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.

Top 10 Reasons To Attend The 2019 Workforce Technology Conference

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 16:20:00 GMT

While parts of the country are still locked in the throes of winter, we’re already dreaming of warmer temperatures in the seasonable summer climate of coastal California. This can only mean one thing – it’s almost time for Geographic Solutions’ 2019 Workforce Technology Conference!

Held annually for the last 16 years, our client summit doubles as a big reveal where our staff members can demonstrate their hard work and dedication to our product development.

In 2019, we’re eager to present our newest developments for Virtual OneStop®, our flagship software suite. The all-in-one modular system features a component library that is customizable to meet the needs of several industries, including case management, vocational rehabilitation, unemployment insurance, higher education, human services, and corrections.

It was extremely difficult to pinpoint one singular reason you should join us this year, and it was even more challenging to stop at 10. With that said, here are 10 of our favorite reasons to say, “See You in Monterey!”

Sneak Peek of Virtual OneStop Version 20!

The cornerstone of our conference is your chance to hear from our president, Paul Toomey, about what we’re cooking up for Virtual OneStop Version 20.

Pre-Conference Training and Countless Breakout Sessions on Reports

We know that reporting is a critical part of your role. That’s why we’re dedicating half of our pre-conference training to ensuring you return to your agency or board with the latest Virtual OneStop reporting tips and tricks. To sweeten the deal, we’ll have multiple sessions throughout the week that focus solely on reports.

Keynote Speaker Maria Smith

We’re excited to welcome Bounce Australia’s Maria Smith to the main stage at the 2019 Workforce Technology Conference! With over 15 years of experience in business management, client engagement, training the highly disengaged, and creating tailored programs, Smith’s vision and attitude is contagious. Her mantra is “Everything is Possible,” and you’ll find out why this summer.

Ways to Make Your Job Easier with the Latest Efficiency Tools

If you love learning ways to work smarter, not harder, we have the tools for you. Hear from our experts how Staff Efficiency tools will make your life easier.

Networking With Agency Staff from All Over the Country

Reading about best practices or participating in an online webinar are invaluable resources. However. the 2019 Workforce Technology Conference gives you the opportunity to meet face-to-face with hundreds of industry professionals and pick their brains about what’s working and not working back at their agency or board.

Voting for Future Product Enhancements and Roundtable Discussions

We want to know how we can help you do your jobs better, and we’re inviting you to tell us at our yearly enhancements voting session. Submit your enhancements requests before the conference, and we’ll conduct live voting with a group of your peers.

One-On-One Meetings with Geographic Solutions Staff Members

Nothing beats collaborating in person with a subject matter expert. At the 2019 Workforce Technology Conference, we’ve carved out a three-hour block after the summit’s closing remarks to meet with Geographic Solutions’ staff members.

The Client Awards Luncheon

Perhaps more significant (and more important) than the Oscars, our client awards ceremony is a chance for you and your agency to earn bragging rights in multiple categories. Plus, enjoy a free lunch on us!

WID Geeks Unite Chat With our LMI Data Experts

Come together, right now…WID geeks! New to the conference in 2019, labor market information specialists will be able to meet with our data experts to discuss all things related to the Workforce Information Database.

Monterey Otters!!!

With up to a million hairs per square inch of fur, Monterey’s Sea otters are often seen floating near the shore, searching for clams, mussels, urchins, and crabs. Ubiquitous along the Central Coast, the largest members of the weasel family are numerous in places such as Moss Landing, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Cannery Row.

What are your favorite reasons to attend the Workforce Technology Conference? Want to share a fun story describing your experiences? Tell us in the comments below!

Haven't registered yet? Visit the conference registration page to join us this summer!

Insights and Perspectives

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

Top 10 Reasons To Attend The 2019 Workforce Technology Conference