Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board

THE LANCASTER COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD SEEKS TO ALIGN FISCAL RESOURCES AND PROVIDE STRATEGIC DIRECTION FOR LANCASTER COUNTY JOBSEEKERS AND EMPLOYERS.

IN THE PROGRAM YEAR 2022-2023 (PY23), THE LANCASTER COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD, THROUGH PROVIDERS OF TITLE 1 WITH THE PA CAREERLINK LANCASTER COUNTY, ENROLLED 223 ADULTS AND 98 DISLOCATED WORKERS, INCLUDING 141 JOBSEEKERS IDENTIFIED AS RE-ENTRANTS. IN ADDITION, THE PA CAREERLINK ENROLLED 48 OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUNG ADULTS, AND 144 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILY (TANF) YOUTH. 75% OF ADULT PARTICIPANTS WERE EXITED WITH EMPLOYMENT, WITH A MEDIAN WAGE OF $18 PER HOUR, A $1.25 INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. FOR DISLOCATED WORKER, 79% WERE EXITED TO EMPLOYMENT, AND THE MEDIAN WAGE WAS $20.38 PER HOUR, AN INCREASE OF $1.26/HR FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. THE OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM HAD A 40% PLACEMENT RATE AT A MEDIAN WAGE OF $15/HR, A $1.00 PER HOUR INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. THE PLACEMENT RATE FOR REENTRY CLIENTS WAS 76%, WITH AN AVG. WAGE OF $17.50/HR. THROUGH THE LAST PROGRAM YEAR, THE TEAM AT PA CAREERLINK LANCASTER COUNTY ENCOURAGED PARTICIPANTS TO RETURN TO THE OFFICE BY OFFERING MORE IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS. FOOT TRAFFIC INCREASED TO OVER 7,000 FOR THE PROGRAM YEAR. THE TEAM HAS WORKED TO IMPROVE OUR PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY BOTH IN-PERSON AND BY SOCIAL MEDIA. THE SITE ADMIN HAS WORKED WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM TO ADDRESS PERTINENT LABOR MARKET INFORMATION INCLUDING UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION, HIGH PRIORITY OCCUPATIONS, CAREER FAIRS AND OPPORTUNITIES. THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO SHARED WITH PARTICIPANTS AND CUSTOMERS. WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON STAFF DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, AND NETWORKING. A FOCUS ON ACCOMMODATIONS AND LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE WAS A PRIORITY FOR PY23.CUSTOMERS CONTINUED TO ALSO BE SERVED THROUGH THE EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT AND RETENTION NETWORK (EARN) PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. 191 CUSTOMERS WERE ENROLLED IN THE EARN PROGRAM THIS YEAR, AND THE STAFF HELPED 49 JOBSEEKERS LAND EMPLOYMENT. THROUGH THE SERVICES OF THIS PROGRAM, 12 CLIENTS COLLECTED RETENTION INCENTIVES. THEY ALSO PROVIDED SERVICES SUCH AS REFERRALS TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES FOR EDUCATION, HOUSING, FOOD, CLOTHING, CULTURAL NAVIGATION, ESL, AND UTILITIES ASSISTANCE; INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SESSIONS, IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS, AND PARTNER-LED WORKSHOPS. THE EARN PROGRAM HAS NOTED AN UPTICK IN HAITIAN CREOLE REFUGEES WHICH HAS LED THE PROGRAM TO INVEST IN LANGUAGE TRANSLATION SERVICES AND ADDITIONAL CULTURAL NAVIGATION SERVICES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LANCASTER-LEBANON IU13 AND CHURCH WORLD SERVICES. THE BUSINESS SERVICES TEAM ALSO CONTINUED TO SERVE THE EMPLOYERS THROUGHOUT LANCASTER COUNTY. THROUGH THE YEAR, THE TEAM ADDED 129 EMPLOYERS TO PA CAREERLINK AND 560 NEW JOB POSTINGS FOR THE PA CAREERLINK WEBSITE. 141 EVENTS WERE ORGANIZED AND HELD, AND 83% INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, INCLUDING INCLUDED RECRUITMENT EVENTS, JOB FAIRS AND COMMUNITY PARTNER EVENTS. THE BUSINESS SERVICES TEAM ALSO HOSTED 3 EMPLOYER WEBINARS TO HELP EDUCATE BUSINESSES ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION, LOCAL SERVICES, FEDERAL BONDING AND WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT. THEY ALSO OBTAINED 21 ON-THE-JOB TRAINING MASTER AGREEMENTS AND HELPED 5 PARTICIPANTS ENROLL IN AN OJT PROGRAM. THE LANCASTER COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD ISSUED 22 INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING ADDENDUMS WITH 16 UNIQUE COMPANIES, TOTALING $105,906. THE LCWDB ALSO REIMBURSED ONE EMPLOYER FOR APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING, A NEWLY AUTHORIZED FUNDING IN PY23.