August 10, 1999
Honorable Christine Todd Whitman
Governor – State of New Jersey
State House – P. O. Box 001
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Dear Governor Whitman:
I am pleased to present you with the 1998 Annual Report of the State Employment and Training Commission. Much of the work reported in this document reflects the Commission’s focus on the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 which provided a unique opportunity for us to bring together our partner agencies and various stakeholders to craft policy recommendations for implementing the Act.
Because of your continued support, the Commission continues to make significant progress in developing and implementing employment, education and training policies to create an integrated workforce investment system for the benefit of every New Jersey citizen.
The Commission will work to ensure that New Jersey remains a good place to live and work.
Sincerely,
John J. Heldrich
Chairman
1998: A Year of Preparation
The past year brought a significant change in Federal workforce investment policy. The old Job Training Partnership Act was replaced by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, passed by Congress in August. New Jersey greeted the passage of this Act with much enthusiasm, since the language in this law closely parallels the State=s vision and direction for workforce investment.
Over the past few years, New Jersey has worked hard to implement a statewide network of Workforce Investment Boards and lay the foundation for an integrated workforce investment system. Efforts to develop an effective School-to-Career initiative, a comprehensive One-Stop system, and a responsive Welfare-to-Work program provided lessons that prepared New Jersey to respond to the changes required by the Workforce Investment Act. Much of the collaboration, cooperation and cross-agency planning required under the WIA have become standard operating procedures in New Jersey. Between August and December, the State Employment and Training Commission (SETC) convened the partners of the workforce investment system to begin to outline a strategy for early implementation of WIA, that would result in the submission of a State Plan by April 1, 1999.
Of particular interest to planners and policymakers in New Jersey was the provision to allow for the development of a Unified State Plan that would encompass all of the workforce investment activities attached to the One-Stop system. The development of such a Plan is the logical extension of New Jersey=s current planning and implementation efforts. Under the new WIA, New Jersey will finally begin to enjoy Federal support for its unified planning process.
=s efforts to prepare the State to meet the new Federal requirements.
In order to respond in a systematic way to the planning requirements called for in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, the State Employment and Training Commission (SETC) reached out to a broad audience of stakeholders to solicit opinions about the best way to respond to the new Act. Consistent with this goal, the Commission held a statewide conference in December that drew close to 700 attendees. The title of that conference was The Workforce Investment System in a Time of Transition. The conference focused on describing the importance of the new Act and how New Jersey would respond to it.
The major tenets of the Act are consistent with the direction that New Jersey had been taking over the past several years. The Act emphasizes the following policies and programs that are currently being undertaken in New Jersey:
One-Stop Career Centers – There must be at least one physical site in each workforce investment area that delivers all workforce investment services. These sites must provide universal access for all job seekers and employers. Empowering Individuals - Customer choice is a major value embedded in WIA. To fulfill this goal, Individual Training Accounts will be utilized that provide customers of the system with a training voucher. In order to ensure that the customer makes informed choices, high quality information about the labor market, skill sets for occupations and the performance of training vendors must be available. Increased Accountability – Performance is measured through various methods and includes measures on job retention rates, earnings at placement, and customer satisfaction.
Customer Satisfaction – Customer satisfaction and continuous improvement are the primary focus of the system.
Improved Youth Programs – Youth Councils must be established by each Workforce Investment Board. They will be responsible for developing an overall system to meet the various job-related needs of all youth. WIA gives special priority to the needs of high school dropouts and pregnant teens.
Changes in Responsibility - The State, local Workforce Investment Boards and the private sector will have stronger roles in the workforce investment system. The major challenge the State faces in implementing WIA is to ensure that all stakeholders participate fully. While the Act provides, under the general rubric of “devolution”, a shift in authority to the State and localities from the federal government, it still does not eliminate all the regulatory and budgetary barriers associated with separate programs. Put another way, while the Workforce Investment Act point states in the right direction, it does not substantially reduce program fragmentation at the federal level so as to make collaboration easier at state and local levels. Therefore, states must reach a broad consensus over policy and strategy in order for WIA to succeed. This will require the Commission to take a central role in involving WIBs, state agencies, local elected officials, unions, the private sector and other interested parties in a systemic process to develop a policy framework for WIA.
In the period of time after the passage of the Act and the signing of the Act by the President in August, the Commission endeavored to fully inform all the key stakeholders about the requirements of the Act. Working closely with the Heldrich Center at Rutgers University, the Commission developed a series of meetings to inform all constituents about the impact of WIA on the New Jersey workforce investment system.
