MET CENTERMetropolitan Education and Training

Center

A MET CENTER CASE STUDYPresented to

Working Families Success Network National Conference

Detroit, MichiganNovember 7, 2013

By Carolyn Seward President & CEO - FWCA/MET Center

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THE HISTORY OF MET CENTER

Vacant, Manufacturing Buildingo Formerly Wagner Electric

Located in an economically challenged area in the urban communityo Unemployment Rate (year 2000) - 16%o Average Household Income $24,688o Poverty Level – 39.1%

Received federal funding to create a training facility for low-income residentso 6-Story Facilityo 3 Floors Renovated

THE HISTORY OF MET CENTER (cont’d)

5-7 Years of Existenceo 2 Partners (Community College & CBO)o Approximately 200 customers served each year

Community College & CBO Programs o Began to expand from 200 to 700 customers per year

Center Focuso Trainingo Employment

TARGET POPULATIONA.Who will be served by the MET Center?

Low-Income Adults w/Criminal Backgrounds & Educational Deficiencies

Unemployed Adult Ex-Offender Community Residents

B.Funding Sources TANF WIA ITAs Pell Grants Other Federal, State & Private Funding

Opportunities

GROUP DISCUSSION #1

1. How do you begin to coordinate partners & resources that will benefit the community?

2. How do you develop the governance & organizational structure for a CWF?

MISSIONThe MET Center is a strategic partnership created to stimulate the economic self-sufficiency of individuals living in low-income communities of the St. Louis Region.

The Center seeks to accomplish this mission by delivering focused, comprehensive, and accessible job training, placement, assessment, career development services and transportations services.

We serve the underemployed, unemployed, and displaced workers, leading to sustainable work and a competitive regional economy.

• Centrally Located Near the MetroLink• Comprehensive Skill-Based Training

• Focused Individual Employment Planning• Accessible Career Development and Placement

Services• Personal Financial Education/Transportation Services

MET CENTER GOVERNANCE

Board of Directors City & County Workforce Investment Board Community College CBOs Public School System Economic Development Quarterly Meetings

MET Program Directors Meeting Program Directors/Representatives MIS Representative Executive Director Monthly Meetings

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

Industry Advisory Group

-RCGA -WIB -Employer Committee Group advisor for each skill training program

St. Louis County Public Works

MET Executive Director -Responsible for communication flow between programs and services -Performance reports to Steering Committee -Coordinate and report Issues and Problems concerning programs to Board of Directors -Information Management coordination

Facility Management

Responsible for all facility management

St. Louis County

Coordination of Educational Programs

Responsible for all skill-based educational programs St. Louis Community College

MET Board of Directors

-Responsible for conducting Labor Research -Program Recommendations -Resource Development

Services -Recruitment -Orientation -Assignment/Referral -Eligibility -Enrollment -Client Services -Job Search -Placement -Retention -Mobility Center -Community Outreach -Special Projects/Initiatives -Adult Education Literacy -Tax Prep -Asset Building

Educational Programs -Work Readiness (BFL) -Skill-based Training -Business Services

BOAT, MIIS, BTT (STLCC)

-Construction CPC -Healthcare LPN (SSD) -Transportation Diesel (STLCC) -Science BioScience & Technology -Construction HVAC -Manufacturing MTA (MTA)

Information Management -Client Database -Client Case Files -Performance Reports -Enrollment -Graduates -Initial Placements 3,6,9,12 months retention -Employment Reports -Special Project Data -Transportation Data -Supportive Service -Financial Literacy

Facility -Staff -Space -Telephones -Security -Maintenance -Utilities -Grounds

GROUP DISCUSSION #2

1.At what point is the customer considered a CWF participant?

Center Orientation Skills Training

2.How to ensure you have the right partners delivering services to the community (i.e. financial institutions)?

3.If the focus is training & employment services, what type of supportive services are needed and who will deliver them?

MET CENTER/CWFINTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL

Customer Recruiting Orientation

Eligibility for financialAssistance, client services,

ITAs

Adult Education Literacy

Transportation, Job Search,Mobility, Counseling Services

Bundling & Sequencing

Work Readiness TrainingFinancial Literacy and Asset Building -

4 WeeksBundling & Sequencing of Service

Skill Based Training ProgramsBusiness Services B.O.A.T. (STLCC) MIIS (STLCC) BTT (STLCC)Transportation Diesel (STLCC)Career Pathways to Employers (FWCA)Construction CPCManufacturing HVAC (MTA) Energy Auditor (MTA)Healthcare LPN (SSD)BioScience & Technology (FWCA)Distance Learning (FWCA)

Financial Services / Asset Building

Employment Services

Graduates from all programs can immediately obtain

employment

Missouri One Stop Career Center (NGCC) – Placement

Services

Supportive services(Based on Funding)

MET Mobility CenterCounselingJob SearchTax Prep

Financial LiteracyHousing Counseling

Legal ServicesTeen Pregnancy Prevention

Employer SpecificOrientation

for Job Seeker

Services Educational Programs Placement & Retention

Program Enrollment(Bundling of Services begins

here)CWF

PATHWAY

MET CENTER/CWFINTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL

Customer Recruiting Orientation

Eligibility for financialAssistance, client services,

ITAs

Program Enrollment(Bundling of Services

begins here)

Adult Education Literacy

Transportation, Job Search,Mobility, Counseling Services

Bundling & Sequencing

Work Readiness TrainingFinancial Literacy and Asset Building -

4 WeeksBundling & Sequencing of Service

Skill Based Training ProgramsBusiness Services B.O.A.T. (STLCC) MIIS (STLCC) BTT (STLCC)Transportation Diesel (STLCC)Career Pathways to Employers (FWCA)Construction CPCManufacturing HVAC (MTA) Energy Auditor (MTA)Healthcare LPN (SSD)BioScience & Technology (FWCA)Distance Learning (FWCA)

