Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
Washington Workforce Development News
June 9, 2020
WORKFORCE BOARD TO HOLD SPECIAL JUNE 22 MEETING RELATED TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY
The Workforce Board is holding a (virtual) board meeting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, June 22. Board members are expected to take action on several policy recommendations focused on the workforce system’s response to COVID-19 and economic recovery. More details coming soon! https://www.wtb.wa.gov/workforce-board/board-meetings-agendas/
MICROSOFT & LINKEDIN TO HOLD THURSDAY WEBCAST ON EXPANDING DIGITAL SKILLS AS ECONOMY CHANGES
The COVID-19 pandemic has created an economic crisis, putting millions of people out of work. As economies start to reopen, the jobs people held in February may no longer exist. Microsoft and LinkedIn are hosting a global webcast this Thursday, June 11 that starts at 8 a.m. featuring the two companies’ CEOs and other leaders as they discuss how to help workers develop digital technology skills, wherever they are starting from, to ensure an inclusive economic recovery. Webcast info: https://aka.ms/Skills
COVID-19 WEBINARS PROVIDE WA SMALL BUSINESSES WITH INFORMATION ON RESOURCES, REGULATIONS
The state’s Employment Security Department and other partners are holding a series of webinars throughout June and July to help the state’s small business owners learn more about resources and regulations related to the COVID-19 crisis, including steps to take in re-opening. Webinars include an “open mic” time for participants to ask questions. Select from a range of time and dates, and register, at: https://bit.ly/37f938k
RETAIN WASHINGTON SEEKS INJURED WORKERS FOR RESEARCH STUDY
A return-to-work program in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, is making support available to help injured workers receive the health and wellness assistance and employment resources they need to continue working. RETAIN Washington’s program focuses on early coordination of services for injured or ill individuals. The organization is recruiting up to 250 candidates through September 30 of this year to participate in a pilot research study that measures whether certain interventions, including case management, can help those with injuries or disabilities stay on the job or return to work. The program is targeted at those who were NOT injured on the job and are not receiving disability benefits through Social Security. More information: www.retainwa.org
WA HEALTH WORKFORCE DATA SHOW INITIAL UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS MAY HAVE PEAKED
The University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies has been tracking initial unemployment claims in Washington on a weekly basis using data from the Washington State Employment Security Department and with the support of the state’s Workforce Board. The analysis to date suggests we have passed the peak of initial healthcare unemployment claims, with large job loss among oral health workers given that most dental clinics closed due to shelter-in-place orders. The Workforce Board staffs the state’s Health Workforce Council, which works closely with the UW Center for Health Workforce Studies to address challenges facing our state’s health workforce. Find out more about the Health Workforce Council at: https://www.wtb.wa.gov/planning-programs/health-workforce-council/
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Brrr…Lately it’s seemed more like January than June. But summer is coming, right? Share some workforce warmth when you share this newsletter with a friend. To subscribe, or unsubscribe (we'll miss you), email workforce@wtb.wa.gov