VIRGINIA BOARD OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

STRATEGIC PLAN 2020-2023

BUILDING A WOKFORCE SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR VIRGINIA LETTER FROM THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

On behalf of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development (VBWD), we are pleased to present the 2020-2023 Strategic Plan, approved on September 18th, 2020. The VBWD is a diverse group of leaders from across the State who advise the Governor on workforce issues. A sincere thank you goes out to the members of the Strategic Plan Task Force for their hard work on this document, which offers a workforce system blueprint for the next three years.

Our goal here in the Commonwealth is clear – to create the best workforce system in the nation.To reach this goal, we must: Nathaniel X. Marshall Chairman  Align the Commonwealth’s workforce system with economic Human Resources development strategies Generalist  Ensure training programs are demand driven BWX Technologies, Inc.  Provide Virginians with educational pathways that lead to economic independence and prosperity  Create a best-in-class delivery system for workforce services that is accessible and effective for job seekers and employers alike

As stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must ensure that every investment in workforce development drives high-impact outcomes. We must acknowledge the devastating effects of the pandemic and support the Governor’s plan for recovery. We look forward to your continued partnership and support, as we build a better future for Virginia’s businesses and workers.

Lane Hopkins Sincerely, Vice Chair Chief Talent Officer Harris Williams & Co Nathaniel X. Marshall – Chair Lane Hopkins -Vice Chair

Virginia Board of Workforce Development 2 MEMBERS AND STAFF

D. Michael Hymes Brett Vassey Private Sector President President & CEO Members HY Performance Management Virginia Manufacturers Association Consulting Brian T. Warner Nathaniel X. Marshall - Chairman Melissa McDevitt Jiulianti Rolls-Royce Head Human Resources Generalist VP, Diversity and Inclusion Commonwealth Center for Advanced BWX Technologies, Inc. Capital One Manufacturing

Lane Hopkins - Vice Chair Jim Monroe Chief Talent Officer Global VP of Customer Success Labor and Training Harris Williams & Co Cisco AppDynamics Members Hobart “Hobey” Bauhan Joan Peterson President Executive Director Virginia Poultry Federation Tommy Bell Literacy for Life Business Manager Iron Workers Local Union 79 Xavier Beale Carrie Roth Vice President of Trades President and CEO Newport News Shipbuilding Doris Crouse-Mays Activation Capital & VA Bio + Tech President Park Julie Brown Virginia State AFL-CIO Owner Becky Sawyer Virginia Rae Diamond 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Senior Vice President, Chief Human Company President Resources Officer Labor Federation Sentara Healthcare Lynne Bushey Mark B. Dreyfus Senior Vice President Anne Jolly Schlussler CGI President Founding Partner ECPI University Clarity Technology Partners Ernie Caldwell Glenn Dubois President Raheel Sheikh G.J. Hopkins Chancellor President Virginia Community College System Manassas Auto and Tire Barry DuVal Patricia Funegra President John David Smith, Jr The Virginia Chamber of Commerce Founder and CEO Owner and Partner La Cocina VA Village Market Bistro, Village Square Daniel Gomez Restaurant, & V2 Piano Bar Chief Strategy Officer Travis Staton Capitol Bridge LLC President and CEO Zuzana Steen United Way of Southwest Virginia Academic and Community Relations Manager Micron Technology, Inc. Strategic Plan 2020 – 2023 3 MEMBERS AND STAFF

