Summer 2015

Pathways & Partnerships

Converge to Fill Skill Gaps

SectorReadyORKFORCE ™

Leadership

Workforce Investment Board of Southwest MissouriP.O. Box 1706 | Joplin, MO 64802 | 417-206-1717 | www.workforzone.netEqual Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary aids or services available upon request

TTY/TDD Missouri Relay Service 711 WIOA/US DOL-ETA Funded Project/Service National Career Readiness Certificate logo is the registered trademark of ACT, Inc.

Chair: Marsha Wallace, Empire District Electric Co.Treasurer: Brad Baker, US BankSecretary: Teddy Steen, United WayImmediate Past Chair: Ray Tubaugh, Arvest Bank Susan Adams, Joplin Workshops, Inc.Cary Beasley, Joplin Area Chamber of CommerceCorin Berryhill, Carpenters UnionJohn Claybrook, Standard TransportationShiloh Cooper, Preferred Family Healthcare/AO Jason Cravens, Joplin SchoolsMichelle Ducre, Missouri Southern State UniversityJulie Carter, Division of Workforce DevelopmentBrenda Fletcher, All Points RecyclingTeresa Gilliam, Wildwood Ranch DevelopmentSonya Hayward, Arning Canopies, Inc.Dan Hill, Crossland ConstructionClaude Howard, Crowder College Albert Johnson, Con-Way Truckload Debbie Little, RKL CommunicationsJeff Meredith, Monett Chamber of CommerceLarry Shellhorn, Arvest Bank Jane Sligar, NY Life Insurance Rhonda Stafford, RBC Horizon, Inc. Mark Turnbull, Joplin Regional Partnership Cathee Wolford, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

2015 Board of Directors

Jasen Jones, Executive DirectorSherri Rhuems, Operations ManagerRobert Shyrock, Fiscal Manager

Regional System Support Staff WIB StaffLeslie Abram, Business ServicesKris Baldwin, Quality Assurance Melinda Carrico, Accounting Tom Evansco, Outreach Projects Frank Neely, Research & LogisticsTroy Roland, Job Center Leader

AWARDS HONOR ROLL

System-Building Award, National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, 2015

America’s first nationally-certified ACT Work Ready Community, 2013 (also first to be re-certified in 2015)

2014 Show-Me Award for Collaboration, MO ACT Council

Governors E-3 Award for Excellence in Employment, Education, and Economic Development, 2012

IEDC Case Study on Economic Development Integration, 2010

Nation’s first quad-state WIRED initiative with DOL, 2008-2010

DOL National Case Study on Labor Market Innovation, 2008

DOL National Business Learning Partnership, 2006-2007

Numerous invitations for state and national conference presentations on WIB innovations

Summer 2015

Partnerships and Pathways Converge for a

Sector Ready Workforce

Region Races Ahead: Winning New Jobs

with Work Ready Communities

2015 Workforce Summit Set for Sept. 22

Pathways to Sector Excellence

Disaster Recovery Efforts Underway

for Cassville

National Association Honors WIB with

System Building Award

Neosho Job Center Celebrates

Grand Opening

Partners Join Forces to pursue new

Advanced Training Technology Center

Welfare Reform Focuses on Workforce

Quality and Integration

Missouri Begins Implementing Key WIOA

Improvements and Brand Alignment

NCRC Helps Policy Makers Embrace

Reforms for Education and Social Services

Making Regional Impact

Looking Ahead

WIB Expands Research Tools for Economic

Development and Sector Impact

Regional Excellence Highlighted in National

and State Conferences

Workforce System Impact and Performance

At Your Service

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Partnerships and Pathways Help Bridge Skill Gaps for a Sector Ready Workforce

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SectorReadyORKFORCE

• SectorReady™ surveys and focus groups with targeted sector leaders underway Summer 2015• Heartland Workforce Summit 9/22/15: Present key findings, debut of SectorReady™ framework, summit sessions on ideas and strategies (see page 10) • WorkKeys® Job Profile development and analysis to quantify minimum standards for cognitive skills, knowledge, abilities, behavior, etc. • Partnership meetings by sector (blend of on-site and virtual for convenience)• Human Centered Design teams of industry stakeholders and strategic partners for pathway tools • Production of realistic job preview videos and testimonials by sector• Collaboration with educators for design teams to deploy short-term, low-cost training for industry- driven micro-credentials or skill badges • Design and implementation of sustainability and performance metrics

• Online tools distributed at SectorReady.org• Train local K12 schools and colleges to implement SectorReady™ tools • Full implementation at American Job Centers and participating partner agencies

Employers are ready to hire, but the jobs have

changed and qualified candidates are harder to find.

Job seekers need new skills to keep up with ever-

changing demands. People of all backgrounds find

themselves lost in a maze and yesterday’s answers are

not enough. Too few job counselors are equipped to

help students and adults. SectorReady™ pathways

use a supply chain approach aligning business needs

and economic development strategies with local

education and workforce systems to expand the

region’s prosperity. The full list of deliverables and

projected impacts (listed at left) help empower all of

these workforce customers and stakeholders:

Leading-edge training such as micro-credentials and badges, barrier removal, multiple points of entry for diverse needs, and a no-wrong-door approach all come together through career pathways to blaze new trails of prosperity for businesses and the workforce in the SectorReady initiative.

Why Career Pathways? Why Now?

EMPLOYERSIdentifying and closing skill gaps means businesses are more productive and responsive to customer demands, all while reducing risk and increasing profitability. Employers who participate in SectorReady research can receive official WorkKeys Job Profiles at no charge through grant underwriting.

