ISTEP & OJT Services Procedure

Overview

The Individualized Services Training and Employment Plan (ISTEP) is a training plan taught by an employer that details the specific skills that a WIOA OJT Trainee will be taught while employed on a full-time job. This training outline is developed on the On-the-Job (OJT) Agreement Excel document by a Delegate Agency business representative and with information from the employer. The OJT Agreement Excel document has four main tabs: DATA, Sections 1 thru 4, Job Title, Concurrence and ISTEPwith all of these tabs being repeated (except Sections 1 thru 4) when more than one job title is entered on the agreement.(Information is entered in the DATA tab to complete an OJT Agreement for an eligible employer. This information then populates throughout Sections 1 thru 4, Job Title, Concurrence and ISTEP for each job title the OJT Agreement holds.) Forthe purpose of developing an ISTEP, it should be noted that some information is entered in the DATA tab and other information is completed directly on theISTEP by going to theISTEP tab.

  1. The ISTEP can detail up to 9 skills that the WIOA OJT Trainee will learn and provides a start and planned end date for the completion of the entire plan. Each skill outlines how many hours of training are planned and indicates how performance is measured and assessed. The ISTEP is utilized by all signers (Delegate Agency (OJT broker);OJT Trainee and Employer) for follow up as well as processing the OJT reimbursement upon completion or termination of the training plan.
  1. Sample of current hardcopy ISTEP Excel document:

Navigation

Once the hardcopy ISTEP is reviewed and signed on the upper left hand corner by the OJT Broker Manager, the ISTEP Service can be created in Career Connect via the Activities/Enrollments/Services section within the registered customer’s WIOA application page.

Note: Once the ISTEP Service has been opened and closed, an OJT Service can be entered.

Background information on developing the ISTEP

  1. Pre-development phase – not in Career Connect.

The business representative and employer meet to discuss and/or finalize the OJT Agreement. While drawing up the agreement, information is entered on the DATA tab of the OJT Agreement. The following shows the first fields where the essential skills that the employer requires in a candidate are entered:Description of Skills to be Acquired,Performance Indicator, Assessment Method, and Planned Hours to achieve training goal. Up to 9 skills can be entered and are numbered as a Skill #1 through #9 as the user scrolls down.

  • For Skill #1, data entered on the right in lines 58 -61 from above populates throughout the OJT Agreement where appropriate and specifically onto the ISTEP in the respective fields noted in the example below:
  1. ISTEP and Career Connect Data Entry Phase

When the employer selects a WIOA customer and OJT is deemed a suitable business service, the business representative goes directly to the ISTEP tab of the OJT Agreement Excel document to enter the Trainee Name, SSN, OJTStart Date, Funding Source, Employment Goal, Existing Skills and Adjusted Hours.

Note: The ISTEP will automatically calculate a Planned End Date and Potential Adj. Hrs. Reimbursement after this information is entered. The Reimb. % and Hourly Wage will automatically populate when entered on the DATAtab.

  1. Once the ISTEP for a WIOA registered customer has been reviewed and signed by the OJT Broker’s Manager, a Delegate Agency staff person must begin entering data in Career Connectfollowing the steps below.

Career Connect ISTEP Service Procedures

User signs-in and finds the WIOA registered customer’s application to create an ISTEP Service.

  1. In the Activities/Enrollments/Services section, click on Create Activity/Service/Enrollment link to enter the new service.
  2. Go to General Information section and ensure it is complete.
  3. Go to the Enrollment Information section.
  • For the Service Activity Levelfieldselect Career Services(Adult/DW) or Work Related Services (Youth) from the drop down box.
  • Find theActivity Code field and click on theSelect Activity Code link.
  • Select activity code 221 Individualized Services & Training Plan (ISTEP)for OJT (Formerly SATO) –Same Day Service(for Adult/Dislocated Worker) oractivity code 428 Individualized Services & Training Plan (ISTEP)for OJT (Formerly SATO) –Same Day Service(for Youth).
  • The OJT Broker Management Signature Date on the ISTEP is used as both the service Actual Begin Date and Projected End Date in Career Connect.

Note: An ISTEP Service is opened and closed on the same day since this considered a Same Day Service. Also note that the ISTEP Service displays as “Career Planning” in IWDS.

  1. Complete the rest of the screen under State Specific Information and Staff sections and click Next.

  1. Go to the Enrollment Service Provider Information section.
  • Select the Providerfield with the appropriate OJT Broker’s information.
  • For the Service, Course or Contract field, click the Select Service, Course or Contract link to choose Office Services.
  • Select Provider Locations field (and Contacts field, if applicable) with the appropriate OJT Broker’s information.
  • The Occupational Training Code field stays as Not Applicable.
  • Scroll down and click Next.

