2003 National Customer Service Awards
Introduction to the National Awards Program
The National Customer Service Awards celebrate the products, projects, services, and
programs that radiate service to workforce investment customers including individuals,
businesses, and internal customers. Award winners exemplify what is best about the
One-Stop system: partners working together to provide the highest quality, continuously
improved services.
The 2003 catalogue presents an excellent opportunity to learn more about solutions that
workforce development colleagues are implementing on behalf of customers. Thirty-seven
nominations were received from State Workforce Agencies. The nominating agencies are
congratulated on their advancements to improve and enhance the services they provide to
their customers. The sharing of this information is also greatly appreciated, so that others
may learn about the best practices in workforce investment.
Whether at the annual awards ceremony or back home in offices across the country, take a
moment to try these ideas for your system, center or program. Through shared goals and
ideas, together workforce professionals across the country are better reaching, serving, and
satisfying customers into the new millennium.
The awards program...
- Recognizes successful, innovative state and local achievements and staff in providing high quality
services to our customers.
- Publicizes outstanding state workforce agency projects and activities that effectively respond to critical workforce investment and development issues.
- Identifies state and local initiatives upon which to model and develop national programs. This is a
study of success to build on "what works."
THE PYRAMID PRIZE - Collaboration for Improved Customer Services
Pooling and combining resources across programs and agencies to solve reemployment problems for customers is critical to state workforce agency success. The Pyramid Prize recognizes a leader in collaboration, and is based on the degree to which multiple programs/funding streams are integrated (versus just co-location, for example) and reflect the One-Stop customer service philosophy; the number of partners and the degree of their participation; and customer feedback that demonstrates quality and success.
THE ARCHITECT OF CHANGE - Innovation in Customer Service
The Architect of Change recognizes creativity and innovation in serving customers of the employment and training/workforce investment system. The project selected must be based on a new idea; or providing a core service in a totally new way; reducing "process" while increasing outcomes; or reaching a new customer group, for example. Emphasis is on customer indicators of quality and success.
THE COMPASS AWARD - Leading Tools and Technology
The leading tools and technology award recognizes an outstanding contribution to the development of new delivery methods for agency services; increasing access to information for customers; improved efficiencies for service delivery; time-saving automation; or other tools that improve customer services. The emphasis will be on project results including customer satisfaction.
BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS WORKFORCE AWARD - Professional Development and Capacity Building
This is a "people" award for: leadership; training; a customer-focused reorganization; staff involvement and empowerment; effecting a cultural change – any area of professional development or building the capacity of staff to deliver quality customer services. The emphasis of the Building a World-Class Workforce Award is on the results of the project including internal customer satisfaction.
PRISM AWARD - Excellence in Serving Business
This award is designed to highlight workforce system practices at the state and local levels that exemplify understanding and meeting business needs in order to also serve the needs of workers.
Selecting the Winners
The nominations were first screened for completeness and meeting nomination criteria. Potential award projects were then presented to a panel of judges comprised of individuals who are customers, with expertise in the areas of workforce development and customer service.
This group of external customer judges selected a winner and/or honorable mention(s) in each of the five categories. The panel of judges followed the scoring system detailed in the entry form.
A minimum scoring standard exists so awards are not given to an "average" program, even if it is the best in the category. For example, a program that is a great idea but does not have success results is not eligible until those results are available. Therefore, entries may be eliminated for not meeting a minimum standard, and/or no award may be made in categories where excellence was not demonstrated via the nomination process.
Recognizing the Winners
The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration presents winners with $25,000 and a trophy symbolic of the award. (Honorable Mention recipients receive a $5,000 award.) This money is designated to make the winning programs and staff even more successful.
One advantage to this award money is that it provides winners with a streamlined funding source for improving or expanding their project. Past winners have used funds to take pilot projects statewide or share the knowledge with other Workforce Agencies across the country.
Winners of the National Customer Service Awards were honored at the 2003 Annual Conference of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, September 16-18, 2003, in Seattle, Washington.
[Return to Top]
Winner of
The Pyramid Prize -- Collaboration for Improved Customer Service
MARYLANDThe Prince George's County Workforce Development Partnership
( www.pgworkforce.org/partners.htm)
DESCRIPTION
The Prince George's County Workforce Development Partnership is a coalition of all agencies that provide services to businesses in support of workforce development. Services available through the Workforce Development Partnership include workforce assessment, workforce development planning, recruitment and pre-screening, personnel selection and hiring, linkages to co-ops and internships, linkages to certificate and degree programs, outplacement assistance, and access to local, state and federal training programs.
The Prince George's County Workforce Development Partnership is a model for innovative and efficient delivery of service to employers. The concept of a One-Stop Shop often focuses on the diverse needs of job seekers while the needs of employers are met primarily through recruitment
activities in the One-Stop. The Prince George's County One-Stop CareerNet Center strives to provide a true "One-Stop" for employers as well as job seekers. The Prince George's Workforce Development Partnership utilizes the many services of One-Stop partners from a businessdriven
perspective to provide a variety of services in support of the ultimate business needs of a skilled, productive and stable workforce. Service providers contribute marketing and intake as well as the provision of services.
PROJECT BASIS
The Prince George's County One-Stop CareerNet Center, operated by the Prince George's County Workforce Services Corporation, is a partnership of many agencies serving employers and workers. The key players physically located at the One-Stop – the Maryland Job Service and Workforce Services Corporation – have always worked closely with employers and each other to meet the workforce needs of local businesses. At the same time, all One-Stop partners, including the public school system, local community, state, and private colleges, the library system, the Division of Rehabilitation Services, the county government, Social Services, and the county and state economic development agencies work with businesses to market and provide
their own particular services to businesses.