Looking forward to 1999, the primary goal of the Commission is to submit a strategic Unified State Plan for WIA by April 1, 1999 and a five-year plan by October 1st of the same year. During calendar year 1999 and into the year 2000, the Commission will work with its partners to ensure that WIA is implemented in a timely and comprehensive fashion.
To meet this challenge the SETC will undertake the following activities:
Establish a Cabinet-level WIAWorking Group – Through the leadership of the Governor, a Cabinet-level working group will be established to assure an administration-wide consensus on New Jersey’s strategic direction under WIA.
Create a Unified State Plan Core Planning Group – This group will consist of representatives from key state agencies, localities and stakeholders. Its purpose will be to provide policy oversight to the drafting of the State Plan.
Solicit Public Feedback – The SETC will sponsor a series of informal “Town Meetings” and a formal public hearing to solicit broad input into the policy recommendations for the Plan. These meetings will be held throughout the State.
Hold Policy Forums for Specific Groups – To further ensure that all interested parties get a chance to participate, focus groups will be held with representatives of special populations, particularly those involved with programs that are mandated by New Jersey’sWIA Plan to be part of the One-Stop system.
The State Employment and Training Commission
The State Employment and Training Commission (SETC) was established by state statute in 1989 as a public-private partnership to meet the challenge of developing a world class workforce investment system for New Jersey. This bipartisan Commission accomplishes its purpose by sustaining the partnership that seeks to eliminate the parochialism that limits the capacity of government to be creative and responsive to the demands of the 21st century.
The 34 members of this Commission are drawn from the public and private sectors and are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. The membership includes four cabinet officers representing the Departments of Community Affairs, Education, Human Services, and Labor. They join representatives from the State Assembly and Senate and members from the Commissions on Higher Education and on Commerce and Economic Growth. These public officials join with other Commission members from the private sector, community-based organizations, unions, and the general public to develop New Jersey’s workforce policy agenda. A member from the business community chairs the Commission.
The improvement of the employment, training and education system requires the high level participation represented by this broad membership. Major corporations and small businesses work with unions and social service entities to develop policies that overarch the scope of government agencies or private sector constituencies. The diverse membership allows the Commission to examine all aspects of the system.
The SETC has been instrumental in developing a strong planning process by involving many representatives of the system. This has been essential, as the Commission has undertaken the responsibility for designing and helping to implement a unified workforce investment system for all segments of New Jersey’s population. Needs of students, workers, and those seeking employment are considered along with the needs of the employers. The extremely complex and interrelated policy issues require the stakeholders in the workforce investment system to work in concert to shape the future of worker learning and productivity.
As the SETC works to develop a seamless delivery system, its core principles are used to guide the process. These principles are:
- A successful workforce investment system must be consumer-based and market-driven. It must be relevant to the needs of students, workers and those seeking employment, and the employer community.
- The workforce investment system must be performance driven and outcome based. It must be accountable.
- Attainment of fundamental levels of literacy and basic skills lies at the heart of the workforce investment system.
- There must be full utilization of all potential workers.
- Employers and workers must be involved in governance at all levels of the system and in defining the outcomes to be achieved.
- The system must provide access to lifelong learning.
The State Employment and Training Commission has been and continues to be the entity responsible for clearly articulating New Jersey’s broad workforce investment policies. The goals of the system have been defined through a collaborative process involving the SETC and its partners. Now, the SETC is in position to continue its leadership role in policymaking and oversight of the wide array of programs as well as working with the various agencies to carry out these policies and work toward the established goals.
Committees, Task Forces and Work Groups
The State Employment and Training Commission (SETC) has a number of committees, task forces, and work groups that address specific aspects of the workforce investment system. To understand the magnitude of our efforts, the following section summarizes the work of the various groups.
ADULT LITERACY TASK FORCE
Co-Chairs: Richard Fritzky, Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce
Donald J. Loff, Co-Chair, PaineWebber, Inc.
