Employment and Training
ECIA’s Employment and Training Department assists low income adults, dislocated workers, and disadvantaged youth in providing job search assistance, training opportunities, and securing employment as part of the IowaWORKS of Northeast Iowa partnership. This collaboration served 4,767 people in FY16 under Title I and Title III of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The WIOA Core Partners in Region 1 of Northeast Iowa include: • Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Programs – ECIA and Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) • Title II Adult Education and Literacy – Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) • Title III Wagner-Peyser – Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) • Title IV Vocational Rehabilitation – Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) and Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB) ECIA continued partnering with NICC and Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission on a Youth Career Connect Grant through the Department of Labor (DOL) to develop new and expand existing concurrent enrollments to regional high schools in high demand industries. Participating juniors select a 2-year career pathway, take concurrent college credit courses, and participate in an array of career awareness and work-based learning opportunities, all while on course to receive their high school diploma. The education and experiential opportunities will enable participants to graduate high school and enter the workforce with industry credentials or college credits. As of FY16 - 579 students enrolled; Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathway = 18; Business & Finance Career Pathway = 52; Health Career Pathway = 215; Information Technology Career Pathway = 4; and Science/ Technology/Engineering/Math (STEM) Career Pathway = 44. Also during FY16, ECIA operated a Career Link grant through the Iowa Economic Development Authority to provide assistance for low and moderate income residents of Delaware and Dubuque Counties interested in short-term certificate programs. As of FY 16 - 38 eligible and enrolled; 28 completed training; and 31 employed. Additionally, WIOA legislation places an emphasis on work-based learning activities for participants enrolled in the Youth Program under Title I. This past summer, ECIA partnered with the Dubuque County Conservation Swiss Valley Nature Center and the Dubuque Community School District (DCSD) to provide paid work experiences for 12 Special Education students from Hempstead and Senior High Schools. These youth workers maintained hiking trails, installed benches and fire rings, banded geese (see photo), and assisted with flood cleanup along with other activities. ECIA was the employer of record providing wages, workers compensation, and site monitoring with Dubuque County Conservation supplying work, supervision, and tools along with DCSD providing job coaches and transportation.