Recovery Readiness Peer-to-Peer Resources

See the promising practices on these topic areas (organized by state, then local area, if applicable):

• Workforce System Vision – local grants, strategic planning, and partnerships
• Prepared and Open for Business – policy updates, modifying service delivery, and incorporating virtual services
• Administrative Capacity – modifying subawards and/or MOU/IFAs to expand service delivery and reviewing financial and performance risk factors
• Jobseeker Program Capacity – recruiting participants, improving access, ensuring ETP capacity, expanding UI services and integrating them into service delivery strategies, and planning for increases in paid/unpaid work experiences
• Business Services Capacity – business engagement, virtual career fairs and hiring events, and business outreach activities
• Effective Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Services – special training services and workshops

Workforce System Vision

Workforce System Vision Promising Practices are listed in order by state, then local area, if applicable and cover topics like local grants, strategic planning, and partnerships.

• Arizona implemented a "Back-to-Work" program with UI benefits ending, supporting workers with bonuses, and providing funds for training incentives and childcare assistance.
• California’s High Road Training Partnership approach creates an ecosystem of economic prosperity. 
• Madera (CA) Workforce Development Board  embarked on a significant expansion of partnerships to include additional service providing agencies, customer advocacy groups, business types, business intermediaries in order to maximize inclusivity. This approach and their focus on continuous improvement makes them ready to be equitable and inclusive with any new funds.
• San Francisco (CA) Workforce Development Board’s RFP Process Involving Community Equity.
• Santa Barbara (CA) Workforce Development Board’s COVID Impact Report.
• Guam’s ARPA-funded Small Business Pandemic Grant included the centralization of COVID information and resources. The GDOL has collaborated with the Joint Information Center (JIC), which was being used as a centralized location for COVID information, needs, and resources. The GDOL’s strong collaboration with the JIC greatly promoted initial engagement and participation of key employers with the NDWG Grant and WIOA program.
• Maui County Virtual Job Fair – a collaboration between Maui County Workforce Development, Maui American Job Center, and University of Hawai’i Maui College.
• Building on its existing strategic plan, Marion County, Indiana (Region 12) is embarking on a new strategic planning process. Region 12 plans for more call outs specific to racial equity and will double down on their priority population, prioritizing those who benefit greatly from the utilization. Region 12’s emphasis is on individuals who have been disconnected from the traditional workforce system and live in areas where there has been a historic disinvestment. Activities for ARP funds and CARES money go towards training - Next Level Jobs - for those individuals who have yet to get a 4-year degree, they expanded on that.
• Howard County, Maryland has implemented an 8-week workshop series called Getting Ahead which includes a “bridges out of poverty” framework.
• Montana’s Ready to Work Program (RTWP) was created, and funded with ARPA funds, to provide 4,000 Montanan's a $1,200 bonus to return to work.
• Portland (OR) Metro Area’s Aligned Partnership Network (APN).
• Tennessee has capability (through Geo Solutions) to upload information/enhancements to serve anyone virtually, through its virtual AJC.

Prepared and Open for Business

Prepared and Open for Business Promising Practices are listed in order by state, then local area, if applicable and cover topics like policy updates, modifying service delivery, and incorporating virtual services.

