WDC in the top 4 of workforce boards

A new report places the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County in the top four of workforce boards across the nation and shares our success in getting jobseekers into high-paying jobs.

High earnings—and earnings that allow families to be self-sufficient—were the key criteria for the selection of workforce investment boards.

“We’re very honored to be recognized for our best practices and emphasis on self-sufficiency,” said Marléna Sessions, CEO of the Workforce Development Council (WDC). “We’re proud of our partnerships with business, education and community organizations that have made this possible—especially now, when workforce programs are in jeopardy of federal funding cuts.”

Sharing Success: Common Policies and Practices of Urban WIBs was released today by the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute, a non-profit, non-partisan organization. It documents the distinguishing policies and practices of the four workforce investment boards whose jobseekers customers have the highest earnings after getting services and jobs.

The institute used national data to analyze outcomes from the nation’s 25 most populous cities to narrow down the top performers. The other three areas highlighted are Sunnyvale, Calif.; Austin, Texas; and Indianapolis.

Workforce investment boards, like the WDC of Seattle-King County, are charged with managing federal Workforce Investment Act and other funding for employment and training, as well as overseeing the “one-stop” system of employment centers.

According to the report, the key approaches that led to success for the top four workforce boards are:

• Focusing on earnings
• Aggressive partnering with employers, joint labor management training programs including apprenticeship programs, community colleges and other education/training providers
• Bundling diverse resources
• Innovative approaches to customer service

The WDC of Seattle-King County was singled out for several best practices, including the use of the Self-Sufficiency Standard in measuring the effectiveness of programs and services. The WDC developed a free, online tool called the Self-Sufficiency Calculator for career counseling and measuring jobseeker success.

Workforce boards and programs are in danger of losing millions of dollars due to domestic spending cuts. The House spending bill passed last week would eliminate Workforce Investment Act funding and drastically reduce services and job training for laid-off workers, low-income people and youth.

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