HEART OF GEORGIA ALTAMAHA
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
WIOA SERVICES
The WorkSource Heart of Georgia Altamaha Workforce Development Area includes the counties of Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, and Wilcox. This area receives Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds (Federal Department of Labor funds set aside for employment related services) for the seventeen counties to provide On-The-Job, Youth Services and Individual Training Accounts.
YOUTH PROGRAM
The year-round youth program provides services to In-school youth ages 14-21, and Out-of-school youth ages 16-24. It is designed to better equip youth with the ability to obtain and maintain employment. Case Managers are responsible for selecting youth, counseling youth, overseeing their academics, setting goals, and working toward a successful career. The Case Managers also work closely with schools, colleges, technical colleges, community agencies and employers. The youth program guides youth to ensure they complete an educational program, gain work-related skills and enter college or become successfully employed.
INDIVIDUAL TRAINING ACCOUNT PROGRAM
Individual Training Accounts (ITA) allow individuals to receive training from eligible training providers such as local Technical Colleges. WIOA funds may pay for the remaining balance of tuition and books after the HOPE and PELL grants is exhausted. If the customer is not eligible for HOPE and PELL, WIOA may pay for tuition and books. ITA customers may also receive support payments for transportation and child care.
ON-THE-JOB
TRAINING PROGRAM
On-the-Job Training (OJT) allows our customers to work, earning a full paycheck from their employer while entering the job without all of the specific skills and/or knowledge needed to do the work. WIOA funds reimburse the employers up to 50% for customers’ wages to compensate the employer for the time and extraordinary effort it takes to train the unskilled worker to do the job.
The Heart of Georgia Altamaha Workforce Development Area is comprised of current and future comprehensive One-Stop Centers and Information Centers to provide services and information to customers throughout the seventeen counties in the region. Some sites already contain coordinated services and they will continue to play a role in the system. Other sites are to be developed or must be enhanced to provide the best service. The HGAWDB’s goal will be to provide to the citizens the ability to find in their own county, a comprehensive center or access points. Comprehensive centers will contain all the technology, resources, people, and information necessary for customers to receive services. These locations will also contain employer services and resources. The HGAWDB looks to the future when the centers are “common knowledge” and a “household word”. Our centers will be the “convenience stores” for employment and human service related needs.