Jagworkforcereadiness

A Briefing on Jobs for America’s Graduates, Inc. Barbara Wolf, Senior Vice President

SHRM Workforce Readiness CLA Webcast – June 5, 2008

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The Dropout Problem

The average high school graduation rate in the U.S. today for all students in just 68%

The dropout problem wreaks economic havoc, costing the U.S. as much as $200 billion each year in lost productivity and tax revenue.

Dropouts are more likely to:- Be dependent on public assistance

- Have health problems

- Engage in criminal activity

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U.S. would save $41.8 billion in health care costs if the 600,000 dropouts in 2004 were to complete one or more years of schooling.

College grads are 3 times more likely to vote than dropouts.

High school dropouts earn $260,000 less over a lifetime than a high school graduate and pay $60,000 less in taxes.

High school dropouts have a life expectancy of 9.2 years shorter than high school graduates.

The Dropout Problem

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Solution to “The Dropout Problem”

“JAG” is a cost-effective dropout prevention, and postsecondary transition solution serving young people who are greatest at risk of not:

• staying in school through graduation or completing a GED;

• pursuing a postsecondary education; and/or,

• securing a quality entry-level job that leads to career advancement opportunities.

JAG has served over 550,000 young people with significant barriers to success, and is currently serving 40,000 youth in 700 schools.

JAG has enjoyed the support of elected public officials and corporate executives for 28 years.

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JAG—A Proven Solution!

Performance Goals and Outcomes—Class of 2006

Performance Goals Actual Outcomes

Graduation Rate 90% 94.00%

Positive Outcomes Rate 80% 77.78%

Aggregate Employment Rate 60% 56.71%

Full-time Jobs Rate 60% 66.45%

Full-time Placement Rate 80% 88.42%

Further Education Rate 35% 40.89%

JAG Documents Extraordinary and Consistent Results

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Chairs of the JAG Board of Directors

GovernorPete du Pont

Founder(DE)

GovernorCharles S.

Robb(VA)

GovernorJohn R.

McKernan, Jr.(ME)

GovernorGeorge V. Voinovich

(OH)

GovernorMarc

Racicot(MT)

Julie Nixon

Eisenhower(PA)

GovernorTom

Vilsack(IA)

GovernorJanet

Napolitano (AZ)

28 Years of Leadership Excellence

GovernorJohn E.Baldacci

(ME)

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JAG National Network

1. Delaware (The 1st State)2. Arizona3. Massachusetts4. Tennessee5. Ohio6. Georgia7. New Hampshire8. Maine9. California (Inactive)10. Mississippi11. Montana12. Kentucky13. Alabama14. Arkansas15. Connecticut16. Illinois17. Louisiana18. Virginia 19. West Virginia20. Florida21. Wisconsin22. Iowa23. Minnesota24. New Jersey (Inactive)25. New Mexico26. Missouri27. South Carolina28. Colorado29. Indiana30. District of Columbia

700 Programs

40,000 Participants

450 State and Local Board Members

850 Staff Members

$40 Million plus In-Kind Support

5,500 Employers

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JAG State Organizations

State AgencyAlabama (ED)Arkansas (WD)

Connecticut (ED)Georgia (LA)Indiana (LA)

Kentucky (ED)Louisiana (ED)Missouri (WD)Montana (LA)

New Jersey (LA)New Mexico (ED)

South Carolina (CO)Tennessee (ED)

Local AgencyMinnesota (SD)Wisconsin (SD)

Non-Profit CorporationArizona

CaliforniaColoradoDelaware

FloridaIllinoisIowa

MaineMassachusetts

MississippiNew Hampshire

OhioVirginia

District of ColumbiaWest Virginia

6 Dept. of Education4 Dept. of Labor2 Dept. of Workforce Dev.1 Dept. of Commerce

15 Non-Profit Corporations

2 School Districts

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JAG Model in the Schools

• Specialists (JAG Teacher) deployed in schools —serve 35-45 students

• Contact —one hour per day; 5 days per week; 36 weeks

• JAG National Curriculum —37 to 86 competencies

• Career Association —develop, practice and refine personal, leadership and teaming skills

