Located in:
- III. Operational Planning Elements
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above. Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs. This section must include—
- a. State Strategy Implementation
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include–
- 2. Implementation of State Strategy
Describe how the lead State agency with responsibility for the administration of each core program or a Combined Plan partner program included in this plan will implement the State’s Strategies identified in Section II(c). above. This must include a description of—
- 2. Implementation of State Strategy
- a. State Strategy Implementation
III. a. 2. I. Coordinating with Economic Development Strategies
Describe how the activities identified in (A) will be coordinated with economic development entities, strategies, and activities in the State.
Current Narrative:
(I) Coordinating with Economic Development Strategies. Describe how the activities identified in (A) will be coordinated with economic development entities, strategies, and activities in the State.
Coordinating with Commerce
Recognizing that greater collaboration between agencies may require the use of common platforms, data collection, and information sharing, MD Labor works with representatives from Maryland’s Commerce Department to align processes and leverage each agency’s core strengths in a more coordinated way. Maryland’s Business Services members attend quarterly training on business retention, growth and layoff aversion strategies, as well as economic and industry indicators and LMI. Additionally, representatives from MD Labor and Commerce will continue discussions to allow for greater coordination of services, including but not limited to access to Commerce’s current business services platform.
Furthermore, joint investment in incumbent worker training programs, such as Maryland Business Works, support employer strategies for upgrading the skills of currently employed workers. Incumbent worker training programs invest not only in the employee who obtains transferable skills and industry-recognized credentials, but also supports the competitiveness of Maryland’s businesses by ensuring that their incumbent employees can effectively adapt to meet continually advancing technologies. Additionally, these programs typically support business retention and expansion efforts. They do so not by developing basic skill levels in occupations with growing demand, a primary focus of Maryland’s EARN program, but by supporting company efforts to update skills for new processes and equipment.
Both MD Labor and the Commerce Department have previously invested in matching grant programs directed to businesses. These investments in Maryland’s businesses provided customized training solutions for individual companies with unique or proprietary technical skill requirements. Under WIOA, incumbent worker training can be used to help avert potential layoffs of employees, or to increase the skill levels of employees. MD and Commerce will continue to work collaboratively to find ways to renew efforts to increase incumbent worker training funds, and will jointly market the availability of these training funds to ensure Maryland’s businesses are competitive and their employees are well-trained to compete in a global marketplace.