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1000.14 TANF MANUAL 7/11 PAGE 59

1000.14 PROGRAM COMPONENTS – NON-CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Hours assigned to non-core activities are used in the calculation of the participation rate only after the minimum 20-hour assignment to a core activity has been met.

A. JOBS SKILLS TRAINING Jobs Skills Training is training that prepares an individual for employment, or job specific training required by an employer in order to obtain, keep, or advance in a specific job or occupation or training needed to adapt to the changing demands of the workplace. Each assignment to Job Skills Training should be for a period of time that will coincide with the length of training/education program whenever possible but should not exceed six months.

Job skills training includes the following types of training:

• Individual courses or a series of short term courses in such topics as keyboarding, or computer literacy, or training in a specific software application.

• All training and education programs, including post-secondary certificate, associate, or baccalaureate level programs, that are included in the definition of Vocational Education and Training at 1000.13H. Post secondary education can be provided in nontraditional as well as traditional settings. (Note: All post-secondary education-certificate, associate, baccalaureate level-must be directly related to employment in order to count as a work activity. Post- secondary education that is not related to employment is not allowable as any VIEW component or element of a component, including Other Locally Developed.)

• Instruction in a second language for participants who have a high school diploma or GED, or unpaid practicums or internships offered by a college or training program, or by an employer.

The choice of job skills training offered may vary in each locality, depending upon local labor market conditions. However, job skills training must have a direct relationship to employment as described above. Up to one hour of unsupervised study or homework time can be counted as job skills training for each hour of scheduled class time. The need for unsupervised homework/study time must be confirmed by the education or training program. Unless specifically required by the instructor, unsupervised study or homework time cannot be counted as job skills training when the training is outside the classroom and the activity does not support counting unsupervised study or homework hours. Supervised study time verified by the education or training program may also be counted as participation.

Example: Client is enrolled in a certificate medical assisting program. Students are required to visit various medical settings and talk to medical assistants about the nature of the work they do in those settings. These visits help the students better understand more about the profession and the types of employment opportunities available. Ten hours of visits are required each semester. Because the visits are required, they can be counted (along with the classroom hours) as participation. However, no unsupervised study or homework hours will be counted for the visits.

Hours for distance learning classes will be counted as participation if attendance and participation are documented on an Education and Training Activities Attendance Report which is signed by the instructor. It is the responsibility of the worker to determine through contact with the institution and/or instructor that the hours for a distance learning class can meet the documentation requirements. Distance learning hours that cannot be documented cannot be counted toward meeting the participation requirement. A complete list of allowable distance learning activities is provided in the Vocational Education and Training section, 1000.13H.

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