George Taratsas, Staff Leader State and Local Designees Director, WIOA Administration & Elected Officials Compliance Fran Bradford Virginia Community College System Deputy Secretary for Education The Honorable George Barker Designee for Secretary Dale Batten Virginia Senate, 39th District Deputy Commissioner, Division of Jae K. Davenport Rehabilitation Services The Honorable James “Jimmy” Deputy Secretary of Public Safety & Virginia Department for Aging & Gray Homeland Security Rehabilitative Services Councilman, City of Hampton, VA Designee for Secretary Brian Moran Jason Brown The Honorable Ann Mallek Dr. Daniel Lufkin Deputy Commissioner Supervisor, Albemarle County President, Paul D. Camp Community Virginia Employment Commission College The Honorable Jeremy McPike Designee for Chancellor Glenn Dubois Pam Cato Virginia Senate, 29th District Director, Vocational Rehabilitation & Deborah Melvin Workforce Services The Honorable Kathleen Murphy Assistant Vice President, Talent Virginia Department for the Blind & Virginia House of Delegates, 34th Solutions Vision Impaired District Virginia Economic Development Partnership Dr. Yolanda Crewe The Honorable Kathy Tran Designee for Secretary Brian Ball Director, WIOA Title I Program Virginia House of Delegates, 42nd Services District Duke Storen Virginia Community College System Commissioner, Virginia Department of Social Services Julie Jacobs Governor’s Cabinet Designee for Secretary Daniel Carey Workforce Services Manager Members Virginia Department of Social Services Johnathan G. Ward Assistant Secretary of Veterans & Martina Murray The Honorable Brian Ball Defense Affairs Director, Education Programs Secretary of Commerce and Trade Designee for Secretary Virginia Department of Veterans Services The Honorable Dr. Daniel Carey Secretary of Health and Human Staff Maria Onsel Services Special acknowledgment goes to the Administrative Assistant following members of the Board’s Virginia Community College System The Honorable Dr. Megan Healy cross-agency staff team who Chief Workforce Development Advisor contributed to the development of this Jeff Ryan plan and provided invaluable staff Deputy Commissioner The Honorable Carlos Hopkins support and expertise to support the Virginia Employment Commission Secretary of Veterans and Defense Board and its work. Affairs Heidi Silver-Pacuilla Adult Education Coordinator The Honorable Brian Moran Jane Dittmar, Executive Director Virginia Department of Education Secretary of Public Safety and Deputy Chief Advisor for Workforce Homeland Security Development Dr. Robert Walker Office of the Governor Chief, Veterans Services The Honorable Atif Qarni Virginia Employment Commission Secretary of Education Added

Virginia Board of Workforce Development 4 MISSION, VISION, AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The Virginia Board of Workforce Development (VBWD) is a business-led board that acts as the principal advisor to the Governor, providing strategic leadership to the state regarding the public workforce development system. Mission The mission of the VBWD is to build a strong workforce with skills aligned to employer needs.

The Board’s roles and responsibilities are described in Virginia law as well as the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The Board has several deliverables for which it is responsible, including policy and budget recommendations; the provisions of specific guidance, policy, and oversight for the programs funded by WIOA; the development of state-level performance metrics for the workforce system; the production and dissemination of an annual workforce system report; a review of agency budgets; and a comprehensive cross-agency workforce plan. To accomplish its mission, the Board has endorsed a set of guiding principles. Vision Every Virginian, regardless of the barriers they face, has equitable access to tools and opportunities leading to careers that pay family-sustaining wages, and every business has access to a highly skilled workforce.

To achieve the best possible result for our customers, the Board and all workforce system partners need to: . Be business-driven and customer focused in all that we do . Be flexible, nimble, and responsive culture of continuous improvement . Be collaborative in engaging a network of partners to accomplish our goals . Be innovative in our approach, including integrating technology and new ways of doing things . Move beyond compliance and embracing a culture of innovation and invention . Use data and evidence in our policy and decision-making

The public workforce system includes eight agencies and 25 programs organized under three secretariats. Appendix A includes a complete listing and description of the partner agencies and their programs. The Board recognizes that the workforce system in Virginia includes important players beyond these state agencies and programs, including private training providers, community-based and faith-based organizations, and others who share our vision and mission. The Board encourages collaboration at the state and local level to ensure public and private sector resources are fully leveraged to deliver effective solutions to workforce challenges. Strategic Plan 2020 – 2023 5 VIRGINIA SNAPSHOT

In December 2019, the Virginia unemployment rate was among the lowest in the nation at 2.7 percent. Approximately 23,000 individuals had filed unemployment claims. With the national unemployment rate at 3.5 percent, the state and the national employment landscape was promising.

