Plenary Sessions and Workshops

Plenary Sessions Descriptions

Workshop Descriptions

Plenary Session Descriptions

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Partners in Leading the Way: ETA Update
With the high visibility of the workforce development system in the public eye since the tragedy of September 11, the Employment and Training Administration has been juggling numerous priorities to support state and local workforce officials as they ensure services are delivered effectively to their customers. This session will provide an opportunity to hear what has been accomplished in the past year, what the current initiatives are from the Department of Labor, and what to anticipate in the upcoming year.

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Who Will Lead the Way? Succession Planning in a Changing World
The future success of the publicly funded workforce investment system will be determined in large measure by how states manage the replacement of their retiring workforce. State agencies must consider innovative ways to maintain high levels of customer service as employees that provided their institutional knowledge depart. How will workforce agencies compete for top talent and front-line workers alike as labor trends project an increasing shortage of workers? The session will include an overview of the state and local response nationally to what many view the key challenge to government administration in the next five to ten years: the potentially significant wave of upper-level government staff who will be eligible to retire. The session will also cover the demographic and workforce market trends that will be impacting hiring, as well as what leading governments are doing to ensure a smooth transition in leadership, from assessing potential brain drain to recruiting and grooming future leaders. Finally, state and federal officials will highlight how they are dealing with this human resource challenge.

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Preliminary Workshop Descriptions

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Improving Frontline Staff Effectiveness
This exciting workshop provides a working solution that improves staff efficiency and effectiveness by bringing together labor market information, wage records and other administrative program data. Currently being piloted in the State of Georgia, the Frontline Decision Support System is a management tool that uses existing real-time data to assist workforce professionals make more informed decisions regarding employment prospects, skill requirements, appropriate services and eligibility.

The challenges of WIA require new and innovative tools to help your staff be more effective in the identification of needs and delivery of services; come to this workshop and see how this joint effort between the Georgia Department of Labor, USDOL/ETA and the Upjohn Institute meets the challenges head-on.

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--> Beyond Theory and Facing Reality: What States are Doing with the $8 Billion Reed Act Distribution
States have several choices on how to spend their share of this year's $8 billion Reed Act distribution including improving UI trust fund solvency, reducing taxes, improving benefits and making capital investments or information technology improvements. This timely workshop goes beyond a discussion on how states can effectively allocate their share of these funds to the reality of what several states have already done with their distribution and to the various possibilities for next year when state legislatures meet to discuss proposals from their governors.

Come gather valuable information from other states that can assist you in navigating from "Reed Act" theory to an $8 billion dollar reality.

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Is the Timing Right this Time for Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Reform?
Does anyone remember what they were doing on March 17, 1999? This is not a date that will be remembered in our Nation's history, but it is the date on which leaders of NASWA, then called ICESA, and officials of the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) began discussing Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Employment Service (ES) reform. Over three years later no permanent UI/ES reform has been enacted and we are still talking about UI/ES reform. In the interim, NASWA agreed on a comprehensive proposal with USDOL, business, and labor that failed when elements of the business community withheld or withdrew support. Then in 2001 President Bush took office. In 2002, the President made a new comprehensive proposal, but states raised some issues. This summer the President revised his proposal in response to state concerns. Can states support this revised proposal? If so, what are the next steps for NASWA? If not, what else do states want? How can states get what they want?

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Is the Workforce Development System More than the Sum of its Parts?
While universal service is one of the core defining elements of the emerging publicly-funded workforce development system, categorical program funding remains an on-the-ground reality. Programs and services targeted at certain populations such as Veterans, TANF recipients, Vocational Rehabilitation customers, etc., can appear contrary to the one-stop vision of integrated/seamless services and create confusion and frustration for customers and staff. Come listen to the issues surrounding the integration of such categorical programs into a universal frame of core, intensive and training services, and learn from experts and your peers about partnering approaches that have worked.

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Beyond Numbers and Big Words: LMI@Work
This workshop provides a sneak preview of a new training opportunity - LMI@Work - in both the classroom-based and e-learning formats. LMI@Work is a "primer" for non-economists who want to understand -- and more importantly, put to use -- the vast array of data on the economy, employment and workforce. The course is designed for employment and training professionals (without LMI expertise) such as resource room coordinators, workshop presenters, as well as business customers and training developers. The interactive training clarifies the best sources for answers to common customer questions, such as "what jobs pay the most?"

