As our economy evolves, Oregon’s workforce system needs to adjust. Funding has continued to slide, even as the number of job seekers has grown – Oregon experienced a 376% increase in people accessing workforce services in the last year. These working learners need newer, faster, more effective ways to regain their competitive edge and succeed in today’s changing workplace.
The best way to address these changes in a time of diminished resources is to refocus the current workforce system into a fully integrated, comprehensive skill development system aligned at the local level. The simplest and most effective way to do this is to utilize and expand the federally required local unified planning process managed by Oregon’s Local Workforce Investment Boards. CLICK HERE TO READ OUR WHITE PAPER.
Local Workforce Investment Boards are the only institutions in the state that are mandated to bring together industry, labor, education/ training/workforce development, social services and economic development for the sole function of creating a workforce development system that meets the needs of the local economy. Under federal and state law, Local Workforce Investment Boards align the education and workforce development resources in their communities. Public policy changes and a modest investment could enable these boards to play an even more comprehensive role.
The planning role of Local Workforce Investment Boards should be expanded to include specific workforce program 
overseen by the Department of Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, and Business Oregon as well as federal workforce development programs at the local level. This expanded role would increase alignment based on community needs, reduce duplication and create a way for programs to work together for the same targets. Funding would not have to flow through the plan, but would have to be aligned with it.
OWP is working to bring a higher level of coordination into the workforce system and ideally to improve outcomes for Oregon’s economy.