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.

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 117th 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
  • Sophia Yager, Senior Policy Analyst
  • Eric Aboodi, Policy Analyst
  • Malena Dailey, Policy Analyst

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

Rethinking Occupational Licensing After COVID-19: The Governor’s Role

Rethinking Occupational Licensing After COVID-19: The Governor’s Role

The Occupational Licensing Final Report: Assessing State Policies and Practices highlights lessons learned from the consortiums’ work with 16 states that can inform future action by Governors and state legislators ...
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National Governors Association, Cognizant U.S. Foundation Launch Workforce Innovation Network to Support a Robust, Equitable Recovery

National Governors Association, Cognizant U.S. Foundation Launch Workforce Innovation Network to Support a Robust, Equitable Recovery

As Governors lead efforts to promote equitable and forward-looking economic recovery in their states and territories, the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices announced the launch of the ...
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State Roadmap for Workforce Recovery

State Roadmap for Workforce Recovery

This roadmap is designed to help Governors and state leaders address four objectives necessary to respond holistically to the unemployment crisis as well as to recover and build resilience in ...
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Workforce Innovation Network

Workforce Innovation Network

The Workforce Innovation Network will help facilitate innovative state-level policy solutions that improve employment and workforce outcomes. This page should redirect to: https://www.nga.org/workforce-innovation-network/ If not redirected please click here to ...
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Exploring the On-Demand Economy in Colorado

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 ...
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Current Legal Protections And Opportunities For Supporting Workers

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 ...
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Registered Apprenticeship Reimagined

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

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 ...
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On-Demand Workforce Virtual Forum

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 ...
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Economic Policy Library

NGA Statement on U.S. Municipal Securities as High-Quality Liquid Assets

NGA Statement on U.S. Municipal Securities as High-Quality Liquid Assets The National Governors Association today released the following statement in reaction to Congress’ support in treating U.S. Municipal Securities as High-Quality ...
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Advanced Refunding

Dear Member of Congress: The national organizations listed above represent hundreds of thousands of public-sector entities that issue debt to finance and build the infrastructure that contributes to strong economies ...
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Parents And Children Thriving Together: Two-Generation State Policy Network Midpoint Meeting

March 19-20, 2018 | New Brunswick, NJ Two-generation strategies seek to promote children’s learning and healthy development while simultaneously promoting the parents’ success as both caregivers and breadwinners. The National ...
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Parents and Children Thriving Together: The Role of State Agencies in Crafting a Statewide Two-Generation Strategy

Summary Governors are responsible for ensuring that state government systems meet the needs of low-income families as effectively and efficiently as possible. Two-generation policy strategies can make a range of ...
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Tax Reform (State and Local Tax Deduction and Municipal Bonds)

The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Chuck Schumer Minority Leader U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Paul Ryan Speaker U.S. House of ...
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NGA Joins State, Local Coalition ‘Americans Against Double Taxation’

The National Governors Association (NGA) has joined Americans Against Double Taxation, a coalition comprised of state and local government organizations, education and other public service providers and housing organizations. All of ...
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State Strategies for Venture Capital and Rural Development

State Strategies for Venture Capital and Rural Development

This webinar featured model rural programs from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative. It was open to all governors’ economic policy advisors, commerce directors, and ...
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SELF DRIVE Act

The Honorable Paul Ryan Speaker United States House of Representatives 1233 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Ranking Member United States House of Representatives 233 ...
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Highway Trust Fund Rescission

The Honorable Rob Woodall U.S. House of Representatives 1724 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Woodall: The National Governors Association (NGA), the National Conference of State Legislatures ...
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