STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2016
THOUGHT
LEADERSHIP
3RWIB is established
as an expert in
workforce
development,
continuously
transforming data and
knowledge into
effective systemic
solutions so job
seekers and
families/youth can
effectively use and
benefit from quality
services.
1
Problem we are addressing
WD efforts are severely fragmented making it
challenging for individuals to know which door to
enter to find a job. At the local level this can be
partially attributed to a) a lack of stakeholders’
understanding of real labor market needs and
proven WD solutions and how these lead to
implementing effective services; b) multiple funding
sources supporting disconnected programs; and c)
limited knowledge of 3RWIB capabilities and
resources. Without quality, consistent,
comprehensive and accessible information to guide
decision-making in WD investments, individuals are
not sure where to turn to find jobs. This means the
region cannot effectively operationalize system
alignment and career pathway programming as
expected by WIOA.
Goals
Tactics
 Establish a
transparent,
accessible workforce
system to guide
individuals to
employment.
 Be the local go-to
organization on
workforce
development,
including labor market
data, best practices,
and program
evaluation
 Develop an organizational
brand and develop a robust
external communications
strategy to reach key
audiences and broader
community
 Implement Pittsburgh
Works searchable database
to facilitate easy access to
programs
 Regularly contribute
editorial content to
publications and websites
read by employers/wk dev
professionals
 Create a library of best
practice research and a
technical assistance
program for adult and youth
providers
 Website revised; new branding
strategy implemented.
 Communications strategy
implemented, by stakeholders,
including regular market updates,
industry updates; quarterly
workforce reports, program
evaluations, and service/resource
directories
 At least 2 technical assistance
events or resources are offered to
youth and adult programs through
the youth learning network and
Pittsburgh Works each quarter
 Develop new, innovative
communications tools to address
the broader community.
 Job seekers served
comprehensively.
 Talent bank used by more
providers.
 15% overall increase in web
traffic, traditional media, and
social media
 Community
(funders/providers/employee)
understand and rely on
3RWIB to be the source of
information on workforce
development programs
 Workforce development
providers begin to align
services with identified best
practices
 Demonstrate to
individuals using the
services as well as to
tax payers and
community at large
the impact of
workforce programs.
 Provide leadership to
WIOA implementation
in Allegheny County
and in the broader
region
 Expand data collection and
analysis through technology
(data tracking system) and
cross-sector collaboration
(data sharing
arrangements, joint
research)
 Educate the region thru
various channels about the
changes.
 Engage in meaningful
advocacy efforts with local,
state and federal partners
for WIOA implementation,
 Data/knowledge sharing
arrangements with education,
human services, and/or economic
development are established
 Lessons learned are
translated into program
delivery and best practices
are developed.
 Stakeholders understand demands
of WIOA; Local WIOA provisions
are supportive of the needs of
employers and job seekers
 Stakeholders implement
streamlined service delivery model
identified through work on WIOA
 System-wide performance
measure are achieved
 Customers entering PA
CareerLink® experience a
seamless service delivery
front
 State partners at L&I are
3RWIB is not seen as the regional expert on
workforce development issues or labor market data.
Competitors are seen as accomplishing more and
with better results.
There’s no effective way to understand the
effectiveness of workforce programs to help guide
individuals or demonstrate impact to taxpayers or
the community at large
WIOA changes the rules of 3RWIB programs, the
scope of our decision-making, and many other
service delivery provisions. These changes could
confuse job seekers, partner organizations, and
other key stakeholders.
Outputs
Outcomes
including discussion on
regionalization
 Facilitate regular
discussions with local
workforce partners about
WIOA changes, system
development, and program
implementation
2
readiness and LEAN mapping
more responsive to the
advocacy efforts of local
areas.
STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2016
YOUTH PIPELINE
DEVELOPMENT
3RWIB prepares youth to
pursue meaningful
careers toward a selfsustaining future
3
Problem we are addressing
Goals
Youth are unaware of the opportunities
available to them and lack the proper support
and guidance to define their futures. More than
5000 youth in our region are out of work or out
of school.
 Serve youth thru a
high quality youth
workforce system
through strategic
investments in
programs that
produce results
For every 100 9th graders in Allegheny County,
only 79 graduate high school, 51 enter college,
37 are still enrolled in their sophomore year, and
29 students finish college within six years. More
importantly, the fields of study or training that
high school graduates pursue are poorly aligned
with current labor market opportunities. In the
context of rapid workforce aging and a shrinking
youth pipeline, the region’s ability to meet the
future talent needs of local employers is
severely compromised.
