6-32026-00030 Career Ex Intern App.pdf

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Texas Workforce Commission

Career Exploration Internships

Application 32026-00030 Use this form to submit a grant application.

Purpose and Goal

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has authorized the use of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) in Workforce Innovation and

Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds to offer Career Exploration Internships to provide opportunities for a variety of jobs in diverse industries.

The Internship program will provide Internships for students that will:

1) prepare students for successful entry into occupations that meet the workforce needs of their local communities;

2) provide students with real-world experience in multiple industries;

and

3) allow students to use the experience to help them better understand their academic path.

Grant Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Grant funds are available to the following:

1) a public junior college in Texas (as defined by Texas Education Code §

61.003(2));

2) a public technical institute in Texas (as defined by Texas Education Code

§ 61.003(7));

3) a public state college in Texas (as defined by Texas Education Code §

61.003(16));

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4) a general academic teaching institution (as defined by Texas Education

Code § 61.003(3); and

5) a Texas Independent School District (ISD) or Charter School.

A Texas ISD or Charter School must partner with a Board to receive grant funds through the Career Exploration Internships program. Public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, and general academic teaching institutions are exempt from this requirement.

Eligible Population The eligible population to be served under this Grant Award consists of students enrolled in Internships via a:

1) public junior college or public technical institute in Texas,

2) public state college in Texas;

3) university; or

4) Texas Independent School District or Charter School.

Grant Funding Eligible entities may apply for grants for a minimum of fifty thousand dollars

($50,000) up to one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000).

Allowed Program Costs

Grant funding can be used for the following:

1) instructor fees;

2) administrative fees;

3) Certifications and Credentials aligned to an industry/occupation that meet the workforce needs of their communities; and

4) work-related expenses, such as personal protective equipment, uniforms and clothing, certification and licensure fees, transportation costs.

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Career Exploration Activities

Funding can be used for Career Fairs for 9th through 10th graders (and their parents) that include:

1) Select industries/employers who support occupations in the region;

2) Areas to simulate workspaces, including examples of workplace accommodations;

3) Reverse mock interviews (students get to interview professionals);

5) Sessions on high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) program exploration; and

6) Activities that align with WIOA goals (WIOA Section 101(e)(1))*.

Grant Period For the purposes of this initiative, Grant Period is defined as fifteen (15) months.

Application Process Instructions The application packet for this grant includes this application, the Budget

Workbook. The quarterly and final report template and application evaluation rubric will be included as a reference. To be considered for award, the Budget

Workbook must be submitted with this application.

1) Review and complete the Application and Budget Workbook.

2) Questions may be submitted via the TWC Procurement Portal.

3) Applicants should anticipate up to thirty (30) days for the completion of the TWC review and approval process. Staff will notify Applicants regarding status of their Application.

4) Submit completed application in a searchable, editable, Portable

Document Format (PDF) file version via the TWC Procurement Portal.

Additional resources on The TWC Procurement Portal:

https://twc-texas-gov.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://twc-texas-gov.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities

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1) Technical Support

(https://twc-texas-gov.bonfirehub.com/portal/support)

2) Submission Support

(https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/knowledge-base/bonfire-hub/vendor-submission-support)

Applicant Information

Please provide the information requested below:

Applicant Name:

Mailing Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Applicant Authorized Representative Name:

Title:

Email Address:

Primary Phone Number:

Applicant Designated Contact Name

The role of the Designated Contact will be to work with the TWC Grant

Manager throughout the life of the grant.

Title:

Email Address:

Primary Phone Number:

https://twc-texas-gov.bonfirehub.com/portal/support https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/knowledge-base/bonfire-hub/vendor-submission-support

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Internships Program Work Plan Complete the sections below, detailing how funding will support the

Internships program.

1. Program Description

Describe the proposed Internship program including the:

1) name of Board(s) the Applicant is partnering with (for ISDs and Charter

Schools only);

2) employer and industry partnerships;

3) size of target Internship pool;

4) proposed industries; and

5) target occupations.

[Applicant insert response]

Quarterly Expenditure Benchmarks Table

Provide cumulative expenditure benchmarks for each quarter by completing the following table. Add data to the chart to reflect cumulative expenditure benchmarks, for example: Quarter 1 = 25%, Quarter 2 = 50%, Quarter 3 =

75%, Quarter 4 = 100%.

Quarterly Expenditure Benchmarks Table

(expressed as a % of total amount requested)

Total Requested

Amount Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

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2. Program Plan

For each proposed Internship, the Applicant will describe their plan to administer the program including how they will:

1) provide the industry/occupation that meets the workforce needs of their Applicant’s communities and why the industry/occupation;

2) develop learning objectives and learning goals specific to the targeted industry/occupation;

3) host Career Fairs for 9th through 10th graders (and their parents), that include:

a) Select industries/employers who support occupations in the region;

b) Areas to simulate workspaces including examples of workplace accommodations;

c) Reverse mock interviews (students get to interview professionals);

d) Sessions on high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) program exploration; and

4) provide Rotational Internships: Applicant will describe how they will offer Rotational Internships (For example, an internship within the

Manufacturing occupation might include assignments in production, shipping, sales, and accounting to provide a well-rounded Internship experience);

5) arrange Industry Visits: Applicant will describe how they will partner with companies or organizations for each Internship; and

6) provide Soft Skills training to be embedded into the Internship or

CTE class.

