“The past five years have been the most challenging labor market
for workforce development in terms of employer demand
since the Great Depression.”
Laura Dresser | Center of WisConsin strategy (CoWs) assoCiate DireCtor
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
T
his report provides information on the workforce development evolution in Milwaukee, including a high level view of the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board’s (MAWIB) fundamental role. Recommendations made to Mayor Tom Barrett by Donald Sykes have been successfully implemented. These changes have created a coordinated strategy responsive to both employers and jobseekers. Each recommendation is discussed. Tactics used to implement each are reviewed and a number of case study examples of pro-grams are highlighted.The Persistent Challenge
How to fund and coordinate targeted programs for the hardest
to serve population in the state and address the needs of local
employers while positively impacting Milwaukee’s economic
development with fewer available federal workforce dollars.
Ongoing Solutions
Implement and grow the recommendations from A Review of the
Milwaukee Workforce Development System and Recommendations
for Improvements prepared by Donald Sykes for Mayor Tom
Barrett in 2007.
reCommenDation
one
Establish a City of Milwaukee Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to receive existing state and federal resources, develop additional governmental resources, and contract and monitor service delivery.
implementation:
In late 2006, the Mayor charged Donald Sykes to lead a community-wide planning process. A team of community leaders was convened to further develop and define these recommenda-tions. After extensive deliberation, a strategy was finalized, goals established and a new plan put in place. With this new plan and strategy established, the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board was formed, with Mayor Tom Barrett as its Chief Local Elected Official. MAWIB began its work in July of 2007.
reCommenDation
two
Establish in the Mayor’s office an Office of Workforce Development to provide leadership in the City of Milwaukee and collaborative regional development efforts.
implementation:
A liaison position was created to facilitate collaboration and communication between MAWIB and the Mayor’s office.
reCommenDation
three
Convene, support and guide a Coordinating Team comprised of employment, training and economic development organizations that, under the guidance and with the support of the WIB, will coordinate institutional support and service delivery.
implementation:
The Coordinating Council was created. It was important to include the largest organizations who receive direct funding from the state and federal government. Through joint efforts addi-tional funding has been obtained and joint contracts to reduce costs put in place. Coordinating institutional support and services delivery starts with the Coordinating Council but continues into regional, statewide and national coordination as well.
reCommenDation
four
Organize community based organizations (CBOs) into a working coalition of pre-employment and support services for the entire workforce development system to address the special needs of new job entrants and those who are pursuing additional skills for career enhancement.
implementation:
MAWIB has maximized is relationships with contracted CBOs, the direct service providers. Each of these organizations brings a unique focus to prepare jobseekers with individual bar-riers to employment. Education and training, case management and job placement services are provided. Additionally, MAWIB has created forums to assist their organizational develop-ment. MAWIB’s contracted partners have grown to 72 in the past five years.
reCommenDation
five
Put into place intermediary specialty organizations with the responsibility to coordinate all employment and training efforts in various industry sectors. A construction intermediary is in place and establishing a healthcare intermediary is a priority. Additional intermediaries for manufacturing, finance, and hospitality will be developed.
implementation:
The established construction intermediary, the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP/BIG STEP) works with area employers, unions, technical colleges and others to develop customized training programs, which provide employers with workers who are trained to fill specific vacant positions while also helping unemployed residents gain the skills necessary to obtain quality, family-supporting jobs. MAWIB is WRTP/BIG STEP’s second largest funding source.1 Efforts in the construction sector have allowed MAWIB and partners to also
estab-lish strong programs in the emerging Green sector. The Milwaukee Area Healthcare Alliance (MAHA), the community’s healthcare intermediary, was established in 2008. In 2010, MAWIB applied for and received a Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) to further establish the MAHA, which allowed the development of the CareerWorks Healthcare Training Institute (HTI). A collaborative regional partnership in manufacturing was launched in spring of 2012. A streamlined process to provide greater access to retail/hospitality/tourism sector jobs has also been implemented.
reCommenDation
six
Establish a Mayor’s Advisory Group, comprised of business and other community leaders, to provide overall strategic direction to workforce development efforts.
implementation:
The Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alliance (MAWFA) was formed in 2008 as a consortium of public and private workforce development funders and service providers. The Helen Bader Foundation was instrumental, along with Mayor Tom Barrett, in launching and sustaining MAWFA. The organization’s aim is to allow local foundations and workforce development agencies to align contributions and coordinate efforts.1
MAWFA is dedicated to supporting efforts to increase employment that benefits both busi-nesses that need skilled workers and individuals seeking good jobs with family-supporting employment.2
Other Considerations
C
ontinuing to diversify MAWIB’s funding is critical. Flexible resources are key to creative solutions in the current challenged economic environment. The ability to coordinate with other agencies will provide greater opportunity to put more jobseekers to work through collaborative programs.More resources are needed to have a dramatic and sustained impact on unemploy-ment. MAWIB has successfully increased workforce investment in the community over the five year period from $11.5 million (2007) to a high of $22.5 million (2011). The number of funding sources has grown from 12 to 28. Despite major growth, MAWIB funding for its own staff has remained virtually constant.
