WIOA State Plan Common Elements

Governor Evers' appointment of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corps. (WEDC) CEO to the Governor's Council on Workforce Investment (CWI) further aligns the state's economic development strategies and the workforce development system. WEDC participation on the CWI ensures WIOA partners are in touch with the needs of key industries of the state and encourages the development of a state economic development strategy that comprehensively reflects the needs of the workforce. In its Wisconsin Tomorrow 2.0 report, WEDC announces the state's economic strategy for growth is based upon the "authentic Wisconsin ideal – that everyone deserves an opportunity to prosper," and that "Wisconsinites should not be held back because of inequity or lack of access to infrastructure, health care or education." The strategy supports connecting the dots between all investments and policies to overcome barriers such as lack of access to child care, broadband, transportation, and other key areas that have become crucial components of both economic and workforce advancement across the state.

A cornerstone of the partnership between WEDC, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD), and other partners is the Workforce Solutions Initiative, a $158-million investment by Gov. Tony Evers to address the state's workforce needs and support innovative pandemic recovery efforts. This investment in ARPA-SLFRF funding included:

• Workforce Innovation Grants (WIG): The $128 million Workforce Innovation Grant Program is a collaboration between WEDC and DWD to invest in a wide range of innovative strategies to address local workforce and economic concerns. These grants support 27 unique projects addressing shortages of workers in healthcare, child care, education, advanced manufacturing, skilled trades, and more. Additionally, these grants support projects addressing housing shortages and transportation solutions for low-income workers; access to affordable and high-quality child care for workers; and entrepreneurial skills training.
• Worker Advancement Initiative (WAI): Administered by DWD and managed by Wisconsin's 11 local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs), WAI is a $20 million investment in work-based learning and/or wage-subsidized occupational skills training for individuals who experienced negative economic impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since its inception, this program has seen significant co-enrollment with WIOA Title I programs. DWD's Division of Employment and Training (DET) is using this pilot project to collect data on increased participant success when receiving wage-replacement supportive services while engaged in training. This innovative pilot ensures participant success by providing wage-replacement subsidies to individuals engaged in work-based or classroom learning opportunities. The project realizes greater flexibility than more traditional workforce funding and offers opportunities for co-enrollment and braided funding.
• The Worker Connection (WC) Program: This program is a $10 million investment in workforce system navigation assistance and outreach to populations that are historically disconnected from workforce services. The program has realized early successes in connecting individuals with myriad workforce services and helping them to navigate the various types of assistance available to them. The program has more than 2,200 participants.

Communication and coordination among economic and workforce development entities, along with private employers and industry groups, have improved significantly in recent years thanks to working collaboratively on these pilot programs. The relationships built through these programs will also allow all partners to share, apply, and incorporate the lessons learned and best practices in their ongoing programs. For example, WEDC utilized its annual statewide economic development summit to highlight and share with employers on innovative and collaborative solutions to address recruitment and retention challenges by working with the workforce system.

Locally, all 11 local WDBs and members of their local Business Service Teams coordinate with economic development entities, strategies, and activities, working with WEDC's Regional Economic Development Directors. Due to boundary lines that do not perfectly match those of the workforce development areas (WDA), Wisconsin WDBs have become adept at working with multiple economic development entities and serve as a resource to these organizations.

Regional Tech Hub

Coordinating strategies with the WEDC, DWD, CWI and other partners allows additional opportunities to maximize assets and leverage opportunities for future advancements of the workforce system. In 2023, 15 public and private partners formed the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub Consortium to increase collaboration and to seek the Regional Technology Hub (RTH) designation from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). Consortium members include the members of the public and private sector represented on Council on Workforce Investment such as WEDC, University of Wisconsin System administration and UW-Madison; Rockwell Automation, Milwaukee Area Technical College and Madison Area Technical College; Employ Milwaukee, Inc. (which is Milwaukee County’s local Workforce Development Board), and WRTP BigStep, a jobs training nonprofit. Additional members of the consortium include health technology companies GE HealthCare, Exact Sciences, Accuray and Plexus; BioForward Wisconsin, representing the state’s biotechnology, medical device and related industries; the Madison Regional Economic Partnership and Milwaukee7, both of which are regional economic development organizations.

Wisconsin received the RTH designation in October 2023 – allowing Wisconsin to compete for up to $75 million in funding under the federal CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.  The recognition from EDA enables stakeholders to scale up operations to a global level by providing shared data and systems to drive innovation; aligning and scaling the supply chain and manufacturing sector; improving access to capital to start and grow businesses; increasing lab space and expanding opportunities for worker housing and transportation; and ensuring that people across Wisconsin, including rural and traditionally underserved communities, can share in the benefits of this new sector.

