2021
WFWIB HIGHLIGHTS

WFWIB is an equal opportunity employer/program.
Axuiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

TABLE OF CONENTS:
Letter from the Executive Director	3
Engaging with the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Development Area	4
PA CareerLink® Day: Welcoming Employers & Job Seekers	5
Experience Works! PLUS: Supporting Workforce	6
EARN Program Makes Impact on Job Seeker's Life	7
WFWIB Utilize COVID-19 Grant to Support the Community & Its Partners	8
WFWIB Funded Drone Program Helps Students Soar	9
Innovative and Promising WFWIB Practices	10
2021 Achievements	11
About the WFWIB	13

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
As we entered 2021, it was clear that the challenges presented to us in 2020 were not going away. Fortunately, the WFWIB and its partners were able to adapt quickly and proficiently to virtual meetings, remote work, new internal processes, and more. However, 2021 presented unique challenges, especially ones that impacted workforce development. Specifically, employers were faced, and continue to face, staffing shortages, and participation in workforce development programs decreased. Despite these obstacles, the WFWIB moved through one of its busiest years to date to assist the Westmoreland- Fayette area in overcoming workforce difficulties.

This report highlights the successes and innovative practices achieved by WFWIB funded initiatives. More so, the WFWIB hopes that this report highlights the dedicated and driven youth, job seekers, employers, and partnering organizations in the local area. The WFWIB is proud of its achievements in engaging the public, assisting job seekers and employers through the PA CareerLink®, and supporting employers through internships   as they struggled to meet staffing needs.

The challenges faced in 2021 have only helped make the WFWIB a stronger workforce development board. As we enter 2022, we are excited for a year full of new and growing workforce development programs. Beyond programming, the WFWIB looks forward to new and continued partnerships that will support the local area as best as possible.

The Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board and its partners at the local PA CareerLink® centers are here to serve all job seekers and employers. We are committed more than ever to helping those impacted by the pandemic, those working towards self-sustaining careers, and those providing valuable career opportunities.

Janet Ward

As always, the WFWIB will continue its workforce development efforts until there is a job for every worker and a worker for every job.
Executive Director
Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board

3

ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ENGAGING WITH THE WESTMORELAND-FAYETTE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
The WFWIB recognizes the importance of effectively maintaining a channel of communication that engages the workforce development area, specifically its job seekers, employers, and partners. To do this, the WFWIB and its three PA CareerLink® centers implemented new initiatives such as growing its social media presence, hosting events, and building its brand to connect with stakeholders. Yet, two specific initiatives took place in 2021 that proved to be promising practices of strengthening the one-stop delivery system and improving the workforce development system.
To develop connections with job seekers and individuals, the WFWIB was supplied with an Unemployment Compensation (UC) Benefits Holder List by the PA Department of Labor and Industry in early January 2021. Specifically, this list provided information on individuals whose employment was impacted by the pandemic and UC Benefits would soon expire. For the WFWIB and its local PA CareerLink® centers, this signified a growing need for workforce development resources that could help individuals re-enter the workforce.
The WFWIB, in partnership with its PA CareerLink® centers, developed an outreach plan to target and assist these individuals. From January to April 2021, email, direct mailing postcards, personalized phones calls, and social media campaigns were utilized to spread the word of PA CareerLink® job seeker services. Following the initiative, Westmoreland-Fayette PA CareerLink® staff managed to connect with over 800 individuals to offer them information on services and provide referrals to available programs. Ultimately, the outreach initiative identified new best practices and improvements that help the Westmoreland-Fayette one-stop system better serve its job seeker customers.
To connect with its employers and partners, the WFWIB identified a new way to collect public input and enhance collaboration between the WFWIB and other entities. In early March 2021, the WFWIB held two individual public engagement sessions to collect public comments for its PY 2021-2024 WIOA Multi-Year Local Area Plan. These sessions were held
virtually over Zoom with one session dedicated to employers and the other dedicated to community partners and educators. In addition to individuals from the workforce development area, the engagement sessions welcomed WFWIB partners. Including workforce partners in the sessions created opportunities for them to hear the concerns
of the public and potentially offer relevant resources and information on current initiatives that could provide solutions to individuals’ current workforce challenges.