Members: Barbara Anderson, Department of Education; Ronald Applbaum, Kean College; Isaac Ballard, Department of Corrections; Lydia Barrett, Urban League of Essex County; Hal Beder, Rutgers University; Valerie Bianco, Monmouth Adult Educational Services Commission; Elizabeth Christopherson, New Jersey Network; Lanse Davis, SETC; Roger Emig, Office of Management and Budget; Anthony Lutkus, Educational Testing Service; Brian McAndrew, Monmouth County Vocational School; Carol McMillan-Lonesome, Seton Hall University; Richard Messner, Somerset County Vocational School, (retired); Margery Oppenheimer, Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc.; Sister Mary Teresa Orbegozo, Paterson Adult and Continuing Education; Martine Hammond-Paludan, Commission on Higher Education; Henry Plotkin, State Employment and Training Commission; Arlene Roth, Department of Education; Anthony Sarlo, Department of Corrections; Ellen Schechter, Department of Education; Paul Scherbina, Department of Labor; Thomas D. Sepe, Mercer County Community College; Dennis Testa, New Jersey Education Association; Donna Vassallo, Claridge Hotel and Casino; Margot Walsh, New Jersey Network; J. Robert White, Department of Labor (retired)
The Commission on Higher Education and the State Employment and Training Commission established the Task Force on Adult Literacy at the end of 1996. The Commissions charged the Task Force with recommending ways to improve the literacy delivery system for adults.
In fulfilling its charge, the Task Force held numerous general and subcommittee meetings; conducted three public hearings; interviewed leaders in the field of literacy; reviewed state and national data on literacy needs and services; surveyed colleges and universities in the State to determine the kinds of literacy education programs they offer; drafted a preliminary report; and, in September 1998, issued a final report with recommendations. In the report, The Literacy Connection: Improving Adult Literacy in New Jersey, the Task Force noted the following:
- There are roughly three million adults in the State that function at the lowest two of five levels of literacy.
- There is an ever-expanding need for literacy services resulting from a mismatch between the skills of the workforce and those demanded by the changing economy.
- The literacy delivery system is disjointed, comprising an array of programs funded through a variety of federal, state, local, and private sources, with little or no central coordination or oversight.
The Task Force identified six areas for improvement: planning and coordination at the State and local levels; responsiveness to customer needs; staff development; the use of technology; program accountability; and advocacy. It made specific recommendations for each of these areas.
John Heldrich, the SETC Chair, joined the two Task Force Co-Chairs in presenting The Literacy Connection to Governor Christine Todd Whitman on September 15, 1998. Among the recommendations in the report was the call for the creation of a statewide literacy council to facilitate joint planning and oversight. As a result of recent legislative action, this recommendation is moving closer to fruition. In October 1998, Assembly Bill A-53, introduced by Assemblymen Jack Collins, District 3, and Joseph Doria, District 31, was passed. The bill calls for the establishment of a State Council for Adult Literacy Education and Services. The companion bill in the Senate (S-1403), co-sponsored by Senators Diane Allen, District 7, and Bernard F. Kenny, District 33, was referred to the Senate Education Committee in November 1998.
EVALUATION COMMITTEE
Chair: Arthur O’Neal (retired DOL Assistant Commissioner), Flemington, NJ
Members: Gregory Adkins, Department of Community Affairs; Phillip Beardsley, Commission on Higher Education; Dalyn Currey, Gloucester County WIB; Len Feldman, Department of Human Services; Karen Holmes, SETC; Kathleen Immordino, Department of Labor; Maury James, Department of Education; John Knoop, Lawson, Mardon, Wheaton, Inc.; Paulette Laubsch, SETC; Brian McAndrew, Monmouth County Vocational School; Rudolph Myers, Department of Human Services; David Novak, Department of Labor; Richard Pagano, Siemens Corp.; Robert Peabody, Area Lighting, Inc.; Brian Peters, Department of Labor; Vivien Shapiro, Department of Labor; Harry Stark, Highland Park, NJ; Greg Williams, Office of Legislative Services
In 1998, the Evaluation Committee established the two-year workforce New Jersey One-Stop Evaluation and Technical Assistance Project. The purpose of this project was to hold regular bi-monthly meetings with members of the WIB One-Stop Committees and conduct in-depth reviews in the WIB areas on the status of implementing the One-Stop system. During 1998, five meetings were held. Each WIB area had a team of One-Stop partners attend the meetings. The statewide meeting had over 125 attendees at each one-day session. The goals of the project included:
- Creation of a mechanism for information sharing for One-Stop;
- Creation of an evaluation program based on state and local goals;
- Development of peer-designed “operating protocols”;
- Identification and promotion of best practices;
- Focus on key issues such as universal access, communication, business services, among others; and
- Assessment of the barriers and technical assistance needs of the One-Stop system.
On-site reviews were conducted at three WIB areas. This process was based on USDOL's One-Stop review instrument, peer-designed “operating protocols” and local strategic plans. Training sessions were held for all participants before they engaged in the review process. In the fall of 1998, a report of the three areas was presented for review.
