Workforce Development, Higher Education & Economic Policy

Governors are working to expand economic opportunity and advance the nation’s global competitiveness by developing the skilled workforce and economic environment required for individuals, businesses and communities to thrive.

As the chief executive officers of their states, Governors set strategic priorities to align workforce and economic development activities to build a shared vision of societal and economic well-being. The NGA Workforce Development & Economic Policy program supports Governors and their appointees in developing and executing on these priorities.

Featured Initiatives

NGA Workforce Development Technical Assistance Program

NGA provides advisors and other Governor-appointed state workforce system leaders with technical assistance on a broad range of workforce development policy issues through policy memoranda; in-state site visits and presentations, and facilitated connections with subject matter experts. The team also holds biannual convenings and monthly briefings and issues a weekly newsletter.

Workforce Strategic Planning Collaborative

The NGA Center’s joint project with the U.S. Department of Labor supports Governors and their advisors as they develop and implement their federally required four-year strategic plans for workforce development. Technical assistance offerings include an emphasis on implementation of federal investments that passed during the 117^th Congress, namely the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act.

NGA Economic Policy Advisors and Economic Policy Technical Assistance

NGA provides Governor-appointed state economic development leaders and advisors with highly responsive and customized best practice research, strategic planning facilitation, timely information from federal partners and subject matter experts, and other support on a broad range of economic policy priorities. This includes an upcoming virtual event series as well as a bi-weekly newsletter.

Meet The Team

Portia Pratt, Policy Director, Higher Education
Sophia Yager, Policy Director, Workforce Development & Economic Policy
Malena Dailey, Senior Policy Analyst
Kyra Gardner, Policy Coordinator

Focus Areas

Apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship
Sector-focused workforce and economic development strategies
Workforce development financing, governance, and innovation
Outdoor recreation & economic development
Service-to-career pathways and public sector employment
IIJA, CHIPS and IRA implementation Future of work, digital transformation and digital skills
Disability inclusive workforce policy

Services Available

Strategic planning facilitation and best practice guidance on workforce and economic development topics or initiatives
Strategic guidance, feedback and meeting facilitation services for Governor-appointed state workforce development boards
Convenings for workforce and economic development advisors and state leaders on emerging issues
Regular newsletters for state workforce and economic development leaders
Customized research briefs and best practice presentations upon request

Workforce Development Library

NGA Holds Summer Workforce Symposium in Fargo

With Governors focused on aligning workforce and economic development activities across their states, NGA’s Summer Workforce Symposium brought together state leaders, including North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, to focus on ...

NGA and US DOL Launch the Workforce Strategic Planning Collaborative

Today, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) launched the Workforce Strategic Planning Collaborative. Through this joint effort, the NGA ...

Workforce Strategic Planning Collaborative

The tight labor market, coupled with historic federal investments through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), made the 2024 Workforce ...

Preparing the Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce: State Strategies for Recruitment and Retention

Through their work together, states have learned ways to strengthen their healthcare career pathways, strategies to attract and retain workers, and methods to coordinate these efforts effectively. (Download) Governors have ...

6 States Selected to Participate in NGA Youth Apprenticeship Policy Academy

National Governors Association to Work with Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, and Utah to help them develop and implement policy agendas that advance high-quality youth apprenticeship opportunities. Additional states ...

Expanding the Broadband Workforce: How Three States are Preparing for Equitable Broadband Deployment

The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is providing states with unprecedented amounts of funding to deploy broadband infrastructure, improve affordability and ensure meaningful adoption in communities. Governors are ...

Innovative Workforce Development Programs for the Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Sectors

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices held a webinar on Thursday, June 22, 1:00-2:00 EST for members of our Economic Development and Outdoor Recreation Networks to learn about ...

Governors Leading on Skills-Based Hiring to Open Opportunity Pathways

Skills-based hiring is a method of recruiting employees that prioritizes a candidate's competencies over more "traditional" qualifications like degrees. This hiring strategy can remove barriers that currently screen out qualified ...

How Governors Are Addressing Housing Access and Affordability and the Connection to Workforce Success

Governors are increasingly confronting both workforce and housing shortages in a whole of government, complementary manner to not only ensure economic mobility but also to make sure businesses reach their ...

Economic Policy Library

State of the States – 2021

Governors of states, territories and commonwealths are outlining their priorities for 2021 in state of the state or commonwealth addresses, as well as inaugural addresses for new and re-elected Governors ...

Economic Development

Businesses – and the people who start them and work for them – create jobs and compete in the global marketplace. Accordingly, a state’s success depends largely on the smart ...

NGA and NASWA Letter to Secretary of Labor Regarding Unemployment Insurance Fraud

The Honorable Marty WalshU.S. Secretary of LaborU.S. Department of Labor200 Constitution Avenue NWWashington, D.C. 20210 Dear Secretary Walsh: Congratulations on your nomination and confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Labor. Governors ...

Governors Hogan and Whitmer Testify on Importance of Infrastructure Investment

Governors struck a resoundingly bipartisan tone before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, speaking to the urgency of investing now and for the future as our infrastructure must rapidly ...

Promoting Outdoor Recreation Through Health Policy

Park Rx programs are being adopted by a small group of physicians all over the country who are prescribing the outdoors along with other medicines to help patients relieve stress, ...

Governors Propose Infrastructure Investments to Support Long Term Economic Recovery

As the nation’s economy looks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, states are positioned to maximize the benefits from infrastructure investments. by Thomas Curtin, Program Director, Infrastructure As the nation ...

The Road Ahead: A Summary of State Economic Recovery Agendas

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis have posed exceptional challenges for states. This brief summarizes the proactive economic recovery efforts a number of states are undertaking. They illustrate various ...

National Governors Association Chair Andrew M. Cuomo and Vice Chair Asa Hutchinson Statement on Meeting With President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris

New York Governor and National Governors Association Chairman Andrew M. Cuomo and Arkansas Governor and NGA Vice Chairman Asa Hutchinson issued the following statement after meeting with President Biden and ...

A Strong National Economy Depends on Strong States and Territories

Topline Through prudent fiscal management and due to fundamental strengths in the broader economy, states and territories have so far averted the worst-case scenarios in cuts to their workforces and ...