4

With an overall positive response, the engagement sessions proved to be a promising practice for the WFWIB to adopt. The engagement sessions provided opportunities for collaboration between the WFWIB, its partners, and the public to discuss workforce concerns and solutions to ultimately improve the delivery of workforce services and the workforce development system as a whole.
PA CAREERLINK® DAY: WELCOMING EMPLOYERS & JOB SEEKERS
Ensuring that the residents of the Westmoreland-Fayette workforce development area, and residents across the commonwealth, understand the services and resources available at their local PA CareerLink® center is a continuous mission and goal for the WFWIB and other Pennsylvania  workforce development boards. This mission and goal continue to be more important than ever as job seekers and employers attempt to recover from the pandemic. To assist workforce development boards in working towards this goal, the PA Department of Labor & Industry initiated a statewide PA CareerLink® Day to help employers reconnect with the workforce and to assist job seekers in identifying resources to help them re-enter the workforce or advance within their careers.
Excited with by this state-wide opportunity, Westmoreland-Fayette PA CareerLink® site administrators and their staff jumped into  action  by  developing PA CareerLink® Day activities, creating promotional materials to distribute in the area, connecting with local employers,  and  more  to  ensure that their PA CareerLink® Day would benefit both employers and job seekers      to the fullest extent. On Thursday, August 12, 2021, the Westmoreland-Fayette workforce development area’s three PA CareerLink® centers kicked off their events and began welcoming the community. PA CareerLink® Westmoreland County at Youngwood, PA CareerLink® Alle-Kiski, and PA CareerLink® Fayette County all hosted activities and provided resources that supported employers with hiring needs, job seekers looking  for  employment,  and  individuals  seeking more information on how the PA CareerLink® could
help them. Specifically, PA CareerLink® Day in the Westmoreland-
Fayette area allowed job seekers and employers to network and build relationships that sparked employment opportunities through job fairs, employer speakers, and on-the-spot hiring/interviews. Each PA CareerLink® center also provided additional activities including open houses and interactive activities to keep attendees engaged and interested in their local
center.
Collectively, the three Westmoreland- Fayette PA CareerLink® centers assisted 309 job seekers and welcomed 55 employers. These individuals benefitted not only from the workforce

5

development opportunities provided on PA CareerLink® Day, but they also developed relationships with their local PA CareerLink® that will continue to benefit them for years to come. Following the success of PA CareerLink® Day, Westmoreland-Fayette PA CareerLink® centers have found “job fair” centered events as valuable outreach activities. Job fairs, and the supportive activities involved, have proven to be successful methods of serving the community by creating an open environment for networking and improving the connections PA CareerLink® centers have with their customers. Overall, PA CareerLink® Day identified long-lasting opportunities for improvement for the PA CareerLink® one-stop center to better serve all customers, including job seekers and employers.

EXPERIENCE WORKS! PLUS: SUPPORTING WORKFORCE
2021 proved to be a challenging year for the nation, specifically for employers seeking to rebuild their workforce after navigating the challenges presented by the pandemic in 2020. With businesses returning to mostly-normal operations, finding staff to fulfill operation needs proved to be a new challenge for employers and business owners. Fortunately, the WFWIB and the Westmoreland-Fayette PA CareerLink® centers continued to provide local employers with workforce development services and programs. Specifically, the WFWIB received funding to host the fourth year of its successful Experience Works! PLUS Internship Program.
Experience Works! PLUS is designed by the WFWIB to make connections between post-secondary education students looking to gain relevant career experience and local employers looking for additional, skilled assistance in the form of an internship. The internships supported by the WFWIB’s Experience Works! PLUS assisted employers in implementing business improvements while also providing valuable work experience to post-secondary education students.
With high staffing needs across the Westmoreland-Fayette area, the WFWIB’s Experience Works! PLUS was implemented not a moment
too soon. Experience Works! PLUS enabled employers were provided with opportunities to build and develop their workforce and identify innovative methods for overcoming current workforce challenges as they received support from interns exploring their career interests. Being already over
a year into the pandemic, employers were now more familiar with providing remote internship opportunities and creating safe places in-office for interns to work. While
still encouraging employers to support internships and workforce development opportunities internally, the WFWIB designed Experience Works! PLUS to be a no-cost opportunity for employers, allowing for organizations of all sizes and