STUDENTSHigh school and college learners can get immediate answers on how to enter careers faster, maximize earning potential, and avoid student loan debt.

TRANSITIONING WORKERSThe best hand out is a hand up. When hitting hard times, individuals need a road map to get back on track and make smart choices in training and re-employment.

COMMUNITIES Workforce quality and availability are top considerations of investors and decision-makers where job growth will occur. A stronger workforce and more profitable employers are crucial to boost the local tax base and quality of life.

™

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How SectorReady Pathways Work

Career Pathways support a job-driven agenda

that integrates industry-driven training with

supportive services and career counseling.

What sets this model apart from the past

is a work-first approach that specifies

shorter-term training options that

build on one another to equip

students for quick entry and

advancement through the

job. Likewise, populations

with specific barriers have

a customized point

of entry. The model

addresses unique

physical, mental,

social, economic,

and academic

needs.

Career Pathways help reduce duplication and system inefficiencies to best help workers get

good jobs and make seamless transitions from one educational stepping stone to another.

Being locally driven, the model can maximize resources by blending and braiding services and

funding resulting in streamlined services with faster career outcomes. The Alliance for Quality

Career Pathways framework from the Center for Law and Social Policy cites three important

design features:

Multiple Exit Points to Grow: Each stage of career advancement is a new exit point of the pathway, measured by successful outcomes of employment, retention, earnings increase, and new relevant credentials. Users re-enter the pathway to begin the next stage of advancement.

Well-Connected and Transparent: The heart of the pathway system is an array of user-friendly resources. Training, career counseling, and supportive services are integrated to help pathway users overcome barriers and reach their goals.

Multiple Points of Entry: Well-prepared students and targeted populations alike need entry points customized to their strengths and weakness. Successful pathways have a no-wrong-door-approach to help empower users to overcome physical, social, economic, and academic barriers.

NATIONAL CAREER

READINESS

CERTIFICATE

™

SECTOR READY™

ENTRY LEVEL CREDENTIALSINTERMEDIATE CREDENTIALS

CAREER ADVANCEMENTADVANCED CREDENTIALS & RELEVANT DEGREES

ADVANCED CREDENTIALS/DEGREESProfessional and/or management level credentials. Relevant degrees at 2-year, 4-year, or higher levels.Near or at higher points of sector/career pathways.

INTERMEDIATE CREDENTIALSAdditional technical skills leading to stackable credentials.Advance to 2nd, 3rd, or more job promotions in the pathway.Supervisory skills to lead entry-level employees.

SECTOR READY™Short-term training and micro-credentials. Proven core technical skills in demand for success in work-based learning and entry-level jobs.

NCRC™Foundational cognitive skills for learning and adapting to new pathway technical skills.

BeginningEmployment

GainfulEmployment

CareerEmployment

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How to Plug In to SectorReadyTRAIN SMARTER • Expand pools of qualified candidates

• Pinpoint skills needed for growth

• Refine education resources

SPEND WISELY • Reduce student debt

• Sharpen investments in education

• Boost earnings and advancement

• Improve employer profitability

COMPETE STRONGER • Retain and grow quality employees

• Reduce social service dependence

• Attract new jobs and investment

Sector partnerships are simple, user-friendly alliances of

employers, supported by strategic partners, to fuel the demand-

driven design of career pathways and workforce resources. The

strategic partners use a Human-Centered Design framework to

create a pathway system based on industry needs. Much like the

National Career Readiness Certificate and Certified Work Ready

Communities, these results-oriented partnerships are efficient

and flexible.

SectorReady™ partnerships begin with one-on-one research

and consultation with industry leaders (below-left). Those

employers participate in optional sector-specific gatherings to

review research findings, add collective insights, and discuss

potential strategies. Design teams of the strategic partners

(below-right) work in collaboration with employers to craft

and implement short-term training and credentials with higher

impact, higher volume, and lower cost.

Large AnchorFirms

MediumFirms

Startups Suppliers

SmallBusinesses

SupportSectors

EconomicDevelopment

Groups

K-12 SchoolsCareer-TechAdult Ed

Colleges &Universities

HumanServices

Job CentersWorkforce

System

IndustryExtensionsOrganized

Labor

Industry Leaders Strategic Partners

™

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The time is right for large scale impact

through SectorReady™ pathways and

partnerships in 2015-2016. With the

labor market becoming tighter, leaders

must expand the labor pool through

non-traditional sources and improve

the skills of all for the future. For more

information on how to join the effort,

contact Jasen Jones or Frank Neely at

the WIB, sectorready@jomowib.com or

visit sectorready.org.

Production IMPACT SECTORS: Advanced Manufacturing, Energy Production, Equipment & Components, Specialty Food Production & Packaging, Advanced Materials & Composites

Transportation, Distribution, & Logistics IMPACT SECTORS: Trucking & Rail Transportation, Warehousing & Distribution, Underground Warehousing

Diversified Professional Services IMPACT SECTORS: Shared Services & Reshoring, Corporate Support Services, Customer-Care Call Centers

Health Sciences & Services IMPACT SECTORS: Medical/Surgical Hospitals, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Home Healthcare, Medical and Diagnostic Labs, Offices of Physicians Energy

Information Technology

IMPACT SECTORS: Data Processing, Software Publishers, Systems Design, Crossover with Healthcare and Manufacturing sectors for customer support

Construction IMPACT SECTORS: Heavy/Commercial Construction, Residential Construction, Utility Systems Development, Specialty Trade Contractors

The unbundling of education and innovations in career pathways point toward a

brighter future. The Institute for Credentialing Excellence provides an excellent

overview of the emerging role for Digital Badges. This ICE Digest article from

Frank Catalano covers the bases of opportunities, methods, challenges, and

benefits. Fortune 500 employers confirmed their optimism in focus-group research

conducted by Professional Examination Service.

