New York's Workforce Development System

New York State is entering a new era in economic competition. Driven by increasingly rapid technological change, the globalization of markets, and a growing demand for high skill workers, New York State's economy - with a gross domestic product (GDP) greater than Canada's - is experiencing intensified pressure to produce high-quality goods and services at competitive costs. In this new economic environment, low-skill jobs and industries are disappearing to low-wage countries, while desirable high-skill, high-wage jobs and businesses are growing in - and relocating to - areas which have a knowledgeable, adaptable, and highly skilled workforce.

For the State's businesses, success is largely dependent on the quality and skills of their employees. With technology and markets changing virtually overnight, jobseekers who arrive unprepared for a high-performance workplace or fall behind the skills curve face an uncertain future.

New York State needs a seamless education and training system. The current workforce development system is struggling to provide workers with the skills required for today's workplace, which presents a serious problem for employers. The efficiency of the existing system-comprised of education, job training, vocational education, worker retraining, and other entities - is challenged by programs that are separately funded and operated, each with its own goals, standards, programming, and procedures.

In addition, State policy has traditionally focused on the supply side - the skills of workers - and has largely ignored the demand side, or what it takes for businesses to thrive, grow, and create jobs. Linkages with economic development have been sporadic or nonexistent, even though successful businesses benefit not just the economy, but also workers through greater opportunity, increased wages, and a higher standard of living.

While a reborn workforce development system clearly must become demand-side driven responding readily to employers' needs for skilled and qualified workers, the State's resources for radically reengineering the system will not likely increase in the future. Public dollars will therefore need to be spent more efficiently and with greater accountability - not only for greater return on investment, but also to attract the confidence and support of private sector business, engendering a growth cycle of involvement, integration, and private investment in the system.