DIRECTIVE	:	TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 22-95
TO	:	ALL STATE JTPA LIAISONS ALL STATE WAGNER-PEYSER ADMINISTERING AGENCIES ALL STATE WORKER ADJUSTMENT LIAISONS ALL ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER SYSTEM LEADS
FROM	:	BARBARA ANN FARMER Administrator for Regional Management
SUBJECT	:	Announcing the Joint Employment and Training Technology Conference (JETTCON)

1. Purpose. To announce a Joint Employment and Training Technology Conference (JETTCON) July 9 - 11, 1996, at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

2. Background. The public employment and training system is poised for a period of significant change in funding and organization. The new sorting of responsibilities between and among the federal, State and local partners contained in both the current House and Senate legislation creates challenges and promising opportunities.

   ETA views technology as an indispensable component in helping our delivery systems address the effects of these challenges, to exploit latent opportunities, and to accelerate the nation's movement to a world class public employment and training system. Both the President and the Vice President have stressed that technology will play a key role in improving both education and training opportunities of all Americans and reduce the cost of government. With the

   reality of reduced budgets, all levels of government are

   being called on to deliver high-quality, easily-accessible services at a lower cost to the taxpayer, to position those

   services closer to the customer, and to retain the flexibility to respond to dynamic conditions in our labor markets.

3. Conference Objective. With the potential of new employment and training legislation, this particular conference provides an excellent learning opportunity for those engaged in critical workforce development activities. Specifically, JETTCON provides ETA's State and local partners the opportunity --

   • to learn how technology can be used to improve the operation and delivery of workforce development services,

   • to see, touch, and feel these technologies first-hand,

   • to become more knowledgeable consumers of technology.

   In addition, the commercial marketplace, and technology vendors in particular, will have the chance to gain a better understanding of and access to the emerging public workforce development marketplace.

   JETTCON will provide a forum for ongoing discussion of our collaborative system-building efforts at all levels of government, with lively and provocative demonstrations on how today's and tomorrow's technology can be used in the delivery of public employment and training programs and services.

   In anticipation of block grants and program consolidation requirements, ETA has structured meetings and colloquia within the conference format to promote exchanges and networking between and among all system-building partners.

   JETTCON provides a unique, integrated forum where all of ETA's system-building activities can conduct essential dialogues between organizations and experts, and share effective practices and experiences.

4. Conference Overview. JETTCON is a combination of integrated, coordinated events: pre-conference workshops, plenary sessions that will address topics of concern to all members of the employment and training community, concurrent meetings of most of ETA's system-building activities (i.e., One-Stop Career Centers, Enterprise/Pioneers, and America's Labor Market Information System), JETTCON technology workshops and the JETTCON exposition program. Content for the plenary sessions and concurrent meetings is under development and will be distributed to the field as soon as possible.

   JETTCON's technology workshop and exposition program has been organized around integrated thematic tracks:

   Internet - technology used to access and use the Internet to improve program services.

   Operations - technology used to support the operation, administration, and management of public employment and training programs, their money, or their customers.

   Access - technology used to deliver information directly to customers or to establish new pathways for accessing available information resources.

   Training - technology used to deliver training services directly to the customers of the public employment and training system.

   Labor Exchange - technology used to match job seekers with job openings and employers with qualified applicants.

   Quality - technology used to support continuous improvement and total quality management programs.

   Several activities and events have been structured around each track, including:

   Educational Workshops -- an interactive, hands-on learning experience which focuses on the application of technology to that "track" and provides tools to assist consumers in choosing technologies and vendors.

   System Showcases and Presentations -- examples of exemplary uses of technology drawn from the public employment and training system.

   Exhibits -- more than 70 vendors that provide technologies germane to workforce development.

   New Product Demonstrations -- selected exhibitors will be asked to present new and exciting products that are of benefit to the public employment and training community.

   In addition to these activities, ETA's electronic replacement of the outdated Dictionary of Occupational Titles, O*NET, will be showcased.

   The conference is being co-sponsored by the National Alliance of Business (NAB) in partnership with several of ETA's national partner organizations (i.e., Enterprise Council, the American Association of Community Colleges, American Society for Training and Development, Human Resources Development Institute (AFL-CIO), National Association of Counties, National Association of Private Industry Councils, National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, Interstate Conference of Employment Security Agencies, U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, and the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee).

5. Attendance. This conference is designed for leaders, policy makers, and practitioners of States and local governments engaged in planning for or implementing One-Stop Career Centers and local learning laboratories, developing labor market information delivery systems, engaging in system-building activities, and establishing or expanding programs of continuous improvement and quality services to benefit their customers. JETTCON is planning on 1500 participants.

   There is no restriction on attendance. Everyone is invited to attend. However, attendance at a few business meetings conducted by selected groups will be by invitation only.

6. Registration. A registration form is attached to this TEIN. It is being distributed to all State JTPA Liaisons, One-Stop Liaisons, State Employment Security Administrators, and State Worker Adjustment Liaisons. These individuals will then distribute the information as needed.

   Please complete the form and fax or mail it to:

   JETTCON Registration Center
   c/o National Alliance of Business
   1201 New York Avenue, NW
   Suite 700
   Washington, DC 20005
   Fax: (202) 289-1303
   Attention: Makeda White

   Conference brochures are being sent to the following groups and organizations who will distribute them as needed:

   Regional Administrators

   All JETTCON Partners

   LMI Liaisons

   The Enterprise/Pioneers will send brochures as part of a special mailing to their members and others in the JTPA community.

   Copies of this TEIN will be distributed to Job Corps, the Bureau of Apprenticeship Training, School-to-Work, and National Programs. These groups will then disseminate the TEIN to their constituencies.

   You may also register online by bringing up the JETTCON Homepage. The URL address is

   http://www.doleta.gov/media/jettcon. Complete the online registration form and Email it according to the instructions. Do not send any credit card information over the Internet. All individuals who register online will be invoiced. You will then have your choice of payment methods.

   Special registration instructions and a letter will be sent to individuals who had registered for JETTCON in January, paid by personal check or credit card and did not request a refund.

7. Housing Information. Hotel space is being held until June 5, 1996. A limited number of guest rooms are available at the government rate ($124). Please contact the hotel directly for reservations (hotel contact information is contained on the registration form). Be sure to mention JETTCON to secure the government rate.

8. Action. Please share this information with appropriate staff who may be interested in attending JETTCON.

9. Inquiries. If you have any questions about the conference program or general logistics, please contact your Regional Office or the JETTCON support staff at 800-564-4220. As our conference program further develops in May and June 1996, important updates will also be available through the JETTCON Home Page on the Internet at

   http://www.doleta.gov/media/jettcon.

10. Attachment.

    • JETT*CON Registration Form