1. Workforce Solutions Career Offices: How Can They Be a Resource to the People I Work With?

2. Workforce Solutions- Gulf Coast

29 Career Offices

13 Counties

3. Required Career Office Partners

WIA Adult, Dislocated Worker, & Youth Activities

Employment Service

Adult Education

Post-secondary Vocational Education

Vocational Rehabilitation

Title V of Older Americans Act

Trade Adjustment Assistance

NAFTA Transitional Adjustment Assistance

Veterans Employment & Training Programs

Community Services Block Grant

HUD Administered Employment & Training Programs

Unemployment Insurance

Additional non-mandated partners are permitted 4. 3 TIERS OF SERVICES

Basic: Services available to everyone at no charge

Expanded: For individuals who are unable to successfully obtain employment through core services

• More customized to needs of individuals

• Must meet eligibility criteria

• Wide variety of funding streams

Training :For individuals who are unable to successfully obtain employment through basic & expanded services

• Must meet eligibility criteria

• Typically funded by WIA Adult & Dislocated Worker Funds

5. Disability Community: Benefits from Using Career Office

Job leads

Enhanced labor market knowledge

Stronger employer relationships

Access to training programs

Access to VR and other partners

Access to computers, technology, internet

Computerized assessments, data bases, etc.

Job seeking and other workshops

Assistance with transition

Exposure to integrated settings

Expansion of resources

6. Accommodations

Accessible Workstation

• Reader Software (JAWS)

• Magnifying Software (ZoomText, Magnifier)

• Large Print Keyboard

• Trackball Mouse

Sign Language Interpreters upon request(at least 48 hrs in advance)

7. Disability Organizations Examples of Career Office Relationships

Basic level : use of basic services by job developer and job seeker

Accessing training and other services to meet a consumer need

Co-teaching of workshops

Use of Career Officespace for individual and group activities

Consultation on disability issues

Collaborative service delivery

• Possibly under Ticket-to-Work

8. Disability Organizations More Examples of Career Office Relationships

Agency desk within a Career Office

Coordinated job development with other organizations

Serving on Career Office disability advisory groups

Using Career Office to meet agency employment needs

Special projects

Career Office partner

9. Type of Agency Career Office Relationships

Informal to formal

Ranges from community goodwill, in-kind, to requiring payment (e.g., for use of desk)

Need for formal agreements will vary depending on local requirements

Parameters may be contained in state and local plans & MOUs

Check with Center Manager & WDB

Remember : everyone is entitled to basic services at no charge

10. Why Do You Want to Work with a Career Office?

What benefits will working with a Career Office bring?

What do you want?

• Services? Resources? Money? Job leads? Referrals?

What do you bring to the table?

11. The Bottom Line of Partnership: Customer Service

How can working with a Career Office help you better meet your consumer needs?

Will working with a Career Office allow you to serve your existing customers better?

Will working with a Career Office allow you to serve more customers?

12. In working with Career Offices remember

System is designed to work with high volume of customers

• In 2009,Workforce Solutionsserved almost 29% of the 125,000 businesses in the region and more than 444,125 individuals in its career offices. The total number of personsWorkforce Solutionshelped get a job or get a better job was 296,000

• Many services (particularly basic) are fairly self-directed

• Understand what Career Offices areand are not

13. Getting Started

Visit your local Career Office

Start using services on an informal basis

Learn about your local system

Set up meetings with decision-makers

Look for opportunities to collaborate

14. www.workintexas.com

As part of the statewide Texas Workforce Solutions network, we partner with the Texas Workforce Commission and other workforce boards in the largest job-matching database in the state-- WorkInTexas.com .

15. Who should I contact?

Career Office Manager, Staff

Claudia Magallan, Disability Navigator claudia.magallan@wrksolutions.com,

(713) 692-7755, ext. 1384

Visit our website www.wrksolutions.com

• • About Us

• • Contact and Feedback Link

Workforce Solutions is an equal opportunity employer/ program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. (Please request reasonable accommodations 48 hours in advance.) Texas Relay Number: 711 16. I am a firm believer that relationships count more than institutions.Its because you know someone that you start to care about their issues.

Lenny Zakim

17. Questions? Comments?Remarks?