Governor Charlie Baker swore in members of the new Massachusetts Workforce Development Board at a State House ceremony last Thursday. The board is charged with making recommendations to improve the public workforce system and align policies to strengthen regional economies. Verizon New England’s Region President Donna Cupelo was named the Board’s chair, which will include public officials, business and workforce representatives.
Baker signed legislation establishing the board to advise the administration on policies to further coordinate services and improve performance accountability of the state’s One-Stop Career Centers and regional workforce boards, thus building a stronger public workforce system that is aligned with state education policies and economic development goals. The board also will recommend strategies to promote workforce participation of women, people of color, veterans, and persons with disabilities across industry sectors.
The legislation reconstitutes the former Workforce Investment Board by reducing its membership from 65 to 33 members and ensuring the makeup of the board continues to comply with federal requirements under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The board will consist of 17 business representatives and seven workforce representatives – including four representatives from community-based organizations and two from labor, one of which is chosen by the National Association of Government Employees. Executive Branch representatives from the Executive Offices of Labor and Workforce Development, Health and Human Services, Housing and Economic Development and Education will also serve in addition to the governor’s designee, two state legislators and two local government representatives.
The WIOA was signed into law by the president on July 22, 2014, replacing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, with the goal to transform the nation’s workforce system and to invest in a skilled workforce.