“Digital micro-credentials would help them narrow a pool of applicants to those

most likely to have the specific skills for a position. And the promise of one-click,

secure verification of a claimed micro-credential — including confirmation of

whether the credential was current — eased a pain point for many employers.”

For more info, check out the full article at www.workready.info/?p=1003. Plan to

attend the 2015 Workforce Summit, September 22nd in Joplin, for details on local

opportunities in micro-credentialing and badging.

Strategic Implications for Sector Targeting SectorReady™ focuses on six target

industry categories (sectors) in

partnership with the Joplin Regional

Partnership, the Southwest Missouri

Workforce Investment Board, and

various partners in education and local

economic development. Synergies exist

for state-level targeting as well. Targets

have many of the following in common

for regional impact:

• Local economic diversification

• Strong economic multipliers

• Resistance to cyclical recessions

• Legacy sector assets found locally

• High location quotient

• Local amenities attractive to sector

• Synergy across sectors for occupations

• Supply chain opportunities

• Local training systems for sector

• Emerging skill gaps identified

• Synergy with disaster recovery

Getting Started Employers Embrace Digital Badges for Proving Skills

Region Races Ahead with Work Ready Communities

Barry and Newton counties are among Missouri’s

newest crop of Certified Work Ready Communities.

Statewide workforce board officials approved the

credentials at their meeting in July. Governor Nixon

presented Newton County with the proclamation

August 11th in Neosho. The presentation helped kick

off ceremonies celebrating the opening of the new

La-Z-Boy Opportunity Center inside the Neosho Area

Chamber of Commerce along with a Flag of Freedom

award for La-Z-Boy’s commitment to hiring Missouri’s

veterans. Watch the event at vimeo.com/136115911.

Newton and Barry counties joined Jasper County as fully-certified Work Ready Communities (CWRC). The Joplin Metro is now Missouri’s first MSA certified as work ready. Remaining counties in the WIB and JRP areas are closing in on their goals, helping build work-ready regions and corridors. CWRC and NCRC™ investments already are paying off with new job creation and commercial investment tied to workforce quality.

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State officials are in the planning stages for the Barry

County presentation. Following closely behind are

Barton at 99% and Lawrence at 97%. Strong progress

continues in McDonald County at 77% along with Dade

County at 59%, especially considering these counties

first gained their in-progress counties in January 2015.

Once counties achieve their initial certification, new

goals are set with a two-year deadline to maintain

the credential. Following its record of becoming the

nation’s first ACT-certified CWRC in 2013, Jasper

County also finished first in the U.S. for recertification

in March 2015.

Throughout the Joplin Regional Partnership area, Ottawa

County gained its in-progress status at a kickoff event held

June 23rd and already has met 91% of its goal. Strong

testing of students and engagement of employers so far

in 2015 brought Cherokee County to 91% and Labette

County to 87%.

Gov. Nixon presents CWRC honors Aug. 11 in Neosho

Ribbon Cutting for new training center

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CWRC helps new employer add jobs to Joplin RegionOfficials from Owens-Corning joined

local and state leaders to announce a $90

million investment with more than 100 new

jobs coming to Joplin (pictured right). As

reported in the Joplin Regional Business

Journal, President of Owens Corning

Insulation, Julian Francis, said the company

became interested in locating to the area

based on Jasper County’s status as an ACT

Certified Work Ready Community.

“The equipment we can get anywhere,

but the equipment doesn’t operate without people,”

Francis told the Business Journal. “It’s really the

people that make the difference. Location in terms

of distribution is important to us, but that becomes

irrelevant if we don’t have the skilled workforce

that can work in the way we want and produce the

products we want to produce.”

Local leaders and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (pictured

above) echoed Joplin Chamber of Commerce

President Rob O’Brian in the acknowledgments

of the community and regional partnerships that

helped bring Owens Corning to Joplin. The Business

Journal’s article noted efforts made by the Missouri

Partnership, state career centers, the Workforce

Investment Board (WIB), city and county officials, the

Empire District Electric Co., the Joplin Business and

Industrial Development Corporation, and Nixon’s

leadership in getting Missouri involved with ACT Work

Ready Communities.

The WIB provided extensive research on the labor

market dynamics helpful to Owens Corning in the

review phase. The workforce team’s efforts over

the next several months include cataloging skills

and credentialing job candidates in the advanced

manufacturing pipeline to be ready for Owens

Corning’s opening slated for mid-2016. The WIB

will assist in recruitment of candidates through such

features as job fairs, interview space, and the On-the-

Job Training (OJT) program. Owens Corning plans to

use education resources, such as Crowder College

and Franklin Technology Center, as part of the Joplin

launch as well.

“This announcement is terrific news for families in the

region that will benefit from these new jobs,” Gov.

Nixon noted in his official statement. “Owens Corning’s

decision is a testament to our strong manufacturing

sector, which has seen tremendous growth over

the past few years. While some states are losing

manufacturers to other countries, we are attracting

new companies and selling more Missouri-made

products around the globe.”

Owens Corning, a global manufacturer of insulation,

roofing, and fiberglass composites, employs 15,000

people in 26 countries and posted net sales of

$5.3 billion in 2014. The company has many U.S.

facilities. Nixon added that the new Joplin facility will

manufacture Thermafiber® mineral wool insulation

for commercial, residential and industrial applications.

