WIOA (Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act) is a landmark legislation that is designed to strengthen and improve our nation's public workforce system and to help Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers, as well as help employers hire and retain skilled workers.
WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services needed to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult is a federally funded program that serves individuals and helps employers meet their workforce needs. This program enables workers to obtain good jobs by providing them with job search assistance and training opportunities.
WIOA establishes a priority requirement with respect to funds allocated to a local area for adult employment and training activities.
Adult eligibility:
18+ years old
Low Income Individual
(Automatic indicators include receiving SNAP, TANF, Homeless, receiving SSI, etc)
See Income Guidelines
Services available under WIOA Adult are:
Work Experience
Essentially a paid internship that we pay the participant's wages and cover their workman's compensation for 300 hours to help the client get necessary work skill, soft skill, and experience in a career field they are interested in.
Supportive Services
(assist with items needed directly linked to the success of their education and/or employment)
College or VoTech Tuition Assistance
On-the-Job Training
An employer hires the participant and we reimburse 50% of the participant's wages to the employer while they train them on the job (in their desired career field). This can be up to 1040 hours, depending on the SVP level of the job.
Career Planning & Retention
Resume Building
Budgeting & Managing Resources
Etc
The Dislocated Worker program is designed to help workers get back to work as quickly as possible and overcome barriers to employment. When individuals become dislocated workers as a result of job loss, mass layoffs, global trade dynamics, or transitions in economic sectors, the Dislocated Worker program provides services to assist them in re-entering the workforce.
This program provides significant resources to implement workforce education, training, and employment programs and help displaced workers.
Dislocated Worker Eligibility:
Ages 18+
Terminated or laid off from employment, including separation notice from active military service (under other than dishonorable)?
Eligible for UI AND unlikely to return to previous occupation or industry?
Terminated or laid off or received notification of and not eligible for UI due to insufficient earnings or is cannot receive UI because the employer was not covered under a state unemployment compensation law?AND Unlikely to return to previous occupation or industry?
Terminated or laid off as a result of any permanent closure of or any substantial lay off at a plant, facility, or enterprise?
Employed at a facility at which the employer has made a general announcement that they will be closing the facility within 180 days?
Self-employed but unemployed as a result of general economic conditions in the community in which you reside or because of natural disaster?
(including farmers, ranchers, or fishermen)
An individual who has been providing unpaid service to family members in the home AND who has been dependent on the income of another family member but is no longer supported by that income?
OR
Dependent Spouse of a military member on active duty that is deployed or called to active duty AND you are unemployed and/or underemployed and experience difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment?
Spouse of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty and has experienced a loss of employment due to relocation to accommodate a permanent change in duty station?
Spouse of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty who is underemployed or experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment?
Services available under WIOA DW are:
Work Experience
Essentially a paid internship that we pay the participant's wages and cover their workman's compensation for 300 hours to help the client get necessary work skill, soft skill, and experience in a career field they are interested in.
Supportive Services
(assist with items needed directly linked to the success of their education and/or employment)
College or VoTech Tuition Assistance
On-the-Job Training
An employer hires the participant and we reimburse 50% of the participant's wages to the employer while they train them on the job (in their desired career field). This can be up to 1040 hours, depending on the SVP level of the job.
Career Planning & Retention
Resume Building
Budgeting & Managing Resources
Etc
WIOA Youth is a federally funded program built to empower youth and foster a modern workforce.
WIOA Youth is for individuals between the ages of 16-24 years of age, both in-school and out-of-school and assists with a variety of barriers.
The purpose of WIOA Youth program is to help young adults to overcome barriers that hinder them from being successful.
WIOA Youth program is in place to encourage responsibility, accountability, and self-sufficiency.
In-School Youth Eligibility:
Attending or promised to a school
(high school, homeschool, or college)
Age 16-21
In-School Youth must be low income + a barrier to be eligible
Low income for Youth is defined a few different ways:
Receiving Free/Reduced Lunches (not school wide) OR
In a household that receives food stamps OR
Live in a high poverty area (25% or higher) OR
Meets the HHS or LLSIL low income guidelines (see income guidelines)
Do any of these barriers apply?
Basic Skill Deficient
Offender
Homeless (automatic low income)
Runaway
Individual with a disability (= family of 1)
[I.E: Learning Disability, Dyslexia, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Autism, Etc]
In or Aged out of Foster Care (= family of 1)
Pregnant (women only)
Parenting
English Language Learner
(English is not the youth's primary language)
WIOA Youth programs offer these services:
Incentives
(to motivate participants to maintain good grades and obtain their HS diploma)
Supportive Services
(assist with items needed directly linked to the success of their education and/or employment)
Work Experience
Essentially a paid internship that we pay their wages and cover the workman's compensation for 320 hours to help the youth get necessary work skill, soft skill, and experience in a career field they are interested in
Career Planning & Job Retention
Provide interview etiquette, resume preparation, create a cover letter, etc prior to work experience placement
College or Vo Tech Tuition Assistance
Leadership Development
Resume Development
Budgeting & Managing Resources
On-the-Job Training-
An employer hires on the participant and we reimburse 50% of the participant's wages to the employer while they train them on the job (in their desired career field). This can be up to 1040 hours, depending on the SVP level of the job.
