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
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

20 States Join Network to Identify and Scale Strategies to Help Workers Succeed in a Post-Pandemic Economy

National Governors Association, American Association of Community Colleges Launch Reskilling and Recovery Network As America’s workers face unprecedented disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, 20 states are committed to a ...

POLICY ACADEMY ON SCALING WORK-BASED LEARNING

The NGA Center for Best Practices, with support from the Siemens Foundation, is assisting states in scaling high quality work-based learning programs for youth and young adults in STEM-intensive industries ...

The Navigator – North Carolina’s Online Work-Based Learning Platform

The NGA Center for Best Practices, with support from the Siemens Foundation, is working with states through the Policy Academy on Scaling Work-Based Learning to scale high-quality work-based learning programs ...

Reimagining Workforce Policy in the Age of Disruption

(View/Download) Preface When Future Workforce Now: Reimagining Workforce Policy in the Age of Disruption launched in 2018, emerging technologies were rapidly shifting expectations of workers. Meanwhile, many employers struggled to ...

National Governors Association Issues Guide for Building a Resilient Workforce Amid Technological Disruption

‘State Guide for Preparing the Future Workforce Now’ a Timely Resource as COVID-19 Accelerates Disruption As COVID-19 accelerates disruptions impacting the American workforce, the National Governors Association (NGA) issued the ...

Short-Time Compensation Programs as a COVID-19 Response and Recovery Strategy

(View/Download) Introduction This memo provides governors and state officials with an overview of the Short-Time Compensation (STC) program and opportunities for developing, promoting, and expanding state STC programs during the ...

Key Steps and Considerations for Building a COVID-19 Contact Tracing Workforce

(View/Download) Executive Summary As outlined in our Roadmap to Recovery, as states gradually reopen economic and social activities, they must build a robust public health infrastructure with the capacity to ...

State Strategies to Transition Dislocated and Incumbent Workers into High-Demand Industries

(View/Download) Background While disruptions caused by COVID-19 have led to unprecedented increases in unemployment, some industries are now experiencing regional workforce shortages as they escalate their operations to support the ...

Solutions for Rural Economies in Response to COVID-19

Summary Times of crisis often exacerbate the economic challenges faced by rural communities. Following the Great Recession, for example, unemployment in rural areas rose by 6 percent, and rates of ...

Economic Policy Library

State, Local Groups Respond to President’s Tax Plan

The National Governors Association (NGA), the Council of State Governments, the National Association of Counties, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of ...

Governors to Congress: Restore Rural Funding in Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association (NGA) today released a statement regarding reduced federal payments to states and counties under the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program: “Governors call on members of Congress ...

Supporting Municipal Securities as High Quality Liquid Assets

National Governors Association U.S. Conference of Mayors National Association of Counties National League of Cities National Conference of State Legislatures National Association of State Treasurers National Association of State Auditors, ...

Promoting Place-Based Strategies to Address Poverty

Exploring the Governor’s Role Growing up poor can have lifelong consequences for an individual and for society as a whole. Impoverished communities have difficulty meeting the needs of their residents ...

Political Subdivisions

The Honorable John Koskinen, Commissioner Internal Revenue Service U.S. Department of the Treasury 1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20044 RE: Proposed IRS Definition of “Political Subdivision” (REG-129067-15) Dear Commissioner ...

Revisiting Top Trends in State Economic Development

Since the 2013 publication of Top Trends in State Economic Development, governors’ key advisors have continued to explore and implement policies and programs intended to accelerate economic growth and create ...

Capitol Ideas: States Fiscally Stable, But Juggling Priorities

In the February 2016 issue of Capitol Ideas, NGA Executive Director and CEO Scott Pattison outlines financial challenges states face in 2016. Some highlights from the article: Though states have experienced ...

Fiduciary Definition

The Honorable Thomas Perez, Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Regulations and Interpretations, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Room N-5655 200 Constitution Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20210 RE: Proposed Conflict-of-Interest Rule ...

Testimony – State Tax Issues

Written Testimony of Dan Crippen Executive Director, National Governors Association Before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law U. S. House of Representatives On ...