The Prince George's Workforce Services Corporation and the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation recognized that the combined efforts of the 125 frontline staff could be harnessed to benefit businesses, job seekers, and the partner agencies while creating a more
effective system of recruiting, hiring, training and retaining workers. The Workforce Development Partnership ("Partnership"), a coalition of workforce, education, training, and other related institutions, was formed to provide integrated and comprehensive solutions to the broad range of employers' workforce needs.
OPERATIONS
One hundred twenty-five representatives from all partner agencies serve as a conduit, not only to their own programs, but also to the programs and services of all partner agencies. This is accomplished through the use of a simple "Business Needs Assessment" form. This form captures basic employer information and includes a checklist of the variety of services offered by all members of the Partnership. The form is also available at the Partnership's webpage. The form allows employers to register with the Partnership directly.
All customers, both internal and external, benefit from this process. The field representatives are able to offer the business customer a solution to their needs, even if they themselves do not provide the needed service. The partner agencies receive referrals to their services without having to directly market to every business in the county. Businesses are able to solve their workforce needs without having to research and contact the various service providers. Job seekers benefit because the recruitment and training providers are able to reach a greater number of employers, resulting in an increased number of job openings posted through the One-Stop, and in training more tailored to current labor market conditions.
The Partnership continues to be refined through consultation with business leaders and service providers. In order to meet the present and future workforce needs of area businesses, the Workforce Services Corporation has identified nine industry sectors and has recruited business
leaders to serve on industry-specific advisory committees. Each Advisory Committee meets quarterly to discuss the short and long-range needs of their particular industry. Information gleaned from this collaboration guides decisions regarding the investment of training dollars, the development of programs and priorities of service. Each Advisory Committee is represented
at Partnership monthly meetings, bringing the needs of their particular industry to the Partnership table. The monthly meetings are an opportunity to assess the progress of Partnership activities and to refine procedures to best meet the needs of employers.
RESULTS
The results of the Partnership have far exceeded the expectations set in the
developmental stages of the program. Accomplishments fall in two major
areas. The first is the area of partner relations and partner participation; all
of the original partners have remained active participants in the effort.
The second accomplishment is in the area of direct and improved services
to business. The Partnership has served as the single point of contact to
123 businesses. Services delivered have resulted in access to over 3,000
new positions – and the ability of the Prince George’s One-Stop CareerNet
Center to make direct referrals to these openings. Over 3,275 position
openings have been filled – and over 1,000 of these hires came as a direct
result of Partnership activities. The development of customized training
programs has yielded 325 trained employees who have been hired and
retained by the companies that worked with the Partnership staff to develop
these programs. The Partnership has organized and participated in five
Career Fairs serving 251 companies. Finally, customized recruitments have
served forty companies and produced 250 hires.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dennis J. Trageser
Assistant Deputy Secretary
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
500 North Calvert Street, Room 420
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
410/230-6008
dtrageser@dllr.state.md.us
www.pgworkforce.org/partners.htm
[Return to Top]
DESCRIPTION
The UIFastTax Marketing Project is an electronic tax filing, processing,
and payment system that addresses a wide range of taxpayer needs.
Washington built systems to learn from customers and apply that learning
to products. Most importantly, Washington is investing the resources saved
to market electronic services and realize further savings in the future.
PROJECT BASIS
In 1999, Washington took its first step towards electronic tax filing,
processing, and payments by implementing a digital scanning and optical
character recognition system to automate processing of paper tax forms.
Tracking data indicated which customers filed "scannable" forms and which
did not. Throughout 1999 and 2000, Washington also promoted the
ICESA format for magnetic reporting (on tape) by large employers. This
eliminated key entry for many large employers. Targeted outreach (based
on business size and filing method) touched every business in the state
with more than 1,000 employees.
In late 1999, UIFastTax, a free tax reporting software for the IBM
compatible personal computer, was launched. Resulting tax and wage
reports can be submitted on diskette or online. As with any new technology,
customers were slow to adopt it and "bugs" were experienced in the software.
User testing and evaluation surveys fostered customer-centric product
improvements, as bugs in UIFastTax were resolved. Technical support
staff assisted taxpayers by phone and via e-mail. Customer complaints,
suggestions, and problems were stored and referenced to guide product
development.
Throughout 2000, Washington upgraded UIFastTax and undertook
centrally managed marketing efforts to increase usage. It was discovered
that the best results came from intensive direct marketing using targeted
telemarketing, database tracking of customer contacts, and limited in-person
installs and problem resolution. Customer comments, software/system
issues, and reasons for either converting or declining to convert to electronic
filing were stored to a marketing database. Marketing scripts and materials
were redesigned in accordance with customer issues and preferences. Large
businesses filing "unscannable" paper reports were targeted.
In 2001, Washington introduced UIWebTax, an online tax tool. Tax/
wage reports were filed online in real time.
In the summer 2002, Washington launched E-Pay, an online debit
system for tax payments. Usage grew by 50 percent per quarter since its
introduction in July 2002, when fewer than 100 payments were received.
More than 3,500 businesses made online payments in April 2003.
Concurrent with the launch of E-Pay, the UIFastTax web site was simplified
and redesigned to improve usability.
OPERATIONS
In 2002, electronic tax filing and payments gained the attention of Governor
Gary Locke and Commissioner Sylvia Mundy. As a result, initiatives were
undertaken to further expand the usage of electronic tax services. The
most ambitious was the UIFastTax Marketing Project that funded 13
full-time staff for one year – solely for purposes of marketing electronic
filing and the E-Pay debit system to taxpayers.
The marketers began work in July 2002. The work plan leveraged
direct telemarketing techniques developed during the smaller effort in 2000.
Each marketer received a telephone script, a list of targeted businesses
(chosen based on size and tax filing method) promotional handouts, and
other tools. A web-based tracking system was built to house information
on each marketer's performance. Each was assigned a personal goal to
convert a specific number of businesses to electronic filing.
RESULTS
Under terms of a Governor's Initiative, Washington's goal was to convert
14,000 businesses to electronic filing during the UIFastTax Marketing
Project. After 11 months, 90 percent of that goal had been attained with
12,567 businesses converted to electronic filing. It was estimated that every
1,000 businesses converted reduced the processing workload by
approximately one full-time position. After offsets, the Project's cost of
converting one business to electronic filing was roughly $57.00. For
comparison, private-sector business-to-business campaigns often anticipate
conversion costs in the hundreds or thousands of dollars per convert.
More important than the number of businesses converting (or even the
cost of conversion) is the number of total employee wage records that are
now submitted electronically, rather than being filed on paper forms. For
reference, a total of 2.6 million lines of wage data were processed for the
first fiscal quarter of 2003. Electronic filing is more efficient and more
accurate. A 1998 study showed that half of all errors in wage records
were due to hand keying errors. Electronic filing tools trimmed errors
substantially.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Sharon Hit
Project Administrator
Washington State Employment Security Department
212 Maple Park
Olympia, WA 98506
360/902-9595
sehitt@esd.wa.gov
www.wa.gov/esd/uifasttax/
[Return to Top]
Winner of
The Prism Award -- Excellence in Serving Business
PENNSYLVANIAPittsburgh/Allegheny County CareerLink Business Services ( www.careerlinkpittsburgh.com)
DESCRIPTION
In response to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, the leadership of the
City of Pittsburgh, the County of Allegheny and the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania along with key players from local agencies began what is now
recognized as one of the most innovative and successful workforce
development partnerships in the country. When the Pittsburgh CareerLink
Comprehensive Center opened its doors less than a year later in September
of 1999, the system became one of the first workforce investment areas to
provide a truly integrated One-Stop service delivery system for job seekers
and employers. In the succeeding three years, two additional
Comprehensive Centers opened along with 11 Community Centers
dispersed throughout City and County neighborhoods. This has enabled
the Pittsburgh/Allegheny CareerLink to offer a broad array of services to
citizens and local businesses in locations that are convenient to all.
PROJECT BASIS
The Pittsburgh/Allegheny County CareerLink Business Services Unit
evolved out of the changing environment in workforce development over
the past five years. As the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 was taking
shape in Washington, DC, there were conversations taking place in
Pennsylvania and in the Pittsburgh region regarding the new "One-Stop"
model for Workforce Development. The City of Pittsburgh and County
of Allegheny had for many years funded business development units as
part of their workforce development programs, seeing business and
economic development as a key part of the process. With the formation of
the CareerLink system in Allegheny County, the City and County combined
resources with the Commonwealth and with community partners to rethink
how employment services were delivered to businesses.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania began the process of reconstituting
the workforce development system in the state through the creation of the
CareerLink Internet-based job listing and matching system. This system
was created with significant and almost continuous input from the business
community from the very beginning, including focus groups and surveys
of employers that helped to define the parameters of the system as well as
feedback loops to ensure that the system that was developed was userfriendly,
efficient and effective. The result was a standard system of record
that allowed the Business Services Unit to work flexibly with employers to
meet their particular needs.
With a solid job listing and matching system in place, it became the
goal and responsibility of local business units to bring companies from
across the Commonwealth on board. The Pittsburgh/Allegheny County
Business Services Unit worked with employers representing five regional
industry clusters (health care, IT, financial services, manufacturing and
hospitality) to fashion a personalized business service delivery model. Early
discussions identified the need to work with each cluster individually, since
each cluster had common positions and skill requirements, and similar
employment problems and issues. To ensure that each industry cluster’s
particular employment issues were being effectively addressed, each was
assigned a single point of contact within the Business Services Unit. The
assignment of cluster representatives, along with cross-site teams established
to ensure seamless service delivery across sites and across clusters, assured
that Pittsburgh/Allegheny County CareerLink Business Services took a
balanced approach to serving the needs of businesses in the Pittsburgh
region.
OPERATIONS
The Pittsburgh/Allegheny County CareerLink Business Services Unit began
operations in September 1999 in one center in downtown Pittsburgh. Over
the course of the next three years, operations grew to encompass three
comprehensive centers and 11 community centers dispersed throughout
the county. The Unit is structured so that employees in each center are
responsible for working with businesses in their assigned geographic area,
with the industry cluster points of contact working with appropriate
companies and issues system-wide. The geographic diversity of the system
enables Business Services staff to offer more proactive and personalized
services for both small and large companies in their neighborhood.
Local CareerLink Business Services were developed with significant input
from business. As a result of systemic outreach efforts, the Business Services
Staff structured employer services to flexibly serve the needs of a diverse
range of companies. Customer feedback dictated the tools that were put
in place, including procedures for working with non-Internet savvy
companies, clearly defined processes for self-sufficient customers and referral
procedures for a range of business development programs and funding
availabilities. Customer input led to the establishment of a fully equipped
employer resources area at the CareerLink site, where businesses could
conduct confidential interviews as well as mass recruitments. It also led to
the understanding that some businesses would be better served by having
CareerLink staff perform some function at the company site.
CareerLink Business Services Staff take a proactive and collaborative
approach to serving companies in the region. Staff participate in meetings
with employers arranged through the Team Pennsylvania Calling Program,
and quickly approach companies that are locating or expanding in the area.
Business Service Staff work hand-in-hand with local economic development
agencies, assisting the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance with their efforts to
locate firms here and working closely with the Pittsburgh Urban
Redevelopment Authority and local lending institutions to support their
commercial loan programs. The Business Services Staff also play a key role
in hosting and facilitating industry summits, which focus on making sure
that the local workforce development system develops the pipeline of
appropriately skilled individuals for demand occupations.