Looking To The Future
In the coming years, MAWIB will continue to work toward:
• Obtaining additional workforce system resources to meet major needs, with a focus on new sources of funding;
• Building broader and more focused business relationships; • Supporting business-led sector approaches in areas of increased
employment opportunities;
• Practically addressing the significant barriers to employment facing Milwaukee’s large, low-income population by providing training and education to give Milwaukee jobseekers the necessary skills to obtain family-supporting employment;
• Identifying and implementing partnerships with existing and new delivery partners;
• Educating decision makers to recognize the strength and effectiveness that comes from local initiatives and regional collaboration;
InTRodUCTIon
At a meeting, the Mayor meets residents who are frustrated they cannot find a job. On the same day across town, the Mayor meets business owners who say their growth is limited by a lack of qualified employees.
F
rom 2005 through 2006 various sets of reports analyzing economic and workforce development efforts called for change to address what was seen as a fragmented and non-responsive workforce development system.3 Simultaneously, aCall to Action was issued by 34 economic, workforce
develop-ment and educational leaders to create a system that provides more coordination and funding and focuses on greater employer engagement and system-wide coordination.4
In 2007, the majority of the largest cities in the United States had workforce development boards to which the Mayor was responsible for making appointments. Each of these cities put in place a Workforce Development Office that coordinated employer responsiveness, established strategic direction, and coordinated community providers. These offices, located in or closely coordinated with the Mayor’s office, provided a focal point for their community’s workforce development.
During this time, Mayor Tom Barrett sought insight from a nationally recognized leader in work-force development, Donald Sykes, to analyze the situation. Sykes, a community leader with over 40 years of nonprofit, public and inter-governmental community action, workforce, and social planning experience. He has deep roots in the Milwaukee nonprofit community, where he led the Social Development Commission (SDC), before assuming a national role in the Clinton Admin-istration as Director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Community Services.
Over a six-month period, in consultation with the Mayor’s office, Sykes developed and proposed a framework for workforce development that would transition from the county to the city, while serving the same geographic area, Milwaukee County. Sykes’ report to Mayor Barrett summa-rized major workforce studies, gathered information and recommendations from Milwaukee employment and training stakeholders, and developed major findings leading to a specific set of recommendations.
Just as the transition from the Private Industry Council to the MAWIB was taking place in Mil-waukee in 2007, the country headed into a recession. As measured by job loss and unemployment growth, the Great Recession of 2007 outstripped every downtown in the state of the last 30 years.5
Despite this development, MAWIB established itself as a backbone organization, coordinating partners and resources and diversifying funding to have the greatest possible impact on workforce development. Given the economic climate and the fact that core federal workforce investment funds were in a decline nationally, the need was greater than ever.
BACkgRoUnd
S
tructural changes to the organization and the overall system were required to ensure Milwaukee has a strong Workforce Development Board capable of providing a platform for new ideas to take hold and evolve preparing workers for jobs and improving Milwaukee’s economic outlook. The most important and difficult change was the shift in organizational role. Prior to July of 2007, the organization accepted resources and provided the bulk of direct services, only contracting for limited services. Under the leadership of Mayor Tom Barrett and President/CEO Donald Sykes the organization made a shift from focusing on direct services to a planning, coordinating and monitoring role for the community, serving as a backbone organization for workforce development. The theory around the backbone organization has equally evolved in the same time period.6Important to this backbone organizational role, MAWIB diversified its resources, including generous philanthropic support from the Helen Bader Foundation and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. These funds were critical for capacity building and planning. As a result, MAWIB became a leader among workforce partners to address the greatest needs of the community as a whole. As a workforce focused entity, MAWIB has embraced new strategies that concentrate many of the organization’s workforce solutions around industry sectors. MAWIB’s staff roles have evolved as well. Their new responsibilities include that of program monitors, working with contracted intermediaries and the role of community collaborators.
Structural changes to the organization necessary to meet strategic goals included: • Shifting from program delivery to monitoring to ensure programs are accessible; • Diversifying resources to secure more funding for Milwaukee workforce efforts; • Implementing a new data system to effectively evaluate;
• Establishing coordinating bodies among workforce partners to address the greatest needs of the community as a whole.
These changes have had a dramatic impact on funding and services provided by MAWIB, as presented in Exhibits A and B.
Data Shows More Services Provided and More Funding
Exhibit A
Residents Receiving Services Exhibit b MAWIB Funding 4,447 10,134 FY 05-06 FY 11-12 FY 05-06 FY 06-07 FY 07-08 FY 08-09 FY 09-10 FY 10-11 FY 11-12 14 ,230 ,830 12,895, 40 3 9,386,205 15,028,295 21,862,483 22,494,267 22,000,679
RECoMMEndATIonS & IMPLEMEnTATIon
T
he goal was to develop an effective and efficient workforce development system. At the heart of this was the creation of MAWIB under the leadership of Mayor Tom Barrett. A high level transition team comprised of the new MAWIB Board of Directors and community leaders assisted the organization with moving forward. This was in response to the recom-mended changes and to assure community stakeholders’ feedback was integrated into this new approach. Mayor Barrett and Donald Sykes conducted an extensive Board of Directors and key stakeholder retreat. Initial recommendations were further defined during this pro-cess. Each of the six initial recommendations was implemented between July 2007-2012.reCommenDation
one
Establish a Workforce Investment Board
Establish a City of Milwaukee Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to receive existing state and federal resources, develop additional governmental resources, and contract and monitor service delivery.
