NAWB Forum 2015 brought together more than 2000 professionals in the workforce development field to discuss the changes the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is presenting to the nation’s workforce system. Held in Washington, D.C. March 29-31, the forum centered on the theme “Advancing Workforce Innovation.”
The forum’s multiple workshops and general sessions provided tools and strategies needed to provide vision, leadership and impact in addressing the workforce needs and improving the economic health of all the regions represented at the forum. Topics included “Meeting the Needs of Youth” and “Putting Business First.”
Secretary of Labor Tom Perez presented the keynote address on opening day. He reported that throughout his travels across the nation, he kept hearing from employers that they were worried about their ability to grow with the right workforce. Perez emphasized that WIOA calls for “imploding the silos” of government services and working towards a close partnership among career and technical education, adult literacy and vocational rehab, TANF and workforce. All of these silos need to talk with job creators to ensure we are providing training for available and needed jobs. This approach will provide multiple pathways to prosperity to U.S. job seekers. Perez reminded the crowd that we are a nation of second chances but we also need to give people first chances.
“This year’s forum provided us with great ideas of how we can best implement WIOA in San Diego,” said Vice President of Programs Andy Hall, who attended the forum along with other SDWP staff. “The legislation requires us to make very welcome changes focused more on the employer and job seeker experience. We are working diligently to make San Diego a leader in service.”
For more about NAWB Forum 2015, visit nawb.org/forum.