Our Response To The COVID-19 Outbreak

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 12:46:00 GMT

Here is an update from our president, Paul Toomey, about how we're responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.

At Geographic Solutions, our primary focus is on the health, safety, and well-being of our clients, users, and employees. We are closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation as it unfolds and continue to direct our business decisions with this focus as we work together through these unprecedented times. During this time, I wanted to reach out and update you on how we are approaching the situation at Geographic Solutions:

Service to Our Clients and Users
It is critical that we continue supplying the same level of service and support upon which our clients and users depend. We are already seeing an increase in traffic on our websites, and we are adding hardware and network resources to ensure the continued performance of all the sites that we host.

For those sites where we process unemployment claims, there is already a significant increase in initial claims. For example, in Louisiana 291 initial claims for unemployment were submitted on March 10, 2020, while 11,304 initial claims were filed one week later on March 17, 2020. We are working with our Unemployment Insurance (UI) clients to take actions to accommodate the increased volume with actions that include:

• Waiving and modifying of work search requirements
• Waiving of waiting weeks
• Adding COVID-19 questions to claim forms
• Relief of employer charges

We are also ready to help enact any new Federal UI legislation, as it is passed. This includes all aspects of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

We understand that several of our clients have transitioned their employees to work from home, and that several more are considering this move. Our software fully supports remote working and allows agency staff to operate anywhere there is an Internet connection. The only exception to this flexibility is the handling of physical documents such as verification forms or the scanning of incoming correspondence. We are here to help with any challenges. Please feel free to contact us if you need assistance in setting up your remote operations.

Our Operations
On March 11, 2020, we enacted our Infectious Disease Outbreak Response Plan. Most of our employees are now working from home with company-supplied laptops and remain connected to both our phone system and servers through our Virtual Private Network (VPN). Under this plan, we are able to operate business as usual. Some of our key Administration, Operations, and Systems team members are still onsite and adhering to best practices for social distancing.

Please note that our main office phone line, 727-786-7955, is operational in order to keep the lines of communication open between staff and our clients. Our Network Operation Center, Help Desk, and Technical Support staff are all available to support you 24/7.

Travel Restrictions
While under the current national emergency we are restricting all employee travel. Whenever possible, we will be conducting activities, meetings, and training via web conference, in lieu of on-site interactions.

Our employees permanently located at a client site will follow any business continuity guidelines provided by the client or state agency.

Workforce Technology Conference
At this point, we are moving forward with our annual Workforce Technology Conference, which begins on June 15, 2020. We will, however, be monitoring the ever-evolving situation and our conference planning team will notify attendees if there is any change in plans.

Moving Forward
As new developments emerge regarding COVID-19, we will keep you updated on our response.

I want to personally thank you for your support and understanding during this difficult time. Please feel free to contact me at PToomey@geosolinc.com if you have any questions or concerns.

Take care and stay safe,
Paul Toomey
President

Filling In The Gaps: How Workforce Agencies Are Using Alison To Fundamentally Change Skills-Based Training

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 16:54:00 GMT

By Dr. Tim Potenz

With more than 13 million users worldwide enrolled in thousands of free online courses, Alison.com has transformed into an industry-leading provider of online education and job skills training. On a global scale, their educational impact has earned them numerous awards from organizations and initiatives such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Economic Forum, and the World Innovation Summit for Education.

In 2007, Alison was launched by founder Mike Feerick, an early pioneer of the Massive Open Online Courseware (MOOC) movement. His vision is responsible for the success of more than 2 million graduates worldwide, with 175 thousand new learners signing up every month.

An Educational Cornerstone

In the United States, hundreds of workforce agency administrators have used Alison.com to develop suites of freely-accessible online courses, forming educational cornerstones key to federally-funded government programs.

When parents or guardians face periods of transition, sometimes due to job loss, programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T;) and the Florida-centric Welfare Transition Program (WTP) offer needed assistance to qualified participants. This form of help can include time-limited financial assistance for basic needs such as food, clothing, and housing, but also includes transitional services to help families become independent. A significant part of these transitory services include GED prep courses, job training and interview practice, vocational training, classes in basic English, and job retention services.

“In terms of workforce advantages, Alison.com is building inroads in several distinct areas,” says Dan Fitzgerald, a Corporate Workforce Trainer at Geographic Solutions. “It fills the training-related gaps for programs like SNAP E&T; and TANF, offering low-cost alternatives for program participants.

Impacting Training Completion Rates

For CareerSource, Florida’s statewide network of workforce development boards and career centers, program managers have been integrating Alison’s free learning resources into their workforce programs since 2009. Because Alison’s courses are self-paced and time flexible, registered learners can level up their skills anywhere, and at any time. This helps workforce agency administrators spend less resources on scheduling, structuring, and monitoring, and more time on their actual training. Devoting more attention to these critical areas has made a significant impact on training completion rates. And, with Alison’s data-rich user statistics, admins can immediately see how much time a job seeker has spent on training.

A newer feature in Alison’s arsenal is the Career Guide, which ushers job seekers towards the right courses, catered towards specific career paths. These courses are laid out on different skill levels, and learners are guided through each course appropriately. The time needed to structure training is therefore taken on by experts, which allows more job seekers to get the most out of their activity, helping them stick with the program.

Expanding Job Ready Initiatives

Looking towards 2020 and beyond, Alison plans to expand their Job-Ready initiatives to workforce-industry professionals striving to create their own suite of free online courses and certifications. You can hear more about essential free learning at the 2019 Workforce Technology Conference.

About the Author: Dr. Tim Potenz is the Editor at Alison.com, where he's responsible for the Careers section of the platform.

Insights and Perspectives

Our Response To The COVID-19 Outbreak

Filling In The Gaps: How Workforce Agencies Are Using Alison To Fundamentally Change Skills-Based Training