Berkshire County Workforce Development Business Plan

Fiscal Year 2013 Executive Summary

The Berkshire County Regional Employment Board, Inc. (BCREB) with the agreement of the Chief Elected Official, Mayor Daniel Bianchi of Pittsfield is required to prepare a Fiscal Year 2013Workforce Development Business Plan for Berkshire County. This planning document articulates the region’s priorities and workforce development strategies and revisits the broad scope of how the Workforce Investment Act system will be coordinated with other systems providing employment and training services to improve services for both job seekers and employers.

For FY13, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development is requiring that the plan include a narrative of services, performance and participant planning forms and the budget for how funds will be allocated. The comprehensive plan can be found after June 7, 2012 on the BCREB website and includes an analysis of the local labor market, detailed performance measures and goals, the integrated budget for the Career Center System and a full description of service strategies and partnerships.

The Chief Elected Official and the BCREB are seeking public comment on the proposed plan.Interested parties may submit written comments regarding this document to the BCREB by July 6th, 2012in order to be included with the plan. All questions or comments should be directed to Heather Boulger at (413) 442-7177 or email at .

WIA FY13Allocations

Grant Source / Berkshire County FY13 / Berkshire County FY12 / Difference
Adult / $255,690 / $249,879 / +$5,811/2.3%
Dislocated Worker / $378,049 / $440,225 / -$62,176 /14%
Youth / $292,303 / $287,077 / +$5,226 /1.8%
Wagner Peyser 10% / $18,432 / $23,686 / -$5,254 /2.1%
Wagner Peyser 90% / $212,913 / $213,170 / -$257 /.2%
State One-Stop Allocation / $127,941 *PENDING / $127,941 / 0
Total LWIB / $1,285,328 / $1,341,978 / -$56,650 /4.2%

The state line item monies are just an estimate at this time as the state budget is being finalized and the final allocations to the region are not yet known.

Berkshire County experienced a slight increase in federal WIA funding for FY13.

The Berkshire County Individual Training Accounts will be capped at $2,500. On-the-job training will be capped at $3,500.

Below are the performance goals based on current goals and are subject to change.

Title I Adults:Approximately 80 adults will be served in FY13. Goal of 60 participants to enter training. 60% will obtain a certificate/credential.

Proposed Performance Goals:

  • Entered employment rate:72%
  • Employment retention rate79%
  • Employment & certificate/credential rate60%
  • Average Earnings Gain$9,750

Title I Dislocated Workers:Approximately 150dislocated workers will be served in FY13. Goal of 85 participants entering training.60% will obtain certificate/credential.

Proposed Performance Goals:

  • Entered employment rate:75%
  • Employment retention rate86%
  • Average Earnings Gain$16,000

Title I Youth Programs:Approximately 65 youth will be served in FY13

Proposed Performance Goals:

  • Entered employment rate:74%
  • Degree or certificate attainment61%
  • Literacy Numeracy Gain25%

Key services to in-school youth are dropout prevention; academic support; career and leadership development; work experience; and case management services that link youth to other community resources and youth partnering agencies. Primary outcomes for in-school youth are successful completion of high school with a transition to employment and/or post secondary education and attainment of a degree or certificate/credential.

Key services to out-of-school youth include programs that raise educational attainment levels and provide academic support; occupational skills development; career and leadership development; work experience; and case management services that link youth to other community resources and youth partnering agencies. The primary outcomes for out-of school youth are transition to employment and/or post-secondary education, attainment of a degree or certificate/credential and literacy/numeracy gains.

Wagner-Peyser:

Approximately 4,390individuals will receive labor exchange services in FY13

Approximately 390employers will be served with320 listings job orders.

Entered employment rate61%

Employment Retention rate81%

Average Earnings$16,400