WEadership helps prepare workforce leaders for success

November 18, 2011 By

Something very significant is happening in Workforce Development: With a labor market in flux and public resources shrinking, workforce leaders are finding new ways to advance workforce development goals in their communities by finding new ways to lead.  The Enhancing Workforce Leadership Initiative was designed to explore the meaning and practice of leadership in workforce development, identify the skills and behaviors that help leaders succeed, and inform the development of tools, resources, and opportunities intended to build next-generation leadership capacity within the workforce system.

The Weadership Framework describes six practices of leadership that offer new approaches to workforce leaders and policy makers to advance workforce development goals in their communities. More online resources including video, audio recordings, slidedecks, discussion summaries, toolkits, and social media are available on the project’s web archive at EnhancingWorkforceLeadership.org

Filed Under: Featured, Initiatives

DWD report chronicles a unique year

October 4, 2011 By

The 2011 Annual Workforce System Report from the Missouri Division of Workforce Development chronicles the challenges faced this year and the successes in rising to those challenges.  In addition to regular features like performance attainment, business services, and job seeker services, the report profiled the Disaster Recovery Jobs Program and the Next Generation Career Center initiative.

Filed Under: Featured, Initiatives, News, Public Policy, Research, Training & Education

Aspen suggests ways to align WF and Eco Dev

October 3, 2011 By

The Aspen Work Strategies Initiative published a white paper suggesting ways for aligning economic development with workforce development efforts.  The paper describes how capacities of workforce development programs need to better connect to employers and economic development in their community. The publication also highlights how groups of stakeholders in three cities collaborate to support local industry and ensure that job opportunities that occur through economic development go to local residents.

Filed Under: Featured, Public Policy, Research

Colleges win $20 million healthcare grant

September 28, 2011 By

Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that Missouri community colleges will invest $20 million through MoHealthWINS, a statewide effort to educate 4,600 more Missourians for health care jobs and careers. Under Gov. Nixon’s leadership, Missouri’s 12 community colleges and Linn State Technical College collaborated with the Missouri Department of Economic Development and the state’s Workforce Investment Boards to apply for these federal funds to retrain unemployed Missourians for jobs and careers in growing health care fields.

The colleges estimate that MoHealthWINS will provide educational opportunities for approximately 4,600 additional Missourians. The grant specifically targets unemployed adult learners who are seeking new career opportunities.

“From the moment I became Governor, we have worked closely with Missouri’s outstanding community colleges to train more Missourians for the jobs and careers of tomorrow and to get folks back to work,” Gov. Nixon said. “Missouri’s health care industry is growing quickly, and hospitals, clinics and other employers need more nurses, lab techs and other workers with the right education and skills today. By expanding educational opportunities for Missourians in these fields, we’ll open the door for employment for more folks and keep our economy growing. This is a strategic investment in the growth of our economy and the future of our state.”

Individual colleges will use these funds to develop or expand training programs in the health services and health sciences industry, which is a targeted industry under the Missouri Strategic Initiative for Economic Growth. The application focused on this industry because it offers immediate and long-term employment opportunities and relatively high-wage jobs. Training will target specific occupations within this industry, including:

  • Health information technologist
  • Information systems
  • Certified nursing aide
  • Certified medical technician
  • Licensed practical nurse
  • Associate nursing degree
  • Pharmacy technician
  • Hearing instrument technician
  • Medical lab technician
  • Phlebotomist
  • Radiologic technician
  • Maintenance technician
  • Mechanical technician

These competitive funds were made available under the U.S. Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant Program. When the grant process was announced, Gov. Nixon brought Missouri’s community colleges together to submit a joint, comprehensive application. In the application, the colleges looked for ways to develop collaborative and targeted programs that would capitalize on the unique resources of each college, avoid duplication, and save money. Colleges will share equipment and faculty, emphasize online and distance learning and take other steps to expand access, improve efficiency and reduce redundancy.

Throughout the application process, senior leaders within Gov. Nixon’s administration worked closely with community college and Workforce Investment Board leaders to develop and craft the grant application. In April 2011, Gov. Nixon submitted a strong letter in support of the application, noting that this investment supplemented his “Big Goal” for higher education: Increasing the percentage of Missourians who hold a postsecondary credential from 37 percent to 60 percent by 2020. Gov. Nixon also discussed the importance of this application directly with federal leaders, including Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

“This grant is a major step forward for our community colleges in our efforts to expand opportunities for adult students across this state,” said Zora Mulligan, executive director of the Missouri Community College Association. “Throughout this process, Gov. Nixon has been a steadfast partner, and his leadership was instrumental in making our application so successful. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Gov. Nixon and with the state’s Workforce Investment Boards to turn this grant into real learning opportunities for folks in every corner of Missouri.”

Gov. Nixon will visit several community colleges in the coming days to detail specific programs that will be developed or expanded as a result of this grant.

Filed Under: Featured, Training & Education

TEAM elects officers for 2011-2012

September 20, 2011 By

TEAM is pleased to announce its slate of officers elected by the members for the 2011-2012 program year.   [Read more…]

Filed Under: Featured, News

Empowered to Deliver theme for DED conference

September 13, 2011 By

Empowered to Deliver is the theme for the 2011 Missouri Governors Conference on Economic Development.  Set for September 21-23, this year’s location is the University Plaza Convention Center in Springfield.  Members of TEAM will be meeting in Springfield with workforce leaders of community colleges and the Division of Workforce Development on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of overall conference activities.

