The Governor of New York and the State Board have a vision for the implementation of the Workforce Investment Act. Both envision the utilization of an integrated workforce development system as an economic tool to promote and continue the economic vitality of the State.
The goal of the State's workforce development system is to increase the employment, retention and earnings of the job seeker customers as well as to increase the quantity and quality of their occupational skills. As a result, the system seeks to improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the State and its businesses.
The new global economy, increased customer expectations and system accountabilities will require the system to re-dedicate its services to meet the workforce needs of businesses. Businesses need innovative approaches to recruitment, retention and training of the incumbent and emerging workforce at “internet speed” to fuel their continued growth.
The Workforce Investment Act provides opportunities and challenges for states and local areas to streamline services by consolidating a variety of federal job training programs and provides for universal access and customer choice. The system in New York will be built upon greater local flexibility to meet the economic and workforce needs of local communities.
The Governor, in conjunction with the State Board, will set a cultural foundation for the workforce system in our State. It will emphasize the principles of customer focus, continuous improvement and personal responsibility.
The State Plan is an evolutionary document, which will be modified as the State Board refines its vision and priorities for the system. The State's implementation of WIA on July 1, 2000 represents the starting point for transition to a fully integrated workforce system. This system will focus on the needs of businesses for a quality and competitive workforce and will be built upon the principles that were articulated in the report to the Governor, entitled New York's Workforce Development System.
The number of private sector jobs in New York State is at an all-time high; in fact, the number of private sector jobs in both downstate and upstate areas set new records in the last year. The percentage of the State's population that is age 16 and over and employed has grown consistently since 1995, an indication that more people have access to the workplace and the road to self-sufficiency. The inflation-adjusted wages of workers in New York have increased on average by nearly 11% from 1994-1998.
New York's current economic environment presents an excellent opportunity to build a workforce development system that assists all workers (emerging, transitional and incumbent) and all businesses. The Workforce Investment Act will be the catalyst to that change, as these changes do not occur overnight nor can they occur in a vacuum. The changes will require considerable effort and partnership across federal, state and local agencies, as well as leadership from the private sector business community if the system is to meet the needs of both the job seekers and businesses.
With increased private sector input and leadership, the State's workforce development system will provide workers with relevant and necessary skills to assist businesses in maintaining a competitive edge in the global economy and assist workers in achieving meaningful skills. The accountability system will measure the success of the workforce development system through outcome-based measures, customer satisfaction surveys, and productivity.