In addition, the SETC contracted with the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers to develop a vendor assessment system in January 1998. The purpose of this was to develop a system to evaluate the performance of workforce investment services in the State. The project utilized existing processes to address the needs of the various administrative entities in New Jersey.
Six months after the start of this project, Congress passed the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. This law requires that states develop performance management and training vendor evaluation systems. The initial work completed by the staff at the John J. Heldrich Center has been beneficial to us in designing what is needed to meet the federal requirements. Additional time is needed to fully meet the federal requirements and be responsive to the local and state needs.
The proposed performance and vendor evaluation system was the result of research and discussion from various interest groups. Service providers, policy makers, system administrators, and customers of the various parts of the workforce investment system have been involved in this process. The evaluation system must meet a number of basic requirements including:
- Set annual performance goals for WIB areas and the State;
- Ensure vendor performance information is available for customers of Individual Training Accounts (ITAs); and
- Determine eligible training providers based on performance.
A prototype website has been developed that will provide information on programs and vendors throughout the system. This dissemination of information will allow customers to make informed choices as to careers and training programs. The basic template of a proposed system will be unveiled at the Commission meeting held in January 1999. Refinement of this proposal is ongoing.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM –
TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP (TAG)
Facilitator: Karen Holmes, Deputy Director, SETC
Members: Tim Cole, Department of Labor; Janice Dittus, Department of Labor; Aaron Fichtner, John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers; Paulette Laubsch, SETC; Phil Mugavero, Department of Treasury; Arthur O’Neal, Flemington, NJ; Brian Peters, Department of Labor; Vivien Shapiro, Department of Labor; Greg Williams, Office of Legislative Services
Under the guidance of the Evaluation Committee, the Workforce Development Program TAG began its partnership with researchers from the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University.
The Evaluation Committee recommended that a Technical Advisory Group be formed to offer specific technical assistance to the evaluation researchers as they move forward in this first year of their contract to evaluate the effectiveness of the Workforce Development Partnership Program. The group has met as needed in response to specific stages of the evaluation that required either the review of survey material and methodology or of draft documentation. The TAG will continue to serve in this capacity in the coming year and oversee the work of the second year evaluation study.
GENDER EQUITY TASK FORCE
Chair: Dana Berry, Starting Points for Children
Members: Frank Bolden, Johnson & Johnson; Joseph Borgia, Mercer County Vocational School; Rena Grasso, Bergen County Technical Schools;
Karen Holmes, SETC; Marylin Hulme, Equity Assistance Center; Loretta Keimel, Middlesex County Vocational Schools; Dianne McKay, American Association of University Women/New Jersey; Jack Pesda, Camden County College; Iris Quinones, New Brunswick Tomorrow, Deborah Reese, The Work Group; Sandra Kenyon, Hudson County Community College; Rosalind Seneca, Drew University
While the SETC’s Gender Equity Task Force formally concluded its work, Task Force members continued to pursue the full implementation of the recommendations in both “Leveling the Playing Field” and “Balancing the Equation”, reports by the Task Force. Acting on a recommendation contained in “Balancing the Equation”, Senator Diane Allen introduced Senate Bill 1448 to establish a Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education. The Council would report to the Executive Director of the SETC and would be charged with assessing the effectiveness of the State’s efforts to ensure gender equity in labor, education and training.
The Senate Bill was reported out of the Senate Women’s Issues,
Children and Family Services Committee. An identical bill is
expected to be introduced in the Assembly in early 1999.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Chair: Tapas Sen, AT&T
Members: Gregory Adkins, Department of Community Affairs, Dana Berry, Starting Points for Children; Lanse Davis, SETC; Richard Fritzky, Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce; Martine Hammond-Paludan, Commission on Higher Education; Peter Heidelberg, Allied Signal, Inc.; Kathleen Immordino, Department of Labor; William Linder, New Community Corporation; Fred Lopez, Department of Labor; Brian McAndrew, Monmouth Vocational School; Carol Novrit; Morris/Sussex/Warren WIB; Arthur O’Neal, Flemington, NJ; Henry Plotkin, SETC; Donald Redlinger, Allied Signal, Inc.; Julio Sabater, Universal Enterprise, Inc.; Ellen Schechter, Department of Education; Alan Steinberg, Commission on Commerce and Economic Growth; Edward Tetelman, Department of Human Services
The SETC Planning Committee is the clearinghouse for all Commission subgroups, as well as various staff projects. The Committee plays a central role in assuring the consistency and timeliness of New Jersey’s workforce investment policy development efforts.
