U.S. Department of Labor 

Employment and Training Administration Occasional Paper 2006-07 

ANATOMY OF A ONE-STOP: 

BALTIMORE CITY EASTSIDE 

CAREER CENTER 

Submitted by: 

Treva Stack 

The Jacob France Institute 

Merrick School of Business 

University of Baltimore 

1420 North Charles Street, BC-368 

Baltimore, MD 21201-5779 

410-837-4685 

tstack@ubalt.edu

David Stevens 

The Jacob France Institute 

Merrick School of Business 

University of Baltimore 

1420 North Charles Street, BC-368 

Baltimore, MD 21201-5779 

410-837-4729 

dstevens@ubalt.edu

This report has been funded, either wholly or in part, with Federal funds from the U.S. Department 

of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under Contract Number K-6558-8-00-80-60. 

The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department 

of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply 

endorsement of same by the U.S. Government.
i 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

 

CHAPTER PAGE

 1 THE BALTIMORE CITY MAYOR’S OFFICE OF 

 EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT, EASTSIDE 

 CAREER CENTER: RESEARCH DESIGN AND CONTEXT 1 

 

 2 AN OVERVIEW OF THE EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER 44 

 

3 THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC CONTEXT FOR 

 EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER OPERATIONS 48 

 4 INSIDE THE EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER TODAY 55 

5 THE FLOW OF CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE 

 BALTIMORE EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER 89 

6 FINDINGS FROM PRE- AND POST- CUSTOMER 

 SURVEYS AND INTERVIEWS, AND FROM A 

 MAILED SURVEY OF BUSINESS PERCEPTIONS 98 

7 CONCLUSIONS 142 

 

TABLES

Table 1 Major Baltimore Employers Ranked by Number of Employees 48 

Table 2 ECC WIA Performance Goals 79 

 

Table 3:1 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Average Time Spent by Destination/ 

Activity for All Tracked One-Stop Customers (N=791) 92 

Table 3:2 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Single Destination/Activity Customer 

Choices (N=477) 92 

Table 3:3 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Average Time in Minutes by Location 

for Single Destination/Activity Customers (N=477) 93 

Table 3:4 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Average Time Spent in Minutes by 

Location for Multiple Destination/Activity Customers (N=314) 94 

Table 3:5 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Multiple Destination/Activity One-Stop 

Customer Activities (N=314) 95 

 
ii 

Table 3:6 Exit Interview Respondents Opinions on Eastside One-Stop 

Career Center Services (N=16) 105 

Table 4:1 TRADE Data Surrounding State Wage Matches 117 

Table 4:2 FEDES Data, Federal Employment Wage Matches 122 

Table 5 Q1A: Number of Employees Currently Employed by Surveyed 

Firms in Baltimore Area 123 

Table 6 Q1B: Number of Firms by Employment Size 123 

Table 7 Q2A: Do you expect Your business to Hire Locally in the 

Remainder of 2005? 124 

Table 8 Q2B: Number of Employees to be Hired Locally by End of 2005 124 

Table 9 Number of Firms by the Number Employees They are 

Expecting to Hire 124 

Table 10 Q2C: For Which Position Groups Will New Employees 

be Hired For? 125 

Table 11 Q3A: Current Ability of Businesses to Find Qualified Applicants 125 

Table 12 Q3B: Types of Employee Recruitment Problems 

Experienced by Firms 126 

Table 13 Q4: Local Recruitment Services Used by Firms in Last 12 Months 126 

Table 14 Q5: Which Local Recruitment Services Would Your Firm 

Consider Using? 127 

 

Table 15 Q9: Which Employee Recruitment Services are Most Important 

to Your Business? 128 

Table 16 Q10: Online Recruitment Services Used by Firms 128 

Table 17 Q6: Which Statement Fits Your Firms Understanding of the 

Workforce Investment Act? 129 

Table 18 Q7: Surveyed Businesses Opinions as to the Services Provided 

by Workforce Providers 130 

Table 19 Q8: Surveyed Businesses Opinions as to the Types of Candidates 

Workforce Providers Offer to Local Firms 131 
iii 

FIGURES

Figure 1:1 Eastside (21205) and Surrounding Neighborhoods, Percent 

of One-Stop Traffic 51 

Figure 1:2 2000 Census Population of Eastside (21205) and Surrounding 

Neighborhoods 51 

Figure 1:3 2000 Census Percent of Population with High School Education 

or Above, By Eastside Neighborhood 51 

Figure 1:4 2000 Census Race Figures, by Eastside Neighborhoods 51 

Figure 1:5 2000 Census Gender Figures, by Eastside Neighborhoods 52 

Figure 1:6 2000 Census Figures, Percent of Individuals Below Poverty 

Level, by Eastside Neighborhoods 52 

Figure1:7 Census 2000 Median Household Income, by Eastside Neighborhoods 52 

Figure 1:8 2000 Census/2003 MOED Core Customers: Comparisons by 

Race, Surrounding Eastside Neighborhoods 53 

Figure 1:9 2000 Census/2003 MOED Core Customers: Comparisons by 

Education, Surrounding Eastside Neighborhoods 53 

Figure 2:1 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Eastside Customers Most Frequently 

Chosen One-Stop Locations/Activities 91 

Figure 2:2 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Number of Destinations/Activities during 

Eastside Visit 96 

 

Figure 2:3 Pre-Survey Customer Demographics by Gender 99 

Figure 2:4 Pre-Survey Customer Demographics by Race 99 

Figure 2:5 Pre-Survey Customer Demographics by Age 99 

Figure 2:6 Pre-Survey Customer Demographics by Education Level 99 

Figure 2:7 Pre Survey Customer Expectations Regarding Eastside Services 100 

Figure 2:8 Pre Survey Customer Expectations Regarding Staff Assistance 101 

Figure 2:9 Pre Survey Customers' Expectations that Eastside Will Help 

Fulfill Goals 101 
iv 

Figure 3:1 Post Survey Customers' Most Frequent Future One-Stop 

Destinations 103 

Figure 3:2 Exit Survey Customer Reasons for Coming to Eastside 

One-Stop Career Center 103 

Figure 3:3 Exit Survey Customers First Reason for Coming to Eastside 

One-Stop Career Center 104 

Figure 4:1 Circuit Breaker Customers' Last Activities 113 

Figure 4:2 WIA Exiters and Circuit Breaker Customers, 

Comparison by Gender 115 

Figure 4:3 WIA Exiters and Circuit Breaker Customers, Comparison 

by Education Level 115 

Figure 4:4 Education Levels of Self-Directed/Staff-Assisted Core 

and Circuit Breaker Customers 116 

Figure 4:5 Services Accessed by Self-Directed and Staff-Assisted 

Core Customers 117 

Figure 4:6 Eastside One-Stop Career Center Customers Median 

Earnings 4 Quarters Pre-Registration, 4 Quarters Post-Registration 119 

Figure 4:7 Eastside One-Stop Career Center Customers Self-Service 

(N=4,038), Staff-Assisted (N=542) Core Customers 120
1 

CHAPTER 1 

THE BALTIMORE CITY MAYOR’S OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT 

DEVELOPMENT, EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER: 

RESEARCH DESIGN AND CONTEXT1

INTRODUCTION 

This study probed beyond what many national, regional and state decision-makers 

already know about the delivery of workforce development system services supported 

wholly or partially from U.S. Department of Labor revenue streams. This report includes 

findings from on-site observations conducted in the Baltimore City Eastside Career 

Center (ECC), one of four One-Stops managed by the Mayor’s Office of Employment 

Development (MOED), interpreted in a broad context of local, state and national events 

and decisions. 

Negotiation of performance standards for and within states receiving U.S. 

Department of Labor funds has typically given limited attention to differences in the level 

and mix of business hiring activity, service area job seeker attributes, and presence of 

other intermediaries serving some or all of the same businesses and job seekers. Our 

findings can improve the knowledge base among regional and state performance standard 

negotiating teams about context issues we think should be considered in the negotiation 

process. Others, including legislators, legislative committee staff members, and staffs in 

organizations representing workforce development constituencies can gain a new 

appreciation for the complexity, diversity and frequent reinvention of One-Stop 

operations. 

RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

We began the design of a plan for ECC observations and related data collection 

by defining questions to be answered—working backwards from what performance 

standard negotiators should know about One-Stop operations to assure a knowledgebased outcome from standard-setting deliberations. 

The opportunity for a One-Stop to perform depends on the level, mix and timing 

of individual customers and businesses requesting One-Stop help, whether in-person or 

by remote communication.2

 Therefore, two basic questions to be answered are: 

 

1

 Our on-site observations in the Eastside Career Center (ECC) of the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment 

Development (MOED) and other data collection activities occurred in 2004-2005, so our description of state and 

local organizations, responsibilities, and program-specific titles and mission statements, does not align precisely 

with some features of the mid-2006 organizational structure and portfolio of program offerings and priorities. These 

differences are welcomed as further evidence that the Baltimore and Maryland public workforce development 

systems are dynamic—responding to new opportunities and challenges as these are recognized. Both the Baltimore 

City and State of Maryland entities are downstream partners affected by recurring statutory, regulatory and fiscal 

decisions that begin with the Congress and flow through the U.S. Department of Labor and other Federal agencies. 

At any defined time reinvention is underway in some aspect of service delivery to customers and/or performance 

accountability practices. 
2 

• Who seeks what type(s) of One-Stop help? 

• Why do some residents and local businesses not seek One-Stop help? 

Given an opportunity to serve through personal appearance or other 

communication of need, the likelihood that successful One-Stop performance will follow 

depends on whether and how customer expectations are recognized and acted upon. So, 

two additional questions to be answered are: 

• What happens within a One-Stop after a customer arrives or communicates 

remotely—are the facility, resource materials and staff expertise appropriate and 

available when needed to satisfy or modify customer expectations? 

• Are exiting customers satisfied with their One-Stop experience(s); and, if not, why 

and with what consequences? 

ONE-STOP OBSERVATION AND DATA COLLECTION APPROACH 

Having defined four questions to be answered, we met with the MOED 

management team to agree when and how ECC observations, staff and customer 

interviews, administrative record data collection, and business community surveys would 

be completed. The MOED headquarters management team and ECC manager agreed to 

open door access so Anatomy project staff could: 

• Conduct interviews with ECC staff members. 

• Observe staff interactions with customers and self-service use of ECC resources by 

some customers. 

• Talk with a representative sample of customers at the time of entry into the ECC and 

just prior to their intended departure. 

• Be given authorized access to confidential administrative records consistent with the 

active data-sharing agreement previously negotiated between MOED and The Jacob 

France Institute. 

• Collect information about business manager perceptions of ECC operations, covering 

both business users and non-users of ECC services. 

Mutual agreement was quickly reached that our on-site observation timing and 

actions would be scheduled to avoid interference with routine staff and customer activities. 

ECC staff was assured that contact with customers would always be on a voluntary and 

anonymous basis. 

 2

 Our University of Missouri-Columbia partners in conducting the Anatomy project accepted responsibility for the 

remote customer communication aspect of the overall study. 
3 

ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT 

Topics covered are presented in the following sequence: 

• The remainder of Chapter 1 introduces historical context about the delivery of 

workforce development services in Maryland and Baltimore City. 

• Chapter 2 follows with a brief overview of today’s ECC services. 

• Chapter 3 describes some basic features of the Baltimore economy and ECC 

neighborhood. 

• Chapter 4 offers an overview of ECC staff responsibilities defined by U.S. 

Department of Labor and other funding streams. 

• Chapter 5 follows with detailed insights about customer and ECC staff interactions 

based on our observations within the ECC, and describes selected outcomes based on 

available administrative records. 

• Chapter 6 reports our findings from pre- and post-ECC service delivery interviews 

conducted with customers and staff, and delivers findings from our survey of business 

users and non-users of the ECC. 

• Chapter 7 summarizes highlights from our intensive observation and analysis of ECC 

operations and relates these findings to the performance standard negotiation process. 

THE STATE AND LOCAL CONTEXT FOR ECC OPERATIONS 

We begin by describing two components of the Maryland public workforce 

development system: 

• The state component, including the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and 

Regulation, the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board, and seven other state 

agency partners. 

• A local component, which in our case is the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of 

Employment Development and four One-Stops that comprise the MOED network of 

neighborhood access to self-service resources and staff assistance when needed—the 

ECC being one of the four. 
4 

The State Level 

The Governor’s Workforce Investment Board 

The appointed members of the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board (GWIB) 

are delegated responsibility for collection, analysis and public release of workforce 

information of strategic interest to state and local government agencies, non-profit 

organizations, current Maryland businesses and targeted out-of-state and international 

business communities, educators, adults and youths making career or career-change 

decisions, and other state residents and prospective arrivals. 

The GWIB defines eight state agency members responsible for 32 workforce 

development programs that in Fiscal Year 2005 received nearly $2.5 billion for public 

workforce development activities—60 percent of these funds flowing from State of 

Maryland sources. 

The eight state agencies comprising the Maryland public workforce development 

system are: 

• Maryland Association of Community Colleges 

Technology Enhancement Consortium. 

 

• Maryland Department of Aging 

 Senior Employment Program 

• Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development 

Maryland Industrial Training Program 

Partnership for Workforce Quality 

• Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development 

Community Development Block Grant 

Community Services Block Grant 

• Maryland Department of Human Resources 

Food Stamp Employment and Training and Able-Bodied Adults without 

Dependent Children 

Child Care/Purchase of Care 

Maryland Fatherhood Initiative Grant Program 

Job Access/Reverse Commute 

• Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation 

Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program 

Employment Service/Job Service 

Veterans’ Services 

Labor Market Information 

Maryland Business Works 

MetroTech 

Skills-based Training for Employment Promotion 

Trade Adjustment Assistance Services 
5 

Unemployment Insurance 

Work, Not Welfare Tax Credit 

Work Opportunity Tax Credit/Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit 

Workforce Investment Act Title I 

• Maryland Higher Education Commission 

Community Colleges 

Public Colleges and Universities 

Private Career Schools 

Non-Public Colleges and Universities 

Student Financial Assistance and Institutional Grants 

• Maryland State Department of Education 

Adult Education and Literacy Services 

Career and Technology Education 

Correctional Education 

Division of Rehabilitation Services 

The GWIB guides Maryland public workforce development policy. More than 

half of the defined member slots are filled with appointees from the business community. 

The GWIB members are charged by the Governor to ensure that the workforce system is 

aligned with the economic and educational goals of the State, resulting in prepared 

workers and competitive businesses. 

Until 2003, the GWIB operated as an independent agency. In 2003, the Governor 

placed the GWIB within the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR). 

The reconstituted GWIB has an expansive vision of responsibility beyond the Workforce 

Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, encompassing the State’s entire public workforce 

development system. The GWIB has a mandate from the Maryland General Assembly to 

“identify inefficiencies within the State’s own workforce development system” for the 

purpose of improving the system and reducing cost.3

 

The stated GWIB mission is: 

To guide a nationally recognized workforce development system that is aligned 

with the economic and educational goals of the State of Maryland and that will 

result in a qualified workforce available to employers in the State of Maryland.4

To this end, four strategic goals defined by the GWIB are to: 

• Create a demand-driven workforce development system that connects employers to 

the best educated and most highly skilled workforce in the world. 

• Develop a labor market system that provides employers, students, job seekers, 

incumbent workers, ex-offenders, out of school youth, and other at risk and special 

 

3

 Governor’s Workforce Investment Board Annual Report, March 2004. 

4

 Governor’s Workforce Investment Board Annual Report, 2003. 
6 

populations with the labor market information, support and technical assistance and 

training they need. 

• Implement a governance system that focuses on unified planning, eliminating 

duplication, maximizing resources, continuous improvement, and accountability for 

results. 

• Ensure universal recognition of Maryland’s success in developing a world class 

workforce development system. 

Ten areas for improvement of the workforce development system in Maryland 

have been defined by the GWIB: 

1. Identify businesses or industries with growth potential that are currently experiencing 

or projecting worker shortages and determine how to meet their needs using the 

industry cluster-based approach. This demand driven model connects specific 

industry needs to the workforce development system. This is currently being used in 

the healthcare industry and there are plans to replicate the effort for the fields of 

aerospace, biotechnology, and hospitality/tourism. 

2. Identify interagency collaboration for the Maryland career cluster system to align 

workforce preparation in all education and training levels. Career clusters are 

groupings of interrelated occupations that represent the full range of career 

opportunities in Maryland and include a common core of academic, technical and 

workplace knowledge and skills. 

3. Execute a plan to market local workforce investment areas to businesses. Many 

Maryland employers are unaware of the One-Stop System. A plan has been 

developed to bring together education, economic development and workforce 

development to devise a new marketing strategy. 

4. Eliminate duplication and reduce costs through improved consolidation and 

coordination of Federal and State workforce dollars and programs. The Division of 

Workforce Development within DLLR has been reorganized and WIA and WagnerPeyser staffs have been integrated. 

5. Improve connections with Maryland’s business community and job seekers by 

updating and integrating the workforce management information system. The new 

Maryland Workforce Exchange system was launched in March, 2004, and will be 

available to job seekers and employers on the Internet. Access will also be created for 

other workforce development system partners. 

6. Identify opportunities for the Department of Social Services and local Workforce 

Investment Areas to combine resources to improve customer service to low-income 

individuals. Combining TANF and WIA resources has been recognized as a gap in 

the workforce development system that needs to be addressed. A joint plan and 

policy for improved coordination is being developed. 
7 

7. Fully integrate adult education with Maryland’s workforce development system. 

Maryland is participating in a national project with the U.S. Department of Labor and 

six other states to enhance the alignment of the services provided by adult education 

programs and the One-Stop Centers. In addition, a plan is being developed to 

strengthen relationships between state and local adult education agencies and 

workforce development partners. Models of integrated services are being identified, 

and professional development and technical assistance is being offered to locals. 

8. Expand support for transitioning ex-offenders into the Maryland workforce. Removal 

of employment barriers needs to be addressed, as well as a reallocation of resources 

for programs and services offered to ex-offenders. 

9. Increase job opportunities for the disabled. Local Workforce Investment Boards and 

One-Stops throughout Maryland are working to become more accessible to disabled 

customers. 

10. Build capacity by expanding the role of the Maryland Institute for Employment and 

Training Professionals (MIETP) to include training that encourages cooperation 

among partners. MIETP is a non profit staff development and networking 

organization that helps train frontline staff, supervisors and administrators. 

The GWIB sub-cabinet is led by the Executive Director of GWIB and is 

comprised of high-level government personnel including deputy and/or assistant 

secretaries, and executives from community based organizations, who are charged to 

continuously monitor and look for opportunities to improve the current workforce 

development system. GWIB sub-cabinet member communication flows to the GWIB 

leadership and to local Workforce Investment Area management teams. 

 

Participating State agencies, in addition to the eight already named, are: 

• Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 

• Maryland Department of Juvenile Services 

• Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services 

The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation 

Overall management responsibility for the State’s public demand-driven 

workforce development system has been assigned by the Governor to the Maryland 

Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR). Within the Department, the 

Division of Workforce Development manages programs supported from U.S. Department 

of Labor and some other funding streams. 

Programs managed by the Division of Workforce Development include: 

• The Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program: The Maryland Apprenticeship 

and Training program staff partners with employers, labor unions and training 

providers to design apprenticeship programs. The Maryland Apprenticeship and 

Training Council is the State’s official apprenticeship certification organization. 
8 

• Employment Service/Job Service: The Employment Service offers on-site and remote 

access self-service resources and staff assistance on behalf of individual job-seekers, 

groups of recently terminated or about to be terminated workers, and employers 

seeking qualified candidates to fill job openings. 

• Veteran Services: Funds received from the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ 

Employment and Training Service support Local Veteran Employment 

Representatives (LVER) and Disabled Veteran Outplacement Program specialists 

(DVOP) located in a One-Stop assist eligible veterans, their spouses, and employers, 

with job placement, training and other support services. This Office also provides 

employment information to separating active duty personnel and maintains an 

incentive award program for staff assisting veterans. 

• Labor Market Information: The Office of Labor Market Analysis & Information 

receives funds from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Employment and Training 

Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor to manage multiple cooperative 

programs collecting and analyzing data about employment, unemployment and other 

factors relating to labor supply/demand in Maryland. 

• Maryland Business Works: A statewide program developed in October 2003 to 

support existing Maryland businesses in the retention and growth of their workforce 

by increasing employee skill levels. 

• Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Services: TAA provides job training, out of state 

job search assistance, relocation assistance, and travel allowances for training to 

displaced manufacturing workers when the layoff or plant closure has been officially 

defined as caused by foreign competition. 

• Work, Not Welfare Tax Credit – The Employment Opportunity Credit (EOC): 

Designed to assist welfare recipients with employment. Employers receive state 

income tax credits if they hire these individuals. 

• Work Opportunity Tax Credit/Welfare to Work Tax Credit: Designed to help social 

service recipients, persons with disabilities, youth, and low-income individuals who 

have numerous barriers to employment. Employers are given a financial incentive in 

the form of federal income tax credits to hire these individuals. 

• Workforce Information and Performance: This Office was created in 2005 to 

consolidate responsibilities previously exercised in other administrative units within 

the Division of Workforce Development. This Office has primary responsibility for 

completion of performance reports prepared for delivery to the U.S. Department of 

Labor for programs supported from the Department’s funding streams. 

• Workforce Investment Act (WIA): U.S. Department of Labor funds support a wide 

range of One-Stop services delivered to adults and youth ages14 to 21. WIA services 

are administered through twelve Workforce Investment Areas having a total of 24 

One-Stops and 15 satellite offices. 
9 

The Transition from JTPA to WIA in Maryland: A Brief History and Context 

Maryland’s transition from the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) to the 

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was supported by a One-Stop early implementation 

grant received from the U.S. Department of Labor in 1995. Forty CareerNet centers were 

designated involving partnerships of local workforce investment boards, the Maryland 

Job Service, and public community colleges. The planning process for integrated 

delivery of services began a year before federal funding was received. In contrast to the 

delivery of services under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), a customer-driven 

approach for delivery of services was designed including early intervention services for 

UI recipients identified under the Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services 

Program. 

The State CareerNet One-Stop steering committee defined six broad performance 

outcome goals in anticipation of the official transition from JTPA rules to WIA 

expectations. These goals included increased 

• Individual customer use of One-Stop services; 

• Employer use of One-Stop services; 

• Individual and employer customer satisfaction; 

• Labor market penetration; 

• Life-long learning; and 

• Inter-agency participation/coordination. 

The Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development CEO and the 

General Manager of the Baltimore One-Stop Career Center Network were members of 

the State JTPA-WIA transition steering committee, as well as participants in various state 

One-Stop work groups that met monthly. The ECC was designated to become a 

replicable model of integrated service delivery. The steering committee encouraged local 

reorganization approaches emphasizing local strengths, needs and opportunities. 

The statewide CareerNet system went beyond what became a minimum WIA 

statutory mandate to designate a local agency or consortium of agencies to host the 

system and coordinate referrals among WIA, ES/UI, and community college partners 

through electronic linkages. In the MOED ECC local JTPA staff invited ES/UI partners 

to co-locate staff and participate in the integration of services for all customers. 

In their 1995 One-Stop application to the State, Baltimore CareerNet partners 

proposed several outcome goals—they wanted to see a 10 percent increase in the number 

of customers served by more than one program, an increase in the number of similar 

services offered by different sites and agencies, maintenance of existing service levels for 

JTPA and Job Service customers, an increase in the number of services received by each 

individual or business customer, a 5 percent increase in the number of jobs available in 

the Job Bank, an increase in the number of customers from the general public (not 

eligible for JTPA or other programs) amounting to 15 percent of the individual customer 

base, and services delivered to at least 2 percent of not currently employed individuals. 

The Baltimore Career Centers agreed to monitor the following customer outcomes: 

Number of job placements; daily traffic flow; number of enrollments in the Job Bank; 
10 

and number attending a JTPA employment preparation seminar, self-paced training, GED 

training, or skills brush-up class. 

The Current Maryland One-Stop Career Center Model 

Maryland One-Stop Career Centers have adopted a common approach for the 

delivery of mandated services: 

• Each Center is required to have a large self-service area with Internet connected 

computers. 

• A receptionist must be available to explain services and triage customers into the 

appropriate areas. 

• A self-service resource center with computers to assist customers with resumes and 

cover letters is required. 

• Individual customers are to have access to office equipment including telephone, 

facsimile and copier. 

• Employment-related literature is to be available to assist customers with their job 

search. 

• Referral and testing for training candidacy are required at least once weekly. 

• Veterans’ services must be available. 

• Each One-Stop must be accessible to all individuals. 

In addition to common-core required services, Maryland One-Stops are 

encouraged to provide job related workshops, outreach to specific populations including 

ex-offenders and persons with disabilities, and to seek partnership agreements with faithbased and other community organizations. 

Defined self-service and staff-assisted core services under WIA are available to 

all One-Stop customers. Defined core services include: 

• Outreach intake and orientation to available services 

• Initial assessment of skill levels, aptitudes, abilities and supportive service needs 

• Eligibility determination for partner employment and training programs 

• Job search assistance, career information and counseling 

• Job matching and referral 

• Local, regional, and statewide labor market information 

• Information on financial aid, including Unemployment Compensation 

• Information on certified education/training providers and One-Stop activities 

• Orientation to personal computers for access to self-directed services 

• Coordination of information/services with school-to-careers activities 

If a customer needs help beyond the core tier of service, they may progress to 

intensive services. One-Stop partners review customer information such as skills 

assessment, literacy level, supportive service needs, barriers to employment, and job 

referral history to make this determination. Adults and dislocated workers may access 

intensive services if they are unemployed and deemed unable to obtain a job through core 

services. Adults and dislocated workers who are employed but have been determined to 

need intensive services to retain or find new employment assuring self-sufficiency are 
11 

also eligible. Defined intensive services include: Customized assessment of knowledge, 

skills, abilities and interests by use of various non self-service tools; development of an 

individual employment plan; group counseling; individual career planning; case 

management; and short-term pre-vocational and stand-alone services—including adult 

basic education, English as a Second Language, GED, basic computer literacy, 

interviewing skills, and soft skills. 

Maryland state officials encourage an increase in the number of local training 

slots made available throughout the State, but few revenue sources are available for such 

slots. Innovative training strategies the State has used to fill skills gaps include the July 

2001 Skills-Based Employment Promotion (STEP) program; a statewide incumbent 

worker training program; and the Maryland Business Works program. Maryland received 

a $1.5 million award of federal funds for its “Teach for the Health of It” initiative to 

increase the number of faculty in the state’s nursing programs and consequently increase 

the number of nurses. 

Wagner-Peyser/WIA Consolidation 

The DLLR Division of Workforce Development mandated integrated local OneStop WIA and Wagner-Peyser staffs in 2004 to achieve administrative efficiencies. Prior 

to this reorganization all State policy guidance had been delivered separately to WIA and 

Wagner-Peyser staffs. Duplication of staff positions and responsibilities has been 

eliminated, and common fiscal, personnel and performance monitoring tasks have been 

integrated. 

The 12 Local Workforce Investment Boards in Maryland have responded with a 

new level of cooperation between Job Service and WIA partners. Overlapping activities 

continue to be identified and eliminated, job orders are shared, and recruitment job fairs 

are coordinated. All Maryland Wagner-Peyser and WIA staffs are now co-located. 

The State’s staff development provider, the Maryland Institute for Employment and 

Training Professionals (MIETP), has recently developed a curriculum targeted to all 

Business Services employees in multiple agencies, including WIA, Wagner-Peyser, 

Veterans, and Economic Development. Graduates receive a toolkit of business services 

resources. 

Now a business service representative with a thorough knowledge of Maryland’s 

business support resources works with each employer contacted. This single point of 

contact eliminates the previous onerous practice of multiple organizations contacting 

employers. 

Evolution of the Maryland Data System for Workforce Development Management and 

Reporting 

The Maryland CareerNet System 

The timing and content of MOED One-Stop network development was influenced 

by the availability of automated services through the statewide technology-based 

CareerNet system, as well as strong support for workforce and economic development 
12 

activities by local officials and City agencies. Because the technology component was 

already developed and in place, local efforts could and did focus on the design and 

delivery of One-Stop services, including self-service options. 

The statewide CareerNet system included 3 service clusters: A labor exchange 

cluster—the automated job bank and other on-line job search assistance; a career 

exploration cluster (LMI); and a customer development cluster (education and training 

opportunities). 

CareerNet technology allowed customers to search for jobs, create a resume, 

research labor market information, and access information on training and education 

programs. The CareerNet system was originally used to track Job Service customers. 

When WIA replaced JTPA in Maryland CareerNet was adopted in the newly designated 

Maryland One-Stops. 

A total of 83 CareerNet customer self-service workstations and 63 One-Stop staff 

workstations were installed at five Baltimore locations by the end of the second 

implementation year. The City’s Empowerment Zone initiative adopted CareerNet 

resources in six satellite Village Centers staffed by neighborhood residents. 

During the 1990s DLLR led the State’s planning for introduction of a wide area 

network. Soon, however, adoption of an Internet-based management system was 

substituted as a more efficient way to promote collaboration among partner agencies. 

Maryland joined a four state consortium (MD, PA, VA and WV), named the MidAtlantic Career Consortium (MACC), to develop an Internet system that would link WIA 

state agencies to local areas. In April 2000 the MACC partners agreed that Pennsylvania 

had designed the best Career Link communication model for a state’s One-Stop delivery 

system. This approach was adopted by each of the four MACC partner states. 

The four states to pooled design resources, while retaining flexibility to customize 

the common system to their individual state specifications. In 2001, the U.S. Department 

of Labor awarded the MACC partners $500,000 for continued system development. The 

MACC partners, in turn, subcontracted with Covansys, Inc. to improve the system’s 

performance capabilities. Web-based case management and a parallel management 

reporting system were high priorities in designing and testing the new system. The 

customized Maryland design was named the Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE). 

The Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE) 

Universal access to job orders is available through the MWE. The MWE uses 

Application Service Provider technology featuring a secure password-protected Internet 

modality. 

Employers and partner agencies have authorized direct access to the MWE. 

DLLR convened business focus groups to refine the MWE before public access was 

offered. Employers are now able to manage the recruitment process on-line and job 

seekers can submit their resumes to employers. 
13 

The MWE was designed to include: 

• A comprehensive case management system to track job seekers 

• Access for Maryland employer and job seeker community via the Internet 

• Ability for enrolled employers to post job orders, sign up for workforce events, match 

potential employees to their job orders, access labor market information, and create a 

website advertising their business. 

• Ability for job seekers to independently enroll in the system, create multiple resumes, 

perform job searches by industry or occupation, perform an automatic job match, 

apply for jobs, manage job referrals, sign up for workforce events, and research 

careers, employers, and training 

• The Maryland State Approved Training Provider list, which offers information about 

vendors’ courses and program performance 

• Required Federal and internal management reports can be generated, as well as case 

management reports and other real time performance and management reports. 

The MWE case management and reporting system features are not fully 

operational and real-time data are not available as of mid-2006. MOED responded to the 

continuing delay by creating an ad hoc MOED data system allowing timely completion 

of required and other management reports. 

Through the MWE, unemployment insurance recipients, students in career and 

technology programs, community colleges, and four year colleges and universities are 

included in the pool of available Maryland job candidates. The State also uses 

EmployOn, a spidering tool that provides access to more than 4.5 million positions from 

100,000+ on-line sources. This system is optimized by skill-based job searches allowing 

customers to see how their current skills may be transferable to other careers. 

When fully operational, MWE One-Stop partners will share common customer 

data so customers do not have to repeat information. One-Stop staffs will be crosstrained so appropriate referrals to needed services are assured. Routine on-line updates 

about customer-specific services received and referrals made will ensure that the 

information is current and accurate. 

Through the use of the Maryland Workforce Exchange, job seekers can locate and 

contact employers who are seeking their skills, review current job listings, complete and 

submit on-line resumes, assess their personal skills and determine how to upgrade them, 

access a list of State approved training providers and review their past performance, 

locate resources for training, and locate support services. 

The MWE Welcome Menu lists available services, allowing the customer to: 

• Create a Personal Folder (store resume(s), update contact information, save job 

openings) 

• Build/Update Resume 

• Create/Edit Job Preferences 

• Search for Jobs and Employers 

• Look for Training Providers 
14 

• Find a Service Location 

• Access Career Resources 

• File an Electronic Unemployment Insurance (UI) Claim 

• Access the UI Information Line 

• Access Electronic Licensing (obtain/renew occupational/professional/financial 

regulatory licenses) 

Different levels of MWE service are offered to self-service versus enrolled 

employers—self-service employers can browse the talent bank while enrolled employers 

can retrieve resumes directly from applicants. The initial timeline for an operational 

MWE was 2003, but delays resulted in limited staff access being offered in 2004 and 

public access to the MWE becoming available in late 2005. The case management and 

reporting functions of the MWE for state and local staff use are still being tested and 

refined in mid-2006. 

Within Maryland, participating partner organizations agreed to absorb some of the 

Maryland Workforce Exchange cost based on individual organization shares of the 

number of staff using the system. 

DLLR Performance Report Generation 

The new DLLR Office of Workforce Information and Performance within the 

Division of Workforce Development has consolidated the reporting, performance and 

selected labor market information analysis functions. State WIA performance reports are 

prepared and delivered to the U.S. Department of Labor quarterly. 

Maryland UI wage record information can be extracted directly from the 

Maryland Automated Benefit System managed by DLLR, or from The Jacob France 

Institute at the University of Baltimore that archives Maryland UI wage records for 

authorized use including support of the Department’s own reporting needs. 

DLLR and The Jacob France Institute also cooperate in a regional quarterly 

exchange of UI wage record extracts with Delaware, the District of Columbia, New 

Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; and in the Federal Employment 

Data Exchange System (FEDES) funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and managed 

by DLLR, which delivers needed information about federal civilian and active duty 

military employment status and earnings, and about U.S. Postal Service employment and 

earnings. 

The DLLR Office of Information Technology creates a State extract from the 

Maryland Workforce Exchange system, the data sources described in the previous 

paragraph, and the Wage Record Interchange System (WRIS) that offers restricted use 

for authorized purposes. The State extract is then processed using data validation 

software designed by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. for the U.S. Department of 

Labor and its state affiliates. This step is intended to detect invalid codes and/or missing 

information prior to final production of required Federal reports. 
15 

DLLR Monitoring/Compliance Activities 

One-Stop Monitoring 

DLLR monitors Maryland One-Stops in two ways: 

• Desk monitoring 

• On-site monitoring 

The combination of desk and on-site monitoring is designed to: 

• Ensure that Maryland One-Stops are in full compliance with WIA statutory and U.S. 

Department of Labor regulatory requirements. 

• Be confident that delivered services are of a consistent high quality. 

• Promote awareness and dissemination of best practices for delivery of high quality 

services. 

