Program Design

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​Under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), partner programs and entities that are jointly responsible for the workforce and economic development, educational, and other human resource programs, collaborate to create a seamless customer-focused American Job Center network that integrates service delivery across all programs to make it easier for workers to access the services they need to obtain skills and employment.

Title I of WIOA also affirms the Department's commitment to providing high-quality services for all youth and young adults beginning with career exploration and guidance, continued support for educational attainment, opportunities for skills training in in-demand industries and occupations, such as pre-apprenticeships or internships, and culminating with a good job along a career pathway, enrollment in postsecondary education, or a Registered Apprenticeship.

Veterans Priority of Service
​Veterans and eligible spouses continue to receive priority of service for all DOL-funded job training programs, including WIOA programs. Priority of service is discussed in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 10-09.

Priority of service for Adults only applies to local area formula allocated funds.
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Priority Populations
Across all titles, WIOA focuses on serving "individuals with barriers to employment," as defined in WIOA section 3(24), and seeks to ensure access to quality services for these populations.

Every Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will identify the specific population to be served; however, applicants must demonstrate concurrence with strategies that address the needs of targeted populations outlined in Illinois' WIOA Unified State Plan and/or local and regional plans. Examples of targeted populations in the Unified State Plan include:

  • Low‐income individuals;
  • Individuals with disabilities;
  • Returning Citizens (ex‐offenders);
  • Homeless individuals;
  • Youth who are in or have aged out of the foster care system;
  • Individuals who are English language learners, individuals who have low levels of literacy, and individuals facing substantial cultural barriers;
  • Eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers;
  • Single parents (including single pregnant women); and
  • Long‐term unemployed individuals.
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Career Pathways
​A combination of rigorous and high-quality education, training, and other services that aligns both vertically and horizontally across Secondary Education, Adult Education, Workforce Training and Development, Career and Technical Education, and Postsecondary Education systems, pathways, and programs. Collaborative partnerships with these entities and businesses and industries, along with human service agencies, corrections, and other community stakeholders, serve as the foundational structure for high-quality and sustainable career pathways. A career pathway also includes multiple entry and exit points to facilitate individuals to build their skills as they progress along a continuum of education and training and advance in sector-specific employment. Read more in the Career Pathways Dictionary.
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Service Delivery Model
​As grantees determine their program design, consideration must be given to the Program Purpose listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Projects that provide direct services to individuals must meet the eligibility guidelines outlined in the WIOA regulations.

Below are components of a well-developed Service Delivery Model.
​Service Delivery Model Components
  • ​Intake
  • Work-Readiness and Assessment​
  • ​Triage and Follow-Up
  • Development of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for Job Entry​
  • ​Assessments of Interests/Aptitudes/Needs
  • Skills Upgrading for Occupational Progress​
  • ​Career and Educational Exploration
  • Employer Engagement/Job Development and Placement​
  • ​Participant Pathway and Outcome Plan
  • Post-Job Placement Support for both Participant and Employer​
  • ​Counseling/Case Management/Coaching
  • Employer Services and Engagement​
  • ​Support Services