DRAFT

Policy Framework for Providing Training Services

• The policy framework for providing training services combines and leverages multiple sources of public and private training funds, and aligns the State Board and Local Boards with business and industry as well as the overall goals and accountability requirements of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
• Key components of the policy framework for providing training services are:
  1. Identify skill shortages of the workforce;
  2. Prioritize skill shortages according to goals and objectives for the workforce.
  3. Identifying the top three skills (i.e., demand skills);
  4. Identify/develop the training curriculum (and costs) to teach the demand skill(s);
  5. Identify training providers qualified/eligible to teach the curriculum;
  6. Identify resources that can be leveraged to train the workforce in the demand skill(s);
  7. Assess trained individuals for proficiency in the demand skill(s); and
  8. Issue a recognized workforce credential to indicate proficiency in the demand skill(s).
  9. The workforce credential must be recognized by businesses that employ the demand skill as being valid (i.e., assure the business that the individual is proficient in the skill).

The Importance of Credentialing

• The key component of the training policy framework is the workforce credential.
  • This is because the workforce credential captures the entire “value” of all the components of the policy framework.
• The value of the credential is tangible, and therefore, the credential represents a form of “currency” understood by businesses that employ the skill, individuals who possesses the skill, and administrative entities responsible for enhancing the workforce.
• The credential promotes meeting WIA performance standards.
• The credential promotes State and local workforce goals and return on investment through:
  1. Portability – The workforce credential would be recognized by business Statewide.
  2. Skill Transferability – Individuals holding the workforce credential are able to be productive across different businesses with the same skill requirements.
  3. Worker Mobility – Individuals holding a workforce credential are able to relocate with greater job stability and security.
  4. Education and Training Consistency – Learning objectives, curricula and instructor qualifications are the same across and within geographic areas when education and training is aligned with a workforce credential.

Role of State and Local Workforce Investment Boards

• The State and Local Workforce Investment Boards have substantial responsibility and accountability for the effective and efficient delivery of workforce training services for their respective areas.
  • The State Workforce Investment Board’s role is to assure that State/National workforce initiatives align with the policy framework
  • Local Workforce Investment Boards’ role is to assure that local workforce initiatives align with the policy framework.

Issues

• Getting the State Board and Local Boards to embrace the workforce credential.
  • Reconciling partner members’ goals and objectives with the overall goal of serving the State workforce and local workforce.
• Getting business to embrace the workforce credential. This will require showing business that the credential:
  • Serves their needs (assurance),
  • Demonstrates a benefit (costs savings) over in-house/industry methods.
• Reconciling credentialing efforts/systems (e.g., WorkKeys, National Institue For Literacy, National Skills Standards) in developing State and local workforce credentials.
• How will the credential be issued (e.g., by who, what is the testing procedure, etc)?