Desk monitoring is scheduled quarterly, and examines fiscal, programmatic and 

performance monitoring of WIA and Wagner-Peyser services. A typical monitoring team 

includes field staff, DLLR programmatic monitors and fiscal specialists. 

On-site monitoring takes place annually, and includes WIA data validation, an indepth review of One-Stop operations, an Equal Employment Opportunity review, 

procurement and fiscal audits, and grantee sub-recipient reviews. 

The DLLR Workforce Investment Field Instruction (WIFI) System 

The DLLR Workforce Investment Field Instructions (WIFI) system was introduced to 

provide uniform awareness of policy decisions and rules among State and local staffs, 

and to promote consistent integrated delivery of services in all Maryland One-Stops. 

Recent examples of WIFI topics include funding for disability accommodations, 

guidelines for the Veterans’ program incentive awards, entrepreneurial training, limited 

English proficiency policy requirements, and promotion of the Disability Navigator 

Program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training 

Administration, Office of Disability Programs. 

DLLR engaged three new Regional Representatives to support the 12 Local 

Workforce Investment Boards. These DLLR Regional Representatives have been crosstrained to understand the full range of One-Stop operations. They attend local board 

meetings, provide direct assistance, and conduct regular monitoring activities for all OneStops. 

DLLR Office of Labor Market Analysis & Information (OLMAI) 

The Office of Labor Market Analysis & Information supports State and local 

professionals in government, education, and business, as well as job seekers and 

employers using the State’s network of One-Stop resources. At the state and local level, 

LMI is used for strategic planning and program development. At One-Stops, LMI assists 
16 

job seekers in their job search, and also helps staff guide training services customers into 

targeted, high-growth, high-demand industries and occupations. 

The alignment of multiple systems including America’s Career InfoNet, Career 

Voyages, Virtual LMI, Local Employment Dynamics (LED) database, and the Maryland 

Workforce Exchange system provide valuable information to Maryland’s workforce. 

DLLR Employer Programs Used by One-Stops 

Rapid Response

Rapid Response is a coordinated, comprehensive approach to support businesses 

and employees affected by layoffs, closures, or reductions in the workforce. The State 

Dislocation Services Unit (DSU) within DLLR’s Division of Workforce Development is 

responsible for Rapid Response services in Maryland. The unit works with Chief Local 

Elected Officials and Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs), and funds are 

allocated to local areas as needed. Rapid Response funds also support the State’s two day 

Early Intervention Workshops which serve dislocated workers likely to exhaust 

unemployment benefits. 

The DSU is responsible for contact with the local WIA Rapid Response team 

regarding dislocation events and support for the Employer Transition Team. Services can 

take place on-site or directly through the local One-Stop center. Participants receive an 

orientation to One-Stop services, seminars, counseling, and resume workshops. 

One-Stop Business Services staff organizes job fairs designed to showcase the 

skills of the displaced workers and match them with employers in need of those particular 

skills. Transitional services are a component of many Rapid Response events, including 

mental health and financial assistance. Other programs of interest include entrepreneur 

training and business incubator projects. 

Maryland Business Works

Maryland Business Works was created in October 2003 using $1 million of a $1.9 

million incentive award received by the State from the U.S. Department of Labor in 

2002. Maryland Business Works was designed to support businesses in the retention and 

growth of their existing workforce. It provides funding to employers that allows them to 

train incumbent workers in specific skills needed by the business or industry. Priority is 

given to small businesses and businesses in healthcare or other high growth industries, 

and a special effort is being made to reach minority and women owned businesses. Both 

public and private sector employers are eligible for the program. 

Employer-based training projects require a dollar for dollar match from the 

employer. The focus of the project is businesses with 50 employees or less, or 

organizations in the following targeted high-growth industries: healthcare, bioscience, 

information technology, business services, construction, and hospitality/tourism. All 

applicants for funding must be headquartered or have at least one facility located in 

Maryland. 
17 

Training funded through Maryland Business Works must be specific to the 

worker’s current job and related to the company’s strategic goals and objectives. Classes 

designed to improve workplace literacy such as English as a Second Language (ESL) are 

encouraged. The worker acquires either transferable skills or an industry recognized 

certification or credential. 

Local Workforce Investment Areas oversee the Maryland Business Works 

contractual process and training offered. The maximum training cost per employee is 

$3,000 with a grant allocation cap of $25,000 per business. Priority is given to projects 

targeting employees at the lower end of the wage range. 

Teach for the Health of It Program

In 2004 Maryland received $1.5 million in federal funding to increase faculty in 

the state’s nursing programs, which resulted in the Teach for the Health of It program. 

The GWIB developed the grant application and the DLLR Division of Workforce 

Development administers the funds. 

Initial funding for the Teach for the Health of It Program was for two years. The 

first component committed $400,000 to allow forty or more qualified Registered Nurses 

to move into faculty teaching positions, and the second component committed $400,000 

to aid nursing students in completing their degree as quickly as possible to fill the 

vacancies created in the program’s first component. The final tier commits the 

remaining $700,000 to businesses for training incumbent healthcare workers in 

occupations with projected workforce shortages. Employers must provide matching funds 

for the upgrade training activities. 

DLLR Support Services for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 

Recipients 

From the beginning of Maryland’s workforce development system under WIA it 

was decided that TANF/Public Assistance services were to be provided separately due to 

high customer volume and mandated services. Under Maryland’s continuing welfare 

reform effort, job search and work experience are the two primary services emphasized 

for TANF recipients. Job search assistance efforts will be more important following June 

29, 2006 issuance of Interim Final Regulations defining work requirements by the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families 

(Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 125, pp. 37454-37483). 

In Maryland, the welfare and workforce systems are managed in different cabinetlevel departments. The TANF program is administered by the Maryland Department of 

Human Resources. The level of cooperation and communication varies by jurisdiction. 

Local TANF program managers are members of Local Workforce Investment Boards to 

promote appropriate attention to the needs of their customers. The GWIB sub-cabinet 

encourages TANF and WIA officials to determine how they can join forces on behalf of 

the TANF population. 
18 

The Local Level 

Local Workforce Investment Boards 

There are 12 local workforce investment areas and boards with majority private 

industry representation. The local boards are charged to coordinate workforce and 

economic development activities consistent with local area needs and priorities for action. 

Board members are responsible for the direct delivery of employment and training 

services in their local area. 

Local workforce investment boards in Maryland coordinate their efforts with local 

Job Service offices, 24 Departments of Social Services, 16 community colleges, state 

rehabilitation service facilities and providers of adult literacy programs. The Maryland 

GWIB monitors the local boards through a biennial board recertification process. 

The Maryland Workforce Development Association (MWDA) represents 

Maryland’s twelve regional workforce areas. In collaboration with their Workforce 

Investment Boards and public/private partners, MWDA agencies provide professional 

workforce services that enhance career opportunities and support economic growth in 

Maryland. Member agencies include: 

• Anne Arundel Workforce Development Association 

• Baltimore County Office of Employment and Training 

• Lower Shore Workforce Investment Alliance 

• Division of Workforce Investment Services, Montgomery County 

• Southern Maryland Works, Inc. 

• Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board 

• Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, Baltimore City 

• Frederick County Job Training Agency 

• Mid-Maryland One-Stop Employment Resource Center 

• Prince George’s Workforce Services Corporation 

• Susquehanna Workforce Network, Inc. 

• Western Maryland Consortium 

Local workforce investment boards are also responsible for the One-Stop delivery 

system in their local area. One-Stop operating funds flow mainly, but not exclusively, 

from federal WIA and Wagner-Peyser revenue streams. Until now, partner agencies have 

not been required to assist financially with the operation of the One-Stop system, but that 

practice is under review. 

Local workforce investment boards, with the concurrence of their chief local 

elected official, select the One-Stop operator through a competitive process, agreement 

between the LWIB and a consortium of entities specified in the Law, or grandfathering of 

an existing One-Stop operator. 

As we mentioned earlier in this report, DLLR conducts annual programmatic, 

performance and fiscal monitoring to ensure compliance with State and Federal 

regulations, to determine if One-Stop partner resources are maximized, and to determine 
19 

if services are integrated and available to all populations. Local WIA directors review 

the annual reports and technical assistance is provided, if needed. 

Local workforce investment boards in Maryland have been given substantial 

discretionary authority and flexibility to make decisions about the operation of their area 

One-Stops, which enables them to be design a local delivery system that will be 

responsive to local needs, contingent upon an adequate revenue stream to carry out the 

strategic vision. 

We have already said that Maryland was awarded a $1.9 million incentive grant 

for meeting all the WIA performance measures for the period July 1, 2001 to June 30, 

2002. Maryland’s 2003 performance was also among the top five nationally for eight of 

the WIA performance measures, so the State received another $750,000 in federal WIA 

performance incentive funds. 

In recent years, local workforce investment boards in Maryland have lost 

substantial funding for delivery of One-Stop services. State reserve funds helped to 

sustain local delivery capacities in Program Year 2004 and Program Year 2005. Some of 

these funds were earmarked for the delivery of training in high-growth, high-demand 

occupations. State reserve funds also supported innovative One-Stop projects, 

professional development, maintenance of the State’s training provider list, and continued 

development/enhancement of the MWE. 

The Baltimore Workforce Investment Board 

The Baltimore Workforce Investment Board (BWIB) is charged by the Mayor to 

“provide overall guidance, strategic planning, and coordination for the workforce 

development system in Baltimore”.5

 

The BWIB oversees the operations of Baltimore’s One-Stop Career Center 

Network. It also coordinates efforts for Baltimore youth through its Youth Council. 

The BWIB performs the following functions: 

• Facilitate a coordinated workforce development strategy, identifying approaches that 

promote skills development and decrease barriers to employment. BWIB sponsors 

seminars, hosts nationally recognized workforce experts, and establishes networks 

with local and regional partners. 

• Identify priorities for local productivity enhancement initiatives. This is 

accomplished through analysis of local workforce challenges and opportunities. 

Employers are assisted with the development of viable pathways for employees, and 

activities include school-to-work initiatives, business-designed customized training, 

and skills upgrade education for incumbent workers. 

• Promote an effective City-wide public workforce development system by connecting 

residents to employment through streamlined and enhanced communication among 

businesses, employment and training organizations, and job seekers. 

 

5

 Workforce Investment Act 5 Year Extension, Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, May, 2005. 
20 

BWIB membership includes representatives from area businesses, community 

organizations, education and training institutions, and human service agencies and 

providers. The members are appointed by the Mayor with concurrence from by the 

GWIB. BWIB staff works closely with the GWIB sub-cabinet members. 

The recent BWIB organizational structure included an: 

• Executive Committee 

• Industry Sectoral Steering Committee 

• Marketing Committee 

• Public Policy Committee 

• Workforce System Effectiveness Committee 

• Youth Council 

• A Building Linkages with Baltimore’s School System Task Force 

• A Connecting Target Populations to Jobs and Career Advancement Task Force 

During the summer of 2001 the BWIB Planning Committee began a formal 

decision-making process to select defined industry sectors for targeted workforce 

development investments in Baltimore—including surrounding counties as potential 

employment destinations, not just Baltimore City alone. The BWIB committee members 

reviewed information based on the following industry-specific criteria: recent 

employment trend, documented unmet need for qualified workers, human and financial 

resources available to carry out a targeted investment strategy, employee earnings mix, 

and potential for within-industry career advancement with special emphasis on 

documented opportunities for entry-level workers to advance. 

The BWIB selected five industries for priority attention in April 2002: 

• Business Services 

• Construction 

• Health Care/Life Sciences 

• Hospitality/Tourism 

• Information Technology/Computer Related Services 

A Targeting Industry Strategy presentation to the Sectoral Advancement 

Strategies Subcommittee of the BWIB on March 10, 2004 included the following 

targeted industry profiles: 

Business Services 

Business Services is the second largest employment industry sector in Baltimore 

City, employing 45,000 or 12% of the workforce in July 2003. From 1990 to 2002, this 

sector grew 9.3% in Baltimore City, and wages have increased 50.9% after inflation in 

Maryland. There are six high growth occupations in this industry projected through 

2006. 
21 

Construction 

In July 2003, there were 12,300 and 74,200 construction related jobs in Baltimore 

City and the Baltimore Metropolitan area, respectively. Construction represents 3% of 

Baltimore City’s and 5.3% of the Baltimore Metro Area’s total employment. Average 

wages have increased 46% between 1990 and 1999. This industry is important for 

workers without an education credential. 

Health Care/Life Sciences Sector 

Health Care/Life Sciences is the largest employment industry sector in Baltimore 

City. The sector employs 67,200 or 17.34% of the workforce. In Maryland, this industry 

grew 23.3% from 1990-1999. It is one of three Baltimore City sectors to show growth 

from 1990-2002 (9.3% increase), and wages have increased by 26% from 1990-1999 

after adjusting for inflation. The industry has high vacancy rates and career ladders are 

easily identifiable. In addition, career pipeline strategies are in place. 

Hospitality/Tourism 

In July 2003 there were 30,300 jobs in this industry sector in Baltimore City, and 

this is likely an underestimate of the entire tourism industry. Hospitality/Tourism 

represents 8% of Baltimore City employment. During 1990-2002, employment 

decreased by 8.2%. Eleven occupations in this sector listed among the 50-projected 

growth occupations in Baltimore City through 2006. 

Wages in Hospitality/Tourism are relatively low but had increased 36% during 

the 1990s statewide after adjusting for inflation. There are numerous entry-level jobs for 

low-skilled workers. Career ladders have been developed for the Hospitality/Tourism 

sector. 

Information Technology and Computer Related Services 

This sector employed 21,296 Core Information Technology workers in the 

Baltimore Metropolitan Region in 2001. Between 1991 and 1999 the sector increased by 

10% in Maryland. It also pays the highest weekly wages in Baltimore City. Wages have 

increased by 47% in Maryland after adjusting for inflation. Six occupations have been 

projected to experience high growth through 2006 in Baltimore. The skills associated 

with this industry sector have broad applicability across the workforce. Career ladders 

have been established for the Information Technology/Computer Related Services sector. 

In late 2003, the BWIB separated Health Care and Life Sciences, so the final 

targeted industry designations became: 

• Bioscience 

• Business Services 

• Computer, Internet, and Data Services 

• Construction 

• Health Care and Social Assistance 

• Hospitality/Tourism. 
22 

The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) 

Baltimore City Career Center History 

Initial Funding 

In 1995, a One-Stop Local Learning Laboratory grant of $350,000 received from 

the U.S. Department of Labor was used to expand Baltimore City One-Stop services to 

the general public. Additional funds that contributed to this activity included a $780,000 

Title III national demonstration grant and a $318,000 State grant to test Career 

Management Accounts as a method of providing retraining assistance to dislocated 

workers and customizing training responsive to each person’s need. 

MOED development of One-Stop capabilities drew upon multiple sources of 

financial and in-kind support, including the State’s CareerNet hardware/software 

supported by Maryland’s One-Stop Implementation grant, a small planning grant from 

the State, and the Local Learning Laboratory grant described in the previous paragraph. 

Baltimore’s local planning team also received $10,000 from the City government as a 

contribution to development of system-wide electronic communication. 

Initial Planning for Integrated Services 

MOED initiated a planning process for integration of service delivery in 1994, 

years before the WIA mandate for consolidation of organizational components. Local 

partners planned to integrate JTPA and Job Services in a way that could provide a 

standardized set of services offered throughout Baltimore City. Although the state 

required the One-Stop System to link electronically to coordinate referrals, co-location of 

JTPA and Job Service staffs was not required. 

Key transition actions included: 

• Services were to be available to the general public. 

• Priority would be given to self-service versus staff-assisted activities. 

• Collaboration among partner organizations would be emphasized, rather than referral 

of customers between partner agencies. 

• There would be a broad range of service options determined by customer choices. 

The chair of the local JTPA Private Industry Council (PIC) joined with the PIC 

Business Services and Training Subcommittees to serve as the planning team for the 

Baltimore One-Stops. The planning team also included three employer representatives 

and high-level representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, the 

Job Service division of DLLR, Baltimore City Community College, and representatives 

from the Urban League and the AFL-CIO. The issue of provider service integration was 

examined prior to the development of the One-Stop grant application. Baltimore City’s 

local plan requested that they be considered as a first round CareerNet participant. 

Programs initially offered at the ECC included JTPA Title IIA services for 

economically disadvantaged adults and JTPA Title III services for dislocated workers. 
23 

ECC administrators managed the transition from a JTPA One-Stop Center to a WIA 

mandated One-Stop Career Center by focusing on the use of CareerNet technology and 

services. To supplement self-service options, computer assisted learning software and a 

multi-media library were purchased and made available to all customers. 

The MOED Early One-Stop Implementation Plan 

Three objectives were included in the Implementation Plan for the Baltimore 

Career Center Network in 1995: 

• Promote coordination of job development efforts among local One-Stop partners by 

convening a cross-agency Job Development Protocol Workgroup to design a job 

development protocol. This protocol outlined how partner services would be 

marketed without duplication of effort. The team also developed procedures needed 

to monitor system-wide job development goals. The Workgroup developed a shared 

marketing brochure and created an informational website for employers. Initial 

employer services included free listings on the computerized job bank, free 

screening/referral of employee candidates, availability of tax credits, and assistance 

from an individual account executive. 

• Provide universal access to employment and training services through establishment 

of electronic referral system allowing staff to schedule customers at all One-Stops. 

• Integrate staff responsibilities, which required cross training of staff on all One-Stop 

services. Integrated staff assignments included assisting customers in the CareerNet 

room, teaching resume writing workshops, assisting in the resource library and 

laboratory, working with Job Club participants, and leading the Information sessions. 

Job Service staff provided more intensive services to the general public using 

Wagner-Peyser funds. 

 

Each of the Baltimore One-Stops assembled a site-specific mix of on-site 

partners. The ECC and Southwest Career Centers were staffed and managed by MOED. 

The ECC facility was designed with an open floor plan to encourage collaboration among 

service components. The other two Career Centers were initially subcontracted to the 

Baltimore Urban League and the AFL-CIO Baltimore Metropolitan Council. The Job 

Service maintained 3 staff members at the ECC beginning in February 1996. 

Initially, there was no cost sharing of One-Stop operations in Baltimore. MOED 

provided free rent and telephone service for partners co-located at the ECC. 

Early Marketing 

An Employ Baltimore campaign was initiated in July 1995 as a way to market 

new Career Center Network services to local employers by distributing printed material, 

providing public speakers, and using media such as television and radio. The Job 

Development Protocol Workgroup designed a common approach for delivery of 

employer services. 
24 

A unified brochure was created which outlined all One-Stop services for 

customers at all centers, and resource libraries were developed in each One-Stop. In 

addition, all One-Stops coordinated their efforts with local youth activities. 

For job seekers, marketing took place primarily through community outreach 

events and the distribution of printed materials detailing One-Stop services. There was 

no aggressive marketing to the public until program managers were confident that quality 

services could be delivered. 

Services initially offered to job seeking customers included automated CareerNet 

services, job match/referral services, occupational training options, skills assessment, 

career counseling, use of the resource library and laboratory, Job Service assistance, 

various workshops and seminars, and GED courses. 

Current Baltimore One-Stop Career Center Operations 

Under the WIA grandfathering option permitted, the Mayor selected the existing 

Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) to be the City’s management 

entity for delivery of services receiving WIA funds. MOED now manages three of the 

four Baltimore One-Stop Career Centers. Management of the fourth One-Stop, known as 

the Baltimore Works Center continues to be provided by the local AFL-CIO affiliate 

under a sub-contract from MOED. MOED provides funding, staff (other than AFL-CIO 

management staff members in the sub-contracted Baltimore Works location), buildings 

and services for all four Baltimore One-Stops, and performance management, reporting 

systems, and customer tracking capabilities as described earlier. 

Current mandated MOED One-Stop partners include: 

• MOED (Authorized under Title I of WIA) 

• Maryland Job Corps (Authorized under Title I – Job Corps 

• Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Rehabilitation Services 

(Authorized under Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) 

• Baltimore Commission on Aging, Experience Works, Maryland Office on Aging, 

National Caucus of Black Aging (Authorized under Title V of the Older American’s 

Act of 1965) 

• Baltimore City Community College and Maryland State Department of Education, 

Division of Career and Technology Education (Authorized under the Carl D. Perkins 

Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, programs authorized under Title 

II of WIA) 

• Housing and Community Development, Community Action Centers (Employment 

and training activities carried out under the Community Services Block Grant Act) 

• Department of Housing and Urban Development (Employment and training activities) 
25 

The MOED One-Stop Career Center Network is one component of Baltimore’s 

public workforce system. One-Stop funding in 2004 was $9.1 million, compared with the 

City’s overall public workforce budget of $90.3 million including the Baltimore City 

Public Schools System. This total has declined 21 percent from $114.6 million just four 

years ago.6

 Funding was reduced again in 2005 and an additional 5 percent cut is 

expected in 2006. MOED reports that funding has declined approximately 35 percent 

since WIA implementation. 

The current stated mission of the Baltimore One-Stop Career Center Network is 

“to provide effective employment and training services to the entire Baltimore 

community through comprehensive integration and coordination of services among sites 

and funding sources, a customer service approach, and state of the art technology.” The 

MOED CEO is appointed by the Mayor and accepts all administrative responsibilities 

associated with MOED operations. 

MOED Division Leaders include: 

• Division Director for Youth Opportunities 

• Executive Liaison for the Workforce Investment Board 

• Executive Assistant for Systems Implementation 

• Assistant Director for Workforce Operations 

• Assistant Director/Comptroller 

• Public Information Officer 

• Executive Office Manager 

• Communications Director 

• Executive Assistant Resource Development and Legislative Affairs 

Workforce investment activities are closely coordinated with economic 

development strategies in Baltimore. An MOED staff member serves as a Workforce 

Liaison to the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC). The BDC is the City’s 

official economic development entity. The assigned MOED staff person joins with BDC 

staff to design an appropriate combined response when a potential business expansion or 

other workforce development need comes to either agency’s attention. This joint 

response approach allows MOED to inform employers about the entire portfolio of 

available workforce development services. In addition, MOED staff serves on multiple 

Mayoral cabinets, including Public Works, Housing, and Planning. 

MOED Job Seeker/Incumbent Worker Services 

The Career Center Network

Four community-anchored One-Stop Career Centers offer employment 

preparation, job search/placement/assistance, skill training opportunities, educational 

support, and access to computers/computer training. In addition, special support is 

provided to veterans, disabled persons, senior citizens, youth, and ex-offenders. On an 

 

6

 Christopher Thompson and David Bosser (2004),The State of Workforce Training in Baltimore, Baltimore Workforce 

Investment Board, December 2004. 
26 

annual basis, approximately 18,000 city residents use One-Stop services. During the 

period from July 2004 through June 2005, a total of 5,000 job seekers were placed in 

positions with an average wage of $9.59 an hour, 1,650 displaced workers received 

employment services and referrals, and 600 businesses were assisted with their 

employment needs.7

The Workforce Reception Center

A full service career center designed specifically for Baltimore residents receiving 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), this facility offers job readiness 

seminars, “dress for success” workshops, and supported work experiences to help move 

customers from welfare to work. Customers must be referred by the Baltimore City 

Department of Social Services. 

Digital Learning Labs

Self-paced computer training labs are located in all Baltimore One-Stop Career 

Centers and the Workforce Reception Center. They offer a wide range of services for 

both novice and experienced technology users. Between July 2004 and June 2005, a total 

of 5,000 customers received computer literacy training through the Career Center 

Network’s Digital Learning Lab. 

Rapid Response

In Baltimore, Rapid Response events are coordinated through the MOED Employ 

Baltimore strategy. Company layoffs and closures are discovered in many ways, 

including through DLLR contacts, the Mayor’s office, and news/media resources. Rapid 

Response teams work with employers and affected employees to provide access to new 

employment, skills training/retraining, unemployment services, and other services 

provided through the MOED One-Stop Career Center Network, DLLR, and other 

agencies. Baltimore Rapid Response re-employment services include employee 

orientation, career assistance through the One-Stop Career Center Network, employment 

opportunities, and individual skills inventory. 

When a Rapid Response event occurs in Baltimore, an initial meeting takes place 

with the employer to determine employee skill levels and current wages. This allows 

staff to customize the Rapid Response event to meet the employer’s specific needs. The 

Rapid Response team includes staff from the MOED Business Services division, as well 

as the DLLR Dislocated Worker and Unemployment Insurance units. 

Rapid Response employee customers participate in a 2 1⁄2 hour orientation session 

which offers an overview of services. Next they attend a re-employment session, which 

is led by MOED staff. Employee information is gathered and entered into the Maryland 

Workforce Exchange (MWE) system, and detailed information on how to access services 

is provided. At this point customers are registered to receive One-Stop services. 

 

7

 Source: MOED 
27 

Staff ask about specific employee needs and goals, and refer them to services 

provided by either the One-Stop or other agencies, as needed. Mini Job Fairs are 

organized for employees, and Business Services staff provides job matching using 

Employ-On software. Training resources are outlined for employees, and assessments 

are conducted onsite. Rapid Response team members are responsible for contacting 

employees with possible job leads. During the first eleven months of fiscal year 2003, 

the Rapid Response team assisted 24 companies and more than 3,000 workers. 

 

A Rapid Response event was observed in December 2003 with a recently laid off 

group of Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) employees. Facing a $58 

million dollar deficit, the school system laid off over 700 employees in November 2003, 

most of which were administration staff members at school headquarters or temporary 

school workers. An additional 100 employees were laid off in February 2004. 

There were approximately 40 participants in this particular Rapid Response event, 

many of whom had between 20 and 30 years of tenure with BCPSS. The group was 

primarily from the Information Technology (IT) field. They expressed interest in going 

into customer support, PC maintenance, web services, and distance learning. Nearly 

everyone wanted to stay in the IT field. 

An MOED staff member presented information on the Metro Tech program, 

which assists IT professionals who have been laid off. Training funds were available for 

this group if employment was found. It was requested that employees e-mail their 

resumes to MOED so that a database of resumes could be created. The resumes would 

then be matched with potential employers in the area. 

In addition, participants received a marketing letter describing the Metro Tech 

program for use in upcoming MOED job fairs. A training seminar with various 

assessments was being offered that month at the Southwest One-Stop Career Center. The 

company New Horizons gave a presentation on the various IT training certifications they 

offer, and each participant was given a voucher for a free, one day PC application class. 

The training application process was described for individuals interested in a 

career change, as well as other One-Stop services. If training was an interest, the 

customer completed the necessary paperwork during the session so that the approval 

process could begin. Customers were urged to keep in contact with the One-Stop as their 

job search progressed. The session ended with a tour of Eastside Career Center. 

 

MOED Employer Services 

The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development’s (MOED) Employ Baltimore 

strategy provides businesses with a pipeline to qualified, skilled job candidates and 

supports businesses in retaining and developing their employees. Business Service 

Representatives offer customized workforce solutions including outreach/recruitment, 

applicant prescreening, assessment/testing, tax credit information, training funds, and 

human resources support. 
28 

Approximately 600 Baltimore area businesses are assisted with their employment 

needs annually. In PY 2004, the WIA employer customer satisfaction rate was 87.2%8 It 

is important to note the dates for each of the programs; while all were operational when 

the Anatomy research began, some have subsequently ended due to a loss of funding. 

Employ Baltimore

For over 20 years, Employ Baltimore has been the Business Services arm of 

MOED. The Employ Baltimore initiative ensures that area businesses have access to 

qualified Baltimore City residents. In addition, assistance is provided to employers in the 

training, development and retention of current employees, with activities such as 

recruitment, prescreening, assessment, referral, customized training, and general human 

resource support. All services are offered free of charge. MOED is the primary 

coordinator and directs the city of Baltimore’s workforce development initiatives. 

Employ Baltimore uses such strategies as database searches, specialized 

recruitments, job fairs, and mass hiring. Trained Business Service Representatives 

(BSRs) customize the appropriate mix of services for each employer. 

 

As a first step, Employ Baltimore staff typically search databases with 

information on Baltimore Career Center Network job seeking customers. They look for 

customers with the specific job requirements requested by the employer. Candidates are 

pre-screened by staff and then referred to the employer for an interview. Citywide 

recruitments are also held for special populations such as displaced workers, youth, or 

older workers that may be requested by some businesses. Job fairs are another method of 

recruitment, and can be organized at the business site or at one of the local One-Stop 

Career Centers. Employ Baltimore staff also works with over 100 Baltimore workforce 

development partners to identify and pre-screen potential applicants. 

Employer customers are referred to Employ Baltimore if they meet one of the 

following criteria: the request involves at least 10 jobs, the jobs are in the high 

technology sector, or the request comes from an employer with a good existing 

relationship. Employ Baltimore staff must make an appointment with the employer 

within one business day, post the information on the MWE, and notify partners via the 

“Hot Jobs” list. If the employer wants to place a job order, information about the job is 

entered into Maryland’s Job Bank. Job order information is emailed by occupational title 

to Employ Baltimore staff to be included in the Job Order public folder. 

The MOED Employ Baltimore staff also assist businesses awarded City contracts 

or companies that have been awarded development projects through the Baltimore 

Development Corporation with their recruitment and pre-screening needs. All available 

positions must be registered through the First Source Hiring Agreement to ensure 

qualified city residents can be referred for priority interviewing. 

On the Job (OTJ) and Customized Training

 

8

 Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (2005), Annual Report – Maryland Workforce 

Investment Act Title I-B. 
29 

When businesses hire new staff for difficult to fill or newly created positions, they 

can apply for training cost support through Employ Baltimore’s customized training 

program. Employers pay for half of the training costs, and the requirements for positions 

are that they be permanent, full-time, include health benefits, and meet the minimum 

salary requirement of $10 an hour. 

There must also be opportunities for advancement or the development of 

transferable skills. Sponsoring businesses must agree to hire those who complete the 

training, which can be administered by the employer (on the job training) or through a 

qualified vendor (community colleges, consultants, or other occupational training 

providers). Although Employ Baltimore staff provides assistance in the recruitment and 

prescreening of applicants, employers must establish the minimum qualifications and 

criteria for participants and be fully involved in the interview and selection process. 

Some employers have reported difficulty in writing out their OTJ plans. They 

lack the curriculum development expertise and find the application process lengthy and 

complicated. MOED staff provides technical assistance with the development of 

employer applications, and offer examples of successful employer plans. The plans must 

include job descriptions, specific skills needed, how training will be provided, and what 

measure will be used to ensure that competency has been achieved. Some companies 

have hired professional consultants to develop their employer plans. 

Past performance is used for renewal of employer contracts. During the sixth 

month after the completion of training, MOED confirms the employment status of 

participants trained under the WIA agreement. Employers who haven’t retained at least 

75% of the newly trained employees (adjusted for voluntary quits and general layoffs) are 

ineligible for another WIA agreement. 

In February 2004 Baltimore’s Good Samaritan Nursing Center completed its first 

customized training program with MOED. A total of 15 women graduated from geriatric 

nursing assistant training, an intensive month long course conducted at Baltimore City 

Community College. The curriculum includes 86 hours of classroom instruction and 40 

hours of clinical training. All graduates were employed with Good Samaritan upon 

completion of the program. 

According to Elliott Cahan, executive director of the Good Samaritan Nursing 

Center, “This is how you help solve a nursing shortage. It has to be a joint effort between 

the public and private sectors. We are bringing people into the exciting and growing field 

of health care. This is not a dead-end job. It is an entrée into a field where people can 

make six figure salaries. Nurses are the backbone of the health care system, and working 

with seniors is especially rewarding because of the relationships you can build. Our 

nursing assistants have the most day to day interaction with our residents. They serve 

such an important function – promoting residents’ independence and dignity and helping 

them get back to the fullest level of functionality possible”. 

MOED is working with the City fiscal authorities to streamline the contracting 

process, which can take up to 2 months to complete. It is difficult for employers to plan 

so far in advance, and it isn’t always possible for them to wait 2 months for contract 

approval if they have immediate needs. 
30 

Maryland Business Works

Maryland Business Works was created in October 2003 to support businesses in 

the retention and growth of their existing workforce. It provides funding to employers 

that allows them to train incumbent workers in specific skills needed by the business or 

industry. Priority is given to small businesses and businesses in healthcare or other high 

growth industries, and a special effort is being made to reach minority and women owned 

businesses. Both public and private sector employers are eligible for the program. To 

date, the program has trained a total of 245 employees for over 35 Baltimore area 

businesses. 

A successful example of a Maryland Business Works Baltimore customer is 

Advance Defense Technologies (ADT), which is a small manufacturing operation with 

27 employees. The company needed to train and certify technicians in standard cable and 

wire harness fabrication and installation. They only had the budget to train one 

employee; however, funds from the Maryland Business Works program allowed ADT to 

train and certify two staff for the price of one. Additional training needs that have been 

met by the program include information technology training, customer service training, 

and wire electrical discharge machining. 

Metro Tech (ended July 2005) 

This initiative, originally funded by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2000, was 

designed to address the shortage of qualified workers in the technology and biotech fields 

within Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia. Most program participants were 

dislocated workers. Under the guidance of MOED, recruitment for these additional 

participants took place at Rapid Response events, Baltimore One-Stop Career Centers, 

the Employ Baltimore Network, and through other workforce development partnerships 

coordinated by BWIB. 

Metro Tech was an employer driven program; employers committed jobs prior to 

the initiation of training. Employers specified their needs including specific training 

requirements and certifications, and then chose the training vendor. Employers worked 

directly with MOED to develop their proposal, which was reviewed by the Metro Tech 

management team. Upon approval, employers interviewed and selected the candidates to 

be trained and hired. MOED assisted with marketing and outreach to potential job 

candidates. Training costs could not exceed $5,000 per participant and could be 100% 

reimbursable. 

Skills-based Training for Employment Promotion (STEP; discontinued July 2005) 

In May 2001, the DLLR funded, 5 year competitive grant Skills-based Training 

for Employment Promotion (STEP) program was authorized. The legislature provided $1 

million annually in competitive grant money for local areas. Baltimore City, Prince 

George’s County, and Montgomery County were awarded grants for their pilot programs. 

Funding for the program was cut to $500,000 in fiscal year 2004, and funding ended in 

July 2005. However, the training model created for the program will continue. It led to 

the creation of Maryland Business Works and the Teach for the Health of It program. 
31 

The program was designed to assist incumbent, low-wage (below 200 percent of 

the Federal poverty level), entry-level working parents in the high demand healthcare 

field. Employees were trained and transitioned into higher-level positions with an 

increased chance of advancement within the field of allied health/nursing. The employer 

paid half of the training costs with the STEP program, so employees were able to 

progress within their current organization. In addition to the provision of training, 

participants were given financial assistance for training materials, childcare, and 

transportation. 