• Arizona incorporated a regular process to review and update policies with current Federal guidance and updated DW definition for maximum flexibility, connection with other state programs like rent moratorium and other COVID-19 assistance. Also ensuring UI and LMI presentations are given to all local boards to ensure all are aware of the latest data on UE rates, needs of populations, etc.
• Fresno (CA) Workforce Development Board implemented an HR Hotline – which businesses can call anonymously to ask HR related questions. 
• Colorado established the Office of New Americans initiative, which serves as the point of contact for state agencies, private sector organizations, and the public to advance the integration and inclusion of immigrants and refugees in Colorado communities..
• The State of Hawaii collaborated with other agencies to expand Internet access to rural areas with emergency broadband, the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The program pays up to $50 for monthly fees as well as assist in purchasing a laptop for low-income individuals.
• Marion County (IN) recently conducted research with Burning Glass related to a Brookings study that was done regionally regarding good and promising jobs. They are aligning that study with identifying baccalaureate occupations in the community that are in high demand. That was recently completed, and they are reviewing the research and occupations identified in terms to identify some policy and guidance that may be put out. They will move forward with additional labor market research that is more comprehensive as it relates to pathways and occupations across industries. While that project is not yet complete, it is underway.
• Kansas City (MO) partnered with local educators for the Middle College Program, an excellent example of program modification to meet the needs of a specific population (OSY/drop-outs) and their related barriers and circumstances.
• South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (SDDLR) updated its policy manual, posted in SharePoint, and communicated through an internal policy memo. SDDLR reviewed its budget to increase its occupational skill training.
• SDDLR also implemented a COVID-19 Resource Clearinghouse.
• Texas Workforce Solutions published guides throughout the pandemic for guidance to boards when new requests/changes were required. Examples include conducting virtual job fairs and teleworking requirements.
• Workforce Solutions Concho Valley (TX) created a Business Hub with the city, chamber, senator Perry's office, county, agriculture extension office, colleges and other community base organizations to access all services and be on the same page.

Administrative Capacity

Prepared and Open for Business Promising Practices are listed in order by state, then local area, if applicable and cover topics like modifying subawards and/or MOU/IFAs to expand service delivery and reviewing financial and performance risk factors.

• South Bay (CA) Workforce Board honored for Prison to Employment Program.
• Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s (IDWD) normal process for a risk assessment is to perform a pre- and post- risk assessment. They look at several different factors including past monitoring, fiscal data, audit findings, staffing structure, and EEO. After the review a post risk assessment is performed to see if any of the circumstances, they looked at in the pre-assessment have changed or been mitigated. IDWD Monitoring Risk Assessment.
• Northwest Indiana (Region 1) procured Purdue Extension to help facilitate conversations with community partners and the city to talk about why there is low labor force participation and what is keeping people from participating and what would it take to change that. This Must Be the Place.

Jobseeker Program Capacity

Jobseeker Program Capacity Promising Practices are listed in order by state, then local area, if applicable and cover topics like recruiting participants, improving access, ensuring ETP capacity, expanding UI services and integrating them into service delivery strategies, and planning for increases in paid/unpaid work experiences.