This landscape changed dramatically as a result of the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic. By July 1, 2020, the state unemployment rate had increased to eight percent. Unemployment claims by Virginians increased by over 1,800 percent.

From July 2019 to July 2020, Virginia lost an estimated 284,000 jobs, or 7.0 percent. Those job losses varied across the Commonwealth. The Winchester metro statistical area experienced the highest percentage of job losses, while the Staunton-Waynesboro metro statistical area saw a small increase in employment over the last year. Employment Change Metro Statistical Area July ’19 – July ‘20 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford -8.3% Charlottesville -6.9% Harrisonburg -6.8% Lynchburg -5.8% Northern Virginia -8.0% Richmond -7.1% Roanoke -6.7% Staunton-Waynesboro 1.9% Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News -6.2% Winchester -8.8% From December 2019 to July 2020, the Virginia industries that experienced the greatest percentage decrease in employed individuals includes Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (-47.7 percent), Leisure and Hospitality (-23.9 percent), Accommodation and Food Services (-19.7 percent), Administrative, Support, and Waste Management (-14.1 percent), and Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (-10.7 percent). Construction (2.5 percent) was one of the only industries to see an increase in employees.

From December 2019 to July 2020, unemployment claims for Virginia women increased by over 2,300 percent. This increase is 1,000 percent more than the increase for men over the same period. Asian Virginians, whose claims increased by over 6,000 percent, experienced the highest unemployment claims percentage increase by race. This increase was over 4,000 percent more than the increase for White Virginians. Black and African American Virginians experienced an increase of over 1,400 percent and Latino/a Virginians experienced an increase of over 400 percent.

Virginians under the age of 22 experienced the highest percentage increase in unemployment claims by age. Their claims increased by almost 18,000 percent. The rate of unemployment claim increases went down as the age of the claimant went up. However, Virginians aged 65 and older experienced an increase of over 1,500 percent, which is a higher rate of increase than that of those aged 35-64. Virginia Board of Workforce Development 6 STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND STRATEGIES

In its role as advisor to the Governor, the Board will:

Identify short and long-term workforce strategies for businesses and workers in response to changing economic Goal 1 conditions.

Strategy 1.1 Strategy 1.2 Ascertain business and worker needs as Evaluate existing Virginia workforce policies economic conditions change. and programs to determine effectiveness.

Goal 2 Expand equitable access to education and training programs.

Strategy 2.1 Strategy 2.2 Encourage the increased accessibility of Support every Virginian to earn a minimum of registered apprenticeships and other work- a high school diploma or equivalent, and based training programs amongst preferably a post-secondary credential or an populations facing barriers. industry recognized credential.

Strategy 2.3 Address challenges to equitable access to education and training programs throughout the Commonwealth.

Strategic Plan 2020 – 2023 7 STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND STRATEGIES

Increase access to the technology needed for the education, training, and career pathway development for Virginia’s Goal 3 workforce of the future.

Strategy 3.1 Strategy 3.2 Connect Virginia businesses to workers more Increase awareness, accessibility, and usage effectively using available technology. of the Virginia Career Works Portal to connect workers to sustainable jobs and provide actionable information to decision makers within Virginia’s workforce development system.

Address systemic barriers to workforce success through Goal 4 innovative strategies, policy changes, and investments.

Strategy 4.1 Strategy 4.2 Examine legacy policies that impede Recommend the Governor and the General equitable access to workforce development Assembly use flexible funding to establish a and opportunities and remove those policies process to test innovations that address root that are outdated. causes of workforce system barriers.