RESULTS
The Pittsburgh/Allegheny County CareerLink consistently leads the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the number of employers registered
and number of job orders posted on the state CareerLink system. Over the
past two years, over 1,000 new employers in the Pittsburgh/Allegheny
County region enrolled in the system. In 2002 alone, the Pittsburgh/
Allegheny County CareerLink Business Services Unit generated 10,846
job orders, more than the next highest three counties combined. These job
orders represent a range of companies, from neighborhood businesses to
multi-national corporations, and a mix of professional and non-professional
positions across varied industries, including key industry clusters of health
care, IT, financial services and manufacturing. A recent analysis of positions
posted on the Pittsburgh/Allegheny County CareerLink site discovered that
more than half paid a salary exceeding the living wage.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ms. Jabeen Khan
Chief of Organizational Development
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
Labor and Industry Building
7th and Forster Streets
Harrisburg, PA 17121
717/772-0405
mkhan@state.pa.us
www.careerlinkpittsburgh.com
[Return to Top]
DESCRIPTION
Job Service North Dakota's SHARE Network focuses on linking available
community resources with customers accessing, obtaining or retaining
employment. Due to its success, SHARE Network has been fully integrated
into the service delivery of North Dakota's One-Stop Career Centers, and
has successfully served as a coordinated/merged system linking One-Stop
Career Centers and faith and community-based organizations, mandatory
WIA partners, non-profit and government agencies as well as for-profit
organizations that serve job seekers.
The easy-to-use SHARE Network is an interactive web site used by
One-Stop staff, partners and their customers to efficiently access and refer
to available services within a selected geographic region. The web site
(www.sharenetworknd.com) includes detailed partner information as well as the specific services the organization provides that will assist the
unemployed and underemployed job seeker in accessing, obtaining, or
retaining employment. This state-of-the-art system is accessible 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week from any Internet access point, and enables One-Stop
staff and their many partners to provide their customers with comprehensive
access to services available in their communities. Customers can also selfrefer
to receive needed services.
PROJECT BASIS
The roots of the SHARE (Sharing How Awareness of Resources Empowers)
Network came out of implementing a competitive grant from the
Department of Labor to increase collaboration among One-Stop Career
Centers and faith and community-based organizations, as well as a desire
to expand collaboration within the framework of the North Dakota
Workforce Development Council's vision and the Job Service North Dakota
mission statement of providing "customer-focused services to meet the
current and emerging workforce development needs of the state."
Based directly on staff and customer feedback, the SHARE Network
web site was launched, and enjoyed immediate use by staff, partners and
customers. Following a detailed marketing and outreach plan, promotional
and informational materials were developed and distributed to target
markets using a variety of approaches. These materials directed potential
partners and customers to the Job Service North Dakota web site
(www.jobsnd.com) where the SHARE Network is hosted. The web site
serves a dual purpose of meeting customers needs with the information
provided through the SHARE Network and exposing partners and
customers to the many other services provided by the One-Stop Career
Centers listed on the Job Service North Dakota web site. During this period of time, performance indicators were closely tracked and adjustments made to ensure project performance measures were realized.
With much hard work, clearly established goals, and the development
of a system that was responsive, easy-to-use, and practical, over 320
partnerships have been formed. These partnerships include: mandatory
WIA partners, non-profit and government agencies, and for-profit
organizations delivering services to the unemployed and underemployed
job seeker in accessing, obtaining, or retaining employment.
OPERATIONS
Before SHARE Network was developed, a survey was sent out to over 3,000
potential partners. Results of the survey indicated a lack of awareness about
the services provided by the One-Stop Career Centers. One-Stop staff
were also surveyed, and analysis showed a strong need to educate partners
of the services provided by other community organizations so that more
comprehensive service options could be offered to the many customers of
North Dakota's workforce development system.
The SHARE Network directly addresses the need to share information
regarding workforce services available in the community. Formalized
partnerships have been developed that demonstrate the usefulness of this
system and the value of collaboration. A post-survey is currently being
administered to measure the success of raising awareness regarding services
provided by both the One-Stop Career Centers and the other organizations
providing services in the workforce development arena.
The core team that developed the SHARE Network consisted of four
regional coordinators that are frontline staff in the One-Stop Career Centers.
Two additional part-time positions from the Central Office provided key
administrative support to ensure that coordinators could spend the majority
of their time raising awareness and seeking input from customers.
Throughout the design and development of the SHARE Network, key
stakeholders were consulted to ensure that a customer-focused system was
developed. An Advisory Committee with representation from the state
workforce board, faith and community organizations, Job Service North
Dakota and mandatory partner staff were brought together at scheduled
intervals to provide guidance and input in the development of key goals,
outreach strategies, and functionality of the SHARE Network.
To date, over 552 presentations and hundreds of customer visits have
taken place where SHARE Network staff met directly with customers and
partners, raising awareness of the One-Stop Career Center services, learning
of the services that other organizations provide, and seeking input from
them in designing a practical tool that meets their needs. As a result of
these visits and due to the overwhelming demand by customers, an e-mail
informational distribution list was developed to provide on-going
communication regarding pertinent workforce related information. There
are currently over 554 subscribing to the e-mail list.
Frontline staff in the One-Stop Career Centers routinely meet with
SHARE Network coordinators to provide feedback to the SHARE Network
team who then evaluate and implement those suggestions that benefit all
customers of the Network. As a result of this input, several modifications
have been made to the system that have resulted in a more efficient system
that meets the needs of the wide variety of users of the SHARE Network.