The Planning Committee also provides Commission members with a detailed knowledge of SETC’s projects and proposals, and allows them to fully participate in the shaping of policy recommendations. Along with the Public Sector Planning Committee, it reviews and contributes to documents and policy statements on an ongoing basis.
State and local implementation plans for welfare-to-work;
Report of the Task Force on Adult Literacy;
Planning for a two-day statewide One-Stop Conference; and
Facilitator: Henry Plotkin, Executive Director, SETC
Members: Isaac Ballard, Department of Corrections; Mark Boyd, Department of Labor; Thomas Henry, Department of Education; Kathleen Immordino, Department of Labor; Martine Hammond-Paludan, Commission on Higher Education; Ellen Schechter, Department of Education; Edward Tetelman, Department of Human Services; Cy Thannikary, Commission on Commerce and Economic Growth; Representative from the Governor’s Office of Policy and Planning
The Public Sector Planning Committee is a permanent oversight body within the Commission. Facilitated by SETC Executive Director Henry Plotkin, the Committee is charged with the responsibility of overseeing implementation of the employment, education and training policy recommendations for New Jersey’s workforce investment system.
Last year, the Committee reviewed the Welfare-to-Work Formula Grant, the National Governors' Association Demand-Side Strategy proposal, the agenda for the One-Stop Conference, the Capacity Building initiative with the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, revisions to the Unified State Plan, among other activities. The Committee combined several of its meetings with the Welfare-to-Work Working Group.
WELFARE-TO-WORK WORKING GROUP
Facilitator: Henry Plotkin, Executive Director, SETC
Members: Gregory Adkins, Department of Community Affairs; Mark Boyd,
Department of Labor; Donald Cammus, Department of Labor; Kathleen Cassidy, Department of Human Services; Thomas D’Elia, Department of Labor; Roger Emig, Office of Management and Budget; Eileen Goldstein, Office of Management and Budget; Ellen Grassman, Department of Human Services; Thomas Henry, Department of Education; Karen Highsmith, Department of Human Services; Connie O. Hughes, Department of Labor; Kathleen Immordino, Department of Labor; Kathy Krepcio, Department of Human Services; Gene Martorony, Department of Human Services; David Novak, Department of Labor; Martine Hammond-Paludan, Commission on Higher Education; Brian Peters, Department of Labor; Diane Schonyers, Department of Human Services; Vivien Shapiro, Department of Labor; Bill Spear, Commission on Commerce and Economic Growth; Edward Tetelman, Department of Human Services
The Welfare-to-Work Working Group spent 1998 continuing to guide the implementation of the “to work” aspects of New Jersey’s welfare reform program – Work First New Jersey. With the availability of both Welfare-to-Work Formula grant and Competitive grant federal dollars, the Working Group developed guidelines for local Workforce Investment Boards and for the expenditure of those funds. The Group recommended the establishment of local collaboratives that would provide a seamless set of services for the hardest-to-serve welfare recipients, which would include the direct leveraging of other resources beyond the formal grant funds.
WORKFORCE QUALITY COMMITTEE
Chair: Tapas Sen, AT&T
Members: William H. Adams, Salem Vocational/Technical Schools; Gregory Adkins, Department of Community Affairs; Isaac Ballard, Department of Corrections; Robert Bocchino, DeVry Technical Institute; Mark Boyd, Department of Labor; Patricia Cooper, New Community Corporation; Brenda Curry, General Motors; Lanse Davis, SETC; Paula Davis, HF Henderson Industries; Phyllis Della Vecchia, Camden County College; Dana Egreczky, NJ State Chamber of Commerce; John Ericson, Hunterdon County Superintendent’s Office; Raymond Farley, Hunterdon Central Regional High School; Patricia Fletcher, Gloucester County College; Edithe A. Fulton, NJ EducationJack Gallagher, The Gallagher Group;Clifford Mingle, Human Resources; David Novak, Department of Labor; Henry Plotkin, SETC; Edward Tetelman, Department of Human Services; John Walstrum, Camden County College; Herbert A. Whitehouse, Whitehouse Law Firm
The State Employment and Training Commission created the Workforce Quality Committee in 1997 to facilitate policy development that improves linkages between employment, training and education and promotes the establishment of a demand-side focused workforce investment system in the State.
