Starting last January, the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin's Strategic Planning Committee began working on a comprehensive plan to redesign the region's One-Stop program.  After many planning committee meetings and hours of brainstorming, the new program was developed and put out for bid in late July, and changes in service began on December 1.
 
There are several important changes in service.  The new system emphasizes regionalism and works to have consistent offerings throughout the area.  There were significant new investments in technology to support this regional effort, particularly in interactive video.  Interactive video allows customers to attend job seeker workshops and meet with staff from all parts of the region without having to travel, which helps make services uniformly accessible in our region's urban and rural areas. 
 
The new system also employs three full-time, certified career advisors who individually meet with customers and help establish a career and educational plan.  Traditional case management has also changed.  Industry Specialists and Business Service staff work with customers and employers working in or seeking employment in a specific industry rather than customers or employers located in a certain geographic area. 
 
In an effort to reach a larger audience, the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin is also working with the Department of Labor's Center for Faith-Based and Community Organizations to make South Central Wisconsin the state's first SHARE Network region and create community access points.   These access points will expand our reach and increase awareness and availability of services.  
 
The new system launched in stages.  New contractors were announced in mid-September, staff was hired and began extensive transition planning and training in October and November, and on December 1, less than one year after the process began, One-Stop customers began to receive the new and improved services.