Skip to Content Skip to Menu

Employment & Training
Association, Inc

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Welder standing in shower of sparks

WIOA – The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) seeks to integrate Wisconsin’s workforce and talent development systems to better serve employers and job seekers in our state.

In South Central Wisconsin, the WorkSmart Network provides WIOA programming designed to help job seekers obtain the work related skills and experience necessary to meet the needs the hiring needs of local business and industry. Through outreach and informational overview activities WorkSmart staff meet with job seekers who are interested in obtaining job placement and occupational training assistance for occupations in high wage, high demand industries. Some of the specific resources and tools staff utilize to help job seekers include: established relationships with hiring managers; On-the-Job Training; paid work experience; job placement and retention services; industry focused short and long term training programming (Welding, Industrial Maintenance, Computer Basics, Industrial Foundations, Associate Degree programs).

WorkSmart is administered by the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin. EATA is the local board’s largest contracted service provider. EATA provides WIOA services to Low Income Adults, Out of School Youth, and Dislocated workers in South Central Wisconsin.

WIOA Eligibility Requirements

Dislocated Worker

  • Laid-off due to no fault of your own, business closing.
  • Previously self-employed
  • Legally eligible to work in the United States

Adult Program

  • Must be 18 years or older
  • Income eligible
  • Legally eligible to work in the United States

Out of School Youth

  • 16 – 24 years of age
  • Documented School Drop-Out for at least 1 quarter
  • Legally eligibleto work in the United States
    OR
    High School graduate with documented barriers to employment
  • Legally eligible to work in the Unted States

Questions?

To learn more about WorkSmart Network please contact us at (608) 288-2459 or register for a WIOA WorkSmart information session on-line at http://worksmartnetwork.org.

Dislocated Worker Testimonial – Kevin Church

Kevin Church was recently released from employment by Oscar Mayer (Kraft Foods). As a Dislocated Worker, Kevin attended a Rapid Response meeting and met one on one with Jeff Kennedy, our Employment Specialist focused on serving individuals being released from Kraft Foods. Initially, Kevin was looking into many different career options, including schooling after his dislocation. Kevin had many questions and worked closely with Jeff to get each and every one answered from the most difficult Unemployment issues to the simplest computer operation questions.

Kevin finally decided on going to the CDL license training at Associated Training Services in Sun Prairie, WI. After passing the Over the Road test, Kevin started to apply for driving positions in the local area. Jeff supported this effort by utilizing our team’s contacts with businesses to promote Kevin and encourage hiring managers to take a closer look at his application.

Jane Budde, a WorkSmart team mate had a connection with Hydrite, and identified a job that would be a perfect fit for Kevin and his driving goals. Jeff and Jane scheduled a tour and a meeting with them for Kevin. Kevin was sold on the opportunity. One interview later Kevin had a position driving a tanker truck between two of Hydrite's plants on 1st shift making $2.00 more per hour than he made at Oscar Mayer. Kevin was very pleased by the services provided by the WorkSmart team and has encouraged his former co-workers to engage with the program to help them identify their career interests and to obtain the job search assistance and training opportunities they need to meet their hiring goals.