Workforce History

HISTORY OF NWA

The National Workforce Association is a membership organization dedicated to strengthening the nation's workforce development system. Formerly called the National Association of County Training and Employment Professionals, NWA is one of the largest of over 23 affiliates with NACo (National Association of Counties). 

NWA has become the voice of the workforce system for congressional staff on the Hill during the discussions regarding the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. In 2003, NWA prepared Position Papers on WIA Reauthorization which were delivered to Congressional members.  NWA’s recommendations were included in Bills passed by both the House and Senate.  NWA also prepared a Position Paper containing recommendations for the Administration’s proposed Participant Re-employment Account (PRA).  These recommendations were welcomed by Congressional Members and used during initial consideration of the measure. 

In March 2003, Mr. John Twomey, President of NWA, spoke before the House Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.  Since that time, Congressional Members and staff have turned to NWA, seeking their expertise in the practical administration and operation of the workforce system and workforce programs, as they continue their work to improve the workforce system in the 21st Century.

In 2004, when multiple hurricanes in Florida threatened to interrupt workforce services, NWA led the response by developing a Mobile Unit Response Effort, identifying workforce regions that had mobile units and assisting in dispatching these units to workforce areas where operations had been interrupted due to damage or destruction of one-stop facilities.  In 2005, with the ravaging effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, NWA again summoned workforce regions to provide mobile units, resources and staff to assist in the affected areas.  NWA immediately sent out a survey to all workforce regions regarding the effectiveness, flexibility and response of NEG Grant Programs, and delivered their findings to congressional staff, in an effort to change the NEG Grant Program to be more responsive in the 21st Century.

In 2004, NWA sponsored the first National One-Stop Week, encouraging all workforce regions to invite their congressional representatives to tour their local One-Stop Centers so they better understood the value of the local workforce system, and could support the system during the reauthorization process. NWA also, with the assistance of NYATEP and Huston Works, developed a step-by-step guide to setting up a Congressional visit, and shared this information with local workforce boards nationwide.  The National One-Stop Week continues annually and has been a very successful event that congressional members find very informative, and has been effective in providing a clearer understanding of the important work being done within the one-stop centers.  To date this event is responsible for bring hundreds of Congressional Members to One-Stops all over the country.

Since December 2003, NWA has held its Annual Conference in St. Petersburg, FL, attended by Workforce Board Staff and Board members, representatives of the business community, and Congressional members sitting on legislative committees in Washington, DC, that are the decision-makers of the future of the workforce system.