Michigan Works – WIA / ITA

Workforce Investment Act (WIA – Adult)

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult Program provides workforce investment activities that increase the employment, retention, and earnings of participants, and increase occupational skill attainment by participants, which will improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the economy.

Description
The 25 local Michigan Works! Agencies (MWAs) operate adult programs on a year-round basis. The funds allocated to the MWAs for adult programs must be used to provide core, intensive, and training services to adults. Core services include, but are not limited to, outreach, intake, orientation to other services, initial assessment, job search, and placement assistance. Intensive services include comprehensive and specialized assessment, group counseling, and short-term pre-vocational services. Training services include on-the- job training, skill-upgrading, and occupational skills training.

Eligibility
An individual must be 18 years of age or older to receive core services in the adult program. Intensive services under the adult program are available to adults who are unemployed or employed, have received at least one core service, and are unable to obtain employment or retain employment that leads to self-sufficiency. Training services may be made available to employed and unemployed adults who have met the eligibility criteria under intensive services, have received at least one intensive service, and have been determined to be unable to obtain or retain employment through such services.

Procedure
The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) distributes federal funds to the 25 local MWAs for use in the operation of their WIA Adult Programs. The local MWAs must submit annual plans to the WDA for approval. Funds are allocated on an annual basis starting in July of each year.

If you would like further information, please contact Computer Networking Center’s Administrator at 734-462-2090 or visit the State of Michigan’s website for further details:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd/0,4611,7-122-1679_1821_2793—,00.html

Workforce Investment Act (WIA – Youth Program)

The youth program is linked closely to the local labor market needs and community youth programs and services, with strong connections between academic and occupational learning. Youth programs promote leadership development and citizenship through voluntary community service opportunities, adult mentoring and follow-up, and targeted opportunities for youth living in high poverty areas.

Description
Youth programs are operated on a year-round basis by the 25 local Michigan Works! Agencies (MWAs) located throughout the state. The types of services that are included in the youth program include tutoring, study skills training, alternative secondary school offerings, summer employment opportunities, paid and unpaid work experience, occupational skill training, leadership development opportunities, supportive services, adult mentoring, follow-up services, and comprehensive guidance and counseling.

Eligibility
An eligible youth is an individual who:

  • Is age 14 through 21; and
  • Is a low-income individual and is within one or more of the following categories:
    • Deficient in basic literacy skills School dropout
    • Homeless, runaway, or foster child
    • Pregnant or parenting
    • Offender
    • An individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program, or to secure and hold employment

Procedure
The federal funds are allocated by formula to the 25 local MWAs. The local MWAs must submit annual plans to the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) for approval. Funds are allocated on an annual basis starting in July.

If you would like further information, please contact Computer Networking Center’s Administrator at 734-462-2090 or visit the State of Michigan’s website for further details:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd/0,4611,7-122-1679_1821_2785—,00.html

Jobs, Education, and Training (JET Program)

The JET program consists of activities designed to help families move toward financial independence. It was designed to fulfill the requirements of the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) law. All TANF recipients are required to participate, unless they are unable.

Previous welfare reform efforts found that 50 percent of individuals and 70 percent of long-term cash assistance recipients returned to cash assistance within one year!

JET is not just about finding a job for individuals, but about helping them keep the job and permanently attached to the labor force

If you would like further information, please contact Computer Networking Center’s Administrator at 734-462-2090 or visit the State of Michigan’s website for further details:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd/0,4611,7-122-1678_41500—,00.html

No Worker Left Behind (NWLB)

In her 2007 State of the State Address, Governor Jennifer Granholm announced the No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) free tuition program to help Michigan workers create a prosperous future.

The vision for No Worker Left Behind is to:

  • Accelerate worker transitions through learning
  • Support the state’s employers and economic development needs
  • Align the use of existing training resources

This program was enabled during Aug 2007 – June 2010, but a lot of individuals were put on waiting lists when the funding ran out in June 2010.  Since then, Michigan Works has reverted back to the WIA – Adult Program in 2011-2012, but it is still trying to work with people on those wait lists.  If you would like further information, please contact Computer Networking Center’s Administrator at 734-462-2090 or visit the State of Michigan’s website for further details:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/nwlb/NWLB_Fact_Sheet_Final_203216_7.pdf