New York City Workforce Investment Board 2008-2010 Strategic Plan …

New York City Workforce Investment Board
2008-2010 Strategic Plan




March 12, 2008
Contents

·   Introduction
·   Mission and Vision
·   WIB Roles: Members and Staff
·   WIB Key Priorities
·   Committee Structure
·   Appendix: WIB Accomplishments 2005-2007




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Introduction
In 2005, the WIB implemented its first strategic plan, the purpose of which was
to define the Board's role in the City's workforce system and identify initiatives
the Board could undertake to support the workforce needs of the City's
businesses and jobseekers (both Adults and Youth).

Since that time, the WIB has achieved the major objectives outlined in its
original Plan. Simultaneously, the workforce system has evolved significantly,
adding new programs and services, including several new initiatives funded by
the Mayor's Center for Economic Opportunity and the City Council to help
advance the City's workforce system.

The purpose of this 2008-2010 plan is to redefine the WIB's priorities within this
context and to align the Board's work with the evolving needs of the City's
workforce system over the next two years.

This workforce system involves the two agencies which administer Workforce
Investment Act funds as well as the many community based organizations,
educational, philanthropic and policy organizations which interact to make
NYC's dynamic workforce development landscape.
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WIB Mission and Vision

The mission of the New York City Workforce Investment Board (WIB) is to
support and link the Mayor's economic development and workforce
development initiatives by ensuring that the City's workforce system can deliver
the skilled workers that local businesses need to grow, compete, and prosper in
the 21st century economy.

The WIB's vision is to be one of the best in the country by leading an effective
workforce system that is on the cutting edge of workforce practices, with an
appetite for innovation, high standards, and application of data analysis.

New York City's workforce system will be demand-driven and responsive to the
economic development goals of the City, efficiently addressing the employment
needs of businesses and jobseekers, and aligning the work of system partners
toward common goals and outcomes.




                                                                                   4
WIB Roles: Members and Staff
Board Members' responsibilities include:
·  Shape Workforce Development Programs
     ­ Create priorities that fall within the vision for the future of the City's workforce system
     ­ Generate ideas to improve and strengthen workforce programs
     ­ Hold the system accountable to high standards of quality and performance
     ­ Provide input on design of workforce services
·  Increase Business Investment
     ­ Promote NYC's workforce system in business community
     ­ Become users of the workforce system and help identify potential new business customers
     ­ Leverage business resources to enhance and expand workforce programs
     ­ Recruit business leaders to serve as WIB members
·  Promote NYC's Workforce System
     ­ Serve as ambassadors of the City's workforce system to external audiences and potential
        partners
     ­ Champion the City's system in state and national policy arenas

 Staff's responsibilities include:
·   Research and inform Board members about workforce trends and events, state and national
    policies, and best practices
·   Inform Board members about any proposed developments to the City's workforce system
·   Engage workforce partners and propose ways to leverage resources or apply for new funds
·   Support the day-to-day planning of committees and operations of Labor Market Information
    Service, website, consultant contracts, etc.


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WIB Key Priorities
The Workforce Investment Board will fulfill its mission through the following
priorities:

1. Advance the performance of the City's workforce services and conduct effective oversight of the
    WIA-supported system to ensure high functioning workforce services

2. Increase business participation, awareness, and use of the WIA-workforce system to support a
    demand-driven approach that meets business need and creates new job opportunities

3. Evaluate and drive priorities for the City's workforce policy agenda to focus on areas where the
    most impact can be made on connecting more businesses with workers and enabling workers to
    advance

4. Encourage the City to adopt innovative best practices and respond to important workforce
    issues occurring at the state and national levels ­ making NYC a workforce development leader

5. Provide local labor market information and analysis of important industry and workforce trends to
    generate a blueprint for effective program development

6. Promote and publicize New York City's workforce initiatives and gains to diverse groups
    (academia, elected officials, foundations, public policy organizations, press) ­ to increase profile
    among thought leaders, learning from these groups and attracting more resources


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1. Advance system performance
Overseeing the country's largest workforce investment area and $77 million
in direct WIA funds, the WIB must ensure that the workforce system is
performing optimally and meeting the needs of the City's jobseekers and
businesses. The Board will do this by:


·   Evaluating and providing input on the design of workforce services for
    businesses and jobseekers ­ making them more effective in addressing
    these customer needs

·   Holding the workforce system accountable to high standards of quality and
    performance

·   Informing and implementing State Department of Labor (NYSDOL)
    directives related to WIA and system partners

               Implemented through member-led industry advisory
               groups; a report card with consistent metrics across
               programs; and WIB staff support in sharing and
                                                                                7
               interpreting NYSDOL directives
2. Increase business participation, awareness, and use

Active participation by the City's business community is critical to the success
of a demand-driven workforce system. In order to increase business
participation, awareness, and use of the workforce system, the Board will:

·   Promote New York City's workforce system among members of the
    business community

·   Identify business customers (including WIB members) that will use the
    workforce system for their hiring and training needs

·   Leverage business resources to enhance and expand the City's workforce
    programs



                 Implemented though recruitment of new business
                 members in key industries; member-led industry
                 advisory groups; and engagement of members to
                 use and invest in system's workforce services                 8
3. Evaluate and drive priorities for City's workforce policy agenda

Based on its diverse members' expertise and its role as a convener, the Board
will help influence the City's workforce policy agenda. The Board will:

·   Develop an understanding of current and future workforce challenges through
    data collection and information sharing from WIB staff

·   Provide NYC with major legislative updates on WIA reauthorization, Labor
    appropriations, etc.