implementation:
MAWIB is structured to provide a strategic and coordinated demand-driven workforce devel-opment system that is connected to bolstering the economic strength of key industry sectors. This new system is increasingly responsive to the unique
needs of the unemployed and underemployed workforce as well as the need to develop talent for a knowledge-based economy. MAWIB envisions itself as the backbone organiza-tion for the coordinaorganiza-tion and development of an integrated and intelligent response to connecting employers with a de-veloped and talented workforce. MAWIB responded to busi-nesses by targeting industry sectors where economic growth and workforce development are intimately connected.
Tactics:
Resource Diversification
The core funding for workforce boards through the Work-force Investment Act (WIA) continues to fall nationally. A diversified funding structure, including flexible resources, is crucial to continue to provide the same level of increased services. With the expenditure of the initial funds for capac-ity building and planning, this has become more challenging. In response to the need, MAWIB has sought and provided coordinated funding to different types of programs for area residents. Exhibit C illustrates the change to MAWIB’s funding both in terms of amount and diversity. MAWIB has
Exhibit c
MAWIB Funding
FY 07-08 FY 08-09 FY 09-10 FY 10-11 FY 11-12
private/foundation
Local (MatC, MpS, City & County) federal Competitive
State Competitive fSet
recovery (arra) Wia
successfully increased workforce investment in the community from $11.5 million to a high of $22.5 million.
These sweeping changes have resulted in MAWIB’s ability to do more with less. Diversified funding, greater staff efficiency, and contracted partners give MAWIB the ability to operate as a highly effective backbone organization with a large capacity for program coordination. These new programs bring new funds into the community and have the capacity to provide services to employers as well as individuals dealing with re-entry, youth at risk of dropping out of high school, disabled jobseekers and workers, and other specialized populations.
Move to Service Delivery through
community Partners
MAWIB moved away from providing direct services to coordinating and funding service delivery by utilizing more community partners. It is important to note that even though the level of programs and services coordinated by MAWIB has increased, the percentage of the overall budget for staff has decreased. The shift is illustrated in Exhibit D.
MAWIB staff now focuses on resource development, coor-dination, system building, and evaluation and monitoring. These roles are in contrast to the previous organization which had an emphasis on a major operational role. To the extent practical and allowed by funding sources, MAWIB has contracted service delivery.
Exhibit D
MAWIB Staff as a Percentage of Overall Budget
FY 05-06 FY 06-07 FY 07-08 FY 08-09 FY 09-10 FY 10-11 FY 11-12
29% 29%
34% 24%
Employ technology to enhance service delivery and program performance A centralized information system for planning and coordinating workforce initiatives has been put in place. Data and the ability to report reliably and timely are essential to decision-making and a cornerstone of creating a coordinated/ collaborative system of services. A major investment was made to implement the Efforts To Outcomes (ETO) data tracking and performance management software. ETO provides a comprehensive management informa-tion capability. This software system permits partner staff and case managers to collect key demographic, baseline and outcome information for each participant as they receive services. The collected information is then linked to outcome data for effective evaluation.
Case Study: Why Data Management Systems Matter
A recent innovation to ETO is a process whereby payment vouchers are processed electroni-cally. In addition to minimizing staff time, improving processing quality, and many other procedural effects, this capacity illustrates the management strength of ETO. Exhibit E outlines the difference to the kinds of decisions managers can make in this time of lessened resources.
Exhibit E
Before Efforts to Outcome (ETO)
Condition: • Vouchers processed manually; • Payments tracked, but not directly tied to training/ outcome data. Impact: Inability to easily make management decisions related to: • Program investments; • Targeted approaches; • Real-time funding status.
With Efforts to Outcomes (ETO)
Condition: Computerized voucher payment system tied to ETO. The system: • Tracks up to date enrollment and expenditure information; • Permits analysis of program completion; • More clearly identifies quality issues and employment results. Impact: Better program management resulting in: • Timely information on project expenditures; • Comprehensive information on program enrollment and training; • Ability to review correlation project outcomes to other variables, such as training completions and placements.
reCommenDation
two
Establish in the Mayor’s office an Office of Workforce Development
This liaison position will provide leadership in the City of Milwaukee and collabora-tive regional development efforts.
implementation:
The position of the Mayor’s Office liaison to MAWIB was launched in August 2007 and has strengthened the Mayor’s strategic partnerships as well as broadened relationships through-out the Milwaukee educational, economic and workforce development systems.
Tactics:
Led by the liaison, a comprehensive service area report was released in the inaugural year. The report communicated the recalibrated work of MAWIB, its members, its partners and the de-livery of its core competencies. It highlighted improved services for Milwaukee area jobseek-ers across a continuum of training and talent development resources.
