Iowa Workforce Development Communications
For Immediate Release
Date: March 25, 2016
Contact: Courtney Maxwell Greene
Telephone: 515-423-3210
Email: courtney.greene@iwd.iowa.gov
State of Iowa Workforce Development Board approves Iowa’s workforce plan
Des Moines, IA—Today, the State of Iowa Workforce Development board voted to approve the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Unified State Plan. The board voted unanimously to approve the plan, which will be submitted to the United States Departments of Labor and Education. WIOA is the first federally enacted legislative reform of the workforce development system in 16 years. It redesigns how services for job seekers, workers, and employers are carried out.
IWD has worked closely with the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and Department for the Blind to develop the Unified State Plan and integrate workforce services delivery in Iowa. The agencies are also collaborating with the Iowa Department of Human Services, Iowa Department of Corrections, Iowa Department on Aging, and Iowa Economic Development Authority in an unprecedented cross-agency effort to align workforce services in Iowa. In addition, the plan reflects comments from key stakeholders and the general public.
IWD Director Beth Townsend praised the collaborative effort in designing the state plan, and said Iowans border to border will benefit. “Now that the plan is approved, the real work begins. There are ongoing efforts with education, industry and business leaders to implement a system that serves Iowa's labor needs, and provides streamlined resources to job seekers,” said Director Townsend.
The WIOA Unified State Plan will be submitted to the federal agencies next week, and will then be posted to State of Iowa Workforce Development Board website iowawdb.gov.