Financial Services / Asset Building

Employment Services

Graduates from all programs can immediately obtain

employment

Missouri One Stop Career Center (NGCC) – Placement

Services

Supportive services(Based on Funding)

MET Mobility CenterCounselingJob SearchTax Prep

Financial LiteracyHousing Counseling

Legal ServicesTeen Pregnancy Prevention

CWFPATHWAY

Employer SpecificOrientation

for Job Seeker

Services Educational Programs Placement & Retention

SERVICES & TRAININGSERVICES & EDUCATIONAL

PROGRAMSSKILL-BASED TRAINING

PROGRAMS Recruiting &

Orientation GED/AEL Transportation Job Search Work Readiness Tax Preparation Employment Training Placement & Retention

Business Services Transportation Career Pathways Construction Manufacturing Healthcare BioScience Technology Distance Learning

SUPPORTIVE SERVICES Financial Education

& Asset Building Services

Home Buyers Education & Investment Services

Tax Services (Vita Site)

Transportation Services(MWA)

Health and WellnessEducation (Clinical)

MET Mobility Center

Dr. J’s Family Weight Loss

Healthy RelationshipEducation/Responsible Fatherhood

Individual and Group Counseling Services (Clinical)

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS

St. Louis County Government

St. Louis County WIB

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership

St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association (RCGA)

Family and Workforce Centers of America (FWCA) – CBO

St. Louis City WIB (SLATE)

Fathers’ Support Center

Metropolitan Training Alliance (MTA)

ARAMARK

Washington University in St. Louis

St. Louis Community College (STLCC)

Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF)

East-West Gateway Council of Governments

Special School District (SSD)

St. Louis Public Schools

Construction Prep Center (CPC) BFL, Inc. (CBO)

Saint Louis Community Credit Union (STLCCU)

GROUP DISCUSSION #3

How do you bundle services?

CWF PROCESS FLOW

Assessments (Individual Plans) 1. IEP: Case Manager 2. ITP: Case Manager 3. IFP: Financial Literacy Coach

Individuals Receiving Services (Enrollments) Each enrollment requires CWF Snapshot Form

Performance Measures (Placement/Retention/Advancements)

Employment Career and Education Service

Job Readiness Training Skilled Training ABE/GED/ESL Career Counseling

Financial Services & Asset Building

Attending Financial Literacy Classes

Participating in On-On-One Financial counseling

Applying for a Credit Score

Work Support Service

Applying for DWD/FSD/SS benefits Screening for Benefits Participating in income / tax prep services Missouri Career Center Services

Bundling of Services

91% of All Customers Received Bundled Services

Employment & Career Advancement Became employed Achieved 3, 6, 12 month retentions Achieved Career/Life Advancements Completed ABE/GED/ESL Completed Job Readiness Completed Skilled Training

Financial Stability and Asset Building Obtain credit report Correct errors on credit report Improve credit score Savings Account Retirement Account Drivers License Car Saving for down payment on home Purchased home

Work Support Receiving Public Benefits Received Transportation Services Received Tax Refund Received EITC

Intake/Recruitment Assessment/Orientation

Pre-Assessment Services

1. TABE 2. Work Keys

CWF—MET Center St. Louis Funnel Process 7-1-06 – 9-30-13

EFFECTIVENESS OF BUNDLING

AND SEQUENCING SERVICES Bundling Leads to Long-Term Engagement

o Increase in participant contact frequencyo Multiple partners collaboration and resource

integration Sequencing Leads to Effectiveness of

Services o Recruitment, orientation, assessment, incomes

support [training, employment, retention, continuing financial education and asset building)

o Specific sequencing is designed to optimize customers’ utilization of services

Increase in Customer Retention Increase in Participants Wages

GROUP DISCUSSION #4

How do you capture the data?

MET CENTER DATABASE

Unified Data Source

In addition to all of the training and supportive services offered at the MET, we also have the ability to store, collect/manage, and report program data in a single secured data source.

DATABASE FUNCTIONALITY

Customer Demographics Program Enrollment Program Cost/Funding Placement & Employment History Customer Advancement Milestone Reporting by Program

CHALLENGES W/DATA

Managing Data Integration from multiple data sources (double data entry)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Since 2006, 18,132 unduplicated residents have requested

Employment and Training services from The MET Center. As of September 30, 2013, the following outcomes have been achieved through our CWF initiative : – 5,469 Enrolled in training/3,716 Completed training– 5,431 Receiving financial literacy services– 4,876 Placed in employment– $9.00 per hour average wage

2012 Estimated Economic Impact: $31.9M (1950 placed into employment at $9/hr. by 35 hrs./wk by 52 wks/yr= $31.9M)

Partnered With Saint Louis Community Credit Union to implement Behavioral Economics and offer financial products to participants (co-located at MET Center)

Increase in Participant’s Wages (Post training wages are higher)

Strategic partnership reduced total cost (by minimizing duplication of services)

Publication: “A Bottom-up Definition of Self-Sufficiency” (Hong, Sheriff, 2009)

THE FUTUREFunding received to complete 4th, 5th & 6th

floor renovationso 4th and 5th floor completion – January 2014

Accredited early childhood education center opening August 2014

Build relationships with major corporations to deliver pre-employment services for entry-level positions w/potential career pathways within the company

QUESTIONS