Since participating in the public workforce system many years ago, I can see the successes that both the organization and individuals have achieved working through it. Unfortunately, many in our community were not as aware of the accomplishments of the local workforce boards (WIB) or the Career One Stop Centers (One Stop). Now that is about to change!
The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB), roughly 600 state and local workforce board members, have designed a site and a process to collect success stories from the public workforce system. The site is designed to help policy makers when making decisions on funding and other policy priorities within the system. Here are the key messages NAWB would like the site to find and promote, according to their campaign toolkit:
1. The system is working for America.
2. We are a network of workforce experts.
3. We make investments that count.
4. Our mission is all about workforce talent.
How can ASTD participate?
We are a membership organization of workforce experts! We could always help the system by becoming active in the system. There are many opportunities for engagement, and I encourage you to check it out. You can engage can be as a policy maker on a WIB or even as a career coach in a One Stop.
If you currently are a volunteering in the system, here is an opportunity for your group to share success stories with others. Just follow the directions on the www.workforceinvestmentworks.com. The site also has several sections where you can find workforce information. The sections will be:
1. Why workforce investment videos.
2. Find workforce experts.
3. Legislative corner.
4. Workforce stories.
5. Business champions.
6. Sponsors.
It looks to be a great place for system participants, key stakeholders, policy makers and the general public to get current, relevant information and stories about what is really happening in the public workforce system. We will continue to monitor the site and keep you posted on progress as this project moves forward.
The web site is planning to go live mid-February, just in time for NAWB's annual conference and Capitol Hill meetings. This will be a good tool for those going to the conference in speaking to successes of the public workforce system.
