County Commissioner’s New Connection with Economic Development: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Supplanting the Workforce Investment Act by Clinton Flowers – Performance Manager Mark Bauer – Director State Workforce Board Missouri Division of Workforce Development 1

The Message? 2

What is in the workforce message? The Workforce Investment Act has been replaced by a more focused, strategic approach! County Commissioners remain Chief Local Elected Officials (CLEOs) appointing or affirming all of the board stakeholders involved. (however, some prescriptions prevail in the law) Regional workforce development boards (WDBs) remain partnership “tables.” Their Directors your friend! Speed and action in learning about these changes is warranted! 3

Workforce Investment Act is going away; replaced by What? The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, signed into place by President Obama July 22, (Reference H.R. 803, WIOA) The WIOA was passed with an overwhelming amount of bi-partisan political support, and it’s writing was shepherded by a large number of supporting experts in the fields of workforce and labor policy and economic development. While a great deal of the supporting governance of WIA will stay in place (with some key modifications) a deeper look into the focus is needed to understand. 4

You will want to get a quality team together in your region! 5

Sector Strategies and Career Pathways are the big deal! Sector strategies are at the core of everything the new workforce investment system is built around. Sector (-based) Strategies: Take a comprehensive, broad-based approach to identifying and addressing skills needs across a range of key industries within a region, rather than focusing on the workforce needs of individual employers, and are intended to be far more affective at defining regional Career Pathways. 6

What are Sector Strategies-Career Pathways ? Step 1: Use labor market information about the region to determine the prevalent industry sectors (sometimes also called the “drivers” of the local economy.) Step 2: Engage employers from these sectors in a partnership forum for discussion. What are their needs for staffing, skills, training and barriers to be removed? Step 3: Equally invest time and resources in a partnership forum for discussion about how readily the region provides skills through education or certification for these needs—Career Pathways. Step 4: Make a workforce investment plan about making these connections and set the Board about the business of delivering on these needs over time. 7

What are Sector Strategies-Career Pathways? Some examples of Sector Strategies in states and regions across the country. See the National Governor’s Association: ASSSReport.pdf Another source is the National Association of Workforce Boards: 8

What are Career Pathways We have one great example of Career Pathways, from Missouri, the above is a link from the Joplin region. 9

A Missouri example of Sector Strategy planning An ever growing number of employers (located among an entire region) experience shortages in finding workers that are certified welders. The Workforce Board engages employers in sectors hiring welders to hear and learn about this skills shortage AND at the same time engages regional education to gather input and develop a plan on how to best increase the supply of certified welder skills (a Career Pathway) in the region. There is a workforce “investment” in a solution that may require action from education, employers, other stakeholders! 10

What is about the same as WIA? Workforce funds still “flow through” DWD as is an administrator of these funds. Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) oversee contracting with a grant recipient of these funds and the One-Stop (Career Center) operator “operates” the Career Center. Chief Local Elected Officials still appoint Board members – but this must be according to the Governor’s membership criteria and process. CLEOs remain accountable for these funds 11

Think this is no real change? When you read between the lines, there is significant change in this. You see Workforce Development Boards, yes they will continue to have sufficient services and programs, but you see this is no longer their primary purpose. The WDBs primary purpose is delivering on the results of employer engagement, sector strategies and career pathways. So……….Less about Career Center services, more about employer engagement (leading to better defining Career Center services). 12

Still Think there is no real change? WIA programs currently serve these customer groups: -- Adults (mostly economically disadvantaged) -- Dislocated Workers -- Youth (aged 16-18) -- Trade Act program -- XXWagner-Peyser (labor exchange services) -- Veterans WIOA ADDS-IN these clients: -- Eligible participants of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, AND -- Eligible participants of the Adult Education and Family Literacy program – High School Equivalency (HSE) formerly known as GED testing. 13

Your Team May Need to Work Harder than Ever! 14

The Framework of this Change √ Employer Engagement √ Sector Strategies √ Career Pathways √ Service Design with new partners will have to be explored (yes, Internet access may be critical to customer access) √ Political stakes are high √ One-Stop Operator must be re-bid out √ Regional planning strategy is needed soon √ CLEOs will make great Board member appointments 15

Virtual, Cloud Computing Connections may be Needed 16

Rough, Early, Potential Anticipated? State Workforce Board seated by July 1, 2015 Because the implementation/transition year begins Local Workforce Boards transitioned from WIA to WIOA by July 1, Because WIOA boards will need time to “engage” employers about sector strategies State Workforce Plan due by September 30, 2015 Local Workforce Plans due by February 1, 2016 July 1, 2016 State&Local Performance due to USDOL 17

Seating a Quality Board is the First Order of Business 18

Workforce Board Members 19 WIA minimumsWIOA minimums 2 each from: economic development,5 from labor organizations and 1 each from economic development, higher education, AEL, VR and W/P (10) education, labor and CBOs, with 10 (12)With 12 business One-Stop Partner agencies and 13 business To some degree, smaller boards could be But here is a big twist on the old formula,achieved, removal of CBOs and One-stop Business must represent the sectors inpartner agencies. Your region!But addition of labor organizations may be a heavy lift for some regions!

A Quality Approach for Appointments! There are two important things to emphasize on quality control with your local board appointments, these are: 1)Your WIB director will have the written policy rules (DWD can copy CLEOs these rules and they will be posted on our DWD website). 2) Please ensure they have a written source of origin and process. A nomination is made by a business organization, passed to the CLEO and endorsed by them before voted upon! 20

Ultimately, we want WIOA to mean Transformation in the economy! 21

Questions not Already Asked? 22