The liaison role provides a key partnership in facilitating initiatives with the support of the Mayor’s leadership in collaboration with the collective vision and mission of MAWIB. The ongoing and proactive development of integrated opportunities that impact Milwaukee include a broad range of sector-based programs and initiatives designed to address the goal of full-scale employability.
• MAWIB’s youth programming, comprised of Mayor Barrett’s Earn & Learn Youth Employ-ment Program, is supported by the Mayor’s Earn & Learn Fund. This effort provided expanded summer job opportunities through a public/private partnership of Mayoral and regional corporate executive leadership;
• A key industry sector program, the Mayor’s Manufacturing Partnership provides a full-spectrum of training opportunities designed to meet specific employer needs. This is in direct response to the skills gap as identified by the manufacturing sector, both nationally and regionally;
• A joint venture championed by the Mayor is the Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alliance. This model aligns philanthropic leadership in support of regional workforce de-velopment funding;
• Supportive measures that have yielded and leveraged a tangible result for employment opportunities including the North End Business Capacity and Workforce Development Program, Milwaukee Builds, Me2 and ME3 (both in collaboration with the Office of Environmental Sustainability), the Center for Driver’s License Recovery and Employ-ability, the Urban Forestry Initiative, the 2010 Milwaukee Jobs Forum and the Milwaukee Job Corps (est. 2010), and the Milwaukee Jobs Act.
reCommenDation
three
Create a Coordinating Team
Convene, support and guide a Coordinating Team comprised of employment, training and economic development organizations that, under the guidance and with the sup-port of the WIB, will coordinate institutional supsup-port and service delivery.
implementation:
In direct response to this recommendation, the Coordinating Council was created. Joint ef-forts to coordinate funding and service delivery were put in place to ensure a No Wrong Door approach. Adopted by MAWIB’s Board of Directors, the No Wrong Door strategy refers to a service system that welcomes people in need and assists them with connecting to desired services regardless of the point where they first gained access to services. No Wrong Door policies commit all service agencies and workforce organizations to respond to the individu-als’ stated and assessed needs directly or by linking them to appropriate programs. The result is that individuals are able to obtain help to minimize barriers to employment and maximize employment potential. Coordination and collaboration are at the heart of the No Wrong Door approach. Starting with the Coordinating Council, MAWIB leads and participates in collabor-ative efforts locally, statewide and nationally to ensure resources are maximized and aligned.
Tactics:
Establish a coordinating council
The MAWIB Coordinating Council brings together, as its members, the largest recipients of federal funds in the Milwaukee area as well as independent entities that have a direct link with workforce development. It is made up of departments of city, county and state govern-ments, educational institutions and others who are funders or service providers. Coordinating Council representatives come together around specific opportunities to assist a new or exist-ing business or support a particular trainexist-ing initiative. They also serve as a quick response team capable of taking advantage of opportunities that lead to employment and barrier reduc-tions for those they serve.
A Snapshot of the Coordinating Council’s Cumulative Accomplishments
Collectivity, members of the Coordinating Council assisted more than 65,000 customers in 2009. From this total, more than 31,000 customers received case-management services while an additional 33,000 accessed self-service options such as job search function at the one-stop centers. During this same period 11,900 customers advanced their education and 12,170 job placements were made.7
Since established, the Coordinating Council has collaborated on a number of measures that increase resources and service delivery efficiency, such as:
• Obtaining new funding; • Designing ways for people enrolled in one program to co-enroll in other programs to ensure their needs are met and obstacles can be addressed; • Combining contracts to reduce costs; • Assisting the Milwaukee Job Corps to provide services to Milwaukee residents; • Helping employers have access to the broadest pool of employees to fill job openings. Coordinating Council Members Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board Milwaukee Area Technical College YWCA of Greater Milwaukee United Migrant Opportunity Service, Inc. Policy Studies, Inc. MAXIMUS Human Services Department of Workforce Development/ Milwaukee Job Service Milwaukee Office: Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Milwaukee County of Health and Human Services Milwaukee County Office of Child Support City of Milwaukee Wisconsin Department of Corrections Goodwill Industries, Inc. Social Development Commission City of Milwaukee Community Development Administration Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Center for Veteran Services
Establish a coordinated Approach to Addressing barriers to Employment Limited funding for the workforce development system reinforces the need to coordinate services to assist individuals and families in addressing personal issues that can result in bar-riers to sustained employment. Substance abuse, childcare, transportation, housing, mental health, and other factors unrelated to work, education, or training have a tremendous impact on an individual’s success in the workplace. The reality is there is a great need for services at a time when resources are being depleted. This means organizations have to be creative. To this end, MAWIB coordinated with community partners while leveraging existing resources with new resources to ensure an individual’s successful employment. MAWIB has increased its role to ensure seamless service provision from OneStop staff and vital partners such as the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, BadgerCare, Social Security, the Housing Authority of Milwaukee, transportation providers and all other public entities that can assist with an array of supportive services.
Case Study: Transportation
Utilizing resources such as the Wisconsin Employment Transportation Assistance Program (WETAP) to contract with vendors for transportation services to assist jobseekers in getting to and from work.
