Montana Workforce Investment Act

2013 Virtual Performance Conference

Description: Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, establishes a One-Stop Delivery System for workforce investment activities. The one-stop delivery system is a system where entities responsible for administering separate workforce investment, educational and other human resource programs and funding streams (referred to as one-stop partners) collaborate to create a seamless system of service delivery designed to enhance access to the programs’ services and improve long-term employment outcomes for individuals receiving assistance.

WIA requires partnerships in the one-stop delivery system. Those partners include: Title IB adult, youth and dislocated worker programs; Job Corps; Native American programs; Migrant Seasonal Farmworker programs; Veterans’ workforce programs; Wagner-Peyser Act programs; Adult Education and Literacy Activities; programs authorized under Title I parts A&B of the Rehabilitation Act; welfare-to-work programs; Senior Community Service Employment activities; Carl Perkins postsecondary vocational education programs; TAA and NAFTA assistance programs; HUD; UI; employment and training programs authorized under Community Services Block Grant programs; and veterans’ employment and disabled veterans outreach programs. Other entities such as TANF and Food Stamp are not required partners but may serve as partners in

There are many certified One-Stop Systems and Centers in Montana. Please click on the link to the left titled “One-Stop Center Locations” for a list of the locations and addresses.

Purpose: Individuals seeking to manage their career need access to information and high quality services and Montana businesses need skilled workers. It is the purpose of WIA and the one-stop delivery system to help facilitate meeting both of those needs. This program is intended to empower individuals through better integration of services and meaningful labor market information (employment statistics) so that individuals can make informed choices about their careers.

Services: Core services consist of activities such as determining eligibility to receive assistance under WIA Title I, outreach, intake and orientation to the information and other services available through the one-stop delivery system, initial assessment of skill levels, aptitudes, abilities, and supportive service needs (child care and transportation and referral to other services as appropriate); job search and placement assistance, and where appropriate career counseling; provision of employment statistics information relating to the local, regional and national labor market areas; and provision of performance information and cost information on eligible providers of training services, youth activities, adult education, post-secondary vocational education, vocational education activities available to school dropouts, and vocational rehabilitation; and information regarding filing claims for unemployment compensation. All individuals can access “core” services through the one-stop centers and affiliate sites.

Intensive services are provided to adults and dislocated workers who are not able to obtain employment or who remain underemployed after utilizing core services. An individual must have received at least one core service such as an initial assessment that determines that individual’s need for these services. Individuals may be employed but need these services in order to obtain or retain employment that allows for self-sufficiency. Intensive services may include comprehensive assessments of skill levels and need; in-depth evaluation to identify employment barriers and appropriate employment goals; group and individual counseling and career planning; case management; short-term prevocational services that might include development of learning and communication skills and professional conduct to prepare individuals for unsubsidized employment; supportive services; and development of an individual employment plan to identify employment goals, appropriate achievement objectives and services that will help the individual employment goals.

Training services are available to employed and unemployed adults and dislocated workers who have met the eligibility requirement for intensive services, have received at least one intensive service and have been determined to be unable to obtain or retain employment through intensive services; are in need of training services and have the skills and qualifications to successfully complete the selected training program; are unable to obtain grant assistance from other sources such as PELL grants or TAA or require WIA assistance in addition to other sources of grant assistance; or meet the priority of services established by the local workforce area. The training program should be directly linked to the employment opportunities in either the local area in which they reside or in areas where they are willing to locate.

Training services are provided through Individual Training Accounts that allow adults and dislocated workers to purchase training services. Training services are intended to be provided in a manner that maximizes informed customer choice and may only be purchased through training providers that are on the State’s list of eligible training providers (ETPL). The ETPL is continuously updated with the most current information on training programs and providers in order to give individuals a wide variety of training programs and occupational choices. A training program may consist of one or more courses or classes, or structured regimen, that leads to a certificate or degree or the skills or competencies needed for a specific job or jobs or occupation(s). The eligible training provider list may be viewed at: https://jobs.mt.gov/jobs/provider/provider.seek

Check out the adult, youth and dislocated worker websites for information specific to each program as well as the list of adult and youth service providers.

http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/wia/wiaadult.asp
http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/wia/wiayouth.asp
http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/wia/wiadislocatedworker.asp

Economic Development: The program is intended to help Montanans make wise career choices and educational/training decisions. Workforce development plus educational development equals economic development. Business and industry must have access to a highly skilled workforce in order to compete globally. The complete Workforce Investment Act (all five titles) is designed with this in mind.

Administration: The Statewide Workforce Programs and Oversight Bureau (Bureau) provides statewide program oversight and also acts as the fiscal agent and administrative entity for the State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB). Bureau functions include fiscal tracking, participant data tracking, reporting to the U.S. Department of Labor, monitoring the Workforce Investment Board and local service providers for compliance and quality issues, providing training and technical assistance to the system and policy interpretation and development. A portion (15%) of the funding for each program (adult, youth and dislocated worker) allotted to states is reserved for the Governor’s set aside and the remainder (85%) of the adult and youth funds are passed through to the local areas. Montana reserves twenty-five percent of the dislocated worker funds alloted to the state for rapid response activities provided by Job Service Workforce Centers, 15% is reserved for the Governor’s set aside and 60% is passed through to the local areas. On behalf of the SWIB, the Bureau contracts with local providers who then provide services to adults, youth and dislocated workers.

Statewide Workforce Programs & Oversight
Gary Wright, Bureau Chief
P.O. Box 1728
Helena, MT 59624
E-mail: wia@mt.gov
Phone (406) 444-4100
Fax (406) 444-3037