At the end of training, Baltimore participants saw an average of $5,777 in 

additional annual income9

. Baltimore’s MOED was initially awarded a $575,000 grant 

with a second year grant of $437,013. In year two of the grant there were 80 workers 

employed with such as institutions as University of MD Medical Center and Johns 

Hopkins Health System. 

Incumbent workers received training through Baltimore City Community College 

for positions with critical labor shortages, and salaries are expected to increase 21-108 

percent upon completion of training. The average training cost ranged from $1,600-

$5,500. 

In regard to the STEP program, John Ashworth, Chief Operation Officer of the 

University of Maryland Medical Center states “Our chokepoint in the future is going to 

be the constricted labor market. As we considered where and how we were going to 

attract employees, especially in technical categories, the STEP program became very 

attractive. It gets to be expensive, especially when we have to back up employees while 

in classes. But there is an investment payoff in the future. We’ve created a stable 

workforce, somebody who is loyal to the organization because we grew him. We’re also 

contributing to our community. It’s a great formula”. 

Other MOED Business Services 

Employer Tool Kit

The Employer Tool Kit (www.EmployerToolKit.com) is a website launched in 

March 2004 for employers. The site provides information on more than 500 low or no 

cost human resource services, made available by over 200 public and nonprofit 

organizations in the Baltimore area. Some of the information provided includes: tax 

credits, training, labor market information, employment law, recruitment/screening, and 

retention services. It is hoped that this comprehensive list of resources will lessen the 

duplication of services between organizations. The site currently receives about 15,000 

hits per month. 

 

9

 Maryland Governor’s Workforce Investment Board, see http://www.mdworkforce.com/lib/pdf/mdstep.pdf 
32 

MOED Youth Services 

Youth Opportunity (YO) 

In February 2000 the U.S. Department of Labor awarded MOED funds to address 

unemployment among out-of-school and at-risk youth. Nationally, 36 communities were 

selected to receive funds from a five-year $1.375 billion Youth Opportunities (YO) 

revenue stream. 

The $44 million MOED YO! Strategy presented a blueprint for building a 

Citywide circle of support to help young people address multiple challenges that are 

barriers to educational and employment success. The plan emphasized community 

partnerships, employer linkages, work experience, and college preparation. U.S. 

Department of Labor financial support for the YO! Program ends June 30, 2006. 

Building on the effectiveness of the One-Stop concept, two full-scale Youth 

Opportunity Community Centers were established—one each on the east and west sides 

of the Baltimore Empowerment Zone. Staffed with trained and credentialed youth 

development specialists, (Employment Advocates) the Centers provide young people 

with a comprehensive range of on site academic, career planning and personal support 

services. Additionally, three Satellite Centers are linked to each Youth Opportunity 

Community Center, providing convenient locations for all Empowerment Zone youth to 

participate in career development and employment readiness activities. 

To strengthen the role of neighborhoods in the YO! Program, the Centers and 

Satellites are operated by strong community and/or non-profit organizations. Formal 

connections have been made with the MOED and Empowerment Zone One Stop Career 

Centers to take advantage of existing employment preparation and referral resources. 

In addition to the five YO! Sites, four Baltimore City public high schools became 

part of the YO! System when they implemented the FUTURES program. FUTURES is a 

year-round multi-year dropout prevention program for at-risk students. The program uses 

personal coaching and other support services to improve students’ academic success. 

A report10 from the Baltimore Youth Opportunity program management team 

indicates that between 2000 and 2005 more than 4,300 Baltimore youth were engaged in 

Youth Opportunity Grant funded activities. More than 2,000 Baltimore City jobs offered 

by 600 employers were filled, and YO! Participants earned 35 percent more and were 

employed at a 42 percent higher rate than non-participants. 

More than 1,600 participants earned educational credentials (high school 

diploma/GED/vocational skill, post-secondary degree). Out of school YO! Participants 

achieved their GED at twice the rate of non-participants, and the dropout rate was half 

that of the general population at the four targeted Empowerment Zone schools. 

 

10 YO! Baltimore: Changing Minds, Changing Lives. Baltimore Youth Opportunity System, 2005. 
33 

Members were also one third less likely to be arrested and convicted than nonparticipants, and they were half as likely to be arrested for a violent crime. Finally, 

female YO! Members are 25% less likely to become pregnant and give birth than nonparticipants. Prior to the YO! Program, there was no comprehensive system for the city’s 

out of school youth. 

Baltimore is seeking additional public (federal/state/local) and private funds to 

sustain the YO! Program. City officials are attempting to maintain and possibly increase 

the current level of collaboration between partners and service providers. The vision is to 

eventually be able to serve all youth in Baltimore City. 

Additional youth services offered through MOED auspices and supported by 

various revenue sources include: 

Baltimore Academy for College and Career Exploration

MOED partnered with the Sar Levitan Center in the Johns Hopkins University 

Institute for Policy Studies, and with Baltimore City Community College, to create the 

Baltimore Academy for College and Career Exploration (ACCE) 

(www.accebaltimore.com). The Baltimore City Innovation Public High School is in 

session year round, and the curriculum combines academics with internships, work and 

college experience. The school opened in Fall 2004 with 153 ninth grade students. By 

Fall 2007 the school will reach its full capacity with a total of 400 students grades nine 

through twelve.11

In the summer of 2005, ACCE students got hands-on experience through their 

work with the Biotechnical Institute of Maryland, Inc. The program taught 16 students 

basic scientific principles through laboratory experiments, interactive lectures, and visits 

from biotech employers. Students work to apply their classroom knowledge to real life 

historic and current events based on summer coursework involving “medical mysteries”. 

They also analyzed a potential business opportunity based on their lab work. 

Youth Outreach

MOED awards WIA funded grants to nonprofit organizations for youth 

development programs in Baltimore City. MOED’s youth development partners provide 

education, career exploration and training for in-school and out of school youth through 

the Career Academy at Harbor High School, Bon Secours Youth Employment and 

Entrepreneurship Program, Healthcare Careers Alliance, the South Baltimore Career 

Center, and the Youth Empowerment Program at the Baltimore City Community College 

Harbor Campus. 

YouthWorks Summer Job Program

YouthWorks is a program for Baltimore teens aged 14-21. The program goal is to 

raise enough funds to find six week summer employment for 5,500 youth. In May 2005 

 

11 Source: Baltimore Academy for College and Career Exploration 
34 

over 7,000 youth registered for the YouthWorks program. Employers are solicited for 

participation in the program in early spring. They can offer jobs directly, or choose to 

make a financial donation. A $1,000 donation provides a six week summer job at a 

nonprofit or city agency for local youth. 

In the summer of 2005, nearly 5,000 youth were employed at more than 400 

public and private sector locations across the city. Students worked at 21 city agencies, 

including the Departments of Recreation and Parks, and Public Works and 

Transportation. In addition, they were employed at 73 local businesses and many 

nonprofit organizations, including local hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, health 

institutions, day care centers, summer camps, and retail stores. One example of a 

YouthWorks project is the “Hilton to Milton” beautification initiative, where students 

painted murals, doors and windows on vacant homes and cleaned and mulched vacant 

lots. 

 

An Independent MOED Targeted Population Project 

Ex-Offender Employment Initiative 

A total of 9,000 inmates were released from Maryland prisons and returned to 

Baltimore City neighborhoods in fiscal year 2000, with an additional 20,000 returning to 

the community through Parole and Probation. Approximately 33% were expected to 

recidivate within three months of release, and 51% overall.12 The ex-offender population 

faces numerous challenges to entering or re-entering the workforce, including low levels 

of education, lack of basic skills, and a limited number of employers willing to hire them. 

Funding for transition services is extremely limited. In addition, it is legal for Maryland 

employers to discriminate against an applicant based on their criminal record, even if the 

charge is not related to the job the ex-offender is seeking. It is also difficult under 

Maryland law for a person’s record of arrests to be expunged, even without a conviction. 

MOED facilitated the Baltimore Ex-Offender Task Force in October 2002. The 

task force included a coalition of more than 70 government agencies, service providers, 

foundations, advocacy groups, and faith leaders. MOED and Baltimore One-Stop staff 

provided assistance to the Governor’s Advisory Council and the Ex-Offender Task Force, 

as well as the Mayor’s Offender Steering Committee. The Task Force grew to more than 

100 government agencies and community partners, and a comprehensive report with 

recommendations and findings was issued from MOED in December 2003. 

Baltimore’s Ex-Offender Initiative began its second phase in March 2004 as the 

Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force was succeeded by a Mayoral appointed Ex-Offender 

Employment Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is charged with reviewing 

and prioritizing the recommendations from the MOED report and to work to secure 

funding. 

Baltimore’s Initiative was honored in the first annual Recognition of Excellence 

program coordinated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training 

Administration during the 2004 Workforce Innovations Conference. Specifically, 

Baltimore’s program was singled out due to the establishment of the Baltimore City-

 

12 Baltimore’s Choice: Workers and Jobs for a Thriving Economy, Baltimore Job Opportunities Task Force, 2003. 
35 

Wide Ex-Offender Task Force, the securing of foundation funding to create a career 

agent position dedicated to serving ex-offenders in the One-Stop system, establishing a 

partnership that links Parole and Probation and One-Stop Career Center services, and 

organizing two employer appreciation breakfasts to encourage more support from 

businesses in hiring ex-offenders. 

One-Stop staff is currently being credentialed to deliver specialized training to 

One-Stop partners regarding strategies and services for ex-offenders. Within the 

Baltimore One-Stop system, there is one full-time foundation grant-funded staff member 

and a full-time parole and probation agent that work with the ex-offender population. 

These positions are shared among the One-Stops. At Eastside, one of the Career 

Development Facilitators (CDF) is credentialed to work specifically with ex-offenders. 

In March 2004 she completed a three week Offender Workforce Development Training 

sponsored by the National Institute of Corrections. Participants from Iowa, Utah, Kansas, 

Maryland, and Ohio were able to share best practices and learn what other states and 

cities are doing to assist ex-offenders in their transition back to the community. 

In her own words, “In the past I have worked one on one with ex-offenders, and 

the training showed the importance of working as a team with the offender’s support 

system, which may include family, clergy, and other community groups”. Subsequent to 

training, she developed a four module workshop for ex-offenders to assist them in their 

transition to employment. 

The presence of a Parole and Probation office a few doors down from Eastside 

has greatly increased the number of ex-offenders customers. MOED is currently working 

to include Parole and Probation as a partner in the MWE system. In July 2005, a 

community resource coordinator for ex-offenders was hired and is housed at Eastside. 

Baltimore One-Stop staff routinely travels to institutions to conduct Career Fairs and Exit 

Orientations. They often coordinate their efforts with correctional education staff from 

MSDE. 

Eastside staff report that local employers are becoming more receptive to hiring 

ex-offenders, although there is still a great deal of room for improvement in this area. 

Employer incentives such as tax credits and bonding programs are currently being offered 

to businesses willing to hire ex-offenders. 

There is an annual Employer Appreciation Breakfast to honor businesses and 

others who support the employment of ex-offenders. In December 2004 more than 250 

guests participated in the event which honored four local businesses for their commitment 

to the successful employment of ex-offenders. Two ex-offenders were also recognized 

for their personal and professional achievements. 

During the breakfast, it was announced that $446,400 had been secured for fiscal 

year 2005 under Senator Barbara Mikulski’s Omnibus Appropriations bill. These funds 

will support the efforts of MOED, the Catholic Charities Re-Entry Partnership program, 

and Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake to assist ex-offenders with employment and 

support services. 
36 

The Baltimore Ex-Offender initiative is one of ten cities chosen to receive part of 

a $5 million U.S. Department of Labor revenue stream to local workforce investment 

boards to partner with local faith-based and community based organizations to provide 

employment assistance to disadvantaged individuals. Baltimore received $500,000, 

which will be administered by MOED to assist ex-offenders. 

The majority (70%) of the awarded funds will be competitively sub-contracted to 

grassroots community and faith-based organizations that serve ex-offenders. The funds 

also support the new Reentry Center, a facility within the Northwest One-Stop Career 

Center that provides the comprehensive services ex-offenders need during their transition 

back into society. The Reentry Center provides occupational skills training and job 

search assistance to ex-offenders. MOED has partnered with the Maryland Division of 

Parole and Probation to assist ex-offenders with employment and support services. 

One ex-offender success story highlights the progress of a young man who had 

been incarcerated for 11 years. He was having difficulty obtaining employment due to 

his criminal background when he arrived at Eastside Career Center for assistance. He 

was encouraged to pursue his dream of working in the dental field by his Career 

Development Facilitator (CDF). The CDF collaborated with a local dentist to create a 

dental assistant training program. The customer was hired by the dentist and has been 

employed for over a year as a dental assistant earning $11.00 an hour. He maintains a 3.7 

GPA in the dental hygienist program at Baltimore City Community College and he plans 

to continue his education. 

In July 2003 National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” came to MOED to 

tape a segment on the ex-offender employment initiative, giving the program national 

exposure. 

 

TANF New Beginnings Program/Workforce Reception Center 

When Maryland One-Stops first began operating under WIA in July 2000, TANFfunded staff was already co-located at the ECC. However, MOED decided the 

specialized needs of the TANF population would be better served in a separate center, so 

in October 2003 the New Beginnings Program and the Workforce Reception Center 

began service to TANF customers. MOED operates these programs as a sub-contractor 

for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services (DSS). 

In its first year, the New Beginnings Program assisted nearly 2,000 Temporary 

Cash Assistance customers with job readiness workshops, educational opportunities, 

training, and life management skills. Under the program, TANF applicants are referred 

to a three week, thirty hours per week job readiness workshop conducted onsite at the 

DSS district office. 

MOED Career Development Facilitators work in eight citywide Baltimore City 

Department of Social Services Family Investment offices. The curriculum includes 

Application Preparation, Resume Writing, Money Management, Interviewing Skills, 

Communication Skills Retention, Career Exploration/Labor Market Information, Internet 

Job Search Techniques, and Earned Income Tax Credit Workshops. 
37 

Upon completion of the New Beginnings program, customers are referred to DSS 

job placement vendors, including the MOED Workforce Reception Center (WRC). The 

WRC offers comprehensive employability services including vocational assessment and 

skills enhancement through computer learning. Upon enrollment in the WRC, customers 

are triaged for placement in community service, transitional subsidized employment, or 

regular employment, depending on their skill level and prior work history. 

The WRC maintains partnerships with numerous community organizations, 

including the Baltimore Employment Exchange, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, 

Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems, the Johns Hopkins Women’s HIV/OB Program, 

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, Partners in Recovery, Universal Mental Health, 

Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore, and Young Fathers/Responsible Fathers. 

An employment continuum is offered to assist customers with support services 

and mastering basic skills to make the transition to work. Over 70% of WRC customers 

have completed the New Beginnings program and come to the center after passing job 

readiness tests, receiving comprehensive assessments, and creating a resume. During the 

first month of the program, various employers come into the WRC to meet with 

customers and discuss potential jobs. The Digital Learning Lab is no longer funded for 

the Workforce Reception Center, and although there is MWE system capability 

available, the system is not yet operational. 

If a Baltimore One-Stop customer is a TANF recipient, staff must determine if 

they have been referred by the WRC. If so, the CDF reviews the customer’s folder to see 

if they are being referred for intensive services. If four or more welfare recipients are 

referred at one time, customers participate in a Transition Workshop to orient them to 

One-Stop services. If they are being referred for informational/assisted service, they 

access information independently through the MWE system, workshops, or other selfservice activities. If they are being referred for intensive services, the CDF provides 

these services. If the customer has not been referred by the WRC, they are handled like a 

new customer. On a weekly basis, WRC customers and staff come to Eastside to utilize 

the High Tech lab for resume preparation. 

Welfare customers are tracked in a different database than One-Stop customers, a 

process mandated by DSS. The Work Opportunity Management Information System 

(WOMIS) database currently does not interface with the MWE system. Communication 

must take place by telephone or email between Baltimore CDFs and Department of 

Social Services case workers regarding customers. If a TANF customer completes an 

activity at a Baltimore One-Stop, they will not automatically get “credit” for the activity 

unless it has been verified and entered into the system by their DSS case worker. 

A number of Baltimore One-Stop staff began their career through the subsidized 

work experience portion of the New Beginnings program for TANF recipients. They 

completed an internship at the One-Stop and were subsequently hired as a staff member. 

MOED Transition to the Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE) System 

We have previously noted that an interim capability was needed while 

development of the new MWE incurred delays. Necessary modifications were made to 
38 

the existing DataFlex system that had been relied upon from July 2000 through March 

2004 to track WIA customers and create management reports. Case management was 

accomplished through a JobPoint system. 

In March 2004 MOED and the Baltimore One-Stop Centers ended their use of 

DataFlex and Job Point. The old CareerNet system was taken off-line and stored 

information was migrated into the new MWE system. CareerNet had not been an 

administrative record system for WIA use, but primarily a job bank for customer use and 

Wagner-Peyser data management. 

Some difficulties were encountered by MOED staff during and soon after the 

migration process. No WIA core service customers were transferred from the DataFlex 

system, erroneously thinking they were included in the CareerNet system. Another 

vexing problem was an inability to alter data fields or correct data entry errors. Once 

data has been entered and confirmed, MOED lacked a capability to make changes. 

Requests had to be submitted to DLLR in writing, and DLLR staff then made approved 

changes. 

Problems emerged in accessing data to create management reports. MOED staff 

was told they would have this capability in June 2004, yet it was still not operational as of 

October 2005. A programmer at DLLR has been hired to create the standardized reports 

and test them using the MWE system. In the interim, DLLR agreed to provide weekly 

data files to MOED and to partially fund a Covansys programmer to write queries to link 

to MWE data. MOED was able to provide management reports using the ad hoc system 

beginning in February 2005, but no reports existed between March 2004 and January 

2005. This was a difficult transition for an agency accustomed to weekly management 

reports. 

Report templates developed under the MWE system included a Goals Report, a 

Demographic Report, and a Program Status Report. The data for production of reports 

using these templates reside in the server, which is updated weekly. The report is 

currently in pdf format so that further analysis is not possible. The State is working on 

this issue, and the system is still evolving. 

In February 2005 training for certain staff in the field began (managers, 

supervisors, MIS staff). It has been a challenge to train staff in the use of the new MWE 

system. Currently One-Stop staff is trained by MOED staff. Training is on-going, and 

also occurs on an “as needed” basis. 

Employees participated in numerous training sessions long before the system was 

in place, so repeated training sessions were needed once the system was up and running. 

Ultimately it will be a better, more integrated system, but it will take time to work out the 

kinks and for staff to feel comfortable and capable of using MWE to its potential. 

Another problem is that a number of now expired job orders were imported from 

the old system into MWE, and these need to be purged. This can be a particular source of 

frustration for the job seeking customer. DLLR is overseeing the process of updating and 

modifying the new system. MOED staff report that One-Stop customers who could 
39 

navigate through the CareerNet system are still able to search for jobs fairly easily on the 

new system. 

Tracking and managing customer services will take place through the MWE. All 

customer services will be tracked including self-service, partner services, supportive 

services, intensive, training, and job services. Again, the comprehensive case 

management portion of MWE is not yet fully operational; however, Career Development 

Facilitators are now able to enter their case notes into the system. 

MOED Performance Reports 

MOED performance reports were created and reviewed weekly prior to the 

implementation of the MWE system. The reports were extremely detailed and 

comprehensive. All data were broken out by individual One-Stop Career Center, and 

stratified by WIA tier of service and WIA title. 

Recent MOED performance measures include: 

• One-Stop Pre-Registrations (progress toward annual and YTD goals) 

• Highest WIA Tier of Service 

• Total Exits 

• Credentials (by type of credential earned) 

• Total WIA Job Placements (progress toward annual/YTD goals, average wage, 

benefits) 

• One-Stop Unduplicated Placement Count (WIA Adult, Dislocated Worker). 

Overall system performance was measured monthly. This included the number of 

unduplicated placements from all sources—TANF, the YO! Grant, FUTURES, Youth, 

WIA Adult/Dislocated Worker, Employ Baltimore, Rapid Response and MetroTech 

placements). 

Progress towards an MOED Call Back strategy was measured by each One-Stop 

Career Center. A separate WIA Youth Performance Report was also distributed, as well 

as a report from the Workforce Reception Center (TANF customers), MOED service to 

the homeless population, and placements for Empowerment Zone residents. 

As of October 2005, the MWE system was not able to provide performance 

management data. MOED has set up an ad hoc database that uses imported data from the 

MWE system. This allows them to provide weekly performance management 

information to staff. The extraction of MOED performance data from MWE is still 

evolving. 

MOED One-Stop Monthly reports

On a monthly basis, each One-Stop is required to complete a report with monthly 

and year to date totals that reflect the following: 

• Total New Registrants 

• Total Number of Placements 
40 

• One-Stop Activities (workshops, recruitments, assessments, etc.) 

• Credentials 

Totals are disaggregated by WIA tier of service. The monthly report has a section 

entitled One-Stop Highlights, Business Services, and Staff Development for each Center 

documenting individual job seeking customer achievements, employer events, and staff 

development activities. 

The MOED One-Stop monthly reports conclude with “Operations Plan 

Achievements” and “Challenges” sections. These detail One-Stop operational challenges 

faced and proposed solutions. 

The MOED/ECC Swipe Card Transactions Documentation System 

The ECC swipe card transactions documentation system was introduced in April 

2003. First-time registering customers received a swipe card that could be used at any of 

the four MOED One-Stop locations. 

Many operational difficulties were soon encountered with the new swipe card: 

• The cards were often lost or forgotten by returning One-Stop customers, which 

resulted in time consuming and expensive issuance of multiple cards resulting in 

difficult to interpret entries in the transactions documentation process. 

• The swipe cards were used in a haphazard manner by customers within the ECC and 

other MOED One-Stop locations. ECC staff encouraged uniform use of cards and 

tried to monitor customer compliance on a time available basis, but when units within 

the ECC were crowded many customers did not use their cards or used them upon 

entry but not as they used additional ECC services. 

• Problems were encountered with the swipe card technology itself. For instance, one 

ECC swipe card service point terminal was never activated resulting in what ECC 

staff describes as an unknown but presumed to be substantial amount of lost 

transactions data. 

• All transactions data recorded by the swipe card technology had to be uploaded on a 

daily basis or it would be lost. 

• Incomplete documentation of ECC services utilized beyond a particular swipe card 

terminal entry point occurred. 

• For the reasons described in the previous five dot-points, the quality of resulting 

transactions counts was subject to question and ECC staff had no backup way to link 

the swipe card transactions counts to the overall performance management system 

used by MOED. 

Despite the difficulties enumerated above MOED staff concluded that swipe cards 

had initially been useful in tracking customers between One-Stops within the City, in 

showing which services were used most often and when during office hours, and 
41 

therefore in monitoring and deciding whether and how to modify customer traffic flows. 

MOED ended swipe card use in March 2005 and has no current plan to renew swipe card 

use. Had continued funding been available, some MOED staff say they could have 

overcome the early test phase challenges encountered. 

The MOED Financial System 

MOED uses the Baltimore City Integrated Financial System for fiscal 

accountability and financial management tasks. MOED also maintains its own Internal 

Financial Management Information System that complements the City government 

system and is relied upon for WIA reporting purposes. The two systems allow MOED to 

track obligation/encumbrances, expenditures, assets, program income, stand-in costs, and 

excess revenues and/or expenses. 

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE STATE AND LOCAL CONTEXT 

FOR EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER OPERATIONS 

This introductory chapter has covered more than a decade of change in the 

delivery of workforce development services in Maryland, Baltimore City and the eastside 

neighborhood location of the ECC. The often heard phrase “transition from JTPA to 

WIA” fails to capture the essence of the organizational dynamics that have occurred in 

Maryland and Baltimore City. 

A simplistic from-to perspective would be misleading. There was not JTPA on 

June 30, 2000 and then WIA on July 1, 2000. Instead, during the waning years of JTPA, 

beginning in the mid-1990s, state and local officials understood the basic changes that 

could be expected in new legislation. Anticipatory changes began then, which limited the 

abruptness of organizational and staff stresses coincident with the July 1, 2000 event 

alone. 

The breadth and depth of coverage in this chapter has been necessary to convey a 

focused appreciation for the complexity, interwoven features and continued reinvention 

of the Maryland, Baltimore City and Eastside public workforce development delivery 

system components. We have described the Maryland, Baltimore City and Eastside 

entities as downstream partners; each receiving mandates and rules for action from 

upstream authorities. We do not want this characterization to leave an impression that we 

think the State and Local partners simply carry out orders from above. Throughout this 

chapter we have described independent actions taken at both the State and Local levels to 

improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their participation in the delivery of public 

workforce development services. 

Next, in Chapter 2, we provide a brief overview of ECC activities. This 

introduction is then followed in Chapter 3 by a similar overview of the neighborhood 

demographics and local economy that together determine the opportunities the ECC has 

to serve its customers. 
42 

CHAPTER 2 

AN OVERVIEW OF THE EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER 

The ECC began as a JTPA service center located in rented office space on 

McElderry Street in East Baltimore. When One-Stop planning began in 1995 that 

location was deemed too costly to renovate. State funds were used to rehabilitate a 

nearby warehouse on Madison Avenue. The Eastside One-Stop Career Center officially 

opened for business on January 1, 1996. This facility is currently rented on a year to year 

lease. 

The front of the ECC building is landscaped. Both U.S. and Baltimore flags are 

displayed. The ECC is Baltimore’s largest One-Stop, with a total of 28,000 square feet. 

In comparison, the Northwest Center is 12,000 square feet. 

The external façade of the building displays a large sign: CCN/ Career Center 

Network. Creating Careers Now in Baltimore City. Eastside One-Stop Career Center. 

There is also a sign encouraging voter registration and a sign indicating the location of 

the disabled entrance. 

On the same City block as the ECC there is a church, a building that houses the 

church’s ministry services, a Police Athletic League Center, and a Parole and Probation 

office. There are traditional Baltimore City row homes nearby. Within two miles are 

Johns Hopkins Hospital and the main Baltimore City Detention Center. Public 

transportation to reach the ECC is described as adequate, with a bus route one block away 

and free parking available on the street. 

The ECC staff hosts a monthly Madison East End Improvement Association 

meeting that has proven to be a good source of neighborhood referrals. All neighborhood 

organizations are familiar with ECC and its portfolio of available services. The ECC is 

accepted as a valuable community resource. 

ECC STAFF 

The ECC began with 25 to 30 staff members, mostly MOED employees. Three 

Job Service staff relocated to the ECC in February 1996. They included a supervisor, a 

Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services representative, and a Local Veterans’ 

Employment Representative (LVER). Three MOED divisions were included—

Property/Procurement, the Contracting Unit, and ECC staff. 

In the early years, ECC staff shared common assignments in addition to their own 

defined job duties. These included assisting customers in the CareerNet room (Resource 

Lab), teaching workshops, and leading Group Information Sessions (orientation). 
43 

Specialized units included: 

• A Clerical Pool: Responsible for providing reception services, information, and 

technical assistance to customers 

• A Program Development Unit: Managed on the job and individual classroom training 

services funded under the Learning Laboratory Grant from DOL 

• An Employment Development Specialist Unit: Responsible for case management 

and core services 

• The Job Service Unit: Responsible for the Worker Profiling and Reemployment 

Services and Veterans’ Services; provided job search assistance to all customers 

• A Final Unit: Developed the local resource laboratory, responsible for job 

development in coordination with Employ Baltimore staff, provided onsite GED and 

skills brush up classes and facilitated the onsite Job Club. 

Services available on the Resource Laboratory computers included a resume 

writing program, self-paced GED instruction (PLATO), job search instruction, career 

exploration (Oasys), a typing tutorial (Mavis), and a word processing tutorial (Word 

Perfect). 

Initially, the ECC was open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for 

traditional daytime hours. Night hours until 8 o’clock were available on Wednesdays. 

The ECC was managed through a team structure prior to WIA implementation. 

Center plans and daily staff assignments were developed by teams comprised of all onsite 

partners. Overall management of the Career Center Network was provided by the ECC 

General Manager. The first General Manager was an MOED employee located within 

the ECC. There was also a Center Manager on-site. 

Daily ECC operations management duties were shared by two MOED 

supervisors, the local Job Service supervisor, and a Program Operations Specialist. The 

management team met monthly and subcommittees met bi-weekly. Subcommittees 

included a team working on the local resource library and a team developing protocol for 

job development activities across local partners. 

ECC staff worked closely with partners who were not physically housed in the 

center, including welfare-to-work, school-to-work, and economic development partners. 

MOED was contracted by the Department of Social Services to provide services for 

welfare-to-work customers at two “Project Independence” centers. Each of these centers 

received CareerNet hardware and software. CareerNet automated services equipment 

was also installed at youth services sites and youth were encouraged to use the OneStops. From the start, the system was designed to work with economic development 

partners in services to both job seekers and employers. Economic development was 

closely tied to Baltimore’s Empowerment Zone initiative, which in turn was coordinated 

with the development of the city’s One-Stop system. 
44 

When planning began for ECC operations in 1994, staff participated in several 

retreats designed to discuss the One-Stop design and to facilitate cooperation and 

communication. ECC implemented regular staff meetings and frequent informal lines of 

communication between staff, but email was not initially available. Staff utilized an 

electronic scheduling bulletin board which was accessible from all service sites. This 

activity was funded by the local One-Stop planning grant received from the state. 

Funding for ECC design and development was also dependent upon the colocation of staff and integrated staff functions supported by multiple agencies and 

multiple funding streams. MOED administered the funding streams for ECC operating 

costs. Services provided by Job Service staff were supported by Wagner-Peyser and 

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service funding. 

When the ECC first opened, there was no integrated Management Information 

System, nor had arrangements been made to share partner data. JTPA maintained its own 

system. In an effort to move forward, MOED and Job Service both produced monthly 

performance reports summarizing statistics across the individual program. 

ECC Staff Development 

During the first year of operation, staff development provided by the Maryland 

Institute for Employment and Training Professionals (MIETP) focused on the use of 

technology, including the role of resource specialists and the use of the software 

programs within the CareerNet system. Eastside Center managers attended an orientation 

session for One-Stop local managers. Additional training efforts included technical skills 

(Internet use, office software use), and problem solving skills. Resources from the 

Learning Laboratory Grant were used to train Village Center staff in satellite locations. 

NETWORK OPERATIONS 

ECC Services 

ECC One-Stop Career Center currently offers the following services: 

• Computerized Job Bank 

• Computerized Job Matching System 

• Employer Referrals and Job Placement Assistance 

• Resume Preparation 

• Internet Access 

• Veteran Services 

• Special Services for Youth ages 15-18 

• Green Thumb Services for ages 55 and above 

• Telephone Access for Job Search 

• Job Corp Recruitment and Placement Staff onsite 

• Career Development and Placement Staff onsite 

• Career Development and Placement Staff for the Disabled 
45 

Individual Career Development including: 

• Career Counseling 

• Skills Identification and Assessment 

• Workshops and Seminars 

• Financial Aide Guidance 

Training Opportunities including: 

• Customized Training 

• Class Size Training 

• Individual Training Accounts (Information Technology, Health Care, 

Cosmetology/Barbering, Business/Office Technology, CDL Certification Courses) 

Basic Skills Training including: 

• GED Preparation 

• Adult Basic Education 

• Skills Brush-Up Workshop 

• Typing Clinic 

• Computer Software Tutorial (QWIZ) 

• Pre-Vocational Opportunities 

• Digital Learning Lab 

We turn next, in Chapter 3, to a brief overview of the demographic mix and 

economic circumstances that determine who seeks ECC help and what mix of services is 

needed to satisfy customer needs. Just as Chapter 1 highlighted the pervasiveness of 

organizational reinvention since 1995, Chapter 3 describes a Baltimore City population 

and economy that differ in important ways from their earlier features. 
46 

CHAPTER 3 

THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC CONTEXT 

FOR EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER OPERATIONS 

BALTIMORE CITY DEMOGRAPHICS AND ECONOMY 

Baltimore City’s 2000 population was ranked 17th among U.S. cities despite a 17 

percent decline from 1980 to 2000.13 Almost 40 percent of Baltimore City families with 

children were defined as living in poverty, and one in five children lived in a household 

with no employed parent. Other challenges, including a low rate of adult literacy, a 

beleaguered public education system, a high rate of substance abuse, and a large exoffender population, combine to impact and be impacted by the regional economy. 

Recent 2004 estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey are 

that one in four Baltimore City residents live in poverty, which gives Baltimore the sixthhighest poverty rate in the U.S. among 236 similar sized areas14. The City’s poverty 

estimate rose from 20.9 percent in 2003 to 23.9 percent in 2004. In contrast, Maryland 

was the third wealthiest state in the U.S. in 2004. 

Baltimore faces many typical urban challenges, including an unemployment rate 

that is nearly twice as high as the surrounding metropolitan region and the State of 

Maryland. The unemployment rate between January 2001 and August 2003 in Baltimore 

ranged from a low of 7.2 percent to a high of 9.0 percent, compared to the State rate that 

fluctuated around 4.0 percent. The May 2005 Baltimore City unemployment rate 

estimate was still 7.0 percent, which translates to 19,341 individuals out of a workforce 

of 275,235.15 Between 1990 and 2000 the Baltimore City civilian labor force declined by 

17 percent.16

The Baltimore City Economy 

Manufacturing employment within Baltimore City fell dramatically in recent 

decades—from 20 percent of total employment in 1970 to 8 percent in 2000. Today, 

more than one out of every four Baltimore City jobs is in health, education, and social 

services; many requiring education and work experience levels beyond the reach of many 

local youths and adults. In 2000, 29 percent of all local jobs were defined as requiring a 

post-secondary certificate or degree. During the 2000-2010 decade experts estimate that 

42 percent of job growth will require this qualification. Of those ages 25 and older 

resident in Baltimore City, 37 percent do not possess a post-secondary degree.17 

 

13 2000 American Community Survey, U.S. Bureau of the Census. 14 Based on Census 2004 Community Survey Data, U.S. Bureau of the Census. 

15 Labor Force Estimates by WIA, Office of Labor Market Analysis and Information, Maryland Dept. of Labor, 

Licensing and Regulation, http://www.dllr.state.md.us/lmi/laborforcewia/wiacity.htm 16 Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, Office of Labor Market Analysis and Information. 

