FCM Blog

Chambers & Business Organizations Support WIA Reauthorization: Innovations in Legislative Outreach

The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) represents business-led Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) that coordinate and leverage workforce strategies with education and economic development stakeholders within their local communities, to ensure that state and local workforce development and job training programs meet the needs of businesses. This system is funded through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), which authorizes over 550 WIBs to oversee and coordinate services through a network of 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers.

Reauthorization of WIA has had its share of critics, so NAWB has taken several steps to educate Congress that the workforce system is an important one for businesses across the country.  The latest undertaking was led by NAWB Board Chair Laurie Moran who serves as the chief executive officer for the Danville Virginia Chamber of Commerce.  Ms. Moran coordinated a comprehensive outreach strategy with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to engage chamber and business organization support for WIA reauthorization.

Moran said, “The letter of support has been signed by more than 70 chambers and regional business organizations with support growing daily. As the chair of my local WIB, I can tell you that WIA funds and programs are critical to my community and regional economy.”

Chambers of Commerce and regional business organizations across America representing over 50,000 businesses sent a clear message to Congress through a letter of support for WIA reauthorization. The letter of support was sent to the Democratic and Republican leadership of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee which is currently considering reauthorization.

“We want to make sure that our Senators understand that reauthorizing WIA and investing in America’s workers is a key priority for the business community,” said Gary Toebben, president & chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.  “Businesses want to expand and create 21^st century jobs, but we can’t do that if we don’t have a workforce with the skills and training needed to fill them.”

This outreach strategy to elected officials can be modeled by other organizations across the country who want to build strong support for its cause to elected officials. The components include a) strong leadership; b) an organized call to action with a clear value proposition; c) a web-based tool to garner support; d) news and social media strategies; and e) a clearly defined timeline.

To view or share the support letter and outreach tools, go to http://www.workforceinvestmentworks.com/wia_reauthorization_support.asp

 

Response to Reno Gazette Journal: Blasting the Workforce Investment Act

A recent op-ed in the Reno Gazette Journal blasts Senator Patty Murray for supporting the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in her new role as a congressional super committee member assigned to deliver $1 trillion in spending cuts.  What is disconcerting is an opinion that all spending is wasteful—particularly funding that supports the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).

First, the op-ed points that hit the mark.

The article calls for a repeal of thousands of federal workplace regulations that drive up employer costs. Yes, businesses are the risk takers and clearly need more incentives and fewer regulations so that they can create jobs. This is a completely separate issue from investing in a system funded through WIA that is led by businesses who have their pulse on their local economies and the workplace skills and labor talent needed to help them grow and achieve success.

The op-ed misses the mark.

The article states that the WIA is yet another federal "jobs training" program that attempts to teach unemployed poor and minority people basic workplace skills and that they system offers training just for general skills (how to write a resume, how to dress for work, how to show up on time) without focusing on specialized fields in demand. What?

Here are the facts on WIA.

The WIA authorizes more than 550 local business-led workforce investments boards (WIBs) that cover all fifty states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Territories to oversee workforce development services through a network of 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers. Over 12,000 businesses across America serve on these boards and are the decision makers around workforce strategies within their local communities—that’s 12,000 businesses that have the pulse on the employment and training needs within their unique markets to prepare and match the skills of workers with the global demands of companies that make the economy tick. 

The system is business driven.  These WIBs coordinate and leverage WIA funding to create high growth sector initiatives that address the prevailing skills gap — a gap that undeniably continues to widen.

Since 2008, enrollment in WIA programs has increased by 234% while funding has remained virtually unchanged. Over the past two years, over 8.5 million jobseekers have utilized federal employment and training services.  More than half – 4.3 million – found jobs through the system during that time.  There is clearly more going on in the system then teaching resume skills and how to show up for work.

There’s no doubt that Congress has to get a grip on spending. But let’s get clear on the facts so that the right cuts can occur and the right investments can continue.

Workforce Investment Alignments with Education, Business & Economic Development

In early 2011, NAWB created a national workforce campaign called Workforce Investment Works—a storytelling website to help America understand the value of the workforce investment system. Launched at a critical time during major budget cuts, the site provided a powerful communication medium to post success stories, innovations and customer quotes. The results to date have been outstanding with over 11,000 online petition signatures to support the workforce investment system, close to 4,000 Facebook cause members, 1,400 success story submissions, and an average of 4,300 visits per month.

Housed in the video section of the site are three videos that tell the story of “the face of workforce development.” The videos showcase how the workforce system benefits education, economic development, and business and industry. To view the videos, go to www.workforceinvestmentworks.com/workforce_video.asp.