Glossary of Workforce Development Terms
BY CATEGORY
Public Agencies
Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (FSS) – Department that provides grants to various adult education, job readiness and placement programs throughout the City, most notably through the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). One-stop job centers around the City provide job readiness activities including resume writing and job search assistance. Occupational training through FSS is sponsored by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Training and Placements program, Skills Builders, various corporate contracts, and several other programs under WIA (such as the Dislocated Worker Program and Rapid Response State Reserve).
Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) – Chicago’s public housing agency offers occupational training in several areas, most notably through its Opportunity Chicago initiative, which provides bridge programs and other transitional jobs services for public housing residents.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) – The third largest school district in the United States, consisting of 635 schools and serving just over 400,000 students. Roughly 25% of the 100,000 high-school students participate in a Career and Technical Education program in a particular career cluster while enrolled.
City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) – Network of seven independent colleges that serve approximately 120,000 students, who enroll in one of four program types: baccalaureate transfer (for students to obtain an associates degree before moving on to a four year college); workforce development (for students to obtain a credential such as Basic Certificate, Advanced Certificate, or Associates in Applied Science, that qualifies them for work in their chosen field); adult education (for students to become proficient in English or to earn a GED); and continuing education (for students who wish to take isolated classes without needing to earn college credit).
Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) – Coordinating agency for higher education in Illinois, whose statutory responsibilities include:
· Master Planning - Analyze the aims, needs, and requirements of Illinois higher education. Modify policies that guide the state’s system of public and private colleges and universities.
· Budget - Recommend to the Governor and the General Assembly budgetary needs for higher education institutions and agencies.
· Program Approval - Approve or deny proposals by public university governing boards and the Illinois Community College Board for new units of instruction, research, or public service. Review existing instruction, research, or public service programs to determine their continued educational and economic justification.
· Institution Approval - Authorize independent and out-of-state institutions to operate and offer degree programs in Illinois. Conduct on-going reviews to assure that these institutions maintain the conditions under which they were authorized to operate and grant degrees, and revoke operating authority as determined necessary.
· Grants Administration - Administer state and federal grant programs.
· Information Systems - Maintain information system about Illinois higher education.
Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) –ICCB is the state coordinating board for the City Colleges of Chicago and the other 48 community colleges in Illinois. ICCB administers the Public Community College Act in a manner that maximizes the ability of the community colleges to serve their communities. Locally elected boards of trustees set policies to guide their colleges in achieving local and statewide goals. ICCB also administers the state’s WIA grants to adult education and family literacy providers, including those that go to individual community colleges and to private non-profit agencies.
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) – State agency responsible for improving Illinois' competitiveness in the global economy. DCEO oversees the state’s local workforce investment areas and their Workforce Investment Boards’ administration of WIA dollars. DCEO administers a wide range of economic and workforce development programs, services and initiatives designed to create and retain high quality jobs and build strong communities.[1]
Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) – Occupational programs under the IDOC include the Illinois Correctional Industries, Adult Vocational Education, and Juvenile Vocational Education. IDOC operates adult transition centers and adult basic education/GED programs. Other readiness programs include its community-based Substance Abuse Treatment Program, Day Reporting and its Young Offender Re-Entry Program.
Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) – Agency that administers unemployment insurance benefits for Illinois residents; analyzes data on Illinois economy and labor force and publishes findings at ilworkinfo.net.
Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) – Agency that provides programs ranging from refugee social services to food stamp employment and training with retention. IDHS administers Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) job placements and retention services.
Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) – Agency that administers public education in the state of Illinois; audits the performance of public schools with the Illinois School Report Card; and makes policy recommendations to state leaders and lawmakers.
U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) – Agency that administers federal government job training and worker dislocation programs; website provides extensive resources and links for workers, business and industry, and workforce professionals.
Program Types
Adult Basic Education (ABE) – Instructional programs that provide the basic skills to adults who are performing below the ninth-grade instructional level in reading, writing, computation, computer literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
Bridge Program – Programs that prepare adults with limited academic or limited English skills to enter and succeed in credit-bearing postsecondary education and training leading to career-path employment in high-demand, middle- and high-skilled occupations. The goal of bridge programs is to sequentially bridge the gap between the initial skills of individuals and what they need to enter and succeed in postsecondary education and career-path employment. [2]
Career and Technical Education (CTE) – A combination of high school academic curricula and hands-on training in career and technical subjects and workplace competencies. There are 16 career clusters that span industries from agriculture and health to information technology, business and manufacturing.
Contextualized Instruction – Developing skills, knowledge, and attitudes drawn from the context in which they will be used, using real-life materials and situations from that context. (i.e. Teaching adult literacy through the use of healthcare words, phrases, and concepts to adults preparing for careers in the healthcare field).
Core Services – Refers to universally available services through the One-Stop Centers for all individuals and employers. Core services for individuals can include initial assessment, job search assistance, and information about labor market, financial aid, providers, and support services. Core services for employers include orientation to One-Stop Centers, multiple methods to list job openings, access to resumes, job matching, and information on training providers, human resources and labor market.
English as a Second Language (ESL) – Instructional programs that provide basic educational services to adults who are not native speakers of English; the primary goal is proficiency in English.
GED (General Educational Development) – An exam developed and distributed by the General Educational Development Testing Service. A GED credential documents the attainment of high school-level academic skills. About 96 percent of U.S. employers accept the GED credential as equal to a traditional high school diploma.
