WIOA: An Opportunity to Better Serve Immigrant Professionals? May 13 th, 2015 2-3 pm Eastern Standard Time Dial-In: +1-415-655-0001 Access Code: 666 955 146
What is IMPRINT? IMPRINT is a national coalition of nonprofits helping underemployed skilled immigrants to start their American careers. IMPRINT: Creates and disseminates resources Advocates for policies that facilitate immigrant integration Broadcasts best practices www.imprintproject.org
Today s Moderator and Presenter Moderator Stacey K. Simon Director of IMPRINT Presenter Amanda Bergson-Shilcock Senior Policy Analyst of National Skills Coalition
WIOA & Immigrant Professionals A Webinar for IMPRINT Members
Our Vision We seek an America that grows its economy by investing in its people, so that every worker and every industry has the skills to compete and prosper.
Our Mission We organize broad-based coalitions seeking to raise the skills of America s workers across a range of industries. We advocate for public policies that invest in what works, as informed by our members real-world expertise. And we communicate these goals to an American public seeking a vision for a strong U.S. economy that allows everyone to be part of its success.
Today s Webinar Context: What is WIOA? How do immigrant professionals fit into WIOA? Opportunity: Upcoming deadlines WIOA implementation in your state and locality Plus: Your Questions
Your Pre-Webinar Questions were focused on: How to access WIOA funding Understanding the WIOA state planning process Opportunities for innovation under WIOA Eligible activities under WIOA Whether WIOA addresses credentialing issues We ll cover each of these areas today.
Questions We Won t Cover Details of program models and direct service How to get credentials evaluated Other non-wioa topics Visit imprintproject.org for additional resources Photo credit: Flickr user Michael Theis. Used by permission under a Creative Commons license.
Context: Congress Passed WIOA! Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), July 2014 Passed with overwhelming, bipartisan support in the House (415-6) and Senate (95-3) Photo credit: Flickr user Joshua Sosrosaputro Used by permission under a Creative Commons license.
WIOA: What s the Scale? Title I (workforce) $2.62 billion in funding 8 million people served annually Title II (adult education) $700 million in funding 1.6 million people served annually ~700,000 Adult Basic Education ~200,000 Adult Secondary Education (GED) ~700,000 English Language instruction (ESL)
How Do Immigrants Fit into WIOA? Title I - Workforce (for workauthorized individuals) Title II - Adult Education (silent on immigration status) English Language/Civics Integrated basic education and occupational training ( I-BEST type models) Adult Basic Education Adult Secondary Education
Where Can Immigrant Professionals Fit? Adult education if they have Limited English Proficiency Workforce services if they are low income and/or meet other eligibility criteria
WIA to WIOA: How Much Change? In order to pass WIOA, could not make huge changes to old WIA law Therefore, WIOA will not by itself drive systems change Creates lots of opportunities for change, but will need strong commitment from the field to capitalize on those opportunities
WIOA: Four Themes Sector Partnerships Career Pathways Cross-Program Data and Measurement Job-Driven Investments We ll come back to these.
Your Questions How to Access WIOA Funding
How WIOA Funds Flow (simplified) Federal Appropriations $ States (departments of labor, education, etc.) Community Colleges* Local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) Community- Based Organizations* (CBOs) School Districts* *Some states.
Potential Opportunities for Nonprofits *State-specific restrictions may apply. Photo credit: Flickr user Skyline_College. Used by permission under a Creative Commons license. Apply for adult education funds from state agency* Advocate for subcontracts for workforce services from Local Board Seek funding at the state level through the 15% setasides.
What s Different in WIOA: Job-Driven Investments New emphasis on training directly connected to jobs: o Incumbent worker training, o On-the-job training o Apprenticeship o Other work-based learning
Federal Principles for Job-Driven Training Will Underlie Federal Discretionary Funding Engage employers Promote earn and learn strategies Use data to strengthen training programs Measure what matters Develop career pathways Build regional partnerships. Ensure all individuals can succeed in the labor market
Your Questions Understanding the WIOA State Planning Process
What s Different in WIOA: State Plans Requires each state to develop a unified plan covering all core WIOA programs. (Alternative, more robust option: combined plan. ) Due: March 2016
Implications for Nonprofits Get a seat at the planning table. Work to ensure that state plan fully documents immigrant demographics and needs Photo credit: Flickr user Maryland GovPics. Used by permission under a Creative Commons license.
Your Questions Eligible Activities & Opportunities for Innovation Under WIOA
What s Different in WIOA: Integrated Programs Emphasizes integrated education and training (I- BEST-like models) Specifically notes that integrated EL/civics education includes immigrant professionals with low English skills
Implications for Nonprofits Opportunity to scale up existing IET programs or launch new ones Potential for partnerships with colleges or other institutions Questions about implications of changes in makeup of participant population Photo credit: Flickr user UNH Manchester. Used by permission under a Creative Commons license.
