Gov. Steve Beshear by executive order reconstituted the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board, citing the crucial role it will play in giving global companies the competitive edge they need in the Commonwealth.
“The quality of our workforce is the key factor that will dictate Kentucky’s ability to attract the jobs of the future and ensure Kentucky’s prosperity,” said Beshear. “That’s why I’m directing the new board to initiate and oversee critical strategies that will link workforce policies, education and training programs, and funding with the economic development needs of the Commonwealth and its regions in mind.”
Attached to the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, the new KWIB will ensure the state’s compliance with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, the first legislative reform of the public workforce system in more than 15 years. WIOA reauthorizes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
The new law requires a restructuring of state workforce development boards so that at least 51 percent of their membership must represent businesses and 20 percent of the membership is made up of workforce representatives in the state.
“I’d like to thank our former board for the work it did to lay the foundation in our mission to modernize our workforce development system,” said Beshear. “Its guidance in developing and implementing a strategic plan has been the driving force behind transforming our state workforce programs – strategies that have now been recognized nationally as models for other states.”
The governor has instructed the new KWIB to consider and make recommendations on the continuous improvement of the workforce development system. This includes strategically aligning the resources of the state’s workforce, economic and educational systems, business and labor, and elected officials so that workers acquire skills and credentials that businesses need to compete and create jobs in the Commonwealth.
The group’s overarching goal will be to foster a modern system of workforce development activities that will be flexible, coherent and responsive to the needs of business while designed to ensure that Kentucky builds a workforce able to meet the challenges of the 21st century. “I have said many times that our highest priority should be to build a workforce in Kentucky that companies cannot wait to hire,” said Beshear.
Beshear has appointed representatives of major sectors of Kentucky’s economy to the KWIB who come from all parts of the Commonwealth and are associated with both small and large businesses. He has also appointed representatives of critical workforce partners and state and local government. Membership for the new KWIB has been appointed as follows:
‣ Governor
‣ One member of each chamber of the General Assembly
‣ Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet
‣ Secretary of the Cabinet for Economic Development
‣ Secretary of the Labor Cabinet
‣ President of the Council on Postsecondary Education
‣ President of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System
‣ Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education
The governor has appointed the following individuals to serve as members of the Board for terms expiring June 30, 2016:
· Peter Feil, of Fort Thomas, is vice president and general manager for Stober Drives Inc. and shall represent manufacturing.
· Terry Spears, of Pikeville, is a small business banking officer for Community Trust Bank in Pikeville and shall represent business.
· Scott Pierce, of Jamestown, is a union affiliate and shall represent engineering trades.
· James Neihof, of Simpsonville, is superintendent of Shelby County Public Schools and shall represent youth.
· George Steele is mayor of Grayson and shall represent local government.
· Micheal Hale is Barren County judge-executive and shall represent local government.
Because significant dollars for appropriate and timely workforce training are managed and expended by local workforce investment boards, the new law requires the governor to designate local workforce development areas and to identify regions. After a comprehensive analysis of Kentucky’s labor markets, and upon the recommendation of the existing KWIB, Beshear signed an executive order designating 10 Local Workforce Development Areas and identifying four Workforce Development Planning Regions.
The 10 Local Workforce Development Areas have been designated as follows:
· Bluegrass Local Workforce Development Area includes Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Nicholas, Powell, Scott and Woodford counties.
· Cumberlands Local Workforce Development Area includes Adair, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Laurel, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Taylor, Wayne and Whitley counties.
· Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program Local Workforce Development Area includes Bell, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliot, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike and Wolf counties.
· Green River Local Workforce Development Area includes Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union and Webster counties.
· KentuckianaWorks Local Workforce Development Area includes Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble counties.
· Lincoln Trail Local Workforce Development Area includes Breckinridge, Grayson, Hardin, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson and Washington counties.
· Northern Kentucky Local Workforce Development Area includes Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton counties.
· South Central Local Workforce Development Area includes Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren counties.
· TENCO Local Workforce Development Area includes Bath, Boyd, Bracken, Fleming, Greenup, Lewis, Mason, Montgomery, Robertson and Rowan counties.
· West Kentucky Local Workforce Development Area includes Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, Muhlenberg, Todd and Trigg.
Over the past six years, the former KWIB successfully implemented a strategic plan to streamline the workforce development system and improve the accountability and transparency in the operations of the Local Workforce Investment Areas. Initiatives such as High Impact Workforce Investment Boards, Eligible Training Provider List revision, Work Ready Communities and Sector Strategies provide standards and clear strategic direction for the local boards, align relevant regional resources to the needs of business and industry, ensure training providers meet requirements, and offer an accountability system for local citizens and businesses in assuring educational attainment, skills and training, and resources are sufficient and effective.
The Workforce Development Planning Regions are a new component of the system that encourages collaboration to meet the needs of regional economies. These regions will develop plans and coordinate service delivery within each region. Activities will include implementation of sector initiatives for in-demand industry sectors, collection and analysis of regional labor market data, consideration of shared administrative cost arrangements, coordination of transportation and supportive services and alignment with regional economic development.
The four regions have been identified as follows:
· Central Region includes the Bluegrass, KentuckianaWorks, Lincoln Trail and Northern Kentucky Local Workforce Development Areas.
· East Region includes the EKCEP and TENCO Local Workforce Development Areas.
· South Region includes the South Central and Cumberlands Local Workforce Development Areas.
· West Region includes the West Kentucky and Green River Local Workforce Development Areas.
From the Office of the Governor