Thermafiber is a mineral wool that resists fire and

temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit

and provides sound control and energy efficiency in

commercial, residential, and industrial applications.

The Joplin facility will support the company’s growth

opportunities in the North American construction

markets.

Workforce Summit Slated September 22nd

With a theme inspired by success in career-ready job

candidates and work ready communities, the summit

takes the next big step toward filling the gaps for up-

to-date credentials of high-demand skills needed by

the region’s growing business sectors.

Helping stakeholders join forces in the Journey to

Sector Excellence, the Workforce Summit provides

networking and exhibits along with sessions geared

toward growing and promoting the region’s workforce

for new job investment and economic prosperity. Dr.

Mark Johnson of Pittsburg State University brings

the opening presentation on Innovations for Career

Pathways. The keynote luncheon features Jim Maher,

author of the new book Leaders, Losers, and Lessons.

Scott Sheely, previously with the WIB of Lancaster,

PA, helps paint the picture on how strategies and

techniques come together for SectorReady™.

The ever-popular Employer Innovation Panel returns

to the summit to provide insights into the challenges

and opportunities of the regional labor market. Topics

include investment drivers, growth-oriented pathways,

and micro-credentials.

The annual gathering of the region’s best in employment, education, workforce, and economic development happens 9:00 to 3:00, Tuesday, September 22nd, at Downstream Resort. The theme for the 2015 Heartland Workforce Summit is Journey to Sector Excellence.

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Summit attendees begin their networking in the exhibit

room at 9:00 a.m. The summit starts at 9:30 and

runs until 3:00 p.m. with a wide array of educational

sessions, networking breaks, and a keynote luncheon.

The 2015 Heartland Regional Workforce Summit

happens at the Downstream Casino Resort, located at

the junction of Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Take

I-44, Exit 1 and follow the signs. Register now online

at workforcesummit.net.

Tentative Summit Agenda

9:00 Sign-in and Exhibit Networking

9:30 Dr. Mark Johnson, Pittsburg State University

Train Smarter, Not Harder

10:30 Employer Innovation Panel

11:30 Intro and Trends for SectorReady™

Noon Luncheon & Keynote from author Jim Maher

Leaders, Losers, and Lessons

1:30 Strategies and Techniques for Employers,

Educators, and Community Leaders for

Sector-Driven Growth

Facilitated by Scott Sheely

2:45 Wrap Up and Adjourn

Several rounds of heavy rain in July resulted in some

of the worst flooding ever recorded for Cassville and

portions of Barry County. Floods closed numerous

streets and highways, including a popular tourist

destination, Roaring River State Park.

Southwest Missouri is no stranger to techniques

needed for recovery from flooding and tornadoes,

gaining a wealth of knowledge in deploying the state’s

largest area for the Disaster Recovery Jobs Program

(DRJP) that launched in 2011. The State Parks Youth

Corps (SPYC), also coordinated locally through the

WIB, assisted with disaster recovery for local parks.

With SPYC already active this summer at Roaring River

State Park, the youth workforce stationed at the park

went to work immediately with cleanup and recovery

efforts in July. The grants paid for wages of seven

youth and 350 hours of disaster cleanup at the park.

President Obama’s administration approved the

national-level FEMA disaster declaration August 7th for

Barry and 67 other counties in Missouri. The Missouri

Division of Workforce Development is now eligible

to apply for a grant through the U.S. Department of

Labor.

If approved by the Labor Department, the Dislocated

Worker Grant could be deployed in regions

throughout Missouri affected by floods and storms

during the specific periods of 2015. Funds are then

contracted through the WIBs to help cover labor costs

for temporary workers in the Disaster Recovery Jobs

Program.

The grants would help launch the DRJP phase of

disaster recovery, empowering the WIB to assist the

City of Cassville for restoration of the city park’s trail

system. Flood waters from Flat Creek obliterated the

trail during the July 2015 floods. The WIB also reached

out to emergency management officials in McDonald

and Dade Counties for potential assistance.

Severe flooding affected Cassville and Barry County in July. Helping with cleanup and recovery is the WIB’s Disaster Recovery Jobs Program and the State Parks Youth Corps.

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Disaster Recovery Efforts Underway for Barry County

SPYC youth help with disaster recovery

Flooding at Roaring River State Park

Cleanup underway at Roaring River

Nationwide Association Honors WIB with System Building Award

“Jasen’s vision for comprehensive workforce

development across a multi-state region was

established in the best of times, and then proven highly

effective in the context of a national disaster, making

Jasen Jones NAWDP’s choice to receive the 2015 Tom

Ahlers System Building Award,” according to NAWDP.

Jones noted in his acceptance remarks that he

accepts the award on behalf of his colleagues back

home. “Without our team at the WIB in Joplin and

our neighboring colleagues, these accomplishments

would not be possible.”

Along with the System Building Award, NAWDP

honored achievements in customer service, leadership,

professional development, and research with other

winners (pictured above) from New York, Florida, DC,

Connecticut, and Colorado. NAWDP advocates for

the workforce industry and develops the professional

capacity of workforce professionals seeking the

highest standards of excellence in credentialing,

applied learning opportunities, and cutting edge tools

to excel in serving job seekers and businesses.

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Out of several dozen nominations nationwide, the

National Association of Workforce Development

Professionals (NAWDP) selected Jasen Jones from the

Southwest Missouri WIB for the Tom Ahlers System

Building Award at NAWDP’s annual conference in

May. The award recognizes individuals who made

significant contributions to the profession through the

development or enhancement of workforce systems,

or the building of strategic alliances and partnerships.

