Fall 2000, October 19-20, 2000
San Luis Obispo Private Industry Council
October
19, 2000
Introductions:
Dedre Ahl noted that there were some new faces in the group and requested
that everyone stand and introduce themselves.
She then thanked Lee Ferrero, President and CEO, of the San Luis Obispo
PIC for arranging our meeting and facilities.
The group also extended a big thank you, to Brenda Rodriguez, our CMN Web
Mistress.
Lee Ferrero conducted a
review of the history of workforce programs entitled
– “Putting Things in Perspective: The Evolution of Workforce
Programs”.
(Handouts “A Brief History of Workforce Development in the US”)
He
gave us a task list for surviving WIA –
Agree
that things will not start smoothly
Focus on tasks
Learn by doing
Make it through the first year
After you figure out where you are then think about strategic planing
Take it easy.
Lee also gave some pointers that our new
WIB’s might want to consider –
Let
policy follow priorities.
Stay above the fray, and avoid taking ownership of programs.
The
presentation contained some very interesting overheads and charts which will be
scanned and posted on the Network web site at: http://www.welcome.to/camonet
Vinz
Koller – Social Policy Research Associates
Mr.
Koller has been working with SPRA to identify effective practices of the early
implementation states. He shared
some of these with the group.
SPRA
has a web site at http://www.spra.com
where workforce data is compiled and presented.
He suggested that it would be good to keep some of the following points
in mind as we begin to monitor the one-stop system.
Ask,
“How can we improve monitoring?”:
Make
It Non-adversarial
Be Constructive – in attitude and substance
Deliver Technical Assistance – creates a better atmosphere
Be Complementary – have good finding as opposed to negative
Keep The Provider Informed – give a heads up on content
Don’t
Make It Punitive – call findings recommendations, make suggestions for
improvement.
Pull the contractor into the solution by asking, “How will/would you fix
it?”.
Monitoring One-Stop Centers
Challenges:
-
What do we monitor under
WIA? – Since we are unsure of Federal, State, or local policy!
-
We have experienced a paradigm shift now
that we have partners in the one-stop system.
-
There are no contracts
with partners, therefore we have no authority over them.
In addition, we are largely unfamiliar with their programs.
-
Rules are changing and it
appears they will continue to change. We must continue to study to stay on top
of the information.
-
We may need to help and
mentor Service Providers through their fear and confusion.
Identify
ways monitors can become “Advocates of Excellence” or “Coaches”
Mr.
Koller suggested initiation of a certification procedure for the Center and setting
Quality Criteria (i.e., Baldridge)
Monitoring
Tools:
Handout
Tools.
Chartering and Certification – What criteria entitles
Are all business decisions driven by the customer.
The emphasis is on customer satisfaction.
Verify that the criteria and process continue to be executed.
(See North Carolina example.)
Self Assessment tool – Wisconsin
Compliance tool – Kentucky
Covers Rapid Response
OJTs
Kern, Inyo, Mono
Included
partners in developing CARP review (generic evaluation tool) narrowing down to
elements essential to a one-stops.
Process in
development.
Staff does desk review
Meet with one-stop site supervisors
Not into fiscal since financial matters are simply based on space
allocation.
Findings
from early implementers
Analysis
of the early implementers has revealed the following (There is a handout
detailing the findings.):
Missing
required partners – Florida
It
has been hard to find quantitative data to evaluate.
Most information is qualitative, “soft” stuff, or systemic.
In fact, many areas have spent more time focusing on the processes and
watching the numbers after the fact. The
numbers do tend to take care of themselves in a continuous improvement
atmosphere.
Vinz
recommended reading the “Pennsylvania Business Plan & Criteria” as a way
to develop a sense of what we should be looking for as monitors.
The Plan can be viewed on Pennsylvania's web site at www.paworkforce.state.pa.us.
Another
source for continuous improvement training is “Partnering for Quality under
WIA” at www.usworkforce.org.
He noted that California has adapted this for local use.
The CWA is also a source of information.
Linking
Monitoring to the continuous Improvement Process.
Some
areas have established continuous improvement teams. Anaheim and Merced have linked continuous improvement and
monitoring. It is important to
identify what is important to the customer, especially if we don’t do it well,
and learn to provide that service to the customer’s satisfaction.
Customer
Window:
In
order to prioritize the improvement process.
If you do some thing “not well” but your customer “likes” it, it
behooves you to learn to do it well. Result:
Continuous improvement.
For
more information you can contact Vinz Koller at: vinz_koller@spra.com.
Note:
Vinz’ e-mail motto: “It
is not the most intelligent of a species which survives; it is the most
adaptive.” Darwin.
CMN
Business meeting:
Dedre
gave out the California Monitor’s Network Web Site Address:
http://welcome.to/camonet
The
first term of the officers of the network has concluded.
Each of the nominees are running for office unopposed as follows:
President:
Dedre Ahl, Kern, Inyo, Mono
Vice President: Rick Gonzalez,
Long Beach
Secretary: Vyvian M. Timm, Tulare
County
The
slate of officers was unanimously approved.
By-Laws:
Amendments
LA
County Prime Agencies, are now Regional Workforce Groups and it is so reflected
in the amended by-laws.
Dedre
proposed having meetings twice a year instead of three times. So
many local areas are in a state of flux that it is difficult get away for
meetings. It was suggested that the
length of meetings be only one day instead of one and a half.
It was suggested that they be held in the Fall and the Spring.
Two-thirds
of the membership present must agree in order change the By-Laws.
Adopted unanimously.
What’s
Happening?
Dedre
requested the group pole their directors regarding holding the next meeting.
Tulare has volunteered for the Spring meeting, but will defer to another
local area should their administration approve a meeting for the group.
Tour
of the Creekside Career Center afternoon of the 19th.
Thank
you to Lee Ferrero and his kind staff for a very informative tour of the
Creekside Career Center.
October
20, 2000
Tim
Rainey, CWA
Commenting
on Lee Ferrero’s presentation of the previous day, Tim pointed out that you
can’t just simply toss out the old – you build on the foundation of the
previous layers. It is very
apparent that employment and training has a very rich history on which to
develop and refine WIA.
Tim
suggested that Boards remain engaged for larger projects and for the long haul,
if they can be involved in short term projects with an immediately identifiable
result. He handed out copies of a
Survey and Analysis conducted at the Meeting of the Minds in Monterey.
It is also posted at CWA’s web site:
www.calworkforce.org.
Once on the CWA web site most people go directly to the “What’s New”
section where news articles related to the workforce are posted.
The newest tool on the site is “Research-a-Rama”.
It is of great help because it can index information by the 200 most
reliable/valuable websites regarding workforce policy issues.
Tim
gave a brief overview of the history of the State Board and actions of the
Governor. He informed us that CWA
has sent suggestions to State for use of the 15% Governor’s Discretionary
funds.
Invest
in one-stop system.
Invest in training for incumbent workers.
Use as seed money for ideas at the local level.
Tim
noted that the State is talking about “branding” the one-stop system.
At EDD they are talking about standardizing public information spots.
In fact, the State is convening a work group. He also noted that the
federal government is in the same frame of mind.
It appears that both levels of government want to establish an emotional
attachment to the one-stop system akin to the “Harley-Davidson” concept.
Dedre
thanked Tim and pointed out that the CMN web page has links to CWA and some of
the other sites mentioned by Tim.
Monitoring
Tools and Group Discussion
Several
local areas brought copies of their one-stop monitoring tools to share with the
group. It was greatly appreciated.
The
meeting adjourned at 11:15 A.M.
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