·   Evaluate and establish the top priorities for a local, state and national policy
    agenda - based on where Board can have the greatest impact

·   Focus attention and activities to address these top priorities locally

·   Advocate for federal and state policies that will benefit the City's workforce
    system
                Implemented through key members who will act as
                ambassadors; staff research and information
                dissemination; staff planning for convening events; and
                staff build-out of WIB website                                       9
4. Encourage adoption of best practices and response to important
     workforce news and issues

    Serving as an intermediary between workforce players in NYC and for NYC
    with Washington and Albany, the WIB will inform the local workforce system
    (including CBO partners) about best practices and important workforce issues
    occurring at the state and federal levels. To fulfill this role the WIB will:

·    Keep abreast of important workforce trends (such as the need for career
     advancement strategies) and best practices/service delivery models in order
     to inform local initiatives

·    Draw attention to major workforce issues for youth and adults and identify
     opportunities to educate local workforce system stakeholders about them

·    Alert NYC to state and federal funding opportunities, such as USDOL
     grants, NYSDOL supplemental funds, etc.

                   Implemented through partnerships with workforce
                   agencies and organizations; staff research and
                   information dissemination; staff planning for convening
                   events; and staff build-out of WIB website              10
5. Provide local labor market information and analysis
Access to timely, accurate local labor market information (LMI) is the
foundation of good decision making in a high-performing workforce system.
Continuing the LMI strategy outlined in its 2005 Strategic Plan, the WIB will:

·   Develop the City's capacity to analyze economic and labor market
    information in New York City by launching a new LMI service to be housed
    at CUNY

·   Develop a research agenda to meet the LMI needs of the City's workforce
    stakeholders

·   Commission studies of key industries/boroughs and workforce issues that
    complement existing data and inform the design of workforce programs

·   Support and inform the system's refinement of its target sectors

·   Promote the use of LMI information for planning and policy development
            Implemented through member feedback on research
            agenda; WIB website; dissemination of reports through
            partners; report-release events; and trainings on key data
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            (e.g., LED)
6. Promote and publicize New York City's workforce system

New York City has one of the most dynamic and innovative workforce
systems in the country. By publicizing the system's successes, NYC will be
seen as part of the community of thought leaders. In this way, NYC will
serve as an example for other local workforce areas while learning from
others and attracting more resources. The Board will do this by:
·   Serving as ambassadors of the City's workforce system to business
    community and other external audiences

·   Championing the City's workforce system at the state and national levels

·   Seizing opportunities to promote the success of the City's workforce system

·   Leveraging non-WIA funds to bolster the City's workforce system and
    advocating for federal and state funding for the City's workforce system

              Implemented by members and staff participating in
              conferences, speaking events, and press activities; and
              by staff developing a case for continued federal/state
              funding while applying to additional sources
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  WIB Committee Structure
  The Workforce Investment Board's Committees will help define the work that will be
  done to carry out the elements of this Strategic Plan. There are currently three standing
  committees: the Executive Committee, the Workforce Policy Committee, and the Youth
  Council.
                                    Workforce Investment Board



                                      Workforce Policy Committee
Executive Committee                                                                      Youth Council
                                   The Workforce Policy Committee sets
The Executive Committee acts       policies for, and oversees the performance of,      The Youth Council oversees the
on behalf of the WIB on all        the City's workforce investment system, which       performance of WIA-funded
policy, performance                includes a network of Workforce1 Career             programs for in-school and out of
management, fiscal and             Centers, Business Solutions Centers, and a          school youth. It is responsible for
administrative issues related to   host of employment and training services for        developing strategies to address
the local workforce investment     jobseekers and businesses. The Workforce            the critical workforce challenges
system.                            Policy Committee also oversees the activities       facing the City's youth population.
                                   of non-permanent Workgroups and Industry
                                   Advisory Groups.

Note: The Strategic Planning Committee was dissolved in November 2007 after giving input to the 2008-2010 Strategic
Plan. This was an effort to reduce the number of standing committees in favor or more flexible, short-term workgroups.

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WIB Committee Structure, Cont'd
In addition to its three permanent committees, the WIB is comprised of a
flexible number of Workgroups and Industry Advisory Groups, both of which
are overseen by the Workforce Policy Committee.


                        Workforce Policy Committee



           Workgroups                                     Industry Advisory Groups
· Comprised of stakeholders with content           · Comprised of representatives from key industries
  knowledge/expertise                              · To support existing and innovative programs
· Focused on workforce system priorities where     · Advise on program design
  Board can have greatest impact                   · Advise on industry trends
· Focused on specific outcomes and actions         · Chaired by WIB members
· Promote coordination of stakeholder activities   · Time-limited
  and the pursuit of common objectives
· Chaired by WIB members
· Time-limited
                     Proposed Workgroups include: Business Engagement & Member                    14
                     Recruitment and Transportation Sector Advisory Group