Resources for Business that Deliver Talent meet Workforce Needs: National and State VR Network Collaboration

Business Services and Talent APSE

NET: Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) Membership organization of VR Directors 80 agencies: every state, territories, D.C. Federal/State Funded – U.S. Department of Ed. 25,000 staff serving one million people with disabilities per year Partnered with the VA-VR&E, AIR Largest talent pool of people with disabilities Supported by VR leadership and Business Consultants Vendor Network of 10,000 Community Partners Strategic alliance with the USBLN National partnership with APSE 3

NET - Why and How? We Asked Individual and Business Customers Dual Customer Model: the benefit to both customers Return on Investment Real time Labor Market Information and Relationships Customer Driven Network Build relationships and trust National in Scope - VR as One Company The NET: Build a National Infrastructure Easily Accessible Network 80 VR Points of Contact – Business Consultants Strategic Alliances and Partnerships USBLN, NILG, OPM Leverage the Strengths of a National System Ability to Deliver at the National, State and Local Level 4

The NET: VR Business Services Defined by Business Customers Pre-Employment Internships Training HR/Staffing Recruitment & Promotion Benefits & Compensation Retention Supports Employee Advisory Services Accommodations Work Site Assessment Assistive Technology Staff Training Disability Awareness ADAAA/Employment Laws Financial Supports WOTC Barrier Removal Universal Design Contracts Facilities Programs/Services Assistive Technology Information Technology Diversity Programs Compliance Support Legal Labor Relations Policy Development Risk Management Product Development Customer Service Marketing & Outreach 5

Examples Building a Strategic Plan with Lowe’s Partnership Agreement: NET & Lowe’s Companies Strategic Plan – business operations: corporate, retail and distribution Build an internal team - accommodations Current Models Job and site analysis Four tiered approach: competitive, assisted or transitional employment, pre-training with supports, retention Year 1: 556 hires at corporate, retail and distribution centers States: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MS, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, SC, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY Building a Strategic Plan with Starbucks Working with the USBLN: meeting with corporate team to look at current practice and the goals of the company. Partners included HR, Compliance, Diversity and Inclusion, Accommodations, ACCESS – ERG Roasting Plants, manufacturing and distribution: NV, PA, WA. Tours, meeting with the teams on-site. Review of positions and accommodation discussions. Nevada: Inclusion Academy Washington: Hiring and recruitment for plant as well as corporate positions. Support for retention. Pennsylvania: local connections, recruitment and hiring in both distribution and retail. National: corporate recruitment, sharing models across the NET, future expansion – retail/training which includes baristas.

Talent Acquisition Portal® 7

8 i.Overview of OVR ii.Services to Consumer Customers iii.Strategic Priorities of OVR iv.OVR Business Services v.OVR Business Services Spotlight - Giant Eagle Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

To assist Pennsylvanians with disabilities secure and maintain employment and independence 9 Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

10 STAFF 1,100 staff members statewide LOCATIONS Bureau of Central Operations (BCO) Located at 1521 N. 6th St. Harrisburg, PA Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (BVRS) 15 district offices statewide Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) 6 district offices (co-located with BVRS) Hiram G. Andrews Center (HGAC) – Johnstown, PA 24/7 comprehensive training/education center Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

11 Individuals who received OVR services: 83,022 Individuals employed in the competitive labor market with OVR assistance: 9,461 Estimated federal and state taxes paid by these new workers: $56,849,811 Average per person cost for a competitive placement: $4,997 Average hourly wage of individuals employed with OVR assistance: $12.75 Sources: US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey & RSA’s 2013 Final Report Card for Pennsylvania OVR’s 2013 Federal Report Card:

15 BVRS and 6 BBVS district offices statewide OVR Central Office in Harrisburg Hiram G. Andrews Center in Johnstown Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

OVR provides a wide range of services to eligible individuals: DiagnosticsTraining Restoration Placement Assistance Vocational Evaluation Counseling and Guidance Assistive Technology Support Services Business Services Services are provided on a case by case basis, as every individual presents unique goals, skills, barriers, resources, etc. * Evaluation, counseling and placement services are free of cost to the individual. However, all other services may require a financial contribution from the individual depending on their income. *

OVR is now connecting with consumers, stakeholders & businesses on Facebook and Linkedin!

I.Customer Service II.Transition III.Workforce Development Collaboration IV.Stakeholder Relations – Business Services V.Public Awareness & Outreach Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

Supply & Demand Considerations in VR services Meeting the employment needs of people with disabilities and the business needs of employers. VR works to prepare our workforce talent with skills and technical capacities to meet the demands of business today and in the future. Hiring OVR Customers makes good Business Sense! OVR Serves Consumer Customers AND Business Customers Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

Our goal is to make hiring individuals with disabilities a seamless process for you, our Business Partners Our VR staff Single Points of Contact  Listen to private sector businesses and public employers about their needed workforce skills – skills that add value to their organizations’ profitability and bottom line.  Cultivate relationships with businesses  OVR’s “Single points of contact” serve as a single, easy go-to resource - businesses don’t want to deal with several government agencies. Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

The gold standard of OVR Business Services and Outreach Efforts is: To build a dual customer base of: Businesses/Employers that trust and choose OVR as their preferred talent acquisition source, and A Qualified/Pre-screened Talent Pool we assist in skills development so they can access opportunities and make contributions as a skilled workforce in a competitive labor market Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

How does OVR provide business solutions and consultation services to business owners and operators? Business Specialists at OVR’s Central Office & the Single Points of Contact (SPOC) at OVR’s district offices: –Plan and build a talent recruitment and on-boarding support plan to meet business needs. –Provide consultation on a variety of tasks for hiring and retention best practices. Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

Keeps the process simple through use of Single Point of Contact- One State Govt. connected, the other Private Sector connected: OVR or BLN Based on success with Walgreen Anderson SC model and The Hershey Company Y&S Twizzle Plant in Lancaster PA Model to be tailored to meet each Business or Employer needs SPOC can leverage both no-cost qualified, pre-screened talent recruitment and on-boarding supports to insure new hire success PA OVR Business Services is dedicated to helping Employers grow and build their workforce, contact us…we can keep it simple!

The Pennsylvania Business Leadership Network (PA BLN) is an employer driven program designed for business leaders to promote hiring practices that enable qualified people with disabilities to enter and succeed in the workplace. The emphasis of the PA BLN is to create opportunities where employers can communicate, peer-to-peer, to provide candid and frank assessments of hiring successes and challenges. This network not only provides employers with access to a network of their peers, it also provides opportunities for training, positive public relations, an increased number of applicants with a disability, and a centralized source of information. The PA BLN is coordinated by AHEDD and is part of a national initiative of over 50 affiliate BLNs in about 30 states. AHEDD is a private non-profit organization with a mission to serve the community as a catalyst in the employment and development of persons with a disability. This organization has been meeting the employment needs of people with disabilities and the business community since The efforts of the PA BLN are not to duplicate existing resources. Instead, the PA BLN is to create an employer friendly resource that conducts outreach in the business community and connects employers to those resources that can help them with their needs.