Jane Wheeler, director for the neighboring WIB in

Northwest Arkansas, submitted the award nomination.

NAWDP judges took note of the WIB’s track record

with cross-jurisdictional economic development

integration and leadership in disaster recovery.

The limited resources typical of rural area didn’t hinder

Jasen, according to NAWDP’s Awards Committee. He

also didn’t perceive the multi-state labor market as a

barrier. He rallied a team comprised of stakeholders for

each corner of the Four-States region, and used the

WIRED framework from the U.S. Department of Labor

to design and implement DOL’s first and only WIRED

framework spanning four different states.

Right as this was building momentum, the deadly

May 2011 tornado struck Joplin. Implementing one of

DOL’s largest-ever National Emergency Grants had its

own challenges. Doing so in a disaster zone that also

was home to Jones and his team was the hardest of

all. The WIB put together a highly-effective team and

leveraged each team member’s talent to implement

a recovery program that later netted an award from

Missouri’s governor and invitations for national

presentations on Joplin’s best practices.

2015 NAWDP Award Winners

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Neosho Job Center Celebrates Grand Opening

Business and community leaders throughout Neosho

and Southwest Missouri celebrated the grand

opening in April of the new American Job Center

at 1110 W. Harmony, Suite C in Neosho. The new

location on Harmony, which is also Missouri Highway

86, provides stronger visibility in the commercial

sector of northwest Neosho. Along with more

space to serve customers, the new AJC features a

dedicated computer training lab for routine testing

of the National Career Readiness Certificate, local

workshops, and employer recruitment events.

One of the many important roles of the job center is

to connect skilled veterans with local employment

opportunities. Lt. John Bary with the Missouri

National Guard made three Flag of Freedom

presentations to local employers for honoring and

hiring veterans as part of Missouri’s Show-Me Heroes

program. Employers recognized include Ozark

Ordnance, Holden Industries, Carlin’s Machine, and

Missouri Walnut.

Fueled by growth in manufacturing and

transportation, continued momentum of nearby

Northwest Arkansas, and a new multi-modal logistics

hub under development at Neosho, job demand is

on the rise for Newton and McDonald counties. The

Workforce Investment Board seized an opportunity

to expand the small office that housed the VOICES

Program in close proximity to the main campus of

Crowder College. The center was fortunate to receive

a donation of surplus fixtures from the West Central

Missouri WIB in Sedalia to help equip the center with

high-quality fixtures. Neosho’s Job Center is open

weekdays from 8:00 to 4:30 and may be reached by

phone at 417-451-2223. Learn more online at

www.jobcenter.rocks.

Ribbon Cutting ceremony in April for new Neosho Job Center

Sector Partners Join Forces for Advanced Training and Technology Center

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A dream, years in the making for the WIB and its partners in education and economic development, is coming closer to reality. The long-term goal envisioned a regional training and development center to focus on skill assessment and short-term training solutions to grow the economy.

Ribbon Cutting for new training center

With rapid growth and demand for targeted industry

training, many of the region’s education partners, such

as Crowder College, responded with new offerings and

expansions of programs. However, the expansions are

limited by space of existing campuses throughout the

region. Without a funding source to develop a new

location, the dream stayed on hold until recently.

The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, Crowder

College, and the WIB set their sites on the recently-

vacated structure at Fourth and Grand in downtown

Joplin (pictured below). The school district used this

site as a temporary home for Franklin Technology

Center before its move to the newly-rebuilt Joplin

High School campus last Fall.

The three partners prepared a grant proposal to utilize

some of the remaining Community Development

Block Grant (CDBG) funds earmarked for the City of

Joplin’s continued disaster recovery efforts. With

dozens of worthwhile proposals, the Joplin City

Council in June prioritized the training center in its top

ten for funding. The center’s outcomes best fit CDBG

mandate for helping residents in poverty to achieve

employment and expand economic stability.

The required grant procedures are underway for a

final commitment to purchase property and begin

improvements. If all goes as planned, the current

timeline calls for the WIB to begin occupancy as

an anchor tenant at the center by early 2016. New

training programs for Crowder would begin in 2016 as

well. The center also plans to house Makerspaces and

business incubator space as a resource to spur micro-

enterprise development and innovation.

As part of the strategy and proposal development,

the WIB’s research team assisted Crowder and the

Chamber with economic market studies on the

demand characteristics aligned with targeted industry

sectors. While not all programs would be available

immediately, Crowder’s long-term goals include skill

training in the occupational categories of advanced

manufacturing, community health, computer

networking technology, cardiovascular technology,

drafting, phlebotomy, and welding. The synergy of

this project helps expand an economic and workforce

development zone adjacent to the Joplin Chamber of

Commerce and the Newman Innovation Center.

Proposed site at Fourth and Grand in Joplin

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Welfare Reform Focuses on Workforce Quality

Currently, Missouri only removes part of the benefit

a welfare recipient gets until compliance with the

work requirement occurs. Under the new law, those

on welfare would have a limited amount of time to

comply with the work requirement before a complete

loss of benefits is imposed. More than half of the

states have a similar policy and it has been an effective

tool in getting people back to work. The bill also

creates a cash diversion program that will act as a cash

grant for short-term needs designed to keep potential

welfare recipients, particularly those considered job

ready, from ever entering the system.

Leadership from the Family Support Division designed

a framework for implementation of welfare reform

with key deliverables beginning August 28, 2015.

The team includes Julie Gibson and Jeriane Jaegers,

both previously with the Division of Workforce

Development, along with Jennifer Roberts and

Stephan Tomlinson. For more information, contact

Jeriane Jeagers by email: jeriane.jaegers@dss.mo.gov.