Ensure Regional, Statewide and National coordination
In response to our nation’s economic climate, MAWIB along with other regional boards actively participated in Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED). This has led to the creation of the Regional Workforce Alliance made up of the MAWIB, The Waukesha Ozaukee Washington Workforce Development Board and the Southeast Wisconsin Workforce Development Board. The result of the WIRED effort and the RWA has led to:
• Work and career readiness assessments, skills development and certification such as WorkKeys and the National Career Readiness Certification;
• Participation in M7 Industry Councils for improved linkages to economic development efforts;
• Foundation for regional sector initiatives such as Healthcare, Water and Manufactur-ing with employer locations throughout the 7-county region.
MAWIB is also represented on a statewide and national level:
• Statewide involvement includes Donald Sykes’ position as the Chair of the Wisconsin Workforce Development Association (WWDA) Executive Committee; • Nationally, Sykes is an active member of the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s organization. FY 2006 FY 2011 FY 2006 FY 2011 Job Trips Miles Covered 30,872 37,659 20,872 327,607
reCommenDation
four
Organize Community Based Organizations
Organize community based organizations (CBOs) into a working coalition of pre-employment and support services for the entire workforce development system to address the special needs of new job entrants and those who are pursuing additional skills for career enhancement.
implementation:
MAWIB continues to build its service delivery network, contracting services when possible and providing technical assistance to assure that providers meet program goals efficiently and within program guidelines.
MAWIB instituted strategies that included continued contracts with established CBO part-ners and established new contracts to serve specialized populations. New programing has allowed for increased services addressing barriers to employment and sector-based strategies. MAWIB has built the capacity to ensure a larger network of providers by offering forums and learning opportunities on topics such as policy, grant writing and human resources. The results illustrated in Exhibits F and G have been an increase of more than $16 million into the community and an increase to 72 partners to effect change.
The Result:
Not only has the amount of funds distributed to Milwaukee organizations increased, the num-bers and types of organizations have also exponentially increased, as illustrated in Exhibit G.
FY 05-06 FY 06-07 FY 07-08 FY 08-09 FY 09-10 FY 10-11 FY 11-12 FY 05-06 FY 06-07 FY 07-08 FY 08-09 FY 09-10 FY 10-11 FY 11-12
Exhibit F
Funds to Partners Exhibit G Number of Organizations Receiving Contracts from MAWIB 17 10 19 43 59 72 63 $16,396,866 $9,918,674 $5,256,274 $7,243,113 $7,720,413 $16,870,702 $16,500,509
Tactics:
increase Services for Adults and Special Adult Populations
MAWIB funded programs help jobseekers gain and retain employment through access to a variety of training and education programs. MAWIB provides core programing for employed, underemployed and unemployed through contracted OneStop partners. This has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of people served, which more than doubled from just over 4,400 in 2006 to over 10,000 people served in 2012, as seen in Exhibit A.
The OneStop Job Centers provide a wide-range of services available to the public, including assessment, case management, training, job development, job placement and other supportive services. MAWIB oversees four OneStop centers strategically located throughout the city in the northeast, southeast, southwest and central areas.
Additionally, MAWIB has leveraged its increase in funding sources to maximize services for spe-cialized populations. This includes integrated or expanded approaches for established programs for older adults, dislocated workers, disabled jobseekers and workers, and ex-offenders. New services were developed for recipients of Food Share and a transitional jobs initiative was estab-lished to support the hardest to serve in the community make the transition into employment.
Case Study: Food Share Employment and Training (FSET) Program
Food Share has two components, the first being Core Ser-vices open to all recipients, including case management, training, and education and employment services for Food Share volunteers with the ultimate goal of moving them off the program and into family-supporting employment. These services are provided by MAXIMUS, UMOS, the YWCA and MATC.
The second component provides special and enhanced ser-vices. MAWIB became the first organization in Milwaukee County to provide Food Share Employment Training 50/50 Match program funds through community part-ners, including the YWCA, Boys & Girls Club, MATC and Milwaukee Community Service Corp.
Case Study: Milwaukee Works! Transitional Jobs Program
Milwaukee Works! a collaborative partnership between MAWIB, Social Development Commission (SDC), the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee and a host of community and faith-based organizations, focused on the hardest to employ populations and worked to place participants in non-profit and for-profit organizations to provide them with valuable work experience. As is a Job Demonstration Project of the Department of Children and Families, this partnership provided paid work experience opportunities called Transitional Jobs. The Milwaukee Works! target population included individuals that have been chronically unemployed.
Participants were provided a wide range of transitional job opportunities, including career readiness preparation, barrier and skill remediation, support services, job placement and retention assistance. The program’s three phases included 20 hours of Job Readiness Train-ing (JRT), up to 1,040 hours of subsidized employment and in some cases, retention bonuses.
