Workforce Development & 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

Jack Porter, Program Director
Sally Rood, Senior Policy Analyst
Jordan Morang, Senior Policy Analyst
Sophia Yager, Senior Policy Analyst
Eric Aboodi, 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

Exploring the On-Demand Economy in Colorado

To address the lack of place-based context needed to understand what drivers underlie trends in nonemployer work, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, in cooperation with Colorado State University ...

Current Legal Protections And Opportunities For Supporting Workers

(Download) To explore how Governors and state leaders may better understand and support the on-demand workforce, in 2018 the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Institute for ...

Registered Apprenticeship Reimagined

Lessons Learned from the American Apprenticeship Initiative (View/Download) Introduction Registered apprenticeship has traditionally experienced the most popularity in the skilled trades, and for several years was utilized at low and ...

Creating an Agenda for Workforce Recovery: A Workshop Series for States

A four-part design workshop series for Governors' advisors and state leaders to facilitate peer-learning, collaboration and the creation of a state agenda for workforce recovery. The NGA Center for Best ...

On-Demand Workforce Virtual Forum

The On-Demand Workforce Virtual Forum will convene participants to learn from subject matter experts and the consortium states’ key findings about how states can the improve their understanding of and ...

EDUCATE FOR OPPORTUNITY

The NGA Center has partnered with Strada Education Network, to focus on supporting state efforts that connect and align their postsecondary institutions to state workforce needs. This page should redirect ...

Understanding Quality: The Role of States in Supporting Quality Non-Degree Credentials

This issue brief provides guidance about how states can identify which credentials meet quality thresholds and are likely to empower workers, highlights states that are leading on this issue, and ...

State Workforce Development System Partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation Services to Address the Needs of People with Disabilities Impacted by COVID-19

(View/Download) Summary This memo describes ways that state Vocational Rehabilitation services (VR) programs are collaborating with state workforce development agencies and with state and local workforce development boards in response ...

Reskilling and Recovery Network

The network brought together state and community college leaders with workforce and industry partners to collaboratively identify and scale strategies to give workers the skills necessary to succeed in an ...