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

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 ...

Will COVID-19 Accelerate Transformations in Education and Workforce Policy?

Q&A with Future Workforce Now Project Leaders On July 6, the National Governors Association, FHI 360 and Fab Foundation published Reimagining Workforce Policy in the Age of Disruption: A State ...

Understanding & Supporting the On-Demand Workforce

(View/Download) Background As governors and state officials lead response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the unique challenges facing on-demand workers have risen to the forefront. On-demand work is central to the ...

State Strategies to Leverage RESEA in Response to COVID-19

(View/Download) Introduction This memo provides an overview and state examples of Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA), an integrated unemployment assessment and reemployment program that is critical in coordinating state ...

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 ...

Economic Policy Library

State, Local Governments Applaud Online Sales Tax Collection Bill

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 ...

State, Local Groups Respond to President’s Tax Plan

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 ...