As Wisconsin’s biohealth sector grows, it will contribute to a “good jobs” economy by allowing employers to develop, hire, and retain a skilled, diverse workforce in jobs with benefits and upward mobility. By increasing their collaboration, consortium members will be able to better forecast demand for jobs, careers, targeted credentials, and skills; allow businesses to implement skill-based hiring and career advancement; and develop an employer-driven regional workforce strategy to grow and train Wisconsin’s biohealth workforce according to current and future projected needs.

Green Ribbon Commission on Clean Energy and Environmental Innovation

Further efforts to leverage state partnerships, economic development strategies, and federal investments to ensure Wisconsin's infrastructure, workforce, and economy are built for the 21^st century, is the work Gov. Evers Green Ribbon Commission on Clean Energy and Environmental Innovation to both address the climate crisis while investing in a clean energy economy that will generate thousands of family-supporting jobs, help lower energy and utility bills, and reduce the state’s reliance on out-of-state energy sources. The Commission will play a critical role in creating a Green Innovation Fund to dedication resources to work toward investing in and achieving Wisconsin's clean energy goals. The Fund and its partners will leverage public and private financing to invest in projects that provide environmental and clean energy solutions to businesses, reduce pollution, lower energy costs for families, and expand access to clean, affordable energy options. In addition to private financing for the Fund, the federal Inflation Reduction Act created the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and allocated $27 billion in competitive funding for states and nonprofit entities that collaborate with community financing institutions, such as green banks, to support projects that will combat the climate crisis, invest in innovative clean energy development, and create good-paying jobs.

Transportation Infrastructure and Workforce Development

Additionally, DWD will collaborate with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) the Public Service Commission, and other partners to maximize workforce development opportunities within the transportation and utilities industries, which, thanks to the large-scale federal investments, are anticipated to have significant economic impacts on the state's economy. While state agencies continue to collaborate on applying for and implementing many competitive grants, current highlights already underway include the following:

• New Labor Development Specialist Position: WisDOT Office of Business Opportunity and Equity Compliance (OBOEC) is utilizing BIL funds on a new Labor Development Specialist position. The Labor Development Specialist is engaged in strengthening the WisDOT Highway Construction Skills Training (HCST) program and serves as a liaison to HCST service providers, assisting with outreach, recruitment, and program improvements. The Labor Development Specialist will also help with graduate/student career placement, maintaining graduate directory information, and DWD career resource sharing.
• Highway Construction Skills Training (HCST): WisDOT has rebranded its skills training program, certifying the training as a pre-apprenticeship program with DWD. WisDOT has met with DWD staff to include HCST information in DWD outreach systems and ensure program quality and consistency. In addition, WisDOT has developed video testimonials and other outreach opportunities. WisDOT has distributed educational materials to training providers and potential students. Social media and the release of other information coincides with the HCST recruitment timeline and graduation dates.
• Highway Construction Workforce Partnership (HCWP): WisDOT has utilized a federal grant to develop a Highway Construction Workforce Partnership, comprised of representatives from WisDOT, DWD, workforce development boards, industry associations, contractors, and other partners. Workforce Boards, Employ Milwaukee and Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin (WDBSCW), completed a workforce needs assessment to help determine priority needs. That assessment identified the ability to increase resources and support through co-enrollment with other Wisconsin workforce development board (WDB) programs, utilization of Employment Training Outcomes (ETO) Database, updating Certified Pre-apprenticeship (CPA) description with DWD Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards (BAS), and requesting DWD approve Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) inclusion. WisDOT will be working with Employ Milwaukee and WDBSCW on these recommendations. HCWP members will continue to collaborate on challenges and opportunities.
• Workforce Board Pilot Training Initiative leveraging WIOA Funds: Local Workforce Development Boards (WBDs) Employ Milwaukee, Inc. and Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin (WDBSCW) are working with WisDOT and HCST providers to develop pilot HCST trainings that include wraparound services. Continued HCST collaboration with the local WBDs will ensure HCST Participant WIOA co-enrollment and allow use of WIOA funds for opportunities such as transportation assistance, work gear/clothing, child care, and/or student stipends. The local WBDs will also strengthen the pre-apprenticeship curriculum, recruitment, and other outreach. Continued collaboration with local WBDs and DWD will help realize these opportunities. WisDOT can utilize DWD online services to help place individuals into training programs as well as other construction career opportunities. WisDOT hopes to increase both HCST graduation and heavy highway job placement rates.
• Construction Career Day (CCD): The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts 7 (EDC-7) Workshop in Jacksonville in 2023 identified CCDs as an opportunity to reach high school students and provide hands-on opportunity with equipment, personal time with contractors and training contacts. WisDOT and DWD staff will collaborate on ongoing CCD initiatives to strengthen these events.
• Women in Construction Initiative: The EDC-7 Workshop identified an opportunity to reach out to women in construction events, including CCD and other activities. WisDOT has drafted informational materials, has completed its first woman testimonial video, and continues to explore opportunities for women in construction training and career placement.