RESULTS
Each new partner is brought into the SHARE Network by signing a
Memorandum of Understanding (called a Partnership Agreement) and
listing their available services. This access allows each organization to share
the services it provides with other SHARE Network members and
customers. Over 320 Partnership Agreements have been signed and
expectations are that this number will continue to grow. Additionally, the
listing of available services has now grown to 110 available service options
for the citizens of North Dakota.
Since the launch of the web site in January 2003, One-Stop Career
Center staff, their new partners, and self-referring customers have logged
over 1,010 referrals that were processed electronically through the SHARE
Network. These electronic referrals are generating efficiencies and costsavings
for frontline staff not having to process referrals manually. More
importantly, the web site is convenient for customers who are able to acquire
the information and services they need without staff intervention.
Other success indicators as of May 21, 2003 include over 2,950 visits
to the SHARE Network information page, and received over 796,000 hits
on the Job Service North Dakota home page. These numbers continue to
rise as marketing and outreach opportunities are pursued.
Through aggressive target marketing, over 552 SHARE Network
presentations have been delivered to potential partners and customers. In
addition to materials provided in the presentations, over 450 requests have
been processed asking for additional information regarding other services
provided by the One-Stop Career Centers.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Barb Serr
Program Administrator II
Job Service North Dakota
1000 E. Divide Avenue
P.O. Box 5507
Bismarck, ND 58506-5507
701/328-3066
bserr@state.nd.us
www.sharenetworknd.com
[Return to Top]
Honorable Mention
The Architect of Change
FLORIDADynamic Works Institute, Inc. -- Statewide Workforce Training Institute
DESCRIPTION
Dynamic Works Institute, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Brevard
Workforce Development Board, Inc. (BWDB), a private, non-profit
corporation, and Florida's Region 13 Workforce Board. BWDB has been
serving as Brevard's employment and training leader since October 1, 1990,
and Dynamic Works Institute was officially created in July 2000.
As a subsidiary of BWDB, the Dynamic Works Institute currently offers
over 50 online courses. In addition, Dynamic Works Institute offers seven
professional certification opportunities. These certifications are curriculumbased
and require successful completion of a comprehensive examination
to attain certification. Dynamic Works Institute Tier 1 certification has
now been identified as a State standard and requirement for all One-stop
Career Center frontline staff.
PROJECT BASIS
For years the workforce industry has focused on lifelong learning and
training opportunities for its customers. With the advent of the Workforce
Investment Act and its focus on customer satisfaction, performance
standards and continual quality improvement, it became clear that this
focus must be broadened to include a strong concentration on professional
development and credentialing standards for workforce professionals
themselves.
Staff training is critical to ensuring that requirements of policy and
legislation are known and understood. Consistency in training across
regional and even state lines is imperative to ensure quality customer services.
In response to these needs, the Florida state legislature adopted Florida
Statutes Chapter 2000-165 which states in Section 445.008 (1), "Workforce
Florida, Inc. may create a Workforce Training Institute, which shall be a
comprehensive program of workforce training courses designed to meet
the unique needs of and shall include Internet-based training modules
suitable for, and made available to, professionals integral to the workforce
system, including advisors and counselors in the educational institutions."
Dynamic Works Institute was selected through competitive procurement
as that training institute in December 2000 and has since served over 5,300
Florida workforce professionals through their online training program and
an annual workforce conference sponsored by Dynamic Works Institute.
OPERATIONS
At Dynamic Works Institute, customer service and satisfaction are
paramount and they have built multiple mechanisms into development
and continual improvement processes to gather and incorporate customer
feedback.
Needs Survey. The Dynamic Works Institute began with a learning needs
survey issued in Fall 2000 when they were just beginning to develop the
concept for the learning institute. These results identified basic computer
skills and customer service as the top training needs in the State. The
results also indicated the overwhelming majority of customers attend
training for professional development/growth and would like to see
credentials as a benefit to training. Results of this survey were the foundation
for everything that has been developed at Dynamic Works Institute.
Previously developed online computer software training courses were
brokered to immediately address the need for computer skills training and
both classroom and online customer service training opportunities were
developed. Credentialing through professional certification has become a
standard now in the State of Florida as a result of the Dynamic Works
Institute efforts.
Executive Director/Training Coordinator Input. Once designated as
the official state training institute, Dynamic Works Institute worked very
closely with the 24 Regional Executive Directors and their designated
training coordinators or other representatives to identify and develop the
premise behind the current Tier 1, 2 and 3 certification opportunities and
the competencies and training needs across the state. During the course of
several meetings, three tiers of certification were planned as follows: Tier 1:
The Basics for everybody in the system, Tier 2: Programmatic – for those
who directly serve customers, Tier 3: Administrative – for those
administrative staff at the Board and One-Stop contractor levels. Taking
the input gleaned from the needs survey and integrating specific needs of
the regions; the specific courses needed in each certification were identified.
Ongoing Customer Feedback. Ongoing customer feedback is a big part
of daily life at Dynamic Works Institute. Customers have access to multiple
feedback avenues, including a feedback form on every page of the web site,
direct e-mail and telephone, and a survey at the end of each course final
test which provides the student an opportunity to give instant feedback on
the course they have just completed and the related experience. A robust
support and survey database manages customer comments and provides a
mechanism for immediate response and implementation of customer
feedback as appropriate.
BETA Testers. As a result of detailed feedback received from several
customers, a BETA testing team was created that is made up of Dynamic
Works Institute customers from within and outside the State of Florida.
BETA testers were provided access to all Dynamic Works Institute online
courses in exchange for their very thorough and valuable feedback on the
content, delivery and logistics of our courses. These comments are collected,
compared to each other and integrated into online courses for the benefit
of all Dynamic Works Institute customers.
RESULTS
Since its inception in 2000, the Dynamic Works Institute Florida Statewide
Workforce Training Institute has:
- Provided workforce training opportunities for over 5,300 Florida
Workforce Professionals who have successfully completed over
73,000 online courses and achieved over 1,900 professional
certifications.
