SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN WORKFORCE

Workforce innovation and opportunity act (wioa) adult and dislocated workers programs seek to improve employment, retention, and earnings of wioa participants and increase their educational and occupational skill attainment, thereby improving the quality of the workforce, reducing welfare dependency, and enhancing national productivity and competitiveness. Youth activities seek to increase the attainment of basic skills, work readiness, or occupational skills, and secondary diplomas or other credentials. A person is eligible to receive services under youth activities if they are between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one at the time of enrollment and demonstrate at least one of the following barriers to employment: deficient in basic literacy skills, a school dropout, homeless, a runaway, a foster child, pregnant or parenting, offender, or an individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure and hold employment. Southwest wisconsin workforce development board served 780 participants during the year.