American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

A Workforce Board Perspective

Douglas Sáenz

Workforce Development Manager

Workforce Alliance

Partnerships are Key Ingredient

It is critical therefore that workforce boards partner with each other regionally and across political jurisdictions, and develop solutions in collaboration with community colleges and other education providers, registered apprenticeship, employers, business and labor organizations, civic groups and community philanthropy to align workforce development services with strategies for regional development.

Strategy

Enable low-income, displaced and under-skilled adults and disconnected youth to acquire the knowledge and skills for success at work in key industries.

Considered an important ‘service delivery innovation’.

Target Industries

Renewable energy Broadband and

telecommunication Health care Advanced

Manufacturing Other high-demand

industry sectors identified by local areas.

Some Policy Guidelines

Consider the value of workforce and economic information.

Should be the foundation of workforce development strategies.

Workforce boards must serve more people than usual

Some Key Provisions

Allowed to pay CC’s up front for full training

Curriculum can be in the can or newly developed

More Key Provisions

Newly developed curricula considered training activity for WIA purposes

Priority service to those receiving public assistance and low income individual

Funds can be used for adult education and basic or English language education

Green Jobs

Green Jobs - "green" is still undefined.

These include investments in – renewable energy infrastructure– energy-efficiency home retrofitting– biofuel development– advanced drive train/vehicle development and

manufacturing.

Green Jobs, Part II

Not all “green jobs” are new but are “green” skills added to existing jobs. – power plant operators– electrical engineers– heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC)

mechanics and installers– roofers and construction managers – wind turbine engineers– solar power plant operators– wind turbine service technicians

More Green Jobs Stuff

$750 million additional to be awarded competitively

For training and placement: – Energy efficiency and

renewable energy – Healthcare– Other high growth/emerging

industries

What Training Services?

• Money must be used by June 30, 2010

• Training services include:– occupational skills training– on-the-job training– programs that combine workplace training

and related instruction including

OJT and Related Instruction

registered apprenticeshiptraining programs operated by the

private sectorskill upgrade and retrainingentrepreneurship trainingjob readiness trainingadult education and literacy trainingcustomized training.

Youth Program Gets a Big Push

Summer youth program - May 1 through Sept 30.

Encourages work experiences and other activities that expose youth to opportunities in “green” educational and career pathways.

Age 16 - 24. WA is working only with 18 - 24.

Participating worksites should introduce and reinforce the rigors, demands, rewards, and sanctions associated with holding a job.

Tasty Food for Thought

Partner to attract talent that matches your company’s niche

Have RWB’s talk to each other for recruitment purposes

Call me, or my counterparts, to act as convener for School District/career awareness

Yummy Food for Thought

Money is here, now Bill targets non-traditional: low income,

usually lower educational background Look at other industries – what similar fields

can play into energy industry Remember, ARRA is separate from regular,

i.e. yearly WIA dollars.