 Pursue career
pathway programs
for youth.
 Establish strong
linkages with
CTCs/postsecondary institution
to align
programming with
career pathways &
labor market
demand
Tactics
Outputs
Outcomes
 Integrate program outcomes,
lessons learned and best practice
research in program design and
youth system management
 Develop provider-responsive
technical assistance program to
enhance quality and capacity of
youth programs to achieve strong
outcomes under WIOA
 Align youth programs with the onestop system and Pgh Works
services
 Partner with AIU to
educate/convene public school
districts superintendents on
workforce issues, labor market,
opportunities
 Guide youth along pathways in
collaboration with CTCs/postsecondary institutions and
employers
 Create better linkages between
CTCs and the workforce system
through investments in Industry
Partnerships, technical assistance,
and innovative programs
 More than 56 percent of youth
served are placed in employment;
more than 89 percent attain a
degree or credential; more than 55
percent achieve literacy/numeracy
gains
 Learning network is activated and
generates strategic input for
service delivery and policy
 At least one Technical Assistance
event or resource is rolled out to
youth providers each quarter.
 More youth are served
and gain meaningful
employment or enter
post-secondary
education.
 Youth are appropriately
connected to services
on the right pathway and
followed until they
achieve employment or
post-secondary
placement and beyond.
 Cost/person of WIOA
youth programs does
not exceed industry
benchmarks
 Career pathways for youth are
identified, supported by secondary
& post-secondary programming
 CTC programs diversify and align
with employer needs
 CTCs develop internships, Career
Fairs, and career exploration
activities tied with in demand
occupations.
 At least one CTC is linked with an
Industry Partnership program
administered through 3RWIB
 More youth enter career
and technical education
 Fewer youth drop out of
high school.
Summer employment opportunities for youth
decreased by 50% over the last decade. This
dramatic decrease of jobs available to
teenagers limits youth access to effective onthe-job career exploration and learning, and
prevents engagement in the formal labor
market. Consequently, teenage crime rates
increase over the summer, and academic
preparation tends to lose relevancy in the
absence of real world application.
 Continue and grow
the summer
employment efforts
of Learn & Earn to
engage more than
2,000 youth.
Ensure summer opportunities align
with youths’ personal interests and
aspirations
Build adequate and sustainable Learn
& Earn infrastructure in collaboration
with the City & County, business
community and funders; define youth
employment benchmarks through
digital badging
Develop career pathways in key
sectors suitable for youth in
collaboration with CTCs/postsecondary institutions and employers;
align these pathways with Learn and
Earn programming
Continue to track and serve youth
beyond the summer program to gauge
impact and program success
4
 L&E serves more than 2,000 youth
(with funding to support)
 L&E continues to scale and
develop past the Summer 2015
phase
 Youth are supported beyond the
summer in year round activities,
leveraging partnerships; youth
return in summer 2015 and move
to higher Tier internships
 Structure for three digital badges
is completed and vetted through
employers for real world
application.
 Summer employment
opportunities for youth
increase.
 Established link
between summer youth
employment
programming, year
round programming,
and PA CareerLink®
services better prepares
youth for careers
 Summer crime rates fall
STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2016
CONNECT JOB
SEEKERS TO
VIABLE CAREERS
Problem we are addressing
More than 60,000 are unemployed in our
region yet there are more than 30-40,000
open jobs posted at any one time. The
strengthening labor market has made it
more difficult for employers to find the right
candidate to fill open positions.
Goals
 Build a highly
efficient job
placement
infrastructure
through alignment of
local public and
private services
(Pgh Works)
Tactics
Outputs
Outcomes
 Leverage Pgh Works to implement
consistent tools and practices for job
placement (Talent Bank)
 Develop provider-responsive
technical assistance program to
enhance quality and capacity of Pgh
Works members in job placement
 Evaluate WorkKeys and determine
right assessment approach
 Continue to collect data from
providers on the types of services
provided to participants and linkages
to outcomes.
 More than 70% of adults and 73%
of dislocated workers enter
employment at $14K and $17K 6
month average wages
respectively. At least 77% of
adults and 89% of dislocated
workers, 72% of adults are
employed after 6 and 9 months.