Case Study: Windows To Work
Returning to your community after incarceration can prove to be very difficult. To assist this population greatly in need, MAWIB applied for, received and implemented the Second Chance Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The subsequent initiative, Windows To Work, assists ex-offenders with employment, housing, medical and psychological needs. Additional services included instruction in financial literacy, conflict resolution, stress management, and problem solving to help these individuals reintegrate successfully.
increased community Programing for Youth
Young adults between ages 14 -21 receive access to work and learning opportunities. With the help of MAWIB’s partners, Milwaukee youth have access to paid and unpaid work experi-ences, tutoring and adult mentoring, leadership and occupational skills training, guidance and counseling and support services in a wide variety of programs. The youth program focuses on building collaborative partnerships with local education systems, state and local juvenile justice agencies, and community based organizations to meet the needs of youth.
During this period, MAWIB has sought to shift some resources to youth with the greatest needs. While MAWIB continues to ensure youth in school are served, leadership recognized that the Milwaukee area has a significant population of youth who have dropped out of school and have significant barriers to employment. Hence MAWIB has transitioned much of its youth service contracts to provide opportunities to these out-of-school youth.
Key youth programs:
• Mayor Barrett’s Earn & Learn Youth Employment Program provides employment through one of the largest summer youth programs in the state of Wisconsin. The Earn & Learn program, led by Mayor Barrett, assists young people in making a successful transi-tion from adolescence to adulthood by providing them opportunities to enhance their work-readiness skills and job experiences.
• Youth Initiatives Tied to High Growth/ High Impact Employer Sectors
MAWIB’s year-round youth programming focuses on industry sectors/career pathways. All participant services are provided within the context of the WIA Youth Programs per-formance goals and measures the following:
• Introduction to industry sector;
• Employer partnership in selected industry sector;
• Career development experiences in selected industry sector.
Case Study: Jobs for Americas Graduates (JAG)
The Jobs for America’s Graduates program is a drop-out prevention and school-to-work program. The target audience is students who are most likely to drop out of school prior to graduation, as well as students who have dropped out of school and are returning to school to obtain their GED. Youth specialists provide in-school and out-of-school services to youth that, once achieved, will result in high school graduation or a GED.
Case Study: Civic Justice Corps
The Civic Justice Corps initiative gives juvenile offenders the opportunity to demonstrate accountability for their actions and make reparations to the community by participating in short term community service projects.
The target population for the Civic Justice Corps project is juvenile offenders ages 18 to 24 who have been involved with the juvenile justice system within 12 months prior to entry into the program.
implement career Pathways Strategies
With key partners, MAWIB implemented Career Pathways, offering both adults and youth clear and reliable courses of action for building skills to progress in their careers. The Career Pathways model provides a new way of organizing technical college occupational training as a sequence of credentials that leads learners in attainable steps toward better jobs and a degree or technical diploma. Career Pathways is a workforce development strategy used to support workers’ transitions from education into and through the workforce in order to increase edu-cation, training and learning opportunities for the current and emerging workforce.
MAWIB works in close collaboration with MATC in the design and implementation of RISE Career Pathways models and programs. In addition, as part of its M7 partnership, MATC and MAWIB have created Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) bridge train-ing programs for pre-college students to access college credits. These strategies allow workers who obtain employment the ability to continue to upgrade their skills and advance in their careers and earning power.
increase Access Points for Services
MAWIB brought together partners and collaborated to leverage funding opportunities to institute a first-in-the-nation computer kiosks access points. The Community Kiosks provide information on jobs and community resources, while presenting the information in a techni-cally accessible way for Milwaukee’s most vulnerable populations.
Currently, there are 16 kiosks found in locations throughout the city. The Kiosks are placed in heavily used locations such as libraries, Housing Authority sites, community partners and Bayshore Town Center.
Community KiosK loCations
atkinson Library 1960 W. Atkinson Ave. forest Home
1432 W. Forest Home Ave. Martin Luther King 310 W. Locust St. Washington park 2121 N. Sherman Blvd. Mill road Library 76th and Mill Road Center Street Library 2727 W. Fond Du Lac Ave. villard Square Library 5190 N. 35th Street Hillside terrace Center 1452 N. 7th Street
Silver Spring Neighborhood Center 5460 N. 64th Street
Bayshore Career Works Center 5800 N. Bayshore Drive
Goodwill Workforce Connection Center 3903 N. Richards Street
6055 N. 91st Street Milwaukee Christian Center 2137 N. Greenfield Ave
Wisconsin Department of Corrections 4160 N. Port Washington Rd (Glendale) 9th Street/ Mitchell Street
reCommenDation
five
Work with Intermediaries
Put into place intermediary specialty organizations with the responsibility to coordi-nate all employment and training efforts in various employment sectors. A construc-tion intermediary is in place and establishing a healthcare entity will be priority. Ad-ditional intermediaries for manufacturing, finance, and hospitality will be developed.
implementation:
The need to work in concert with employers was one of the driving forces behind the work-force development transformation. Coordination with intermediaries is solidly illustrated through MAWIB’s sector strategy. In addition to the sector-based solutions, MAWIB has continued to ensure individual employer needs are met in any industry. Employers provide invaluable insight into preparing and placing workers. Individualized solutions have included recruiting and selecting qualified candidates to fill current vacancies, providing employee assessments and screenings, and coordinating customized training and on-the-job training solutions.
