SDWP CEO Peter Callstrom attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Workforce Development Council (WDC) meeting in Washington D.C. last week where over 100 elected officials, workforce development leaders and agency representatives joined to discuss workforce development issues. Topics included workforce system best practices, apprenticeships, community college partnerships and a detailed Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) update.
The USCM is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today. In 1977 the USCM established the WDC, a forum for mayors and workforce administrators to examine issues and strengthen the ability of cities to meet the needs of their citizens, particularly economically disadvantaged individuals, those with serious skill deficiencies, dislocated workers and others with special barriers to employment, including youth.
This was the first time the group gathered since WIOA passed in July and provided a unique opportunity for in-depth discussions on a shared vision for workforce development under the new law. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), including Deputy Assistant Secretary Jennifer Sheehy and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Portia Wu, offered insight on the department’s overall priorities for workforce development across the country.
“The WDC is an invaluable group of leaders in workforce development throughout the nation,” Callstrom says. “Learning from others, networking and sharing best practices leads to new opportunities for job seekers and employers in our region.”
