Labor Should Make Sure CETA Programs Have Effective Employability Development Systems
HRD-82-2
Published: Jan 13, 1982. Publicly Released: Jan 13, 1982.
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Highlights
GAO undertook a review to determine what effect the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Amendments of 1978 have had on employability development systems. One of the primary aims of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) is the movement of program participants into unsubsidized jobs, but weaknesses in the development systems were hampering this movement. The 1978 amendments were designed to strengthen the development systems.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Labor | The Secretary of Labor should stress effective employability development systems as a high priority area. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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| Department of Labor | The Secretary of Labor should direct the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training to see that every sponsor's staff, including management and independent monitoring unit personnel, is adequately trained in employability development systems, through either the planned course on employability plans or other training, and that this training course should include: (1) the purpose of employability plans and their relationship to the basic elements of employability development systems; (2) the legal requirements applicable to employability plans and development systems; (3) the advantages of having good employability plans; and (4) how to prepare employability plans. |
CETA expires on September 30, 1983. Under its replacement legislation, the Job Training Partnership Act, each State designs and directs its own program. Because of this, there will be no Federal requirements for, or involvement in, how the State programs operate.
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| Department of Labor | The Secretary of Labor should direct the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training to improve monitoring by seeing that: (1) both Employment and Training Administration staff and independent monitoring unit (IMU) personnel give more attention to monitoring employability development systems; (2) the planned monitoring training for Federal representatives covers employability development systems and provides detailed guidance on how to monitor these systems and employability plans; and (3) IMU personnel are adequately trained to monitor employability development systems, including employability plans. |
CETA expires on September 30, 1983. Under the new Job Training Partnership Act, there are no provisions for Federal monitoring of local program activities. The new law does not require each service delivery agent to have independent monitoring status.
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| Department of Labor | The Secretary of Labor should direct the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training to improve technical assistance by making sure that the planned technical assistance guide includes: (1) information on the five areas mentioned in the recommendation dealing with the planned training course; (2) model employability plans and examples of completed plans; and (3) guidance for sponsor management and independent monitoring unit personnel on how to monitor employability development systems, with emphasis on the importance of contacting participants as part of the monitoring process. The Secretary should also direct the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training to improve technical assistance by making sure that the Employment and Training Administration regional staff is qualified to help sponsors develop effective employability development systems. |
CETA expires on September 30, 1983. Under the new Job Training Partnership Act, Labor will provide technical assistance only, According to Labor officials, each region will not have a technical assistance staff as currently provided but will probably contract for the services that are needed.
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Topics
EmploymentEmployment assistance programsMonitoringPlanningProgram evaluationProgram managementTraining utilizationCETA programsDevelopment systemsTechnical assistance