A major focus of the Workforce Quality Committee during 1998 was defining a demand-side system and developing a vision and mission that was defined as the demand side. During the year, the Committee solicited input from SETC members, WIB chairs and other stakeholders. As a result, the Committee drafted the following vision and mission statements for the system:
Vision StatementNew Jersey envisions a workforce investment system that serves the needs and demands of the workplace, ensuring the economic prosperity of the State and all of its citizens.
Mission StatementThe mission of New Jersey’s workforce investment system is to ensure a balance between the needs of New Jersey’s citizens to be employed to their maximum potential and business to have access to a highly qualified workforce to ensure global competitiveness in an ever-changing world. The system facilitates continuous development of skills and competencies that enhance the employability of the existing and future workforce; it promotes sound leadership and organizational growth; and, it adjusts to environmental changes as it focuses on customer access and choice assuring the highest level of quality.
The vision statement was included in the program booklet of the State One-Stop Conference held in Cherry Hill on December 1 and 2, 1998. Committee members also conducted a workshop at the conference where they discussed the vision, mission and influence on the emerging demand-side system.
In addition to the development of the vision and mission statements, the Committee established a set of goals and objectives to guide its work during the coming year. After the passage of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 in August, the Committee sought to understand the implications of this new federal legislation on New Jersey. William Tracy, Executive Director of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University, provided an overview of the law at the October 1, 1998 Workforce Quality Committee meeting at the Bell Atlantic Knowledge Center in South Plainfield.
Other SETC ActivitiesANNUAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
The second annual New Jersey One-Stop Conference entitled “The Workforce Investment System in a Time of Transition” was held on December 1-2, 1998 at the Four Points Hotel, Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The conference focused on the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and its impact on New Jersey’s workforce investment system. It brought together the private and public sectors to discuss the Act. More than 500 participants attended the conference each day with approximately 700 registrants. An interactive response activity provided an opportunity for participants to express their thoughts concerning current issues. This medium allowed for immediate feedback to the audience of the responses and assisted in clarifying some misconceptions. This activity was well received and provided an interesting introduction to the various topics covered in the conference.
Raymond Bramucci, Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Labor, was the keynote speaker. There were also 30 workshops offered that ranged from One-Stops to the implementation of WIA. In addition, a round table discussion of Commissioners from the Departments of Community Affairs, Education, Human Services, and Labor provided insight into the different aspects of workforce investment. Business representatives and faith-based leaders rounded out the sessions. Guest speakers included Hal Burlingame, Executive Vice President of AT&T (also a Commission member) who discussed the future of technology and the workforce, and Rev. DeForest “Buster” Soaries, New Jersey’s Secretary of State Designee, who addressed the role of community-based and faith-based organizations in the workforce investment system, among others.
CAPACITY BUILDING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
The commitment for the need to upgrade all staff of state and local employment and training programs and partnering agencies continued throughout the year. To adapt to the changing needs of the workforce, staffs of these agencies need state-of-the art education and training. The SETC formed a strong partnership with the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers, to work extensively with the SETC, USDOL and the Departments of Labor, Human Services, Community Affairs and Education, not-for-profit and corporate entities to develop and deliver training needs. During the year, the Center had an active role in capacity building efforts as well as research, evaluation, technical assistance, among others. The Center has conducted meetings and seminars as an educational and informational tool for staff of agencies that are involved with the workforce investment system. Informational sessions on the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 have also taken place statewide.
The Interagency Capacity Building Coordinating Committee comprised representatives from all of the State Departments of the workforce investment system also met to discuss current training curricula and best practices being developed. The results of the Committee’s suggestions will be coordinated with the training efforts of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development.
HOME PAGE
The SETC Home Page has continued to provide current information to the public regarding important policy issues and recommendations involving the workforce investment system. The SETC has asked for public comment on a number of issues.
The report, The Literacy Connection: Improving Adult Literacy in New Jersey, published during this past year can be found on the Home Page, along with other previous reports, under “Events and Other Information.” Since the Home Page was developed in 1996, there have been over 71,000 visitors to date.
The direct address to the Home Page is:
http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/wnjpin/findjob/onestop/services.html
LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
May 17, 1998 – A bill establishing the State Council for Adult Literacy Education Services was introduced in the Assembly. The same language was incorporated into a Senate bill introduced on October 15.
October 19, 1998 – A bill establishing a Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education was introduced in the Senate. It is anticipated that a companion bill will be introduced in the Assembly in early 1999. This legislation builds on the recommendations of the Gender Equity Task Force report.
