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2018 Workforce Summit & UI Directors’ Conference

Highlights Video

Click the (PLAY) button above to watch highlights video from the 2018 Workforce Summit & UI Directors' Conference | 82nd Annual Meeting.

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies and the Alabama Department of Labor hosted the Workforce Summit & UI Directors' Conference | 82nd Annual Meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, September 19-21, 2018.

This year's conference format was super-charged as workforce development and UI topics, along with IT and Legal were integrated for the first time! The UI Directors' Conference and IT & Legal Issues Forum was combined with the Annual Meeting, bringing a more robust, diversified and well-rounded conversation to the conference. Committee meetings and a Board of Directors meeting took place prior to the conference.

Over 500 people attended the conference, which was the largest conference NASWA has ever held!

  • Most of the nation's governor-appointed workforce agency leaders were in attendance, along with their key staff.
  • Representatives from employers across the country participated, many workforce stakeholders were there and others with expertise in the workforce development arena.
  • Of those responding, 95% said they will return next year and 81% reported the conference content was above average to outstanding!
  • See the Summit twitter feed at #NASWASummit18.

Mark Your Calendars! Next year's Workforce Summit & UI Directors' Conference will be held September 10 - 12, 2019 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts!

2018 Workforce Summit & UI Directors’ Conference Schedule

View Program

Breakfast for Committees

East Ballroom B

Staggered Breaks for Committee Meetings

1st and 3rd Floor Foyers

Lunch for Committees & Board of Directors

East Ballroom B

Staggered Breaks for Committee Meetings

1st and 3rd Floor Foyers

Meet & Greet

Exhibit Hall

Opening Ceremonies September 19, 2018

East Meeting Rooms DEFGHIM

Welcome Reception September 19, 2018

Exhibit Hall

Breakfast for Committees & Board of Directors September 19, 2018 A.M.

East Ballroom B

Registration September 19, 2018

Exhibit Hall

Sponsor Exhibit Set-Up September 19, 2018

Exhibit hall

Technology Roundtable September 19, 2018 A.M.

East Meeting Rooms F&G

Staggered Break for Committees September 19, 2018 A.M.

1st Floor Foyer & Exhibit Hall

Conference Hosted Lunch September 19, 2018 A.M.

East Ballroom B

Sponsor-Exhibitor Showcase September 19, 2018 P.M.

Exhibit Hall

PLENARY SESSION

East Meeting Rooms DEFGHIM

DirectEmployers 101: Learn About DirectEmployers Members and Engagement with Employers

behind the National Labor Exchange (NLx), but there is much more to its engagement with employers and the workforce system. This NASWA partner is a fast-moving nonprofit made up of nearly 900 of the Fortune-2000 employers.  Among its many employer resources, DE provides cost effective solutions to access a diverse pool of candidates including veterans, women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities. Join this session to learn how DE members utilize state workforce agency services to recruit, retain, and train their workforce.
East Meeting Room K

UI Operations Focus: Presentations and Discussion on Improving Business Processes and Customer Service

States will share new strategies in management to meet the needs of customers in times of limited budgets.
East Meeting Room O

Case Law Update and Emerging Legal Issues

An opportunity for agency attorneys and others who are interested in legal trends to hear about and discuss emerging national legal issues related to unemployment insurance.
East Meeting Room L

Linked UI and Workforce Data: Your Hidden Super Power

Superpowers are cool because they override principles of math and science.  Did you know that using linked data makes one plus one equal three? At this session, you’ll hear how Illinois is linking information to provide customers more insights on college outcomes. New Jersey is using linked longitudinal data to create information about student achievements, postsecondary outcomes, and workforce success.
East Meeting Room N

Breakfast with Sponsors & Exhibitors

East Meeting Rooms DEFGHIM/Exhibit Hall

Sponsor-Exhibitor Showcase

Exhibit Hall

Registration / Hospitality Desk

Exhibit Hall

Annual Business Session

This will include the NASWA 2019 association year elections and other business. Please note NASWA state administrators and members only.
East Meeting Rooms DEFGHIM

Labor Market Information: The Fuel for Your Reemployment Machine

to innovation and operations. The same can be said for the labor market information (LMI) that helps drive workforce development. At this session, an engaging team of LMI directors will provide an overview of their work and examples of how their agencies use information not just for compliance, but to provide insights for the agency and its customers. Leave with a better understanding of your LMI colleagues down the hall or across the street -- and steps to build better partnerships that increase your agency’s value.
East Meeting Room N

Transition & Networking Time

Harnessing Technologies for Stellar Customer Service

How is your workforce agency or division using technology to drive better customer service? Join several states as they take you on a technology tour. We’ll go from the broad to the specific and cover a lot of ground--from direct service to learning technologies, from customer service data analytics to insight driven marketing. Join the discussion — and, if you have a practice to share, bring a one-page summary and we’ll share it with attendees.
East Meeting Room C

Grow Your Agency Brand and Value: Communicating Labor Market Data

teams and communications teams to collaborate. This session will focus on best state practices of these teams working together to get the message out and communicate value for their agencies and state.
East Meeting Room K

Legal Hot Topics and Conversation with USDOL

Discussion of current policy issues and hot legal topics with USDOL
East Meeting Room L

Increasing Career Awareness Among Youth: Their Futures Depend on It!

