Archived: Increase Percentage of People Participating in WorkSource

Operated by local and state partners, WorkSource (WS) is the state's "one-stop" for (re)employment services, providing employment services and labor exchange to connect employers and job seekers, supporting transitions to new jobs and empowering careers. Increasing placement effectiveness, as measured by percentage of participants who find jobs, is a key indicator for our success in creating new jobs in the state.

Current Conditions

In calendar year 2012, statewide WorkSource baseline placement rate was 53.1 percent (as compared to a national norm of 51 percent). At the end of the fourth quarter of 2015, the strategies and directed efforts of the workforce development system resulted in a placement rate of 65.6 percent. This rise in placement was attributed to our workforce development system with strong local partnerships, relationships with employer groups and advocates, experienced staff and stable support systems being in place.

Green: The WorkSource placement rate has increased from 53.1 percent in calendar year 2012 to 65.6 percent by the end of 2015. With six consecutive years of positive growth, the system is showing notable results and gives an encouraging outlook on future performance. Although there have been favorable outcomes to date, there is still room to improve in addressing the remaining 34.4 percent of job seekers participating in WorkSource who have not found jobs prompted by the root causes listed below.

Analysis (Root Causes)

Employers are not fully engaged in the process.

The skills/experience for job seekers who currently participate in the process is insufficient to meet employer needs.

The preparation for job seekers does not match employer needs for skills, soft-skills and experiences.

WorkSource partners/employees are not always able to consistently deliver the services required by employers and job seekers.

Our placement rate will improve if employers see WorkSource as a valuable way to meet their workforce needs:

• Engage employers in workforce development (WorkSource) system, and promote customer-driven WorkSource services desired by employers.
• Expand and broaden job seeker "inventory" in the WorkSource system.
• Working in partnership with L&I to offer Info Sessions at WorkSource to create deeper connections with job seekers and incumbent workers to increase awareness of career opportunities in the trades and apprenticeship opportunities
• Working with local employers and community organizations to meet quarterly to discuss strategies for developing stronger employee pipeline and skills needed for career advancement
• WorkSource staff providing our services on community college campuses to better market WorkSource services to students and increase our engagement levels to that targeted population
• Expand collaboration to connect more students with internships and career information.
• Connect more veterans, older workers, individuals who have exhausted their unemployment benefits, people with disabilities and other long-term unemployed to workplace experience, internships and workplace skills.

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