• The San Diego (CA) Workforce Partnership WDB solicited interested youth (ages 16-26) to participate in the development and evaluation of the WIOA Youth Request for Proposals (RFP), in 2020. Youth were selected based on their application and lived experiences, which included a short write-up noting why they were interested in participating in the process. More than 200 people applied. For Phase 1 of the RFP, we recruited 11 youth to participate in the development of the RFP and program design. Throughout the months of July and August, we engaged the youth in a series of eight workgroups, based on youth interests on their application. Workgroups consisted of topics such as, population specific services (justice involved, homeless, etc.) as well as peer engagement/mentoring, training and education, and business engagement. The RFP was completed and released in October 2020. Much of our RFP was driven by youth feedback, including our Basic and Essential Skills Training (BEST) and Peer Mentoring requirements. For Phase 2 of the RFP, we recruited an additional 10 youth to participate in the evaluation of RFP proposals during December of 2020 and January of 2021. There were five panels to evaluate the RFP proposals; each consisted of four community members and two young adults. Youth were placed in evaluation panels on RFP submissions that matched their lived experiences. All panelists participated in panel discussions, written evaluations, and applicant interviews for each of the proposals. Youth were paid an hourly stipend, up to $450 for their participation. The stipends were paid using discretionary funding.
• The San Jose Silicon Valley (CA) Workforce Development Board/work2future implemented the Bridge to Recovery.
• The Sonoma County Workforce Board introduced the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps for youth interested in earning money while working outside and learning about the environment.
• The South Bay (CA) Workforce Board partnered with South Bay City Councils of Government several years ago and determined they were missing broadband in their area and were able to successfully bring more broadband to their area and developed a broadband plan.
• The South Bay (CA) Workforce Board South Bay has implemented some successful virtual WEXs during the pandemic. They had foster youth virtually provide information and set appointments for vaccinations. SBWIB through its Bridge to Work program is partnering with iFoster to assist the State of California by providing trained foster youth to assist with the vaccine roll-out to assist in outreach to the hard to serve populations through a call center. SBWIB through its One-Stop/AJCCs is partnering with FACEBOOK to train 80 youth 18+ as a Social Media/Digital Marketing Fellow. South Bay is also expanding to pre-apprenticeship. They also have a virtual mentoring program called Fit for Gold where high school students mentor grade school students virtually and the goal is to provide essential online services to support Students, Teachers, and Parents to help them navigate through virtual platforms and school assignments during COVID-19.
• The CO Governor's Summer Job Hunt Program designed for youth between the ages of 16 – 21.
• Mesa County (CO) recently braided its funds with Colorado Mesa University (CMU) to create a shared position, Workforce Development Liaison. The position's assignment is to connect CMU graduates and alumnae with local employers to retain and grow the local workforce. The position was developed based on feedback from both graduates who wanted to stay local as well as employers who wanted to hire graduates but had difficulty getting in touch with them. A short video series will be on display during this year's workforce development month.
• Guam's largest retail employer is launching their first registered apprenticeship program for the Customer Service Representative – Duty Free Shopper – 2-year tax credit program. The business wants to provide customers that come into their store with an "unforgettable service" and will be requiring all their employees to go through the apprenticeship program starting with their first group of employees that they have called from pandemic-related furlough.
• HI has implemented an RESEA document management system. Participants can link directly to the RESEA homepage to access RESEA orientation materials and schedule orientation appointments
• The American Job Center Hawaii in Oahu is designated as an Envision Center. 
• Oahu (HI) implemented State Chamber of Commerce Virtual Jobsite Tours for Hawaii Students.
• Oahu (HI) City and County’s WorkHawaii Youth Program to be featured in national webinar on innovation in employment recovery.
• Oahu (HI) implemented HANA Career Pathways, a program will increase employment paths to in-demand living-wage jobs in three sectors—healthcare, technology, and skilled trades--to support a thriving, diverse, and resilient Hawai‘i.
• Idaho Launch was designed to connect jobseekers to the workforce system. This allows career planners to assess what other programs individual is eligible for. If not eligible, they will provide voucher for training through Launch. This creates a pipeline to programs like a “funnel” system. Also see the Idaho Launch Toolkit.
• In IN, one major partnership has been with the Indiana Family Connection and the Indiana Family and Social Services Agency to work to support the Build, Learn, and Grow Initiative to help working families connect to early care and education. This includes 50,000 scholarships to Hoosiers for childcare.
• Region 12/Marion County (IN) serves K-12 (with investments from JP Morgan Chase) and they have an umbrella of youth work experiences. For 9th – 10th graders they have employers come into the school. For Juniors and Seniors, they go onsite to the businesses. Ascend Indiana and EmployIndy launched this modern apprenticeship program for high school students in high-demand fields. They've done a lot of work on this and modeled it after programs in Switzerland and Colorado.