 ULA places at least 2500
individuals in employment
 Thruput increased by 50%and
average time-to-employment
decreased by 7 days
 Cost/person of job placement
does not exceed industry
benchmarks
 Pgh Works providers use shared
tools: at least 35 organizations
use Talent Bank
 Service provider directory and
calendar of job seeker services is
updated regularly
 CL affiliate site plan established;
implement 1-3 sites
 Virtual accessibility of enrollment
and job matching services is
piloted. At least 60 job seekers
sign up for the services and are
placed in a job without walking
into the downtown or Forest Hills
 Job seekers are referred
seamlessly from Pgh Works
partners to the PA
CareerLink® system and viceversa
 Employers source candidates
through Pgh Works network
 Public has increased
understanding of how to get a
job in Pittsburgh
Thru 3RWIB system,
job seekers identify
quality jobs and hiring
employers find
qualified candidates.
Approximately 60,000 individuals (likely
duplicated) access workforce services from
80+ workforce agencies. CareerLink is
resource contrained and can only operate
in two locations. .
5
 Serve individuals
where they access
services by using Pgh
Works Works to
increase system
capacity by
expanding
geographic coverage
 Identify Pgh Works members to
become CareerLink affiliate sites
 Identify best practices in making
services available to job seekers
virtually
 System capacity to serve job
seekers is expanded
 Job seekers are able to
access services more readily,
both in person and online
and technological
availability of job
placement services
Not all individuals who look for a job
through CareerLink® are work ready. Many
have barriers to employment that must be
addressed before they can successfully
obtain or retain a job. Additionally, WIOA
requires the public workforce system to
serve those with barriers to employment,
but the public system cannot be successful
if it operates in a vacuum -- better
integration with social services is required.
6
 Map and define
appropriate
intersections with
human services
programs in
preparing job
seekers for job
placements, viewing
the system from the
job seeker
perspective
CareerLink® centers
 Map/test opportunities to collaborate
on service delivery and joint eligibility
determination with human service
agencies
 Refine supportive services policy for
Adults, Dislocated Workers, and
Youth to ensure that the WD system
is responsive to the needs of work
ready job seekers and that those
who are not work ready are referred
to appropriate services
 2 pilots with human service
agencies conducted, joint eligibility
provisions tested
 Referrals between PA
CareerLink® and human service
organizations (and vice versa)
increase per month.
 Job seekers are served
holistically
 Process of enrolling in WIOA
services is streamlined for job
seekers
 Supportive service offerings
assist job seekers in becoming
work ready
STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2016
SYSTEMIC
WORKFORCE
SOLUTIONS
Problem
Businesses within Allegheny County frequently cite
an inability to find skilled workers as a barrier to
hiring or expansion. As the Baby Boom generation
approaches retirement, businesses will see an
increase in the number of annual openings they must
fill.
Successful programs place job seekers once but are
often unable to sustain this success.
Goals
Tactics
Output
Outcomes
 Transition business
solutions from industry
partnership model to
viable sector strategies
that meet broad talent
needs of key industries
and individuals seeking
career employment
 Continue to build
Pittsburgh Works to be
the comprehensive
system of talent
delivery in the region
 Enhance employer engagement
through centralized outreach
and a tiered portfolio of value
added services
 Engage the assistance of a highlevel professional/consultant for
outreach and to position 3RWIB
and its services more
prominently in the business
community
 Employ innovative and proven
service delivery models to path
job seekers to quality in-demand
jobs
 Develop and implement a
flexible, career-pathway driven
strategy for the use of training
dollars (incumbent, preemployment, cohort,
apprenticeship)
 Employer engagement strategy
defined in partnership with
Board; establish system to path
employers toward greater
engagement
 Online knowledge center providing
universal access to shared tools and
best practices created
 4 comprehensive sector strategies
developed; employers engaged in
career pathway models
 5 employer driven pre-employment
trainings established; 90% job
placement rate achieved
 Funds invested in local businesses
through 3RWIB on-the-job training,
customized job training, and
incumbent worker training programs;
85% 6-month retention achieved.
 Employer
engagement in
the system
increases.