SETC/WIB DIRECTORS MONTHLY MEETINGS
The WIB Directors met with SETC staff 12 times in 1998. These meetings continued to be very productive for the SETC, WIB Directors and other relevant state agencies. The agendas were varied and productive, focusing on the multitude of issues that the State and localities were having to wrestle with in this busy year. The WIB Directors took the opportunity of these meetings to ask specific questions on topics ranging from the implementation of Welfare-to-Work, the further development of their One-Stop systems and, of course, the State’s response to the implementation of the Workforce Investment Act.
SETC Chronology – 1998
JANUARY
8 - School-to-Work Interagency Work Group meeting, Trenton
- Welfare-to-Work Working Group, Trenton
14 - Presentation of the Adult Literacy Task Force report, Trenton
15 - WIB Directors meeting on Welfare-to-Work State Plan, Trenton
20 - Meeting with the Departments of Labor and Human Services to review
recent submissions of WIB Welfare-to-Work Plans, Trenton
21 - Public Sector Planning Committee meeting, Trenton
22 - Welfare-to-Work Working Group meeting, Trenton
29 - State Employment and Training Commission meeting, Piscataway
FEBRUARY
4-5 - Technical assistance training for the Federal Welfare-to-Work competitive grants, New Brunswick
5 - Welfare-to-Work Working Group meeting, Trenton
9 - Public hearing on the State Welfare-to-Work Formula Grant, Trenton
10 - Planning Committee meeting, Newark
23 - One-Stop Interagency Capacity Building Committee meeting, Trenton
- One-Stop site visit to Monmouth County Vocational School, Colts Neck
25 - Workforce Quality Committee meeting, Trenton
27 - One-Stop Evaluation and Technical Assistance Project Team meeting
sponsored by SETC and Department of Labor, Edison
MARCH
5 - Welfare-to-Work Working Group meeting, Trenton
12 - State Employment and Training Commission meeting, Piscataway
13 - School-to-Careers seminar conducted by SETC, the Departments of
Education and Labor, and Rutgers University, New Brunswick
- School-to-Careers/WIB meeting, New Brunswick
16 - Focus group meeting on Year 2000 Projections, Trenton
- Presentation at Career Development Course at Jersey City State College
18 - Public Sector Planning Committee meeting, Trenton
19 - WIB Directors meeting, Trenton
- Welfare-to-Work Working Group meeting, Trenton
20 - Atlantic Cluster meeting for the Commission on National and Community
Service, Princeton
25 - Welfare-to-Work Working Group meeting, Trenton
APRIL
1 - Meeting with Deputy Chief of Staff to discuss the SETC and Proprietary
School Legislation, Trenton
2 - Workforce Quality Committee meeting, Trenton
3 - School-to-Careers Consortium led by Hudson Community College
- Literacy Volunteers of America - NJ’s Chapter Annual Conference
7 - New Jersey Employer Council meeting, Trenton
16 - WIB Directors meeting, Salem County Voc/Tech High School
20 - Business Higher Education meeting, Trenton
22 - Executive Oversight Board meeting, Trenton
- Public Sector Planning Committee meeting, Trenton
23-24 - National Governors’ Association meeting, Washington, D.C.
27 - One-Stop Evaluation and Technical Assistance Project Team meeting,
Edison
29 - Vendor evaluation presentation to Evaluation Committee, New Brunswick
30 - One-Stop Capacity Building Retreat, Spring Lake
MAY
4 - State Welfare-to-Work plan and planning instructions for WIBs, Trenton
12 - Site visit to School-to-Work program, Jersey City
14 - Welfare-to-Work Working Group meeting, Trenton
20 - Public Sector Planning Committee meeting, Trenton
21 - WIB Directors meeting, New Brunswick
- Site visit to School-to-Work program, Monmouth
27-28 - Garden State Employment and Training Association Annual Conference,
Atlantic City
JUNE
3 - Workforce Quality Committee meeting, Flemington
4 - State Employment and Training Commission meeting, Piscataway
8 - Meeting with students from NEW Leadership Program, sponsored by
Rutgers’ Center for the American Woman and Politics, Trenton
9 - Organized Labor WIB training, West Caldwell
10 - Review of School-to-Careers Request for Proposal, Trenton.