6

industries to apply.
“Short-term impacts [of the WFWIB’s Experience Works! PLUS] included the ability to move forward on projects that may have lingered without this support,” shared a 2021 Experience Works! PLUS employer. “Because of [these initiatives], there are long-term impacts for the agency and non-profit sector that will exist and thrive beyond this internship experience.”
The WFWIB’s Experience Works! PLUS engaged employers from seven unique industries and assisted twelve interns in gaining a paid internship opportunity. Utilizing its best practices identified during the 2020 program year of Experience Works! PLUS, the WFWIB continued to operate intern and worksite orientations virtually, distributed digital timesheets, and conducted virtual career readiness sessions. Not only did these best practices create ease for WFWIB staff as COVID-19 guidance shifted, but they also made employer participation easier in a time when every moment of the day counts.
Typically, the WFWIB promotes the success of its Experience Works! PLUS by portraying the impact it has made on the interns themselves. Yet, the WFWIB’s ability to engage Experience Works! PLUS employers, assist them in addressing their staffing challenges, and provide them with a relevant and valuable workforce program is the true accomplishment of Experience Works! PLUS 2021.

SUCCESS STORIES
EARN PROGRAM MAKES IMPACT ON JOB SEEKER'S LIFE
EARN, or Employment, Advancement, and Retention Network, Program was designed to assist welfare recipients with barriers to employment and create a stronger system of employment/training programs. Behind each EARN Program participant is the goal of gaining and maintaining self-sustaining employment.
T.M. (name has been shorted to protect this individual’s identity) began her EARN Program journey in 2004. She struggled with consistent participation and tended to take lower-paying jobs that could not sustain her long-term. In early 2020, T.M. re-enrolled into the EARN Program more open to intensive case management and career counseling. At this point in her life, T.M. was finally ready to find employment that was the right fit.
EARN Staff provided by the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/ Fayette, Inc. was quick to show her how training and education could help her become successful and self-sustaining. Through consistent care, case management, support, and career counseling, T.M.’s self-esteem began to
rise, and she soon enrolled in a Medical Billing/Coding course through Optum 360. T.M. completed the course and soon received a
full-time employment opportunity as a Patient Care Technician at Excela Health. Despite quitting many previous positions
at other organizations, T.M. maintained her employment with Excela Health. In July 2021 T.M. celebrated her one year with the

7

organization and received a raise. Having once struggled with supporting herself, T.M. is now working full-time at a leading Southwestern Pennsylvania healthcare provider with full benefits and is receiving a self-sustaining and livable wage. She is currently in the process of buying her own home for the first time.
T.M.’s success shows the positive impact that the EARN Program can have    on its participants. More so, the EARN Program holds the  capability  of drastically changing the lives of individuals with barriers, helping them realize their possibilities and reach their full potential.

WFWIB UTILIZE COVID-19 GRANT TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY & ITS PARTNERS
From May 2020 to September 2021, the WFWIB partnered with its local community action agencies to utilize the National Dislocated Worker Disaster Recovery Grant for COVID-19 to support temporary employment for 11 individuals. As a result of the pandemic and the growing need for support in the community, these individuals fulfilled the agencies’ increased staffing needs related to emergency assistance programs, human resources, food  bank warehouse operations, and more. Participants were assigned positions based on both the agencies’ needs and the participants’ skills and interests. This model not only supported the agencies themselves, but it also supported the participants in gaining career experience and supported members of the Westmoreland-Fayette community.
As the participants’ temporary employment took place during the initial events of the pandemic and throughout the following year, access to food for members of the Westmoreland-Fayette community was a great need. The temporary employment positions provided by this opportunity better enabled the agencies to serve their community and prevent continuous struggles for 16,000 hungry families.
Those selected for the temporary employment opportunities were required to be eligible and have current barriers to long-term employment.
During their temporary employment, participants were provided with supportive services, such as food, soft skills development, pre-employment life skills education, and housing services.
Additionally, case management helped participants with budgeting and financial literacy, which was especially beneficial for those struggling between paychecks.
Routine on-site and individual appointments with case managers were scheduled to assess the
participants' status and identify any barriers that may deter their next steps in obtaining meaningful employment.
One of the participants was very vocal in expressing her appreciation for the moral support provided during her