17 Based on Census 2000 SF4 data, from Cynthia Taeuber, U.S. Bureau of the Census. 
47 

Major employers in Baltimore City include: 

 Table 1 Major Baltimore Employers Ranked by Number of Employees [1] 

Company Number Employed Product/Service Industry 

Johns Hopkins University 24,440 Higher Education Educational Services 

Johns Hopkins Health System 14,734 Medical Services Health Care 

University of Maryland 

Medical System 

10,737 Medical Services Health Care 

Constellation Energy/BGE 6,600 Energy Products/Services Utilities 

Verizon 6,150 Telecommunications Information 

Lifebridge Health 5,747 Medical Services Health Care 

Sinai Hospital 3,242 Medical Services Health Care 

M&T Bank 3,017 Financial Services Finance and Insurance 

Mercy Health Services 2,906 Medical Services Health Care 

St. Agnes Healthcare 2,900 Medical Services Health Care 

Bank of America 2,400 Financial Services Finance and Insurance 

Kennedy Krieger Institute 1,880 Health Services for disabled 

children 

Health Care 

Good Samaritan Hospital 1,800 Medical Services Health Care 

United Parcel Service 1,796 Mail/Package Delivery Svc. Transportation/Warehousing 

Legg Mason 1,764 Financial Services Finance and Insurance 

Baltimore Sun 1,605 Newspaper Publisher Information 

Harbor Hospital Center 1,500 Medical Services Health Care 

YMCA Central Maryland 1,500 Non-profit, Health/Human Svcs. Other Services 

Maryland General Hospital 1,400 Medical Services Health Care 

W.R. Grace Chemicals 1,300 Specialty Chemicals Manufacturing 

Provident Bankshares 1,246 Financial Services Finance and Insurance 

General Motors 1,100 Vans, autos Manufacturing 

T. Rowe Price Group 1,079 Financial Services Finance and Insurance 

 

[1] Sources: Economic development agencies statewide and Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, October 2004. 

Transportation is a problem for many Baltimore City residents. Entry-level 

employment opportunities have increased in the inner suburbs, but bus and light-rail 

public transit routes and schedules do not align well with many of these clusters of 

employment opportunity. One out of three City households does not own a car. 18 

Baltimore City Eastside Neighborhood Demographics 

According to 2000 Census figures, the immediate ECC neighborhood (ZIP code 

21205) had a population of 18,440.19 Most residents are African American (75.4 percent) 

and female (54.2 percent). Only 56.5 percent of the neighborhood residents have 

received at least a high school diploma or its equivalent, and 34.4 percent are defined as 

living below the federal poverty threshold. The estimated median household income in 

this neighborhood of Baltimore City was $21,922 in 1999, and only 50.3 percent of the 

 

18 Baltimore Sun, “Baltimore Isn’t Working Because its People Don’t”. Hopkins, J.S. March, 2004. 

19 Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Fact Finder, 2000. 
48 

population aged 16 or older was defined by the household respondent as employed or 

unemployed. 

Based on a file of ECC core customers provided by MOED (N=1,704) that 

registered between January and June 2003, a total of 15.3 percent of ECC customers lived 

in the 21205 neighborhood. This is the largest percentage of customers in the ECC core 

population. 

Figure 1:1 Eastside (21205) and Surrounding

Neighborhoods, Percent of One-Stop Traffic

15.26

15.08

10.92

7.98

5.28

0

20

40

60

80

100

Eastside Neighborhoods

21218

21224

21206

21213

21205

An additional 15.1 percent of ECC core customers lived in the nearby 21213 

neighborhood. Census figures show that this neighborhood has more than twice the 

21205 neighborhood population—38,442 residents. The 21213 neighborhood has a 

higher percentage of African Americans (88.5 percent), approximately the same 

percentage of females (54.8 percent), and slightly more (60.3 percent) having received at 

least a high school diploma or equivalent. Fewer (26.4 percent) individuals were below 

the poverty level, the median household income was higher ($26,801) and slightly more 

21213 residents were reported to be in the labor force (52.9 percent). 

Another 10.9 percent of ECC customers were from the 21206 neighborhood, which 

had an even larger population of 50,154. Fewer residents were African American (53.8 

percent), a similar percentage were female (53.2 percent) and more possessed at least the 

equivalent of a high school education (76.4 percent). There were fewer individuals living 

below the poverty level (13.8 percent), and this neighborhood had the highest median 

household income ($36,360). 

These three ZIP codes—21205, 21213, and 21206—account for 41.3 percent of 

the ECC core cohort. An additional 8 percent lived in the 21224 neighborhood and 5.3 

percent lived in the 21218 ZIP code, which brings the total up to 54.6 percent from these 

five ZIP codes. There was a wide range of customers from other areas, including 10.4 

percent from numerous ZIP codes outside of Baltimore City. However, there were no 

other large concentrations of One-Stop customers by ZIP code. 

We conclude that the majority of ECC customers live in the immediate and 

surrounding neighborhoods. The top five ZIP codes range between one and three miles 

from the ECC location that has adequate public transportation availability from these 

nearby neighborhoods. 

 
49 

18,440

38,442

50,154

48,536

55,059

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Population

Figure 1:2 2000 Census Population of Eastside 

(21205) and Surrounding Neighborhoods

21205

21213

21206

21224

21218

56.5 60.3

76.4

60.5

72.9

0

20

40

60

80

100

% High School Education

Figure 1:3 2000 Census Percent of 

Population with High School Education or 

Above, By Eastside Neighborhood

21205

21213

21206

21224

21218

Figure 1:4 2000 Census Race Figures, by Eastside 

Neighborhoods

75.4

88.5

53.8

21.2

67.8

21.2

9.6

43.1

71.6

25.1

3.4 1.9 3.1 7.2 7.1

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

21205 21213 21206 21224 21218

Other Races

White

African American
50 

Figure 1:5 2000 Census Gender Figures, 

by Eastside Neighborhoods

45.9 45.2 46.8 47.5 47.8

54.2 54.8 53.2 52.5 52.2

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

21205 21213 21206 21224 21218

Female

Male

34.4

26.4

13.8

22 23.4

0

20

40

60

80

100

Figure 1:6 2000 Census Figures, Percent of 

Individuals Below Poverty Level, by 

Eastside Neighborhoods

21205

21213

21206

21224

21218

$21,922

$26,801

$36,360

$30,489

$30,304

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

Median Household Income

Figure 1:7 Census 2000 Median Household 

Income, by Eastside Neighborhoods

21205

21213

21206

21224

21218
51 

The ECC Customer Base 

The ECC core customer file includes the demographics of gender, race, and 

education level. We compared these demographics to Census data and derived an 

estimate of the ECC customer base in comparison to the surrounding neighborhoods. 

In the ECC immediate neighborhood of 21205, the MOED core cohort file had a 

much larger percentage of African Americans (90.8 percent) than the Census figure (75.4 

percent). Fewer females were in the MOED file than appear in the Census data (47.7 

percent versus 54.2 percent). And more of the MOED cohort customers reported having 

at least a high school education (69.2 percent) than the Census data (56.5 percent). 

75.4

90.8 88.5

95.7

53.8

90.3

0

20

40

60

80

100

Census

21205

MOED

21205

Census

21213

MOED

21213

Census

21206

MOED

21206

Figure 1:8 2000 Census/2003 MOED Core 

Customers: Comparisons by Race, 

Surrounding Eastside Neighborhoods

% African American

56.5

69.2

60.3

70

76.4 79.6

0

20

40

60

80

100

Census

21205

MOED

21205

Census

21213

MOED

21213

Census

21206

MOED

21206

Figure 1:9 2000 Census/2003 MOED Core 

Customers: Comparisons by Education, 

Surrounding Eastside Neighborhoods

% with High School Diploma or Greater
52 

When the 21213 neighborhood was examined, the MOED file had a higher 

percentage of African Americans than the Census data (95.7 percent versus 88.5 percent) 

and a similar percentage of females (56 percent versus 54.8 percent). More of the MOED 

file customers had at least a high school education (70 percent) than in the Census data 

(60.3 percent). 

In the 21206 neighborhood, the percentage of African Americans was much 

higher than the Census figure (90.3 percent versus 53.8 percent). There were slightly 

more females in the MOED file (59.7 percent) than in the Census data (53.2 percent), and 

slightly more who reported at least a high school education (79.6 percent versus 76.4 

percent). 

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT LOCAL DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE ECONOMY 

We conclude from the above comparisons that African Americans from 

surrounding neighborhoods dominate the flow of ECC customers to a greater extent than 

would be expected based on neighborhood demographics alone. One explanation for this 

disparity is a recent and continuing influx of Latino residents in the Eastside 

neighborhoods, most said to be self-reliant on work recruitment channels other than the 

ECC, including word-of-mouth exchange of job availability information within the 

Latino community and use of community-based organizations that serve this 

subpopulation of neighborhood residents. Communication (language) challenges are also 

described as an important barrier to greater use of ECC services. 

The regional economy has changed in recent decades from a manufacturing base 

to a combination of services and distribution. Short-term visitors to Baltimore City often 

see a thriving Inner Harbor economy, including Federal Hill, Fells Point, Canton, and 

most segments of the North Charles Street corridor extending to the Homewood campus 

of Johns Hopkins University. The east-side Johns Hopkins medical institutions and the 

west-side University of Maryland professional schools are growing and each is 

developing a biotechnology capacity. Today, the incumbent employees in many of these 

jobs commute from suburban homes. 

Up to this point we have described many facets of the organizational, 

demographic and economic context in which the ECC staff and customers interact. Next, 

in Chapter 4, we turn to what occurs inside the ECC, beginning with a description of the 

facility itself that determines how customers and staff have an opportunity to engage. 
53 

CHAPTER 4 

INSIDE THE EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER TODAY 

THE ECC FACILITY 

The ECC Entrance/Reception/Waiting Area 

The ECC has an open floor plan that is easy for customers to navigate. The 

overall appearance is professional, with adequate lighting and attractive furniture in the 

reception area. New carpeting was installed in January 2003, and new furniture arrived 

in July 2004. The ECC is not a traditional old-style government facility. 

Customers enter the ECC through a breezeway that features a pay telephone, a 

sign showing ECC business hours, and a sign displaying Digital Learning Lab hours. 

There is a separate entrance with a ramp for disabled customers located in the rear of the 

building. They must ring a buzzer for access, which the security guard provides. 

Customers next enter the ECC waiting area and are asked by a security guard to 

sign in. Registered customers can then proceed to any self-service unit within the ECC. 

Customers who remain in the waiting area for an appointment or a job interview are 

called when it is their turn for service. The waiting area also serves as a lounge where 

friends/relatives can wait for customers receiving services. 

A video describing MOED One-Stop Career Center Network services plays 

continuously in the waiting area and job related publications are available. A copy of the 

MOED publication Job Ready Standards is available for customer reading. A framed 

copy of the ECC mission statement is prominently displayed on the wall. 

The ECC has one main phone line that rings at the security guard’s desk and two 

greeter desks. Calls are routed to other ECC staff members by these individuals. There 

is no voice mail system and no direct staff lines. Other staff members assist when the 

ECC is short-staffed or extremely busy. 

ECC staff describes Monday mornings to be the peak time for customer arrivals, 

with Fridays having the least traffic. The customer count also drops off in the winter 

months after the holiday season, but rises again in May (summer employment) and from 

September through November (holiday employment). 

The ECC does not impose a strict dress code, but men are asked to remove their 

hat while in the building. Children are not allowed beyond the reception/waiting area. 

The security guard is the first point of contact for customers. Everyone is required to 

sign in before proceeding. Each customer, on someone acting on their behalf, writes their 

name, date, time and purpose for their visit. They are not required to sign out when they 

leave. If there are many customers entering at the same time, such as on a Monday 

morning, they must wait to sign in. 
54 

Beyond the Waiting/Reception Area 

The ECC manager’s office is located directly behind the security guard’s desk. 

This office is partially enclosed by glass, which gives the manager a sweeping view of 

many customer and staff activities. This positioning of the manager’s office allows for 

easy staff and customer access. 

Just beyond the waiting area is a large reception/clerical area accommodating two 

greeters, a fax machine, a copier, a printer, and a refreshment area with complimentary 

coffee and water. Greeters assist customers with specific questions regarding service, 

conduct the group information sessions, assist with scheduling, and enter data in to the 

MWE system. Above one of the greeter’s desk is a digital display of various ECC 

workshops and special events. There is also an “In/Out” board to track staff schedules. 

Staff mailboxes are located in this area. 

The reception/clerical area also features information on a variety of supportive 

services (childcare, housing, substance abuse, financial workshops), as well as a listing of 

current job recruitments, copies of Baltimore’s weekly Employment Guide, the ECC 

monthly calendar of events, a Language Interpretation Poster for customers needing 

assistance with English, and a carousel with currently available “Hot Jobs” postings 

(updated bi-weekly) and apprenticeship opportunities. Hot Jobs are created by Business 

Services staff and consist of difficult to fill, immediately available jobs. This job listing 

is also sent out to One-Stop partners and community based organization staff. It is the 

Business Services staff’s responsibility to keep the list updated and to close out jobs that 

have been filled. Customized training opportunities are also listed on the “Hot Jobs” 

alert. Some examples of “Hot Jobs” include electrician, geriatric nursing assistant, 

carpenter, and personal recruiter. 

Beyond the reception/clerical area are cubicles and offices for staff, a small 

kitchen/lunchroom area, a staff meeting room, a large multipurpose room, and the Digital 

Learning Lab. The Multipurpose room is used for workshops, testing, seminars, and 

various meetings, including Rapid Response events and mini Job Fairs. 

Throughout the ECC notices of available services and upcoming events are 

posted, workforce related publications are displayed, and bulletin boards highlight 

specialized services—such as for veterans, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities. 

ECC bulletin boards and displays are changed regularly. There is also a suggestion box 

located outside the Maryland Workforce Exchange Career Lab for customer use. 

From our on-site observations, it is easy to imagine what could become a chaotic 

scene on a busy day. However, ECC staff members have been cross-trained to accept a 

range of responsibilities, including answering the main telephone and properly directing 

calls. All ECC staff members are able to assist customers who ask questions as they move 

about within the ECC. There is a sense of common responsibility—ECC staff has 

worked hard to become a team, dispensing with a “That’s not my job” attitude. Everyone 

pitches in, especially when traffic is heavy, which is frequent. 
55 

The ECC Digital Learning Lab 

MOED established Digital Learning Labs in each of the Baltimore One-Stops. 

The mission of each lab is to provide all Baltimore City residents the opportunity to: Gain 

no cost basic computer literacy skills; learn/upgrade skills in the latest software packages; 

access desktop computers, high speed internet resources and email; and develop 

employability skills to increase competitiveness. 

The first 3 lab sites opened in October 2001, including the ECC lab and the 

Southwest Career Center and Workforce Reception Center (serving TANF customers) 

labs. The Northwest Career Center and Baltimore Works (operated by AFL-CIO) added 

Digital Learning Labs in February 2002. 

The lab course structure includes: 

• Self-paced computer literacy software with a mouse tutorial 

• Self-paced Microsoft Office 2000 software 

• Instructor led classes for Microsoft Office Suite applications 

• Module length of 8-12 hours per application and 5 hour for computer literacy 

• Certificates awarded after completion of the computer literacy module as well as after 

each Office application (assessment based on QWIZ software – 80% or higher is 

considered proficient) 

The instructor led classes focus on the applications of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, 

and Access. Self-paced curriculums include computer literacy (basic skills, computer 

basics, files/folders, the Internet, basic word processing, intermediate word processing) 

and applications (PC fundamentals, Word 2000, Excel 2000, PowerPoint 2000, and 

Access 2000). Basic computer skills courseware is provided by Teknimedia 

(http://www.teknimedia.com) and application software courseware is provided by 

Discoverware (http://www.educationtechnologyinc.com/discoverware.html). 

In January 2005 MOED announced that Internet and Computing Core 

Certification (IC3) training was available through the One-Stop Career Centers’ Digital 

Learning Labs. This certification ensures that the customer has sufficient knowledge and 

skills required for the basic use of computer hardware, software, networks, and the 

Internet. IC3 certification is available through an industry standard computer literacy 

training program which is provided to the customer at no cost. Customers are able to 

study for the IC3 certification exam and be tested in the IC3 certified testing and training 

center. 

The most recent MOED data (2004) regarding usage of the Baltimore Digital 

Learning Labs indicate a range from a low in November (N=352 customers) to a high in 

July (N=1,807 customers). The average monthly figure of customers served is 

(N=924)20. Employers can utilize the Digital Learning Labs at no cost to upgrade their 

current employees’ computer skills. Agencies such as the Departments of Social 

Services and Corrections staff have used the Digital Learning Labs, and word is 

spreading to the private sector. 

 

20 Source: MOED’s One Stop Career Center Network Digital Learning Lab Handbook 
56 

Approximately 5,000 customers annually receive computer literacy training 

through Baltimore’s Career Center Network Digital Learning Labs. Self-paced classes 

are considered a core service, and instructor led classes are considered an intensive 

service. 

 

The ECC operates the Digital Learning Lab Monday through Friday from 9:00am 

to 4:00pm. Initially Eastside’s Digital Learning Lab was closed on Mondays, and open 

Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00am-4:00pm, 1:00pm-8:00pm on Wednesdays and 

Thursdays, and 8:30am-2:00pm on Saturdays. Due to budget cuts, staffing issues, and 

peak usage times, the current schedule was determined. There are 8 seats in the ECC 

Digital Lab, filled on a first come first served basis. Also located in the Digital Learning 

Lab is a printer and television, as well as a large white board for instructional purposes. 

 

The Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE) Career Lab 

The Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE) Career Lab (formerly CareerNet 

Lab) is located directly off the reception area and is easily visible and accessible to 

customers. The Career Lab houses eighteen computers, two of which are designated for 

staff use. Two Career Lab assistants are available to assist customers. The Career Lab 

supervisor is currently out on medical leave, but plans to return. The Career Lab is 

currently staffed by State Job Service employees. Prior to this, MOED funded System 

Facilitators worked in the Career Lab, but these positions were eliminated during the July 

2004 reorganization. 

To register in the MWE system, the job seeking customer is asked to list contact 

information, their work history, military service, educational background, certifications 

held, and additional skills/licenses. The customer then creates a logon name and 

password. Within the system, customers can conduct a job search, use the resume 

builder, access Labor Market Information, research training, file a UI claim, use various 

career exploration resources, and research education and financial aide information. In 

addition, information on support services such as childcare, healthcare, and housing can 

be accessed, and online registration is available for job search workshops, employer 

seminars, and job fairs. 

In the ECC Career Lab customers can access two printers that are usually used to 

“print screen” specific jobs. Although customers can self-refer for most jobs listed on the 

MWE system, Career Lab staff has additional details on specific job orders which can be 

helpful. 

Some employers want ECC staff to do the initial screening, choosing not to list 

their name on the job order. Career Lab staff pre-screen prospective employees and 

referrals are given for the job order if staff decides the customer is qualified. After this 

process, customers apply directly to the employer. Usually customers leave with at least 

three job referrals per visit. There is no time limit in the Career Lab. 

ECC staff estimate that between 120-200 customers utilize the Career Lab each 

month. Job orders are posted and updated on a daily basis, and customers are encouraged 

to check the website frequently. Many jobs can be applied for online, and multiple 

resumes can be built and saved in the customer’s account. 
57 

The following job/career resources have links in the system: 

• America’s Job Bank 

• Apprenticeship and Training 

• Baltimore Sun Classified 

• Maryland State Government Careers 

• Careers in the Military 

• Federal Jobs Digest 

• Health Care Careers 

• HotJobs.com 

• ITCareers.com 

• Jobs in the Federal Government 

• Licensed/Certified Occupations in Maryland 

• Professional Outplacement Assistance Center 

• Monster.com 

• Washington Post Classified. 

Software that is accessible in the Career Lab includes: 

• Internet Explorer 

• Acrobat Reader 5.0 

• Mavis Beacon 5 (typing tutorial) 

• Winway Resume for Windows 

• Novell Client for Windows 95/98 

• Symantec-Norton Anti-Virus 

• Outlook Express. 

Several print publications are available, including Nursing Spectrum, Government 

Computer News, Newsweek, Federal Computer Week, GI Jobs, and Military Transition. 

Staff in the Career Lab has access to the following resources: 

• Webster’s Dictionary, Roget’s Thesaurus 

• Fastest Reading Self-Taught 

• Six Weeks to Words of Power 

• Instant Vocabulary 

• Excel 97 in a Glance 

• Using the Internet and the World Wide Web in your Job Search 

• Government Job Finder 

• The Electronic Federal Resume Guide Book 

• The Gregg Reference Manual 

• MOED Resource Directory 

• Vocabulary Builder 

• Creating your High School Resume 

• Federal Applications that Get Results 

• Dictionary of Occupational Titles. 
58 

High Tech Lab/Resource Library 

Connected by a doorway to the Career Lab is the High Tech Lab. Here customers 

work on resumes and cover letters and are able to access self-assessment instruments and 

tutorials, including career exploration and word processing. Email access is also 

available. Occasionally, there is overflow from the Digital Learning Lab, and 

headphones are available to accommodate these customers in the High Tech Lab. There 

are a total of twelve computers in the room, which are arranged in a horseshoe fashion so 

that staff are better able to circulate and assist customers. In addition, there is a printer 

and two typewriters. Available software includes: 

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation for 4.0 

• Adobe Reader 6.0 

• Microsoft Office Suite Applications 

• Citrix ICA Client 

• Discoverware for the Office 2000 

• Lavasoft Ad Ware (virus protection) 

• Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing (deluxe version 2) 

• Microsoft Office Small Business Tools 

• Net G SB Courseware 

• QWIZ 7.x 

• Teknimedia Virtual Learning Center 

• Winzip. 

A portion of the High Tech Lab houses the Resource Library, which contains 

videos, job search resource books, resume and cover letter books, training brochures, and 

community resource handbooks. Publications cover topics such as effective 

interviewing, career exploration, enhanced written and verbal communication, teamwork, 

and employment applications. In addition, software resource publications are available, 

including Outlook 97, Front Page 97, Using the Internet and the WWW in your Job 

Search, Test Originals Typing, Easy Excel 5 for Windows, and Master your Computer, 

Word 97, Windows 95. There is a TV/VCR player to view the video materials. 

PLATO Lab 

Connected directly to the right of the Career Lab is the PLATO lab, which can be 

separated by a sliding partition for privacy if needed. Customers work with self-guided 

GED software and occasional GED or pre-GED instruction is provided in this room. The 

PLATO lab was funded by a Literacy grant. Available software includes PLATO 

Pathways, Quick Time, Internet Explorer, Norton Anti-Virus, Roxio Easy CD Creator, 

and Outlook Express. There are also PLATO course files and a GED administration 

manual located in the room. There are a total of sixteen computers available for use in 

the PLATO lab. 

Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) staff provides pre-GED instruction 

on-site within the ECC. There are numerous pamphlets describing both BCCC and 

Community College of Baltimore County courses. 
59 

Staff Areas/Phone Bank/Conference Rooms 

Outside the Career Lab staff offices are open to the general use areas and are 

arranged according to staff functions. Each staff cubicle has a personal computer and 

telephone, as well as storage space and file cabinets. Two work tables are located in the 

central hallway of the staff area for customer use. Four classrooms/conference rooms are 

used for a variety of purposes, including employer recruitment sessions, meetings with 

agency partners, GED/pre-GED instruction, and workshops. These rooms can be merged 

or partitioned, as needed. 

Outside the conference rooms there is a phone bank with eight phones to assist 

customers with job related calls. In order to use the phones, customers must get a pass 

from the security guard. There is a 15 minute time limit for phone use. Each phone is 

separated by a partition for privacy, and although the room has a door, the front wall is 

Plexiglas so that staff can monitor customers. The phone bank was added in 2002. There 

are restrooms for customers located across from the phone bank. Separate facilities are 

located in the reception area for staff use. 

THE ECC STAFF 

Program Manager Craig Lewis has overseen ECC operations since January 2001. 

Other ECC staff positions and each person’s funding source(s) include: 

• Office Assistant (2) (WIA) 

• Office Assistant/Greeter (WIA) 

• Systems Technician (WIA) 

• Business Services Representative (WIA) 

• Business Resource Representative (Wagner-Peyser) 

• Instructor (Baltimore City Community College) 

• WIA Supervisor (WIA) 

• Career Development Facilitator (4) (WIA) 

• Job Service Supervisor (Wagner-Peyser) 

• Job Service Interviewer (Wagner-Peyser) 

• GED Instructor (WIA) 

• Senior Placement Specialist (National Caucus and Center on Black Aged) 

• Technological Trainer (WIA) 

• Technical Specialist (DORS) 

• Custodian (MOED) 

• Security Guard (MOED) 

Some ECC staff positions, including the Disability Navigator, Ex-Offender 

Career Agent, Follow-Up staff, Local Veterans Employment Representative, Assessment 

Facilitator, and Micro-Computer and Network Support Analysts are shared among the 

Baltimore One-Stops. 
60 

Other MOED division/unit leaders and their staff who are currently stationed at 

ECC include: 

• Supervisor, Follow-Up Unit 

• Senior Program Development Specialist, Rapid Response 

• Business Liaison of Employer Operations 

The backgrounds of ECC staff are diverse, ranging from Religious Studies and 

Social Work to Business Administration and Workforce Development. Tenure ranges 

from less than 1 year to 25 years. Wagner-Peyser funded staff has the most tenure with 

an average of 22 years. WIA funded staff’s tenure averages seven years. Overall, the 

average ECC staff tenure is nine years. 

The MOED management team meets twice per month. The ECC management 

team meets either weekly or bi-weekly, depending on the need. Each One-Stop manager 

meets with their staff weekly, as does the Business Services staff and their director. 

Business Services Staff 

In July 2004 MOED reorganized the Business Services staff. As a result, MOED 

Business Services Representatives (BSRs) relocated from MOED headquarters to three of 

the four Baltimore One-Stops. Several Business Services staff formerly located at DLLR 

headquarters (Business Resource Representatives or BRRs) also moved to the Baltimore 

One-Stops. Consequently, MOED and DLLR Business Services staff work side by side 

and have engaged in a great deal of cross training. 

Business Services staff will soon be organized within the Workforce Exchange 

Division of MOED. The General Manager of this division will be responsible for the 

One-Stop Career Center System as well as all employer services. The manager is 

assisted by a senior program development specialist. It is evident that Maryland is 

making a concerted effort to streamline and consolidate Business Services staff and their 

job functions. 

An MOED Business Liaison now works within the Baltimore Development 

Corporation headquarters, which is Baltimore’s economic development agency. This 

ensures a strong link between economic development and workforce development 

activities in Baltimore. 

MOED continues to work on their consolidation model for Wagner Peyser and 

WIA services. A commitment has been made to cross-train staff, and partners are jointly 

developing a comprehensive operating plan which will be agreed upon by all partners. 

Since the integration, Business Services staff reports that they have a better feel 

for the One-Stop customers and have a closer working relationship with other staff. In 

the past, Business Services staff felt somewhat disconnected from the One-Stop staff, but 

communication is more frequent and open now. All Business Services staff has regular 

meetings with the One-Stop managers and the Career Development Facilitators. This 

ensures that everyone is “on the same page” in regard to goals, outcomes, and processes. 
61 

 The more experienced BRRs have been partnered with less tenured BSRs. Most 

BRRs have between 15-20 years of experience. 

Business Resource Representatives (DLLR State Funded Staff) 

As state employees, it has been challenging for Business Resource 

Representatives (BRRs) to assimilate into the One-Stop MOED Business Services staff. 

For instance, one BRR formerly had supervisory status, but after being transferred to the 

ECC had no supervisory duties. BRRs are still responsible for their state performance 

appraisal, which includes state goals (100 contacts per month) that are different from the 

MOED Business Service Representative (BSR) goals. In addition, both the state 

supervisor and the One-Stop Manager have input into the performance appraisal process. 

The duties of the BRR are to make employers aware of the various public 

workforce services that are available and to encourage them to place job orders. This 

requires a great deal of time in the field meeting with potential employer customers. It 

has also been challenging to integrate the job orders BRRs typically receive, for example, 

a request for an immigration paralegal, with the ECCcustomer population. At the present 

time, there is not much interaction between BRRs and job-seeking customers. 

BRRs are working jointly with MOED Business Services staff to market the 

customized training program to area businesses, and they also assist with employer 

follow-up services. In addition, there have been collaborative efforts with Veterans’ 

Representatives in their work with the local business community. The integration of state 

and local staff has been challenging, but progress continues to be made. 

Business Service Representatives (MOED Locally Funded Staff) 

Business Service Representatives (BSRs) are charged with two essential 

functions: 

• Recruiting/connecting businesses to services of MOED by marketing all agency 

resources (customized training, on-the-job training, subsidized employment, tax 

credits, summer jobs, recruitment services, etc.) and 

• Developing employment and training opportunities which lead to permanent, fulltime positions with benefits and self sufficient salaries for area job seekers. 

Current ECC BSR duties include seeing customers at least three times per week 

(more, if needed), presenting job openings at group information sessions, working with 

EI Workshop Facilitator, helping with job fairs, and assisting employers with recruitment 

efforts. The BSR also is responsible for marketing to employers, but has observed that 

many employer customers come to the One-Stop as a result of recommendations from 

other employers. BSRs stay with the employer through the entire process, from initial 

consultation, to the development of interview instruments, pre-screening of applicants, 

the hiring process, and follow-up. 
62 

BSRs provide service to employers and employees even after the hiring process. 

They are available to act as a type of liaison between the employer and newly hired 

employees to solve problems before they result in job loss. For example, if an employee 

is having attendance problems, the BSR can try to resolve the issue by creating a 

“contract” between the employer and employee regarding punctuality. 

When working with job seeking customers, BSRs encourage them to consider a 

broad range of jobs. For instance, nearly all job seekers want to work daytime hours, 

Monday-Friday. Many of the available jobs are afternoon/evening shifts, or on 

weekends. Many want office/clerical work, but lack the technical skills. These 

customers are encouraged to go the Digital Learning Lab for certification before applying 

for a job. The BSR often must bring the customer “back to reality” if they are 

considering a job that is beyond their skill level. 

Certain customers, especially those with a criminal background, must be willing 

to work their way up to a more desirable position. Customers that typically succeed are 

the ones with realistic expectations. 

Customers who do not succeed are those who expect a high paying job for which 

they aren’t qualified. Also people who are forced to come to the One-Stop, for example, 

an ex-offender by his/her probation officer, may not be the most successful customers. 

One of the BSR’s duties is to refer job seekers to appropriate resources if they 

lack the necessary skills for a job. These could include the Digital Learning Lab, a job 

readiness workshop, or other educational resources. Barriers to employment are 

addressed as well, with referrals made to appropriate community resources. 

BSRs work under the direction of their Business Services Supervisor as well as 

the ECC Manager. Some examples of their duties include thorough knowledge of 

local/regional Labor Market Information, identification of business employment and 

training needs, job matching/job development, marketing of all business services, and the 

creation of employer profiles through the Maryland Workforce Exchange system. 

Minimum education and experience is a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Economics, 

Business, Public Administration, or a related field, and 2 years sales experience with 1 

year in employment or job training related fields. 

BSRs are assigned various goals for their work. In FY 2006, on a monthly basis 

they are required to market MOED services to 25 businesses, have face to face meetings 

with 8 new employers, develop 10 job orders, conduct 2 employer/industry recruitment 

sessions, track and report their progress, and coordinate job match placements with 

Career Development Facilitators for job seekers enrolled in training. In addition, they are 

required to obtain 15 placements per month, conduct an employability workshop 

monthly, and provide on-going service presentations. Finally, they are required to 

participate in at least 2 staff development activities annually and to do one community 

outreach activity per quarter. 
63 

Business Services staff meets monthly to discuss activities and provide updates. 

Certain business services staff has special assignments including working with disabled 

customers, ex-offenders, and veterans. Staff work primarily with employers in the 

targeted industries, and the majority of customers are small to mid size businesses. 

Before contacting an employer, Business Services staff checks the Maryland 

Workforce Exchange (MWE) system to make sure there have been no prior contacts. 

They also research the employer’s business and related labor market information. Staff 

has been trained through MIETP regarding employer contact and relations. They report 

that marketing to area businesses is an important part of their job, and that the majority of 

new contacts are unaware of the presence of One-Stops in Baltimore or what services are 

available to them. It is often difficult to find the correct contact within a company’s 

Human Resource Department. Creating and maintaining contacts takes a great deal of 

time and networking. Several meetings are necessary to get companies involved with the 

One-Stop system. 

 

Once employer contact has been established, the Business Services staff member 

must complete a job order form, ensure that the contact is a valid employer in the state of 

Maryland, and enter the information into the MWE system within 48 hours. Recruitment 

information is sent to all Baltimore One-Stops. 

Staff enters all referrals into the MWE system and updates them on a regular 

basis. After the pre-screening process, the employer is contacted and Business Services 

staff schedule interviews for prospective job candidates, either on-site at the ECC or at 

the employer’s worksite. 

After interviews take place, staff follow-up with the employer to get the results, 

which may vary from too many referrals to not enough. Once the interview process has 

been completed, employment verification is gathered and the information is entered into 

the MWE system. Staff then completes all necessary forms to exit the customer from the 

management information system and forwards copies to appropriate staff. Finally, a 

thank you note is sent to the employer for using ECC services and they are invited to use 

services again, as needed. 

Staff members are responsible for keeping information updated as needed. BSRs 

meet with the ECC manager and their supervisor to review open job orders on a weekly 

basis. 

When asked what employers typically expect from the ECC, staff said prompt 

service, quick turnarounds, responsiveness to their needs, and a pool of applicants that 

meet their required skill level(s). Business Services staff work cooperatively with 

staffing agencies and other community based organizations such as Goodwill. Baltimore 

One-Stops maintain an open door policy regarding their resources with these 

organizations and they all frequently refer customers to one another. 

ECC staff said that they cannot afford to advertise their services to businesses. 

They would like to see the U.S. Department of Labor provide a means to do so either on a 

national level or by providing funding that would allow local advertising. 
64 

Career Development Facilitators 

In April 2004, ten Career Development Facilitators (CDFs) from the ECC, 

Northwest, Southwest, and Baltimore Works One-Stops graduated from Maryland’s first 

Global Career Development Facilitator class. They were required to complete 120 hours 

of class time, maintain a journal, write papers, and attend career counseling conferences. 

The program was administered by Loyola College in Maryland at their Graduate Center. 

Currently, all four ECC CDFs have their Global Career Development Facilitator 

certificate. 

CDFs currently maintain a caseload of 150-200 customers. Ideally, the caseload 

should be between 100 and 125 to provide adequate service, but with limited funding for 

additional staff, more work has fallen on the current CDFs. 

In addition to their duties in providing one on one service to job seeking 

customers, it is the Career Development Facilitator’s responsibility to reference the 

industry report book for current positions, make referrals against the job orders for their 

customers, record referrals on services records, enter referrals into the MWE system, 

follow up with customers regarding hiring information, verify employment with the 

employer, and complete a weekly report for their supervisor. 

Several interviews were conducted with CDFs. Their observations of job seeking 

customers are invaluable. They spend the most time with customers and usually get to 

know them quite well. In their experience, many customers enter the One-Stop thinking 

they know exactly what they want, but often they are not willing to take the necessary 

steps to ensure their success. CDFs try to portray a realistic idea of a job, a career, and 

what it takes to succeed. 

