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TANF Section, WIOA Combined Plan Modifications 2026

34 Most W-2 agencies are co-located at the local Job Center. Job Centers have Business Services Teams (BST) that coordinate activities and resources with Job Center partners to provide comprehensive high quality, customer centered services to employers. Business Services Teams include Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act core program representatives as well as other combined state plan partners. Where the W-2 agency is co-located in the Job Center the business service unit is part of the Job Center’s BST.

In W-2, job development is the process of creating job opportunities for W-2 participants by researching, identifying and soliciting commitments from possible sources of employment. Job developers have a thorough knowledge of local labor market information, including high-growth industries and career paths that exist within those industries. They coordinate with members of the BST to identify employers within local area industry that are best prepared to work with the W-2 population. They understand local industry trends and occupations and have capacity to engage with employers to assist in meeting their recruitment needs. Finally, they identify the skill-sets local industries need and apply related skill development to work experience and job skills training programs.

W-2 agencies provide the following work activities to W-2 participants: • Individualized job readiness services including o Career and vocational assessments; o Career exploration and planning; o Jobs readiness assessments; o Job readiness instruction, including soft skill development; o Interviewing skills and mock interviews; o Job coaching; o Resume review and updating; and o Job search instruction and assistance, including applying for jobs online. • Additional work activities include: o Work experience; o On-the-job training; o Job coaching; o Employment retention services, and o Advancement services.

W-2 agency staff also provide the following services: • Research the local labor market and contact employers to create job opportunities that are appropriate for local W-2 applicants or eligible parents; • Match individual applicants or eligible parents to jobs in the area; • Arrange job interviews and provide post interview follow up with both the parent and the local employers; • Provide access to clothing for interviews; • Identify and develop work experience sites to better prepare those participants who have some work skills but are not yet prepared to succeed in unsubsidized employment; • Organize job fairs; and • Work with W-2 agencies’ Community Steering Committees as well as general business and sector-specific associations and local workforce development boards