While the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act plays a role in workforce development, state policymakers actively seek ways beyond WIOA requirements to connect education with workforce development. This resource provides an overview of education’s role within state workforce development systems, processes for identifying high-demand occupations and workforce development appropriations.
Click on the metrics below for 50-State Comparisons showing how all states approach these policies. Or view a specific state’s approach by going to the individual state profiles page.
50-State Comparisons
In compliance with WIOA, all states have a statewide workforce development board or council. However, some states have gone beyond the requirements in federal policy to expand the board’s membership to include additional members within the education system, such as state superintendents of education and chancellors of postsecondary institutions. Additionally, some states have developed policies that expand the responsibilities or charges of the board to include explicit connections to education in both K-12 and postsecondary settings. This comparison identifies each state’s workforce board and council, education representatives and entities identified in state policy that are required members of the board or council and indicates if there are additional charges of the board outlined in state policy that connect education and workforce development.
Metrics:
- What is the state workforce board or council?
- What education entities or representatives are required to be members of the state workforce board or council?
- Does the charge of the state workforce board or council that connects education to workforce development go beyond the requirements of WIOA? If yes, where can this information be found?
Identifying High-Demand Occupations
As states work to align their workforce needs with appropriate education and training, they frequently do so by identifying high-demand occupations and the training necessary to enter the occupations. For the purposes of this comparison, high-demand occupations are defined as those identified in the state as being in need within the state economy or where employee shortages exist. This comparison identifies states that define high-demand occupations within statute, the process used to identify the occupations and if a state publicly displays these occupations and required training or credentials.
Metrics:
- Does the state have policy that defines high-demand occupations?
- Does the state outline the process for identifying high-demand occupations?
- Does the state publicly identify and publish high-demand occupations and required credentials for the occupations/jobs?
Funding Workforce Education and Training
States allocate federal WIOA dollars as well as state dollars to fund workforce education and training programs. Utilizing state budget information, this page outlines which departments were provided funding in fiscal year 2022 to develop or support workforce education and training programs. Specifically, we capture whether a state department of labor and/or economic development, state education agency, state higher education office, community and/or technical college system and/or other departments received a funding allocation. This includes program funding that supports training and credentialing as well as populations of individuals that benefit from targeted workforce development efforts. For this comparison, state budgets or budget analyses must have specified that allocations were for workforce development programs.
Metrics:
- Does the state provide workforce development funding through the department of labor and/or economic development?
- Does the state provide workforce development funding through the state education agency?
- Does the state provide workforce development funding through the state higher education office?
- Does the state provide workforce development funding through the community and/or technical college system?
- Does the state provide workforce development funding through other departments?
Key Takeaways:
- At least 28 states and the District of Columbia explicitly outline additional responsibilities or charges of the state board or council that connect education and workforce development in state policy.
- At least 23 states and the District of Columbia define high-demand occupations through state statute.
- At least 30 states provide funding for workforce development through the state education agency.
- At least 27 states provide funding for workforce development through the state higher education office.
- At least 30 states provide funding for workforce development through the community and/or technical college system.