 3RWIB is
prepared to meet
the WIOA
employer
engagement
metric when it is
implemented in
PY2016
 Continue to design, pilot
and scale innovative WD
solutions in collaboration
with employers and Pgh
Works members
 Innovate tools for recruitment,
assessment, and skill
development
 50 Pgh Works agencies consistently
utilize proven WD strategies; 25
agencies ready and willing to pilot
new solutions
 Game-based training, skills badging
piloted;
3RWIB meets local
workforce needs in a
systemic way,
leveraging innovation
and technology to
remove obstacles from
job seekers and
businesses.
The way that businesses search for talent is
changing. As more and more employers turn to
technology to source candidates and assist in hiring,
the WD system will need to continue to innovate to
better serve employers and job seekers. WIOA calls
7
 Businesses and
providers look to
3RWIB as leader
in best practice
development
for the public system to leverage technology to
improve services.
The supply-demand disconnect is evident at the
neighborhood level as well as at the regional level
called for in WIOA. While 3RWIB is pursuing regional
strategies with the State and neighboring local areas,
we must work with local businesses and service
providers to strengthen micro-labor markets as well.
8
 Experiment with and
determine efficacy of
neighborhood-based
WD strategies
 Continue to defragment the
regional WD system by forging
stronger partnerships with
service providers and training
institutions using place based
strategies
 Businesses utilize Talent Bank or
3RWIB training services as primary
employee recruitment tool.
 Serve 50 families with employment
services through the Larimer
employment project (Choice
Neighborhoods grant)
 Partner with businesses, service
providers, and Foundations to
develop place-based employment
strategy for the North Side
 Best practices in
local WD are
developed and
scaled to other
neighborhoods
STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2016
INTERNAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
3RWIB has a strong
internal foundation
necessary to achieve
serve individuals,
partner organizations,
in and to sustain a
strong reputation and
grow impact.
9
Problem
Goals
Tactics
Output
Outcomes
WIOA requires local workforce boards to
leverage non-federal funds for the WD system.
Given the current budgetary environments at
the State and Federal level, continued
increases in appropriations for workforce
programs are not guaranteed. Additionally,
Federal and State funds come with red tape
attached—innovation is driven by private and
foundation funding.
 Continue to diversify
funding in support of
strong public/private
WD infrastructure
 Develop a fundraising
and fee-for-service
strategy
 35% of operating budget supported by nonformula funding
 $500K raised for Pittsburgh Works; fundraising
efforts centralized and engage board
members
 Private funds raised for Learn and Earn
 3RWIB can continue
to be innovative with
its programs through
the use of private
and foundation
funds.
3RWIB has seen substantial growth in the past
18 months, increasing the number of staff and
interns from 12 to 26. This expansion is in part
due to innovative programs and partnerships,
such as the Learn and Earn Summer Youth
Employment Program and the Business
Solutions Team. Rapid expansion, while it
allows for additional programming, comes with
its own set of challenges. At the same time as
the staff has been growing, WIOA calls for
changes to the board makeup and structure.
 Reinforce internal
infrastructure to support
acceleration and/or
expansion when
needed
 Ensure that Board
makeup and all policies
are optimized for
strategic growth
 Evaluate and consider
alternative corporate
structure.
 Revise board committee
structure to match strategic
priorities and goals; increase
board engagement in
addressing strategic
priorities
 Assess/ update financial
policies/procedures
 Establish standard operating
procedures for each position
and implement effective staff
evaluation system
 Establish standard hiring
process and onboarding
procedure for new
employees
 All board members serve on a committee; all
board meetings have quorum
 All staff receive at least 2 evaluations and 2
prof. dev. opportunities/year
 Technology, policies and procedures support
efficiency, consistency and transparency
 All fiscal and monitoring reporting is presented
in a timely fashion
 Staff understand the
goals of their
positions and metrics
of success
 Board satisfaction
metrics in the annual
board survey
improve
With the organizational growth and with the
departure of several staff people over the past
18 months, institutional knowledge is constantly
 Strengthen
organizational
knowledge
 Procure technology to
centralize knowledge
management
 Evaluate knowledge management
technology marketplace and select
appropriate tool
 Staff have the skills,
knowledge, interest,
and resources to
in flux.
10
management and
ensure staff have skills,
knowledge, and interest
to advance strategic
priorities
 Implement shared (H:)
drive cleanout and
organizational process

advance strategic
priorities