• Service-Learning, Community-based Projects

• Field Trips, Guest Speakers, Job Shadowing, Mentors, Tutors

• Employer Marketing and Job Development

• Goal —Barrier Reduction, Graduation, Post-Secondary

Placement

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Assessments and JAG Pre-Test

Competency-Based Curriculum (86)

Graduation (or GED) and JAG Post-Test

Follow-up Services (12 Months)

Accountability Metrics

(JAG Data System)

• Participant Profile• Barrier Tracking• Basic Skills

Assessment• Work Skills• Contact Hours• Competency

Attainment• Community Service

Hours• Return to School • Placement• Follow-up Services• Performance

Outcomes

In-School Program Applications of the JAG Model

Low GPA

High Absences

Low Income Family

Lacks Confidence

Other Barriers

Recruitment and Selection (35-45)

Graduates and Non-Graduates

Employers Postsecondary Institutions

Change in Status

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A. Career Development

• Identify occupational interests, aptitudes and abilities.

• Relate interests, aptitudes and abilities to appropriate occupations.

• Identify desired life style and relate to selected occupations.

• Develop a career path for a selected occupation.

• Select an immediate job goal.

• Describe the conditions and specifications of the job goal.

JAG Curriculum: Employability Competencies

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B. Job Attainment

• Construct a resume.

• Conduct a job search.

• Develop a letter of application.

• Use the telephone to arrange an interview.

• Complete application forms.

• Complete employment tests.

• Complete a job interview.


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C. Job Survival

• Demonstrate appropriate appearance.

• Understand what employers expect of employees.

• Identify problems of new employees.

• Demonstrate time management.

• Follow directions.

• Practice effective human relations.

• Appropriately resign from a job.


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D. Basic Skills

• Comprehend verbal communications.

• Comprehend written communications.

• Communicate in writing.

• Communicate verbally.

• Perform mathematical calculations.


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E. Leadership and Self-Development

• Demonstrate team membership.

• Demonstrate team leadership.

• Deliver presentations to a group.

• Compete successfully with peers.

• Demonstrate commitment to an organization.


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F. Personal Skills

• Understand types of maturity.• Identify a self-value system and how it affects life.• Base decisions on values and goals.• Identify process of decision-making.• Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility for actions and

decisions.• Demonstrate a positive attitude.• Develop healthy self-concept for home, school and work.


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G. Life Survival Skills• Evaluate a career plan to determine appropriate postsecondary education.• Identify how best to achieve marketable occupation skills for an entry level job.• Conduct a job analysis.• Apply critical thinking skills.• Demonstrate effective study skills.• Demonstrate how to use group dynamics techniques.• Explain the roles and function of a value-added organization.• Understand the essential elements of high performing work teams.• Describe how to work and communicate with diverse people at work and in the

community to satisfy their expectations.• Demonstrate techniques for building commitment by others.• Demonstrate an openness to change.• Provide constructive feedback.• Negotiate solutions to conflicts.• Demonstrate politeness and civility.• Demonstrate an ability to adapt to people and situations.• Exhibit work ethics and behaviors essential to success.• Set and prioritize goals and establish a timeline for achieving them.• Apply the problem solving process to complex problems.• Demonstrate an ability to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of self/others.• Design and justify solutions by tracking and evaluating results.• Identify ways to build mutual trust and respect.• Prepare a short- and long-term personal budget.


