Plan would improve Delaware’s efforts to connect educators and employers, and expand work-based learning

WILMINGTON, Del. – The Delaware Pathways Steering Committee presented its Strategic Plan to Governor John Carney on Wednesday – including priorities designed to more effectively connect Delaware educators and employers, create additional work-based learning opportunities for Delaware middle and high school students and better prepare Delaware students to enter college or a career in a high-growth industry.

Governor Carney is committed to expanding work-based learning opportunities for Delaware students, and is reviewing the Committee’s plan.

“Delaware’s economy remains in a period of significant transition, and we should ensure our schools are teaching the skills that employers demand,” said Governor Carney. “That means connecting Delaware’s educators with our employers, allowing our students to gain practical, work-based experience and retooling our workforce development programs to help students and employers succeed. Thank you to the members of the Steering Committee for producing this Strategic Plan, which will help us prepare Delaware’s students to succeed in jobs of the future.”

Governor Carney will speak at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday to the Third Annual Delaware Pathways Conference at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington.

Delaware launched its Pathways to Prosperity initiative in 2015 to establish partnerships between Delaware employers and educators, and better prepare Delaware’s students for college or a career. Governor Jack Markell signed Executive Order 61 last year, creating the Steering Committee to expand the Pathways program.

The Strategic Plan released on Wednesday includes five core priorities:

• Build a comprehensive system of career preparation that aligns with the state and regional economies;
• Scale and sustain meaningful work-based learning experiences for students in grades 7-14;
• Integrate our education and workforce development efforts and data systems;
• Coordinate financial support for Delaware Pathways;
• And engage employers, educators, and service providers to support Delaware Pathways.

The Steering Committee includes representatives from the Delaware Departments of Education and Labor, the Delaware Economic Development Office, the Delaware Workforce Development Board, Delaware Technical Community College, United Way of Delaware, the Delaware Business Roundtable Education Committee, the Rodel Foundation, Capital One, and Delmarva Power.

“The Steering Committee is proud of the report and very pleased that these recommendations will add a level of continuity to the great work already being done in our state to provide middle and high school students career awareness and work-based learning experiences,” said Mark Brainard, President of Delaware Technical Community College, who Chairs the Steering Committee. “Governor Carney’s support of Pathways demonstrates his commitment to building Delaware’s talent pipeline for the future by engaging all of our high school students in comprehensive college and career readiness programs.”

“As the Chair of the Workforce Development Board for Delaware and President of one of the largest businesses in the State, I see the Pathways effort as a critical transformation of how we approach workforce development in the future, and the Strategic Plan represents a significant collaboration across all stakeholders that clearly defines the steps to success,” said Gary Stockbridge, President, Delmarva Power Region for Pepco Holdings, Inc. “I look forward to helping execute this plan and creating a workforce that keeps Delaware competitive and the place to thrive for the business community.”

Click here to read the full report.

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WILMINGTON – A call center has been set up to provide assistance to impacted users of Delaware Job Link whose personal information may have been part of a data breach of the American JobLink (AJL) Alliance website two weeks ago.

Any past user of the Delaware JobLink website can access the call center by dialing (844) 469-3939 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. EDT until 9 p.m. EDT.

“AJL is agreeing to 3 years of free credit reports for impacted Delaware JobLink users through Equifax,” said Department of Labor Secretary, Patrice Gilliam-Johnson. “Delaware JobLink users who call the toll-free number listed above will be given an access code to enroll in Equifax’s free credit report monitoring.”

Impacted users must enroll within the next 90 days, or by mid-June 2017. Equifax also will provide up to $25,000 in identify theft insurance.​

Sometime between March 13, 2017 and March 14, 2017 the America’s JobLink web-based system that links job seekers with employers in Delaware and nine other states was hacked by a malicious third party last week.

Approximately 253,420 Delaware JobLink users dating back to 2007 may be impacted, including 200,201 of these users whose names, dates of birth and social security numbers were potentially breached.

