REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE, JOB DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES

 

Public Hearing

 

May 14, 2008

 

The Honorable,

The Board of Commissioners of Cook County

 

ATTENDANCE

 

Present:

Chairman Collins, Commissioners Sims and Suffredin (3)

 

Absent:                        Vice Chairman Schneider, Commissioner Gorman

 

Also Present:              Commissioners Quigley and Peraica; Karen S. Crawford, Director, President’s Office of Employment Training

 

Court Reporter:           Anthony Lisanti, C.P.R.          

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

        Your Committee on Workforce, Job Development and Training Opportunities of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County met pursuant to notice on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at the hour of 1:30 P.M. in the Board Room, Room 569, County Building, 118 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois.

 

        Your Committee has considered the following item and, upon adoption of this report, the recommendation is as follows:

 

293650

PRESIDENT’S OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT TRAINING (P.O.E.T.) WORKFORCE ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT.  Transmitting a Communication from Karen S. Crawford, Director, President’s Office of Employment Training:

 

Transmitted herewith for your review is the President’s Office of Employment Training (P.O.E.T.) Workforce Activities and Accomplishments Report.  This report includes information regarding POET’s levels of performance in relation to the federally mandated Workforce Investment Act performance measures as well as other program activities and workforce information.

 

*REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON Workforce, Job Development and Training Opportunities 04-23-08.

 

*RECEIVE AND FILE TO THE COMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE, JOB DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES 05-14-08.

 

Karen S. Crawford, Director, President’s Office of Employment Training (P.O.E.T.), provided a presentation to the Committee on Workforce Job Development and Training Opportunities.  (See attachment #1.)

 

Commissioner Sims voiced concern over the dropout rate in District #5.

 

Ms. Crawford stated the following:  The youth funding stream comes in one lump sum.  P.O.E.T.’s Office provides funding to programs for in-school and out-of-school youth.  The agencies are submitting proposals to P.O.E.T. to be evaluated.  P.O.E.T. evaluates how the in-school youth programs are in fact affecting the dropout rate and the graduation rate. The out-of-school youth programs are run by the schools.  Most are run by community agencies which are responsible for identifying, finding and recruiting people who have dropped out and re-engaging them so that they obtain their General Equivalent Diploma and placing them into post-secondary training, college or the military.  This is how success is graded.

 

Ms. Crawford continued to state re-engaging the youth on day-to-day basics is what P.O.E.T. looks for agencies to do in the One Stop Centers.  The One Stop Centers welcomes youth to the programs without qualification to go into training or college.  P.O.E.T. Office engages the youth to prepare for their GED’s and other programs.

 

Chairman Collins inquired as to how the State Department of Labor obtains their information.

 

Ms. Crawford responded:  Service providers enter information on the participants into the Illinois Workforce Development Systems (IWDS).  Participants are identified by their social security number.   Additional information related to the participants’ employment is pulled from Cook County P.O.E.T. and the State of Illinois.  Information is obtained from the providers and from the State of Illinois.  The State of Illinois reports to the Federal government.

 

Commissioner Sims, seconded by Commissioner Suffredin, moved to Receive and File Communication No. 293650. The motion carried.

 

The Secretary informed Chairman Collins that a quorum was present.

 

Chairman Collins asked the Secretary to the Board to call upon the registered public speakers, in accordance with Cook County Code, Sec. 2-108(dd):

 

PUBLIC SPEARKERS

 

1)       Chuck JenrichCook County Workforce Investment Board 

2)       George Blakemore – Concerned Citizen

 

Chairman Collins thanked everyone in attendance and concluded the meeting.

 

Commissioner Sims, seconded by Commissioner Suffredin moved to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned.

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ACTION WITH REGARD TO THE MATTER NAMED HEREIN:

 

Communication Number 293650                   Receive and File

 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Committee on Workforce, Job Development and Training Opportunities

 

 

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Earlean Collins, Chairman

 

 

Attest:

 

 

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Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary

 

 

 

The complete audio recording of this meeting is available in the Office of the Secretary to the Board, 118 North Clark Street, Room 567, Chicago, IL  60602.