Staff members report that many customers request ITA level training services. If 

their TABE test scores are too low for eligibility, they must first attend a Skills Brush-Up 

Class before re-taking the TABE test. 

Even if they are successful on their TABE test, customers must also complete a 

comprehensive and lengthy training application, requiring time and research on the part 

of the applicant. This is not to say that there is no support along the way; CDFs are 

willing and able to assist customers through each step of the application process. 

However, many are unwilling to take these steps. They walk in the door, and want to 

begin training immediately. CDFs have to work a lot with customer attitudes and teach 

them how to be patient. Many need nurturing and look to the CDF as a counselor, older 

sibling, or parental figure. This requires a delicate balance of being supportive, but firm. 

In their estimation, about 50 percent of customers are willing to do what it takes to 

succeed, for instance, taking a lower paying job or one that requires evening and/or 

weekend hours in order to work their way up to a better position. 
65 

Another challenge CDFs face is to get customers to think in terms of a “career” 

versus a short-term “job”. Many are simply looking at a way to pay their bills, but not 

thinking about a long-term solution (e.g., a higher paying job with growth potential). 

CDFs estimate that 95 percent of customers come in looking for a “job” rather than a 

“career”. It is their duty to change the customers’ mindset and counsel them on how to 

be “career-minded”. Customers who simply move from to job to job in a similar position 

are frustrated when they don’t advance. CDFs try to get customers to think about 

applying for different types of jobs and using them as stepping stones within a company 

or an industry. In addition, they encourage them to pursue educational goals such as 

getting their High School diploma or GED in order to further their career. 

CDFs also felt it was important to immediately engage customers after the group 

information session with the appropriate resources. It was suggested that CDFs add 

preliminary assessments to the information session so that it could be seen what 

customers’ immediate needs were. Then further assessments and/or services could be 

scheduled that day, rather than relying on the customer to return and request them. Of 

course, this would require staff time and resources, both of which are in short supply 

currently. 

One staff member remarked that if they saw a customer twice, they felt there was 

a good chance of success. In other words, if the customer was interested enough to come 

back after the initial meeting, the CDF felt that they had the potential to succeed. 

 

In addition to employment services, CDFs are working to meet customers’ most 

basic needs, including food, clothing, childcare, and shelter. Many also lack fundamental 

social skills needed to succeed in the workplace. CDFs must assist them with these 

issues, as well. Many need to be counseled on how to dress appropriately, how to 

communicate with others, the importance of being on time, and basic work ethics. 

CDFs feel that the bottom line is that there are opportunities available through the 

One-Stop for those who want them. It is their job to instill confidence and provide 

assistance to customers willing to take the necessary steps to succeed. However, this is 

not to underestimate the difficulty in assisting those hardest to serve (e.g., TANF 

customers, homeless, ex-offenders). Multiple barriers to employment must be fully 

addressed and removed if there is to be any successful outcome for these customer 

populations, and there are simply not enough resources to do so. Staff feel that they do 

the very best they can with the resources they are given. 

 

Follow-Up Unit 

The Follow-Up Unit is shared by all four Baltimore One-Stops. Their hours of 

service range from 8:30am to 7:00pm and they rotate depending on each One-Stop’s after 

business hours schedule. They are at Eastside on Mondays from 8:30am-4:30pm, 

Thursdays from 11:00am-7:00pm, Fridays from 8:30am-4:30pm, and Saturdays from 

8:30am-4:30pm. There are two full-time staff and two contractual state interns that work 

in the Follow-Up Unit. The unit was created in October 2001. 
66 

The Follow-Up Unit is charged with contacting by telephone, core customers who 

have received services from the One-Stop Career Centers to determine their employment 

status. In addition, they informally ask them about their One-Stop experiences and 

determine if there are any problems that can be resolved. Feedback from customers is 

provided to each One-Stop Center manager. Follow-Up staff attempts to reach the 

customer within 30 days of their last service. Each One-Stop compiles an updated list of 

core customers for Follow-Up staff. The Follow-Up staff also contacts intensive and 

training customers that CDFs have been unable to reach. 

If the customer is unemployed, an attempt to re-engage them is made. They are 

sent information about job fairs, upcoming recruitments, and are encouraged to use the 

Career Lab for a job search. The list of customers who report that they have found a job 

is forwarded to the unit supervisor for employment verification, then to the WIA 

Supervisor for entry into the MWE system. Each staff member’s goal is to reach 50 

customers by direct contact per week and to provide appropriate follow-up services. Of 

the contacts, the goal is to document 25 percent of customers in job placements and to 

reconnect 50 percent with service. 

If they are unable to obtain direct contact with the customer after three 

consecutive attempts, the customer’s wage record is pulled from the UI wage records in 

an attempt to verify employment. MOED has a contract with DLLR that allows the 

Follow-Up Unit staff to verify employment in this manner. 

Information is collected on the 50 core customers contacted monthly and WIA 

exit surveys are completed on all placements at the time of contact. Placements are then 

contacted in the first month of the following quarter. If they are still employed and meet 

the targeted wage criteria, the customer is exited as a WIA Staff-Assisted placement. 

Customers employed in the first quarter after exit (including intensive and training 

customers) are asked to complete a quarterly survey for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters 

following exit. The Follow-Up Unit has a goal of a 60 percent minimum contact rate. 

The customer’s IEP is updated electronically, and a copy of the exit and placement 

system is sent to the System Technician within 24 hours for entry into the system. A 

daily follow-up report is completed and submitted to the supervisor for review. FollowUp staff must participate in 2 staff development training sessions quarterly. 

ECC Staff Reorganization Revisited 

There has been a 35 percent reduction in funding for the Baltimore One-Stop 

System since WIA was implemented. This is a very fluid organization and innovative 

changes are implemented frequently. In addition, to meet the challenges of a customer 

base with a large number of ex-offenders, youth, TANF, and low literacy individuals, 

creativity is not only encouraged, it is described by staff as a necessity. 

Due to WIA funding cuts staff was reorganized in July 2004. The ECC lost a 

system facilitator in the Career Lab, a position which touched all customers. Also lost 

were a data clerk position, the Youth Development Specialist, and an Assessment 

Facilitator. CDFs must now administer assessments to their customers. Finally, the 

Follow-Up Unit lost 2 of their 4 clerks. 
67 

The ECC did gain two DLLR Business Resource Representatives (BRRs) who 

have been assigned to work directly with MOED Business Service Representatives 

(BSRs). Also gained was an Office Assistant II (greeter). The former General Manager 

of the One-Stop System was promoted to the Assistant Director for the Division of 

Workforce Exchange, and the former Manager of Business Services was given additional 

duties as the new General Manager of the One-Stop System. 

ECC DAILY OPERATIONS 

The Baltimore Career Center Network, and therefore the ECC, uses the Triage 

Model of customer flow. First time customers must attend a scheduled group information 

session to orient them to One-Stop and partner services. New customers are also required 

to enroll in the Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE) system before they access 

additional services. 

When the Anatomy project first began, ECC offered information sessions on 

Mondays and Wednesdays at 8:45am; however, small groups and occasionally 

individuals were registered throughout the day until 2:00pm. This process took a great 

deal of the greeters’ time and was determined to be an inefficient use of resources. 

Currently, information sessions take place Monday through Friday at 9am and 

12pm. Customers who come into the center during other times who want to register are 

given a formal appointment slip to encourage them to attend the next information session. 

The ECC offers the most information sessions of Baltimore’s four One-Stops with a total 

of 10 weekly. The other three centers offer sessions 2-3 times per week. 

Orientation typically lasts 30 minutes and includes the completion of necessary 

paperwork, a review of One-Stop services, a tour of the facility, and a question/answer 

session. A welcome packet is provided to each registrant with details about services. In 

order to register, participants must provide three forms of ID: a photo ID, their Social 

Security card, and one other identification form. 

Upon the conclusion of the information session, customers are registered in the 

Maryland Workforce Exchange system and perform a job search. Once registered, they 

are free to use the center’s resources at any time. They may also access core services at 

any of the other Baltimore area One-Stops. However, once they are assigned a Career 

Development Facilitator (CDF), they must access intensive and training services at the 

One-Stop where they are registered. 

Customers who request to speak with a CDF are given an appointment within 

three business days, and they can be given a TABE test immediately after the information 

session. Results are forwarded to the appropriate CDF and the instructor by the end of 

the day. 
68 

At the end of the business day, the greeter transfers all customer folders to a 

designated staff member for data entry into the MWE system. Data must be entered into 

the system by the conclusion of the next business day. The greeter is also responsible for 

coordinating the schedule of appointments for the CDFs using the appointment log on the 

staff shared computer drive. 

The CDFs request their customer folders the day prior to appointments. They 

ensure that the folders have been updated and that the data has been properly entered into 

the system. At the conclusion of the appointment, they update the customer folders and 

return them to the designated staff member for data entry. CDFs meet with customers on 

Mondays and Wednesdays. Other duties, including case management, meetings and 

collaboration with other staff, and outreach are performed the rest of the week. 

Staff is assigned to each area of the center on a rotating basis to assist customers. 

If a customer requests intensive or training services, they are assigned a CDF to assist 

them with their options. Although all staff can provide core services, Wagner-Peyser 

funded staff work primarily with core customers. They ensure universal access to core 

services, including self-service, facilitated self-help, and staff-assisted services. 

A Job Corps admissions representative holds regular hours at each One-Stop to 

provide outreach, intake, and orientation sessions. Early Intervention workers are outstationed at each One-Stop to provide services to profiled UI claimants. Senior Aide 

workers are out-stationed at each One-Stop site to provide service to older customers; 

however, all partners share responsibility for providing these services and all staff are 

cross-trained regarding the services available under the Older Americans Act. 

Additional Eastside Services/Activities 

Early Intervention Workshops

Early Intervention (EI) workshops are held at each of the local Baltimore OneStops. Participants receive notices about job fairs and employer recruitment events from 

One-Stop staff. Participants who need additional training are assisted through WIA 

programs. EI Workshop Leaders are now funded with Rapid Response dollars, so 

MOED is now able to hire their own staff. There are usually about 30 individuals in the 

two day workshop, and they take place three weeks out of the month. 

Although the workshop is required, individuals are able to get an exemption or to 

re-schedule their time, if needed. The Workshop Facilitator reviews these requests and 

makes the final decision. The Facilitators’ speculation is that because the process is 

mandated, many individuals come through the door with a negative attitude. They feel 

that they already know how to get a job. These individuals are typically apathetic or 

angry, and they may even sleep through the workshops. They rarely take advantage of 

One-Stop services. 
69 

In contrast, characteristics of individuals who usually take advantage of One-Stop 

services include those that are receptive of information, those who take notes, and those 

who arrive with a professional demeanor. Of course, there have been numerous 

examples of participants with a negative attitude who become more receptive to OneStop services as the workshop progresses. The facilitator works to reach all participants. 

One difficulty shared by instructors is the removal of barriers to employment. 

Many customers have a history of keeping a job for a short period of time, but then losing 

it and re-applying for unemployment benefits. These individuals have difficulty thinking 

beyond their immediate financial obligations and responsibilities to a longer term goal of 

education and a successful career. 

Job Fairs 

Two large scale job fairs are conducted annually by MOED. Previously there 

were four, one at each Baltimore One-Stop. Each was attended by approximately 250-

400 job seekers and had 20-30 employers present. The decision was made to consolidate 

efforts and job fairs now take place at Baltimore’s War Memorial Plaza building, a much 

larger facility than the One-Stop locations. 

Job Fairs take place each October and April, and the most recent event was 

attended by 750 job seekers and had 82 employer participants. There were more than 

5,000 interviews conducted during the event. Industries represented included healthcare, 

transportation, information technology, construction, and business services, with the 

majority of employers in business services or healthcare. 

Job seeking customers came from several MOED programs, including the OneStop Career Center Network, the Workforce Reception Center that serves TANF 

recipients, and the Youth Opportunity (YO! Baltimore) program. MOED employer 

partners include organizations such as Access Nursing, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Yellow 

Transportation, KCI Technologies, Aramark Corporation, Holiday Inn, Bank of America, 

M&T Bank, MCI, Sinai Hospital, Stop Shop and Save Supermarkets, and several federal, 

state and local government agencies. 

Job seeking customers who are already in the MWE system are targeted and the 

event is not advertised. Staff work together to ensure customer participation with fliers, 

posters, and word of mouth. Each One-Stop is responsible for registering job seeking 

customers for the event, and entrance passes are distributed to customers. This is an 

attempt to provide employers a pool of candidates who are “job ready” according to the 

Baltimore Workforce Investment Board’s “Job Ready Standards”. 

These standards ensure that customers understand what employers expect in terms 

of: 

• Basic work habits and behaviors 

• Communication and interpersonal skills 

• Basic skills 

• Life skills. 
70 

If the customer is not considered to be job ready they are given further assistance 

prior to their participation in the job fair. 

MOED Workforce Exchange Division Business Services staff secures employer 

participation. Each staff member is required to bring in at least 10 employers. Since the 

change in format, many new employers have been connected with Baltimore One-Stops. 

The job fair is offered at no cost to employers, and they are provided with lunch. 

Participation in a job fair organized by the local Baltimore newspaper (Baltimore Sun) 

costs employers between $2,000 and $3,000. 

Staff follows-up with employers at ten, thirty, and sixty day intervals. Employer 

satisfaction is assessed and is typically very positive. Employers have commented that 

job seekers seem well prepared, are dressed professionally, and had resumes with them. 

Staff also solicits employers’ thoughts as to improve service. 

All job seekers are contacted by the One-Stop Follow-Up Unit staff, and Career 

Development Facilitators follow up with their customers. Periodic mini job fairs are 

offered based on customer interest. 

Baltimore One-Stops also hold an annual Customer Reunion. Fliers are sent to 

customers inviting them to participate in the 2 day event. On the first day issues that can 

be considered barriers to employment including childcare, housing, etc. are discussed and 

resources made available. On the second day, there is a job fair. 

Additional ECC Services 

 

Financial Aid and Labor Market Information is available through the Maryland 

Workforce Exchange, as well as other internet sites. A financial aid counselor is 

available at each One-Stop one day per week. 

All customers registered in MWE are provided follow-up services by One-Stop 

staff. In addition, WIA intensive or training customers who have been in service for a 

minimum of one year and WIA customers who discontinue One-Stop services without 

employment are provided follow-up services. These services may include job fair 

invitations, support services, special recruitments, and recognition events. These efforts 

are an attempt to keep the customer engaged in the system until a positive outcome is 

achieved. Customers are contacted at minimum every 30 days. 

WIA TIERS OF SERVICE AT THE ECC 

WIA Self-Directed Core Services 

All adults seeking ECC services begin with Universal Self-Directed Core 

Services. These services include job search, labor market information, information 

session, and computer services. Customers are fairly independent at this stage and staff 

contact is minimal, although there is always staff on hand to answer routine questions. 
71 

At this point, customers have attended an orientation/information session and are 

typically conducting independent job searches, accessing labor market information, 

developing resumes, taking computerized assessments, or using the equipment within the 

One-Stop (computers, telephones, copier and fax machine). Anyone from the public can 

access One-Stop core services; there are no eligibility requirements as there were under 

JTPA. Consequently, there has been a significant increase in the number of people 

receiving services, without a corresponding increase in the number of staff available to 

help them. A study conducted in 2002 showed a total of 81% of adults using Baltimore 

One-Stops accessed self-directed core services as their highest tier of service.21

A series of seminars and workshops are offered to ECC WIA Core customers on a 

regular basis, including: 

• Resume Writing 

• Advanced Job Search Techniques Seminar 

• Communicating to Get the Job 

• Principles of Career Success Seminar 

• Creating an Empowering Mindset 

• Developing Positive Employability Skills 

• Workplace Communication and Conflict Resolution 

• Changing Directions (for Ex-Offenders) 

• Career Ready Seminar 

• Interviewing Techniques 

 

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) presented the “FDIC Money 

Smart Alliance Partner of the Year New York Region” award to MOED in April 2005. 

Introduced in 2001, the FDIC Money Smart classes are taught in partnership with the 

Maryland Bankers Community Reinvestment Group at the four Baltimore One-Stop 

Career Centers. This gives One-Stop customers learn to manage their earnings as they 

learn about checking and savings accounts, home ownership, managing credit card debt, 

and more. 

Providers of core services include MOED, One-Stop Career Centers, Baltimore 

City Public School System, Goodwill Industries, AFL-CIO, Baltimore City Community 

College, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Department of Labor, Licensing and 

Regulation, Department of Social Services, and Baltimore Reads. 

WIA Staff-Assisted Core Services 

If a customer is having difficulty with Self-Directed Core Services, a staff 

member meets with them to discuss their progress. If it is determined that there are 

significant barriers to employment (e.g., limited work experience, poor work history, 

substance abuse, mental health problems), the barriers are documented in the customer’s 

service record and the customer is referred to the appropriate resource(s). 

 

21 WIA Customer Flow, Phase I, Customer Flow and Demographics, D. Safley, Mayor’s Office of Employment 

Development, City of Baltimore, May 30, 2002. 
72 

Once the barriers have been removed, the customer can return for employment 

and training services. Staff must follow up with the customer regularly during this 

process. Jobseekers that require direct non-information services assistance from lab 

facilitators are entered into WIA Staff Assisted Core Services. Additional services 

include placement assistance, assessments, career counseling, retention, and referral 

services. 

WIA Intensive Services 

Customers who do not secure employment and need further assistance progress to 

Intensive Services, which include additional assessments and counseling, the 

development of an Individual Service Strategy (ISS), job readiness training, Adult 

Education/literacy, and case management. Prior to receiving intensive services, the 

Career Development Facilitator (CDF) evaluates the customer’s folder regarding their 

eligibility for WIA and the documentation of the core services that have been received. 

During the first meeting, the CDF interviews the customer regarding their personal and 

professional goals, schedules a TABE test if one has not already been taken, completes 

the WIA application, begins the ISS, and schedules the customer for additional 

assessments. Intensive services also include educational services and English as a 

Second Language instruction. 

The TABE test assesses customers’ reading and mathematics levels, and 

vocational interests are assessed via a number of different testing instruments. The 

customer’s ISS contains at a minimum their reading and mathematics levels, vocational 

interest, employment goals, potential barriers, education, and training needs. If the 

customer is a welfare recipient and has been referred by the Workforce Reception Center 

(WRC), the CDF updates their WRC plan on their ISS. 

If a customer is a no-show for an appointment, the CDF first attempts to phone 

them. If a message is left, the customer is given 2 days to respond. After two phone 

attempts, a letter is sent to the customer offering to re-schedule the appointment. The 

customer is given 7 days to respond. If there is no communication from the customer, the 

folder is returned to Core filing system and further attempts to reach the customer come 

from the Follow-Up Unit staff. All information is documented in the customer’s folder 

and entered into the MWE system. 

Intensive service providers include MOED, One-Stop Career Centers, Catholic 

Charities, GI Tech, and the Genesis Group. 

WIA Training Services 

If a customer is unsuccessful in obtaining employment at the intensive level and 

requests training services, a referral to appropriate training options can occur. In addition 

to reading, mathematics, and vocational assessments, the customer’s suitability for 

training is evaluated taking into account issues of transportation, childcare, finances, legal 

issues, attendance, housing, and substance abuse. If the customer does not have the 

necessary skills and aptitudes to complete training, they are referred for remediation (an 

intensive service). 
73 

Appropriate remediation providers are determined by the customer’s reading 

level. If they score 8.9 or higher, they begin the GED program provided onsite at the 

One-Stop. If the score is lower, they complete a basic education class onsite. If there is 

no space in the classes, customers are referred to the appropriate partner resource. 

Baltimore City Community College also offers pre-GED instruction during the evenings 

for customers who cannot attend a day class. 

Enrollment in remediation is verified by the CDF and the information is entered 

into the MWE system. Upon completion of remediation, the customer’s reading level is 

reassessed and if they are eligible, they enter into Training Services. A priority of service 

for training resources has been in effect since 2003. 

Two types of training are available through Baltimore One-Stops: 

• Customized/On the Job Training 

• Individual Training Accounts 

Customers can either use Individual Training Account (ITA) vouchers to access 

training from one the vendors on Maryland’s list of eligible providers, or they may 

participate in customized training. Training resources are being focused on Baltimore’s 

targeted industries of healthcare/hospitals, bioscience, business services, 

computer/internet/data/software related services, hospitality/tourism, and construction. 

During FY 2004, there was an annual total of 20 training slots to each of the four 

Baltimore One-Stops (10 ITA, 10 Customized Training) for a total of 80 training slots. 

Individual Training Accounts 

Those who ask to be considered for training paid for with WIA funds must first 

pass through core and intensive tiers of service without finding employment. 

The Maryland Higher Education Commission maintains a list of eligible training 

providers throughout Maryland, which can be accessed through their website. 

Occupational training programs include: allied health professionals, information 

technology, business management/administrative services, trades, engineering/related 

technologies, child development/education, tourism/hospitality/culinary arts, 

design/applied arts and communications, law enforcement/legal studies, 

cosmetology/barber, and pre-vocational adult education and literacy training.22 In total, 

more than 800 occupations offered by over 90 institutions (community colleges, 4 year 

colleges/universities, private career schools, and other training providers) can be accessed 

through the website. The State List also identifies over 50 prevocational Adult Education 

and Literacy activities overseen by the Maryland State Department of Education. 

Overall performance information by training provider is listed on the website, as 

well as a separate listing for WIA customers. Contact information and a description of 

the program are also displayed. MHEC reports that many training vendors are hesitant to 

have performance measures posted on a website and have chosen not to serve WIA 

participants. 

 

22 http://www.mhec.state.us/WIA/WIASearch/WIATypeTrain.asp. 
74 

Some vendors find the approval process to be lengthy and cumbersome. 

However, the list does give the state a means to declare unlicensed and illegal training 

providers ineligible. 

The State List of Occupational Training eligible for WIA funding is updated 

weekly. Each training provider is responsible for notifying MHEC of changes to the 

information displayed in the web listing. Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBS) 

can deny WIA funding for programs with inaccurate program information displayed on 

the Maryland WIA State List.

To be added to the provider list, vendors must be nominated by a Local 

Workforce Investment Board (LWIB). Next, a training survey is given to them by the 

LWIB to determine if they are exempt or nonexempt from obtaining MHEC’s approval. 

The provider must then verify that it meets the performance standard of 61% employment 

rate for participants and agree to the data collection process. 

Providers may submit SSNs to verify employment by entering into an MOU with 

University of Baltimore’s Jacob France Institute, which matches them against the 

Maryland UI wage records. Finally, the WIB submits a letter to DLLR stating that the 

provider has met the qualifications. 

The WIB collects and submits performance data and DLLR approves the course 

within 45 days. 23 During the first year, 19 of the 147 approved providers were dropped 

from the list due to poor performance, despite the opportunity to appeal the decision. 

Through the ITA vouchering program, MOED is currently working with over 25 training 

providers offering more than 100 courses. Some examples of Baltimore eligible training 

providers include Baltimore City Community College, All-State Career, Goodwill 

Industries, Maryland Beauty School, Medix, Broadcasting Institute, American Red Cross, 

and the Community College of Baltimore County. 

 

The ECC Individual Training Account Process 

The ECC training process has a number of steps. After seeking job assistance 

through core and intensive services and demonstrating WIA eligibility, the customer 

would speak to their CDF about their interest in training. Assessments would be 

administered and an employment goal would be agreed upon. Staff uses the “guided 

customer choice” approach during the ITA process. Although counseling is mandatory, 

customers make the final decision regarding their choice of training program. The only 

requirement is that the program be on the state’s list of approved providers. 

After the training program is chosen, the customer must then attend the ITA 

Workshop, which explains the application and selection process. There is a local Board 

approved training cap of $5,000 and applicants must apply for any additional financial 

aid for which they might be eligible. These funds would then be reimbursed to the 

training program, if approved. MOED has a priority of service policy in effect when 

funding is insufficient for training, which gives priority to public assistance or other 

customers who meet income eligibility requirements. This policy is currently activated. 

 

23 Workforce Investment Field Instruction (WIFI) No. #5-00, State Provider Training List 
75 

Next, the ITA application must be completed, including a thorough labor market 

information review, research on the training provider using the MHEC eligibility list, a 

comprehensive listing of all the costs and requirements, and at least one interview with 

someone employed in the field of interest. The training must project at least a 20% 

growth in Maryland, and must be completed within one year. Upon completion of the 

training packet, the customer schedules a CDF appointment to review the application 

before it is submitted. Staff reports that it is possible for a customer to complete the 

entire ITA application process within one week. The customer is guaranteed to receive 

the application results within 2 weeks of submission. If the packet is not approved, 

corrections can be made. 

An ITA review panel rates the completed applications; the panel consists of the 

ITA Coordinator, a Senior Budget Analyst, and a Career Center Manager. Customers 

who receive an 80% or higher rating are approved. Upon approval, the packet is 

forwarded to a contract specialist for processing. If funds are not available, the One-Stop 

is faxed immediately. If the packet is approved, the request for payment process begins 

and the One-Stop is emailed. When the notice of payment is received by the One-Stop, 

the CDF contacts the customer with the training start date. Enrollment is verified by the 

CDF and entered into the system. The time period between ITA approval and vendor 

contact is approximately two weeks. Once the customer begins training, they are entered 

into the WIA training tier of service in the system. 

Upon approval and the start of training, customers are required to contact their 

CDF monthly with progress reports. If training is less than 30 days, contact must be 

made weekly. Attendance reports are required monthly from the customer. Completion 

certificate/license copies must be made available to the CDF within 2 weeks of the course 

completion, and an exit interview with the CDF is scheduled within 2 days of the 

course’s completion. Customers must also participate in a job search 30-60 days prior to 

the completion of training. CDFs follow up with the customer until 30 days after 

program exit. 

Finally, employment information must be shared with the CDF including 

employer contact information, job title, start date, earnings, benefits and the relation of 

the job to training. The customer must also agree to provide follow-up information to 

determine employment retention and earnings in the future, and to complete the WIA 

Exit Survey. The One-Stop’s Follow-Up Unit gathers this information. While the 

majority of participants complete training, it is often difficult to verify employment. 

There are several strategies in place to collect this information. Staff can request 

Maryland UI wage records to verify employment, and they often contact the training 

vendor for updated information. 

If a training customer finds employment, One-Stop staff must verify the 

information with the employer and enter it into the MWE system. If the customer’s job 

search is not successful, they enroll in the One-Stop’s Job Club. If employment is still 

not secured, the customer meets with the CDF to determine if additional training is 

needed. In addition, the CDF provides individual job search assistance to the customer. 
76 

If the customer is not working and refuses further services, they are contacted 

again in 90 days. If they are still not engaged, a “soft exit” is recorded on the customer’s 

record. Those who exit from service due to incarceration, deceased, or health/medical 

reasons are excluded from WIA performance measures. 

Staff is currently working to ensure that customer Individual Employment Plans 

include employment as the final goal, rather than simply the completion of training. 

Most customers tend to perform to the level of staff expectations; if the final expectation 

is to complete the training process, they will do so and then flounder. If securing 

employment is built into their IEP, they realize that expectation from the start of the 

process and understand that the end of training isn’t the end of their One-Stop experience. 

Their ultimate goal is to find a job in their chosen field, and CDFs must assist customers 

in the fulfillment of this goal. 

Staff also mentioned that more assistance is needed from job placement offices at 

community colleges and training vendors. Most of these organizations feel that it is their 

responsibility to educate, but not to secure their students’ employment. There seems to 

be a more aggressive effort made to place students from proprietary schools, and less so 

from community colleges. A closer partnership and increased communication between 

the One-Stops, training vendors/community colleges, and area employers would be 

helpful. 

Finally, MOED has worked to streamline the ITA application process for 

customers. The application has been reduced from fourteen pages to seven as of July 

2005. In addition, a staff person has been designated to review all applications for errors 

before they are submitted to the ITA Review Panel. This enables CDFs more time to 

work with their customers rather than reviewing paperwork. 
77 

Table 2 ECC WIA PERFORMANCE GOALS 

Adults 

PY 2004 WIA 

Performance 

Results24

FY 2006 Baltimore WIA 

Performance Goals25

Adult Entered 

Employment Rate 

83.4% 72% 

Adult Employment 

Retention Rate 

87.6% 82% 

Adult Earnings Change $4,707 $3,475 

Adult Employment and 

Credential Rate 

78.1% 63% 

Dislocated Workers

Dislocated Worker 

Entered Employment 

91.2% 75% 

Dislocated Worker 

Employment Retention 

92.1% 88% 

Dislocated Worker 

Earnings Change 

$116.58 $98 

Dislocated Worker 

Employ/Credential Rate 

84.1% 61% 

Older Youth (19-21)

Older Youth Entered 

Employment Rate 

94.4% 65% 

Older Youth 

Employment Retention 

97.3% 78% 

Older Youth Worker 

Earnings Change 

$4,898 $2,750 

Older Youth 

Employment/Credential 

Rate 

69.5% 51% 

Satisfaction

Program Participant 

Satisfaction Rate 

88.0% 69% 

Employer Satisfaction 

Rate 

87.2% 67% 

It is evident from the figures above that in PY 2004, Baltimore exceeded all 

performance measures. The performance goals listed are for FY 2006, and the PY 2004 

results exceed these goals. 

ECC SPECIAL-NEEDS CUSTOMERS 

The needs of special populations and those with multiple barriers to employment 

are met either at the ECC or by referrals to appropriate partners. Some of the ECC 

services these customers might receive would be workshops, basic computer skills, 

seminars, and job matching and placement services. 

 

24 Annual Report – Maryland. Workforce Investment Act Title I-B. DLLR, September 30, 2005 

25 Source: MOED, Workforce Investment Act Five Year Extension, May 1, 2005. 
78 

Special training arrangements are available to targeted groups with severe barriers 

to employment (e.g., ex-offenders, substance abusers, limited English speaking, high 

school dropouts, older workers, and workers with disabilities). This could include 

computer assisted training programs and contractual agreements with training providers. 

Youth 

 

The ECC provides space for the Youth Works application process. High School 

students routinely do career exploration in the ECC, and the ECC serves as an intern site 

for Job Corps participants. Business Services staff assists with the Youth Summer Job 

Fair. In addition, space has been dedicated for youth employers at the 2 annual Baltimore 

One-Stop Career Center Network job fairs held at the War Memorial Plaza. 

The Baltimore One-Stop management team regularly works with Baltimore City 

Public Schools to provide instruction for their students. For example, the ECC manager 

has provided conflict resolution/negotiation skills workshops to youth. MOED offers 

schools assistance with special programs, such as books drives. Digital Learning Lab 

staff has traveled to schools to provide technical assistance in their resource labs. In 

addition, BWIB sponsors externships for Baltimore City Public School teachers, with 

stipends paid by local businesses. 

Older Workers 

Maryland data from the Census Bureau Local Employment Dynamics (LED) 

program shows that the State workforce is aging. In 1990, 75 percent of Maryland 

workers were 14-44 years old, but by 2002, the only 66 percent were in this age group26. 

Moreover, in 1990 15 percent of workers were 45-54 years old; in 2002 the figure had 

risen to 21 percent. 

Baltimore One-Stops, as well as other partners, offer services to individuals 55 

and older through the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc. They specialize 

in providing jobs, training, and workforce information to their customers. The ECC has a 

Senior Placement Specialist on staff. Eligible customers are referred to the senior aide by 

the greeter after the group information session. The aide works with the customer to 

connect them with employment opportunities. Although there is not a large population of 

senior customers at the ECC, many have taken advantage of services such as GED 

instruction and the Digital Learning Lab. 

The Senior Placement Specialist is also available to work with those from the 

ECC neighborhood being displaced as a result of the East Baltimore Development and 

Biotechnology Park initiative. This initiative is a revitalization effort which will include 

a new life sciences park and mixed-income housing. ECC staff has been working with 

the East Baltimore Development Initiative staff to assist neighborhood residents, many of 

which are seniors. 

 

26 A Profile of Older Workers in Maryland. N. Carroll, C. Taeuber, U.S. Bureau of the Census, August 2004. 
79 

Senior customers face numerous obstacles, including limited income, health 

issues, transportation, and the challenge of finding suitable employment. Many senior 

referrals to the ECC come from nearby churches, friends, and community agencies. Most 

seniors are able to find employment in fields such as janitorial or security. Many have 

expressed interest in the clerical field, and they are encouraged to obtain their GED and 

to take courses in the Digital Learning Lab. While observing ECC operations it was 

evident that a great many Digital Learning Lab users were seniors. 

A Senior Customer Profile 

An interview was conducted with a senior customer, a 61 year old African 

American male who was widowed and living alone. He had recently been laid off from 

his job in shipping/receiving, which he had held for three years. Prior to this job, he 

worked for large companies in the manufacturing industry. He was upset by the layoff, 

and felt singled out as an older employee. He came to the ECC by way of the EI 

Workshop and was able to get a part-time job with help from the Placement Specialist. 

He has used the Career Lab to do job searches and the Hi Tech Lab to create a 

resume, and has been coming to the ECC for about six months. In addition to meeting 

with the Senior Placement Specialist, he has received assistance from a Career 

Development Facilitator. He plans to continue to use the resources at ECC until he finds 

a better job. He feels there are a lot of jobs available, but he has to keep searching for the 

right one. He has been pleased with the assistance he has gotten and continues to get 

from ECC staff and maintains his confidence that the right job is just around the corner if 

he keeps trying. 

Persons with Disabilities 

A 2002 American Community Survey Profile conducted by the U.S. Census 

Bureau found that 52.4 percent of working-age (21-64), disabled Marylanders were 

employed, compared with 81.2 percent of non-disabled individuals27. Research indicates 

that approximately two-thirds of disabled persons are willing and able to work, if given 

the opportunity. Barriers to the disabled include limited education/work skills, lack of 

public transportation, and lack of adequate funding. 

Maryland offers services to persons with disabilities in many ways, including the 

RISE Program, a self-employment and entrepreneurial program for persons with 

disabilities, Rehabilitation Technology Services, a Workforce and Technology Center 

that offers assistive technology solutions, and the Governor’s QUEST program for paid 

internships in state government for persons with disabilities. 

One-Stops and local workforce investment boards are required to prioritize 

employment for disabled customers both in their employer contacts and in One-Stop 

operations. Disability Navigators have been established for each Local Workforce Area. 

They provide direct services and possess an expert knowledge on the resources available 

to persons with disabilities. They also work with One-Stop management and partners to 

ensure access for disabled persons. 

 

27 2004 American Community Survey. U.S. Bureau of the Census. 
80 

The Maryland Department of Disabilities has convened an “Employment Services 

Transformation Task Force” to support disability employment systems. The manager of 

One-Stop services and the lead Disability Navigator are members of the task force. 

