One-Stops

Building the One-Stop Center of the Future: Today!

One-Stop Centers were created almost a decade ago. Since then, there have been many changes in both Center customers and the economy; however, some centers continue to operate as they always have. Are you ready for change? In tomorrow's center, will everyone really start with self-service and in the resource room--even if they aren't sure what they need and where to begin? Will more core services be delivered online, while the center primarily serves customers who need special assistance and skill development? Will assessment play a bigger role pre-job referral as more and more employers conduct basic skill and attitudinal testing as part of their pre-interview and selection processes? This seminar explores the answers to these and other critical questions and helps your center team create responsive, integrated service delivery strategies to build the One-Stop Center of tomorrow, today.

Leading the One-Stop Center: Building the Integrated Service Delivery Team

If you are a One-Stop operator, you know the challenges of running a smoothly-operating and effective Center during a time of limited resources. Since many of the Center staff are not your employees, you must use both creativity and your leadership skills to build a cohesive multi-program center identity and cooperative working relationships. This "what works" session draws on the experience of the One-Stop leaders attending and promising practices from across the country to: (1) identify the key leadership skills and responsibilities; (2) learn from national benchmarks and operating ratios for center success; (3) develop center (and not just program) affiliation among center staff; (4) create shared responsibility for integrated, core services; and (5) institute continuous process improvement methods that are owned by all staff.

How to Integrate WIA and ES Resources for Quality Service Delivery

WIA Title I and Wagner-Peyser programs are the backbone of the One-Stop Center service delivery system. They are the One-Stop partners most likely to play and pay, be co-located at centers, and are the most affected by the new common measures. In some areas, the relationship between WIA and ES is strong and in some areas there is still a struggle to work out. However, reduced resources means that both programs are under threat, and silo program operations will become increasingly impossible while maintaining quality customer service.

This session helps state and local leadership figure out the whats and hows of WIA/ES service and resource integration, including: (1) an environmental scan to show why integration is not just a pie-in-the-sky idea but a must-do survival strategy, (2) the key motivators to communicate to staff, (3) how the new Common Measures lead to integrated customer pools, shared outcomes, and functional service delivery, (4) the definition and elements of service integration (and how it is very different than just partnership and teams), (5) the practical challenges to overcome and how to do so, (6) the must-do sequence of steps to move to true integration, and (7) many benchmarking examples of how service integration is being achieved across the country.

The Cop, the Coach, and the Consultant: Skills to Help Customers Focus on Work and Achieve Greater Success

Having difficulty motivating your customers? Have you tried everything you can think of to get customer to follow through on their action plans? Learn how being a cop, a coach, and a consultant will lead to even greater success for you and your customers. This session assists staff in identifying the multiple roles case managers play and choosing the most appropriate change tools  to effectively work with customers. Staff will be able to apply this learning to both enhance personal skills and assist customers reach their desired goals.

Set Up for Success: A Initial Assessment Model and Practical Strategies to Quickly Assess and Serve Customers

One Stop Career Centers are faced with a number of challenges. Issues such as multiple partners with different perspectives striving to provide seamless service, and continued large numbers of customers with very diverse wants and needs, put tremendous pressure on staff to provide effective, high quality, consistent service to a wide range of customers in a limited timeframe. This training introduces an initial assessment model that sorts customers into cohorts based on common needs, and therefore it can be used by staff across programs. With a customized application of this model, you can implement shared, quality approaches to welcome, orient and quickly help a customer take the first steps toward new employment -- as proven by several states and local areas that now use this model. In addition, tips and tools for applying this model to re-organize the resource areas, including ideas for materials are discussed.

Job Getting Is Changing: Are You and Your One-Stop Center Changing, Too?

Applying for and getting a job just "ain't what it used to be!" Think about some of the major changes in the last few years -- online and kiosk applications, electronic submission of resumes with keyword searches, upfront skills and honesty testing of applicants, and highly structured, multiple, team interviews. How are you reinventing your advice and services to job seekers to help them meet the challenges of the new world of job search? This session helps you consider the key changes; offers tactics to increase the odds of successfully finding a job in this changing world; suggests how you may want to change your job search advice; and recommends new services and work-shops to offer to help your job-seeking customers succeed.

"We Need Better Marketing - But We Don't Really Have Money for It…"

During this workshop we apply the five fundamentals of marketing to your resource-strapped local workforce development system -- to help increase the number of citizens that know about and use your programs and services. You discover how a solid strategic approach can minimize the impact of a small budget, and learn how to maximize low and no-cost promotional strategies. These practical tips, tools, and techniques are drawn from practical experience and promising practices around the country.

Welcoming Customers to Your One-Stop Center: Greeting Customers for Satisfaction

Many One-Stop Centers across the country are experiencing dramatic increases in the number of customers due to the slowing economy, increased service availability, and positive word-of-mouth. This is definitely good news--but it could also be bad news. If those inquiring by phone or making the first visit are not greeted and served quickly and effectively, dissatisfaction can increase and your community reputation could be hurt. Too few staff and training resources mean you must continuously improve your entry processes, partner program connections, and initial methods of service delivery. When you attend this workshop, you learn: what first-time customers care about most; methods for reducing crowded waiting rooms; ideas for getting people out of line quickly; and organizing your services to much varying customer demand.

Reengineer Your Resource Room for Responsiveness and Results

The Resource Room is a key method for delivering One-Stop Center core services. It is often the starting place for customers at the Center, and is used continuously during System and partner program participation. Just some of what you learn in this session: the most common problems with Resource Rooms and what you can do to overcome them; best practices from Center's across the country; what should be available and how to organize tools and resources for maximum customer use and satisfaction; and, the best ways to identify and move customers (who need more than only informational and self-help services) to more in-depth program services.

Reaching and Serving People with Limited English Proficiency

Most communities are becoming ever more culturally and ethnically diverse, including immigrants and first-generation Americans who may be monolingual or have limited English proficiency. This important labor pool must be tapped by labor shortage and skill shortage businesses, and is key for the economic development of many communities. US DOL has recently issued guidance and requirements to prevent language discrimination in the access to and delivery of services. This session will review those requirements (including four key elements) with ideas for effective compliance. Those attending will exchange ideas on current practices and brainstorm solutions for ensuring all people can be served by One-Stop Centers and partner programs.

"Merchandising" Your One-Stop Center

Merchandising is how you present, visually communicate, and display your products and services in a convenient, comfortable, and welcoming environment. This workshop helps you re-conceptualize your One-Stop Center as a "retail store" and apply private-sector merchandising strategies for your "products." After conducting a self-assessment of your current merchandising practices, you use the latest research to continuously improve your greeting area and resource room, and to motivate and encourage self-service and product use. Leave with plenty of practical ideas for creating a more visually exciting and inviting center.

Entrepreneurial One-Stop Centers: How to Develop New Resources

Wise One-Stop Centers are diversifying their products, expanding their markets, and tapping nontraditional resources to maintain and grow their services and capacity. This session will help you consider your non-government revenue options (including fee-for-service), develop a resource expansion strategy, and identify new, potential revenue streams. Examples of what other centers are doing across the country to generate revenue will be presented, and applied to your growth vision.