Initial reports showed no evidence that Delaware’s JobLink system was part of the breach; however last week, the Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) and Division of Employment & Training learned that, in fact, Delaware JobLink data had been breached.

DOL staff immediately notified the public and launched its response plan to help impacted JobLink users.

As part of its response, AJL hired an independent forensic firm and brought in the FBI to investigate the breach, which was discovered three weeks after a hacker created a job seeker account in an AJL system. The hacker then exploited a vulnerability in the application code to gain unauthorized access to certain information of other job seekers. This vulnerability has since been eliminated.

This is the first such data breach in the 50-year history of AJL.

“We’re been working diligently to hold AJL accountable in keeping Delaware JobLink users informed and to ensuring their personal information exposed through this hack remains secure,” said Secretary Gilliam-Johnson. “We take very seriously the trust our clients put in us daily and will continue to do our
part to preserve that trust.”

Delaware has very strict contractual agreements with AJL that the state demanded to protect and secure sensitive public information.

Specifically, there are contractual conditions to which AJL was required to agree and adhere as the vendor and host of the JobLink site. One of those conditions is, in the event of a breach, AJL agrees to provide 3-year free credit monitoring, call center and communications about the breach.

In addition to contacting the AJL breach call center, Delaware JobLink users are encouraged to monitor credit reports with major credit reporting agencies listed below:

TransUnion
1 800 916-8800
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
www.transunion.com

Equifax
1 800 685-1111
PO Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
www.equifax.com

Experian
1 888 397-3742
PO Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013
www.experian.com

Individuals may request a fraud alert and or a credit freeze on your file. They may also contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490. See identitytheft.gov/databreach for additional follow-up steps.

If you believe a fraudulent return may have been filed using your information please contact the Delaware Division of Revenue at 1-800-292-7826 or 302-856-5358 or visit our website at www.revenue.delaware.gov for more information regarding identity theft.

Updated, March 23, 2017 – A list of Frequently Asked Questions is being maintained on the DDOL website.

Wilmington – March 22, 2017 America’s JobLink (AJL) web-based system that links job seekers with employers in Delaware and nine other states was hacked by a malicious third party last week.

Approximately 253,420 Delaware JobLink users dating back to 2007 may potentially be impacted, including 200,201 of these users whose names, dates of birth and social security numbers were potentially breached.

Initial reports showed no evidence that Delaware’s JobLink system was part of the breach; however, this afternoon, the Delaware Department of Labor and Division of Employment & Training learned that, in fact, Delaware JobLink data had been breached.

“We are extremely troubled by this reprehensible act and have begun the process of ensuring the personal information associated with the users of the Delaware JobLink website is secured and protected,” said Patrice Gilliam-Johnson, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Labor. “We are working both closely and diligently with AJL to arrange a formal notification of this breach to all those impacted and are in the process of setting up a call center to assist us in remedying this matter.”

Upon suspecting malicious activity last week, AJL hired an independent forensic firm and brought in the FBI to investigate the breach, which was discovered three weeks after a hacker created a job seeker account in an AJL system.

The hacker then exploited a vulnerability in the application code to gain unauthorized access to certain information of other job seekers. This vulnerability has since been eliminated. This is the first such data breach in the 50-year history of AJL.

The DOL is working with the Delaware Department of Technology & Information on the notification to JobLink users and help setting up credit monitoring and fraud alerts. By next week, AJL will establish a toll-free number for impacted users to call for more information. In the meantime, Delaware JobLink users are encouraged to monitor credit reports with major credit reporting agencies listed below:

TransUnion
1 800 916-8800
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
www.transunion.com

Equifax
1 800 685-1111
PO Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
www.equifax.com

Experian
1 888 397-3742
PO Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013
www.experian.com

Individuals may request a fraud alert and or a credit freeze on your file. They may also contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490. See identitytheft.gov/databreach for additional follow-up steps.