- Workforce Development Partnership Program- Technical Assistance
Group meeting, Trenton
16 - Participation on panel for workforce issues at seminar sponsored by
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
18 - WIB Directors Retreat, Spring Lake
- Customer Service Capacity Building meeting, New Brunswick
19 - National conference on impact of Welfare-to-Work on Adult Literacy
Planning and Program Development
- Site visit to Pennsville School District and Salem County Voc/Tech School
21 - Virtual University Design Team meeting, Trenton
22-23 - School-to-Careers conference, Newark
23 - Organized Labor WIB training, New Brunswick
24 - Public Sector Planning Committee meeting, Trenton
25 - One-Stop Evaluation and Technical Assistance Project Team meeting,
Edison
JULY
9 - Welfare-to-Work Competitive Grant review, Trenton
10 - Evaluation Committee meeting with Rutgers, Trenton
16 - WIB Directors meeting, Trenton
20 - Meeting on literacy services for Welfare-to-Work clients, Trenton
27 - Meeting with Center for Public Service to discuss Institute on Work,
Seton Hall University, South Orange
AUGUST
5 - Workforce Quality Committee meeting, Trenton
- WIB Capacity Building Design Team meeting, New Brunswick
17 - Welfare-to-Work Working Group meeting, Trenton
26 - Meeting with New Jersey Institute of Technology, Trenton
27 - One-Stop Evaluation and Technical Advisory Group meeting, Edison
SEPTEMBER
10 - State Employment and Training Commission meeting, Piscataway
13-15 - Meeting to discuss vocational educational planning and reauthorization
of Carl Perkins federal training, Vienna, Virginia
15-16 - Technical Assistance Work Group meeting on Workforce Investment Act,
New Brunswick
17 - WIB Directors meeting, Trenton
23 - Public Sector Planning Committee meeting, Trenton
- At-Risk Youth Conference, Newark
OCTOBER
1 - Workforce Quality Committee meeting, South Plainfield
2 - Governor’s Office of Volunteerism Conference, Atlantic City
- Focus Group meeting on literacy and welfare populations, Trenton
6 - Virtual University Design Team Teleconference meeting, Trenton
8 - Unified State Plan Core Planning Group meeting, Trenton
13 - Planning Committee meeting, Newark
15 - WIB Directors meeting, Lawrenceville
21 - Public Sector Planning Committee meeting, Trenton
22 - New Jersey State Data Center conference, Princeton
26 - One-Stop Evaluation and Technical Assistance Project Team meeting,
Edison
NOVEMBER
4 - Virtual University Design Team meeting, New Brunswick
5 - State Employment and Training Commission meeting, Piscataway
10 - Ceremony announcing creation of John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce
Development, New Brunswick
16 - Unified State Plan Core Planning Group meeting, Trenton
19 - WIB Directors meeting, Trenton
1-2 - SETC Conference on “The Workforce Investment System in a Time of
Transition,” Cherry Hill
5 - One-Stop Evaluation and Technical Advisory Group meeting, Edison
16 - Public Sector Planning Committee meeting, Trenton
17 - WIB Directors meeting, Trenton
State Employment and Training Commission Staff
Henry Plotkin, Executive Director
Cindy Chizmadia
Lansing Davis
Diane Evans
Karen Holmes
Nancy Kopp
Paulette Laubsch
Deborah O’Kane
Cynthia Povich
Marian Sulkowski
Ann Watkins
State Employment and Training Commission
John J. Heldrich, Chairman
April Aaronson, Division of Health and Human Services, City of Trenton
Dana Berry, Starting Points for Children, Inc.
Robert L. Bildner, RLB Food Distributors
Harold Burlingame, AT&T
Michael Cantwell, Plumbers & Pipefitters Union
Jerry T. Cunningham, Chatham
Richard Fritzky, Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce
Mel Gelade, Department of Labor
Hon. George F. Geist, Assemblyman, District 4
Michele K. Guhl, Department of Human Services
Henry F. Henderson, HF Henderson Industries
Stephen B. Hornik, Sr., United Food & Commercial Workers Union
Andrea B. Karsian, Toresco Enterprises, Inc.
Jane Kenny, Department of Community Affairs
Leo Klagholz, Department of Education
Frank H. Lehr, Frank H. Lehr Associates
Jody Levinson, Johnson & Johnson
William Linder, New Community Corporation
Hon. Robert Martin, Senator, District 26
Brian McAndrew, Monmouth County Vocational School
Carol A. Novrit, Morris/Sussex/Warren Workforce Investment Board
Harvey Nutter, Opportunities Industrialization Centers
Arthur O’Neal, Flemington
Robert D. Prunetti, Mercer County Executive
Donald J. Redlinger, Allied Signal, Inc.
Julio Sabater, Universal Communications
Herbert A. Whitehouse, Whitehouse Law Firm
Harriet Hems Wright, JH Wright Construction, Inc.
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