Washington Workforce Development News Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
Washington Workforce Development News
Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
December 10, 2019
WORKFORCE BOARD LAUNCHES NEW AGENCY WEBSITE
We’re more than a little excited to share the launch of our new, oh-so-navigable, WordPress powered website. It’s streamlined and stylish, filled with eye-pleasing icons, and includes a streaming social media feed, among other features. We listened to stakeholder feedback during the beta testing phase and the site is better than ever and fresh for the new year! The clock’s ticking so start clicking at www.wtb.wa.gov.
FUTURE OF WORK TASK FORCE PUBLISHES NEW REPORT
The state’s Future of Work Task Force issued a report last week to the Governor and Legislature that includes key policy recommendations to help ensure shared prosperity among Washington’s workers, employers, and communities. The report includes a focus on enhancing worker training so employees can be upskilled as technology accelerates. This first-in-the-nation effort to investigate the future of work was funded by the 2018 Legislature and put Washington in the spotlight as a thought leader. The Legislature funded two staff positions at the Workforce Board and created a 16-member Task Force made up of legislators, business, and labor leaders. The Task Force was charged with developing a set of policy recommendations to help Washington’s businesses and workers prosper together. Read more about the project and download the report at: https://bit.ly/35ao61q
WORKFORCE BOARD STAFF TO TESTIFY ABOUT FUTURE OF WORK TO U.S. HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Speaking of the future of work, the U.S. House Higher Education and Workforce Investment subcommittee has asked Workforce Board staff to testify on December 18 about Washington’s Future of Work project and Task Force. This includes a closer look at how the state’s workforce system currently helps unemployed workers, an overview of the state’s workforce training programs, and more details about the Task Force’s policy recommendations to address upcoming challenges. Nova Gattman, the agency’s Deputy Director for External Affairs, will provide the testimony before a national audience.
WORKFORCE BOARD ISSUES NEW BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REPORT
The Workforce Board has issued a new report that addresses shortages in behavioral health professions in Washington, in collaboration with the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies. Behavioral health is an evolving area that incorporates mental health and substance use treatment. The report’s recommendations were shaped by a workgroup that included health facility leaders, behavioral health providers, educators, organized labor, not-for-profit organizations, and state and local government agencies. A particular focus was on behavioral health licensing reciprocity, and the role of background checks in hiring and retention decisions, with an emphasis on criminal history or substance use disorder. The report is the first phase of a two-part project. https://Bit.ly/BHworkforce
PERKINS V PLAN PERFORMANCE TARGETS OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
The new federal Career and Technical Education (CTE) law, Perkins V, allows states to craft their own performance targets on a range of program success indicators and requires each state to release proposed targets for public comment. Proposed performance targets—both at the secondary (K-12) and postsecondary (community and technical college) levels—for the next three program years, beginning July 1, 2020, are available for review at http://www.wtb.wa.gov/about-us/carl-perkins-cte/. Public comments will be accepted via email through February 7 at workforce@wtb.wa.gov.
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