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Workforce Development 101: What to Call the People

Anyone that is new to workforce development will have to learn the language of the system. There are multiple languages in workforce development. The official terminology written in the laws that govern workforce development programs may be the standard language, but each state and local area has a dialect of the language for its programs. One of the big differences that can vary from state to state or even program within that state is the name that we call the people that use the services.
 
In workforce development, the people that use our services are job seekers. Regardless of their status of youth, older worker, dislocated worker, TANF program, income eligible individual, eligible veteran or spouse, each person that comes to a workforce development program are job seekers. Why do we have so many names for the most basic of terminology? If job seekers are the life-blood of the workforce development system, why do we just not call them “job seekers?”
 
In my area, the current terminology refers to the job seekers as “customers” in one program and “participants” in another. Technically, anyone that participates in a program is a participant. I have also heard youth job seekers referred to as “youth” for youth programs in my area.  Unfortunately, the terminology is not exactly correct. Employers are also “customers” as they hire (purchase) job seekers for positions.  Employers are referred to as “employers.”
 
Having been privileged to meet workforce development professionals from across the United States, I have heard other terminology. In some areas, the term “client” is used. This term was abandoned in my area many years ago, but I have still heard it. I have also heard job seekers referred to as “products.” I can see the concept that an employment ready individual is a “product” ready for hire by the employer, but again this language is not exactly right. 
 
Currently, one of my projects has been the intense study of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA). In the proposed regulations, the people that use the WIOA services are referred to as “participants.”  From a legislative standpoint, this makes complete sense. People that participant in a program are “participants,” but we need to remember that workforce development is more than just people that participate in a program.
 
Why do people participate in programs? The reasons for participation vary. Perhaps the people have a particular barrier to employment that is addressed by the program or maybe the people are participating because they are mandatory to do so based on another factor, such as financial assistance received. Whatever the reason, it is important to remember that the reason that people participate in workforce development programs. People are job seeking. People are job seeking because they either do not have a job or need a better one.  Wouldn’t it be a novel approach to call the people that come to use services to find employment a “job seeker?”
 

Feel free to reach out to me with questions or comments. I can be reached by commenting below or by email at kcirincione@gmail.com. ~Karen Cirincione

Twitter at: @kcirincione.
 

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