February 6, 2018 DOL YouthBuild Supporting Successful Placement Through Staffing and Partnerships

Jeff Hunt Workforce Analyst US Department of Labor ETA/OWI/DYS

Phoebe Reeves-Murray Kurt Von Stetten Associate Director of Technical Assistance YouthBuild USA Kurt Von Stetten Director of Data Service YouthBuild USA MIS Help Desk

Felicia Garvin-Pierce YouthBuild Director YouthBuild Northshore Salem, MA Michael Quigley Program Manager and Job Developer YouthBuild Northshore Salem, MA

Amber Palmeri Jason Vaughn Program Manager: YouthBuild Mile High YouthBuild Denver, CO Jason Vaughn Program Coordinator: College and Careers Mile High YouthBuild Denver, CO

Provide a key components overview of DOL YouthBuild job placement Introduce and walk through DOL YouthBuild Placement Toolkit Discuss how to develop a set of key planning questions to map essential placement partnerships Increase understanding through success stories, challenges, and best practices around placement from experienced DOL YouthBuild sites Share resources

Job Developer and central to their position Who handles Job Development at your DOL YouthBuild Program and is their job development work central to their position or is it in addition to a number of other duties? Job Developer and central to their position Case Manager/Construction Trainer/Academic Instructor and in addition to other duties in their position Contracted outside partner American Job Center in conjunction with YouthBuild Job Developer American Job Center None of the above

Placement: How is it often approached? At the very end of active programming As an add-on to working with/teaching the participants Make sure to collect proof of placement Try to reach participants through social media Hope for the best

Placement: What can make it such a challenge? Economy Skill Set Academic Level Life Experience Practical Experience Lack of a placement leader within the YB program who bridges the program to the outside world of employers, post-secondary institutions, and the American Job Centers

The new Placement Toolkit; A Team Approach Placement strategy needs a central point person or persons Placement needs an active relationship with local American Job Center to give participants access to next stage/advanced training Placement needs an active relationship with post-secondary partners locally Placement needs an active relationship with employer partners locally Job Development has to start taking place before Day One The right credentials and credits do boost placement options

The different components of the Placement Toolkit: 1. Job Developer/Placement Specialist templates including scope of work or job description with important internal program duties and external partnership duties

The different components of the Placement Toolkit: 2. Narrative Guide for what key responsibilities take place during the different phases of the YouthBuild grant

The different components of the Placement Toolkit: 3. Visual map of the interlocking aspects of the Job Developer/Placement Specialist(s) work and how and when they serve/interface with the youth participants and the external placement partners

The different components of the Placement Toolkit: 4. A “getting started” list for establishing active partnerships with local American Job Centers

The different components of the Placement Toolkit: 5. Simple sample employer satisfaction survey easily adaptable by a YouthBuild site to support a committed, active placement development relationship with employer and/or post-secondary education partners who might be supplying active practical/practicum experience for the participants

The different components of the Placement Toolkit: 6. Collection of resources for planning, establishing, and growing employer and post-secondary partnerships

Job Developer/Placement Specialist Scope of Work Clear and Comprehensive Job Description(s) JD/PS partners with internal and external leadership to anticipate when YouthBuild participant and employer/post-secondary partner-related tasks surface over the life of a DOL YouthBuild grant JD/PS has to serve both participants and partners Curriculum and hands-on practice need to be connected to placement JD/PS has to be ready to potentially design and implement with a partner a pre-apprenticeship and/or apprenticeship equivalent career pathway

The JD/PS Narrative Timeline Breaks grant timeline into Pre-Orientation, Orientation, Active Programming, Placement and Follow-up Locates key activities, i.e. researching LMI, etc. in the timeframe where most critical Shows during what time period of the grant specific partnerships rise to the surface Shows where key activities may be regular, on- going, or one-off and with whom

Kurt von Stetten Director of Data Service YouthBuild USA MIS Help Desk

Placement and Job Developer Activity Map

Placement and Job Developer Activity Map Activities with Participants and Partners Timing is Everything Mapping Core Preparation Mapping follow-through Structure for Self-Assessment

Partner Activities: Mental Toughness

Participant Activities: Program Period Enrollment Training Exit

Participant Activities: Follow-Up Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Partnering with the American Job Center for Placement Starter strategies for partnership and MOU Active scope of services agreement of what YouthBuild Program will provide and what the AJC will provide Negotiations must include a formal MOU, but shouldn’t stop with a document FPOs, TEGLs, and Other Resources AJCs have access to many training opportunities, training providers, and participating employers One-Stop Fact Sheet, the American Job Center Toolkit, and resources on WorkforceGPS

Sample Employer Satisfaction Survey Template comes from the SoBro YouthBuild site The template was developed as part of a foundational work skills bridge to customer service pathway (can be easily adapted to other pathways) The template can be used for either an internship or for an employment placement

Placement-Related Resources Templates and direct resources for partnering with different types of employers Checklist of specific items to include in a strong placement plan Strategies for engaging employers Strategies and questions for building partnerships with employer and post-secondary partners and the need for having both Sector strategies (E-Learning videos) Long-term pathway development