Tactics:
the construction/Green Jobs Sector
Construction jobs provide opportunities to individuals who have barriers to employment in other sectors. Building off the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership’s (WRTP/BIG STEP) role in the community, one of the oldest workforce intermediaries in the nation, MAWIB, City Departments and CBOs created MilwaukeeBuilds. Working with the City of Milwaukee’s development agency (Department of Commu-nity Development), the Housing Authority of Milwaukee and construction companies, the initiative works to develop the skills needed by workers in construction.
These initiatives have addressed the needs of young people as well as adults. Another strength of this sector and the method of training is that many of the projects revitalize
urban areas by building homes in blighted empty lots, refurbishing older homes and develop-ing neighborhoods. These construction initiatives are the best example of a win-win for all involved. The two components for this training are:
• YouthBuild Young people, ages (16-24) obtain their GED or high school diploma while learning construction job skills, gaining industry certifications and serving their commu-nities by building affordable housing;
• AdultBuild Adults gain needed academic credentials and construction skills certifica-tions in order to transition to jobs in the private construction sector.
Efforts in construction have allowed MAWIB and its partners to establish strong programs in emerging Green Industries. Green jobs create clean environment supporting jobs that address
climate change. MAWIB has opened doors to youth and adults to a range of new and evolving career opportunities such as:
• Milwaukee Conservation Leadership Corps (MCLC), which allows high-school students to engage in meaningful year-round and summer work focused on environmental stew-ardship and conservation projects;
• Growing Power Demonstration Project, which took into account the importance of urban agriculture by developing programs with Growing Power and other urban food growers to develop a trained workforce that can grow and support community food systems.
the healthcare Sector
One of the most compelling stories in workforce development is preparing jobseekers to enter the world of healthcare careers. The Healthcare sector has the capacity to provide current jobs as well as clearly define opportunities for career growth. MAWIB has provided extensive resources toward developing relationships with healthcare providers and educational institu-tions to develop programs that match employers and jobseekers.
MAWIB’s approach is to work broadly with healthcare providers and workforce partners to create a long-term solution. The cornerstone of this strategy has been the establishment of a healthcare intermediary known as the Milwaukee Area Healthcare Alliance (MAHA), a partnership between the YWCA and the Milwaukee Area Health Education Center. MAHA supports the sector by bringing together healthcare providers with key workforce partners to meet the dual need of employers and jobseekers. MAHA was established with the support of the Helen Bader Foundation as a first effort of the Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alli-ance (MAWFA). In 2010, MAWIB applied for and received a Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) to further establish the MAHA, which allowed the development of the Career-Works Healthcare Training Institute (HTI).
The $3.4 million five-year grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services provides training in health occupations to low-income jobseekers and workers. Jobs require-ments have ranged from entry level short-term certificates to two-year diplomas and associate degrees. Additionally, the initiative assists low-income incumbent workers to further their education and advance up the career ladder. Priority is given to jobs needed by Milwaukee area health care providers.
By supporting the establishment and strengthening of MAHA as a healthcare focused inter-mediary, MAWIB has responded to healthcare employers.
the Manufacturing Sector
Initially manufacturing initiatives were implemented as part of a regional solution since Milwaukee is part of a much larger economic/ job market area. Recognizing this real-ity, MAWIB worked closely with the WOW and South East (SE) Workforce Investment Boards to implement initiatives that responded to the seven-county region. Since 2008, the regional strategy identified and provided training to the Advanced Manufacturing field of Power Controls; built a foundation with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and the Workforce Boards Representing the M7 region, workforce intermediaries and technical colleges; supported the National Association of Manufacturers rec-ognized Manufacturing Skills Standards Certification; and ensured manufacturing employers had access to on-the-job training solutions.
Recognizing the important role manufacturing has had and continues to have on the City of Milwaukee’s economy,
MAWIB, Mayor Tom Barrett’s office and the Common Council established funding to launch the Mayor Barrett Manufacturing Partnership. Officially launched in the spring of 2012, this partnership epitomizes an employer engagement strategy by assessing the specific work-force needs of manufacturers. As our nation recovers from the recession, available jobs in the manufacturing sector are on the rise. However, many jobseekers do not have the skills needed to fill the positions.
The Mayor’s Manufacturing Partnership addresses the shortage of skilled workers for manu-facturing industry jobs by bringing together the MAWIB, the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership and the Milwaukee Area Technical College. The goal of the partnership is to shrink the talent mismatch by working closely with employers to train jobseekers to fill manufacturing positions and prepare the workforce pipeline to fill future projected openings in the manufacturing industry. This project directly links employer needs to assure a placement at the end of training.
the Water Sector
With strong ties to the manufacturing sector, MAWIB has played a major role in development of a Water sector workforce strategy. In 2010, MAWIB, the Water Council, the Small Business Development Centers and UW-Milwaukee, Parkside and Whitewater were awarded and are implementing the Milwaukee Regional Water Accelerator project which is part of the $37 million dollar Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, a federal initiative to support the advancement of high-growth regional industry clusters in 20 areas across the country. Mil-waukee is the only city awarded a grant for the water sector. This project is connecting assets, building synergies and partnerships, opening global markets to small businesses, as well as connecting low-income individuals to the water cluster of companies with activities such as training, internships and careers, propelling Milwaukee’s water cluster forward.
