THE ASHLAND COUNTY EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING CONNECTION 

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA), funds the Employment and Training Connection Office located within the Ashland County Department of Job and Family Services.  The primary goal of WIA is to assist all individuals, whether employed or unemployed, in gaining self-sufficient employment.  In order to assist you in gaining self-sufficient employment, we provide three levels of service. 

CORE SERVICES

Core services are made available to anyone seeking employment.  You do not need to register or be determined “income eligible” to receive or use any of these services.  The core services that we offer are: 

• Assistance with resume preparation
• Information on local job openings
• Help wanted ads from three local newspapers
• Job lists from outside the local area
• Career counseling
• Copier, fax, and phone service for employment related needs
• Internet access
• Information about local educational opportunities
• Initial assessment of employable skills and abilities 

INTENSIVE SERVICES

If core services do not produce results, Employment and Training Connection staff may determine a need for intensive services.  To be eligible for intensive services, you must meet one of the two following categories: 

1.   Be unemployed and

• Have received core services and have been unable to obtain self-sufficient employment through core services; and
• Be determined by Employment and Training Connection staff to be in need of more intensive services in order to gain self-sufficient employment;

      OR

2. Be employed and

• Have received core services and
• Have been determined by the Employment and Training Connection staff to be in need of more intensive services to obtain or retain self-sufficient employment.    

The intensive services we provide are:

• Comprehensive and specialized assessment of skill level
• Development of an Individual Employment Plan (IEP)
• Individual employment counseling and career planning
• Case management for individuals in need of training 

TRAINING SERVICES

If intensive services do not produce results, Employment and Training Connection staff may determine or recommend that training services are needed to gain self-sufficient employment.  To be eligible for training services, employed or unemployed adults or dislocated workers must meet all of the following: 

1. Have met the eligibility requirements for intensive services; and
2. Have received at least one intensive service, and have been determined by  Employment and Training Connection staff to be unable to obtain or retain self-sufficient employment through such services; and
3. After an interview, evaluation or assessment, and case management, you have been determined by Employment and Training Connection staff to be in need of training  services and you have the skills and qualifications to successfully participate in the selected program of training services; and
4. Select a program of training services that is directly linked to the employment opportunities either in the local area or in another area in which you are willing to commute or relocate; and
5. Be able to obtain grant assistance from other sources to pay for the cost of training, including federal Pell grants, or require WIA assistance in addition to other sources of grant assistance, including federal Pell grants: and
   
6. Are determined to be eligible in accordance with the priority system for financial  eligibility, if the priority system is in effect. 

 

The occupation for which you are requesting training must be in demand.  In order to meet WIA performance standards, you will be required to provide documentation verifying that your average expected earnings in the second and third quarter after you complete training (exit from the program) will be approximately $14.05 an hour for adult funded training, and approximately $16.47 an hour for dislocated worker funded training. If you are unable to achieve these performance standards, training in that occupation will not be authorized. 

Prior to authorization of training services, you will be required to seek employment by making not less than two job contacts per week for a total of three weeks, and follow-up on those contacts for a total of three weeks.   

You will also be required to have an up-to-date resume, and be registered for employment in Ohio Means Jobs www.ohiomeansjobs.com, the State of Ohio system used to register individuals for employment and job matching. 

If it appears that training may be necessary, you will be required to:

1. Interview two training providers that provide the training you wish to participate in; and
2. Interview two students currently participating in that training, or have completed the training within the last 12 months; and
3. Interview two individuals currently employed in the field you wish to be trained.  

 

The results of these six interviews will be provided to Employment and Training Connection staff for review prior to authorization of any training. 

Training services you may receive through the Employment and Training Connection are:

1. Tuition, book costs, and other course related expenses, not to exceed $10,000.
2. Approved training programs cannot exceed a two (2) year period.
3. Supportive services up to $1,000; which may include post course completion testing fees or licensing fees, car repairs, and/or any other reasonable training related expenses.  For any vehicle repair requests, customers will be required to submit three estimates for approval consideration.
4. Travel reimbursement available for actual miles traveled at .44 cents per mile; up to a maximum of $500 per month.
5. On-the-job training 

 

All training programs must be on the State of Ohio eligible training provider list.  Employment and Training Connection staff will make the final determination of the training services you may be eligible to receive.  All training must lead to self-sufficient employment and must be for an occupation in demand in the area, or the area you plan to relocate or commute to.    

Training will only be approved for courses that will be completed within two years.  It may be necessary for the customer to pay any training costs up front that exceed those costs that will be covered by WIA and any grants, such as PELL.   

Eligibility for WIA services does not in any manner imply that you are entitled to receive WIA intensive and training services. WIA is not financial aid. Your income is only part of the criteria used in the determination process for WIA adult and dislocated worker services. To be eligible for any WIA funded service, you must provide Employment and Training Connection staff with official documentation when requested. 

ASHLAND COUNTY EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING CONNECTION

Ashland County Department of Job and Family Services

15 West Fourth Street
Ashland, Ohio  44805
(419) 282-5051 or 282-5052