Filed Under: Events, Featured

MO unemployment just below national average

September 12, 2011 By

Missouri’s unemployment rate remains three-tenths of a point below the national average, according to data released today by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Missouri’s unemployment rate for August is 8.8 percent, up one-tenth of a point from the July report. The state’s unemployment rate remains seven-tenths of a point lower than it was in January.

The national unemployment rate is currently 9.1 percent. The state’s nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 3,100 during August.

Filed Under: Featured, Research

Disaster jobs program launches throughout Missouri

July 13, 2011 By

Workers who are unable to work due to the floods that occurred in Southeast Missouri or the tornado that struck the Joplin area on May 22 can apply for temporary jobs to restore those communities.

The jobs will focus on clean-up and humanitarian efforts, such as clearing and removing debris. Under the Missouri Disaster Recovery Jobs Program, the first priority will be to employ workers who lost their jobs because of the tornado or floods. Second priority will go to workers who are unemployed for other reasons.

Safety training and equipment will be provided for each worker, in addition to vaccinations or other preventive medical procedures necessary to work in the disaster area.

The following Missouri counties have been approved for Public Assistance:  Barry County, Bollinger County, Butler County, Cape Girardeau County, Carter County, Christian County, Douglas County, Dunklin County, Howell County, Iron County, Jasper County, Madison County, McDonald County, Miller County, Mississippi County, New Madrid County, Newton County, Oregon County, Ozark County, Pemiscot County, Perry County, Polk County, Reynolds County, Ripley County, Saint Francois County, Sainte Genevieve County, Scott County, Shannon County, Stoddard County, Stone County, Taney County, Texas County, Washington County, Wayne County, Webster County, and Wright County.

To apply for a job under the Missouri Disaster Recovery Job Program…

  •  You must be registered to become eligible for the program by going to www.MissouriCareerSource.com. You can register now. This is not an application, but will speed your application process when the time comes.
  • Visit the career centers in the following regions:
    • Central region—Camdenton, Fort Leonard Wood, Jefferson City, Lebanon and Rolla
    • Ozark Region—Branson and Springfield
    • South Central Region—West Plains and Poplar Bluff
    • Southeast Region—Cape Girardeau, Caruthersville, Kennett, Park Hills, and Sikeston
    • Southwest Region—Joplin and Monett

Filed Under: Featured, Initiatives

Gov. Nixon dedicates June as Workforce Development Month

June 10, 2011 By

Noting that a well-prepared workforce is “vital to the success of our state,” Gov. Jay Nixon proclaimed June 2011 “Workforce Development Professionals Month” in Missouri. The proclamation specifically honors the staff of Missouri Career Centers, regional workforce boards, and state community colleges. Gov. Nixon’s declaration was announced June 2 at the annual conference of the Missouri Association for Workforce Development.

Further celebrating the contributions of the workforce system, the recent Missouri Association for Workforce Development recognized hard work within their community. MAWD held their conference in Osage Beach June 1-3.

Jaydean Miller, Welcome Team Leader at the Missouri Career Center—Springfield, was recognized as MAWD’s Workforce Professional of the Year. Audrey Matranga, who joined the labor-exchange team at the St. Charles County Missouri Career Center in 2010, was recognized as the outstanding “New Workforce Professional of the Year.” Marsha Nagel, Executive I with the Division of Workforce Development’s Financial Management staff, was the first recipient of the “Workforce Keystone Award,” created by MAWD to recognize internal support of the workforce development professional community.

Filed Under: News

NLC: America’s job training system is working

May 4, 2011 By

The National League of Cities published a news analysis on May 2nd on the effectiveness of the public workforce system. The NCL represents more than 19 thousand communities nationwide.

If there is a single mantra that is heard over and over again, it is that the country must find a way to put Americans back to work. Though a major obstacle to putting people back to work is a lack of jobs, another obstacle is the mismatch between the skills of unemployed workers and what business needs. This mismatch has contributed substantially to the slow rate of return of America’s unemployed to the workforce.

Recognizing this is one part of the solution. Addressing it head on is yet another part. There is at least one important way to address this problem at the local level and that is through the nation’s workforce development system. Established by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the nation’s workforce development system is designed to provide a wide range of services to individuals in need of job training and placement assistance.

For example, last year, the workforce development system provided more than 10 million Americans with a wide range of services including apprenticeships, job training, basic education and job placement assistance. More than 8 million of those came through the Workforce Investment Act system alone. The remainder came through a range of workforce development programs designed to meet the needs of specific populations like migrant workers, American Indians, seniors and youth. And if you add those who received Internet-based assistance, an additional 8.5 million adults were helped.

As one travels across the country, one will find example after example of individual job training programs that have provided individuals with excellent job training assistance that have resulted in them being placed in well-paying if entry level jobs. Programs funded by the WIA are placing nearly 60 percent of their enrollees in jobs paying on average nearly $14,000 per year. And of those in jobs, nearly 80 percent were still on the job after one year.

Filed Under: Featured, Public Policy, Research
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