Conference program - West Virginia Department of Commerce

Building Workforce Success Together
June 7 & 8, 2011
University of Charleston
Charleston, WV
WorkForce
Funded by the
U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Region 2
www.workforcewv.com
www.workforcewv.org
www.workforcewv.org
Phone: 1-800-252-5627 TDD : 304-558-1549
An equal opportunity employer/program.
Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
1

WELCOME
Russell Fry, Acting Executive Director
WorkForce West Virginia
On behalf of WorkForce West Virginia, I want to welcome you to Building Workforce
Success Together. During the next few days, I hope you will be inspired and
energized by the best practices for Workforce Investment Act programs that our
presenters will share with you. I know you will be impressed with the employer
partnerships that will be recognized during our Building Workforce Success
Together Awards ceremony. Thank you for being part of the many workforce
development successes in West Virginia.
Sincerely,
Russell L. Fry
Acting Executive Director
WorkForce West Virginia
Lenita Jacobs-Simmons,
Regional Administrator – Region 2
Employment and Training Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
Dear Participants:
On behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training
Administration, I would like to welcome you to WorkForce West Virginia’s Building
Workforce Success Together Conference. This has been a challenging year for the
workforce development system with budget reductions and the high demand for
services from both job seekers and employers.
“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct
individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows
common people to attain uncommon results.”
--Andrew Carnegie
Lenita Jacobs-Simmons
2 www.workforcewv.org

CONCURRENT SESSION HIGHLIGHTS – WED., JUNE 8, 2011
CHOOSE ONE
8:45 – 10:00 am
Meeting Performance Measurements – Appalachian Room
This presentation will focus on the importance of understanding the labor market data of your current and
projected economy and youth workforce, and provide examples of the branding and marketing involved in
youth recruitment, retention, re-engagement strategies and above all the importance of building relationships to
develop a private sector youth network.
WV Green-Up Program – Art Gallery
Funded with a State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, the
GREEN-UP Project supports education and training programs for jobs in the energy efficiency, renewable energy,
alternative energy, and advanced traditional energy fields. In this session, you will get an overview of the grant,
details on how the training is being implemented in the Kanawha Valley, and hear about the future of green jobs
in West Virginia.
CHOOSE ONE
10:15 - Noon
Apprenticeships/ My Skills My Future - Appalachian Room
Apprenticeship training provides an opportunity for individuals to “Earn while you learn”. Find out how
West Virginia has established a collaborative, cross agency team to educate One Stop partners about
apprenticeship, develop innovative recruitment methods, and establish coordinated marketing activities to
promote apprenticeship training. My Skills My Future helps laid-off workers and other career changers find
new occupations to explore, based on transferable skills they’ve gained in past jobs.
Fiscal Requirements Review – Art Gallery
This session will review fiscal topics that relate to local areas, such as Uniform Administrative Requirements,
Selected Items of Cost, Cost Classification, Cost Allocation and Indirect Costs.
Meet the Experts – Shoenbaum
Spend some one-on-one time with our experts Nancy Dischinat and Bruce Wahlgren!
CHOOSE ONE
1:30 – 2:30 pm
Lessons Learned From OJT Program Development and Implementation – Art Gallery
On-the-job training (OJT) places unemployed workers back to work earning a wage while receiving training.
Employers can be reimbursed for the costs associated with training this new employee. The presenters will share
outreach strategies to recruit participants and employers, challenges in developing OJT training plans, retention
strategies and success stories.
Employer Incentives – Appalachian Room
In these tough economic times, tax incentives can save employers thousands of dollars! The Work Opportunity
Tax Credit can reduce an employer’s federal tax liability by as much as $4,800 per new hire for the first year of
employment. The Military Incentive Program helps qualified veterans get good jobs while saving employers
money. And, our Federal Bonding program provides free bonds as an incentive to hire hard-to-place job
applicants. Learn how you can help employers take advantage of these incentives.
www.workforcewv.com
www.workforcewv.org
3