Baltimore One-Stops share a Disability Navigator, who has provided staff 

development, physical assessment of One-Stop buildings, and direct service to disabled 

customers, although now staff has been trained to provide services themselves. A 

Business Forum was also conducted to help area employers better understand disabilities 

and hiring issues. All Business Services staff received training as well, and can better 

market disabled customers to employers. 

Baltimore’s Disability Navigator has assisted customers with One-Stop resources 

and services, community-based disability service providers, advocacy groups, 

information regarding benefits, planning, and Medicaid services, assessment/evaluation 

services, job development/placement services, supported employment services, 

appropriate training, assistive technology, and transportation. Disabled One-Stop 

customers can arrange to meet with the Disability Navigator by calling either MOED or 

any of the One-Stop Career Centers. 

In July 2005, MOED placed a full-time Maryland Department of Rehabilitative 

Services (DORS) counselor at the ECC. They are working to place additional DORS 

staff at the other One-Stops. Prior to this date, customers were referred to other locations 

for DORS services. 

 

If it is determined that a customer has a mental or physical handicap, the Career 

Development Facilitator (CDF) schedules an appointment with a DORS staff member. 

DORS provides the necessary service, and notifies the CDF of the customer’s progress. 

The CDF also follows up with the customer monthly to ensure services are being 

received and to determine when the customer can return to the One-Stop. 

Baltimore One-Stop staff has been cross trained on how to identify customers 

who may be disabled and the services available to this population. Additional auxiliary 

aids and materials are available through MOED. 

A Disabled Customer Profile 

A visually impaired male customer came to one of the Baltimore One-Stops to 

work in the Digital Learning Lab. When he began his class in February 2004 he had 

difficulty working with the keyboard and viewing the monitor due to his disability. 

DORS and MOED have worked together since November 2003 to integrate their 

services. DORS introduced an accessible workstation at the Southwest Career Center in 

March 2004, which enables individuals with a wide range of disabilities to use a personal 

computer. 
81 

The computer table can be easily adjusted to be used while sitting or standing, and 

other features include a ZOOM TEXT feature that assist those with vision problems, a 

Braille translator has been installed for Windows, a voice input system, screen reading 

software, a document scanning/reading system, slip on typing aids, large-print keyboard, 

word prediction/abbreviation expansion, alternative pointing devices, standard and 

Braille printers, Internet access, Digital Learning Lab software, typing instruction, 

resume writing software, and access to the MD Workforce Exchange system. Utilizing 

this workstation, the customer was able to complete his Digital Learning Lab courses. 

Veterans/ Services 

The Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) staff at each One-Stop is 

responsible for the development of an employer outreach plan in coordination with the 

Business Services unit. They work with employers to promote hiring veterans, share 

information on services for disabled veterans, and informing employers of One-Stop 

services. Veterans who are registered at the One-Stop are provided job development 

services by the representative. Outreach services are provided to employers, faith and 

community based organizations, and Veterans service organizations. LVER staff also 

makes recommendations to the One-Stop Labor Exchange administrator on improving 

service to veterans. 

The Maryland Workforce Exchange system was designed to flag eligible veterans 

for referral, and LVER staff monitors job orders and services to ensure priority for 

veterans. Veterans Representatives throughout the State attend a week-long conference 

annually to keep them aware of current developments in services to their customers. 

Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) staff provides case management, 

assessment, registration, referral and Core services to veterans. Veterans with barriers to 

employment receive Intensive services. DVOP staff provides technical assistance and 

assists LVER staff in training One-Stop staff on the priority of service to veterans. 

Two Veteran Services Representatives are shared amongst the Baltimore OneStops. MOED ensures that all eligible veterans are given priority for all available 

services. Veteran status is informally documented during the customer’s initial 

assessment and registration. If a veteran advances to intensive or training services, they 

must supply formal documentation such as their DD214. The priority of services is as 

follows: First served are low-income customers who are veterans, second low-income 

non-veterans, and finally among customers who are not low-income, veterans receive 

priority over non-veterans. 

Veteran staff in Baltimore One-Stops participates in One-Stop workgroups and 

organizational teams. In addition, they receive integrated Business Service training 

through MIETP and are part of the One-Stop’s Business Services Team. It was recently 

determined that Veterans’ staff can provide “support” to customers other than veterans. 

For example, they can assist in the Career Lab, but there must be a non-Veteran staff 

member present. 
82 

During an interview with a Veterans’ Employment Classification Specialist, 

position duties included assisting veterans with employment services, referrals to other 

agencies and other resources, assisting with issues such as housing and healthcare, and 

removing barriers to employment. These staff seek out resources for their customers; 

they contact employers, participate in job fairs, present at EI Workshops, provide 

outreach to community based organizations (for example in church sponsored Family 

Resource Centers), and conduct seminars and training sessions regarding veterans 

benefits. A network of 30 veteran service providers has been developed and they can be 

easily contacted via email. There are plans to create a network for veterans themselves so 

that they can be similarly contacted. Veterans can set up email accounts at any local 

One-Stop. 

Many veterans are referred to the Digital Learning Labs to brush up on their 

technology skills. Many also lack a resume, so they are assisted in the Hi Tech Lab. 

Veterans Representatives work closely with BSRs and BRRs during recruitments to 

ensure priority for qualified veterans. 

When it is determined that a first time customer is a veteran, the greeter 

immediately notifies the Veterans’ Representative and most customers are seen that day. 

If the Veterans Representative is unavailable, the customer is given an appointment to 

return and discuss the available services. 

Adult Education Customers 

When WIA was implemented, Maryland grandfathered in the Private Industry 

Council structure, which didn’t allow for local Adult education leadership to the LWIBs. 

In most cases, adult education officials were not part of the planning process for 

Maryland’s workforce services and products. In addition, there is limited state funding 

for Adult education instruction, with 4,000-5,000 on a waiting list for services annually. 

In Baltimore One-Stops, GED services are provided onsite by Baltimore City 

Community College staff. There are also partnerships in place with community providers 

for off-site services. 

One ECC example from the “Highlights” section of a monthly MOED One-Stop 

report delivered to MOED is a story about a woman who took part in an ECC Rapid 

Response event after being laid off from her job with a financial institution. She attended 

the Digital Learning Lab and received all available certificates. She then enrolled in the 

Individual Training Account program and obtained a certificate as a computer specialist. 

She is now employed by the State of Maryland as a lead administrator specialist. She 

earns $14.90 an hour with full benefits. 

Another example documented is the story of a male, homeless veteran who came 

to ECC for assistance in getting his GED. Despite numerous barriers to employment, he 

enrolled in the GED program and began attending the Digital Learning Lab. He passed 

his GED exam and obtained all Digital Learning Lab certificates. He now has a job as an 

electrician earning $14.50 an hour with full benefits. He registered for college to begin in 

September 2005. 
83 

English as a Second Language (ESL) Customers 

There is a large and growing Hispanic population in Baltimore. The U.S. Census 

Bureau estimates that the 2004 Baltimore Hispanic population reached 13,500. This 

figure was up from approximately 11,000 in 2000, despite the city’s slightly declining 

overall population. 28 

There is a well established network of services within Baltimore’s Hispanic 

community, most notably the Educational-Based Latino Outreach program. Few 

Hispanics frequent Eastside; this population tends to utilize their neighborhood 

community centers rather than the One-Stop. However, community centers are provided 

resource materials regarding employment and services offered by Eastside. 

Baltimore One-Stop written materials are available in Spanish if requested. In 

addition, some activities are offered in Spanish, including an English as a Second 

Language class, and a financial literacy workshop. Meeting space is provided for 

Hispanic community groups, as well as other community based meetings. 

One-Stop staff has worked to increase their outreach efforts to this population, but 

they feel that there may be a perceived communication barrier. Staff is available at 

MOED to assist with translation, but arrangements must be made in advance. 

ECC PARTNERSHIPS 

Community Organizations 

The ECC maintains relationships with the following community organizations: 

• McElderry Park Community Association, Inc. 

• Ellwood Park Improvement Association 

• Patterson Park Neighborhood Association 

• East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI) 

• Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition, Inc. (HEBCAC) 

• Human Service Center District 1 & 2 

• Community Action Center 

• Global Tech 

• Operation Safe Neighborhood 

• Saint Francis Academy 

• Lifeline Foundation 

• Saint Michael Outreach Center 

• Refugees and Immigration Services 

• STRIVE 

• Workforce Transportation & Referral Center 

• Alliance, Inc. 

 

28 Based on Census 2004 Community Survey Data, U.S. Bureau of the Census. 
84 

• Center for Father’s Families and Workforce Development 

• Fathers Without Partners 

In general, the ECC provides information, outreach, and meeting space to these 

organizations. All are located in the ECC neighborhoods of East Baltimore. 

Stronger relationships have evolved with some organizations. For instance, 

counselors from several substance abuse centers in Baltimore routinely bring their 

patients to the One-Stop centers for services. 

As another example, the ECC provides job readiness training and gives job 

placement assistance to customers of East Baltimore Development, Inc (EBDI), Historic 

East Baltimore Community Action Coalition, Inc. (HEBCAC), and the Community 

Action Center. 

EBDI is a non-profit organization charged with leading and managing the $800 

million dollar revitalization of an 80 acre portion of East Baltimore. HEBCAC is a 

nonprofit partnership, based in the community, designed to enhance the quality of life for 

those who live and work in East Baltimore. The organization was founded in 1994 as the 

result of a two year planning process that included neighborhood associations, business 

owners, Johns Hopkins Medical Institution representatives, and government officials. 

The master plan called for action on three fronts: community development, physical 

development, and economic development. 

The Community Action Center provides information, assistance and/or referrals to 

customers for energy and crisis intervention, health services, education and literacy, jobs, 

housing, substance abuse, and programs for youths and seniors. 

Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley sponsors various “open forums” in Baltimore 

communities. When these occur, all agencies, including MOED, are represented and 

provide information to the community. During these dialogs with city residents, many 

types of issues are encountered, but when someone says “I need a job”, One-Stop staff is 

available to offer immediate resources. 

Baltimore has more than 18,000 residents who are eligible for the federal Earned 

Income Credit tax benefit but fail to claim it, resulting in more than $29 million in 

unclaimed tax refund dollars. MOED is one of 14 community based organizations that 

offer free tax preparation through a partnership with Baltimore CASH Campaign. The 

Campaign is coordinated by a group of nonprofit organizations, businesses, government 

agencies and foundations working together to ensure families in Baltimore know and take 

advantage of tax credits. The service was offered at the Northwest Career Center from 

January through March 2005, with both evening and weekend hours available. All 

Baltimore One-Stop customers could participate in this service. 
85 

Faith Based Organizations 

Faith based and other community based organizations have strong ties to the 

Baltimore One-Stop system and were included in the planning and implementation 

process. The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR) has 

launched a Faith-Based and Community Initiative, which includes representatives who 

are conducting workforce development activities in their community. Baltimore OneStop staff conducts outreach and marketing to these organizations, and One-Stops 

participate in their events including job fairs, Career Days, and job search workshops. 

MOED keeps its list of these organizations up to date using the Baltimore Neighborhoods 

Indicators Alliance, which recently moved into The Jacob France Institute at the 

University of Baltimore (www.bnia.org). 

The ECC routinely provides resource information and meeting space to various 

non-profit, community, and faith based organizations, and representatives have toured the 

center and met with staff. Detailed service descriptions for each Community Action 

Center are available at One-Stop locations, and One-Stop information is available from 

the Community Action Centers. Joint outreach, intake, and orientation sessions are 

conducted on a regular basis. One-Stop staff regularly participate in faith based 

organization community fairs, job fairs, and other outreach activities. 

In 2002, the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, Region III, in conjunction 

with BWIB, MOED and several state and city agencies sponsored a Building Faith-Based 

Partnerships symposium. MOED hosted the event at Eastside Career Center and more 

than 200 faith leaders, workforce development partners, legislators, and government 

officials shared workforce development ideas. A survey was conducted so that services 

could be more effectively integrated in the future. 

SUPPORT SERVICES

MOED has a supportive services system in place to assist ECC customers, either 

through direct help (providing a bus pass) or by referrals to partner agencies for issues 

pertaining to childcare, substance abuse treatment, housing, and food. 

A comprehensive resource guide has been compiled of governmental agencies, civic 

groups, and non-profit organizations that provide resources that cannot be supported with 

WIA funds. The resource guide is updated yearly and used by all One-Stop staff. 

The resource guide also gives information about financial counseling, energy 

assistance, eviction assistance, legal assistance, domestic violence assistance, and 

appropriate clothing for job related activities. Eastside staff members estimate the top 3 

barriers to their customers’ employment are substance abuse, ex-offender issues, and 

homelessness. 

The United Way of Central Maryland “First Call for Help” is a free, confidential 

service that One-Stop staff uses to assist customers with health and human services. 

Their statewide database includes over 4,000 resources including substance abuse 

treatment programs, job training programs, mental health services, basic needs services, 

and family support centers. 
86 

Services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and assistance can be 

provided both over the telephone and via the internet. All One-Stop staff is familiar with 

these resources and they routinely refer customers to the available resources. 

Career Development Facilitators have developed strong relationships with staff 

from partner agencies, as well as community and faith based organizations. This is 

helpful for the referral process; CDFs are more confident that customers will get the 

assistance they need when they know and communicate with the resource staff 

personally. 

A comprehensive assessment regarding barriers to employment and the need for 

supportive services typically takes place at the intensive level of service. Baltimore OneStops simply do not have the resources to assist all customers at the core level. For 

instance, the entire annual ECC budget for supportive services (e.g., clothing, work tools, 

exam fees) is $500. If core customers specifically request assistance, or if they disclose 

any needs to the greeter during their intake session, they are referred to community 

resources. In previous years, there used to be more assistance offered to core customers, 

but due to budget cuts, that is no longer the case. Occasionally, community agencies 

come to the One-Stops to offer assistance to customers. 

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE BALTIMORE EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER 

The ECC has been reconstituted many times by federal legislation, State 

mandates, and MOED decisions; but perhaps most important of all, the ECC has been 

recast in response to new challenges and opportunities first recognized by its own staff. 

This is consistent with what is understood to be Congressional intent defined by its 

legislative and appropriations actions, with precisely defined U.S. Department of Labor 

directives, with stated DLLR Division of Workforce Development priorities, and with 

MOED management principles—empower those closest to the customers to balance the 

interests of customers and the taxpayers who pay the bills for services that are delivered. 

Chapter 4 concludes our summary of what we have learned about the evolution of 

the ECC since the mid-1990s. We turn next, in Chapter 5, to coverage of the actual flow 

of customers through the ECC. 
87 

CHAPTER 5 

THE FLOW OF CUSTOMERS THROUGH 

THE BALTIMORE EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER

OVERVIEW 

Who arrives at the ECC in-person or by remote communication, and what 

happens next and after that? 

Sources of Information

Administrative Records 

We collected ECC and MOED documents and electronic data, mostly between 

March 2004 and early 2005. 

 

Observation of ECC Customer and Staff Actions

Time Tracking 

Method 

We collected observation-based information 3 to 4 days a month, usually during a 

3 hour time period, beginning in March 2004 and continuing through November 2004. 

We alternated days and times to capture the full range of ECC activities, including after 

daytime business hours. Manual point in time data collection was necessary because of 

the unexpected and unfortunate problems encountered with swipe card documentation of 

customer transactions. ECC customers were tracked over a total of 23 three hour shifts, 

including two night session that yielded few customers to be tracked. 

A researcher from The Jacob France Institute was positioned at the front entrance 

to the ECC. Tracking was accomplished by entering customer flow information into a 

manual log, including descriptive information that allowed each customer to be identified 

at a later time. Customers were then monitored as they moved through the ECC. For 

privacy and traffic reasons it was not always possible to determine what each monitored 

customer was doing, especially when meeting with ECC staff members, but activities can 

be inferred based on the center location—Career Lab is defined as job search, whereas 

the PLATO Lab is defined as GED/pre-GED activities. 

Some customers arrived near the end of the researcher’s shift and remained in the 

ECC at the conclusion of tracking. For observations relating to time, only the customers 

who were documented with an exit time were included. Exit times were estimated for 

those attending EI Workshops, GED/pre-GED classes, or TABE testing. These activities 

conclude at a specific time, and according to ECC staff customers rarely stay after they 

are finished. 
88 

THE FLOW OF ECC CUSTOMERS OBSERVED 

Customer Flow Count 

During the data collection period, a total of 1,071 ECC customers were 

monitored. On average, 47 customers were monitored during each three hour shift. Shift 

totals ranged from a high of 84 customers to a low of 14 customers. A total of 791 (74 

percent) completed their visit at some point during the three hour observation time. Of 

these completers, the average time spent in the ECC was 83 minutes. 

Customer Flow Demographics 

Customers are required to sign in with the security guard each time they arrive at 

the ECC. The resulting log of customer arrivals includes customer names, time of visits, 

and intended destination within the ECC facility. Social Security Numbers are not 

collected. Because of the swipe card system, additional information was determined to 

be unnecessary. The swipe card system was discontinued in March 2005, but to date, no 

changes have been made to the sign-in process. 

More than nine out of ten ECC customers monitored are African American (by 

our visual classification). An additional 6 percent of customers are white and 2 percent 

are defined as ‘other’. The gender percentages among customers monitored are 54 

percent women versus 46 percent men. 

These figures are consistent with surrounding neighborhood demographics. The 

two largest ZIP code areas comprising the ECC customer base—21205 and 21213—are 

75.4 percent and 88.5 percent African American, and females comprised 54.1 percent and 

54.8 percent of the residents in these neighborhoods.29 

Customer age was approximated by the researcher. Based on these estimations, 

34 percent were judged to be ages 18-29, 25 percent ages 30-39, 22 percent ages 40-49, 

and 18 percent ages 50 or older. Older customers usually meet with a specific staff 

member, so their age could be determined more accurately. The ECC is not designated 

by MOED to serve youth younger than 18, but the ECC facility is used to accept summer 

job program applications, and Baltimore City high school students use the ECC for career 

exploration. For these reasons, 1 percent of those tracked were judged to be ages l4-17. 

Monitoring Results 

Peak ECC customer flow was observed between 8:30 A.M. and noon. A total of 

74 percent of the customers monitored were in the ECC building during these morning 

hours. After the Anatomy project time tracking ended, ECC staff scheduled a new daily 

group information session beginning at noon. ECC staff reports that afternoon customer 

flow has increased since this change was implemented. We have not determined if this 

reduced the morning customer count or increased the overall customer count. 

 

29 Census 2000 Summary File, U.S. Bureau of the Census. 
89 

ECC Customer Destinations (N=791) 

Our count of the most frequently visited ECC destinations/activities shows the 

following mix: 

• The group information session—17 percent 

• Job search/Career Lab—17 percent 

• Meeting with staff—14 percent 

• Using the fax/copier—7 percent 

• Using the Digital Learning Lab—6 percent 

• Participating in the Early Intervention (EI) Workshop—5 percent 

• Visiting the High Tech Lab—5 percent 

• GED classes—5 percent. 

These eight ECC activities account for 76 percent of ECC customer destinations. 

17% 17%

14%

7% 6% 5% 5% 5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Destination

Figure 2:1 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Eastside Customers Most 

Frequently Chosen One-Stop Locations/Activities

Group Information

Job Search

Meet with Staff

Fax/Copier

Digital Lab

EI Workshop

High Tech Lab

GED 

Because of the numerous services offered by the ECC the remaining 24 percent of 

customer destinations is a diverse mix. Less frequently chosen destinations include: 

• Using the phone bank—4 percent 

• Completing a job application/job interview—4 percent 

• Browsing the job postings and/or requesting ECC information—4 percent 

• Picking up a youth summer employment application—2 percent 

• Receiving an assessment—2 percent 

• Dropping off/picking up materials—2 percent 

• Waiting in the reception area—1 percent 

• Talking informally with ECC staff—1 percent 

• Other activities—4 percent 
90 

Tabulated below is the average time in minutes customers spent in each ECC 

location/activity. 

Table 3:1 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Average Time Spent by Destination/Activity for All Tracked One-Stop 

Customers (N=791)

Destination/Activity Average Destination/Activity Time 

EI Workshop 337 minutes 

Digital Learning Lab 84 minutes 

Adult Education Classes/PLATO 69 minutes 

Job Interview/Application 58 minutes 

Wait in reception area 50 minutes 

High Tech Lab 46 minutes 

Job Readiness Workshop 45 minutes 

Job Search in Career Lab 45 minutes 

Assessments 40 minutes 

Phone Bank 36 minutes 

Group Information Session 29 minutes 

Fax/Copier 27 minutes 

Meet with Staff/CDF 26 minutes 

Talk to Staff informally 23 minutes 

Collect One-Stop Information 15 minutes 

Youth Employment Application 9 minutes 

Pick up/Drop off Materials 7 minutes 

Average Overall Customer Time in OneStop 83 minutes 

Single Destination/Activity Customers 

The table below lists activities of customers who chose a single ECC 

destination/activity and then exited the building. The majority (60 percent) of customers 

were single destination/activity customers. 

Table 3:2 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Single Destination/Activity Customer Choices (N=477)

Destination/Activity % of Customers who Chose 

Destination/Activity 

Group Information Session 14% 

EI Workshop 14% 

Job Search in Career Lab 10% 

Digital Learning Lab 9% 

Meet with Staff/CDF 8% 

Adult Education classes 7% 

Fax/Copier 7% 

Job Interview/Application 6% 

High Tech Lab 5% 

Collect One-Stop Information 5% 

Phone Bank 4% 

Youth Employment Application 4% 

Pick Up/Drop Off Materials 3% 

Wait in reception area 2% 

Talk to Staff Informally 1% 

Assessments 1% 

TOTAL 100% 
91 

The following table displays single destination customers’ average time on task in 

minutes for each ECC destination/activity. 

Table 3:3 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Average Time in Minutes by Location for Single Destination/Activity 

Customers (N=477)

Destination/Activity Average Destination/Activity Time 

EI Workshop 337 minutes 

Job Readiness Workshop 135 minutes 

Digital Learning Lab 93 minutes 

Adult Education Classes 78 minutes 

Job Interview/Application 59 minutes 

High Tech Lab 56 minutes 

Wait in reception area 56 minutes 

Job Search in Career Lab 55 minutes 

Group Information Session 32 minutes 

Assessments 23 minutes 

Meet with Staff/CDF 21 minutes 

Phone Bank 17 minutes 

Fax/Copier 13 minutes 

Youth Employment Application 9 minutes 

Talk to Staff informally 9 minutes 

Pick up/Drop off Materials 8 minutes 

Collect One-Stop Information 8 minutes 

Average Single Destination/Activity Customer Time in 

One-Stop 

79 minutes 

Multiple Destination/Activity Customers 

There were a total of 314 multiple destination/activity customers—40 percent of 

those monitored. The following table displays the average time spent in each destination 

or activity, as well as the total average time in the ECC. Data were aggregated for each 

destination/activity. 
92 

Table 3:4 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Average Time Spent in Minutes by Location for Multiple 

Destination/Activity Customers (N=314)

Destination/Activity Average 

Destination 

Time 

Average Total Time in 

One-Stop 

Assessments 120 minutes 140 minutes 

Digital Learning Lab 100 minutes 87 minutes 

Adult Education Classes 82 minutes 94 minutes 

Job Readiness Workshop 75 minutes 136 minutes 

Job Interview/Application 65 minutes 70 minutes 

Job Search in Career Lab 51 minutes 70 minutes 

High Tech Lab 49 minutes 70 minutes 

Wait in reception area 43 minutes 78 minutes 

Group Information Session 34 minutes 71 minutes 

Phone Bank 32 minutes 44 minutes 

Meet with Staff/CDF 22 minutes 46 minutes 

Talk to Staff informally 14 minutes 59 minutes 

Pick up/Drop Off Materials 12 minutes 23 minutes 

Fax/Copier 12 minutes 26 minutes 

Collect One-Stop Information 9 minutes 29 minutes 

Youth Employment 

Application 

8 minutes 9 minutes 

Average Multiple Destination 

Customer Time in One-Stop

88 minutes 

Table 3:5 displays multiple destination/activity customer choices. Frequently 

cited first destinations/activities included: 

• The group information session—32 percent 

• Meeting with a Career Development Facilitator (CDF)—19 percent 

Popular second destination/activity choices were: 

• Conduct a job search—24 percent 

• CDF appointment—15 percent 

• Group Information Session—13 percent 

• Using the Phone Bank—10 percent 

A total of 25 percent of monitored customers went to two ECC service locations 

and then exited. 

Few ECC customers were observed to have 3 or 4 destinations/activities in a 

single visit—12 percent and 3 percent respectively. The most frequent 3rd and 4th

destination was a Career Lab job search—41 percent and 38 percent respectively. 
93 

Table 3:5 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Multiple Destination/Activity One-Stop Customer Activities (N=314)

Destination/Activity 1st Destinations

(N=314)

2nd Destinations

(N=314)

3rd Destinations

(N=98)

4th Destinations

(N=21)

Group Information Session 32% 13% 1% 0% 

Meet with Staff 19% 15% 13% 19% 

Job Search in Career Lab 9% 24% 41% 38% 

Assessment 6% 6% 0% 0% 

Collect One-Stop Information 6% 6% 0% 0% 

Digital Learning Lab 5% 2% 5% 0% 

Phone Bank 5% 10% 14% 19% 

Adult Education Classes 4% 4% 5% 0% 

Fax/Copier 4% 8% 14% 19% 

High Tech Lab 4% 5% 6% 5% 

Pick up/Drop off Materials 2% 2% 0% 0% 

Talk to Staff informally 2% 2% 0% 0% 

Wait in reception area 1% 1% 0% 0% 

Job Readiness Workshop 1% 1% 0% 0% 

Job interview/application 1% 1% 0% 0% 

TOTAL: 100% 100% 100% 100% 
94 

Figure 2:2 Anatomy Flow Analysis: Number 

of Destinatons/Activities during Eastside Visit

60%

25%

12%

3%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

# Destinations

4+ Destinations

3 Destinations

2 Destinations

1 Destination

 

Demographic Differences in ECC Service Use and Mix 

Of customers who completed their visit during the three hour observation period, 

the average total time spent in the One-Stop was 83 minutes. These times differed 

somewhat by race, gender, and age. 

Differences by Race

African American customers spent less time (77 minutes) compared to Whites 

(148 minutes) and other races (116 minutes). One explanation might be that 27 percent 

of tracked white customers were in the One-Stop attending the EI workshop, which 

requires them to be in the One-Stop for six hours on a given day (the workshop is twelve 

hours spread over two days). Differences by race must be interpreted with caution, 

remembering that only 6 percent of monitored customers were white and 2 percent were 

of other races. There were no appreciable differences noted by race in Digital Learning 

Lab use. 

Gender Differences

Females spent more time (91 minutes) compared to males (74 minutes), and 

customers in their teens and twenties spent less time (72 minutes) than all others 

(approximately 90 minutes). Female customers visited the ECC Digital Lab far more 

frequently than males—21 percent and 3 percent respectively. 

 

Age Differences

While job search was the top ranked destination for those in their 40’s and 

younger, customers age 50 and above visited the Digital Learning Lab far more 

frequently. We speculate that the older customers are not as computer savvy as younger 

customers and take advantage of the ECC Digital Learning Lab services at a higher rate. 

The top two ECC service unit destinations for customers we defined as ages 20-

29 were: job search—27 percent, and the High Tech Lab—7 percent. In contrast, the top 

two ECC service unit destinations for customers we defined as being 50 or older were: 

the Digital Lab—21 percent, and job search—11 percent. 
95 

CONCLUSIONS FROM ON-SITE OBSERVATIONS 

IN THE BALTIMORE EASTSIDE CAREER CENTER 

The ECC serves a diverse population. Age and gender matter in the self-selection 

of ECC services. The other-than-staff resources of the ECC are utilized by many 

customers. We show in Chapter 6 that this accessibility, coupled with what appears to be 

a high level of customer trust in staff counsel, explains why the ECC is seen as a 

community asset.
96 

CHAPTER 6 

PRE- AND POST- CUSTOMER SURVEY 

AND EMPLOYER PERCEPTIONS SURVEY FINDINGS 

CUSTOMER SURVEY AND INTERVIEW RESULTS 

Self-administered Surveys of ECC Customers

The pre- ECC service delivery survey was conducted before the Group 

Information Sessions. The brief questionnaire was given to each member of the Group 

Session with an announcement that completion was voluntary. Questions included why a 

person came to the ECC, what they expected to result from their visit, and how they 

thought the ECC could help them. 

The post- ECC service delivery survey was conducted just prior to a customer’s 

exit, seeking to determine their satisfaction with the ECC services received, whether they 

planned to return to the ECC, and what additional services they want. 

A total of 836 customers completed the pre- survey, and 803 customers completed 

the post- survey. 

Pre- Survey Respondent Demographics 

The gender balance of first-time ECC customer respondents to the pre- survey is 

51 percent women and 49 percent men. The average age of the respondents is 32 years, 

ranging from 16 to 72 years of age. Customers under the age of 30 are in the majority—

51 percent, with an additional 39 percent between 30-49 years old and 10 percent ages 50 

and above. 

Ninety-four percent of the pre- survey respondents are African American, 4 

percent are White, and 2 percent are other races. Among the pre- survey respondents, 36 

percent lacked a high school diploma or GED certificate. The same percentage of 

respondents had obtained their diploma or GED. Only 5 percent had any type of postsecondary degree. Approximately 18 percent of the respondents to the pre- survey had 

attended college but did not have a degree, while an additional 5 percent had received 

some type of technical training after high school. 
97 

Figure 2:3 Pre-Survey Customer 

Demographics by Gender

49%

51%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Female

Male

Figure 2:4 Pre-Survey Customer 

Demographics by Race

94%

4%

2%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100% Other

White

African

American

Figure 2:5 Pre-Survey Customer 

Demographics by Age

51%

39%

10%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

50+

30-49

Teens/20's

Figure 2:6 Pre-Survey Customer 

Demographics by Education 

Level

36%

36%

18%

5% 5%

0%

50%

100%

No HS/GED HS/GED

Some College Tech. Training

Post-Sec. Degree

Pre-Survey Results 

Customer Expectations about ECC Services

Prior to a first ECC visit the majority of individual customers expected assistance 

with their job search—59 percent, information about training—57 percent, and 

employment/career counseling—53 percent. Fewer expected assistance with education—

37 percent, information about the regional job market—26 percent, the use of ECC office 

equipment—26 percent, or to attend a workshop—16 percent. Six percent or fewer 

expected information about unemployment benefits, Rapid Response activities or support 

services. 

Approximately 10 percent of the pre- survey respondents listed an expectation 

that was not predefined on the survey instrument. Of those respondents, the most 

frequently cited expectations were the use of the Digital Learning Lab—43 percent, and 

financial aid—43 percent. Other expectations included wanting information about small 

business resource availability, ex-offender programs, and childcare resources. 
98 

Figure 2:7 Pre Survey Customer Expectations Regarding 

Eastside Services

59%

57%

53%

37%

26%

22%

16%

6%

6%

4%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Supportive Services

Rapid Response

UI Benefits

Workshop

Use of Equipment

MD Job Market Info.

Education

Employment/Career

Counseling

Training

Job Search

Customer Expectations About Interaction With ECC Staff 

When asked what they expected from the ECC staff, the majority—53 percent—

wanted staff to help them get a job or a better job. Other frequently mentioned customer 

expectations from ECC staff included assistance with education—27 percent, and help 

with training—28 percent. 

We note that customer expectations about ECC services align with their 

expectations about interaction with ECC staff. Most closely aligned was the expectation 

about job search assistance, the most frequently cited expectation both in terms of 

service—59 percent, and ECC staff assistance—53 percent. Customers overwhelming 

agreed or strongly agreed that the ECC would help them fulfill their personal goals—87 

percent. 
99 

53%

28% 27%

10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Expectations of Staff

Figure 2:8 Pre Survey Customer 

Expectations Regarding Staff Assistance

Help Getting a Job

Help with Training

Help with

Education

Assessment/Couns

eling

87%

13%

0%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Figure 2:9 Pre Survey Customers' 

Expectations that Eastside Will Help 

Fulfill Goals

Strongly

Agree/Agree

Not Sure

Disagree/Strongly

Disagree

The Demographics of Pre- Survey Responses 

 

Gender Differences 

We found some interesting gender-based differences in ECC service expectations. 

First, training is an expressed expectation of 62 percent of women respondents, but only 

52 of men who completed the pre- survey instrument. This is also reflected in what 

customers expected from ECC staff—35 percent of women completing the pre- survey 

expected staff assistance with training versus 22 percent of males. The women were 

more likely then the men to have at least some college—27 percent versus 18 percent. 

The percentage of females and males lacking a high school diploma/GED was similar. 

There are many more male ex-offenders—38 percent versus 9 percent of the 

women who completed the pre- survey instrument. Twenty-two percent of female 

respondents report receiving public assistance versus 7 percent for males. Eight percent 

of the male respondents are veterans. There were no reported female veterans. 
100 

Age Differences 

Older customers are more likely than customers under 30 years to have obtained a 

High School diploma or above—80 percent versus 55 percent respectively. Customer 

interest in obtaining a GED is highest among respondents in their teens/20’s—50 percent, 

but declined considerably among customers are in their 30’s/40’s—29 percent, or ages 50 

and older—15 percent. 

Customers who are 30 years old or above reported higher interest than customers 

in their teens and 20’s in the use of ECC resource equipment (32 percent), attending 

workshops (27 percent), and utilizing the job search (62 percent). 

The top 3 expectations of ECC staff expressed by respondents in all age 

categories is help from ECC staff in finding a job, receiving further education, and 

training. The only difference noted by age is wanting staff assistance with education, 

which was more frequently expected by customers in their teens/20’s (42 percent) than 

customers in their 30’s/40’s (28 percent) or 50+ (18 percent). These responses are 

similar to customer interest in education responses by age group. 

A large majority, between 81 percent and 86 percent, of all age groups had high 

expectations that the ECC would help them achieve their goal(s). However, customers 

aged 50 and above reported that they were unsure about this statement at a slightly higher 

rate (19 percent) than younger customers (13 percent). We speculate that this doubt is 

tied to older customers being less confident about their prospects in the local job market. 

Ex-offenders were more likely to be in their 30’s/40’s (30 percent of the presurvey respondents in this age category) than in their teens/20’s (20 percent) or 50+ (16 

percent). The oldest respondents self-define themselves as disabled at a higher rate (12 

percent) than those in their 30’s/40’s (8 percent) or teens/20’s (3 percent). 

Post-Survey Results 

Prior to ECC exit customers were asked to complete a post- survey instrument. 

