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The Illinois workNet Center
The Workforce Investment Act mandates that each required service provider (local partner) must make their services available through a common facility called an Illinois workNet Center. Each WIA area must have at least one, comprehensive One-Stop facility. Area # 26 has 3 such facilities. These locations are Enfield, Harrisburg and Cairo. The Act allows for services to be provided through a variety of methods which include; co-location of personnel, cross training of staff, electronic linkages or a combination of methods. A portion of each facility is set aside as a resource room with computer technology, brochures and pamphlets, and hard copy resource materials. Clients to the workNet center should be able to access the 'Skills Match' computer program to apply for and look for jobs, get assistance in resume writing, interviewing techniques and labor market information. WorkNet Center services are available universally to anyone who requests them. Only when a client applies for program specific services do the eligibility criteria for that program apply. Due to staff limitations and budgetary constraints, most local partners have elected to provide their services through electronic linkages, referrals and/or cross training of staff. WIA Title 1 and certain programs sponsored by the Community Action Agencies are the only programs which maintain staff at the workNet centers on a full time basis. Area #26 has one satellite location through the Cario Center located at Shawnee College. Each of the Title 1 service providers also have computer linkages to one of the three workNet Centers in each of the 14 counties of Area #26.
Operation of the workNet Centers is vested in a group of three or more of the required center local partners, one group for each location. These groups are known as the "Consortium of Illinois workNet Center Partners" and are named in the Five Year Local Plan. Requirements for the operation of the Centers are contained in agreements between the Workforce Investment Board and the local partners. These agreements are called "Memorandums of Understanding". The Workforce Investment Board maintains oversight authority for the operation of the workNet Centers.
Illinois workNet Center Operators
In Area #26 all workNet center operators are local one-stop partners; however, not all local one-stop partners are workNet center operators. Selection of center operators is a function of the Workforce Investment Board. The WIA Act allows any of the following three methods for selecting workNet center operators. - In an established system, certify an entity who is presently carrying out those activities.
- Certify an entity through an agreement with 3 or more required one-stop partners, known as a consortium of Illinois workNet Centeroperators.
- Use a competitive process.
The Area # 26 LWIB elected to use option # 2 and established a consortium of center operators for each location. The center operators conduct the day by day operations of the center and assure that the services and resources listed in the Memorandum of Understanding are available. The consortium also conducts marketing efforts for the center in coordination with the Marketing Committee of the LWIB. Each group or consortium elected one of their members to be fiscal officer. In each of the three locations the WIA Title - 1 service provider was elected to this position. The entity serving as fiscal officer is responsible for billing the remaining partners for their fair share of expenses as shown in the Memorandum of Understanding, purchasing needed supplies and equipment and reporting center operations to the partners and LWIB.
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Title 1B Services Providers
These agencies were designated by the LWIB in the Five Year Plan to be the agencies that provide Workforce Investment Act services and support to clients and employers in Area #26. They are considered one of the local partners in the Illinois workNet Center system. Services are funded by contractual arrangement between the Workforce Board and the Title - 1 providers. Agencies named are Wabash Area Development for the counties of Wayne, White, Wabash and Edwards; Shawnee Development Council for the counties of Alexander, Union, Massac, Johnson and Pulaski and; Mid-5 Employment and Training for the counties of Saline, Gallatin, Hamilton, Pope and Hardin. Services include case management, eligibility determination, training authorization, transportation, child care and fiscal management of the Illinois workNet centers. Wabash Area Development, Inc.
Mid-5 Employment & Training, Inc.
Shawnee Development Council, Inc. Back to Top
Local workNet Center Partners
The local workNet center partners are those agencies which provide client services through the Illinois workNet Center system within Area # 26. The local partners fall in to two categories; those who are mandated by the Act to provide their services through a center and those who voluntarily agree to work within the workNet Center system. All of the local Center partners have a direct influence on the ability of the WIA to meet it's performance goals. One of the 17 performance standards (Customer Satisfaction) which the area must meet to remain certified is dependent on the ability and willingness of each the local partners to provide their services in a comprehensive, professional and courteous manner. The Local Workforce Investment Board administers the WIA Title-1 funds and contracts with the Title -1 service providers to supply services to WIA clients. In this manner the board can exert influence over the customer satisfaction rate for WIA clients. Even though continued WIA funding is dependent on the services provided by all partners, only the WIA Title - 1 service providers are directly accountable to the LWIB.
Partners
Southern 14 Workforce Investment Board, Inc.
Catholic Social Services
Frontier College
Illinois Department of Employment Security
Illinois Department of Human Services - Community Operations
Illinois Department of Human Services - Office of Rehabilitation Services
Illinois Migrant Council
Job Corps
Mid-5 Employment and Training, Inc.
Shawnee Community College
Shawnee Developent Council, Inc.
Southeastern Illinois College
Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market - SICCM
Wabash Area Development, Inc.
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