SCHEDULE
BUILDING WORKFORCE SUCCESS TOGETHER
Day One
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Time Content Location
8:30 - 10:00 am Registration Ballroom
10:00 - 10:45 am Opening and Welcoming Remarks
Russell L. Fry, Acting Executive Director, WorkForce West Virginia
Lenita Jacobs-Simmons, Regional Administrator - Region 2
Employment and Training Administration, U.S Department of Labor
10:45 am - 12:15 pm Building Partnerships for Effective Employability
Susan P. Curnan, Chair of the MBA and MPP Programs,
Director of the Center for Youth and Communities, The Heller
School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University
12:15 - 1:45 pm Lunch
On your own
1:45 - 3:15 pm Best Practices for Engaging and Serving Employers
John Sorrenti, Chair, Region 5 Workforce Investment Board
Council, Executive Committee, WV Workforce Investment Council
Linda McEntire, Human Resources Manager, Unilin/Mohawk
Bruce Wahlgren, Executive Director,
Maryland Institute for Workforce Excellence
Ballroom
Ballroom
Ballroom
Ballroom
3:15 - 3:30 pm Break Ballroom
3:30 - 4:45 pm Establishing Quality Oriented One-Stop Services
Beth Brinly, Commissioner of the Department of Workforce
Investment in Kentucky’s Education and Workforce
Development Cabinet
Jeanne Block, Staff Development, Workforce Development Partnership,
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
Ballroom
4:45 - 5:00 pm Wrap-Up for Day One Ballroom
4 www.workforcewv.org

SCHEDULE
BUILDING WORKFORCE SUCCESS TOGETHER
Day Two
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Time Content Location
8:30 am Opening and Recap Ballroom
8:45 - 10:00 am CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Meeting Performance Measurements
Rosemary Guida, Executive Director, Region 5 Northern Panhandle WIB
Edward Bowman, Division Chief, Division of Financial Management and
Administrative Services, U.S. DOL
Nancy Dischinat, Executive Director, Lehigh Valley WIB
WV Green-Up Program
Dave Calvert, Green-Up Project Coordinator, WVCTCS
Laura McCullough, Vice-President, Kanawha Valley Community
and Technical College
Glenn Connolly, Productivity Manager, GoodCents
10:00 -10:15 am Break
10:15 - Noon CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Apprenticeships/My Skills My Future
Joyce Okes, Program Director, WIB Mid-Ohio Valley
Mary Spellman, Manager, Fairmont WorkForce West Virginia Center
Odie Parkins, Director of Apprenticeship and Training
MAARC – West Virginia Carpenter JATC
Mike Harding, Unit Chief, Division of Workforce System Support, U.S. DOL
Fiscal Requirements Review
Christopher Narlis, Accountant, Employment and Training Admin,
U.S. Dept of Labor
Meet the Experts
Nancy Dischinat, Executive Director, Lehigh Valley WIB
Bruce Wahlgren, Executive Director
Maryland Institute for Workforce Excellence
Noon -1:15 pm Building Workforce Success Together Awards Lunch
Russell L. Fry, Acting Executive Director, WorkForce West Virginia
1:30 - 2:30 pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Lessons Learned From OJT Program Development and Implementation
Robin A. Morgan, Business Services Manager, Region 1 WIB
Susan Moran, Program Specialist, Employer Services, WIB Mid-Ohio Valley
PJ Wilson, Human Resources, Mustang Survival, Spencer and Elizabeth, WV
Employer Incentives
Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Angela Fry, WorkForce West Virginia
Military Incentive Program, Claudia George, WorkForce West Virginia
Federal Bonding Program, Steve Dailey, WorkForce West Virginia
www.workforcewv.com
www.workforcewv.org
Appalachian
Room
Art Gallery
Appalachian
Room
Art Gallery
Shoenbaum
Ballroom
Art Gallery
Appalachian
Room
2:30 - 3:00 pm Closing Remarks Ballroom
5