WIOA Youth is a federally funded program built to empower youth and foster a modern workforce.
WIOA Youth is for individuals between the ages of 16-24 years of age, both in-school and out-of-school and assists with a variety of barriers.
The purpose of WIOA Youth program is to help young adults to overcome barriers that hinder them from being successful.
WIOA Youth program is in place to encourage responsibility, accountability, and self-sufficiency.
Out-of-School Eligibility:
Age 16-24
Not attending or promised to any school
Do any of these barriers apply?
High School Dropout (see Youth Access Program tab)
Low Income who is Basic Skill Deficient
Low income is defined a few different ways
(In a household that receives food stamps OR Live in a high poverty area (25% or higher) OR Meets the HHS or LLSIL low income guidelines)
Offender
Homeless (automatic low income)
Runaway
Individual with a disability (= family of 1)
[I.E: Learning Disability, Dyslexia, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Autism, Etc]
In or Aged out of Foster Care (= family of 1)
Pregnant (women only)
Parenting
Compulsory Attendance
(someone that was supposed to be in school but did not attend the last calendar quarter , this makes the youth an out-of-school youth)
WIOA Youth programs offer these services:
Incentives
(To motivate participants to complete their education or training -Examples: Completion of Post-Secondary Certificate, Obtaining HiSET, etc)
Supportive Services
(assist with items needed directly linked to the success of their education and/or employment)
Work Experience
Essentially a paid internship that we pay their wages and cover the workman's compensation for 320 hours to help the youth get necessary work skill, soft skill, and experience in a career field they are interested in
Career Planning & Job Retention
Provide interview etiquette, resume preparation, create a cover letter, etc prior to work experience placement
College or Vo Tech Tuition Assistance
Leadership Development
Resume Development
Budgeting & Managing Resources
On-the-Job Training-
An employer hires on the participant and we reimburse 50% of the participant's wages to the employer while they train them on the job (in their desired career field). This can be up to 1040 hours, depending on the SVP level of the job.
Access to a better, brighter future and get paid to do it!
Who is Eligible?
Young adults ages 16-24 years of age that have dropped out of high school
What is Youth Access?
Youth Access is a program designed to encourage completion of your secondary education and success in the workforce. Youth Access participants earn an hourly wage while working towards their HiSET, and have the opportunity to simultaneously work in a paid internship to gain soft skill and experience in a career of interest.
What if I already have a job?
That is okay! You can still take advantage of this opportunity to earn, while you learn!
How much will I get paid?
Youth Access participants earn $13/hr for each hour of AEL classes attended.
What other opportunities are available to Youth Access Participants?
·Received a $25 incentive payment each time you increase in performance levels
·Obtaining your Hiset = $100 for you
·Access to Supportive Services
·Access Case management to ensure personal needs are met and barriers are resolved
·Access to funding to attend vocational Training or college
How do I start?
Call Paula, Youth Access Coordinator!
(417) 664-7681
70% Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL) Guidelines for 2022
Non-Metropolitan Missouri
(Audrain, Camden, Cooper, Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Howard, Laclede, Maries, Miller, Morgan, Pulaski, and Washington)
Family Size/ Annual Household Income:
1: $11,375
2: $18,625
3: $25,572
4: $31,566
5: $37,259
6: $43,572
For each family member more than 6, add $6,313.
Other Missouri MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas)
(Boone, Callaway, Cole, Moniteau, and Osage counties)
1: $11,819
2: $19,374
3: $26,591
4: $32,827
5: $38,737
6: $45,311
For each family member more than 6, add $6,574.
2022 Health and Human Services (HHS) Poverty Guidelines
Persons in Family/ Annual Income Poverty Guidelines
1: $15,060
2: $20,440
3: $25,820
4: $31,200
5: $36,580
6: $41,960
7: $47,340
8: $52,720
For families with more than 8 persons, add $5,380 for each additional person.
The 2024 HHS Poverty Guidelines are effective January 11, 2024. They were published in the Federal Register, Volume 89, Number 11, Pages 2961-2963, January 17, 2024.
Success Stories
Jesse had a dream to work in the world of fitness, but needed assistance getting there. With the help of the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act Out-of-School Youth Program, Jesse was able to complete his Bachelor’s of Science in Athletic Training at Central Methodist University. After graduation, the Lebanon Job Center placed him in a work experience program at The Gym 24/7. The owners were so impressed with Jesse, they hired him full-time.
Bachelor’s of Science in Athletic Training Completed 320 hours of hands-on training
At the age of 20, Kasen was studying to be a nurse and working in hospitality while also expecting her first child. She decided to put her education on hold due to the overwhelming stress of nursing school and pregnancy. Through the Lebanon Job Center and the Out-of-School Youth program, she found her passion, got a job in social services with benefits, re-engaged in college after the birth of her daughter, and even bought a house!
Degree in Social Services at Ozark Technical Community College Hired Full-Time with the State of Missouri
As an english language learner with limited employment history, Rodrigo struggled to secure employment in the career he was passionate about - Marine Technology. Through tuition assistance and support from the WIOA In-School Youth program, Rodrigo was able to complete his training and is ecstatic to be working full-time at Fresh Water Marine.
Completed the Marine Technology Program through the Lake Career & Technology Center