IT Award Nomination Tennessee

Tennessee IT Award Nomination: Virtual American Job Center

Contact Information of Individual Submitting Nomination

Nominator: Chris Cannon

Agency Name: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

Virtual American Job Center

The Virtual American Job Center of Tennessee is an online service tool that encourages greater interaction and engagement with the state’s workforce development services. Initially targeted toward online users of the state’s workforce development website, the Virtual AJC provides a follow-up chat service for users to clarify their interest in learning more about the state’s workforce programs and services. Based on their engagement with the chat service, citizens are referred to an American Job Center in their area for additional services. In fewer than 190 actual days of operation over a year, the program was able to attempt contact to over 4,300 individuals, resulting in 198 Title III participants as of December 30, 2019. The vision for the Virtual AJC is to develop a dynamic and adaptable system designed to foster cooperation between internal and external partner programs. In doing so, the program is meeting customer expectations of consistently high-quality services. Overall, the program is rendering a measurable positive impact on the entire state, especially in distressed and rural communities, and to individuals who lack physical access to an American Job Center.

Describe the series of accomplishments the nominated state has made in information technology over multiple years.Response (400 word limit).

In one year, the Virtual AJC went from a series of bullet points on a whiteboard to a modular, proactive outreach program with the capacity to include partner programs and agencies. The V-AJC is now able to connect those looking for new opportunities and increase enrollment in difficult to serve areas. In less than 190 actual days of operation over one year, the program has been able to attempt contact to over 4,300 individuals resulting in 198 Title III participants as of December 30, 2019. Overall, the V-AJC program was able to turn 4.5 percent of all attempted contacts into participants. Career specialists, working in a virtual space, were able to command an average response rate of 16 percent resulting in a 43 percent response to referral rate, and 64 percent of referrals becoming participants in the V-AJC. The program has made Jobs4TN.gov a true virtual one-stop, allowing opportunity seekers across the state to connect to career counselors, Disabled Veteran Outreach coordinators, and WIOA Title I case managers while eliminating unnecessary trips to the American Job center. Tennessee’s workforce system clients can now receive essential, personalized services from their PC, tablet, or smartphone.

Identify how the nominated state has contributed to the greater workforce development community as well as his/her individual state.Response (400 word limit).

The creation of Tennessee's Virtual American Job Center addresses a national workforce challenge that centers on (1) expanding accessibility beyond the boundaries of physical structures, (2) extending services to populations with limited mobility options, and (3) embracing a digital culture that prefers instant services delivered online. Across the nation, low unemployment rates have made it difficult to supply the workforce talent needed to meet the growing staffing demands of employers. Tennessee's V-AJC serves as an additional channel of engagement for citizens to take advantage of the placement, education, and training offered through WIOA programs. Within the state, the initial results have allowed an added population of Tennesseans to further engage in workforce opportunities through the American Job Centers. The state has created new possibilities through this innovation and has reshaped how workforce services can be delivered to citizens across Tennessee, and can be an example for the nation. This technology is especially critical to people who are best served by virtual workforce services. With continuous advancements in technology, customer service levels will significantly improve and the state can expand its capacity to serve. Virtual American Job Centers will become a powerful tool in the future of workforce development solutions.