• Northwest IN (Region 1) Branding and Engagement – two summer programs that Region 1 funded with JobWorks and GoodWill primarily targeted out of school youth (and some in-school youth). The program gave the youth a virtual classroom learning and was accompanied with a work experience. Region 1’s new CEO wanted to test the idea of the outreach with these programs, so the Region conducted a focus group with youth. Region 1 also worked with a local media company and the media company recommended an influencer campaign. Region 1 hired the celebrity Ice Cube to do a cameo appearance promoting these programs and it was phenomenal how it took off. Ice Cube donated his time after reading the script. Engagement was great. Region 1 did have ineligible youth express an interest in participating, so they are working to improve referrals.
• The Louisiana Workforce Commission and Department of Education launched the Back to Work Campaign to implement the Fast Forward High-Demand Apprenticeship Pathway.
• Calcasieu (LA) Parish Consortium (WDB 51) and its partners, including non-traditional partners, created a resource guide in 2019 that provides customers contact information and of who to call for services. The guide is reviewed and updated as needed. WDB 51 and its partners use a referral and common intake system, Unite Us, to provide wrap-around services and avoid duplication of services.
• Calcasieu (LA) Parish Consortium (WDB 51) is also a partner of the Southwest Louisiana Alliance Foundation, which focuses on advancing and meeting the needs of employers. As part of this partnership, members meet with training providers to review and modify training curricula.
• Orleans (LA) Parish Workforce Development Board 12 has contracted with Models of Success and Bright Moments to establish a robust outreach plan to market services via social media platforms. In addition, AJC staff participate in the Governor's Neighborhood Meetings to inform citizens of the services the AJCs offer. Other platforms used to reach the community are Facebook, LinkedIn, Town Halls, YouTube, television, radio, billboards, and flyers.
• Orleans (LA) Parish Workforce Development Board 12 also has a youth sub-committee and partners with local agencies to carry out the Employ and YouthForce NOLA initiatives that focus on connecting students to a network of career pathways. In addition, WDB 12 sub-contracts with providers to carry out the Bright Moments and Models for Success programs. These programs are responsible for expanding work experiences across the parish.
• MN’s Workforce Development Area #2’s local board also touts their work with local chambers and spoke about the success of the "Trades Bus" - a mobile unit that offered exposure to the trades as a career choice and to trades training options. This mobile service traveling about helped to get the word out that RCEP is all about jobs! The 'bus' is actually a semi-truck, and it is called "The Big Idea".
• Missouri developed "Missouri Intern Connect" in partnership with MO Chambers of Commerce. This online portal connects interested job seekers with internships in the business community. The State has been and continues to be a strong advocate for WBL and remains active providing Apprenticeship and OJT experiences. State noted that in some industries employers are excited about re-engaging with OJT experiences again, so uptick is expected. State staff noted increasingly stronger partnerships with programs serving and hiring Veterans.
• Central Region’s (MO) LWDB has implemented a "Virtual Career Club" and described it as a POSITIVE PRACTICE - it is virtual training provided in modules for 80 hours of work experience; primarily work readiness and occupational exploration/research. More info available - including video at cwdregion.com.
• MT’s Department of Labor and Industry has a robust strategy to actively conduct outreach through its service providers, via onsite or virtual job fairs, and its work-based learning taskforce. MDLI in conjunction with the Department of Commerce developed a website, Workforce Connections, to house all work-based learning opportunities for job seekers and employers, which remains successful. Plans are to further market this website for employers. MDLI has an apprenticeship office, team of 12, who focus solely on registered apprenticeship that has clearly policies and promotes statewide. Governor Greg Gianforte is in the process of establishing a task force, that will involve several state agencies, nonprofits, and education groups to focus on work-based learning. However, the taskforce is not formalized yet.
• In Texas, Commissioners instituted "Middle Skills Imitative" to address the middle-skills gap.
• Workforce Solutions Concho Valley (TX) partnered with newspapers to assist with getting the word out about virtual career exploration/job fairs. Webinars were shared on social media for example: employer needs, workforce services.
• In Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas (TX), data showed low participation in virtual programs for Adult Education & Literacy. Board increased access to service delivery in marginalized communities. Gained access to a bank of laptops to use at job fairs, partnered with non-profit that allowed use of parking lot to set up tents with laptops and Wi-Fi connections for participants in marginalized communities, detailed in this news release for the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program.  
• Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast (TX) is developing “Your Career Your Choice", powered by Board and produced by # 1 ABC affiliate. Running 13 weeks and board provides content and brings in speakers such as Vocational Rehabilitation, VETS, and United Way. Weekly webcast feels like a job fair, viewers can contact AJCs for instant services based on information shared during the cast. Board is going big and going broad.

