcomes. An overall strategic plan for the redesigned Rehabilitation Services branch will be completed in the coming months, according to Paul Bridges, RS Administrative Operations. Implementation of the plan will be well underway by the beginning of the new federal fiscal year in October.
The continuous improvement efforts include changes in administration, results from focus groups on RS services, and clarification of the relationship between the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services program and the business services initiative underway.
This spring, under the direction of Workforce Services Director Bonnie Elsey, several administrative changes were made in RS to set the stage for subsequent efforts to reprioritize. Kim Peck was named Director of Rehabilitation Services. Connie Giles took over direction of the VR field operations section, and Bridges assumed responsibility for RS administrative operations.
As a backdrop for this effort, a series of focus groups were conducted with RS staff, the State Rehabilitation Council, stakeholders and customers. The purpose of the focus groups was to help identify elements of VR service delivery that might need attention. Input received through that process continues to be used in a number of strategic ways.
Sandi Hastings, an external consultant, used the input from the focus groups in her facilitation of a cross- functional work group. The group considered:
Giles has used the feedback in discussions with the VR field managers to define the characteristics of the VR customer to be served, the type of staff needed, and how those staff should be deployed. Additionally, the input is being used as a springboard for an analysis of the RS administrative office to shore up the resources available to provide services to RS customers.
During the next several weeks, Elsey, Peck and Giles will be making visits to WorkForce Centers around the state to meet with staff and discuss this re-engineering effort. They are eager to continue the dialogue, which will improve the effectiveness of the RS branch and, consequently, the WorkForce Center System as a whole!
Employers' Use of Public Job Banks is Gradually Rising
The Policy, Planning and Measures Office of DEED is measuring the use of public job banks—Minnesota’s Job Bank (MJB) and America’s Job Bank (AJB)—relative
to overall hiring patterns in the state. By comparing the number of job openings
posted on these job
banks to the total number of new hires, we can estimate
the relative share of job openings available through DEED. Similarly, comparisons
of the number of employers using MJB to the number of employers who are hiring
in the same quarter display MJB’s penetration into its target market. (Comparable data for employers posting job openings on AJB are not available.) NOTE: Because these comparisons require several quarters of information, the data may appear outdated when they are first available. This information will next be updated in October.
The ratio of Minnesota job postings on MJB and AJB to new hires has been gradually increasing since fourth quarter 2002 (the first quarter for which data were calculated). In the first half of 2004, employers posted over 22 job openings in Minnesota’s and America’s Job Banks for every 100 new hires. This is up from 19 openings posted per 100 new hires in the second half of 2003 and only 13 openings per 100 new hires in the fourth quarter of 2002. (See Figure 1.) In the 16 workforce service areas (WSAs), the percentage in the second quarter of 2004 varied from less than 10 openings posted to roughly 40 openings posted per 100 new hires in both Northwest Minnesota and Stearns-Benton.
In second quarter 2004, job postings in MJB and AJB over-represented
estimated job openings in a range of occupational groups, including Architectural
and Engineering, Business and Financial Operations, Computer and Mathematical,
Management, and Production. In the same quarter, job postings under-represented
estimated job openings in other occupational groups, including Building and
Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance, Food Preparation and Serving Related, Healthcare
Support, Legal, and Personal Care and Service.
The share of individual employers using Minnesota’s Job Bank compared to all employers hiring over the last year is roughly 8 percent. While this number remains low, the overall trend indicates an estimated 10 percent increase over 2003. (See Figure 2.) In the 16 WSAs, the share of employers using MJB in the second quarter of 2004 ranges from roughly 3 percent to over 10 percent in three areas, Duluth, South Central and Stearns-Benton.
Large employers are much more likely to post jobs on MJB than small employers. In the second quarter 2004, 22 percent of employers with 250 or more employees used MJB. This compares to 13 percent of employers with 50 to 249 employees. (See Figure 3.)
Employers in some industries are more likely than others to post job openings on MJB. In the first half of 2004, these industries included Administrative and Waste Services, Health Care, Information, Management, Manufacturing, Mining, Public Administration, Transportation and Warehousing, Utilities, and Wholesale Trade. Industries less likely to use MJB included Accommodation and Food Services; Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; Arts, Entertainment and Recreation; Construction; Educational Services; Real Estate and Rental and Leasing; and Retail Trade.
For detailed tables, including WSA-specific results where available, visit www.deed.state.mn.us/results/index.htm
For more information on these numbers, please contact Susan Lindoo at susan.lindoo@state.mn.us or 651-297-8054.
Federal Grants Update: Incentive Grant Awards
Minnesota, for the second year, is the recipient of a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) incentive grant. This grant supports innovative workforce development and education activities that are authorized under title I (Workforce Investment Systems) or title II (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act of WIA, or under the Perkins Act (Public Law 105-332, 20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.).
To fill the pipeline with skilled workers and fuel Minnesota’s current and future economy, a general understanding of mathematical concepts is required for every occupation. A deeper understanding of mathematics is necessary for individuals working in and preparing to work in Minnesota’s high growth industries such as manufacturing, health care, and biosciences. Therefore, this year’s Minnesota award, which totals $852,449 over a two-year period, focuses on foundational math skills. The Minnesota Governor's Workforce Development Council (www.gwdc.org) will announce, in the near future, the request-for-proposal process for local entities in Minnesota for this year's WIA incentive grant funds.
In order to qualify for a WIA grant award, a state must have exceeded performance levels, agreed to by the Secretaries, Governor, and State Education Officer, for outcomes in WIA title I, adult education, and vocational education (Perkins Act) programs. The goals include placement after training, retention in employment, and improvement in literacy levels, among others.