- Become the Certification Standard according to a Final Guidance
issued December 11, 2002 – the Dynamic Works Institute Tier 1
certification is now required by Florida for all frontline staff
throughout the state no later than June 30, 2003 and within six
months of hire for all new frontline staff.
- Been incorporated into the State's Performance Improvement Plans
for several Florida regions.
- Delivered three annual workforce summits which provided over 120
workshops for over 1,300 workforce professionals.
- Developed and implemented over 60 online courses and seven
professional certification programs – courses are each approximately
2-4 hours in length and are available to each student as a lifelong
learning resource to include updates to legislation and policy as
they happen.
- Leveraged the use of technology to cost effectively and efficiently
expand beyond Florida's borders for the benefit of workforce
professionals across the nation.
- Seen results in its customers' self-esteem, improved customer service
and performance. One customer hired Secret Shoppers to "shop"
case managers who had previously had issues and saw marked
improvement directly related to the Dynamic Works Institute
courses.
- Received the National Association of Workforce Development
Professionals Award of Excellence Professional Development of the
Year Award – 2003.
- Exceeded the State's expectations of a workforce training institute
and continues to raise the bar on professional development and
lifelong learning for workforce professionals inside and outside
of Florida.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ms. Kerry Brooks
Administrative Program Manager
Dynamic Works Institute
Haverty Court; Suite 40
Rockledge, FL 32955
Phone 321/690-5352
Fax 321/690-3233
info@dynamicsinstitute.com
[Return to Top]
DESCRIPTION
As in many states, the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) is using
technology, automation, and the Internet to improve services to and for
job seekers, employers, and staff. The Internet Referral Process was the
first of several projects in a continuum of initiatives to use technology to
enhance and increase the effectiveness of all aspects of job posting and
matching services. The challenge of this project was to improve the method
by which individuals requested job referrals through the use of the GDOL
Internet Job Information System (JIS), and therefore improve service to
employers and staff.
PROJECT BASIS
Improving the Internet Referral Process is one of many projects underway
at the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) that aims to enhance and
increase the effectiveness of all aspects of job posting and matching services.
Negative feedback was frequently received from external and internal
customers about the ineffectiveness of the Internet job referral system. Job
seeker, employer, and staff input concerning this multi-project initiative
has been collected and continues to be the driving force for changes. A
variety of mechanisms and approaches were used to solicit statewide
customer group feedback for these automation enhancements and additions.
Comments from the customer groups about the original Internet referral
process can be summarized as follows:
Job seekers – not user-friendly; the application cannot be completed
online; it takes too long to mail or fax information which may result
in jobs already being filled; it costs unemployed individuals money
to fax and mail; unable to determine the status of the application,
and lack of any type of communication.
Staff – paper intensive (the processing of mail/fax requests was often
delayed to serve in-person customers); fax machines got tied up with
other business; time intensive (had to read the application, contact
the job seeker, refer using the automated system); it is extremely
challenging to track requests and to keep up with the tremendous
amount of paperwork.
OPERATIONS
Once input and feedback from customer groups were collected and
reviewed, changes and next actions to the original Internet Referral Process
could be determined.
Automated system changes and enhancements included:
- Personal Identification Number (PIN) Process
- Online Application
- Work Queues
- E-mail Communications
RESULTS
The Internet Referral Request project accomplished its goal of improving
the method by which individuals request Internet job referrals while also
improving service to employers and staff. It dramatically improved the
process of connecting job seekers to employers in addition to improving
staff efficiency, thus better meeting the needs of GDOL's customer groups.
Over 116,000 "new" customers have used the process.
Prior to implementation, it was estimated that approximately 15,000
paper Internet referral requests were processed each month by Career
Centers. The first month after implementation, 27,165 Internet referral
requests were processed. Monthly referral requests continued to increase.
Internet referral requests received for May 2003 were 74,766. Over a 13-
month time period, 833,186 Internet requests for referrals were submitted
with 374,339 actual referrals made.
Within the 12-month time period, over 200,000 current or recent
GDOL customers used the Internet Referral Process as a part of their
job search.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Kim Kornokovich
Employment and Training Consultant
Georgia Department of Labor
148 International Boulevard
Sussex Building, Suite 450
Atlanta, GA 30303
404/232-3520
Kim.Kornokovich@dol.state.ga.us
www.dol.state.ga.us
[Return to Top]
DESCRIPTION
Idaho Works is a comprehensive information system used to deliver
unemployment insurance and employment and training services throughout
the State of Idaho. The Idaho Works system includes initial and continued
unemployment insurance claims, Internet unemployment insurance tax
filing, labor exchange services, WIA One-Stop Operating System, labor
market information, and more. Idaho Works uses Internet-based technology
and delivers services over both the Internet and the Idaho Department of
Labor's (IDOL) Intranet.
PROJECT BASIS
The primary objective of Idaho Works was to integrate the systems for all
Department programs in order to create an organized, effective and efficient
interface with customers. Success in reaching this objective would enable
the Department to provide uniform, high quality services to all customers.
A secondary objective was to move unemployment tax and wage reporting
to the Internet. Numerous business customers had expressed a strong
interest in this technology. Another objective was to assist the State of
Idaho in modernizing its human resource system. Prior to Idaho Works,
the State’s human resource system was entirely paper-based. Today, it is
almost entirely online and also takes advantage of the other labor exchange
components in Idaho Works. Ancillary benefits of Idaho Works include
such things as the elimination of multiple data entry of the same data
elements, sharing information among programs, reducing the cost of
automation, improving the deployment of enhancements and entirely new
applications.
