Florida Ready to Work Annual FACTE Conference July 2008

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Florida Ready to WorkAnnual FACTE
ConferenceJuly 2008
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Florida Ready to Work

• New employee credentialing program that builds,
  tests and scores job skills and work habits
• Focus on core communication and problem-solving
  skills required by 85 percent of all jobs today
• - Applied Math Workplace math ie
  calculating percentage
• discounts and markups
• - Reading for Information Using memos,
  letters, directions,
• signs, notices, bulletins, policies and
  regulations
• - Locating Information Working with charts,
  graphs, tables,
• forms, flowcharts, diagrams, floor
  plans, maps and instrument
• gauges

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Florida Ready to Work

• Based on 15,000 job profiles across the country
• Skills required for entry-level to professional,
  across industries
• Optional Work Habits soft skills certification
  attitude, initiative, teamwork, time management
  and other customer service skills all employers
  need

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Florida Ready to Work

• Voluntary, complements other degrees/credentials
• All Florida residents, implementation partners,
  employers free!
• Primary program components
• - Courseware
• - Assessments
• - Credential
• - Job Profiling

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Courseware

• Measure current skills, identify skill gaps and
  build skills
• All 9 curriculum subject areas plus Work Habits
• self-directed, unlimited, free!
• Online access from any computer, anytime,
  anywhere
• Tools to monitor student/jobseeker/employee
  progress
• Spanish translation and text-to-speech features
• Alignments to Sunshine State Standards, FCAT,
  TABE, GED and others
• Relevancy, skills for the work world

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Assessments

• Different than other Assessments, measure ability
  to apply skills on the job
• - Applied Math
• - Reading for Information
• - Locating Information
• Criterion referenced
• Proctored
• Approximately 1 hour each
• Developed by ACT

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Credential

• How to earn the Credential
• 1) Enroll with a participating Assessment Center
• 2) Take the online Placement Tests
• 3) Use the online Courseware, as needed
• 4) Complete Work Habits, minimum post-test score
  of 4
• 5) Take all three required Assessments, minimum
  score of 3
• 6) Get the Credential
• Credential levels
• Bronze Minimum score of 3, ready for 30 of
  jobs
• Silver Minimum score of 4, ready for 65 of
  jobs
• Gold Minimum score of 5, ready for 90 of jobs
• Portable, 30 states with similar programs

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Job Profiling

• EEOC compliant hiring, promotion and training
  tool
• Process to identify the core skills and skill
  levels required for a specific job
• Conducted by trained Florida job profilers
• - Review company background and job history
• - Observe workers on the job
• - Meet/interview incumbent workers and
  supervisors
• Results in a customized report aligning core job
  tasks with the skills and skill levels required
  for job success
• Fee-based service, 2,500 per profile

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Program Progress The Numbers

• 500 Assessment Center locations registered
• 73,000 Jobseekers enrolled
• 32,000 Assessments delivered
• 7,300 New Credentials issued, 9,000
  Grandfathered
• 125 Employer Partners
• CUMULATIVE, APRIL 2007 JUNE 2008

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Program Progress The Numbers

• Momentum building, participation growing every
  day
• - 25 New Assessment Center locations registered
  per month
• - 5,000 New Jobseekers enrolled per month
• - 5,000 Courseware Hours per month
• May 2008 Record breaking results
• - 10,000 Assessments Triple any prior month
• - 2,400 Credentials Double any prior month
• AVERAGE PER MONTH

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Program Progress Credential Leaders

• School Districts 250 Credentials
  Each
• - Okaloosa County (9 schools)
• - Brevard County (14 schools)
• - Citrus County (5 schools)
• - Volusia County (13 schools)
• - Lee County (15 schools)
• - Flagler County (3 schools)
• CUMULATIVE, MAY 2008

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Program Progress Credential Leaders

• Regional Workforce Boards 250 Credentials
  Each
• - Workforce Plus (Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla)
• - Workforce Alliance (Palm Beach)
• - WorkSource (Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau,
  Putnam, St. Johns)
• - Gulf Coast Workforce (Bay, Franklin, Gulf)
• CUMULATIVE, MAY 2008

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Program Progress Credential Leaders

• Stand Out Schools 100 Credentials Each
• - Crestview High School (Okaloosa County)
• - Matanzas High School (Flagler County)
• - Mariner High School (Lee County)
• - Baker County High School (Baker County)
• - Citrus High School (Citrus County)
• - Seabreeze High School (Volusia County)
• - Baker High School (Okaloosa County)
• - Lecanto High School (Citrus County)
• CUMULATIVE, MAY 2008

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Legislation

• Continued support Governor, House and Senate
• CAPE statute, each career and professional
  academy must provide opportunities for students
  to obtain the Florida Ready to Work
  Certification (1003.493 (4)(j) F.S.)
• Florida Ready to Work specifically defined,
  codified in Florida law (CS/SB 1908, Lines
  646-665)