In 2004, Minnesota was awarded a $750,000 WIA incentive grant that is funding support projects that deliver English language training to Minnesota workers that have limited English skills. To date, there are 12 English language training projects underway throughout the state for incumbent workers, and more projects are being developed.
News Note: Minnesota Unemployment Rate is Sixth Best in the Nation
The states’ unemployment rates for June were announced on July 22, and Minnesota enjoys the sixth-lowest rate in the nation. Hawaii (2.7 percent), New Hampshire (3.5 percent), North Dakota (3.4 percent), Vermont (3.5 percent) and Virginia (3.6 percent) have lower unemployment rates, and Wyoming has the same unemployment rate as Minnesota (3.7 percent). With the exception of Virginia, these states with lower unemployment rates are less than one third of Minnesota’s population size.
By Kathy Sweeney
Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) is a free service offering a single secure website to find and apply for federal grants offered by the 26 federal agencies that award grants. The site allows users to sign up for e-mail notification of a variety of grant opportunities, and the site is developing capacity to accept grant applications online. Succeed, a quarterly newsletter, is available with the latest news and updates about Grants.gov.
GrantStation (www.grantstation.com) offers a fee-based subscription to a weekly e-newsletter which covers federal, foundation and state grants as well as relevant conference updates. National Association of Workforce Boards (www.nawb.org) members receive the newsletter as part of their annual membership services.
Stay tuned to the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration’s website (www.doleta.gov) for news on a fall round of grant applications under “The President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants.” The first round of grant applications was due on July 3 and Minnesota submitted two applications; one in the metro area for manufacturing and one in southeastern Minnesota for health care/bioscience.
Please let me know if your Workforce Investment Board (WIB) is interested in working on a fall-round application so we can coordinate our efforts and maximize our outcomes.
Check It Out: Useful Products, Services, Resources
By Kathy Sweeney
The Road to Sector Success: A Guide for Workforce Boards is available for downloading at no charge on the National Association of Workforce Boards website at www.nawb.org. This 24-page guide provides simple practical instruction and advice for WIBs interested in using a sector approach to service delivery. It features lessons learned by WIBs nationwide about how to successfully implement this approach.
The Family Economic Success Quarterly Newsletter is published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to provide updates on activities, developments and resources in the three major strategy areas of family economic success -- workforce development, family economic support and community investment. To receive this free newsletter please visit www.aecf.org/lists.
Interested in receiving a free monthly e-newsletter that includes ideas to improve your marketing success and is designed for Workforce Investment Boards from across the country? Visit Full Capacity Marketing, Inc.’s website at www.fullcapacitymarketing.com.
Also take a look at the ImagiSHiFT website (www.imagishift.com) to sign up for its employer outreach workgroup monthly newsletter. The site features information on live webinars (online seminars delivered over the Internet) and a variety of resources to create recognized and valued employer services. Rick Maher, who was a keynote speaker at the 2004 Minnesota Development Conference, is the President/CEO of Maher & Maher, which together with Full Capacity Marketing, Inc. jointly offers ImagiSHiFT. ImagiSHiFT specializes in helping WIBs and one-stops succeed in serving business customers.
Economic Development Association Honors Stearns-Benton, Dakota County, and State Level Partnerships
The Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) of Stearns-Benton and Dakota County each earned an economic development award from the Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM). A total of nine awards were presented at EDAM’s summer conference on June 22.
The Stearns-Benton WIB was honored for its role in a partnership award to Partners for Strategic Growth for The Best Economic Development Partnership Project.
The Dakota County WIB was recognized for its leadership in a Best Event: Project award for their work on the Dakota Futurist project.
An award for Best Initiative /Workforce /Training Project went to the Minnesota Workforce Council Association, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and the Governor's Workforce Council Association for a project named Economic Development 101 for Workforce Councils.
For more information on the awards visit www.edam.org/
Pirkl Recognizes DEED and Joe Klein for Strategic Partnership
In an e-mail to Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Matt Kramer, DEED and Joe Klein of the Dakota County WorkForce Centers, were praised by Ken Pirkl, Field Specialist, Minnesota Technology, Inc.
“First, I applaud your continued efforts of emphasizing the strategic relationship that is growing between the staff of DEED and Minnesota Technology, Inc.,” wrote Pirkl. “It is a pleasure to work with DEED's Business Services Specialists.”
“In particular, I want to applaud the efforts of one individual who truly emphasizes our partnering efforts when working with his clients. This individual is Joe Klein. He truly embodies this philosophy by keeping his clients' best interest at heart in helping these companies find every avenue for growth. He accomplishes this by finding solutions that address the competitive challenges they face in today's economy. This is achieved by using all known DEED resources coupled with the Competitive Review Analysis provided by Minnesota Technology, Inc.”
“As head of DEED, you need to know about your staff, whom embody the collaborative spirit our organizations are building, and know I find it a privilege to work with this dedicated individual.”
Key Contacts:
Kathy Sweeney Stephen Larson Connie Ireland |
Rick Roy Dave Niermann Jim Wrobleski Joan Danielson |
We Need Your Feedback
We're trying to make this newsletter as timely and useful as we possibly can and, to accomplish that goal, we need to know what you want to know. We need and welcome any feedback you can offer – especially concerning topics of broad statewide or regional interest to the WIBs and all other partners. To register your questions, comments, complaints and suggestions, simply send an e-mail to wib.news@state.mn.us. We'll do our best to address your concerns directly and use your feedback to help us develop articles for future editions of the newsletter.
Thanks.