What s Different: WIOA Codifies Career Pathways The term career pathway means a combination of rigorous and highquality education, training, and other services that (A) aligns with the skill needs of industries in the economy of the State or regional economy involved; (B) prepares an individual to be successful in any of a full range of secondary or postsecondary education options, including registered apprenticeships; (C) includes counseling to support an individual in achieving the individual s education and career goals; (D) includes, as appropriate, education offered concurrently with and in the same context as workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster; (E) organizes education, training, and other services to meet the particular needs of an individual in a manner that accelerates the educational and career advancement of the individual to the extent practicable; (F) enables an individual to attain a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and at least 1 recognized postsecondary credential; and (G) helps an individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster.
A Key Feature: Career Pathways Navigators Education and career counselors Some draw parallels to Affordable Care Act patient navigators Others compare to promotora model Deep knowledge of educational options/resources and cultural/linguistic factors is important
Implications for Nonprofits Consider how IET programs can be one part of a career pathway Analyze how career pathways approaches may aid immigrant professionals
Implications for Nonprofits (continued) Unclear how career pathways approaches will use existing programmatic building blocks. Nonprofits that have pre-established connections to the public workforce system or community colleges may be better prepared to ensure their services are part of new pathways Danger that so-called mainstream organizations may lack specific expertise in serving immigrant professionals
Implications for Immigrant Professionals Multiple entry/exit points Potentially useful for immigrant professionals who seek to acquire a short-term US credential in addition to their foreign degree Will require greater coordination among nonprofits, colleges, and other providers Danger of poor information leading to lost credits, time, or money Signifies milestone achieved, such as attainment of a credential
What s Different in WIOA: Sector Partnerships State plans must describe how employers will be engaged including through industry or sector partnerships Local Boards must develop, convene, or implement sector partnerships
Implications for Nonprofits Organizations already involved in sector partnerships should be talking to their Local Workforce Board Those not yet involved in sector partnerships may wish to consider which local, highdemand industry is of most interest to their immigrant constituents
What s Different in WIOA: Performance Measures Creates a single set of common performance measures across core programs, including: Unsubsidized employment; Median earnings; Receipt of a secondary diploma or recognized postsecondary credential; Measurable skills gains toward a credential or employment; and Employer engagement
Implications for Nonprofits Many questions remain, including: How some measures will be defined How state-level goals will be established How measures will function across programs with different eligibility criteria (e.g. Title I & Title II)
Your Questions Credentialing
WIOA Emphasizes Credentials Several states are currently attempting to compile lists of industry-recognized credentials The federal CareerOneStop.org site also has a Certification Finder feature for providers or participants. Available in English and Spanish:
CareerOneStop Website: A Closer Look
But WIOA Does Not Fund Re-credentialing Organizations seeking to help immigrant professionals become re-licensed in the US should look elsewhere to fund licensing applications Photo credit: Flickr user Justin Valas. Used by permission under a Creative Commons license.
The Bottom Line WIOA is more May than Shall Your creative innovation can help to spark opportunity for immigrant professionals
WIOA: Key Dates June 15, 2015: Public comments on draft regulations due January 22, 2016: Final regulations published March 3, 2016: Unified state plans due June 30, 2016: Employer engagement measure due
Additional WIOA Resources NSC side-by-side NSC WIOA resource page DOL WIOA resource page (Title I) OCTAE WIOA resource page (Title II) OSERS WIOA resource page (Title IV)
Career Pathways Resources National Skills Coalition /state-policy/career-pathways National Career Pathways Network www.ncpn.info Career Pathways Exchange on LINCS https://lincs.ed.gov/programs/movingpathways/career-pathways-exchange Alliance for Quality Career Pathways/CLASP www.clasp.org/careerpathway
For Those Interested in the Big Picture Pathway evaluators show different pathways or patterns of participation across programs, and the credential and labor market outcomes associated with them. They: Show these pathways and outcomes for a particular population of interest Determine which combination of services works best for that group Ensure that skills programs work together to equitably and efficiently prepare workers with different needs
More about Pathway Evaluators / resources/publications/file/sweap _Pathway_Evaluator_Report.pdf
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Q & A Amanda Bergson-Shilcock Senior Policy Analyst, National Skills Coalition 215-285-2860 amandabs@nationalskillscoalition.org Stacey K. Simon Director, IMPRINT stacey@imprintproject.org www.imprintproject.org
COMING SOON IMPRINT Survey of College-Educated Immigrants, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, is now closed. Results will be publicly announced next month, and posted on our website with webinars to follow. Visit www.imprintproject.org/wessurvey for more information.