OPERATIONS
Each claimant filing an initial claim for Unemployment Insurance in Idaho
uses the Initial Claims subsystem of Idaho Works and is provided an
opportunity at the end of the process to complete a short online survey on
their experience with the system. When some claimants file their initial
claim, they are also required to register for work. The Initial Claims system
accesses the online Idaho Works Job Seeker Registration System to do this.
This system also has a brief online survey for customer feedback. As part
of America's Workforce Network, Idaho Works has links to all the national
level services including America’s CareerOneStop, Career InfoNet, Job Bank,
and Service Locator.
The results of these online surveys are compiled by program and
technical staff and used to identify areas where customers had difficulty
with the system as well as areas where customers were very satisfied with
the system. Survey questions are continually refined when survey results
do not provide a clear picture in specific areas. Changes to components
that customers rate highly, receive additional scrutiny before
implementation. If customer responses after the change are less favorable,
the change is discarded. The primary goal in the design of Idaho Works is
to maximize ease of use for customers. This makes the customer experience
more positive while also improving the self-service capabilities of the system.
RESULTS
Idaho Works has been very successful at integrating Department systems
to create an organized, effective and efficient interface with customers. Prior
to Idaho Works, a few dozen customers could be expected each day in a
medium size office. Several hundred are common today. These customers
use Idaho Works to file claims, search for jobs, refine career plans.
The Internet Initial Claims component of Idaho Works was
implemented on October 25, 2002. Between October 25, 2002, and
February 25, 2003, the system took approximately 61,000 Unemployment
Insurance claims. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, the Department
took 135,000 claims in total. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 represents
very satisfied and 1 represents very dissatisfied, overall customer satisfaction
with the system as scored by customers in online surveys was rated 7.48 in
the first two months, and 7.75 in the last two months.
The online UI Tax reporting subsystem of Idaho Works went into
production on January 6, 2003, for the fourth quarter of calendar year
2002. Over 300 employers are currently registered to use the system. Idaho
expects to have several thousand employers registered by the end of 2003.
The system not only allows business to file their tax and wage reports, but
it also allows them to view the status of their account and to make online
changes to such things as telephone numbers and mailing addresses.
Idaho's Human Resource System, a component of Idaho Works, was
initially deployed in February of 2002. In the year since, 31,000 people
filed 72,000 applications for State jobs.
CONTACT INFORMATION
John A. McAllister
Deputy Director
Idaho Department of Labor
317 W Main Street
Boise, ID 83735
208/332-3570, ext. 3101
jmcallis@labor.state.id.us
www.idahoworks.org
[Return to Top]
Honorable Mention
Building a World-Class Workforce Award
TEXASConnecting Employers and Job Seekers in the Texas Workforce Network
DESCRIPTION
"Connecting Employers and Job Seekers in the Texas Workforce Network"
is a two-phased training curriculum designed to assist workforce
development professionals in their efforts to connect employers and job
seekers. The statewide training initiative provides an overview of the new
Texas Workforce system as supported by the Workforce Investment Act of
1998, including an examination of the roles and responsibilities of the
various entities within the network, methods for ensuring quality customer
service, integrated service strategies; and, an exploration of the many, varied
tools and resources available to assist workforce development professionals
in facilitating the connection between employers and job seekers.
PROJECT BASIS
The purpose of this project was to address several issues that arose from:
1) state and federal legislation requiring a seamless service delivery approach
to administering employment and training programs; 2) a heightened
emphasis on the employer as the primary customer; 3) customer service
complaints common across the state; 4) resistance or inability to deliver
integrated or seamless services to customers; 5) lack of staff knowledge of
the programs and services available to customers within the Workforce
Network; 6) lack of information about resources available to workforce
development staff (internal customers) to assist them in performing their
duties; and 7) multiple reporting databases requiring staff to perform "dual
data entry."
A focus group representing frontline staff and supervisory staff was
assembled to assess critical needs of both internal and external customers.
Specific issues the group was asked to consider included:
- barriers to integrated/seamless service delivery;
- failure to understand the key elements of the new workforce system;
- lack of knowledge of various services and programs available within
the system;
- inability to utilize multiple resources and databases available within
the system; and
- impact of these critical issues on ability to routinely deliver quality
customer service.
The Texas Workforce Commission's (TWC) Training and Development
Department and the Workforce Development Division formed a
partnership to address the results of the focus group and workgroup
meetings. Some of the first decisions made by the partners included:
- training was needed to bring changes in the service delivery system
required by law to improve customer service, and update skills needed
by staff to function efficiently;
- training must be delivered statewide to all workforce development
professionals within the system;
- training should be in two phases – first, delivered to board staff,
service provider and partner executives, managers and supervisors;
second, to frontline (direct delivery) staff representing service
provider and partner staff;
- training should address quality customer service, integration
strategies, seamless service delivery, resource utilization and service
tracking; and
- training must be delivered in classrooms throughout the state to
facilitate team building among partners, sharing of best practices,
cross-training among programs and best deliver a message of
integrated, employer-driven service delivery.
OPERATIONS
The partnership developed a set of objectives for each track of the training
based on the needs of both internal and external customers. These objectives
included:
Management/Supervisory Track
- list and discuss resources available to measure and evaluate service
delivery in a Texas Workforce Center;
- review the services available in your Workforce Development Area;
- determine methods to promote enhanced service delivery; and
- identify resources available to Workforce Center staff to ensure
quality customer service.
Service Delivery Staff/Frontline Staff Track
- identify key elements of the Texas Workforce Network;
- list and define services and resources available with the Texas
Workforce Network;
- demonstrate effective methods for delivering quality customer service
in the Workforce Center environment; and
- review instructions for recording and tracking services delivered to
employers and job seekers within the Texas Workforce Network.