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Legislation

• Each standard high school diploma shall include a
  designation reflecting the Florida Ready to Work
  Credential, as applicable, effective 2008-09
  school year
• (CS/SB 1908, Lines 500-520)
• - Department of Education to distribute a
  Technical Assistance
• Paper for school districts by early August
  2008
• - Florida Ready to Work team to work with
  school districts to
• verify/provide data

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2008-09 Funding

• Fully funded by Florida Legislature
• - Courseware Unlimited access to all 9
  curriculum areas plus Work Habits
• - Assessments Applied Math, Locating
  Information, Reading for Information
• - Credential Printed/mailed to jobseeker or
  Assessment Center
• - Public Awareness Campaign Materials,
  advertising, events and more
• - Business Outreach Up to four pilot projects
  led by Workforce Florida, Inc.
• Recurring funds, signaling commitment to
  program

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2008-09 Funding

• 10 stipend per Assessment (AM, LI, RI)
• - Total 30 per student/jobseeker, not required
  to pass
• - If does not pass, stipend paid for one
  re-take, maximum 60
• - Strongly recommended student/jobseeker takes
  Placement Test
• and scores a minimum of 3 and/or completes
  Courseware at
• Level 3 before taking corresponding Assessment
• - No sequence, no time requirement to take
  Assessments
• - All non-employer partners eligible
• - Organization decides how to use funds

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Employer Connection

• Gives participating employers a competitive edge
• - Takes the guesswork out of hiring
• Reduces employee turnover
• Reduces training time and costs
• Builds skills of current workforce
• EEOC compliant
• Saves time and money, increasing productivity and
  profitability
• Its free!
• Message Get The Credential. Get The Advantage.

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Employer Connection

• First Step Become an Employer Partner
• RECOGNIZE the Credential when attached to a
  resume or presented by a potential employee.
• Second Step Use the Program
• REQUEST the Credential in job orders,
  announcements and applications.
• REQUIRE the Credential when hiring or evaluating
  employees for promotion.

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Employer Outreach Update

• Launched employer-focused awareness campaign
  February 2008
• Secured support of statewide business
  organizations
• - Florida Chamber of Commerce
• - HR Florida (State affiliate for the Society of
  Human Resource Management)
• - Associated Industries of Florida
• 125 Employer Partners, list growing every day
• Large and small, across industries, across the
  state
• List posted www.floridareadytowork.com\EmployerPar
  tners

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Marketing

• Paid Advertising
• - Florida Trend
• - Wall Street Journal (Florida)
• - National Public Radio (Florida)
• - Markets with momentum radio, newspaper
• Strategic Partners emails, web content,
  newsletters
• Employer Events/Presentations
• Direct mail campaign targeting Florida employers
  with 50 employees
• Promotional Materials brochures, posters,
• videos, displays and more

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Ideas and InnovationsOkaloosa County School
District

• Superintendent chief cheerleader and actively
  involved every step of the way
• Hired a dedicated, district level coordinator
• Aligning with CHOICE Institutes, starting with
  students enrolled in the Okaloosa Applied
  Technology Center (OATC) CHOICE Institutes
• Enrolled 800 students, 9 schools
• Presented Credentials at packed graduation
  ceremony
• Jeff Scroggins, Director-CHOICE Institutes
• [phone], scrogginsc_at_mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us

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Ideas and InnovationsPutnam County School
District

• Targeted career academy, career and technology
  education and GED exit students
• Pilot with at-risk students including GED
  students not on target and seniors with lack of
  credits or GPA below 2.0
• Incorporated Courseware as assignments, extra
  credit
• Looking ahead to fall 2008
• - Refresher training during teacher planning
  days
• - Start early with students taking Placement
  Test first semester
• - Include scores as part of nine-week/semester
  average
• Janet Cauble, Career Specialist-Putnam County
  School District
• [phone], jcauble_at_putnamschools.org

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Ideas and Innovations Volusia County School
District

• Superintendent provided leadership statewide and
  locally
• Developed a comprehensive, model implementation
  plan
• Started with DCT, OJT, career academy internship
  and a hand-picked pilot group of juniors/seniors
  moving into the workforce
• 16 locations 9 high schools, 5 alternative
  education programs and Career Coach
• Trained and assigned coordinators at each
  location
• Kristin Bowles-Pierce, Career and Technical
  Education Specialist-Volusia County Schools
• [phone] x 60180, kcbowle1_at_volusia.k12.fl.us

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Ideas and Innovations Bayside High School
(Pinellas County)

• Drop-out prevention high school, offers Florida
  Ready to Work as a class
• Guidance counselor comes from the corporate
  world, understands/communicates what employers
  need
• Closely monitors student progress
• Applauds student progress shout outs,
  bulletin boards
• Presented Credentials at graduation, those not
  receiving one have already called to come back
  over the summer
• Susan Mathewson, Lead Teacher-Bayside High School
  (Pinellas County)
• [phone], ShootingTheBull_at_aol.com

