The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides designated regions and local workforce development areas the responsibility to create employment and training systems tailored specifically to regional economies. These systems must meet the needs of the full range of learners and workers, including those with barriers to employment. The system must also address the specific needs of regional employers and the skills they require. WIOA requires the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) to submit a local plan to the Governor. If the local area is part of a planning region, the LWDB will work collaboratively with other LWDBs in the designated region to prepare and submit its local plan as part of a regional plan. The local and regional plans provide the framework for local areas to define how their workforce development systems will achieve the purposes of WIOA. The regional and local plans serve as 4-year action plans to develop, align, and integrate the region and local area’s job driven workforce development systems, and provides the platform to achieve the local area’s visions and strategic goals. Additionally, this plan must be reviewed and updated after the second year.