The large majority of respondents reported being satisfied with their experiences—94 

percent. Only 0.5 percent reported any level of dissatisfaction. A total of 91 percent 

reported that the ECC had delivered the services they expected to receive, 87 percent said 

they knew which services would be helpful to them, and 90 percent plan to return for 

additional ECC services. Clearly, ECC customers are optimistic that they will receive 

continuing help from the ECC. 

When asked how they would spend their time on a return visit, the most popular 

answer is the Career Lab, cited by 57 percent of respondents. The other two most 

frequently cited destinations are the Digital Learning Lab (32 percent) and the PLATO 

Lab for GED instruction (31 percent). Fewer respondents chose meeting with an ECC 

staff member (25 percent), High Tech Lab (25 percent), or attending a workshop (18 

percent). Respondents were able to choose more than one answer. 
101 

57%

32% 31%

25% 25%

18%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Figure 3:1 Post Survey Customers' Most Frequent 

Future One-Stop Destinations

Career Lab/Job Search Digital Learning Lab PLATO/GED

Meet with Staff High Tech Lab Attend Workshop

Exit Interviews 

In addition to the post- survey completed by exiting respondents, interviews were 

conducted with 38 exiting customers using alternating questionnaire formats. Customer 

participation was voluntary, and a small incentive (chocolate bar) was offered. The 

interviews lasted an average of 10 minutes. 

Common information collected using the two instruments was aggregated. The 

most frequently cited reason for an ECC customer’s visit was to carry out a self-service 

job search (36 percent). Other popular destinations included use of ECC office 

equipment (27 percent), to get information about training (23 percent), and GED 

instruction (18 percent). 

36%

27%

23%

18%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Came to 1-Stop today for...

Figure 3:2 Exit Survey Customer Reasons for 

Coming to Eastside One-Stop Career Center

Job Search

Use of Equipment

Training Information

GED Instruction

When asked what they expected prior to their first ECC visit, an equal number (29 

percent) expected assistance in finding a job/better job and training information, while 13 

percent expected help in furthering their education. 
102 

29% 29%

13%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Initial Expectations

Figure 3:3 Exit Survey Customer First 

Reason for Coming to Eastside One-Stop 

Career Center

Help with

Training

Find a

Job/Better

Job

Help with

Education

Three out of four of the customers interviewed reported having received the 

services expected. Of those whose expectations had not been met, all said that they were 

still engaged in service, but expected to achieve their goal. 

An equal number of respondents either drove or walked to the ECC (41 percent); 

18 percent had taken public transportation. It took the majority of those interviewed (68 

percent) less than 15 minutes to get to the ECC. Only 5 percent commuted more than 30 

minutes. No one reported any problems getting to the ECC location. On average, 

respondents spent 81 minutes at the ECC during their visit. They reported spending most 

of their time in the Career Lab (56 percent), the Digital Learning Lab (38 percent), and in 

the PLATO Lab (6 percent). 

A total of 91 percent of the ECC customers interviewed reported satisfaction with 

their visit that day. They were also satisfied with the politeness of staff (100 percent), the 

ability of staff to help them (91 percent), ECC hours (100 percent), the location (100 

percent), and the available resources (96 percent). A total of 96 percent knew where to 

go in the building to access resources and the same number found it easy to get around 

the building. The majority (91 percent) have recommended the ECC to their 

family/friends. 

The interviewed ECC customers were somewhat less satisfied with the amount of 

time they had to wait for services (77 percent), but overall respondents felt that they got 

what they expected from their visit (81 percent). 

Importance of Services

When asked about the importance of services to them personally (even if they had 

not yet personally used the service), the top choices indicated as “Somewhat Important” 

or “Important” included educational opportunities (94 percent), assessment of 

skills/abilities (88 percent), training (88percent), job resources/services (88 percent), 

career exploration (88 percent), and job preparation workshops (81 percent). 
103 

Helpfulness of Services

When asked about the helpfulness of services that they had received, the results 

were similar but somewhat lower. As was the case with the importance of services, the 

top choice indicated as “Somewhat Helpful”, “Helpful”, or “Very Helpful” was 

educational opportunities (80 percent), followed by job resources/services (75 percent), 

Career Lab job bank (75 percent), and career exploration (75 percent). 

Most services ranked higher in terms of respondents’ opinion of their overall 

importance versus their personal helpfulness. Many ECC services viewed as important 

have not necessarily been used by customers personally. It is important to recognize the 

small sample size when interpreting these results. 

Table 3:6 Exit Interview Respondents Opinions on Eastside One-Stop Career Center Services (N=16)

Somewhat 

Important/Important 

Service 

(even if they haven’t used the 

service) 

Somewhat to 

Very Helpful 

Have Not Used 

Job Resources/Services 88% 75% 25% 

Career Lab Job Bank 69% 75% 25% 

Career Exploration 88% 75% 25% 

Job Training Assistance 88% 69% 31% 

Job Preparation Workshops 81% 69% 25% 

Education Opportunities 94% 80% 20% 

Supportive Services 50% 50% 44% 

Meet individually with staff 75% 69% 25% 

EI Workshop 60% 37% 63% 

Assessments 88% 69% 31% 

Services for Special Populations 63% 20% 80% 
104 

TWO ECC CUSTOMER CASE STUDIES 

Customer One 

A 38 year old female customer came to the ECC after she had been laid off from 

the Baltimore City Public School System. She had been employed as a special education 

aide, but due to budget cuts and a large reduction in force, she lost her position. After 

this, she worked for a year as a contractual employee assisting disabled students, but her 

contract was not renewed. 

At this point she came to the ECC for the Early Intervention Workshop. She had 

also heard about Baltimore’s One-Stop System from friends who had used services. 

Initially she expected to get another job through ECC services. She wanted to continue to 

work with children. After several job searches in the Career Lab and completing 

coursework in the Digital Learning Lab, she decided that she was interested in training 

services. 

She applied to receive an Individual Training Account voucher and her 

application was accepted. She began courses in childhood development through a 

program offered at Baltimore City Community College in August 2003 and completed 

training in December 2003. She reported being very pleased with the assistance she 

received from her Career Development Facilitator (CDF) as well as her community 

college teachers. She thoroughly enjoyed attending classes. High school had been 

difficult for her and she didn’t feel successful. Finally, she felt confident in an academic 

setting. 

After she received her certificate in childhood development, she started her own 

home daycare business. However, because she was not on the lease of her building, she 

couldn’t continue her business due to licensing regulations. She has recently returned to 

Eastside for job searches and plans to stay in the childcare field. She feels confident that 

she will obtain a good paying job now that she has her childhood development certificate, 

and she believes that she will find a job soon. 

Customer Two 

A female customer in her late 50’s came to the ECC after she was laid off from a 

large textile company. Of Greek descent, she worked in the textile industry for 40 years 

after coming to the United States, although she had always dreamed of attending school 

and getting her high school diploma. 

After attending a Rapid Response event at the ECC in September 2002, she 

registered for One-Stop services and performed numerous job searches without success. 

She then decided to pursue her education, beginning first with pre-GED, then GED 

classes. Her CDF also helped her enroll in an English as a Second Language (ESL) class 

to improve her communication skills, and she was referred to other agencies for various 

support services. 
105 

She completed her class work in August 2004 and graduated with her high school 

diploma. Her CDF proudly attended the graduation ceremony and presented her with a 

diploma written in Greek. The customer still comes to the ECC and is working to 

complete her coursework in the Digital Learning Lab, after which time she will begin 

another job search. She hopes one day to be a receptionist. 

She has recommended the ECC to both family members and friends. She feels 

strongly that the ECC is able to help anyone who is willing to learn and work. She 

started her GED classes with two friends, but both dropped out before completing the 

coursework. She is amazed that the services are offered free of charge and of how 

supportive the staff has been of her efforts. 

ECC STAFF FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS

A focus group was conducted with seven ECC staff members. A wide range of 

job titles were represented, included Assessment Facilitator, Metro-Tech Coordinator, 

WIA Supervisor, GED Instructor, Office Assistant, Career Development Facilitator, 

Business Services Representative, and Greeter. The tenure of this group ranged from 1 to 

18 years. The session lasted for approximately 2 1⁄2 hours and was facilitated by a staff 

member from MOED. The results are summarized below. Please note that many 

changes have occurred at Eastside since the focus group was conducted; however, the 

comments summarized below reflect staff attitudes during the Anatomy project data 

collection period. 

Examples of How the ECC has Evolved/changed 

Changes have been observed in customer flow since the ECC became known as a 

One-Stop Career Center under WIA in 2000. Group information sessions used to be 

offered 3 days per week, but they have been reduced to two days per week. Many staff 

reported they have additional responsibilities due to the loss of several positions 

necessitated by budget cuts. The remaining staff must share the workload that resulted. 

However, many noted that the coordination of services had improved greatly and that 

they felt more comfortable in their multiple roles. 

Positive changes have been observed with the Career Development Facilitators 

(CDFs); it was noted that they have become more professional when assisting customers 

as a result of staff development activities. In addition, the ECC staff of two CDFs has 

increased to four, which has helped with large number of customers on the CDF 

caseloads. 

ECC staff reported that customers are much more independent than they were 

under JTPA. They can self-direct many of their activities with minimal help, which frees 

staff to provide more assistance to customers who need it. However, staff is also 

available to assist customers as they become more self-sufficient. 
106 

It was difficult to change customers’ mindset of how activities were conducted 

under JTPA (lots of “hand holding”) to WIA (self-sufficiency). For instance, before 

WIA implementation, only staff could access the Job Bank. When CareerNet was 

developed under WIA, customers were expected to access employment opportunities 

independently. 

Difficulties arise when customers want instant gratification. Many expect to walk 

into the ECC and receive a job that day. Others think they can simply sign up to begin a 

training class and start immediately. Many do not have the patience or commitment to do 

what it takes to obtain successful employment. ECC taff must work with customers and 

attempt to change their attitudes. They also assist customers in the development of 

concrete and achievable goals. 

The expansion of technology throughout the ECC was noted. New computers, 

updated software, the creation of the Digital Learning Lab, and the introduction of the 

new Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE) system have helped with operations a great 

deal. Technology has also assisted them in their work and communication with partner 

agencies. While at times it has been a challenge to master the new technology, 

particularly the new MWE System, all agreed that ultimately these changes will help 

them do their job better and more efficiently. 

ECC Business Services staff reports that working with employers has become 

easier. Operations in the Business Services Unit have become more organized and 

streamlined, and the contracting process has been simplified for business customers. 

Job Duties/Training/Feedback 

Cross-training has taken place at ECC, and staff can assist customers in ways not 

necessarily related to their specific job functions. All reported that they felt part of a 

team and that their suggestions for improvement have been welcomed by management. 

Several staff began as One-Stop customers. As they have progressed through the system, 

obtained employment, and been promoted through the years, they have a clear 

understanding of ECC operations and how customers utilize services. 

Everyone considers themselves to be front line staff when it comes to assisting 

customers. ECC staff regards one another as family. They have worked hard to become 

viewed as a seamless organization. There are common goals, and all staff can assist all 

customers. In Business Services, there is more frequent interaction between staff and 

employers than in years past. Satisfaction was expressed regarding the professional 

atmosphere of the One-Stop facility itself and the level of cooperation between staff 

members. 

All CDFs have received their Global Career Development Facilitator certificates. 

Most CDFs learned their current job duties through informal, on the job training. Many 

noted that it takes time to learn how to effectively deal with the public and that nothing 

but real life experiences can prepare you for this aspect of the job. 
107 

Regarding feedback on their performance, staff is given an annual evaluation 

from their supervisors. In addition, continuous customer satisfaction data is collected and 

distributed. Employee satisfaction has not been measured to date. 

Employees have received agency based training on the MWE system. In addition, 

staff cross train one another within the ECC, a process they describe as “constant”. 

Changes occur daily and staff must communicate and coordinate with one another to 

keep themselves up to date. 

Despite cross-training, challenges remain in that some employees can only work 

with certain customers due to funding issues (e.g., Veterans). However, all staff makes a 

diligent effort to assist all customers in the ECC, regardless of their status, and they try to 

make these types of issues “invisible” to the customer.30 Staff report that they are aware 

of the full range of services offered through Baltimore’s One-Stop Career Center 

Network and know how to serve specific customer populations (e.g., youth, older 

workers, disabled). Supervisors are responsible for providing this information to their 

staff as well as keeping them up to date on changes. 

Employees have also received training in working with the disabled, customer 

service, various software products, Spanish, adult literacy, and public speaking. As one 

staff member noted, there are numerous opportunities for staff development and despite 

budget shortfalls, funds are found to provide these services to staff. In addition, staff 

attends Maryland’s annual workforce development conference. 

ECC Staff Impressions of Most Frequently Sought Services and ECC Customer 

Expectations 

When asked what types of services their customers most frequently wanted, it was 

nearly unanimous that most customers are seeking immediate employment. After 

completing a job search and working with staff, many customers realize they need 

additional skills and are often interested in obtaining their GED, receiving training, or 

attending a workshop. 

Regarding expectations, a problem that is often encountered with job seeking 

customers is that they expect instant gratification. Even customers with limited skills 

want to walk away with a high paying, desirable job, and many express frustration or 

unwillingness to do what it takes to better themselves for a career versus simply getting a 

job. Many customers with this attitude are said to become angry and disconnect from the 

One-Stop without receiving additional services. The challenge of getting a customer to 

understand and accept what is needed to achieve their goal is the first critical step of the 

process. If the customer returns after this step, it is believed that they have a good chance 

to succeed. 

 

30 The ECC staff has become more integrated since the focus group. For instance, Veterans staff is now able to 

assist Core customers in the Career Lab. 
108 

ECC Staff Views About Guidance Provided to Customers 

A wide range of guidance is provided to customers. They are treated as 

individuals, and given the level of assistance necessary. Some staff felt the need to act 

like a parent and thoroughly understand the person and their problems before proceeding. 

The next step is attempting to get the customer to a certain level of self-sufficiency versus 

“hand holding”. There is a great deal of follow-up provided to customers, at all tiers of 

service. Academic and career counseling is also provided. Staff ensures that customers 

understand the range of services that are available to them and the steps they must take to 

achieve their goal(s). 

At times, customers are referred off-site for certain services. These usually 

include assistance with housing, social services, legal aid, child support, 

disability/supportive services, community colleges for literacy programs, and financial 

aid. It is estimated that approximately half of all Eastside customers are referred out for 

these types of services. CDFs and other staff are well aware of these resources and how 

to refer their customers to them. 

Despite the term “self-service”, all customers receive staff assistance in one form 

or another. For instance, the Career Lab is staffed to help customers with their job 

search. The Digital Learning Lab has a full-time technology instructor, even through 

many students progress through self-directed modules. Some customers need more 

assistance than others, especially those who aren’t comfortable with computers. 

When asked if they had a sense of when a customer was about to disconnect from 

the system without achieving their goal, many said yes. Some customers express 

frustration that things don’t happen immediately and they leave the center. For instance, 

due to large caseloads, customers may be required to wait a number of days for an 

appointment to meet with a CDF. Some of these customers never return for their 

appointment, despite a phone call reminder the day before. Others will look for a job in 

the Career Lab once, but if they don’t find something immediately they become 

discouraged and leave the center. Pregnancy and childcare related issues cause many 

young women to disconnect. The employment challenges that ex-offenders face cause a 

number of these customers to disconnect. 

Others lose motivation because of the time required to achieve their goal. Many 

walk into the One-Stop with a goal of training for a certain type of career. However, if 

they lack the necessary basic skills, they may be required to obtain their GED or take a 

skills brush up class before they can be considered for training services. Others lack 

work readiness skills and may be required to take workshops before they can successfully 

compete in the job market, while others lack computer skills and may have to attend the 

Digital Learning Lab to achieve computer literacy and knowledge of basic software. All 

of these activities take time, and if a customer walks in the door expecting a job that day 

or to begin training immediately, they become frustrated and disconnect. 
109 

Some customers have unrealistic expectations regarding the type of job they want, 

primarily one that is high paying with desirable hours. They are unwilling to consider 

jobs that may have a lower salary, or that require shift work or weekend hours. They 

don’t understand the need to establish a reliable work history before they are able to 

progress in a career. This is particularly true for certain populations, for instance, exoffenders and those with little or no work experience. 

When asked what ECC staff could do to keep customers better connected, one 

response was to “motivate them the minute they walk in the door” by inviting them to 

activities such as job fairs and workshops. In addition, many establish a personal 

relationship with their customers, making them more likely to return for service. 

One staff member offered small incentives such as raffle tickets to keep customers 

coming. Developing a relationship and trust goes a long way in keeping customers 

engaged. In addition, if customers better understood the efforts staff takes on their behalf 

to help them achieve, they might feel more vested in the process. In other words, staff 

should let customers know how hard they’re working to help them. 

While there are a number of follow-up attempts made with customers, some staff 

felt that home visits might be more effective than a phone call or letter. Other 

suggestions included increasing community outreach efforts, becoming more involved 

with the school system through PTA meetings, and additional outreach to faith based 

organizations. 

When asked what were the most frequently encountered compliments staff have 

received from customers, responses included “taking the time to solve problems”, “a 

modern, professional atmosphere inside the building”, and “the high level of customer 

service”. Because customers receive help in a timely manner they consider the One-Stop 

different from their encounters with other government agencies. 

The most frequently encountered complaints ranged from “no classroom space 

available on certain days”, “not enough staff to address the traffic flow of customers”, 

and “difficult to reach staff by telephone”. 

When asked about issues that needed to be addressed to better serve their 

customers, many ECC staff report a need for additional resources including more books 

for adult education classes, more customer service training for staff, additional funding 

for customer training programs, and more help for customers with barriers to 

employment (e.g., housing, clothing, childcare, substance abuse). 

Despite limited funding, ECC staff felt that they have a positive impact on their 

customers, the neighborhood, and the community. They are extremely proud of the work 

that they do and feel that they are doing everything within their capacity to assist 

customers reach their goals. 
110 

Finally, ECC staff was asked about customer characteristics. Customers likely to 

succeed were reported to have determination, a willingness to go through the process, an 

ability to help themselves, and patience. Customers most likely to disconnect from the 

process were those who expected immediate results, those with unrealistic expectations, 

and those easily frustrated by the process. 

FINDINGS FROM A FOLDER AUDIT OF 

WIA INTENSIVE AND TRAINING CUSTOMERS 

A folder audit was conducted of registered WIA customers defined as Intensive or 

Training who had disconnected from the ECC without a favorable outcome. Customer 

registration dates for those audited are between January 2000 and September 2004. At 

the time of audit, these customers were included in an ECC “call back” category and are 

being contacted by the Follow-Up Unit. 

Our examination of the folders revealed that a number of these ECC customers 

had moved or had their phone disconnected, leaving no contact information. When this 

occurs, the only staff option available is to check the individual’s Maryland UI wage 

record for employment status and possible employer contact information. When 

possible, ECC staff confirms the employment status with the employer and exits the 

individual from WIA. 

Audit data collection took place manually; the Jacob France Institute researcher 

extracted pertinent data from customer service record folders and entered the information 

into a log. Data were then coded and entered into a spreadsheet for analysis. 

Circuit Breaker Demographics 

A random sample of 135 circuit breaker (disconnected from the ECC) customers 

was examined. Folders are filed alphabetically by the customer’s last name. Depending 

on the total number of folders in each letter designation, between 5 and 10 records were 

randomly selected for inclusion. Customer ages ranged from 22 to 65 with an average 

age of 39. A total of 23 percent were in their 20’s, 31 percent in their 30’s, 26 percent in 

their 40’s, and 20 percent ages 50 or older. 

The large majority of audited ECC customers (86 percent) were African 

American, while 11 percent were White, and 3 percent were other races. More customers 

were men (64 percent) than women (36 percent). A total of 31 percent lacked a high 

school diploma. Only 11 percent reported any post-secondary education. 

A total of 24 percent of the disconnected customers were ex-offenders. Other 

special populations included those receiving public assistance (7 percent), those who 

speak English as a second language (7 percent), and veterans (6 percent). 

A total of 51 percent of the sample was defined in the audited records as 

unemployed. Of these individuals, 20 percent had been so for 0-2 months, 35 percent for 

2-6 months, 23 percent for 6-12 months, and 22 percent for more than 12 months. When 

asked how many consecutive months they had worked in the past two years, an average 
111 

of 10.5 months was reported. Customers averaged 3 job interviews in the past six months 

and the large majority (83 percent) reported that they had no job offers. 

Circuit Breaker Activities 

Service record notations were coded in a manner so that common ECC activities 

could be examined. A total of 47 percent of customers’ last contact with the ECC before 

“disconnecting” was meeting with their Career Development Facilitator (CDF). Another 

common final activity was training services. A total of 27 percent disconnected from the 

ECC without formally beginning training, while an additional 10 percent lost contact 

either during or after training. Finally, disconnects occurred while customers were 

involved in GED services (19 percent) or participating in assessments (19 percent). 

Folders were also coded for disconnect reasons, when cited by the customer’s 

CDF. The majority (64 percent) simply could not be reached. They had either moved (8 

percent), had their phone disconnected (12 percent), or had not responded to multiple 

contacts both by phone and mail (44 percent). Other reasons included multiple no-shows 

for appointments (8 percent), and the need for supportive services regarding childcare, 

medical issues, or incarceration (8 percent). 

47%

27%

10%

19% 19%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Last Activity

Figure 4:1 Circuit Breaker Customers' 

Last Activities

Met with CDF

Haven't begun

training

In/completed

training

GED services

Assessments

A total of 47 percent of these disconnected customers registered and disconnected 

within the same month. The remaining 53 percent received services for an average of 5.2 

months, ranging from 2 to 18 months. Of those with one month or less of contact with 

the ECC, the majority (65 percent) met with their CDF, then disconnected. Only 16 

percent of this group continued on to the assessment phase. 

Of customers with two or more months of service, 24 percent disconnected after 

meeting with their CDF, 21 percent after they had received assessment(s), and 29 percent 

were preparing to begin a training program prior to disconnecting. 

As for activities, we speculate that because 47 percent of disconnected customers 

registered for WI A and disconnected from ECC services in the same month these 

customers may lack the motivation needed to pursue their goal(s). CDFs attempt 
112 

numerous contacts both by phone and mail to reconnect these lost customers to ECC 

services, but the majority of this sample (64 percent) could not be reached or did not 

respond to contact attempts. 

A Comparison of Disconnected ECC Customers and Successful WIA Exiters

Circuit Breaker demographics were compared to a cohort of WIA Adult Intensive

and Training customers who are defined as MOED successful exiters. 31 

For a number of reasons, this comparison should be interpreted with caution. 

First, it is important to note that the customer time coverage is not the same for the two 

groups. The Circuit Breaker folder registration dates spanned a longer time period 

(January 2000 through September 2004) than the WIA exit dates (October 2000 through 

June 2002). In addition, the Circuit Breaker analysis was specifically for ECC customers. 

Successful WIA exiters came from all four MOED One-Stops. Given available data, this 

was the best practical approximation of a comparison between these two groups. 

Successful WIA exiters were more likely to be women (59 percent) than men (41 

percent). This contrasts with the circuit breaker population, which had a higher 

percentage of men (64 percent) than women (36 percent). More than 80 percent of both 

groups is African American. 

Successful WIA exiters are a bit younger (mean age 36 years) than circuit 

breakers (mean age 39 years). There is a higher percentage of WIA exiting customers in 

their 20’s (31 percent) than circuit breaker customers (23 percent). 

Although each group has a similar percentage who had obtained their high school 

diploma or GED (69 percent circuit breakers and 71 percent successful WIA exiters), 

more circuit breakers were high school dropouts (31 percent) than successful WIA exiters 

(19 percent). A total of 19 percent of successful WIA exiters reported some type of postsecondary education versus 11 percent of circuit breakers. 

There is a higher percentage of ex-offenders (24 percent) in the circuit breaker 

population compared to successful WIA exiters (6 percent). There are also more veterans 

(6 percent circuit breakers and 1 percent successful WIA exiters), and customers who 

speak English as a second language (7 percent circuit breakers and 1.5 percent successful 

WIA exiters). Fewer circuit breakers report receiving public assistance (7 percent) versus 

successful WIA exiters (12 percent). 

 

31 WIA Tier Study, Phase I and II, Customer Flow and Demographics, D. Safley, Mayor’s Office of Employment 

Development, City of Baltimore, 2002 and 2003. 
113 

41%

59% 64%

36%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

WIA Exiters Circuit

Breakers

Figure 4:2 WIA Exiters and Circuit 

Breaker Customers, Comparison by 

Gender

Male

Female

19% 19%

31%

11%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

WIA Exiters Circuit

Breakers

Figure 4:3 WIA Exiters and Circuit 

Breaker Customers, Comparison by 

Education Level

High School

Dropout

Post

Secondary

Education

There are notable differences between Circuit Breaker customers and successful 

WIA exiters. There is a larger percentage of disconnected customers without a high 

school diploma or GED credential (31 percent) than among successful WIA exiters (19 

percent). In addition, 24 percent of the Circuit Breaker file customers self-reported that 

they were ex-offenders, versus 6 percent of successful WIA exiters. Finally, Circuit 

Breaker customers were more likely to be men (64 percent) than were successful WIA 

exiters (41 percent). 

ECC CUSTOMER EARNINGS ANALYSIS 

Maryland UI Wage Records and TRADE Wage Data (MD, PA, DE, DC, VA, NJ, 

WV, OH) 

The ECC cohort that was matched against the wage record data included: 

• Self-Directed, non-WIA registered Core customers 

• Staff-Assisted WIA registered Core customers 

• WIA registered intensive and training “Circuit Breaker” customers 
114 

These ECC customers were matched against the Maryland UI wage records and 

the surrounding states TRADE wage records. TRADE data includes the states of 

Delaware, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of 

Columbia (Washington, D.C.). 

Core customers were extracted from the MOED data system and consisted of first 

time customers who registered with the Baltimore One-Stop system between the dates of 

10/1/2000 and 6/30/2002. There were a total of 4,038 Self-Directed Core customers and 

542 Staff-Assisted WIA Core customers. 

Circuit Breaker customer registration dates ranged from 2000 to 2004. Because 

the circuit breaker cohort was created from a random, manual audit of customer folders, 

the registration dates are not identical to the MOED extracted Core cohort. This fact 

must be considered when interpreting the data. However, the criterion for measurement 

is the same; median earnings for the three groups were examined 4 quarters prior and 4 

quarters following their One-Stop registration date. The percentage of customers 

employed each quarter was also reviewed. 

A total of 135 circuit breaker customers were included in the analysis. The 

sample was randomly selected from Eastside’s “Call Back” strategy customers, which 

include WIA registered intensive and training customers who disconnected from the OneStop without a favorable outcome. 

When the cohorts were compared by educational level, the circuit breaker file had 

a slightly higher percentage of customers with a college education (12 percent) than the 

self-directed core (7 percent) and staff-assisted core (10 percent) customers. However, 

the circuit breaker file had the largest percentage of high school dropouts (31 percent) 

compared to self-directed core (25 percent) and staff-assisted core (20 percent) 

customers. 

 

More self-directed core (64 percent) and staff-assisted core (68 percent) 

customers had their high school diploma or GED than circuit breakers (57 percent). In 

aggregate figures, 78 percent of staff-assisted core customers had a high school 

degree/GED or above, compared to 71 percent of self-directed core customers and 69 

percent of circuit breaker customers. 

20 25 31

68 64 57

10 7 12

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dropout HS/GED College

Figure 4:4 Education Levels of Self-Directed/StaffAssisted Core and Circuit Breaker Customers

Staff Assisted Core

Self Directed Core

Circuit Breaker
115 

In regards to services, staff-assisted core customers were slightly more likely to 

perform an independent job search (71 percent) and meet with a Career Development 

Facilitator (13 percent) than self-directed core customers, where 68 percent performed an 

independent job search and 9 percent met with a Career Development Facilitator (some 

core customers met with a staff member but never registered in WIA). All staff-assisted 

core customers took part in a staff facilitated job search activity, a service not available to 

self-directed core customers. 

Staff-assisted core customers were twice as likely to access resource information 

(28 percent) than self-directed core customers (14 percent). Staff-assisted core customers 

were also more likely to complete an employment application (4 percent) than selfdirected core customers (1 percent). In both cohorts, 2 percent attended workshops. 

71 68

100

0

13 9

28

14

0

20

40

60

80

100

Independent Job

Search

Facilitated Job

Search

Met w/Counselor Accessed

Resource Info.

Figure 4:5 Services Accessed by Self-Directed and Staff-Assisted 

Core Customers

Staff-Assisted Core

Self-Directed Core

TRADE data alone did not provide sufficient matches for meaningful quarterly 

analyses. A total of 209 customers, or 4.5 percent of all records were found at some point 

in the TRADE data (173 records/4.3 percent of Self-Directed Core cohort, 25 records/4.6 

percent of Staff-Assisted Core cohort, and 11 records/8.1 percent of Circuit Breaker 

sample). Consequently, these earnings were merged with Maryland UI wage record 

matches for a more complete analysis. We are not surprised that the highest number of 

out of state workers is found in Virginia UI wage records, given Maryland’s proximity to 

the state. 

Table 4:1 TRADE Data Surrounding State Wage Matches 

Eastside 

Customer 

Total 

N 

TRADE 

N 

% of 

Total 

% 

DC 

% 

DE 

% 

NJ 

% 

OH 

% 

PA 

% 

VA 

% 

WV 

Self-Directed Core 4,038 173 4.30% 15% 8% 14% 0% 20% 34% 9% 

Staff-Assisted 

Core 

542 25 4.60% 8% 8% 28% 8% 20% 24% 4% 

Circuit Breaker 135 11 8.10% 27% 9% 9% 0% 9% 46% 0% 
116 

Wage Record Comparisons

A look back at the year prior to the defined ECC customer registration date tells a 

different story than a look forward one year from those dates: 

• Figure 4:7 shows no more than a seven percentage point difference among the three 

defined customer types based on each group’s distribution across the number of 

quarters with reported earnings during the year before ECC registration. Possibilities 

range from no earnings in any of the four quarters, through some earnings in one, two 

or three of these quarters, to earnings reported in each of the four reference quarters. 

• Figure 4:7 also shows as much as a twenty-two percentage point difference among 

the defined customer types based on each group’s distribution across the number of 

quarters with reported earnings during the year after ECC registration. 

• The largest post-registration differences among the defined customer groups appear in 

the ‘no reported earnings in any of the four quarters’ and ‘some reported earnings in 

each of the four reference quarters’ categories. 

• One-third of the customers defined as disconnected from continued participation in 

One-Stop services had no reported earnings in any of the four post-registration 

quarters observed, while only twelve percent of those defined as staff assisted had no 

reported post-registration earnings. 

• Forty-five percent of the customers defined as staff assisted had some reported 

earnings amount in each of the four post-registration quarters, which contrasts 

favorably with the thirty-four percent and twenty-seven percent calculations for the 

self directed and disconnected sub-groups respectively. At the same time, the fortyfive percent figure also means that more than half of the staff assisted group cannot 

be described as having worked ‘continuously’ over the year following One-Stop 

registration. 
Figure 4:6 Eastside One-Stop Career Center Customers

Median Earnings 4 Quarters Pre-Registration, 4 Quarters Post-Registra

Self Service (N=4,038) and Staff Assisted (N=542) Core Customers who Registered between O

Intensive and Training “Circuit Breaker” Customers (N=135) who Registered between January 

0

500

100015002000250030003500400045005000

Pre 4 Pre 3 Pre 2 Pre 1 Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 
Figure 4:7 Eastside One-Stop Career Center Customers 

Self-Service (N=4,038), Staff-Assisted (N=542) Core Customers 

Circuit Breaker Intensive and Training Customers (N=135)

Percent Employed Pre and Post One-Stop Registration 

Self Service and Staff Assisted Core Customers who Registered between October 2000 and 

Intensive and Training “Circuit Breaker” Customers who Registered between January 2000 and 

23

11

13

20

33 34

9

16

14

26

11

15 14

34

23

12

14

17

21

14

17

21

27

12

10

13

19

05

101520253035404550

Pre 0 qtrs Pre 1 qtrs Pre 2 qtrs Pre 3 qtrs Pre 4 qtrs Post 0 qtrsPost 1 qtrsPost 2 qtrsPost 3 qt
119 

We turn next to the pre- and post- earnings levels for the three defined customer 

groups. Figure 4:6 shows eight quarterly observations for each of the three customer 

groups—four pre- One-Stop registration date observations and four post- One-Stop 

registration date observations. Each value plotted here is the median inflation-adjusted 

dollar amount calculated for those who had some reported earnings in a designated 

reference quarter. This means, for example, that different customers may be included in 

particular quarterly calculations, each of which includes only those who had some 

reported earnings in the quarter. 

The correct interpretation of this approach is to treat each median amount 

appearing in Figure 4:6 as the single inflation-adjusted dollar amount that separates a 

sub-group’s members with reported earnings in that quarter into unobserved above and 

below halves. Unusually low or high outlier earnings amounts do not affect the 

calculation of a median value, but concentrations of low or high values do impact the 

resulting amount. 

Figure 4:6 shows that: 

• Each of the three defined groups—the disconnected, the self directed and the staff 

assisted—experienced a decline in earnings during the two quarters immediately 

before One-Stop registration. 

• The decline of pre- One-Stop registration earnings was largest for the disconnected

group and smallest for the self directed group. 

• The pre- One-Stop registration decline of earnings patterns of the disconnected and 

self directed groups described in the previous dot-point is reversed in the post- OneStop registration observation year—the disconnected group has the largest increase in 

earnings (continuous over the four quarters), while the self directed group shows a 

relatively flat profile that does not return to pre- One-Stop registration levels. 

• The staff assisted group earnings profile shows the expected and previously well 

documented ‘dip’ in pre- registration earnings, which for the Eastside Career Center 

is followed by an immediate and then sustained post- registration increase of 

inflation-adjusted median earnings to a level higher than any of the four preregistration quarters observed. 

Federal Employment Data Exchange System (FEDES) Records 

Under the FEDES Pilot Project, Maryland was charged to create a data exchange 

environment to provide states and other grantees access to Federal civilian and military 

employment records. The following agencies provide data: Office of Personnel 

Management (OPM), Department of Defense (DOD) and the United States Postal Service 

(USPS). The FEDES project began operations in November 2003. 
120 

Table 4:2 FEDES Data, Federal Employment Wage Matches 

Eastside Customer Total N FEDES N % of Total % OPM % DOD % USPS 

Self-Directed Core 4,038 66 1.60% 53% 8% 39% 

Staff-Assisted Core 542 14 2.60% 43% 7% 50% 

Circuit Breaker 135 1 0.10% 100% 0% 0% 

FINDINGS FROM THE EMPLOYER PERCEPTIONS SURVEY 

Introduction 

The Jacob France Institute of the University of Baltimore designed and 

implemented a mail-based survey of businesses located in Baltimore City in July 2005. 