Staff developed curriculum based on the defined customer-focused
objectives, resulting in a seven-hour class for workforce development
executives/managers and supervisors; and, a similar but more detailed, tenhour
class for frontline staff. The curriculum included a complete trainer
guide, participant guide, desk aids, handouts, slide shows, and various group
and individual activities.
The management track was offered first to all 28 Workforce Board Areas
with a promise to return to each area and deliver the frontline staff track as
soon as possible. Teams of two trainers from the Training and Development
Department traveled to locations throughout the state and delivered the
training. In order to ensure team building among partners, sharing of best
practices, cross-training among programs, and to best deliver the message
of integrated, employer-driven service delivery, local coordinators were asked
to ensure that representatives from all entities, including board staff, agency
staff, service provider and other partner staff, attend the training.
RESULTS
To date, more than half of the 28 board areas throughout Texas have
requested and received the management/supervisory track of the training.
Also, over half have requested, received or been scheduled for the frontline
staff track. Over 1,000 workforce development professionals in the Texas
Workforce Network have received the training.
Anecdotal feedback has been overwhelmingly positive on both tracks.
Written and verbal comments include statements about how relevant the
training is; how it will help managers do a better job of supporting staff
and ensuring integration and quality customer service; and, how much
participants learned about the programs, services and resources available
within the system.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Janice Ferguson
Training Liaison, Workforce Development Division
Texas Workforce Commission
101 East 15th Street, Room 504-CT
Austin, TX 78778-0001
512/305-9637
janice.ferguson@twc.state.tx.us
[Return to Top]
Honorable Mention
Building a World-Class Workforce Award
WISCONSINServing Customers with an Offender Background
DESCRIPTION
Wisconsin developed a new partnership between the Department of
Workforce Development (DWD) and the Department of Corrections
(DOC). Serving Customers with an Offender Background is a training
curriculum developed in part between the DWD and the DOC. The goals
of the curriculum were to increase staff knowledge to effectively serve
offenders and build local partnerships between the local Job Center and
Corrections. The issue was raised that employment and training staff did
not know the difference between jail and prison or the difference between
probation and parole, let alone what knowledge and tools are required to
effectively serve offenders.
PROJECT BASIS
DWD and DOC formed a ten-person task force to improve communications
and to explore tools and strategies to serve offenders in a One-Stop
setting. The number one issue and strategy developed by the group was
the need to educate One-Stop staff on how to serve employers.
The need was further confirmed as Wisconsin utilized Welfare to Work
(WtW) funding to focus on non-custodial parents (NCP). In a sampling
from the Milwaukee area, using names of 200 offenders supplied from
DOC, 75% were WtW eligible. At the same time Central office received
several calls from Job Center resource room staff reporting issues with serving
offenders. The primary issue reported was not having a local contact at
DOC to resolve the issues.
A five module, 3-hour training Serving Customers with an Offender
Background was developed for employment and training staff. The five
modules are:
- Customer Overview
- Employment Rights
- Employment Restrictions
- Employment Resources
- Offender Placement
OPERATIONS
DOC and DWD staff developed the original five modules. The training
curriculum was shared with the joint task force who in turn recommended
piloting the training. The original pilot site chosen was Oshkosh Job Center.
The audience represented a cross section of the local Job Center. Participants
included: Vocational Rehabilitation, Resource Room, Food Stamps,
Veterans, County, and Community based organizations. The pilot resulted
in changes to put a heavier emphasis on the first module because it was
made clear that the participants lacked a working knowledge on the basics
of working with offenders. Additional changes were incorporated in the
Employment Resource module to expand the materials available.
At the request of staff, the training was to be made available locally.
One site from each Workforce Development Area was chosen to host the
half-day training. The original plan was to have 11 training events, with
an expectation of 250 participants. A training packet was developed to
demonstrate the information from each training module.
RESULTS
After the sixth training, 250 participants had already received the training.
Training evaluations collected at each event indicated the need for additional
information which was incorporated into the curriculum.
Following the original 11 training events, additional training sessions
were arranged. At each additional event, the cross-section of the participants
expanded to include DOC staff and employers. At the direct request from
employers and correctional staff, the curriculum was customized. For the
DOC staff the length of the training remained the same, though there was
less emphasis on the customer overview and more placed on employment
resources. For the employer group, the training was reduced to one hour
with a heavy emphasis placed on employer responsibilities and resources
available.
The training can directly be accredited with several results include:
- Held 38 training events over an 18-month period. In addition
three employer events were conducted and four training events for
DOC were offered.
- Requested 50 bonds and ordered an additional 50 during the
training. Typically Wisconsin used one to two bonds a year.
- Developed several WtW/WAA employment programs that focus
on offenders as non-custodial parents as a result of building local
partnerships.
- Increased participation by Probation and Parole Officers and
Community Correction Employment in the local Employer
Resource teams in areas such as Osh Kosh and Milwaukee. The
new participation allows DOC staff access to employers. DOC
staff are participating in local Centers to provide services
regarding offenders.
- Developed partnerships to deploy the touch screen technology in
a probation and parole office and in a juvenile facility.
- Increased access for veteran's staff to correctional facilities to
conduct outreach and offer services.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ron Hunt
Director, Bureau of Workforce Programs
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
201 East Washington Avenue, Room A200
Madison, WI 53707
608/266-2687
Ron.Hunt@dwd.state.wi.us
[Return to Top]
Nominations 
(Arranged by Award - then Alphabetically)
The Pyramid Prize -- Collaboration for Improved Customer Service
[Return to Top]
The Compass Award -- Leading Tools and Technology
[Return to Top]
The Prism Award -- Excellence in Serving Business
[Return to Top]
The Architect of Change -- Innovation in Customer Service
[Return to Top]
Building a World-Class Workforce Award -- Professional Development and Capacity Building
[Return to Top]
|
