Updates on Integrated Education and Training (IET)

In the alphabet soup that is ABE, there are a few letters that have risen to the top during the past year.  They are the letters I, E, and T.  IET is Integrated Education and Training. IET is part of WIOA – the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act – which is the federal law that applies to adult education programs across the country.

Section 203 of WIOA defines an IET program as: “…a service approach that provides adult education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation activities and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster for the purpose of educational and career advancement.”

Despite being passed in 2014, WIOA is still being unpacked by ABE programs all across the country, and there is a focused effort nationwide to move forward with IETs.  Minnesota ABE is part of this journey forward.  To guide and support ABE programs in Minnesota, ATLAS has planned a few IET-focused activities this fall with more events coming throughout the year.  Here are a few of the IET-focused activities for the fall.

IET Design Toolkit

The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) recently announced and released the IET Design Toolkit. The IET Design Toolkit “guides users through a team-based approach to developing customized IET solutions that address the needs of adult learners and local businesses through four iterative phases: Research and Assess, Design and Plan, Develop and Implement, and Evaluate and Improve.”

IET Design Camp

The IET Design Camp is an Office of Career and Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE)-sponsored professional development opportunity.  The focus of the IET Design Camp is to “facilitate the expansion of IET programs as a way for adult learners to accelerate the time to employment and address the staffing needs that employers face across the country.”

A team made up of ABE instructors and administrators from across Minnesota has started the work of unpacking the IET Design Toolkit to gain a better understanding how to design an IET.  The MN Team is part of a large group of states all focused on this important work.  Look for updates on the IET Design Camp in MN ABE Connect or at other ATLAS-sponsored events.

IET 101 – Revisited at the Fall Regional Event

The upcoming Fall 2021 ABE Conference: Still Here, Still Awesome! – virtual event on November 5 will have a session highlighting the basics of Integrated Education and Training.  Join us as we all continue to learn more about IETs.

REGISTER NOW >>

Other IET and ACP Resources

• The LINCS site is a great starting point to dig deeper into the IET Toolkit whether you’re a program administrator or part of the instructional staff. LINCS also has a community for all things around Career Pathways.  Join the LINCS Community to learn more from ABE colleagues around the country.  There are many resources available in the LINCS Adult Education & Literacy Resource Collection.  Of note is the 2021 Compendium of Innovative Practices: Adult Education Bridge Programs and Integrated Education and Training (IET) Programs.
• An earlier MN ABE Connect newsletter article focused on IET basics including key components and resources.
• The IET playlist on the MN ABE PD YouTube channel (http://tinyurl.com/mnabepd) contains recordings of several IET-focused webinars presented in the past year. The IET playlist includes:
  • Designing IET Programs: The Single Set of Learning Objectives
  • Integrated Education and Training (IET) 101
  • Using ACES/TIPF to Develop Workplace Preparation Activities

Learn with us as we embark on the IET journey!

Originally published 10/4/21