Individual Training Account (ITA) – Established under WIA to provide vouchers for training. Individuals who qualify can earn up to $8000 during their lifetime
Intensive Services – Refers to services available through One-Stop Centers for individuals and employers. Intensive services are available to adults and dislocated workers who meet eligibility criteria and can include comprehensive assessment, individual employment/education plan, group counseling, individual career planning, and case management. Intensive services for employers can include job profiling, seminars and workshops, customized assessments, increase linkages with other employers, and entrepreneurial and federal procurement assistance.
Job Readiness Programs – Prepare individuals with basic information and resources to search for, find and keep a job. Programs typically teach resume writing, interviewing skills, customer service, personal appearance, job search, computer literacy, and other basic information that new workers need in order to be successful in work.
Job Shadowing – A method for helping young people or potential job seekers develop career awareness. Individuals accompany an employee at the workplace, observing and learning about different tasks associated with an occupation.
On the Job Training (OJT) – Teaching an employee the skills needed to perform a job, while that employee is employed and earning a wage. OJT provides employees the chance to "learn as they earn". Many OJT programs reimburse the employer for part of the employee’s wages during the training period.
School-to-Work – An umbrella term for many activities, experiences and opportunities that prepare K-12 students for the world of work. Some noted examples of School-to-Work activities are Youth Apprenticeship, Mentorship, Internship, Job Shadowing, Career Exploration, and Integration of Academic and Vocational curriculum.
Transitional Jobs – Workforce strategy designed to overcome employment obstacles and transition individuals into the labor market. These programs generally provide a combination of temporary, wage-subsidized jobs, supportive services, and skills training.
Service Delivery Locations
Contractor/Delegate Agency – In the context of workforce development, this refers to an agency that contracts with the City of Chicago to operate a One Stop Center or to serve as an Affiliate agency.
Community Based Organization (CBO) – A private not-for-profit organization that represents or serves a community or segment of the population. Many CBOs receive public funding and/or foundation grants to provide direct education or workforce development services to individuals in the community.
One-Stop Centers – Mandated under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), all workforce areas in the U.S. are required to have a “one-stop” delivery system that provides access in one location to employment-related services, information and programs for job seekers and employers. Local One-Stop Career Centers are operated locally, and specific services available may differ among One-Stops.
Affiliates – Affiliate agencies are Community Based Organizations that contract with the City of Chicago to provide core and intensive services to residents, and to serve as portals to the network of One-Stop Centers if residents need additional services, such as training.
Populations
Dislocated Workers – Workers who have lost their jobs due to layoffs or other economic transitions; one-stop services for dislocated workers include job search and job placement assistance, labor market information, career counseling, employment planning, and access to relevant training and education opportunities.
Incumbent Workers – Individuals who are already employed. Employers can obtain public funding through a number of programs to subsidize further education, skills training, and certifications for their existing workforce. Incumbent worker training programs are often used as an economic development tool to promote business attraction and retention.
Under-Employed Adults – Individuals with low wages, insufficient benefits and supports to provide life-sustaining earnings for themselves and their families; employed only part-time when one needs full-time employment; not making full use of one’s skills in employment opportunities, as in “migrants are likely to be under-employed.”
Unemployed Person – (1) Any person who is not working or who is not employed in some income-producing activity; (2) a person who wants to work, and is in the age bracket where it is expected that he or she will be self-supporting, who has a need for income, and is acceptable in the workforce, but is not working.
Enabling Legislation
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) – Passed by Congress in February 2009, this legislation created the $787 billion Recovery package to jump-start the economy in order to create and save jobs. The Act appropriated funding to a variety of federal programs, including workforce development, and extended benefits under programs such as Medicaid and unemployment compensation.
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) – Federal welfare funding created by the Welfare Reform Law of 1996 consisting of block grants to states providing them with greater flexibility in designing programs to help low-income parents move into employment, retain jobs and move toward self-sufficiency.
Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 – Federal legislation designed to coordinate and streamline all components of the nation’s workforce development system, including employment, job training, education, and vocational rehabilitation services for youth (ages 14-21), adults, and dislocated workers.
General Terms
Job Readiness – Skills that signal an individual is ready for employment in general. May include academic, computer, interpersonal, and/or lifelong learning skills.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – An agreement developed and executed between the local Workforce Investment Board and all WIA mandated One-Stop partners relating to the operation of services.
Occupational Cluster – A grouping of occupations such as manufacturing, health care, or information technology from one or more industries that share common skill requirements. Occupational clusters form the basis for developing national skill standards, organizing instruction in all aspects of industry, establishing career academies, and creating career pathways or majors as part of school-to-work programs.
Sector – The terms “clusters” and “sectors” are sometimes used interchangeably, but while “sectors” more often refers to groupings of industry divisions or occupations by type (examples: Manufacturing; Health Care), “clusters” often refers to groups of related occupations with a common purpose (products; markets; training needs; labor pools) in a particular geographic area.
Soft Skills – These are also referred to as employability skills, and include personal management skills, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills. These are social skills that relate to a person's ability to interact with customers and employees.
Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) – The TABE test is used to determine an individual’s skill level in reading, language, and math. Workforce development and education professionals and service providers use the information from an individual’s TABE score to recommend workforce programming.
Workforce Development – The function of assisting individuals, employers and communities achieve occupational competencies necessary for competitive advantage in a dynamic marketplace.
Workforce Investment Board (WIB) – The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) authorizes 1) a state WIB to act as a statewide WIA strategic policy planning and governing body and 2) local WIBs to act as oversight bodies of the activities of the participating agencies in a WIA region.
[1] www. http://www.commerce.state.il.us
[2] Joyce Foundation’s Shifting Gears Initiative; www.shifting-gears.org