What is a Workforce Board?

Massachusetts's Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) are providing workforce development leadership in their communities. The business-led WIBs have the critical role of governance and oversight of the federal and state resources that support the regional network of One-Stop Career Centers and education and training investments in their regions. Workforce Board membership consists of private-sector businesses, working in concert with labor, education and the public sector to design effective demand driven workforce development services for job seekers and employers. To keep businesses competitive and to sustain economic growth WIBs:

Message from the Chairman

Business-led Workforce Board regional partnerships are the key elements necessary for the ultimate success of  the Commonwealth's economy and competitiveness. Combining leadership from the business, labor, non-profit and educational sectors, the Boards are able to craft the workforce solutions that are meaningful and effective for each region.  Our members and partners have been busy over the past several months working to respond to the significant challenges posed by the current economic recession. Under the leadership of President Barack Obama and the United States Congress, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will help our workforce system train thousands of people and help put people back to work. Key workforce training provisions are included in the Act. Governor Deval Patrick, and his labor and workforce team, led by new Secretary Joanne Goldstein, Commonwealth Corporation President/CEO Nancy Snyder and Department of Workforce Development Director Michael Taylor have been working closely with Workforce Boards and Chief Elected Officials to effectively implement ARRA.  In partnership with the Legislative leadership, we anticipate significant new training investments and youth summer and year round jobs. The Health Care, Life Sciences, Green Jobs and Energy and other sectors provide new and expanded opportunities for job growth and training resources are being targeted toward these industry sectors.

The Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board's Performance Accountability Committee is an important vehicle to address the need for dramatic changes in the current workforce system and respond to the needs of the 21st century workforce. As recent reports indicate, we are facing significant challenges in responding to the more than 54,600 job vacancies with unemployment rate in November at 8.8%; now more than 302,400 people are officially unemployed. (See jobs and unemployment data and read the 4th Quarter 2008 Job Vacancy Survey PDF) The Association members have been working to better connect Massachusetts’s employers and job seekers to the workforce development system. Many innovative answers to workforce problems have been developed by the regional Boards. The Association seeks to build on the work of the Boards and to assist its members to more effectively respond to industry labor market gaps and workforce needs Read more...