8

temporary employment and the opportunity to simply gain income while determining her next steps. For her, the supportive aspect was her most valued part of the experience. Another participant was promoted to a more permanent position at an agency and received a pay increase. Although disappointed by her departure, her supervisor noted that her success was celebrated and that it was in the best interest of her personal and professional goals to move one to a stronger career.
Overall, two individuals received a permanent position with the agencies and two received forklift training to be hired full-time. The WFWIB is proud that its partnership with the community action agencies benefitted the agencies, the participants, and the Westmoreland-Fayette community as a whole.

WFWIB FUNDED DRONE PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS SOAR
Providing the future workforce with relevant and innovative skills is essential to growing the Westmoreland-Fayette workforce and economy. Youth programs provide essential opportunities for youth to grow their employable skills and find promising career paths to follow.
In 2021 the WFWIB funded a WIOA Youth program, provided by the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. (PIC), that provided 14 low- income students with the opportunity to gain  a  drone  education.  The  students, ages 16 to 18, received both classroom and online instruction, as well as 45 hours of paid hands-on training, to understand  how  to  properly  fly drones and their uses. Additionally, students were paired with local businesses   in the form of a paid work experience for a real-world application of their new skills. In addition to the education and training students received, the program provided drones to each student and covered  the  expenses  relating  to  studying and taking the required drone pilot licensing test. Several students earned industry-recognized credentials and training.
Before concluding the program, students put their skills to the test at PIC’s Drone Education Showcase. Students were required to display their drone flying abilities by navigating their drones through an obstacle
course. This event welcomed the program participants’ parents/guardians, program staff, and local news outlets to see what the students had learned.
“[The program] gives these kids a competitive edge as our workforce evolves. We’re really excited about what it does for these families and the prosperity it brings to the community. Hopefully, these kids will stay local
and add to our community  growth,” shared Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Shujuane Martin.
The WFWIB has approved funding for an additional year of PIC’s Drone

9

Program and is looking forward to another year of students gaining innovative career experience and earning recognized industry credentials.

INNOVATIVE & PROMOSING WFWIB PRACTICES
With many of the WFWIB’s innovative and promising practices of 2020 focusing on the creation of virtual meeting spaces for external processes and overcoming initial challenges presented by the pandemic, 2021 focused more on the digitization of internal processes.
For instance, the WFWIB has moved to completely digital purchasing orders, contracts, records, and other practices. Similarly, the WFWIB has utilized virtual meeting spaces, such as Teams, for staff to stay distanced and keep in-office practices safe. While the WFWIB had plans to digitize processes before the pandemic, the pandemic created an environment in which the WFWIB was forced to drastically advance its processes. Despite the suddenness of this immediate shift, moving to a more digital-based system has greatly improved the efficiency of operations and has made accessing and sharing documents simpler. The WFWIB has also created and identified digital best practices for its partners and fellow workforce development boards to utilize.
The Westmoreland-Fayette PA CareerLink® centers were additionally presented with an internal challenge as a result of the pandemic: effectively and safely serving all customers from the area. As mentioned, internet access continues to be a major problem for rural residents. These individuals cannot regularly access online PA CareerLink® services or information. Likewise, traveling to a PA CareerLink® center introduces transportation barriers and health concerns for those at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. To combat this, Westmoreland-Fayette PA CareerLink® centers have initiated mobile centers that travel to more remote and rural areas. Basing these mobile centers at community libraries, PA CareerLink® staff are available to provide residents with information on services and programs that they would not have access to otherwise. Staff additionally provide free career development such as job search assistance, resume development, education information, and more to those that are interested.

