I wanted to share with you my experience at the Michigan Works! No Worker Left Behind orientation. First off, is there any place more dreary to visit than a Michigan Works! office? I imagine the doom, gloom, and despair I encounter there can only be surpassed by (or compared to) a prison. I mean the people there are just miserable. Come on people! I know we’re all unemployed and we may feel that our situation is hopeless, but can we not be a little pleasant at the same time? This particular office in Southgate doesn’t do too much to encourage the downtrodden. The office is in an old school – high school or maybe community college - building. The hallways were damp, grey and endless. Walking through, I was one of swarms of people passing doors on either side hung agape as if rows of Venus flytraps awaiting the next unfortunate passerby to enter and become its prey. To her credit, the lone exception to the thick fog of depression enveloping the building was the NWLB orientation presenter Jenny. She was quite pleasant if not entirely cheerful.
The orientation itself, on the other hand, was unnecessary. This was just example one (example two to follow) during this day of why government is not efficient at the tasks it undertakes. The whole purpose of the orientation, namely, to learn about the qualifications and steps required to be accepted and receive funding, could have been done entirely online. In all my weeks of researching the No Worker Left Behind I did not find any source with the clear, concise information I wanted to understand the program.
Basically, here’s how it works. 1.) Attend NWLB orientation, 2.) Attend Career Trends Workshop where you complete an Interest Profiler and research your career by looking up occupations on their O-Net web site, 3.) Attend Career Explorations where you prepare and explore the job market of your occupation, 4.) Take the TABE (Test for Adult Basic Education) test to measure your education and find what training may be necessary in your new field, and lastly, 5.) Make an appointment to meet with a Case Manager who will go over your prior steps and review your TABE test results with you. The crazy thing is all these steps must be completed in person at a Michigan Works! office when they are all suited perfectly to be done online. Fortunately, I was able to knock out two steps in one visit as I took the TABE test while there for orientation last week.
Which brings me to my second rant. When introducing the test, the administrator stated that we will not be getting the results that day. We will not know how we did until 8-10 weeks later when we would meet with our Case Manager. Right away, I new this wasn’t going to be similar to any test I had taken recently (say, the last 15 years). Then, we weren’t ushered into a room with desktop computers, oh no, we were staying right there behind the long, wobbly, decomposing wood tables. Then the tests came out with the scan-tron answer papers and #2 pencils.
Now let me tell you about the tests. When I realized the test would not be computerized, I was expecting the type of test that is individually sealed and is broken open only when the administrator gives permission. Wrong again. These tests have been recycled over and over for probably the past 15 or more years. And the only reason I am that conservative on my estimate is because one of the questions in the test provided an example of a web page that would have been similar to those of that era.
The test was comprised of four sections: reading comprehension, math problems/equations, math in practical application, and language. The test was to determine basic education which was indicated to be through a 12th grade level. I don’t know if they were talking about the 12th grade education of a Detroit Public School graduate, but the test was no where near 12th grade level in my opinion. At its highest, maybe a 9th or 10th grade depending on when you learned about basic geometry. Now, that’s not to say that I answered all the problems correctly, just that it wasn’t too challenging, and when they say basic education, they mean BASIC.
So here is example number two of how the government is not efficient at the tasks it undertakes. My most recent test experience is taking the GMAT. The difference in efficiency and professionalism is night and day. The TABE test could take some notes and best practices from how GMAC administers the GMAT. First, it’s computerized so scan-trons and #2 pencils would be eliminated. (As an aside, are #2 pencils really needed anymore with scan-trons? I know that the polling place in my voting precinct uses as scan-tron system, but it reads blue or black ink. Even that would be a baby step-up for the TABE.) With computerized tests, the results can be given immediately, no more needing to wait. Additionally, make the TABE adaptive. This will give a better indication of where ones strengths and weaknesses lie. Let an engineer or accountant really show off and shine in the math section by getting deeper and deeper into challenging material. Conversely, if someone really struggles with punctuation or spelling let it show. The good thing with adaptive tests is that it really hones in on ones level and proficiency on the topic. I would think that would be what one wants before registering for classes that may be clearly above their abilities. Lastly, a computerized test would allow for someone to move directly on to the next section after completing the prior one. I found myself completing sections of the TABE 5 or 10 minutes before the time expired so I would have to sit and wait. It would have been nice to be allowed to move on and not be held back by someones idea of a standard completion time.
So there you have it. There was my NWLB orientation and TABE feedback. I’m not really looking forward to going back. Next week though is my appointment for my Career Trends Workshop. Oh joy!! And demand is so strong and the system is so incredibly backed-up that processing and registration for the $5,000 in education funds is taking upwards of 10 weeks. So I’ll be missing any Fall admissions deadlines. I hope to make it all moot by getting a job by then.
Posted by hardierworker 