Which of the following has been your most successful external partnership related to placement? American Job Center Employer Post-Secondary Institution Some combination of the above None of the above

Why has that partnership been successful or not successful? Time/no time put into it Staff/No Staff devoted to working the partnership Certification/Curriculum on Target/Misaligned Participants able/unable to master content and have an active/no hands-on pre- apprenticeship/apprenticeship pathway practice

Felicia Garvin-Pierce YouthBuild Director YouthBuild Northshore Salem, MA Michael Quigley Program Manager and Job Developer YouthBuild Northshore Salem, MA

The Role of Staff Director Hard and Soft Skills, Evaluate Readiness, Clerical, Assist with employer meetings Lead, Partner Engagement, Secure Placements, Follow-Up, Design Curriculum Secure Agreements Partnerships and MOU’s, Partner Engagement Director Program Manager/ Job Developer Construction Staff Support Staff/ Case Managers Educators/ Teachers Interns

Employer Engagement Engagement Connections to employers Connection to Career Center and WIB Member organizations Initial partnership meetings Monthly Newsletter “Partner Highlighted” “Try Before you Hire” – 4-Week Paid Internship College and Employment Tours Job Shadowing Annual Partner Meetings Personal Invitations to Agency Events

Employer Engagement Activities Road to Success Week Future Success Curriculum Coaching and Placement Meeting Career and College Roundtable Discussions College Campus Tours and Worksite Tours Mental Toughness 2 Job Shadowing Opportunities College Campus Events Alumni Council

American Job Center Relationship Partnership Details: WIB – WIOA Service Provider Youth Pipeline Committee Advisory Council North Shore Career Center Job Quest (Daily Job Postings) Advanced Training North Shore Youth Career Center STAND Program First Jobs

North Shore WIB & YouthBuild North Shore Positives Access to all Career Center opportunities for both Youth and Adults Innovative ideas and recommendations for career exploration and placement through Youth Pipeline Committee WIOA Service Provider Meetings Youth have access to advanced training Workshops and Seminars Great communication

North Shore WIB & YouthBuild North Shore Challenges Inconsistent Systems No guaranteed placement Funding for Advanced Training WIOA Funding/Paperwork

Success Story: Joseph Doran

Amber Palmeri Jason Vaughn Program Manager: YouthBuild Mile High YouthBuild Denver, CO Jason Vaughn Program Coordinator: College and Careers Mile High YouthBuild Denver, CO

MHYC Staffing for Placement Program Coordinator: College and Careers (Job Developer) Case Manager: College and Tuition Case Manager: Resources

Partnership Development Employer Advisory Council (EAC) PSE Partnerships MOUs

Preparing Participants for Placement and Retention Management Assistance Plan Goal: To support and assist youth in overcoming barriers that could prevent them from achieving and maintaining their career objectives. Services/Benefits Offered to Employer Pre-Screened youth (including drug screen and background requirements) Intervention (troubleshooting employment/ personal issues)

Preparing Participants for Placement and Retention Monthly telephone calls and/or face-to-face contact with youth Follow-up with employer/supervisor to ensure that things are going well and not marginally (bi-monthly minimum) Assistance with job retention/career advancement Ongoing support and resources for youth to ensure career success

Preparing Participants for Placement and Retention Key: Incorporate management assistance into the rhythm of youth and employers’ workday Understand employers’ requirements Provide effective support without disrupting the job Provide services to assist with overcoming barriers, and maintaining employment and retention

Preparing Participants for Placement and Retention Successes: Ability to build rapport with employers and PSE institutions, which lead to successful placements Having our employer partners’ participation in Career Readiness Training helps create “buy-in” and engagement in program Relationship building, which has led to MOUs and successful job shadows, internships, and placements Face-to-face dialogue with employers/HR personnel helps us understand what their needs are, as well as them understanding our needs and the scope of work that we do

Preparing Participants for Placement and Retention Challenges Employer “buy-in” Keeping employers engaged Meeting the demand and competing with a high-demand workforce (construction) PSE retention

Preparing Participants for Placement and Retention Steps taken to overcome challenges: Asked employers to identify reasons for participation in the EAC, activities, and ways they would like to participate in MHYC’s programs and overall feedback on the council Having participants attend EAC meetings - “Tell their story” Working with EAC members to identify employers who offer more part-time or flexible positions that work well with class schedules for those who are in PSE

Summary and Key Takeaways Placement needs a central point-person or persons Placement needs an active relationship with local American Job Center to give participants access to next-stage/advanced training Placement needs an active relationship with post-secondary partners locally and should take participants to a next pre- apprenticeship or apprenticeship level Placement needs an active relationship with employer partners locally and should take participants to a next pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship level Job Development has to start taking place well before Day One Placement activity needs to take place inside and outside of the YouthBuild program

Jeff Hunt hunt.jeff.m@dol.gov Phoebe Reeves-Murray preeves@youthbuild.org Kurt Von Stetten kvonstetten@youthbuild.org Amber Palmeri amberp@mhyc.net Jason Vaughn jasonv@mhyc.net Felicia Garvin-Pierce felicia@northshorecdc.org Michael Quigley michael@northshorecdc.org