10

2021 ACHIEVEMENTS
AWARDED GRANTS
WIOA Statewide Activities Grant
In partnership with the Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board
Amount awarded: $70,000.00 ($35,000.00 for the WFWIB)
Source: PA Dept. of Labor & Industry
This funding supports the Healthcare Employment Ecosystem project designed to convene healthcare providers from the region. During convenings, industry needs and challenges are addressed, strategies to implement training for individuals facing barriers are developed, and the local workforce development boards identify areas of greatest need.
Business Education Partnership (BEP)
Westmoreland County focus
Amount awarded: $300,000.00
Source: Richard King Mellon Foundation
The WFWIB's BEP initiative under the Richard King Mellon Foundation will provide career awareness and readiness activities that engage students, educators, businesses, and parents/guardians in Westmoreland County.
Teacher In the Workplace (TIW)
Westmoreland County focus
Amount awarded: $200,000.00
Source: Richard King Mellon Foundation
The WFWIB's TIW initiative under the RK Mellon Foundation will provide Westmoreland County K-12 educators and local HPO businesses with the opportunity to discuss relevant industry and education needs. Additionally, it will immerse educators in the current ongoings and operations of local businesses to support them in curriculum development and making connections between classroom learning and the workforce.
Healthcare Industry  Partnership Amount awarded: $137,044.50 Source: PA Dept. of Labor & Industry
The Westmoreland-Fayette Healthcare IP will ensure an increase in regional collaboration among healthcare industry businesses and fellow community organizations to develop solutions to crucial healthcare needs and challenges.
Manufacturing Industry Partnership Amount awarded: $142,444.50 Source: PA Dept. of Labor & Industry
The Westmoreland-Fayette Manufacturing IP will ensure an increase in regional collaboration among manufacturing industry businesses and fellow community organizations to develop solutions to crucial manufacturing needs and challenges.

11

AWARDED GRANTS CONTINUED
Business Education Partnership
Westmoreland-Fayette Business Education Partnership (WF-BEP)
Amount awarded: $150,000.00
Source: PA Dept. of Labor & Industry
WF-BEP will provide career awareness and readiness activities that engage students, educators, businesses, and parents/guardians in Westmoreland and Fayette counties.

Healthy Communities Grant
WFWIB's Youth Re-Entry Program
Amount awarded: $27,694.00
Source: Community Foundation of Westmoreland County
The Youth Re-Entry Program will utilize funding to continue serving 16- to 25-year-old Westmoreland County residents that were incarcerated/subjected to the juvenile justice system and are living at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. This program will create a structured support system for youth within and young adults aging out of the juvenile justice system and having to navigate re-entry.
WAGE CHANGES
Approved at the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Development Board's December Board Meeting, both Individual Training Account (ITA) wages and the Self-Sufficiency wage have been increased.
ITA participants may receive up to $8,000.00 for Eligible Training Provider List programs.
The Self-Sufficiency wage is now $13.00 per hour.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
For the 2020-2021 program year, the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board, and other local workforce development boards from across the commonwealth, met or exceeded the WIOA performance measures.

12

ABOUT THE WFWIB:
The Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board (WFWIB) is a business, education, and community Board that is empowered to lead workforce development activities in Fayette and Westmoreland counties. As a workforce development leader, the WFWIB serves Westmoreland and Fayette county residents and local employers who are active members of the local labor force.

The WFWIB coordinates and oversees dozens of workforce development programs and training/education opportunities pertaining to individuals as young as elementary school to as mature as adults. PA CareerLink® centers within Westmoreland and Fayette counties are overseen by the WFWIB in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

WEBSITE:
Let the WFWIB’s website be your primary source of information regarding most recent news on new programs, funding awards, and WFWIB and community events. Click here to visit our website today.

PRESS RELEASES:
In the event of a major program, new WFWIB staff hire, or change in operations, the WFWIB     will publish a press releases to share details of the development. To view published press releases, click here.

NEWSLETTERS:
The WFWIB releases bi-monthly newsletters to update the community, board, and internal staff on WFWIB workforce development activities  and operations. To view published newsletter, click here. To join the WFWIB mailing list and receive newsletters automatically, click here.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
The WFWIB utilizes social media to share new and developing events immediately with the public, connect with audiences, and build relationships around the WFWIB brand. The WFWIB is always looking for success stories or exciting news regarding WFWIB funded programs to share on its social media. If you think you have an interesting
update, please do not hesitate to reach out to Josie Kuhn at jkuhn@westfaywib.org. To visit our social media pages, click the links and  icons below!