North Dakota Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (NDDVR) participated in the JD-VRTAC intensive TA, with a focus on how to help consumers use LMI on their own. NDDVR developed and delivered VR consumer group trainings about how to use The Career Index Plus (TCI+) for career exploration, and included supplemental instructional guides for consumers to reference during and after the training.
The Career Pathways Project Coordinator (CPPC) at Virginia Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI) hosts Demand Meetings and Supply Meetings in each region throughout the state around career pathway industries. Demand Meetings include VR business relations specialists (BRS), as well as representatives from businesses and community colleges. The BRSs, CPPC, and Community College representatives learn from employers about what credentials are important for potential employees.
As part of their JD-VRTAC intensive TA project, Pennsylvania OVR surveyed and trained all staff who work with consumers or businesses on using and integrating LMI in the VR process. These staff included VR Counselors, Business Services Counselors, Business Services Representatives, Early Reach Coordinators, Supervisors, Managers, and District Administrators. OVR believes that incorporating LMI into VR practice is everyone’s responsibility.
The field of VR has increased its focus on labor market information (LMI) as a direct response to the both the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the President’s Executive Order on Job Driven Training of January 2014. In light of this focus, the ICI set out to explore LMI’s use and utility for state VR agencies.
Pre-apprenticeship programs are being implemented in states across the nation, helping individuals enhance their skills and secure employment in a range of industries. This webinar will:
The webinar will feature a Deborah Kobes, a national subject matter expert in work-based learning models from Jobs for the Future, as well as Jonathan Bibb, Director of the Arkansas Career and Training Institute (ACTI), from Arkansas Rehabilitation Services describing his successes and lessons learned with pre-apprenticeships.
Download the Powerpoint slides: Jobs for the Future (PPT) and Arkansas Career Technical Institute (PPT)
Download the Webinar Transcript
Identifying Pre-Apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship Partners (doc)
Pre-Apprenticeship Action Plan (xlsx)
The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), with assistance and support from the JD-VRTAC, worked to strengthen and formalize its partnership with two well regarded non-profit organizations, the Carroll Center for the Blind and Perkins School for the Blind, to develop a mechanism to share employer relationships to market their shared consumers.
In this webinar, representatives from the three organizations will discuss the process they carried out to form the Vision Works Consortium, from sharing ideas and signing a memorandum of understanding to devising a mission statement and marketing strategy, and ultimately building a shared database of employer partners.
The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002
Connecticut Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB), in collaboration with JD-VRTAC, improved client employment outcomes by training vocational rehabilitation counselors to use Labor Market Information (LMI) to enhance clients’ educational and career pathways. During the past year and a half, VR leadership researched and identified LMI tools, provided staff professional development on LMI data, and created a Career Index Plus training system to help clients independently research potential careers and employment opportunities. This webinar will discuss Connecticut BESB's JD-VRTAC project assessment, implementation, accomplishments, and the planned next steps to sustain program improvements. As a result of this project, Connecticut BESB has increased business confidence in hiring clients.
Download the Connecticut BESB client Career Index Plus letter
Download the Connecticut BESB LMI Survey (PDF)
Download the Connecticut BESB PowerPoint Slides (PPT)
Download the webinar transcript (TXT)
The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002
Authored By: Rick Kugler
Download the JD-VRTAC brief, Hidden Gems: Using “Agency Business Relations LMI” as Part of your Labor Market Strategy
Authored By: Alexandra Waugh and Jeanne Miller
Business engagement is interaction between employers, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and other workforce development and education organizations that results in measurable improvement in desired outcomes for both parties.
Download the JD-VRTAC brief, What is Business Engagement?