Retail/hospitality/tourism Sector
Another of the original sectors identified in the initial recom-mendations was Hospitality. This was expanded to cover Retail, Hospitality and Tourism as the more defined focus. Jobs in this sector are plentiful and often provide entry to ca-reers. Initiatives launched to support this sector included Ca-reerWorks at Bayshore and the growth of the youth focused Culinary Arts initiative.
CareerWorks at Bayshore was launched with Multicultural Community Services, MATC, YWCA and Bayshore Town Center. CareerWorks served as an employer resource center providing many services to assist retail, hospitality and tour-ism companies in finding qualified, skilled employees. In turn, CareerWorks provided jobseekers with individualized skill building opportunities as well as group classes developed to train participants for jobs in the sec-tor. MAWIB continues to have two kiosks at Bayshore and works directly with businesses. The Culinary Arts Program provides Milwaukee area youth an opportunity to explore a real life work experience as they prepare for careers in the food service industry, while encour-aging them to further pursue educational interests. During the training all the participants take the Serv Safe Certificate exam, an industry recognized certification. The Culinary Arts Program has resulted in youth gaining employment with many Milwaukee based companies including Wisconsin State Fair Park, Potawatomi Bingo Casino, Miller Park Sport Services, Northwestern Mutual, Froedtert Hospital as well as others.
reCommenDation
six
Establish a Mayor’s Advisory Group
Establish a Mayor’s Advisory Group, comprised of business and other community leaders, to provide overall strategic direction to workforce development efforts.
implementation:
Simultaneous with the transition, a group of foundation representatives, spearheaded by the Helen Bader Foundation, and civic leaders were working with Mayor Tom Barrett to cre-ate a workforce funding collaborative, the Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alliance (MAWFA). MAWFA is a consortium of private and public funders of workforce development dedicated to increased employment that benefits both businesses that need skilled work-ers and individuals seeking good jobs with family-supporting wages. First and foremost, the MAWFA coordinate’s local philanthropic and public support for workforce efforts and also leverages national foundation investment into Milwaukee. As part of a national network of over 30 local funding collaboratives organized by the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, MAWFA goals are to fund agencies, programs and projects that provide career advancement support of low-income and low-skilled people and a better coordinated workforce develop-ment system of public and private collaboration that enhances regional competitiveness. MAWFA’s efforts have resulted in more than $9 million in funds dedicated to workforce devel-opment being deployed in Milwaukee.1
ConCLUSIon
In the coming years, MAWIB will continue to work toward:
• Obtaining additional workforce system resources to meet major needs, with a focus on new sources of funding;
• Building broader and more focused business relationships; • Supporting business-led sector approaches in areas of increased
employment opportunities;
• Practically addressing the significant barriers to employment facing Milwaukee’s large, low-income population by providing training and education to give Milwaukee jobseekers the necessary skills to obtain family-supporting employment;
• Identifying and implementing partnerships with existing and new delivery partners;
• Educating decision makers to recognize the strength and effectiveness that comes from local initiatives and regional collaboration;
• Developing and implementing strategies to sustain effective programs.
Much has been accomplished towards the original vision and recommendations made in 2007. Forward progress is imperative because the need continues to be great for both employers and jobseekers.
In the context of the economic environment (recession coupled with a jobless recovery), the ability to help employers and jobseekers is demonstrated through MAWIB’s integrated approach. The demand for a skilled workforce continues to grow and what the past five years have shown is that only through concentrated and collaborative efforts can these larger needs be met.
MAWIB is meeting these needs and continually doing more with less. MAWIB has the proven ability to manage a large number of programs while leveraging 25 plus different funding sources at any time.
The result is one in six City of Milwaukee residents receives services. MAWIB’s ability to monitor and build the capacity of more than 70 contracted providers is reaching the hardest to serve population in the state.
By bringing together the Coordinating Council, made up of the largest providers of workforce services in the region, MAWIB is able to commit to developing a workforce pipeline for the future serving industries crucial to our region’s economic future.
Footnotes
1 Public Policy Forum. Pathways to Employment: Exploring the activities and resources of Milwaukee’s workforce development system. December 2012.
2 Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alliance. www.milwaukeewfa.org. January 2013.
3 Public Policy Forum. Competing for Public Funding, How the Milwaukee Region Fares, Regional Report. September 2005. 4 UWM Center for Workforce Development. The Milwaukee Workforce Development Landscape Report. January 2006. 5 COWS. The State of Working Wisconsin 2012. September 2012.
6 Stanford Social Innovation Review. Understanding the Value of Backbone Organizations in Collective Impact. July 2012.
2342 N. 27th Street Milwaukee, WI 53210
oUR MISSIon
The Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board will build a strong workforce development system by planning, coordinating, collaborating and monitoring workforce initiatives
with businesses, partners and community stakeholders at the local, regional and state level to ensure a skilled and productive workforce for the 21st century.
