CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice’s new Blue Ribbon Task Force on Aligning the Roles and Missions of the State Community and Technical College System and Workforce Development System held its first meeting today.
Gov. Justice recently created the Blue Ribbon Task Force by executive order to open the door to better job opportunities for all West Virginians by better-integrating the training and certification programs offered through the West Virginia Community and Technical College system and West Virginia’s Workforce Development system.
Members of the task force include leaders from West Virginia’s businesses, college systems, and various State agencies, bringing together representatives with diverse experience and expertise to identify a roadmap for changes to systems currently in place to better-integrate training and opportunities with real business needs across West Virginia.
At its inaugural meeting, the group identified and discussed a number of issues regarding the difficulty many West Virginians face trying to find training and job opportunities, as well as issues that the state’s businesses face trying to find and retain qualified employees, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deputy Chief of Staff Ann Urling, the Governor’s Chair on the Committee, formed subcommittees and appointed chairs to perform detailed work and report back on specific areas; from agency integration and data sharing among agencies to employer engagement and cross-training of candidates. These subcommittees will present their initial findings and recommendations at the next meeting of the task force, which is set for July 9, 2021.
The Blue Ribbon Task Force will continue working to find efficiencies and better processes, presenting its final recommendations for operational, structural, and legislative changes to the Governor at the conclusion of its work, which is expected to be by the end of this calendar year.
West Virginia Community and Technical College System website
State Workforce Development Board website
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