The goal of this survey was to collect information on the methods used by local 

businesses to recruit employees and to increase the understanding of how local employers 

view a range of workforce providers. Firms were asked questions regarding their 

employment, their plans to hire additional workers, their methods used to recruit 

employees, their assessment of workforce providers, and the groups of persons that use 

workforce provider services. 

Survey Methodology 

This survey was designed to target five specific industries within Baltimore City. 

These industries were: Health/bioscience; Business services; Construction; Information 

technology; and Hospitality/tourism. Each business employed a total of 10 or more 

persons, with Hospitality/tourism firms employing at least 25 persons. The Dun and 

Bradstreet iMarket database was used to identify the businesses that were targeted for this 

survey. 

Once a survey instrument was developed, the survey was mailed to a total of 

1,033 Baltimore City firms, including a postage-paid return envelope. Firms were also 

given the option to fax the completed survey back to the Jacob France Institute. Two 

rounds of surveys were mailed to each firm that had not completed a survey with a 

postcard reminder sent between each round of survey mailing. Of the 1,033 firms that 

were mailed a survey, there were 62 responses for response rate of 6 percent. 

Employment 

Surveyed firms were asked to provide their current number of employees and 

about their plans (if any) to hire additional employees during the remainder of 2005. If 

these firms were planning to hire additional workers, they were asked to choose the 

occupational classification that these new employees would be hired to fill. The 
121 

occupational classifications are general types of positions that include a range of job 

titles. 

The 60 firms that provided their employment information currently employ a total 

of 12,910 full-time employees and 33,355 part-time workers in the Baltimore area (see 

Table 5). Per firm, this equates to 215 full-time and 56 part-time workers. The average 

employment per responding firm was driven by several large Health/bioscience firms and 

Hospitality/tourism firms. Fifty-eight percent (58 percent) of the responding firms 

employ fewer than 49 total full and part-time workers, 35 percent employ between 50 to 

Table 5 

 499 workers, and 7 percent employ over 500 workers (see Table 6). 

Table 6 

When asked if their firm has plans to hire additional employees in 2005, 78 

percent of the firms responded that they plan on increasing their employment (see Table 

7). Of the 47 firms that plan on increasing their employment, they intend to hire an 

additional 1,589 full-time and 621 part-time workers (see Table 8). 

Average

Number per Firm

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 2 3%

Total Valid Responses 60 

Full-time 12,910 215

Part-time 3,355 56

Q1A: Number of Employees Currently Employed by Surveyed Firms in Baltimore Area

Number of Percent

Firms of Total

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 2 3%

Total Valid Responses 60 

1 to 19 Employees 17 28%

20 to 49 Employees 18 30%

50 to 99 Employees 10 17%

100 to 499 Employees 11 18%

500 and Above Employees 4 7%

Q1B: Number of Firms by Employment Size 
122 

The majority of firms (72 percent) plan to hire between 1 and 19 full and parttime employees in the remainder of 2005 (see Table 9). Twenty percent (20 percent) plan 

to hire between 20 to 99 employees, and 8 percent plan to hire 100 or more full and parttime employees. 

The firms that plan on increasing their employment were also asked to choose 

from a pre-selected list of occupational classifications that these hires would be filling 

(see Table 10). Firms were allowed to select more than one type of position that they 

intend to fill in the remainder of 2005. Over half of the responding firms (53 percent), 

reported that they intend to hire persons for managerial positions. Nearly half (49 

percent) intend to hire persons for clerical/secretarial/administrative positions and 45 

percent intend to hire unskilled workers/laborers. Thirty-six percent of firms reported 

Percent

Responses of Total

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 2 3%

Total Valid Responses 60 

Yes 47 78%

No 3 5%

Don’t Know 10 17%

Table 7

Q2A: Do You Expect Your Business to Hire Locally in the Remainder of 2005?

Average

Number per Firm

Total Valid Responses 47 

Full-time 1,589 34

Part-time 621 13

Table 8

Q2B: Number of Employees to be Hired Locally by End of 2005

Number of Percent

Firms of Total

Total Responses 47 

No Response/No Answer 1 2%

Total Valid Responses 46 

1 to 19 Employees 33 72%

20 to 49 Employees 5 11%

50 to 99 Employees 4 9%

100 to 499 Employees 2 4%

500 and Above Employees 2 4%

Number of Firms by the Number Employees they are Expecting to Hire

Table 9
123 

planning to hire persons for sales/marketing positions and 32 percent of firms are 

planning to hire persons for manufacturing/skilled trade positions. 

Employee Recruitment 

A goal of this survey was to collect information on the quality of the local 

workforce and to identify the means that local businesses in Baltimore City use to recruit 

workers. Firms were asked about the difficulty faced in finding qualified applicants, the 

types of recruitment problems they are facing, and the services that they use to recruit 

employees. 

While 30 percent of firms responded that they did not find it difficult to find 

qualified applicants, 57 percent of firms stated that they find it difficult to find qualified 

applicants, and 12 percent found it very difficult to find qualified applicants currently 

(see Table 11). When asked why they experienced difficulty in finding applicants, 

several reasons were mentioned. The greatest problems faced by responding firms 

included that there are too few candidates (49 percent), that candidates lack basic skills 

(49 percent), they lack responsible behavior (32 percent), they lack the necessary 

technical skills (27 percent), and they lack training/vocational skills (27percent) (see 

Table 12). 

Percent

Number of Total

Total Valid Responses 47 

Managerial 25 53%

Clerical/secretarial/administrative 23 49%

Unskilled workers/laborers 21 45%

Sales/marketing 17 36%

Manufacturing/skilled trade 15 32%

Computer programmers/analysts 6 13%

Computer technicians/operators 6 13%

Laboratory/technical 6 13%

Engineers/scientists 3 6%

Other 13 28%

The percent of total responses is greater than 100% since firms were allowed to choose more than one response.

Q2C: For Which Position Groups Will New Employees be Hired For?

Table 10

Percent

Number of Total

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 2 3%

Total Valid Responses 60 

Very difficult 7 12%

Difficult 34 57%

Not difficult 18 30%

Easy 0 0%

Not hiring 1 2%

Table 11

Q3A: Current Ability of Businesses to Find Qualified Applicants
124 

Firms were also asked about the methods that they use to recruit employees (see 

Table 13). Responding firms cited using numerous methods to recruit employees. The 

most frequently used methods included: newspaper advertisement (79 percent); existing 

employee referrals (69 percent); using online services (52 percent); four-year colleges 

and universities (39 percent); and temporary service agencies (31 percent). 

Percent

Number of Total

Total Responses 60 

Not Hiring 1 2%

Total Valid Responses 59 

Too few candidates 29 49%

Candidates lack basic skills 29 49%

Candidates lack responsible behavior 19 32%

Candidates lack necessary technical skills 16 27%

Candidates lack training/vocational skills 16 27%

Job offers are rejected by candidates 9 15%

Candidates overqualified for available positions 8 14%

Difficult to retain newly hired candidates 7 12%

Candidates lack computer/technology skills 4 7%

We are not experiencing recruitment problems 4 7%

Other 6 10%

The percent of total responses is greater than 100% since firms were allowed to choose more than one response.

Table 12

Q3B: Types of Employee Recruitment Problems Experienced by Firms

Percent

Number of Total

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 0 0%

Total Valid Responses 62 

Newspaper Ads 49 79%

Existing Employee Referrals 43 69%

Online Services 32 52%

4 Year Colleges/Universities 24 39%

Temporary Service Agencies 19 31%

Job Fairs 17 27%

Recruiting Firms 15 24%

Community/Junior/Technical Colleges 15 24%

Community/Faith Based Organizations 8 13%

One Stop Career Centers 5 8%

Local Workforce Investment Board (BWIB) 2 3%

Other 8 13%

The percent of total responses is greater than 100% since firms were allowed to choose more than one response.

Table 13

Q4: Local Recruitment Services Used by Firms in Last 12 Months
125 

When asked which recruitment services their business would consider using, there 

is similarity to the services that are already being used. Sixty-five percent of firms (65 

percent) would use newspaper ads, 60 percent would use existing employee referrals, 45 

percent would use four-year colleges/universities, and 39 percent would use online 

services (see Table 14). 

Numerous employee recruitment services were viewed as being important to 

responding businesses (see Table 15). The most frequently cited services mentioned by 

firms include outreach/recruitment (68 percent), applicant pre-screening (65 percent), 

employee assessment/testing (32 percent), and provision of basic skills training (31 

percent). Pre-screening services and assessment/testing services allow a firm to choose 

potential employees from a smaller pool of applicants that have already been found to 

possess the necessary job requirements or passed some type of test, whether it be drug 

screening or ability to use equipment or machinery. 

Percent

Number of Total

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 0 0%

Total Valid Responses 62 

Newspaper Ads 40 65%

Existing Employee Referrals 37 60%

4 Year Colleges/Universities 28 45%

Online Services 24 39%

Job Fairs 18 29%

Temporary Service Agencies 17 27%

Recruiting Firms 17 27%

Community/Junior/Technical Colleges 15 24%

Community/Faith Based Organizations 11 18%

One Stop Career Centers 9 15%

Local Workforce Investment Board (BWIB) 8 13%

Other 7 11%

The percent of total responses is greater than 100% since firms were allowed to choose more than one response.

Table 14

Q5: Which Local Recruitment Services Would Your Firm Consider Using?
126 

With 52 percent of firms already reporting that they use online services to hire an 

employee, firms were asked to provide the names of the online services that they use (see 

Table 16). The most frequently mentioned online services included Career builder (52 

percent), Monster.com (42 percent), the Maryland Workforce Exchange (10 percent), and 

America’s Job Bank (10 percent). 

Workforce Provider Assessment 

Another goal of this survey was to collect the opinions of local businesses about 

the workforce providers that supply potential employees. Knowing how firms view 

workforce providers is key to understanding the usefulness of workforce providers and 

their success in serving local businesses and the workforce. Firms were asked a series of 

questions regarding their understanding of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, the 

services they believe are offered by a variety of workforce providers, and the types of job 

candidates that are offered by various workforce providers. 

Percent

Number of Total

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 0 0%

Total Valid Responses 62 

Outreach/Recruitment 42 68%

Applicant pre-screening 40 65%

Assessment/Testing 20 32%

Provision of basic skills training 19 31%

Assistance with training grants 11 18%

Provision of job training 11 18%

Human Resources support 10 16%

Assistance with workforce tax credits 7 11%

Transition services to help with layoffs 4 6%

Other 2 3%

Q9: Which Employee Recruitment Services are Most Important to Your Business?

Table 15

Percent

Number of Total

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 0 0%

Total Valid Responses 62 

Careerbuilder.com 32 52%

Monster.com 26 42%

Maryland Workforce Exchange 6 10%

America's Job Bank 6 10%

Yahoo.com Hot Jobs 5 8%

Other 20 32%

We don't recruit online 15 24%

Q10: Online Recruitment Services Used by Firms

Table 16
127 

When asked about the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, 40 percent of firms 

understand the intention of the Act to assist out of work individuals prepare for and to 

find jobs (see Table 17). Forty percent of firms (40 percent) understand the Act to assist 

businesses to connect with qualified candidates for employment, and 21 percent believe 

the intention of the Act to be to promote economic development within local 

communities. 

Surveyed firms were asked their opinion of the services that are provided by a 

range of workforce providers (see Table 18). Firms most frequently responded that 

workforce providers most often provide outreach and recruitment services. Recruiting 

firms were viewed by 71 percent of firms as providing candidate pre-screening and 

temporary service agencies were viewed by 66 percent of firms in providing candidate 

pre-screening. Sixty-three percent (63 percent) of firms viewed Community colleges as 

providing employee training while 52 percent of firms viewed four-year 

colleges/universities as providing employee training. 

Percent

Number of Total

Total Responses 62 

No Response/No Answer 14 23%

Total Valid Responses 48 

Helping out of work individuals prepare for & find jobs 19 40%

Assisting businesses connect with qualified candidates for employment 19 40%

Promoting economic development within local communities 10 21%

Q6: Which Statement Fits Your Firms Understanding of the Workforce Investment Act?

Table 17
Businesses were also asked what types of candidates workforce providers offer to local firms (see Ta

provider was viewed as assisting a variety of candidates. For the population of employed workers seeking a most noted providers were newspaper advertisements, internet/online services, and recruiting firms. For the most frequently cited providers were newspaper ads, temporary service agencies, internet/online services, anbased organizations. 

For the underemployed, the most frequently cited providers were newspaper ads, temporary service a

internet/online services. For targeted populations (Veterans, displaced workers, disabled workers, seniors, a

frequently noted workforce providers were community/faith based organizations and the local Workforce In

(BWIB). 

It was felt that Entry-level workers were most likely available through community colleges, tempora

four-year colleges/universities, and newspaper ads. Four-year colleges/universities, recruiting firms, newspainternet/online services were most frequently cited as providing professionals. 

Outreach Candidate Assessment Human Services 

Workforce Provider and Recruitment Pre-screening and Testing Support Temporary Service Agencies 45% 66% 40% 26% Community/Junior/Technical Colleges 50% 11% 29% 8% 4 Year Universities/Colleges 58% 15% 29% 13% Recruiting Firms 81% 71% 44% 27% One-Stop Career Centers 45% 24% 24% 16% Internet/Online Services 69% 16% 8% 6% Community/Faith Based Organizations 50% 15% 8% 13% Newspaper Ads 84% 3% 2% 5% Local Workforce Investment Board 27% 21% 21% 13% 

Table 18 

Q7: Surveyed Businesses Opinions as to the Services Provided by Workforce Providers
Employed Seeking Underemployed Targete

d 

Workforce Provider Career Change Unemployed (Low Wages) Populations 

Temporary Service Agencies 35% 74% 48% 23% Community/Junior/Technical Colleges 37% 42% 18% 13% 4 Year Universities/Colleges 32% 42% 13% 11% Recruiting Firms 74% 39% 19% 18% One-Stop Career Centers 35% 48% 34% 34% Internet/Online Services 77% 61% 48% 32% Community/Faith Based Organizations 18% 58% 45% 50% 

Newspaper Ads 84% 84% 63% 31% Local Workforce Investment Board 15% 48% 35% 44% 

Table 19 

Q8: Surveyed Businesses Opinions as to the Types of Candidates Workforce Providers Offer 
130 

Conclusions from the Employer Perceptions Survey 

This study reinforces the notion that Baltimore area employers are unaware of the 

public workforce development system, even in the Baltimore Workforce Investment 

Board’s “targeted industries”. 

Nearly three quarters of respondents plan to hire during the remainder of 2005 (72 

percent of respondents). However, 69 percent felt that finding qualified applicants was 

“Difficult” or “Very Difficult”. The top 2 recruitment problems facing employers was 

“too few candidates”, cited by 49 percent, and “candidates lack basic skills” cited by 49 

percent. 

Slightly over one third (34 percent) of respondents felt that the job candidates 

provided by Baltimore One-Stop Career Centers would be underemployed (low wage 

workers), from targeted populations (Veterans, disabled workers, seniors, youth), or 

entry-level workers. A total of 48 percent felt that the job candidates would be currently 

unemployed. Only 16 percent felt that professionals would be provided by One-Stop 

Career Centers. 

Very few cited One-Stop Career Centers (8%) as recruitment methods used in the 

last 12 months, and only 15% said they would consider using them for future recruitment. 

The majority of employers are using newspaper ads (79%), employee referrals (69%), 

and online services (52%) for recruitment. 

Recruitment services that employers indicated as important (outreach/recruitment, 

applicant pre-screening, assessment/testing, basic skills training) are currently offered 

free of charge by Baltimore One-Stops. A total of 42 percent of employers were unsure 

as to what type of workforce services One-Stop Career Centers provide. In addition, 61 

percent were unsure about services provided through the Baltimore Workforce 

Investment Board. 

When asked about their understanding of the Workforce Investment Act, 40 

percent felt it was about assisting employers in finding qualified job candidates. An 

equal number thought it was about helping out of work individuals find a job. Few (21 

percent) thought it was about promoting economic development within the community. 

A 2003 report issued by the Center for Workforce Preparation/U.S. Chamber of 

Commerce found similar opinions among employers across the country regarding the 

public workforce development system.32 A total 77 state and local chambers of 

commerce participated in the survey, and over 3,700 surveys were returned (Maryland 

did not participate in the survey). 

Key findings indicated that half of employers have a hard/very hard time finding 

qualified job applicants. Only 19 percent of surveyed employers have used a One-Stop 

Center in the last 12 months, and 59 percent were not aware of the One-Stop Center(s) in 

their area. The primary reasons cited for not using the public workforce development 

system were lack of awareness about One-Stop Centers, or use of other available 

 

32 Rising to the Challenge: Business Voices on the Public Workforce Development System. Spring 2003. 
131 

resources. Employers’ overall awareness of their Local Workforce Investment Board 

was 28 percent. 

Baltimore Business Employee Recruitment Survey Instrument 

The Merrick School of Business is collecting information to improve our understanding of how local 

businesses recruit new employees. Your willingness to complete this short questionnaire is needed to 

ensure representative coverage of Baltimore area employers. If you do not hire new employees frequently, 

we are still interested in your perspective – how would you approach recruitment? All responses will be 

kept confidential. Questions or comments can be directed to Treva Stack at 410-837-4685. Please feel 

free to make additional comments on either the back of the survey or on a separate sheet of paper. Thank 

you! 

Company Name: Contact Name: 

Address: 

Phone: Email: 

1. Today, how many employees work for your business in the Baltimore area? 

# Full-time # Part-time 

2. Do you expect your business to hire locally in the remainder of 2005? 

 Yes  No  Don’t know/No response 

If yes, how many employees do you expect to be hired locally by the end of December, 2005? 

# Full-time # Part-time 

Which position group(s) include the new local recruits expected to be hired by December, 2005?

(Select all that apply) 

  Managerial  Sales/marketing 

 Computer programmers/analysts  Laboratory/technical 

 Computer technicians/operators  Engineers/scientists 

 Manufacturing/skilled trade  Clerical/secretarial/administrative 

 Unskilled workers/laborers  Other (please describe) 

3. Describe your current ability to find qualified applicants. 

 Very difficult  Difficult  Not difficult  Easy  Not hiring 

 If you’re experiencing recruitment problems, what are they? (Select all that apply) 

 Too few candidates  Job offers are rejected by candidates 

 Candidates lack basic skills  Candidates lack necessary technical skills 

 Candidates lack responsible behavior  Difficult to retain newly hired candidates 

 Candidates overqualified for available positions  Candidates lack training/vocational skills 

 Candidates lack computer/technology skills  We are not experiencing recruitment problems 

 Other (please describe) ______________________________________________ 

4. In the past 12 months, which local recruitment services HAVE YOU USED to hire someone? 

 Temporary Service Agencies  Job Fairs  Community/Junior/Technical Colleges 

 Existing Employee Referrals  Newspaper Ads  One Stop Career Centers 

 4 Year Colleges/Universities  Recruiting Firms  Local Workforce Investment Board 

(BWIB) 
132 

 Community/Faith Based Organizations  Online Services  Other 

(describe)_________________________ 

5. Which local recruitment services would you CONSIDER USING? (Select all that apply) 

 Temporary Service Agencies  Job Fairs  Community/Junior/Technical Colleges 

 Existing Employee Referrals  Newspaper Ads  One Stop Career Centers 

 4 Year Colleges/Universities  Recruiting Firms  Local Workforce Investment Board 

(BWIB) 

 Community/Faith Based Organizations  Online Services  Other 

(describe)_________________________ 

6. Which ONE of the following BEST fits your understanding of the mission of the Workforce 

Investment Act of 1998? (please choose only one response) 

 Helping out of work individuals prepare for and find jobs 

 Assisting businesses connect with qualified candidates for employment 

 Promoting economic development within local communities 

7. Even if you have NEVER USED the following providers, what service(s) do you feel they offer 

local businesses? (Select all that apply) 

SERVICE PROVIDED 

WORKFORCE PROVIDERS 

Outreach and 

Recruitment 

Candidate 

PreScreening 

Assessment 

and Testing 

Human 

Resources 

Support Training 

Unsure of 

their 

Services 

Temporary Service Agencies 

Community/Junior/Technical 

Colleges 

 

4 Year Universities/Colleges 

Recruiting Firms 

One-Stop Career Centers 

Internet/Online Services 

Community/Faith Based 

Organizations 

 

Newspaper Ads 

Local Workforce Investment 

Board (BWIB)

 
133 

8. In your opinion, what types of candidates do each provider offer to local businesses? (Select all 

that apply) 

9. Which of the following employee recruitment services are most important to YOUR business 

locally? (Select all that apply) 

 Outreach/Recruitment  Applicant pre-screening 

 Assessment/Testing  Human Resources support 

 Assistance with training grants  Assistance with workforce tax credits 

 Provision of job training  Provision of basic skills training 

 Transition services to help with layoffs  Other (please describe) 

_______________________________________

10. Has your business used any of the following online recruitment sources? (Select all that apply) 

  Maryland Workforce Exchange  Monster.com  Careerbuilder.com 

 America’s Job Bank  Yahoo.com Hot Jobs  We don’t recruit online 

 Other (please describe) _______________________________________________________

JOB SEEKING CANDIDATES 

WORKFORCE PROVIDERS 

Employed, 

Seeking Career 

Change Unemployed 

Underemployed 

(low wages) 

Targeted 

Populations 

(Veterans, 

Displaced 

Workers, 

Disabled, 

Seniors, 

Youth, 

Other) 

Entry Level 

Workers Professionals 

Temporary Service Agencies 

Community/Junior/Technical 

Colleges 

 

4 Year Universities/Colleges 

Recruiting Firms 

One-Stop Career Centers 

Internet/Online Services 

Community/Faith Based 

Organizations 

 

Newspaper Ads 

Local Workforce Investment 

Board (BWIB)

 
134 

FOUR EMPLOYER CASE STUDIES 

Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 

The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) has been in a 

successful training partnership with Johns Hopkins Hospital for over 8 years. In 1997, 

Johns Hopkins decided they needed to upgrade the skills of many staff to move into new 

positions. They utilized funding made available through the Empower Baltimore 

Management Corporation 33 and partnered with MOED to retrain 47 workers to advance 

into clinical associate, clerical associate, and support associate positions. 

Following the successful completion of this training, 15 JTPA customers were 

trained to fill healthcare transporter positions. This training took place an additional 3 

times over the course of 2 years. 

In 1999, Johns Hopkins approached MOED regarding their critical shortage of 

patient services coordinators. MOED contracted with the Maryland Center for Arts and 

Technology (MCAT) to provide a 12 week Healthcare Administration Training Program 

with paid internships supported by Hopkins. In July 2003, the program was approved by 

the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The program lasts for 20 weeks and 

includes 10 weeks of curriculum training, 2 weeks of employer specific training, and 10 

weeks of a paid internship with the employer. Successful participants are eligible for 

permanent placements with employers. 

The program was a great success and expanded to include positions at nearby 

Mercy Hospital and University of Maryland Medical System. Since the inception of the 

program, over 50 MOED customers have been trained and placed in full-time, permanent 

positions with benefits at Johns Hopkins. The employer has reported significant 

increases in employee retention and approximately 25% of this cohort of employees as 

advanced into level 2 Patient Services Coordinator positions or taken advantage of 

additional incumbent worker initiatives. Financial support has come from WIA 

adult/dislocated worker funds as well as from the Youth Opportunities Grant for out-ofschool youth. 

In 2004, MOED, MCAT and Johns Hopkins Pathology Department met to design 

a new customized training program for entry-level medical laboratory technicians, who 

must possess venipuncture and phlebotomy skills, and are responsible for the collection 

of lab specimens. Six medical lab technicians were trained and hired in the first class. 

There will be a new class of 10 students beginning in the summer of 2005, and 

negotiations are underway to begin a clinical environment worker training for 20 

customers. 

 

33 Baltimore received a $100 million federal grant and $250 million in federal tax incentives as one of 6 winners in 

the federal Empowerment Zone Initiative. Baltimore’s Empowerment Zone extends over 6.8 square miles and 

contains over 70,000 people and 2,000 businesses. 
135 

Johns Hopkins has also been the lead partner in the state funded incumbent 

worker “Skills Based Training for Employment Promotion” (STEP) grant. Beginning in 

2001, MOED has been awarded three consecutive competitive grants averaging $500,000 

to serve low wage, low skill working parents in the healthcare industry. To date, Johns 

Hopkins has supported over 75 workers to be trained as clinical associates, pharmacy 

technicians, medical coders, medical lab technicians, and surgical technicians. Johns 

Hopkins is located approximately two miles from the ECC. 

Second Chance, Inc. 

Second Chance, Inc. is located in an industrial park behind Baltimore Ravens 

Football Stadium and specializes in preserving local architectural history. The non-profit 

business salvages items including ornate stained glass, fireplaces, doors, and tin ceilings 

from old buildings. 

Mark Foster founded the company in 2001 after restoring his own 19th century 

house in Roland Park. Mr. Foster spent a great deal of time trying to find architectural 

elements that were true to the style and era of his own home. He realized that the fine 

detailing that made many of the area’s historic buildings unique were ending up in a 

landfill. At the time, no Baltimore demolition companies were making an effort to do 

any salvage work. 

Second Chance offers a way to preserve some of these materials for new houses. 

The company’s mission is as follows: 

• Deconstructing old buildings (taking a house apart and saving all usable interior 

elements) 

• Salvaging and selling preserved architectural antiques 

• Providing job skills training and employment for Baltimore City residents. 

In the spring of 2003, Second Chance partnered with MOED to provide 

deconstruction on-the-job training. Five city residents participated in the program and 

came from a variety of backgrounds, including construction and mechanics. However, 

they were all dislocated workers looking to obtain new skills and new jobs. In September 

2004 after a 16 week training period, participants completed the program. They are now 

highly skilled deconstruction workers with full time positions that include benefits. All 

have moved into specialized training areas within the business such as retail sales and 

refinishing/restoration/adaptive use of architectural antiques. Two additional classes of 5 

trainees have taken place. Graduates earn on average $14 per hour. 

The company believes that second chances are not just for buildings, but for 

people, too. They are committed to reconnecting ex-offenders to the workforce and 

several have participated in the training program and are now employed with the 

company. Second Chance continues to demonstrate that it is working to preserve 

Baltimore’s past while building a future for its citizens. 
136 

Allen’s Poultry 

The MOED relationship with Allen’s Poultry began approximately one year ago. 

The Eastern Shore poultry processing plant was having difficulty filling positions and 

turned to the Baltimore One-Stop system for assistance. Below is a description of a 

recruitment effort by Allen’s Poultry that took place in July 2005. 

Close to 40 job seeking customers filed into Eastside Career Center for the 

recruitment. They were a mixed group of mostly young men, but many women and older 

customers, as well. All were registered One-Stop customers, and they were waiting to 

hear a presentation by Allen’s Poultry, a poultry processing plant with locations in 

Cordova, MD, Hurlock, MD, and Harbeson, DE. All are small towns in the Delmarva 

area. 

The company’s Human Resource Manager and a Management trainee presented 

information about the company to the potential applicants. The jobs they were offering 

were in the Cordova plant, which is approximately 65 miles away on Maryland’s Eastern 

Shore. The commute runs 1 hour, 20 minutes, and the bus leaves every morning at 

5:30am, Monday-Friday, from the ECC parking lot. Commuters are charged $34 per 

week for this service. 

Workers are currently needed for their production line. New hires are offered 

$7.50/hr, which is raised to $9.05 after 90 days and $9.55 after 6 months, with annual 

raises thereafter. Time and a half is offered for anything over 40 hours. All positions are 

full-time and include health, dental, vision, prescription, life insurance, sick pay, vacation 

time and paid holidays. 

Allen’s Poultry workers essentially are hired to guide the “product” (chicken) 

through machines, and to grade and pack the product. No special skills are required, and 

they are willing to train anyone who is willing to learn. The representative added that 

numerous positions were available and they could potentially hire every qualified 

applicant on the spot. Allen’s Poultry is one of few area employers willing to take a 

chance with ex-offenders. The ECC has a large population of ex-offender customers. 

The representative was extremely up-front about the working conditions. In 

addition to the long commute, employees work in shifts of approximately 12 hours. They 

are required to stand the entire time, and the working conditions are often cold due to 

health code requirements. After discussing the job at length, customers were given an 

opportunity to leave if they were no longer interested. Very few left. 

Applications were filled out and submitted to the HR manager and trainee. After 

speaking with each person individually, applicants were given an appointment to come 

back to Eastside the following week to travel to the plant for a health screening. Potential 

employees are screened for injuries as well as substance abuse. Health screenings take 

place on Tuesdays in Cordova, after which time applicants are transported back to the 

ECC. They are not paid for this day. If they pass the screening, they begin work on the 

following Thursday. 
137 

To date, over 200 customers have entered into employment with Allen’s Poultry, 

with slightly more than half remaining employed currently. 

Proctor and Gamble 

Since February 2004, Staff Management, a high-volume vendor-on-premise 

staffing solutions for the light industrial segment and call center sectors, has been 

working with the ECC to fill positions for Proctor and Gamble. Available jobs include 

assembly line worker, tech worker, manager, and team leader positions for the company’s 

facility located in Northern Baltimore County. The positions pay between $7.15 and $10 

an hour. 

According to the Senior Manager of the company, “Staff Management was 

looking for help in identifying and hiring a large number of qualified candidates in a 

short period of time. The staff at ECC has been incredibly supportive and 

accommodating by providing much more assistance and customer service than is 

typically given. They greet our candidates, help them fill out the information card, and 

manage the flow of candidates for us. We would not have been able to meet the numbers 

we needed without their assistance”. 

The ECC manager reported that as of June 2005, more than 1,000 job seekers had 

been interviewed and 364 had been offered employment. ECC staff also hosts employee 

orientations for newly hired Proctor and Gamble staff. The project will continue until 

full staffing has been achieved. 
138 

CHAPTER 7 

CONCLUSIONS 

Our report has covered more than a decade of local, state and national recreation of how public workforce development services are delivered. We have 

concentrated on a single large city One-Stop—the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of 

Employment Development Eastside Career Center. 

Before undertaking our observations in the Baltimore Eastside Career 

Center (ECC) and collecting related administrative, survey and interview 

information, we defined four questions to be answered. We repeat each of these 

four questions here with answers based on our findings. 

Question 1 

Who seeks what type(s) of One-Stop help? 

Our Answer 

Most of the ECC customers observed and interviewed are African 

American adults, with more women than men represented in this customer base. 

These demographics reflect the ECC location in a part of Eastside Baltimore that 

has not been reached yet by residential and commercial investments nearby. Many 

of the residents in surrounding neighborhoods are single mothers with young 

children and older long-time neighbors, both with limited education and work 

experience qualifications consistent with today’s living wage opportunities. 

We have noted that many Latinos have moved into the adjacent 

neighborhoods, but few of these new arrivals seek ECC help. This is important, 

because it has consequences for how a One-Stop can and should be positioned to 

serve neighborhoods in flux. 

Evidence about job search behaviors accumulated over many decades has 

consistently indicated that word-of-mouth information is a preferred source of 

intelligence about where a person may succeed in finding a satisfactory job. Of 

course, word-of-mouth sharing of information assumes that one’s communication 

network includes people who have valuable information to share. A close-knit 

community of immigrants often satisfies this criterion. A neighborhood of some 

who have been left behind and others who have never experienced a daily work 

routine is far less likely to enjoy this preferred route to success. 

The depth and breadth of help sought by ECC customers is instructive—

there is clear evidence that these are motivated neighbors who share our own 

aspirations for success—education, skills training, a good job and decent earnings. 

At the same time, the cost and time needed to satisfy what many customers seek are 

clear barriers to a successful outcome for most. 
139 

Question 2 

Why do some residents and local businesses not seek ECC help? 

Our Answer 

There are many facets of this issue. We have already mentioned the ‘no 

perceived need’ part of the answer above. Some businesses have what they 

consider to be satisfactory, preferred, personnel recruitment sources. Some 

individuals can rely on dependable networks of relatives, neighbors and friends to 

learn about job opportunities. Both have growing access to free or inexpensive 

electronic sources of job opening information. 

However, there is another facet that offers more promise of wider ECC 

access to individual customers and businesses—it is clear to us that many non-users 

of the ECC are unaware of today’s full portfolio of services. Creative marketing is 

essential for any business that has launched a new product or service. 

Unfortunately, creative marketing is expensive and dispensable when budget stress 

is encountered. 

Question 3 

What happens within the ECC—are the resources and staff expertise 

appropriate and available when needed to satisfy or modify customer expectations? 

Our Answer 

All of the evidence we collected points in one direction—the resources and 

staff expertise are appropriate. One important correlate remains unclear to us—

what use of either staff or other resources would occur if different hours/days of 

ECC operation were available. We do know that the ECC staff has tried different 

evening hour shifts with limited success. We also know that many of the single 

mothers with young children who live nearby do not have the luxury of child-care 

help that would enable them to use ECC learning resources ‘after hours’. 

Question 4 

Are customers who exit the ECC satisfied with their experience(s); and, if 

not, why and with what consequences? 

Our Answer 

Here we encountered what appears to be some contradictory evidence. The 

ECC customers who completed our survey instrument and participated in our 

interviews expressed a uniformly high level of satisfaction and appreciation for 

staff help. However, our focus group with ECC staff members elicited a view that 

‘many’ customers have unrealistic expectations and leave frustrated and upset or 

angry. 
140 

RELEVANCE OF FINDINGS FOR 

NEGOTIATION OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 

The importance of additional education and skills training to improve the 

productivity of many individual ECC customers is apparent to everyone—to the 

MOED management team, the ECC staff, the customers themselves, business 

customers who use the ECC, and State of Maryland and national individuals and 

organizations who make decisions that impact the local availability of further 

education and training. 

Regional and state negotiators of performance standards share 

responsibilities to set standards that reflect what covered jurisdictions have an 

opportunity to achieve and likelihood of achieving given their customer base and 

economic conditions. We have documented aspects of diversity that impact the 

opportunity set—customer attributes, business perceptions, and competing bricksand-mortar and electronic intermediaries. The regional economy is strong. 

Ultimately, the likelihood of greater ECC penetration of this robust market will 

depend on improved alignment of individual customer qualifications and 

aspirations with business needs. All interested parties know this. 

A FINAL OBSERVATION 

We began this report with an expressed belief that our findings will help 

those involved in the negotiation of workforce development system performance 

standards gain or renew an appreciation for the importance of diversity and change 

as determinants of the opportunity a One-Stop has to perform and the challenges it 

faces in responding to recognized opportunities. We are confident that this goal 

has been achieved, at least in the offering of useful new information.