DIRECTIVE	:	TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 21-98
TO	:	ALL STATE JTPA LIAISONS ALL STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES ALL STATE WORKER ADJUSTMENT LIAISONS ALL ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER SYSTEM LEADS
FROM	:	DAVID HENSON Director Office of Regional Management
SUBJECT	:	Report on Customer Satisfaction with the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program (SYETP)

1. Purpose. To announce the publication and distribution of a report on customer satisfaction in the SYETP.

2. Reference. Training and Employment Information Notice No. 3-98.

3. Background. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is committed to continuously improving the delivery of employment and training services. With the Government Performance and Results Act calling for government agencies to set strategic goals, and measure program performance, the Department of Labor has increased its efforts to measure and evaluate the performance of employment and training programs.

   As a part of these efforts, ETA contracted with Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) to collect information about customer satisfaction with program services provided through SYETP. This is one of several studies, including Westat's, which were funded to identify key characteristics of effective summer programs.

4. The Report. For this project, SPR conducted customer satisfaction surveys of three types of SYETP customers: program participants, worksite supervisors, and educational instructors. Nationally representative samples of youth, employers, and instructors who were customers of the 1998 SYETP were included in the surveys.

   The report discusses the overall satisfaction with SYETP of each of these three groups; presents the specific findings; draws conclusions; and makes recommendations based on the findings. Overall, a significantly large percentage of survey respondents were very satisfied with the SYETP. The customers surveyed reached very similar conclusions about the summer program and offered specific suggestions on how to improve the SYETP. Both employers and instructors made the following recommendations for improving the program: encourage greater coordination between work and classes, improve academic skills instruction, and encourage longer summer employment with more intensive services. In addition, these customers suggested that service delivery areas (SDAs) provide longer educational services, and consistently provide instructors with information about youth in their programs. The information presented in this report should be helpful at both the Federal and the State levels, in developing policies and guidance for summer programs under the Workforce Investment Act.

5. Distribution. Copies of the report are being provided under separate cover. The report is also available via the Internet at: WWW.WDSC.ORG/SUMMERYOUTH.

6. Action Required. State JTPA liaisons are requested to distribute copies of the report to their SDAs.

7. Inquiries. Questions should be directed to the appropriate Regional Office.

8. Separate Cover. "Customer Satisfaction with Summer Youth Employment and Training Programs"

NOTE: Report not available to DMS