Source: Heartland Institute, 2015 Welfare Reform Report Card

Missouri ranks last in the nation for welfare reform

policies and has some of the nation’s lowest work

participation performance, according to the Heartland

Institute. Help is on the way thanks to new leadership

at the Family Support Division, empowered by Senate

Bill 24 and the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act.

According to State Senator David Sater of Cassville,

SB24’s sponsor, this comprehensive reform

emphasizes work while breaking down barriers to self-

sufficiency. Right now, Missouri allows two years to go

by before requiring the welfare population to work.

The first thing SB24 does is require a recipient to

engage in one of those work activities before receiving

welfare benefits. The bill also lowers the lifetime

eligibility limit for the program. Missouri currently

allows the maximum eligibility limit of five years on

welfare while 12 other states limit lifetime eligibility to

four years or less, with Arkansas and Indiana limiting

benefits to two years. SB 24 creates strict sanctions

for recipients not complying with work requirements,

Sater noted.

Missouri Begins Key WIOA Implemention Improvements

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While TANF is not specifically mentioned federally

as a core partner in WIOA, Missouri opted to include

TANF in this tier in order to gain ground in integration

and to achieve the improvements sought in the

recently-enacted Senate Bill 24 (see page 15).

Missouri aligns with American Job Center branding July marked the start of the Missouri Job Center

brand for its 40+ one-stop workforce centers across

the Show-Me State. The branding move brings closer

alignment with the American Job Center network

branding guidelines. Missouri’s online workforce

system, known as jobs.mo.gov, now references

the Missouri Job Center branding for its physical

locations.

In Southwest Missouri, the Monett and Neosho

centers enacted the branding shift upon their grand

openings in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Joplin plans

to adopt the new brand as much as possible during

efforts to re-locate the center. State officials are

divesting of real estate holdings and plan to sell the

Joplin building in 2016.

Milestone MOU launched for WIOA

Missouri met one of the first major milestones this

summer for implementing WIOA. Missouri’s core

workforce partners executed the official state-level

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) showing

the commitment to improve collaboration at the

state and local levels. This is important to workforce

professionals at the local level as the MOU provides

the tools to increase collaboration and integrate

resources locally, according to Amy Sublett, Director

for the Missouri Division of Workforce Development.

The official purpose of the MOU is to establish a

collaborative framework encouraging cooperation,

collaboration, communication, policy, and technical

guidance and governance to assist the efficient and

effective participation in the WIOA implementation

in Missouri. The partners will collaborate to identify

effective services for efficient, consistent customer

service delivery. The MOU includes a disclaimer that

partners continue to have statutory responsibilities

relating to the administration of their respective

programs outside of, and not contained, in WIOA.

In Missouri, the core partners representing these

programs formed a steering team at the state level to

support efforts taking place at the local level. Agency

representation includes Vocational Rehabilitation,

Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, Workforce

Development, Employment Security, Temporary

Assistance for Needy Families, and Adult Education

and Literacy.

centerA proud partner of the network®

17

NCRC Helps Policy Makers Embrace System Reforms

As a leader nationally for the Certified Work Ready

Communities movement and the National Career

Readiness Certificate (NCRC™), the Southwest

Missouri WIB is well represented in a new nationwide

policy paper from ACT on the use of NCRC for the

Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA). ACT

published the paper in March to help workforce

and education stakeholders leverage the benefits of

the NCRC to help implement the new WIOA reform

mandates pertaining to certification of skills training.

Any industry-recognized certification used for

employment selection and skill development under

federal programs should: (1) be nationally portable;

(2) be recognized by employers; (3) measure

workforce quality; (4) be used in pursuit of academic

credit; (5) align with economic development; (6)

be included in stackable certifications; (7) have

associated curriculum for skill development; (8) be

able to measure non-cognitive or “crosscutting”

personal skills; and (9) provide evidence that it has a

positive impact on individual wage and employment

outcomes in addition to improving employer return

on investment. ACT’s paper shows that the NCRC

meets each of these criteria and therefore can be

used with confidence as an industry-recognized

certification under the definitions of the WIOA.

ACT’s report cites research coordinated by Frank

Neely at the WIB on how the NCRC helps Missourians

get employed sooner, stay employed longer, and

earn more compared to workforce system customers

without the NCRC. The report includes a testimonial

from Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, along with Susan

Adams, a board member for the Southwest Missouri

WIB and a strong employer champion for the NCRC.

“It really doesn’t matter what state applicants may live

in; if they register through a state agency in Kansas

or Oklahoma or right here in Missouri, they can take

their ACT WorkKeys® assessments and earn the ACT

NCRC for free,” Adams said. “And the best part is that

I know they are taking the identical standardized test,

given in the same kind of proctored environment,

and the credential is absolutely portable nationwide.”

Gov. Nixon agrees in the power of the NCRC and

CWRC. “A skilled workforce is essential to a strong

economy, and we are proud that Missouri leads

the nation in this initiative to train workers and

match them with employers needing those skills.

By promoting initiatives like certified ACT Work

Ready Communities, we will continue our economic

growth by providing more Missouri businesses with

the workforce they need to create jobs and prosper.

By achieving this designation, these counties are

demonstrating that their partners in education and

economic development are working together to

prepare their workers to compete and succeed in

today’s global economy.”

According to ACT, provisions of federal law assert

that the definition of a “recognized postsecondary

credential” means a credential consisting of an

industry-recognized certificate or certification.

