Younger Workers Committee Meeting

June 15, 2017: 9:30 AM
Frances Perkins Room, 45 Commerce Drive Augusta

YOUNGER WORKERS COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA 06/15/2017 William Looney Room, CMCC Augusta Dial-in number: 1-877-455-0244 Conference code: 9218175360 WELCOMES AND INTRODUCTIONS APPROVAL OF THE 04/27/17 MINUTES UPDATE ON SWB, WIOA REVIEW TASKFORCE/COMMITTEE LIST TO DETERMINE WHAT DIRECTION WE CAN PURSUE WITHOUT REINVENTING THE WHEEL DRILL DOWN ON WHAT WE ARE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH (TAKE ACTION ON) MEETING ADJOURN NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 21 FROM 9:30 ? NOON IN THE FRANCES PERKINS ROOM, CMCC AUGUSTA.

YOUNGER WORKERS COMMITTEE MEETING

06/15/2017

Present: Denise Smith (Chair), Peaches Bass on behalf of Ginny Carroll, Tammy Richardson, Adrian Cohen, Meg Harvey, Janie Small (phone), Anne Wheeler (phone), Mike Jordan (phone)

Staff: Cheryl Moran

Denise Smith opened the meeting with welcomes and introductions and asked for approval of the 04/27/17 minutes. Tammy Richardson motioned. Adrian Cohen seconded. Minutes approved unanimously as written.

Update on SWB, WIOA

Cheryl Moran reported that Garret Oswald was attending the Gig Economy Platform demonstration this morning provided by Wingham Rowan, Director of Great Britain?s Beyond Jobs Project. Guest included 2 Hotel & Innkeepers Board members. The Gig Economy is a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs. Working in the gig economy means constantly being subjected to last-minute scheduling. This definitely affects a lot of employers in Maine due to seasonal employment (shortage in the hospitality industry). In October, this will be presented to the full Hotel & Innkeepers Board to buy-in; hopefully this will relieve pressure to this particular industry.
Cheryl stated Joshua Howe, Workforce Development Program Coordinator?s main task is to shepherd the State Plan and provide how the Workforce System is accomplishing their task. This will be accomplished through a Dashboard ? where are we going? Our federal partners approved the State Plan October 2016 although the Plan started July 2016. The Dashboard is a working document that the Steering Committee is using. It consists of 6 objectives and inside is each criteria. Some items are completed, in process, or have not started however; most of the items are above 85% complete. The Steering Committee is reviewing this at the monthly meetings. We will have the opportunity for Plan modification in year 2. Once the Plan is implemented, the Dashboard will report out on the progress of the System. Announcement: Jeanne Paquette, Commissioner of Labor has accepted a new position with USM. Her last day was June 14th. John Butera, Economic Policy Advisor to the Governor will be her replacement and started today (June 15). Peaches Bass, on behalf of Ginny Carroll reported that BES conducted Federally required program monitoring of Title IB Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth programs; monitoring covered the Portland, Rockland, Lewiston, Skowhegan, and Machias CareerCenters. The monitoring concluded the end of last week. Outcome: MDOL did not issue any findings pertaining to the participant file reviews because this is the first year using MJL and staff are still in the beginning stages of inputting data and meeting tracking requirements. What was identified is where there is more need for training on both WIOA requirements and use of the new system.
What was learned from this monitoring was (in general) what people are doing well and need more of. Peaches also reported that BES is continually orienting people around the Maine JobLink (MJL) system.
The Universal Access workgroup will address the equal opportunity and non-discrimination policy which is required under WIOA - making sure their policies are thorough. The Policy involving Nondiscrimination and Accessibility requirements under WIOA continues to be worked on. Peaches stated she is concerned about barriers to access services at our CareerCenters. The question is are we truly accessible to the younger population. She asked the members to be mindful of this. Denise Smith stated yes, there?s a definite barrier. She strongly stated that most youth may be on their own and not able to continue training because they are not able to receive unemployment benefits like most adults - no subsistence. We need to find a creative way (which is not on-going). Adrian Cohen stated youth may be skill-deficient which requires a bridge to training. Peaches Bass stated the Universal Access Policy has not been drafted for review. She asked the members to think about what we can do to make it easier to get them there. Cheryl Moran asked members to send their ideas to her and she will forward to Peaches.

Review Taskforce/Committee List To Determine What Direction We Can Pursue Without Reinventing The Wheel ? Handouts were provided on Taskforce/Committee List, Committee Goals and Fact Sheets

Denise Smith asked (at the previous committee meeting) that all members list their own taskforce and committees including what they know is out there and bring to this meeting. She stated that she did not receive a lot of responses but what she did receive, provides a good base. She also stated that they never fully discussed or covered committee goals however; when she reviewed the fact sheets, there?s passion about many of the same things. Suggestions for future meetings/agenda: ? Each meeting have a structured agenda (Denise) ? Share best practices (Denise) ? Welcome other discussions in advance ? send ahead via email (Denise) ? Strategy to help employers see our youth (Mike) ? Educate employers (Mike) ? Interaction between SWB committees/SWB members (Mike) ? Challenges/barriers at the local level (Mike) ? create a focus group with employers ? employer to employer conversation (Adrian) ? Job Fair at the CareerCenter ? employers sharing best practices (Adrian) Denise reiterated how she is really frustrated seeing employers that do not necessarily want to hire youth. We need to train the people we now have in the state and get the message out (referring back to creating a Campaign) ? to see the positive in our youth. We need to figure out the ?why?. Peaches Bass stated we need to hear the ?why not? as well. She also suggested to invite Auta Main, Veterans Program Manager to explain how to move from idea to success as she did with the Hire-A-Vet Campaign. Denise Smith stated that we need to stop talking because nothing seems to materialize. Work needs to be done mostly during meetings and she agreed to invite Auta to the next meeting. Anne Wheeler announced that Rehab Services received a grant and will be using the Vermont Progressive Employment Model. Progressive Employment is an employment strategy that provides individuals who have little or no work history, low skill levels, corrections involvement, or other barriers a way into paid employment that builds momentum and provides a means to increase skill level and confidence. They will be interfacing with businesses and the youth will go to the businesses to job shadow and/or work experience. She pointed out how successful this model is and ultimately, people get hired.
Peaches Bass stated some models can be adapted such as the Progressive Youth model. The climate is slowly changing due to the shortage. Anne Wheeler stated that there are 3 key things employers are looking for: 1) the ability to perform the task 2) showing up and 3) being able to get along. Peaches Bass stated she feels the same soft/hard skills is what employers are looking for in?all? perspective employees.
Meg Harvey stated when kids come out of the CTE program; they do not have that problem. They are tied to employers and they are trained. The employers know this. Maybe the CareerCenters could do some type of component of this.
Meg stated that she is working on developing an interactive career search worksite. She has a lot of partners and 2 ? 3 big industries that want us to join. They want us to be a member as they build this. This site will be free and interactive. Another new item is ?mapping your career?. Meg stated that she will forward to Cheryl Moran so she can forward to committee members.

Meeting adjourned

Next meeting will be held on September 21 from 9:30 ? Noon in the Frances Perkins room, CMCC Augusta. Agenda: Invite Auta Main, Veterans Program Manager to explain how to move from idea to success as she did with the Hire-A-Vet Campaign.

Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Moran

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