  1. Go to the Closure Information section.
  • Since the ISTEP Service is a Same Day Service, enter the OJT Broker Management Signature Datefrom the ISTEPas the Last Activity Date field and use the drop down next toCompletion Code to chooseSuccessful.
  • Go to the Add a Case Note link to documentthat the ISTEP was created and approved by appropriate the Delegate Agency staff person and the employer.
  • Save the Case Note.
  • Scroll down and click theFinish buttonto save the ISTEP service activity.

Career Connect OJT Service Procedures

Once the actual OJT start date occurs, the user can enter the OJT Service in Career Connect.

Note: This OJT Start Date may be different then the hire date in cases when the OJT starts shortly after the first day of work. For example, this can happen when the OJT Trainee has an employee orientation during the first week and then starts OJT.

  1. Go back Activities/Enrollments/Services section and click on Create Activity/Service/Enrollment link to enter the OJT Service.
  2. Go to General Information section and ensure it is complete.
  3. Go to the Enrollment Information section.
  • For the Service Activity Levelfield select Training Services (Adult/Dislocated Worker) or Work Related Services (Youth) from the drop down box.
  • Find the Activity Code field and click on Select Activity Code link.
  • Selectactivity code 301 Private Sector OJT (for Adult/Dislocated Worker) or activity code 443 Private Sector OJT (for Youth).

  1. The dates entered in Career Connect for Actual Begin Date and Projected End Datewill match with the ISTEP’s OJT Start Date and Planned End Date.
  • Complete the rest of the screen and clickNext.
  1. Complete the rest of the screens under State Specific Information and Staff sections and clickNext.
  1. Go to the Enrollment Service Provider Information section.
  • Select the Providerfield with the appropriate OJT Broker’s information.
  • For the Service, Course or Contract field, click the Select Service, Course or Contract link to choose OJT Services.
  • Select Provider Locations field (and Contacts field, if applicable) with the appropriate OJT Broker’s information.
  • Find the Occupational Training Code field and click the Occupational Training Code link to enter or find the ONET code as noted on the ISTEP.
  1. Go to the Worksite Information section and complete as per the Employer Information on the hard copy ISTEP.

Note: Staff should enter the OJT Job in the WIOA Employment bar as well to track it as a placement.

  • Scroll down and clickNext.
  1. Go to the Enrollment Cost Information section and complete.
  • Find Wage, Wage Type, Duration and Wage Reimbursement Rate and enter datadirectly from hardcopy ISTEP. Career Connect will automatically calculate the total costs. See below example:
  • Total OJT Wage Costs in Career Connectshould match the ISTEP’s Potential Adj. Hrs. Reimbursement field. However in some cases, Total OJT Wage Costs in Career Connect will not match your hardcopy ISTEP since Career Connect calculates wage at three decimals places. However this is a non-issue at this time since Career Connect is not being utilized to tally OJT obligated funds.
  1. Skip throughFinancial Aid, Enrollment Budget, and Budget Planningsections by clickingNext.
  1. Go to the Closure Information section.
  • Click Add a new Case Note link. See below the screen that pops up and a sample case note. Enter the case note and click Save.
  • Since the user will not be closing the OJT Service at this time, scroll down and click Finish.
  • Email the ISTEP document to The Partnership at .

Reminder: Weekly and/or monthly case notes must be entered to show follow up on customer’s progress with OJT and should address issues throughout the training period.

  1. On a later date and once the OJT is completed, the user goes back to the Activities/Enrollments/Services section, and clicks on the Close link to enter the actual end date of the OJT as noted by the OJT Employer.
  1. The user is taken to the Closure Information section.
  • Enter the OJT service end date in the Last Activity Date field. This date will reflect the actual date the OJT was completed or terminated as per the OJT Employer.
  • Find the Completion Codefield and with the drop down box select Successful or Unsuccessful, whichever is appropriate.
  • A case note is entered, but this time regarding details of the completion or termination including whether a credential was obtained.
  • Email the final ISTEP document to The Partnership at .

Note: If a credential was obtained through the OJT, ensure Career Connect reflects this in the WIOACredentialsbar and that it is case noted.

  1. Also, the user can update the Enrollment Cost Information section if the duration or total hours of the OJT changed by opening the WIOA registered customer’s application and clicking the Activities/Services/Enrollments link. Click Edit Activity and then the Enrollment Cost tab in the next screen.If a change to the duration of the OJT was necessary, this change should match the modified ISTEP and case notes.

Results

After completing the above steps, an ISTEP and OJT Service has been opened and closed. Case notes have been entered regarding the WIOA registered customer’s need for training, details of the training and the completion of the OJT.

ISTEP & OJT Service ProceduresPage 1 of 17Updated 11/16/2017