As a result of the bipartisan passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act by Congress in 2014, CareerSource Broward and workforce boards across the county are at historic crossroads.
The new law requires local workforce boards to be the “conveners” to bring to the table old and new partners to develop plans to reshape the workforce training and delivery system of the future. The last time this happened was during the late 1990s as a result the passage of the prior Workforce Investment Act. New to this legislation is a comprehensive planning requirement at the state and local level and an emphasis on regional planning and cooperation.
CareerSource Broward is the local workforce board charged with delivery of re-employment and job training services in Broward. We operate three one-stop service centers where businesses go to find talent and job seekers go to find jobs. CareerSource Broward is governed jointly by a majority private sector board with a private sector chairman and the CareerSource Broward Council of Elected Officials, comprised of the mayors of Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood and an appointed Broward County commissioner.
After passage of the Workforce Investment Act, Florida became a national leader in implementation of that law. Much of 2014’s law is based on Florida’s implementation of the Workforce Investment Act. CareerSource Florida is leading Florida again in implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and CareerSource Broward has been an integral part of this implantation at all levels.
CareerSource Florida has:
1.Convened a statewide panel comprised of a broad cross section of experts in their fields to develop recommendations to implement WIOA and have developed a strategic vision.
2.Have wisely chosen to keep all local boards and jurisdictions in place while transitioning to the concept of regionalism and awaiting federal rule-making.
CareerSource Broward has:
1.Worked to assist CareerSource Florida in its implementation process;
2.Worked to eliminate barriers employers and employees face by working with Career Source Palm Beach and CareerSource Southeast Florida;
3.and Been awarded a number of pilot and innovation grants to develop new ways to deliver services to youth and long term unemployed.
CareerSource Broward is working with the Broward Workshop and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance to convene workshops to solicit community and business input into the development of the plan.
While the meeting times, location and agenda are still being developed, over the next several months a number of committee meetings and workshops will be held at various locations to obtain input from not-for-profits, adult education, technical colleges, public and private colleges and universities, state agencies such as the Department of Children and Families and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, community based organizations, businesses large and small and business organizations.
Again, we have an opportunity to redesign the delivery of unemployment and job training services through community and business involvement.
We know we don’t have all the answers, but we are confident that by working together we will find more than by working alone.
Frank Horkey is chairman of the Broward Workforce Development Board, and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler is chairman of the CareerSource Broward Council of Elected Officials.