BIOGRAPHIES
Jeanne Block has been employed by Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor & Industry in its Bureau of
Workforce Development Partnership for five years – first with the One-Stop Quality Review initiative and for
the past three years leading the Staff Development group. From six locations across the Commonwealth,
Jeanne and her team of six analysts develop and deliver an ongoing training curriculum for their Bureau
and throughout the PA CareerLink® one-stop system (67 sites). Previously, Jeanne was employed for twenty
years by a private university, holding various professional positions in the Human Resources, Strategic
Planning, Affirmative Action, and Registrar departments. She earned a BA degree from Eastern University in
psychology and a MS degree from Drexel University in management.
Ed Bowman has been involved in Employment & Training for 30 years extending from the days of CETA
through JTPA and now WIA. Ed’s experience ranges from teaching in classroom settings to monitoring,
managing and developing employment and training programs. Ed joined the Department of Labor in 1997
coming from the Philadelphia School District’s Communities in Schools Program where he served as Director
of the Employment Services Division of the School-to-Work Program. Prior to joining the Philadelphia School
District, Ed enjoyed a 15 year tenure with the Philadelphia Private Industry Council where he managed a
series of projects and directed the summer youth employment and training program.
Beth Brinly is the commissioner of the Department of Workforce Investment in the Education and
Workforce Development Cabinet. Beth brings an array of experience and knowledge to the job. Before
joining the cabinet, she was chief of the Division of Workforce Investment in the Employment and Training
Administration’s regional office of the U.S. Department of Labor in Philadelphia where she served since June
2004. She has extensive experience with federal programs including the Workforce Investment Act, Wagner-
Peyser and the Trade Act. Prior to that position, Beth worked in the regional office of the U.S. Department
of Education for nearly seven years in several positions including education program specialist and staff
assistant.
Susan P. Curnan is a professor of Social Policy and Management at the Heller School, Brandeis University,
chair of the MBA and MPP concentration in children, youth and families, and longtime Director of the
Center for Youth and Communities. A graduate of Yale University with advanced degrees in policy and
management, Susan joined the Brandeis faculty in 1983. Over the years she has been a director and trustee
of a family foundation, served on many national task forces on policy, performance management and
program quality for the U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Education as well as work groups for
the National Academy of Sciences.
6 www.workforcewv.org

BIOGRAPHIES
Nancy Dischinat is the Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board, Inc. She has
over 25 years in the business of workforce development focusing on creating an employer demand-driven
workforce system aligned with economic development, education and the community focusing on targeted
industry clusters. This three-pronged strategy has resulted in data driven cost effective workforce strategies
that meet employers needs, focusing on innovative services, and maximizing resource effectiveness. She is
a National, State and local speaker on innovative programs and services for youth and adults and workforce
issues and had the honor of having President Obama tour the PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley workforce system.
Nancy serves on numerous committees and was appointed to serve on the PA Center for Health Careers
Leadership Council.
Michael R. Harding currently serves as the Unit Chief for Electronic Tools/O*NET/Labor Market Information
for the Division of Workforce System Support. This includes responsibility for the Electronic Tools (America’s
Service Locator, America’s Career Information Network, CareerOneStop and mySkills myFuture); Labor Market
Information; the Occupational Information Network (O*NET); and the Workforce Information Grants to States.
Mike has served in many positions in the Workforce System including Project Director for the One Stop
Operating System project (AOSOS); Project Manager for America’s Job Bank, and Manager of Infrastructure for
the State of Utah, Division of Workforce Services.
Christopher Narlis has been employed by the Federal Government since 1992. Since November, 2007,
Christopher has served as the Senior Accountant for the Philadelphia Regional Office of the U.S. Department
of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration where he ensures fiscal accountability of ETA funds.
Prior to his tenure with the Employment & Training Administration, Christopher was an Auditor with
U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General. Mr. Narlis is an Alumni of Rider University in
Lawrenceville, New Jersey where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance.
Bruce Wahlgren is the executive director of the Maryland Institute for Workforce Excellence. He has extensive
experience in workforce development, having held such positions as counselor, training coordinator, Director
of the Mid-Maryland Private Industry Council (PIC), and Director of Business Training and Services at Carroll
Community College. Having been Executive Director of The Institute from 1994 through 1996, he returned in
2001, where he is continuing to offer and grow its professional development opportunities to an increasing
number of career development professionals and organizations. He also coordinates the annual Raising the
Bar workforce development conference on behalf of the Workforce Investment Network for Maryland (WIN).
In addition to his leadership and management responsibilities, he also facilitates Affinity Groups, strategic
planning processes, and various training sessions
www.workforcewv.com
www.workforcewv.org
7

NOTES
__________________________________________________________________________________________
BIOGRAPHIES
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
CONTACTS
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
CONTACTS
Name / Agency
Phone / Email
8 www.workforcewv.org
www.workforcewv.org
Phone: 1-800-252-5627 TDD : 304-558-1549
An equal opportunity employer/program.
Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.