[Applicant insert response]

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3. Intern Recruitment and Selection Process

Describe in detail the:

1) process to recruit a pool of Internship candidates, including a description of minimum qualifications; and

2) criteria and process for the selection of Interns.

[Applicant insert response]

4. Implementation Plan: Partnerships

Describe in detail the:

1) Board partners and their roles; and

2) Employer names, or industry partners, or both, and their roles in the Internships as it applies to Internships and Industry Visits.

[Applicant insert response]

5. Benchmarks

Provide data on the expected impact on the local workforce system by completing the Benchmarks table. Data in this table must be entered cumulatively. All entries must be whole numbers, ranges will not be accepted.

Table A: Benchmark Table

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Performance Measures

Target Estimated

Benchmark Q1

Estimated Benchmark

Q2

Estimated Benchmark

Q3

Estimated Benchmark

Q4

Example:

Number of Interns recruited for an Internship

20 5 10 15 20

Number of Interns recruited for an Internship

Interns who are placed in an Internship

Interns who successfully completed an Internship career fairs hosted

Total number of career fair attendees

End of Table A: Benchmarks

Post-Internship

At the conclusion of the Internship, Grantees will:

1) provide outcomes on the following:

a) Total number of Interns employed;

b) Total number of Interns employed by an Internship sponsor; and

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c) Average wage earned for all Interns employed as a result of their

Internship.

2) administer a program evaluation, including, but not limited to, evaluation elements listed below. Responses must be collected using either the specified scale or through open-ended responses, as indicated.

Scale:

1 = Strongly Disagree

2 = Disagree

3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree

4 = Agree

5 = Strongly Agree

Evaluation Elements:

a) The Internship provided sufficient opportunities to experience different departments or roles within an organization (Scale);

b) The Industry Visits enhanced my understanding of potential career paths within the industry (Scale);

c) The Internship effectively encouraged me to explore different career paths within specific industries (Scale);

d) I plan to enroll in academic course(s) or pursue certification(s) related to my internship experience (Scale);

e) The Internship helped me develop valuable soft skills (e.g.

communication, teamwork, problem-solving) (Scale);

f) I would recommend Internships to others (Scale);

g) What change, if any, would you make to the Internships program?

(open-ended response);

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h) What are your next career steps and how did this Internship prepare you for your career goals? (open-ended response)

Reporting Requirements

Financial Reporting

The Grantee shall electronically submit the following, through the Cash Draw and Expenditure Reporting system, according to the instructions specified in

40 TAC §§ 800.52 and 800.72, WD Letters (including any subsequent issuances) and/or other Agency issuances, as applicable:

1. An accurate monthly financial report, including accrued expenditures and financial obligations for the grant award; and

2. An accurate financial closeout settlement package for the grant award.

If TWC exercises its option to renew the grant, TWC may require that a separate financial closeout package be submitted by the date and time specified by TWC.

Performance Reporting

A Grantee shall submit the following performance reports:

1. Quarterly Performance Reports (QPRs): QPRs provide regular updates towards the grant program goals and must be submitted to the designated

TWC Grant Manger no later than ten (10) days after the end date of each quarter. A quarter is defined as a three-month period on a grant's period of performance that acts as basis for periodic progress reports. The first quarter begins on the grant execution date and includes all remaining days of the month of execution and the two months following. Subsequent quarters begin on the first day of the fourth month and are measured in three-month increments.

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2. Ad-hoc Reports: Ad hoc reports, as requested, by TWC to meet the potential need for timely information during the grant term. Due dates for ad-hoc reports will be established at the time of request.

3. Final Report: A final report must be submitted to the designated TWC

Grant Manager regarding the grant outcomes. The final report is due no later than thirty (30) days after the grant end date.

Applicant’s Acknowledgement

Complete and Accurate Information

Applicant represents and warrants that all statements and information provided to TWC are current, complete, and accurate. This includes all statements and information in this Solicitation Response.

Acceptance of the Grant-Specific Requirements.

The Applicant certifies its acceptance of the Application, including attachments, if any, in its entirety and the requirements identified therein as well as this Application and attachments, if any.

Applicant’s Signature

These certifications are a material representation of fact upon which reliance will be placed when this grant award is made or entered into. Submission of this signed certification is a prerequisite for an Application to be evaluated and scored.

By signing, the Applicant certifies that:

1. All of the information in this Application, including all certifications herein, is complete and accurate;

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2. Applicant is in compliance with the General and Special Terms and

Conditions and the Financial Requirements and acknowledges that continued compliance is a condition for the award of a grant;

3. Applicant represents and warrants that all certifications, representations, warranties, and other provisions in these Certifications apply to Applicant and all of Applicant’s principals, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, owners, agents, employees, subcontractors, independent contractors, and any other representatives who may provide services under, who have a financial interest in, or otherwise are interested in this Solicitation or any contract resulting from this

Solicitation;

4. The authorized representative hereby warrants that he or she has been fully authorized by the Applicant to complete the Certifications on behalf of the Applicant, and validly and legally bind the organization to all the terms and conditions, performances, and provisions of the Application;

and

5. If a grant is awarded, all program activity will be conducted in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, TWC

Certifications, Application Number 32026-00030, and the Application.

6. If a grant is awarded, Applicant agrees to electronically sign TWC’s documents and agreements via DocuSign eSignature.

Applicant Name:

Authorized Representative Name:

Signature:

Date: