Overview

Effective policy utilizes the expertise of those closest to the work to create opportunity, reward excellence and manage the cost of implementing solutions.  The Governor’s race is an opportunity to rethink how we create and keep jobs here in Oregon.  OWP has developed “Putting Oregon Back to Work” as a framework for economic and workforce development.  Endorsers include National Skills Coalition and Manufacturing 21 Coalition.

We have identified four short-term policy foci for 2010 within the framework:

• Create and retain jobs - Current workforce training and on-the-job training are two of the most cost effecitve ways to get and keep Oreognians working.

• Employ youth – extremely low rates of youth employment  are devastating our future workforce.  We need to fund programs that give our youth real workforce experience while building skills and the habits that will make them effective and prosperous employees.

• Align workforce development investments – A fully integrated, comprehensive skill development system can only be acheived by utilizing and expanding the federally required local planning role managed by Oregon’s Local Workforce Investment Boards.  State policy must provide the skilled workers that will support the traded sector and aid in the development of career pathways that support Oregon’s growing green companies.

• Restore federal workforce funding - Oregon’s federal Workforce Investment Act funding has decreased by 34%, in the last 10 years. We must reverse this trend.