Hopes and Fears for WIOA and Beyond MSPWIN Meeting October 29, 2014

General Overview Pleased that WIOA is here – an evolutionary step forward But clearly evolutionary when, in our opinion, we are ripe for revolutionary change Labor markets are changing rapidly and dramatically – impact of technology and to lesser extent globalization – shift from a few years ago Need agile system that can adapt to those changes e.g. rapid replacement of routine work by computers – and definition of routine is moving quickly to encompass more and more tasks. Jobs will be those that can work with technology, use it as tool – will take higher and higher order skills Lifelong learning will essential to keep out of the low wage world of jobs. Will there be enough jobs for everybody to earn decent living – question for policy that go beyond workforce development.

Hopes and Fears: WIOA Regulations Hopes Interagency federal cooperation will lead to system regulations e.g. measure not program measures Regulations will cross programs e.g. number in training will not be tied to one Title Regulations will allow for local flexibility but call for a degree of consistency so that there can be comparisons e.g. Workforce Center certification – could extend to WIB certification – could help elevate importance of WIBs in federal eyes. Fears Regulations will make it too easy to continue as we are – not aggressive system approach Regulations will rely too much on TA for implementation of those tough issues like career pathways Regulations, by their very nature can stifle innovation because everybody tries to adhere to the letter of the law more than what possibilities are in what is not said.

Hopes and Fears: Career Pathways Hopes Career pathways can be the “glue” that binds funding streams together into a seamless delivery system Career pathway plans can bridge funding streams and create easy movement for customers Employers can embrace career pathways as the way to develop their employees and fill higher skilled jobs from within Career pathways can the driving force for change within Workforce Centers Fears Career pathway programs will occur largely outside the workforce system (workforce centers in particular) mostly in the education arena Whatever is in place at the time of implementation will considered by some to be all that needs to be done Career pathways will be an external process as opposed to central to preparing people for lifelong learning and helping those at the lower skill levels to get on the ramps to careers

Hopes and Fears: Sector Strategies Hopes Sector strategies will become the way to do employer engagement for all parts of the workforce system They will be integrated into and use the resources of the workforce centers as opposed to existing outside them, even the WIBs are charged with moving them to action There will be expansion from the current number of industry partnerships to include non-traditional employers Entrepreneurship will not be lost in the drive to match with major industries Fears Complacency with what we have now is good enough Token engagement with employers will be viewed as fulfilling sector strategy intent e.g. listing jobs with the state job bank Employers won’t feel ownership or benefit derived from strategies that don’t truly involve them and let them lead.

Hopes and Fears: Workforce Centers Hopes WIOA is an opportunity for a “do over” on partner relations in the centers so that co-location and cost sharing are not the only things that count Centers become a vital hub for career navigation services and coordinating services as opposed to delivering them all from center resources Bricks and mortar can be hugely augmented by distributed services that are closer to customers Center take full advantage of the technologies available to them Fears Centers will focus on the WIOA provisions for cost sharing as the key to meeting the intent of the Act Centers will revert to UI information provision as an energy sucking service in places where unemployment is high Centers (and WIBS) will not seize the opportunity to fundamentally change how centers function and what functions are important We will remain without center measures that can drive activity in a new collaborative direction

Hopes and Fears: Unified Plans Hopes These plans can serve to bring independent WIBS and agencies together for regional action that focus on labor markets – not geo-political boundaries These plans are mirrored at the state and federal levels to ensure there is more collective action Fears Like many plans these will be perfunctory exercises to get funded and then sit on shelves These will be static documents that aren’t re-visited frequently for re- tuning as changing dynamics dictate. These will be overwhelming detailed documents that can die by their sheer weight