One-Stop Centers: Business Outreach is a Good Strategy – Montana one of seven states participating

Getting employers to use the public labor exchange system has been a major problem even before the reforms brought about by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. The National Business Engagement Consortium (NBEC) was formed in 200l to develop effective employer outreach strategies for government one-stops, and has issued its final report on this issue.

Contact: Sam Leiken
Social, Economic and Workforce Programs Division

http://www.nga.org/center/frontAndCenter/1,1188,C_FRONT_CENTER%5ED_6224,00.html

One-stop career centers provide an array of services and information to job seekers and employers, including job training, employment opportunities, and education training options.

Using a modern marketing and branding system in seven states (Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, and Washington) the NBEC tested new outreach strategies in the first half of 2003 and concluded that:

* Employer awareness of one-stop brands increased significantly in all seven states. Total awareness of one-stop brands as an employer resource increased from 33 percent to 54 percent.

* Employers viewed one-stops positively. Employers became more familiar with one-stops as a result of the campaign: before the effort, 1 in 4 had an opinion of one stop services; after, 1 in 2 did. Encouragingly, 92 percent of these opinions were positive.

* One-stops made great gains in top-of-mind awareness for hiring. When employers were asked what resources they would use to hire, one-stops rose from sixth on the list (mentioned by 8 percent) to second (24 percent). Only newspaper ads ranked higher (48 percent).

* Employers were more likely to have had contact with a one-stop, and are more likely to use one in the future. Past six month contact with a one-stop center rose from 12 percent before the campaign to 27 percent afterwards. Before the campaign, 21 percent of employers said they "definitely" or "probably" would use a one-stop in the future. At the conclusion, the number had more than doubled to 51 percent. The portion that said they would "definitely" use one-stops more than tripled from 9 percent to 32 percent.

The full report describes the development of the outreach campaign, how the campaign was tested and used, the results of the campaign, and draws conclusions about effective outreach to business by one-stop career centers.

Related Links:

* NBEC Report http://www.workforceatm.org/sections/pdf/2003/nbecfrR11.pdf