Council will help coordinate crucial public and private services for Delaware families

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney signed Executive Order Five on Tuesday, reestablishing the Family Services Cabinet Council to help coordinate public and private services for Delaware families.

Delaware families continue to face significant challenges – including the high cost of child care; violence and poverty in their neighborhoods; the impact of caring for an aging family member; and the challenges of navigating an economy in transition. The Family Services Cabinet Council will be charged with coordinating public and private services that are often fragmented, and proposing changes to current programs to make the delivery of state services more effective.

Governor Carney will serve as chair of the Council.

Reestablishment of the Council, which was first established under Governor Tom Carper, was an action called for by Governor Carney’s Transition Team in their Action Plan for Delaware. The Council also will work closely with the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review Board (GEAR), which Governor Carney created this month to identify cost savings and efficiencies in state government, and to more effectively operate state programs and services.

“Our challenge is to determine whether the programs and services we offer are effective in moving families out of poverty, improving our system of education and creating opportunities for all Delaware families to succeed,” said Governor Carney. “That requires all of us – government agencies, nonprofits and private business – to work together. That also requires that we measure our progress. The reestablishment of the Family Services Cabinet Council will help us do just that, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of Delaware families.”

The Council will be tasked with implementing innovative tools and strategies for addressing a series of specific issues, including: breaking the school-to-prison pipeline; improving access to early childhood education; increasing the availability of affordable housing; improving access to substance abuse treatment; reducing recidivism in Delaware’s correctional system; expanding job training opportunities; and reducing violence in Delaware’s neighborhoods.

The Council will include eight members of Governor Carney’s Cabinet – the Secretary of the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families; the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services; the Secretary of the Department of Education; the Secretary of the Department of Labor; the Secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security; the Director of the Delaware State Housing Authority; the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; and the Commissioner of the Department of Correction.

“It is our duty to ensure that our children and our families have the necessary tools to be healthy, prosperous, and safe,” said Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long. “The reestablishment of this Council will break down silos in state government and allow for a more collaborative and coordinated approach to address some of the most critical issues we face, so that every Delawarean has a fair shot.”

Dover, DE — Gov. Jack Markell joined the Delaware Department of Labor’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) at Dover Downs to celebrate workplace inclusion by honoring the value and contribution of employees with disabilities and employers who hire them.

“Each year we are proud to honor businesses in our State that have created workplaces that are inclusive of employees from diverse backgrounds as well as those with disabilities,” said DVR Director Andrea Guest, referring to the Dec. 12 event. “We also recognize employees with disabilities who have persevered and overcome barriers to achieve success in the workplace.”

Workplace inclusion is about fostering a culture of diversity that includes hiring people with disabilities.  Employers who create a culture of inclusion gain value by increasing creativity and knowledge including building a united strength to solve today’s complicated business challenges to attain success.

The businesses honored in each county included U.S. Security Associates, Inc. in New Castle, the Delaware Technical Community College at Terry Campus’ Department of Administrative Services in Kent County, and the Pizza King Restaurants in Sussex County. Employers are honored for their achievements to match the right person for their company’s needs based on the person’s skills and abilities, experience, and the job requirements.

The employees honored from each county included an employee from Chesapeake Utilities who is also the President of the Self-Determination group at the ARC of Delaware.  DVR has helped each of these job seekers develop an individualized career pathway which may have included skills building, training, or education with the end goal being employment.

The State Rehabilitation Council is a consumer-driven organization of community, business, and industry members representing DVR Stakeholders.  Last year, DVR placed more than 1,204 people with disabilities into careers and jobs throughout Delaware and the country; more than 300 of those placed were students transitioning from school to employment.

The Delaware Department of Labor Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) is committed to providing individualized services to employers and people with disabilities, developing career pathways that link qualified employees to jobs, resulting in greater independence and a more inclusive workplace.