Transcript Remarks Strategic Use of Recovery Act Funds and Regional Sector Strategies By Bruce Herman Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development New York State Department of Labor [email protected] 06-23-2009

Remarks
Strategic Use of Recovery Act Funds and
Regional Sector Strategies
By
Bruce Herman
Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development
New York State Department of Labor
[email protected]
06-23-2009
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Overview of Remarks
1. Strategic Use of Recovery Act Funds.
2. Regional Sector Strategies.
3. Upcoming Recovery Act Grant Opportunity for Workforce
Development.
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Strategic Use of Recovery Act Funds
• $169.4M in Workforce Investment Act funding was made
available to NYS under the ARRA.
• Approx. 85% allocated to Local Workforce Investment Areas by
formula.
• Remaining funds support: Program administration; and Statelevel workforce initiatives:
– Unemployed Workers (Worker Supply).
– Incumbent Workers / Layoff Aversion (Worker Demand).
– State Agency Collaboration.
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Unemployed Workers
• Adults – Emerging and transitional workers ages 18 and
older.
• Youth – Disconnected Youth ages 14 to 24.
• State Training Vouchers – Certificate / Higher skilled
occupational training.
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Unemployed Workers
Emerging and Transitional Workers
• Provide entry-level skills to low income adults ages 18 & older.
• Request for Proposals (RFP) released June 8, 2009.
• Up to $10M made available to fund proposals ranging from
$50,000 to $500,000.
• Eligible applicants – For-profit or not-for-profit organizations.
• Application Deadline: July 8, 2009.
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Unemployed Workers
Emerging and Transitional Workers (cont’d)
• Priorities –
– Target Populations: Young adults ages 18 to 24, Criminal Justice,
Disabilities, Limited English proficiency and Out of school;
– Program Elements: Career planning, Work readiness, HS diploma
or equivalent, Occupational training, Post-secondary training and
Adult education/literacy;
– Sectors: Construction trades, Health care, Advanced manufacturing
and Transportation;
– Other: “Green” career focus; Leveraged resources; Collaboration
with community colleges; and Environmental justice.
• Must ensure provision of wrap-around services to participants.
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Unemployed Workers
Disconnected Youth
• Develop skills to succeed as adults through – Career planning;
Work readiness; Academic development; Occupational /postsecondary training; School linkages; and Employment linkages.
• Target disconnected youth
– As defined by the WIA, ARRA, and the Governor’s Youth Cabinet.
• RFP expected to be released late July.
• Up to $2.5 million has been made available for this solicitation.
• Eligible applicants – For-profit or not-for-profit organizations.
• Priorities – Youth ages 14 to 17; youth on probation; juvenile
justice/incarcerated youth; youth of incarcerated parents; foster
care youth; and youth with other barriers.
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Incumbent Workers / Layoff Aversion
• Building Skills in New York State (BUSINYS)
• Shared Work Program
• Economic Response Team (ERT)
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Incumbent Workers / Layoff Aversion
Building Skills in New York State (BUSINYS)
• RFP released on June 8, 2009.
• Help business train their employees in specific transferable
occupational skills needed by the business or its industry.
• Eligible applicants: For-profit and not-for-profit, private sector
businesses of four or more employees.
• Up to $5M has been made available for this solicitation.
– Businesses may apply for up to $50,000.
– Contracts will be awarded for a period of up to 6-months.
• Participants to be served: Incumbent workers (i.e., employees).
• Application deadline: July 20, 2009.
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Incumbent Workers / Layoff Aversion
Shared Work Program
• Provides business with an alternative to layoffs.
• Business reduces hours or wages; and employees collect
partial UI benefits.
• Business retains employee during slowdowns; and can quickly
gear up when sales conditions improve.
• Heavily marketed to businesses.
• Significant increase in applications over last year.
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Incumbent Workers / Layoff Aversion
Economic Response Team (ERT)
• Develop an Early Warning Dashboard and a web-site to house
data on at-risk firms.
– WARN Notices, TAA Petitions, UI Claims Data, Shared Work
Requests, D&B Stress and Credit Score Data.
• ERT comprised of Business Services and Rapid Response staff
in NYC, Long Island, and lower Hudson Valley Regions.
