Core Values

U.S. economic growth and prosperity, and long-term economic security depend, in large part, on a highly skilled and flexible workforce. Meeting the ever-increasing needs of America’s workers and employers is important for U.S. economic agility and competitiveness, both today and tomorrow. The workforce investment system authorized under WIA is essential in helping low-skilled workers find employment and achieve self-sufficiency. WIA’s Dislocated Worker program is central to assist workers adversely affected by dislocation make successful transitions to new careers. And WIA’s Youth programs are essential to help at-risk young people make successful transitions to adulthood.

Key Principles for the Workforce System

    1. Business driven.  The principle customer of workforce development efforts is and must remain local businesses/employers. 
    2. Local control.  A local board led by business, appointed by the mayor and/or the chief elected official/s in the area, is in the best position to create a strategy and implement it based on the needs of the local/regional economy.  Local workforce development systems and strategies must be shaped around the local/regional economies and must be responsive to the key needs of employers.
    3. Appropriate measures and data systems to establish accountability for results.  Workforce development efforts must demonstrate accountability for results – for objective outcomes that can be tracked, measured and evaluated. To truly be accountable for results, workforce development system efforts must develop appropriate measures for the outcomes we seek.  Then, we must develop a data tracking and reporting system that allows transparency – regardless of whether the news is good or bad – with respect to the meeting of those outcomes.

Youth focus. Young people – particularly those at risk of dropping out or not transitioning successfully out of high school and those who have already dropped out of school – deserve special attention to smooth their transition to jobs and/or post-secondary educational options.