Strategy 4.3 Identify areas of service alignment and overlap.

Virginia Board of Workforce Development 8 APPENDIX – DEFINING VIRGINIA’S WORKFORCE SYSTEM

Virginia Workforce System Program Descriptions

Agency* Program Description

Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired Vocational Rehabilitation Program Provides services (employment preparation and assistive technology) to help to make employment opportunities available to persons with visual disabilities. Department for Aging and Rehabilitation Services Vocational Rehabilitation Program Provides employment services, assistive technology and disability determination to help those with disabilities to prepare for, find and keep a job. Department of Education Adult Education and Literacy Provides integrated education and training to adult populations in support of improved employment outcomes. PluggedIn VA Provides low-skilled adults with a program that incorporates digital literacy skills, professional soft skills, and 21st Century Skills into a traditional GED® curriculum and a Career Readiness Certificate. Career and Tech Ed/Secondary Perkins Provides young people in grades 6-12 with technical training courses, credentials, and industry certifications.

Workplace Readiness Skills Assessment Provides funding for young adults to work toward the Workforce Readiness Skills Assessment certification.

*Work in Progress. Agency/Programs may still be added. Strategic Plan 2020 – 2023 9 Virginia Workforce System Program Descriptions

Agency* Program Description Department of Labor and Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program Provides coordination of apprenticeships in a range of trades including on-the-job training, theoretical instruction, and journeyman certification. Department of Social Services SNAP Employment and Training Provides job preparation, training, and support services to assist SNAP clients in gaining employment.

VA Initiative for Employment not Welfare Provides job preparation training and support services to assist TANF clients in gaining employment. Virginia Community College System Institutes of Excellence Provides focused education and cutting edge training in areas that support Virginia’s business and industry.

Non-Credit Workforce Training Provides customized, open-enrollment training based on Virginia business needs.

Postsecondary Perkins Provides funding for Career and Technical Education in community colleges and Career Coaches program.

WIOA Adult Provides job search and placement assistance as well as employment plans, counseling, and training and support services. WIOA Dislocated Worker Provides employment, training and support services for workers who are losing their jobs as a result of layoff or company closing. WIOA Youth Provides intensive services including employment plans, Counseling, training, and support services for youth aged 16-24. WIOA Rapid Response Layoff Aversion Provides businesses with employee hiring, staff restructuring and training support. Rapid Response is most noticeably front and center to Virginia’s workers when their place of employment is downsizing and a significant number of workers lose their jobs, but the program also helps firms avoid layoffs, especially through upskilling initiatives. Virginia Economic Development Partnership Virginia Jobs Investment Program Provides funds to offset recruiting and training costs incurred by companies that are either creating new jobs or implementing technological upgrades and provides assistance to companies with workforce-related challenges and organizational development workshops.

*Work in Progress. Agency/Programs may still be added. Virginia Board of Workforce Development 10 Virginia Workforce System Program Descriptions

Agency* Program Description Virginia Employment Commission Trade Adjustment Assistance Program Provides re-training, job search and relocation support for workers being laid off because of jobs moving overseas.

Veterans Program Provides job search and counseling services and training to Veterans and candidate matching services to employers.

Wagner-Peyser Provides employment assistance services to job-ready workers who are unemployed and recruitment assistance to employers. WIOA Rapid Response Provides timely and comprehensive Rapid Re-employment services to laid–off workers who are the subject of WARN notices. The goal is to place workers in new jobs so that they can transition to new employment opportunities immediately in an effort to reduce the average duration of unemployment insurance compensation they may require.

*Work in Progress. Agency/Programs may still be added.

VIRGINIA BOARD OF facilitated by the: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT GROUP STRATEGIC PLAN 2020-2023 L. DOUGLAS WILDER SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SEPTEMBER 2020 VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY prepared by the: STRATEGIC PLANNING TASK FORCE

(804) 828-8845 [email protected] www.pmg.vcu.edu

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