For these reasons, the implementing guidance for

WIOA and state and local planning should reflect

congressional intent and formally recognize the ACT

National Career Readiness Certificate as an industry-

recognized certificate. Download ACT’s full report

online from the WIB at workforcezone.net/?p=1266.

18

WIB Expands Research Tools for Economic Development and Sector Growth

Strategic Planning

What are the region’s best opportunities for growth?

Which industries are emerging or at risk? What impact

would a new business have on the community?

These are just a few of the questions answered in

a matter of seconds with Developer. Identify and

rank industry clusters. Quantify retail opportunities

based on the money residents spend on a particular

industry and how much of this is leaking out of the

region. Research, compare, and visualize the regional

industries, including the key occupations employed

by each. Understand regional industry demand and an

industry’s purchases from other industries. Quantify

the impact of a business arrival or closure.

Workforce Analytics

The availability of skilled labor is the number one

factor in site selection decisions. This makes detailed

workforce data a must. With EMSI’s comprehensive

county and zip-code data, the WIB is well equipped to

demonstrate the workforce strengths of the region —

or custom regions around a proposed location — to

site selectors. Research any occupation and visualize

its size, growth, earnings, concentration, and more

on a map. Measure unemployment by occupation

or industry sector. Give companies a fuller sense

of their potential candidate pool with EMSI’s skills

transferability report. Count local graduates related to

an occupation by education provider and award level.

Analyze job posting, hiring trends, and in-demand

skills for any field.

The noble calling of economic development work extends beyond the mere dollars and cents of business recruitment and expansion. It’s about prospering communities and creating opportunities for the people of Southwest Missouri and the greater Four-States.

The WIB upgraded its capacity with a new suite of

tools through its partnership with Economic Modeling

Specialists, Inc. (EMSI). Together with the WIB, EMSI

shares the passion for prospering communities by

turning labor market data into useful information

that helps organizations understand the connection

between economies, people, and work.

The WIB began using EMSI tools early in the process

of the Regional Innovation Grant and the WIRED

framework from the U.S. Department of Labor starting

in 2007. Since that time, the WIB garnered national

attention through case studies by DOL/O*NET and

EMSI. Together with expert staffing, the WIB is now

the region’s preferred source for trends and analysis

for local decision-makers and the news media.

The new Developer suite from EMSI pulls together

labor market data from more than 90 sources for more

ease of access with extensive data on the region’s

workforce and economy. The upgrade is especially

timely for the WIB with the SectorReady™ initiative

and the implementation of new resources through the

Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA).

19

Tools for Attraction

Instead of scattershot

approaches to business

recruitment, EMSI can help

refine regional strategy,

generate quality leads, and

make a compelling business

case by demonstrating

workforce availability and

local industry success. Find

businesses to attract and

regions to target based on

cost of labor and other data-

driven metrics. Compare the

performance of an industry in

the region to peer regions, to

the state, or the nation. For

any occupation, showcase

the number of current and

projected jobs, concentration, earnings, workforce demographics, and program completions. List all regional businesses

by industry sector and visualize business listings on a map.

Regional Dashboard

Whether the WIB is helping communities respond to site selectors, preparing for a presentation to stakeholders, or

scoping out competitors, the WIB’s customers need access to quick regional facts. EMSI Developer gives the WIB vital

information to quickly assist stakeholders. Understand the demographic and economic profile of the region and regions

in competition. Access a population snapshot report or research detailed demographics tables. Quantify GRP (gross

regional product) as well as regional sales and exports for any industry in the region. For more info or assistance, contact

Frank Neely at the WIB by email to frank@jomowib.com or by phone at 417-206-1717, Extension 108.

GIS Mapping: Visual mapping of demographics, jobs

by industry/occupation, educational completions/

attainment, business counts, and economic indicators

such as in/out migration, local area personal income,

earnings per worker, unemployment, and workforce

demographics

WorkKeys® Job Profiles: Unlock the brain power of

top performers to nail down the tasks and specific

skill levels needed to take your firm to the next level

with a WorkKeys® Job Profile. The focus group

of your subject-matter experts, teamed up with an

ACT-authorized job profiler, creates an initial task

list, sharpens the list for critical performance, then

analyzes the tasks for specific WorkKeys® skills and

levels.

Specialized/Customized: Commute and labor shed

reports with detailed analyses demonstrating where

workers are employed who live in a specific area or

where workers live who work in a specific area; data

utilization for determining if communities have a need

for subject specific housing

The WIB appreciates

the support of Empire

District Electric

Company to help

underwrite research

services for the region.

Additional Capabilities

Regional Excellence Highlighted Nationwide

Missouri Association of Workforce Development

Professionals: Jasen Jones from the Southwest

Missouri WIB teamed up with Molly Tallarico at MO-

DWD to present at the 2015 annual conference for

the Missouri Association for Workforce Development.

The duo covered important aspects of Certified

Work Ready Communities and the National Career

Readiness Certificate. The program covered progress

and opportunities for Missouri CWRC, national trends

and competition for job growth through CWRC,

leverage CWRC and NCRC for WIOA readiness, and the

unbundling of education with opportunities for career

pathways. Download the presentation handout online

from the by vising

www.workforcezone.net/moact2015.

Missouri Economic Development Council: MEDC’s

annual conference in June included a presentation

from the WIB to help prepare economic developers for

new resources and opportunities through Missouri’s

implementation of the Workforce Innovation

Opportunity Act. The program covered new features

of WIOA (compared to WIA), sector partnerships,

career pathways, and a call for increased leadership of

local economic developers in the workforce system.

Download the presentation handout online at

www.workforcezone.net/medc2015.

