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Executive
Summary
This
preliminary plan is designed to comply with Federal and State
requirements for WIA Title I. As of April 1, 2000, the plan
is complete except for Memorandums of Understanding and Performance
Standards. The plan is available on the PimaWorks website and
as such contains information that should help potential workforce
consumers learn where to go for their needs. The plan reflects
workforce needs and goals of Pima County, which has a population
of 830,000, a civilian labor force of almost 400,000 and a low
unemployment rate.
Pima County's Vision
Effective workforce development
will produce the best workforce in the nation, making the community
a highly attractive place for business enterprise. The workforce
will be highly literate, motivated, and technologically literate
and competent. Workers will have equity in opportunity and pathways
for professional growth and advancement. Workforce development
will simultaneously eliminate poverty in the community and create
a level of prosperity that is above the national average.
Pima
County's current workforce system is a compilation of various
employment and training programs that include Federal JTPA (WIA)
programs, State programs such as Job Service, Rehabilitation
Service, and JOBS. Locally funded youth programs such as Pledge
A Job, the University of Arizona, Pima Community College, several
K-12 districts, adult education, and community-based organizations,
proprietary schools, and employers.
The County's One Stop Career Center System consists of six centers,
several of which are targeted at specific populations such as
the homeless, teens, dislocated workers, or welfare recipients.
Available
services include assessment, career counseling, case management,
job development, basic education, English as a Second Language
on-the job training, incumbent worker training, and vocational
training. Workforce Investment Act Title I funds will be used
for economically disadvantaged youth, adults, and dislocated
workers.
By 2005, customers of the WIA system will be able to access
information about local workforce resources and partners through
the One Stop Career Center system. Over five years, the system
will become more efficient, allowing more resources to be concentrated
on those that need them the most, while providing universal
core services. The system's performance, as measured by federally
defined performance standards, will improve over the five year
period.
The State of Arizona has asked that Pima County's plan address
specific state goals. These goals are addressed with locally
developed objectives. The local objectives are part of a larger,
ongoing, local goal setting process.
State Goal 1:
Enhance existing and/or develop new training programs and service
delivery systems to better meet industry's short, intermediate,
and long-term needs.
Pima County's workforce system will:
Objective 1: develop new programs to meet industry's
needs (such as the fast-track machinist program and the high
tech incumbent worker programs developed in the past two years);
1.a. Set up procedures to respond to specific industry requests
for training programs 1.a.i. establish vendor lists of curriculum
development teams to work with industry
1.a.ii.
establish vendor lists of providers to implement new curriculum
1.b. Set up procedures to identify and meet incumbent worker
training needs of employers.
1.b.i. identify gaps in the value chain
1.b.ii establish vendor lists of curriculum development teams
to work with industry
1.b.iii. establish vendor lists of providers to implement new
curriculum
Objective 2: Enhance existing training systems
1.2.a.
Advocate development of a community wide technical and science
program for youth and adults that operates in evenings and weekends
as well as during more traditional hours.
1.2.b. Advocate and support state efforts to increase articulation
between K-12, community college, university, apprenticeship
and private school curriculum.
State Goal 2:
Forecast demand by GSPED clusters and foundations at state and
regional/county levels.
Pima County's workforce system will:
Objective 1: assist the state in collecting information
about local GTSPED defined clusters through existing systems;
Objective 2: work with employers to identify career ladders
within industry clusters;
Objective 3: conduct focus groups comprised of GTSPED
employers to determine future employment and training needs.
2.3.a. Conduct one focus group on an industry cluster each six
months.
State Goal 3:
Streamline access to and/or administration of workforce development
programs.
Pima County's workforce system will:
Objective 1: increase the use of technology to help develop
a virtual one-stop system; Objective 2: encourage local
workforce players to become partners in the one stop system.
State Goal 4: Provide a self-sustaining
system of governance, management, and oversight for Arizona's
Workforce Development System.
Pima County's workforce system will:
Objective 1: articulate the needs of Pima County's One
Stop customers to the state; Objective 2: coordinate
workforce efforts with other WIBS and the state.
Objective 3: seek additional funds to meet needs identified
by the Board.
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