Business Services Capacity

Business Services Capacity Promising Practices are listed in order by state, then local area, if applicable and cover topics like business engagement, virtual career fairs and hiring events, and business outreach activities.

• Fresno (CA) WDB implemented an HR Hotline – where businesses can call anonymously to as HR-related questions.
• Golden Sierra (CA) WDB’s suite of easy-to-use services and resources designed to empower business owners in Alpine, El Dorado, and Placer Counties. This has been an effective tool since many employers don't want to post on CalJOBS .
• San Diego (CA) Workforce Partnership WDB released an article, “Employee ownership: A good-for-business tool that creates equity and opportunity for workers”.
• Tulare (CA) WDB shared business outreach tracking among partners on a single form.
• Guam's COVID19 NDWG 6 participants and 11 regular WIOA clients participated in the Certified Nursing Assistant registered apprenticeship program and are now doing their clinical practicum portion of the program at Guam Regional Medical Center (GRMC) and Guam Memorial Hospital Authority (GMHA).
• The Idaho Apprenticeship Coalition brings together several partner programs and facilitates collaboration, leveraging of resources, development of career pathways starting in secondary education, and unified employer outreach and engagement.  
• Nevada introduced Nepris – a program provided by GOWINN and NDE. Linking the educational system with Industry. Focus on Nevada based companies for job exposure, exploration, internships, virtual site visits, world of work events, etc. The main goal is providing an opportunity to connect classroom theory with real-world application.
• Nevada also worked with JP Morgan for the New Skills for Youth grant funded statewide initiative portal connecting education, businesses, and workforce to provide WBL resources.
• Nevada Workforce Connections has a unique program with business services professionals embedded within the Chamber of Commerce and a library known as the Employ NV Business Hub.
• Montana Department of Labor and Industry (MDLI) has a robust strategy to actively conduct outreach through its service providers, via onsite or virtual job fairs, and its work-based learning taskforce. MDLI in conjunction with the Department of Commerce developed a website, Workforce Connections, to house all work-based learning opportunities for job seekers and employers, which remains successful. Plans are to further market this website for employers. MDLI has an apprenticeship office, team of 12, who focus solely on registered apprenticeship and has clearly policies and promotes statewide.
• The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (SDDLR) is working to be more proactive with its business engagement, such as increase incumbent worker training, and increase businesses awareness of apprenticeship and TAA. Also see IDOL OJT Apprenticeship information.
• SDDLR developed Week of Work 2021, and a work-based learning toolkit for staff and businesses. Sixty-eight businesses produced videos of their respective industry and how they assisted youth with careers. Also see the Career Launch Toolkit.
• SDDLR also has an effective RR approach, and it is working to be more proactive with its business engagement, such as increasing incumbent worker training, and increasing businesses awareness of apprenticeship and TAA. SD Business Services information can be found here.
• Texas Workforce Commission established a Small Business site with resources that assist businesses to remain economically viable in light of the COVID-19 challenges. The Commissioner representing employers established a COVID-19 FAQ and provided a phone number and website to get answers on UI, wage claim cases, and other workplace concerns.
• Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas (TX) shared details about the Dallas Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME). Work-based learning programs in the manufacturing industry; employer led program. Students selected based on aptitude in electrical/mechanical. The board started Facebook live job fairs with employers to engage with job seekers and partnered with Telemundo broadcasting weekly.
• WA published a list of available work experiences, described in this article.

Effective Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Services

Effective Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Services Promising Practices are listed in order by state, then local area, if applicable and cover topics like special training services and workshops.

• The San Francisco (CA) WDB is a partner to the Right to Reemployment Following Layoff Due to COVID-19.
• Howard County (MD) has implemented an 8-week workshop series called Getting Ahead which includes a bridges out of poverty framework
• Workforce Solutions of Central Texas (TX) introduced some COVID incumbent worker training. Met with employer, trained 90 employees on the following: COVID safety, workplace safety and diversity/inclusion training.
• Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas (TX) introduced virtual reality training in sterilization of health instruments. The program met enrollment goals and are in the placement phase. The board works with the Working For the Future (WFF), a data project to help boards inform workforce services stories.

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2022
• Posted by: Jennifer Pirtle
• Posted in: Global