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Governor's Workforce Development Council


The Chair's Report
by Roger Hale

January 17, 2003

Highlights from November 2002 through January 2003

Activity in support of developing vision and policy direction for Minnesota's workforce system
1. The GWDC's first "Portfolio Report to Stakeholders" and supporting collateral materials have been developed and will be distributed to the Governor and state Legislature during the 2003 legislative session.

2. The updated Workforce Center Strategic Plan, under the leadership of the Systems Excellence Committee, is expected to be complete in January 2003. Following full Council approval of the WorkForce Center credentialing standards in October 2002, GWDC staff and Systems Excellence committee members have met with Local Workforce Council members and staff in the four areas that have agreed to serve as "beta testers" for the credentialing process. These Workforce Service Areas include Southeast, Southwest, South Central and Stearns-Benton. "Beta testing" discussions have already begun.

3. The GWDC Emerging Worker Committee hosted an "Issues Forum" on January 10, 2003 to explore issues related to preparing youth, vocational education, and concerns about sustaining adequate workforce needs in rural Minnesota.

4. At the direction of the GWDC, the MDES Policy, Planning and Measures Office is completing revision and update to the "Gunther Report" that outlines the individual federal and state programs contained in Minnesota's workforce development portfolio. This is being discussed at the full Council meeting on January 17, 2003.

5. Kathy Sweeney and Luke Weisberg participated in national discussions at the meeting of the National Association of State Workforce Council Chairs sponsored by the National Governors Association and in a national meeting of The Workforce Alliance, both in December. These meetings were also attended by Roger Hughes, MJSP Executive Director and Richard Tvedten, Director of the MnSCU Customized Training NetWORK.

6. GWDC staff (with significant support from MDES' Policy, Planning and Measures staff) have been working closely with the MN Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) subcommittee that is developing performance measures for state-funded programs. The MJSP Board is meeting in January to review their report to the Legislature. The relationship between this work and the GWDC's continuing interest in performance measurement toward Preeminence Minnesota is being discussed at the full Council meeting on January 17, 2003.

Strengthening Local Workforce Councils and other Stakeholders as Strategic Community Leaders
7. The McKnight Foundation recognized the GWDC's leadership and value as an intermediary among public, private, and nonprofit interests with a renewed grant award to the GWDC for its continuing role in Families Forward, the partnership between the McKnight Foundation, the GWDC and 18 Program Partners across the state. The award is for $220,000 through December 2004.

8. GWDC staff are exploring a partnership to build capacity of leading Local Workforce Councils in Wisconsin together with Minnesota peers. This would begin the next level of "continuous improvement toward excellence" work for selected Local Councils in both states.

9. GWDC staff assisted Governor Ventura's office in handing off to the Pawlenty Administration the broad regional convening work being developed by completing the draft Request for Letters of Intent, a final Memorandum of Understanding between MDES, DTED, and MnSCU. This work may be continued under Governor Pawlenty's direction.