Work Ready Communities National Symposium:

Looking ahead to the Fall, ACT’s CWRC Symposium

is set for September 28-29 in Charleston, SC.

Jasen Jones from the WIB is slated to speak on a

panel program for the conference on local best

practices, titled SectorReady: The Next Evolution of

Regional Workforce Strategies for Rural Economic

Development.

Missouri ACT Council: As a state chapter for K12 and

college educations, the Missouri ACT Council conducted

its 2015 conference in both Kansas City and St. Louis

in March. The WIB presented a program titled, How

Schools Boost the Local Economy Through Work Ready

Communities. The session provided an overview of the

supply and demand characteristics about the regional

workforce system and prepared educators to understand

their role in the economy through familiarity of the

resources along with internal and external forces. The

remainder of the program provided educators with

practical techniques to use Certified Work Ready

Communities and the National Career Readiness

Certificate to meet strategic goals and expand relevance

for schools and colleges. Download the presentation

handout from the WIB online at

www.workforcezone.net/moact2015.

National Association of Workforce Development

Professionals: NAWDP’s 2015 annual conference had

a sell-out crowd. The breakout session presented by

Gordon Ipsom of Northeast Power and Jasen Jones from

the WIB was filled to capacity on the subject of what

workforce developers need to know about economic

development. The talk covered economic drivers, the

economic development pyramid, and handy techniques.

Download the presentation handout from NAWDP online

at www.goo.gl/AmlFrI.

Invitations by national and state associations or agencies help validate the WIB’s excellence in regional workforce and economic development. These opportunities help the WIB pay it forward with support and insights to other areas in need.

20

Workforce System Impact and Performance

21

Metrics: Served Goal % Met

Entered Employment (Got a Job)Adult 8,962 63% 92.9%

Dislocated Worker 3,375 64% 92.5%

Wagner-Peyer (DWD) 12,780 63% 97.9%

Employment Retention (Kept a Job)Adult 8,179 80% 97.8%

Dislocated Worker 2,935 85% 96.6%

Wagner-Peyer (DWD) 11,195 80% 98.9%

Average Earnings (Six Months)Adult 6,401 $10,341 103.6%

Dislocated Worker 2,411 $11,443 100.5%

Wagner-Peyer (DWD) 8,859 $10,375 104%

WIA Youth Program (VOICES)Placement (job/school) 41 67% 109.2%

Educational Attainment 42 67% 120.8%

Literacy/Num Gains 22 60% 98.5%

All individual metrics scoring 80% or higher are judged as

meeting the mandated workforce system performance

measures established for Southwest Missouri by state

and federal authorities. Performance period is July 2014

through June 2015, the final official reporting period for

WIA before new WIOA performance metrics take effect

Customers Served by County

County Customers Served NCRCs Awarded

Barry 1,240 564

Barton 255 243

Dade 48 63

Jasper 6,671 5,407

Lawrence 952 561

McDonald 380 312

Newton 1,535 1,550

NCRC™/CWRC GoalsThe WIB tracks and assists county-level programs for

NCRC® and employer engagement goals to help each

CWRC-in-progress county attain its full certification.

The overall percentage of goal attainment reflects

NCRCs for emerging workers (students), current and

transitioning workers, as well as supporting employers.

Results are posted through July 31, 2015. Goals in

green are fully met for that county’s category. Monthly

progress for each county may be tracked with the

mapping tool at workreadycommunities.org.

County % Emerg. Current Trans. Emplyrs.

Barry 100% 168 97 180 45

Barton 99% 56 42 70 22

Dade 59% 21 6 16 12

Jasper 100% 1155 724 1336 126

Lawrence 97% 132 100 229 32

McDonald 77% 73 64 80 18

Newton 100% 349 289 468 73

Cherokee 91% 119 104 161 19

Labette 87% 104 33 115 22

Ottawa 91% 320 224 719 19

Customers Served covers the period of July 2014 through

June 2015. NCRCs Awarded reflects 2006 to present.

Workforce Performance Summary

Career/Job Services: 4-7, 8-9, 10, 12, 13-17, 21

Career Pathways: 4-7, 10, 17, 20

Certified Work Ready Communities: 8-9, 13, 20-21

Community-Based Services: 4-7, 8-9, 11-13

Disaster Recovery: 11

Economic Development: 4-7, 8-9, 10, 12, 17, 20

Education: 4-7, 8-9, 10, 14-21

Employer/Business Services: 4-7, 8-9, 10, 13-14, 17-21

National Career Readiness Certificate: 5, 8-9, 20-21

Performance/Goals: 7-8, 15-21

Regional Development: 4-9, 10, 14, 17-20

Recognitions/Awards: 2, 12, 17-20

Research and Planning: 4-8, 10, 14-21

Sector Partnerships/Strategies: 4-7, 10, 14, 18-20

Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act: 4-7, 15-17,

20-21

Veterans Services: 13

Volunteers/Members: 2, 6-7, 10, 12-14, 18, 20

Youth Services/VOICES: 11, 13, 16, 17, 21

Barry: 2, 8, 11, 15, 21

Barton: 2, 8, 21

Dade: 2, 8, 11, 21

Jasper: 2, 8, 9, 10, 14, 17, 21

Lawrence: 2, 8, 21

McDonald: 2, 8, 11, 21

Newton: 2, 8, 10, 13, 21

JRP/Cherokee, KS: 8, 9, 10, 21

JRP/Labette, KS: 8, 10, 21

JRP/Ottawa, OK: 8, 10, 21

Index by Local/County Impressions

INDEX

September 22ndDownstream ResortRegister Online at

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