The classroom version includes a variety of learning techniques, including group discussion, question and answer exercises, and action planning. The e-learning version uses interactive, web-technology instructional strategies such as scenario-based learning, audio clips and self-assessment to engage learners and help them retain important concepts. In addition, the e-learning format provides the benefit of allowing workforce professionals to access the training 24/7!

Meet with the trainers that have collaborated on this effort to provide a dynamite course in both classroom and electronic formats!

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From the Mountains to the Prairies: Building Effective Legislative Outreach
Results of the devolution of decision-making and authority from the federal government to the states are that states have become more active in policy making, the distribution of funding and design of service delivery systems. Expanded state level decision-making provides greater opportunity for state workforce agencies to influence federal and state legislative action with the goal of strengthening the publicly funded workforce investment system. The recent Reed Act distribution, which requires state legislative approval to spend, highlights how state agencies have been given greater opportunity to put into action strategies to educate legislators and advance system objectives. Additional opportunities will arise as the Administration pursues UI/ES reform and the Congress pursues the reauthorization of welfare and WIA programs. This session will showcase what some states have done to win legislative support for their systems. Panelists will also review strategies used for state legislative and Congressional outreach and education.

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"Bricks and Clicks" and the New Mortar: Using O*NET in UI Call Centers
This ONLINE webinar will gather conference attendees and workforce professionals in remote UI Call Centers in a virtual classroom to discuss the benefits of integrating O*NET into call center processes and emerging promising practices. With many states having migrated UI offices from bricks-and-mortar sites to Call Centers, O*NET is a powerful resource which can help call center reps handle "telephone claims." No need for the DOT! A new tool, the O*NET Code Connector, provides staff easily accessible information to ensure the claimant gets coded properly so a better job match can take place!

A dynamic database, O*NET contains comprehensive information on job requirements and worker competencies for exploring today's world of work. With customer satisfaction being a major priority in the workforce development community, come hear about the positive impact O*NET and the O*NET Code Connector can have on UI Call Centers' service delivery processes.

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Engaging Business in Your Business
The message has been heard loud and clear: It's time to reach out to the business customer in your state. A unique consortium of states is currently working on identifying unique approaches to marketing and providing practical services to their business customers.

Come attend this workshop and learn about what business customers are saying about our services, and how we can best meet the needs of the business community. Also learn of a valuable CESER/ETA joint marketing effort that provides a valuable resource to you in reaching out to your business customers.

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Overview of the Trade Act of 2002 and the Role of State Workforce Agencies
On August 6, 2002, President Bush signed legislation to reauthorize and expand the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. Beyond reauthorizing TAA programs through September 30, 2007, the legislation significantly expands the number of potentially eligible workers and their benefits. State Workforce Agencies will play a key role in administering the new provisions of this law. This workshop will provide an overview of the Trade Act law and will provide an opportunity for state workforce agency officials to provide input and ask questions of federal officials.

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Pulling It Together: Linking UI with the One-Stop System through Re-Employment Services
The implementation of telephone and/or Internet claims-taking for Unemployment Insurance benefits in most states resulted in a physical separation of ES and UI staff and processes. This workshop will explore the need for promoting and improving the connection of services between the Unemployment Insurance program and the rest of the one-stop system.

Attend this workshop and listen to the perspectives/concerns of both federal representatives and state UI and ES directors surrounding this issue. An informative facilitated discussion will serve as the kick-off activity for a joint CESER/ETA effort to offer technical assistance in this field.

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Reflections/Confessions from a State Administrator(s)
Not long ago, the average tenure of a State Workforce Agency Administrator was under two years. More recently, many state administrators have served in these positions for several years. This has resulted in more systemic changes in many state agencies workforce systems and will likely have a lasting impact for years to come.

This session will feature several "seasoned" state administrators who will share their initial views/plans as a new administrator, their experiences in the position, their successes and failures, and their reflective thoughts/hopes/recommendations for the system in the future.

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