The Governor's Workforce Development Council is Minnesota's State Workforce Investment Board. Guided by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, and further defined by Minnesota State Statute 116L, the 31 members are governor-appointed. Council members represent business, labor, community-based organizations, education, local elected officials, local workforce councils, state agencies and the Minnesota Legislature.

The GWDC's charge is to provide vision and strategic direction to the State's workforce development system to ensure that Minnesota’s employers have enough workers with the right skills to meet their workforce attraction, development and retention needs. The GWDC accomplishes this by convening, engaging and facilitating member and citizen involvement on various arenas of workforce development and serves as a forum to stimulate new partnership and/or approaches in the system. The Council provides support and development opportunities for the sixteen Local Workforce Councils throughout the state. GWDC committees have a specific charge and focus that guide their research and policy recommendations to the Governor and Legislature.