For U.S. Secretary of Labor Acosta and the Workforce Information Advisory Council (WIAC), addressing the U.S.’s “career awareness gap” is a top policy priority. Young Americans need excellent career information, delivered in an easy-to-use format, to help direct their educational and career choices. At this session, hear how several states are bringing together information with design and visualizations, developing partnerships with state educational entities, and training staff and counselors to ensure young people a greater chance at their rightest, brightest future.
East Meeting Room N

Mastering the Art of the “Nudge”: Applying Behavioral Insights to the Job Search

Can we “nudge” towards better employment outcomes? Workforce development policies, like many other public policies, impact individual and group behavior. Applying lessons from behavioral economics, policymakers are developing simple, low-cost, and effective policy interventions to help citizens achieve their goals. Join this session to hear U.S. Department of Labor officials and a prominent researcher discuss the theory and evidence behind behavioral insights, and guideposts for helping people more efficiently find good jobs.
East Ballroom B

Staffing Issues: Training and Cross-Training for Impact

States present new approaches to training, retaining and cross-training staff in times of low budgets. Join in the discussion as we work together to optimize staff.
East Meeting Room O

UI IT Modernization Project Experiences/Model of Building Shared Components

Many states have a common vendor and/or UI IT system. As part of modernization, states continue to develop various additional components for their systems. In this session, states will share how they are working together in developing shared components with states that have similar vendors and/or systems.
East Meeting Room A

Coffee Refresh & Networking Time

Exhibit Hall

Smart Business Engagement: Strategies to Serve Your Employer Customers

How do we bring businesses to the table, and keep them there? Industry is an integral partner in the public workforce system, and state workforce agencies are seeking new and innovative strategies to engage with employers. This session will showcase several states’ business engagement practices, which integrate predictive analysis, communications, customer service, and other functions in cohesive strategies to better deliver workforce services to businesses.
East Ballroom Room B

Autonomous Vehicle Technologies: Driving Big Change for America's Workforce

and corporate interests are betting on a (mostly) driverless future. While the emphasis in Silicon Valley has been on technology innovations, the former Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and her peers have conducted an
East Meeting Room K

Breakfast with Sponsors & Exhibitors

East Meeting Rooms DEFGHIM & Exhibit Hall

Plenary

East Meeting Rooms DEFGHIM

Session Coffee Refresh

Closing Plenary

East Meeting Rooms DEFGHIM

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2018 Workforce Summit & UI Directors’ Conference Presentations

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA)

Session: PLENARY SESSION | Wednesday September 19, 2018 | 3:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Gilbert, Gay - USDOL - Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
  • Ahlstrand, Amanda - USDOL - Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
  • Ladd, John - USDOL - Employment and Training Administration (ETA)

Thursday, September 20, 2018

2018 Significant New Cases

Session: Case Law Update and Emerging Legal Issues | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 8:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Garner, Jim - USDOL Employment and Training Administration (ETA)

Unemployment Insurance Legal Issues

Session: Case Law Update and Emerging Legal Issues | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 8:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Garner, Jim - USDOL Employment and Training Administration (ETA)

DirectEmployers & Workforce: Connecting Our Resources

Session: DirectEmployers 101: Learn About DirectEmployers Members and Engagement with Employers | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 8:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Bernhardt, Jen - DirectEmployers Association
  • Merriman, Christy - DirectEmployers Association

From Ordinary to Innovators

Session: UI Operations Focus: Presentations and Discussion on Improving Business Processes and Customer Service | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 8:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Taylor, Tomas - New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
  • Gosu, Anil - Deloitte Consulting

Utah DWS - Telecommuting

Session: UI Operations Focus: Presentations and Discussion on Improving Business Processes and Customer Service | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 8:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Burt, Kevin - Utah Department of Workforce Services

Grow Your Agency Brand and Value - UT

Session: Grow Your Agency Brand and Value: Communicating Labor Market Data | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 9:30 AM
Presenter(s):
  • McDonald, Nate - Utah Department of Workforce Services

Client Tracking System (CTS) - NV

Session: Harnessing Technologies for Stellar Customer Service | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 9:30 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Daseler, Ben - Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation

Workforce OneTouch™ - TN

Session: Harnessing Technologies for Stellar Customer Service | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 9:30 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Daseler, Ben - Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation
  • Thomas, Deniece - Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development

Combined - NASWA Workshop Cross Training

Session: Staffing Issues: Training and Cross-Training for Impact | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 9:30 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Westcott, Patsy - Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
  • Suber, Jamie - South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
  • Miller, Mike - Utah Department of Workforce Services

Building Shared Components - ID

Session: UI IT Modernization Project Experiences/Model of Building Shared Components | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 9:30 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Allen, Joel - Idaho Department of Labor

Component Sharing

Session: UI IT Modernization Project Experiences/Model of Building Shared Components | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 9:30 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Ansaldi, Lou - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

Model of Building Shared Components - MA

Session: UI IT Modernization Project Experiences/Model of Building Shared Components | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 9:30 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Birkhauser, Cari - Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance

Enlisting and Educating Brand Ambassadors

Session: Everyone's a Workforce Ambassador: Telling Our Story | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Wilson, Curt - Washington State Employment Security Department

Florida’s Ambassador Story

Session: Everyone's a Workforce Ambassador: Telling Our Story | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Blaner, Theresa - Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
  • Vause, Tiffany - Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

Maryland Apprenticeship Ambassador Program

Session: Everyone's a Workforce Ambassador: Telling Our Story | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Blaner, Theresa - Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

Real Success Stories – MN

Session: Everyone's a Workforce Ambassador: Telling Our Story | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):

Inspiration to Implementation- Northrop Grumman

Session: Inspiration to Implementation: Using Customer-Centered Design to Serve Workforce Customers | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Dodson, Joan - Northrop Grumman Corporation

System Roll-Out Experiences

Session: Inspiration to Implementation: Using Customer-Centered Design to Serve Workforce Customers | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Ansaldi, Lou - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

Workforce Connect Demo

Session: Inspiration to Implementation: Using Customer-Centered Design to Serve Workforce Customers | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Kusnirik, Tom - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

Sharing UI Records - NE

Session: Sharing UI Records | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Baker, Phil - Nebraska Department of Labor

Smart Business Engagement – IN

Session: Smart Business Engagement: Strategies to Serve Your Employer Customers | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):

Welcoming All Job Seekers: Ensuring Equal Opportunity | States Combined Presentations

Session: Welcoming All Job Seekers: Ensuring Equal Opportunity | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 11:00 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Smith, Danielle - Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development
  • Weldon, Matthew - Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training
  • Long, Jennifer - Indiana Department of Workforce Development
  • Eckstein, Teresa - Washington State Employment Security Department

Apprenticeships - What's Happening in Texas

Session: Building Ladders of Opportunity: Game-Changing Apprenticeship Practices | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 2:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Arbour, Courtney - Texas Workforce Commission

Multi-state support and maintenance- NMDWS

Session: Multi-state Support and Maintenance of UI IT Systems | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 2:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Cummins, Tim - New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions

Shared Maintenance and Support

Session: Multi-state Support and Maintenance of UI IT Systems | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 2:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Ansaldi, Lou - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

UI Summit 2018 SIDES Jeopardy

Session: Multi-state Support and Maintenance of UI IT Systems | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 2:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Pectol, Jerry - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

NASWA Learning Integration Presentation

Session: We Are NASWA Services: UI ITSC, WIOA ITSC, SIDES and UI Integrity Center | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 2:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Van Erden, Jim - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

NASWA Services: UI Integrity Center

Session: We Are NASWA Services: UI ITSC, WIOA ITSC, SIDES and UI Integrity Center | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 2:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Gillespie, Randy - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

Overview of UI ITSC Products and Services

Session: We Are NASWA Services: UI ITSC, WIOA ITSC, SIDES and UI Integrity Center | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 2:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Peirce, Ben - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

We are NASWA Services: WITSC Overview

Session: We Are NASWA Services: UI ITSC, WIOA ITSC, SIDES and UI Integrity Center | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 2:00 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Gerassimides, Pam - National Association of State Workforce Agencies

Utah’s Family Focus

Session: Bridging the Gap: Child Care Access is a Critical Workforce Development Strategy | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 3:45 PM
Presenter(s):

Illinois - UI Tax Pressing Issues

Session: UI Tax: Pressing Issues | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 3:45 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Jones, Jacqueline - Illinois Department of Employment Security

USDOL Tax Integrity

Session: UI Tax: Pressing Issues | Thursday September 20, 2018 | 3:45 PM
Presenter(s):
  • Holmes, Patrick -

Friday, September 21, 2018

Closing Day Welcome

Session: Plenary | Friday September 21, 2018 | 8:30 AM
Presenter(s):
  • Pierpont, Jon - Utah Department of Workforce Services

Photos

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