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Ideas and Innovations Sarasota County School
District

• Support from Superintendent down through
  organization
• Dedicated, district level coordinator with
  sales skills
• Presentations to students to introduce the
  program
• Donated student incentives i-pods, gift cards
• Engaging employers to recognize the Credential
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• Webpage, newsletter, news releases to build
  awareness
• Creating employment connections for students
  through chamber of commerce partnership
• Sharon Albrecht, Program Administrator-Sarasota
  County School District
• [phone], Sharon_at_SuncoastReadyToWork.com

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Ideas and Innovations Brevard County School
District

• District level leadership team to keep momentum
  going and to closely monitor results
• Introduced in all high schools, starting with
  DCT, marketing and drop-out prevention students
• Documented clear correlation between Courseware
  use and Assessment scores
• Looking ahead to fall 2008
• - Enrolled 11,000 current sophomores/juniors to
  hit ground running
• - Aligning Courseware with DCT and marketing
  curriculum
• Julie Sanders, Resource Teacher, Career and
  Technical Education-Brevard County Schools
• [phone] x 281, sandersj_at_brevard.k12.fl.us

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Ideas and Innovations Palm Beach County Adult
Education

• Incorporating Florida Ready to Work to meet
  career services grant requirements, making
  applications stronger
• Easy to track student participation and progress
• Will help meet job placement performance
  standards
• Different from other career training tools,
  clients responding to relevancy and ease, clients
  progressing
• Try it, before buy it coordinator used
  Courseware,
• took Assessments and earned Credential now
  sold!
• Judy Langelier
• Department of Adult and Community
  Education-School District of Palm Beach County
• [phone], langelierj_at_palmbeach.k12.fl.us

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Reporting

• Courseware
• Progress Report
• Placement Test Report
• Full Report
• Time Report
• Activity Report

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Reporting

• Assessments
• Instant Score Report
• Test Usage Report
• Roster Score Report
• Data Export Report

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Reporting

• Monthly Stipend Report Actual Month, Mailed
  With Check
• - By Assessment Center
• - By Student/Jobseeker Name
• - Assessment Type (AM, RI, LI), Date and Score
• - Total Assessments Delivered, Total Stipend
  Amount
• Monthly Progress Report Cumulative, Posted On
  Portal
• - By Assessment Center Rollup By Organization
• - Students/Jobseekers Enrolled
• - Assessments Delivered (AM, RI, LI)
• - Credentials Earned (Gold, Silver, Bronze)
• Other reporting needs tell us!

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Whats NewCourseware Updates

• Turning Off Placement Test Lock
• July 1, 2008
• - Previously required to complete all 3 core
  Placement Tests (AM, LI,
• RI) before accessing Courseware for any of
  curriculum areas
• - Now able to immediately access Placement Test
  and Courseware
• for any of 9 curriculum areas and Work Habits
• Work Habits Courseware Review and Update
• Review July-September 2008 Update Spring
  2009
• - If interested in participating, contact local
  Project Coordinator

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Whats NewCourseware Updates

• Upgrading to Adobe Flash Player
• August 2008
• - Courseware screens will look different,
  content will not change
• - Will no longer need to download Authorware and
  Active X
• - Flash already on most computers since most
  websites use it
• - If do not have Flash, free download
• (www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cg
  i?P1_Prod_VersionShockwaveFlash)

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Whats NewNew Administrator Tools

• Password Look-Up
• August 2008
• - New tool allowing authorized
  administrators/proctors to look up
• student/jobseeker passwords
• - Primary Contact must grant access to
  administrators/proctors
• - Access restricted to associated Assessment
  Center realm
• Updated Administrator Guide
• August 2008
• - Online and PDF

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Whats NewWebsite and Portal Updates

• Employer Partner List Live now
• www.floridareadytowork.com\EmployerPartners
• - Current list of employers who recognize the
  Credential
• - Encourage local employers to sign up!
• Assessment Center Map Live now
• www.floridareadytowork.com
• - Current list of Assessment Center locations,
  check your listing!
• Portal Update August 2008
• www.myfloridareadytowork.com
• - More user friendly, more resources

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Whats NewFree Implementation Tools

• New E-Newsletter August 2008
• - Program updates, ideas and innovations
• New Promotional Materials August 2008
• - Complete Order Form or contact local Project
  Coordinator
• New Video Downloads August 2008
• www.myfloridareadytowork.com
• - Employer video testimonials
• - Student/jobseeker video

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Local Project Coordinators
Contact Us! Toll-Free 1-877-444-4505 Website
www.floridareadytowork.com Email
www.floridareadytowork.com/contact
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www.floridareadytowork.com