What is the WIB?
WIB stands for Workforce Investment Board… A group of executives from businesses, unions, schools, universities, and social services who oversee the Northern Tier region’s job training and placement programs.

According to federal law (the Workforce Investment Act of 1998), every workforce investment area must have a Workforce Investment Board in charge of its jobs programs. This law:

• Envisions WIBs as “local business-led boards focusing on strategic planning, policy development and oversight of the local workforce investment system”
• Sets limitations on the authority of WIBs to operate program

What does the WIB do?
The Northern Tier WIB oversees policy for workforce development and . . . Leads the strategic planning process…

• Develops a five-year strategic plan
• Coordinates workforce investment with economic development strategies
• Promotes private sector involvement in the statewide workforce investment system

Oversees CareerLink, employment, training, and youth activities (under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act)…

• Charters sites for Team Pennsylvania CareerLink "One-Stop" employment office
• Negotiates formal memoranda with "One-Stop" CareerLink partners
• Selects CareerLink operators and youth service providers
• Establishes eligibility and priority for CareerLink services when funding is limited
• Negotiates performance standards
• Certifies eligible training providers
• Establishes an "individualized training account" policy
• Sets criteria for delivery and receipt of training services that meet labor market needs but maximize customer choice
• Appoints the Youth Council

Works with the Local Management Committee (LMC) to oversee welfare and welfare-to-work programs (TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Welfare-to-Work, and SPOC Single Point of Contact). The WIB advises the LMC about employers’ job needs and labor shortages, so the Local Management Council can develop effective training programs.

What is the LMC?
The LMC is a committee comprised of the major organizations that manages and directs the local operation of welfare programs. The voting members of the LMC must be decision-making level representatives from the following agencies: The LWIA fiscal agent, the CAO, The Bureau of Workforce Development Partnership, a local education agency, and the local economic development agency.

About the Local Plan...
The WIB must develop a comprehensive strategic plan – called the Local Plan -- and submit it to the Governor. This Local Plan must

• Identify workforce needs and opportunities and the job skills necessary
• Describe the "One-Stop" delivery system
• Describe local level of performance
• Describe and assess adult and dislocated worker employment and training activities
• Describe how the WIB will coordinate with the statewide rapid response system
• Describe and assess youth employment and training activities
• Describe the process for public comment and input into the plan
• Identify the fiscal agent responsible for dispersal of grant funds and the competitive process used to award grants and contracts

A state-wide network of CareerLink Centers . . .

• Modern, government-funded "One-Stop" employment offices that bring together all the county, state, and federal agencies for workforce development in one, convenient location. Each County (or workforce investment area) has at least one CareerLink. In the Northern Tier Region, the CareerLink offices are located in Towanda, Dushore, Wellsboro, Tunkhannock, and Great Bend.

CareerLink on the Web…

• An online jobs database that brings together employers and job seekers. Employers can post jobs. Job seekers can search these job listings for work.

The Northern Tier Region's CareerLink

• Helps job seekers find - and keep - good jobs
• Helps job seekers use up-to-date technology (the web, the PC) in their job searches
• Helps employers find, train, and keep productive employees
• Ensures that Northern Tier jobs get posted in the "online" CareerLink - Pennsylvania's jobs database on the web

CarrerLink:

Note: Pennsylvania's official state site, www.state.pa.us, contains a wealth of information about Workforce Development. For detailed information on Pennsylvania policy relating to the services and eligibility criteria under the Workforce Investment Act and the certification process for eligible training programs and providers, visit the state's workforce resource at www.paworkforce.state.pa.us. Click on WIA info. Notices 1-99, 2-99, 3-99 and 4-99. For the list of statewide eligible training providers, visit www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us. To learn more about the state's Department of Labor and Industry, visit www.dli.state.pa.us.

What is the Youth Council?
Executives from industry, education, and social services who:

• Coordinate local youth activities
• Recommend eligible youth providers
• Oversee the Youth Program
• Develop the portion of the WIB's Local Plan related to youth
• The WIB appoints the Youth Council as a subgroup to the WIB.

The Youth Council links educational institutions such as high schools, alternative schools, childcare agencies, vocational programs, and two and four-year post-secondary institutions and other youth service providers in the community.

How are Youth Council members selected?
The Youth Council must include WIB members (educators and others with interest and expertise) and representatives from

• Service agencies, such as juvenile justice and local law enforcement
• Local public housing authorities
• Job Corps representatives (if applicable)
• Parents of eligible youth
• Individuals (including former participants) who represent organizations with experience in youth activities

What is the Youth Program?
The youth program is a federally funded program that provides eligible youth assistance in achieving academic and employment success.

What does the Youth Program Do?

• Identifies and supports at-risk youth to stay in school
• Assists out-of-school youth in obtaining a GED
• Provides year-round education and employment opportunities

What Services are available through the Youth Program?

• Tutoring and instruction leading to a high school diploma
• Alternative secondary school offerings
• Summer employment
• Paid and unpaid work experiences
• Occupational skills training
• Leadership development activities
• Supportive services
• Adult mentoring
• Follow up services
• Comprehensive guidance and counseling

Who Qualifies?
Economically disadvantaged youth who are 14 to 21 years of age and who have at least one barrier to employment.

What is the Healthcare Advisory Group?
Healthcare is the largest employer in the Northern Tier Region, employing more than 7,000 individuals. This industry is facing a severe shortage of professional and non-professional personnel. The Northern Tier Workforce Investment Board formed the Healthcare Advisory Group to explore this issue and create a plan to solve the workforce issue in the long term.

The Healthcare Advisory Group is made up of representatives from area hospitals, assisted living facilities, public schools, alternative schools, home health agencies, colleges, and WIA Title 1 providers.

The Healthcare Advisor Group’s goal is to educate the general community, parents, and teachers about the opportunities available in the healthcare field.

What are the Regional Industry Clusters?
The Northern Tier Workforce Investment Board aims to align resources in order to resolve the workforce skill gaps of local industries thus enhancing their competitive advantage and producing additional high skill, high pay, high demand jobs.

Utilizing industry cluster information, the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission is focusing workforce and economic development efforts and funding on those industry clusters providing a significant and long-term impact to the region’s economy.

By following set standards, we have selected four industry clusters as the initial groups to focus upon as a region and agency.

• Healthcare
• Diversified Manufacturing
• Lumber and Wood Products
• Construction