John “Juan Pablo” HersheyPlanning & Community Partnerships Manager of Workforce Solutions

Recruitment, Assessment, and Orientation Methods to Identify

Students Who Will Go the Distance

October 2014

WHO WE ARE

• 1 of 28 Workforce Development Boards in Texas• Report to the Texas Workforce Commission• Service area includes Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy

counties• Community Partner

WHAT WE DO

• Assist the unemployed and underemployed• Match qualified job seekers to job opening(s)• Provide trainings, work experience and resources• Analyze labor market information and industry

sectors, and identify regional target occupations• Seek and build community partnerships and leverage

resources• Support employers and local economies

REGIONAL VIEW

THE PROJECT

• Texas Higher Education Board (THEB), Accelerate Texas, Dislocated Worker Training, National Emergency Grant (NEG) – South Texas College received $57.9K grant funds– Target population, Long-Term

Unemployed/Dislocated Workers– 24 month project– Serve 30 participants > now 33 – Participant educational level criteria

PLANNING

• Convened partners – South Texas College, Workforce Board, Contractor• Discussed project intent and contract deliverables• Outlined/designated roles & responsibilities• Data analysis of job seeker pool including a survey• Made data driven decisions• Reviewed target occupations and local business need• Collectively agreed on project criteria

IMPLEMENTATION

• Workforce Solutions (WFS) and South Texas College (STC) agreed on the type of training and recruitment strategy

• CDL/Truck Driving training, combined with OSHA and CPR safety training– WFS & STC designated a single point of contact (SPOC)– WFS is responsible for outreach and co-enrollment into the Workforce

Investment Act (WIA)/Dislocated Worker program(s)– WFS developed flyers and used social media to recruit– WFS created process forms specifically for this project

• Following eligibility verification, participants paid a fee to STC for required background/vehicle record check (participants were reimbursed within two weeks by STC for this fee)

Social Media and Flyer

Facebook page Marketing Flyer

EXECUTION & OUTCOMES • All interested participants spoke to the same WFS (SPOC) for intake, and

eligibility screening • GOAL - Train and Employ 30 participants

– 1,518 interested participants called– 198 prescreened – 93 TABE tested (Must score below a 8.9 in at least one area to be eligible) – 59 referred to STC– 40 cleared by STC (Must check no debts are owed to the school) – 57 completed CAPS & COPS – 4 pending eligibility documentation– 24 eligible and have started or completed classes– 11 are employed in area of training– 1 has CDL no job, 7 completed training and are line to test, 2 completed

eligibility but dropped out before starting

REVIEW

1. Convened partners2. Understood contract deliverables3. Conducted data analysis 4. Developed procedure(s) and processes5. Planned, implemented and developed

marketing strategies 6. Monitor progress

John Hershey Planning & Community Partnerships Manager Workforce Solutions

(956) 928-5000 or johnh@wfsolutions.org

Thank you

October, 2014