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H. Work Place Skills• Demonstrate punctuality and good attendance practices.• Demonstrate initiative and proactivity.• Demonstrate how to work effectively with others.• Demonstrate an attitude that attracts the attention of management.• Demonstrate an ability to communicate and work with customers to satisfy their

expectations.• Demonstrate listening skills which will result in gaining a clear understanding of information

being conveyed.• Demonstrate an ability to follow and give directions.• Demonstrate good reasoning skills which results in thinking first, then taking action.• Demonstrate integrity and honesty in dealings with internal and external customers.• Demonstrate a willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own actions.• Demonstrate a commitment in completing work assignments accurately and in a timely

fashion.• Demonstrate an ability to satisfy the purposes of a delegated task.• Demonstrate an ability to prioritize and manage time effectively in the workplace.• Demonstrate enthusiasm for work.• Demonstrate an eagerness to learn new responsibilities or improve current responsibilities.• Demonstrate an understanding of the work to be accomplished.• Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of technologies.• Demonstrate an ability to self-evaluate and develop a continuous improvement (career

development) plan.• Demonstrate basic computer operation skills.• Demonstrate an ability to learn from past experiences and others.• Demonstrate an ability to send, receive and organize e-mail messages.• Demonstrate an ability to search for information on the Internet.


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I. Economic Empowerment

• Understand Insurance—Auto, Renters, Home, Health, Disability and Life (Allstate)

• Practice Better Money Management Skills (Visa U.S.A.) • Demonstrate How to Start a Small Business (Allstate)• Be successful in dealing with law enforcement when they are

enforcing the law • Valuing Diversity • Risky Business (Allstate and National Council on Economic

Education)


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• Employers with JAG graduates from the Class of 2003 were asked to rate their perceptions of JAG workers as well as the JAG program.

• “The results portray a highly successful program that enjoys considerable success and one that is valued among JAG employers. Both the JAG program and the worker consistently received high rankings throughout the survey.”

• An overwhelming majority of supervisors are “Very Likely” or “Somewhat Likely” to employ other JAG graduates. (98%)

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Survey Findings

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• JAG workers ranked higher than non-JAG workers.

• JAG workers compare more favorably to their non-JAG worker counterparts in every core competency area addressed in the survey.

• Top five areas where JAG workers rated “Better” compared to non-JAG workers were:

-Shows strong commitment to employer

-Punctual and at work as scheduled

-Work ethics and behavior

-Positive attitude

-Works well with others

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Survey Findings

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“What I like most about JAG is that it makes the term “at-risk” meaningless. JAG gives young people the support they need to over-come many of the barriers that put them in that category in the first place. JAG does not accept the idea that your family situation or your economic background determines your ability to be a productive member of the workforce. Your philosophy is inspirational and it’s sound. We know that taxpayer dollars are well spent when we send it to JAG. That’s because it is not a handout, but an investment.”

The Honorable Elaine L. Chao, Secretary of Labor

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• Dramatic differences among low income JAG minority youth: - 56 percent improvement in employment for Hispanic youth - 24 percent improvement in employment for African Americans

• Full-time employment in comparison to similar youth:- 22 percent improvement in full-time employment for JAG grads- 45 percent improvement for African American youth- 70 percent improvement for Hispanic youth

• Full-time employment for low income youth:- 88 percent difference for African American youth- 102 percent difference for Hispanic youth

• JAG youth employed for more hours:- 31 percent improvement in mean hours for all youth- 45 percent improvement in mean hours for African American youth

Research Findings

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• Employment Programs – connecting JAG grads and students to your workplace & training programs

• Classroom Presentations & Distribution of Informational Materials on the benefits of working for your company

• Volunteer Service: State Board of Directors> Engagement with State/Local Education> Interaction with Other State and Business Leaders

• State Career Development Conferences> Direct Student Interaction

Corporate Partnership Opportunities

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JAG Corporate Supporters

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Jobs for America’s Graduates, Inc.

1729 King Street, Suite 100 Alexandria, VA 22314-2720Tel. 703.684.9479 Fax. 703.684.8400

www.jag.org

Governor John E. Baldacci (ME), Chairman of the Board

Kenneth M. Smith, PresidentBarbara Wolf, Senior Vice President