Workforce Development

TOP 3 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1Expanding Virtual Services: The pandemic shifted services to virtual platforms, without interruption for job seekers or employers. These innovations included the Live Chat function on KANSASWORKS.com, the Job Search Mobile App, Statewide Virtual Job Fairs and a relaunched KanVet.org to better serve veterans in Kansas.

2 3

Statewide Virtual Job Fairs

• Five Job Fairs

• 403 employers set up booths on the virtual fair platform • Average of 185 employers participating in the last five virtual monthly events of 2020 • 4,063 job seekers registered since May 2020

New Mobile Workforce Center Launched: In January 2020, Governor Kelly unveiled the newest member of the KANSASWORKS Mobile Workforce Center fleet. The Mobile Workforce Center allows KANSASWORKS to provide workforce services in regions of the state that lack permanent Workforce Centers or face unusually high demand for workforce assistance. It includes six internet-ready computer stations to assist job seekers and employers, as well as well appropriate staff for event volume and ADA compliant access.

New Registered Apprenticeships Launched: • Peaslee Tech in Lawrence started its registered program with one occupation, working with one business. As of today,

Peaslee Tech has nine registered occupations serving several employers with a total of 89 registered apprentices.

• Crossland Construction in Columbus has used Registered Apprenticeship in

Kansas, and as a result has lowered its turnover rate and increased the caliber of new, qualified employees.

• USD 457 in Garden City has a Registered

Elementary Teacher Apprenticeship, which helped paras obtain teaching certificates when they otherwise may not have had that opportunity. As of the end of 2020, 24 apprentices were enrolled in USD 457’s

Elementary Teacher Apprenticeship.

LEADERSHIP NOTE

As one of her first priorities, Governor Laura Kelly established the Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP) to advocate for and promote rural Kansas, focus on efforts designed to aid rural improvements and to ensure that all Kansas voices are heard in the Statehouse.

Along with other state agencies, a large part of ORP’s focus in 2020 turned to helping with COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. This included making communication with rural communities a priority and ensuring that rural stakeholders and interests were considered during the Strengthening People and JILLIAN FISHER Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) process to allocate CARES Act funding. Since the first

Deputy Executive Director, Office of Rural Prosperity case in March, the economic and health effects of COVID-19 affected the entire state. While much of the planned outreach was disrupted and reevaluated for the health and safety of communities, one thing was clear: every area that was identified as a need from the 2019 Listening Tour continued to be a priority for rural communities in 2020. In fact, the concerns underlying many ORP priorities became even more urgent due to the pandemic. Despite delays and an altered gathering format, it was important for then-Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers and ORP to continue to connect with rural stakeholders.

The 2020 ORP Virtual Tour featured a public meeting focusing on each of the six regions and one statewide meeting. Building off the discussions from the 2019 Listening Tour, the theme of the 2020 tour was Listening → Action. State Agency leaders joined ORP to dive deeper into each priority and provide regional examples across the state. ORP also convened 18 smaller stakeholder meetings focused on various topics affecting rural Kansas.