A new effort is underway, bringing together a variety of federal and state agencies, to better develop workforce training initiatives across the country.
What is being officially called the Workforce Strategic Planning Collaborative is seeing the Department of Labor partnering with the National Governors Association with a goal, among other things, of making sure workforce programs are demand-driven and actually match employer needs.
The effort is seen as being particularly timely as more and more projects, requiring more and more workers, come into play, funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
In a statement, Brent Parton, assistant secretary at the Labor Department, remarked: “We hope to bolster workforce development services delivered nationwide to ensure that workers in the U.S., including traditionally underserved populations and those with significant barriers to employment, get on a path to high-quality jobs and careers.”
A press release issued by the National Governors Association noted that by federal law states are required to “submit new four-year plans for workforce development in 2024.”
By doing so, the partnership between the Labor Department and the NGA will assist the nation’s governors during that planning process so that “they can achieve their goals.”
“Today’s labor market has made workforce development a top priority for Governors,” remarked Timothy Blute.
“We look forward to helping governors capitalize on this strategic opportunity, address widespread talent shortages, and carry out their vision for building a stronger workforce in their states through this new collaborative,” continues Blute, who is the director of the NGA’s Center for Best Practices.
Workforce development funding opportunities are not only being made available through the huge $1.2 trillion Infrastructure and Investment Act, but also via the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, and the $891 billion Inflation Reduction Act, also passed in 2022.
By Garry Boulard
