Workforce (WIOA)

Physical Address:
584 NW Bingo Rd, Building 300
Lawton, OK 73507

Mailing Address:
PO Box 908
Lawton, OK 73502

Phone:
(580) 360-0681

Fax Number:
(580)-492-3770

Hours of Operation:
Mon - Fri: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Mission

The mission of the Comanche Nation Workforce is to support employment and training services for the unemployed, newly employed, and/or currently employed Comanche Nation tribal members and to support employment and training services for the unemployed, underemployed, or low-income of different federally recognized tribal members, in order to:

• Develop more fully the academic, occupational, and literacy skills of such individuals.
• Make such individuals more competitive in the workforce and to equip them with the entrepreneurial skills necessary for successful self-employment.
• Promote the economic and social development of Native American communities in accordance with the goals and values of such communities.

Services

Workforce Departmental Services

Work Experience – Adults (WE)

The Work Experience program provides unemployed adult clients, 18 years of age or older, an opportunity to receive employability training in the private or public job sector. Program participants are placed at worksites for a 12-week period (up to 40 hours per week no longer than 480 in duration) and receive a pay rate of at least $15.00 per hour not to exceed $20.00. Clients will be placed according to educational attainment, job experience, and career interest. Each client will be required to attend a 1-day Career Development training course as a stipulation of program participation. Upon completion of the Work Experience program, if a worksite plans to hire a client as a full-time, permanent employee, an emergency extension of two (2) weeks may be granted, if funding is available. The goal of the Work Experience program is to assist clients in attaining new skill sets or adapting current skill sets to anew work setting, entering back into workforce for long term unemployed clients. Service provided one (1) time a year, if client successfully completes the Work Experience program their reset date will be one year from start date. Clients who do not complete the Work Experience program for whatever reason, must wait and reapply after one (1) year waiting period from their exit date.

On-The-Job Training Contract (OJT)

Should an employer be interested in hiring a participant as a full-time, permanent employee after completing the Work Experience program or possess equivalent skills where the work experience program is not acquired, they can enter into an On-The-Job Training contract with the Comanche Nation Workforce and worksite, if the worksite plans to offer the client unsubsidized employment and the OJT contract is approved. The OJT contract gives the employer time to evaluate the participant’s work ethic and skills whole on the job and make appropriate employability accommodations to have the participant become a full-time unsubsidized employee. The On-the-Job training program reimburses an employer up to 50% of the wages earned by a client during the length of the OJT contract. Service is provided once per year.

Classroom Training (CRT)

Classroom Training program provides financial assistance to clients who want to enroll or have enrolled in a short-term training course (6 months or less) at a technology center or trade school and assists with the costs of books and tuition, if needed. Program participants may receive a stipend of

$10.00 per hour for seat time spent in a supervised classroom setting, at the discretion of the Classroom Training Coordinator. Supplementary funding is available for those client’s requesting assistance with obtaining a GED (6 months or less). Service provided once per year unless funding is available for clients who successfully completed CRT courses, so that further CRT courses can be provided.

Youth Empowerment Program (YEP)

The Youth Empowerment Program provides eligible clients, ages 14 to 22 years old (CNG funded) and ages 14 to 24 years old (federally funded), with an opportunity to receive employability training services in the private or public job sector. Program participants are placed at worksites during the summer for an 8-week period (up to 40 hours a week plus receive a minimum pay rate of $10.00 to $12.00 per hour for high school youth and college youth will receive rate from $13.00 to $15.00. An extension up to 2 weeks may be granted should the worksite request additional employment services and additional assistance and help, if funding is still available. In order to participate, all potential applicants will need to be passing all their required classes. Those applicants failing will need to attend tutoring to raise grades to passing before they can participate on the summer session employment component. All participants will be allowed to participate in the year-round session. We will have activities during school breaks for fall, winter, and spring breaks.

Supportive Service (SS)

Supportive Services are available to newly employed, full or part-time adult clients, 18 years or older. Financial assistance is provided to eligible clients to assist with work-related clothing and/or tools, as well as public transportation (two bus passes only, via CN Transit or public transportation). Financial assistance is provided to eligible clients to assist with work-related clothing (up to $200.00 for part-time, and $300.00 for full-time). Service is provided once per year for newly employed clients (regardless of whether new employment is acquired several times throughout the year).

Employability Enhancement (EE)

Employability Enhancement services are available to full-time or part-time employed adult clients and /or newly employed adult clients 18 years or older, who require financial assistance with car repairs (cosmetic repairs for vehicles will not be allowed, only exception of windshield repairs to avoid legal fees) license reinstatement/renewal or occupational license fees needed to maintain or retain their employment. The amount awarded per participant will be up to $500 for part-time participants and up to $ 1,000 for full-time participants, license reinstatement/renewal, or occupational license fees needed to maintain or retain their employment. Car repairs and vehicle tires are provided once every two years; every other service is provided once per year (Even if new employment is acquired several times throughout the year).

The Job Verification Form must be completed by the employer and emailed back to the Comanche Nation Workforce to complete the application process.