• Use Contracted Consultants to provide diagnostic services,
assess viability of firm, and provide stabilization/turnaround
services.
• Develop broad partnerships to mobilize workforce and
economic development resources to assist at-risk businesses.
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Memorandum with Other State Agencies
State agency collaborations include:
– Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) – Career
Pathway Initiative.
– Office of Parks and Recreation (OP&R) – State Parks
Conservation Corps.
– Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) –
Addiction Certificate Programs.
– Office of Mental health (OMH) – Subsidizing Community College
Education for Individuals with Mental Health Disabilities.
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Memorandum with Other State Agencies
Career Pathways Initiative with OTDA
• Joint funding of $5M.
• Job training and education programs designed to improve
economic prospects of low-income workers.
– Sector-based strategy.
– Integrate support services to enable participants to advance.
– Target PA recipients, low-wage workers, UI recipients making less than
200% of the federal poverty level.
• Grants will be made to not-for-profit, community-based agencies.
• Aimed at areas of the state with:
– Demonstrated labor market needs, and
– Unemployment rates higher than that for the region.
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Memorandum with Other State Agencies
State Parks’ Conservations Corps with OP&R
• Up to 22 weeks of summer employment for 200 youth.
• Up to 16 weeks of green job skills training for 100 youth.
• Employment and training will take place at state parks.
• Approx. $3.35 million has been reserved through January 31,
2010.
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Memorandum with Other State Agencies
Addiction Certificate Programs with OASAS
• $1 million in funding.
• Train over 200 individuals for addiction counseling
certification.
• In NYS there are currently 7,200 credentialed addiction
counselors, 4,200 counselor trainees, and 300 vacancies for
counselors.
• There are currently 80 eligible training providers.
– OASAS will identify more through a Request for
Qualifications.
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Memorandum with Other State Agencies
Subsidizing Community College Education for Individuals with
Mental Health Disabilities w/OMH
– Up to $1 million funding.
– Approx. 200 individuals with mental health disabilities will
be prepared for jobs with mental health providers.
– Each participant will have a provider sponsor, who will
agree to employ the participant after training is completed.
– Training will take place at community colleges.
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Regional Sector Strategy
• Initiative that began in 2007.
– Regional Transformation Strategy grants, or 13N.
• Utilizes sector-based strategies focused on the attraction,
retention, or development of talent.
– Intended to improve the supply and quality of the region’s talent
pipeline; and foster the region’s competitive advantage.
• A total of $7.7 million has been awarded to 8 regions.
– Planning Grants up to $50,000; and implementation Grants up to
$500,000.
– Some regions have received a second implementation grant.
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Regional Sector Strategy
1. Western New York - $1,000,000
– Manufacturing and Life Sciences sectors.
2. Southern Tier - $550,000
– Advanced Manufacturing sector.
3. Central New York - $1,000,000
– Energy and Environmental Systems sectors.
4. Finger Lakes Region - $1,000,000
– Life Sciences sector.
5. North Country - $1,000,000
– Aerospace and Transportation Equipment Manufacturing sector.
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Regional Sector Strategy
6. The Capital Region - $1,050,000.
– Advanced Manufacturing; Construction; Biotechnology; Energy;
and Nanotechnology.
7. Long Island - $1,050,000
– Advanced Manufacturing sector, including: Defense & Aerospace;
Bioscience; and Pharmaceuticals.
8. The Hudson Valley - $ 1,050,000 million for multiple sectors:
– Water Purification and Management; Manufacturing/Industrial;
Transportation and Logistics; Energy-Tech; Enabling Technologies;
Materials Recovery & Recycling; Materials & Nanotechnology;
Environmental Information Technology; Air Quality; and
Agriculture & Nutrition.
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Upcoming ARRA Grant Opportunity for Workforce Development
• ARRA Competitive Grants for Green Jobs Training
USDOL/ETA Training and Employment Notice (TEN) No. 44-08
(May 15, 2009)
• $500M available for a series of solicitations, expected to begin
in June 2009.
• Six potential grant opportunities:
A. State Labor Market Information Improvement.
B. Energy Training Partnerships.
C. Pathways out of Poverty.
D. State Sector Training.
E. Green Capacity Building.
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Thank You!
For more information on services and initiatives, please visit:
www.labor.ny.gov
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