Workforce Development & Economic Policy

A top priority of the nation’s Governors is expanding economic opportunity and advancing the nation’s global competitiveness by developing the skilled workforce and economic environment required for individuals, businesses and communities to thrive and prosper. As the chief executive officers of their states, Governors are responsible for setting strategic priorities that align workforce and economic development activities across their states toward a shared vision of societal and economic wellbeing. The NGA Center supports the nation’s Governors by sharing best practices and providing technical assistance services to state leaders including Governors’ economic policy advisors, Governors’ workforce development policy advisors, state economic development organization leaders, state workforce development board chairs and state workforce agency leaders. Focus areas include reducing barriers to economic participation; fostering economic dynamism and job growth; and providing training and employment opportunities that support employers’ talent needs and lead to family-sustaining careers.

Latest

Governors Call on Congress to Keep Government Open

Governors Call on Congress to Keep Government Open

WASHINGTON – Today, National Governors Association Chair Governor Spencer Cox of Utah and Vice Chair Governor Jared Polis of Colorado released the following statement as Congress considers legislation to fund ...
Early Wins: A Tailored Tool For A Big Problem

Early Wins: A Tailored Tool For A Big Problem

Policymakers and technologists who are working to build learning and employment records talk about the ways they could transform how people navigate education and work—supercharging competency-based education, skills-based hiring, and ...
State and Local Leaders Urge Congress to Extend TANF Program

State and Local Leaders Urge Congress to Extend TANF Program

The Honorable Ron Wyden ChairmanSenate Committee on Finance 2221 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Jason SmithChairmanHouse Committee on Ways and Means 1011 Longworth House Office BuildingWashington, ...
Governors Urge Congress to pass appropriations for fiscal year 2024

Governors Urge Congress to pass appropriations for fiscal year 2024

WASHINGTON – Today, National Governors Association Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Vice Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis released the following statement strongly urging Congress to swiftly pass appropriations for ...

Featured

How Six States Are Planning To Advance Digital Skills For Equitable Economic Participation

Governors are prioritizing digital skill development across the education and training continuum, from K-12 curriculum to upskilling and reskilling for workers and adult learners.


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Workforce Development Library

How Governors are Supporting Apprenticeship, Youth Apprenticeship and Other Forms of Work-Based Learning

How Governors are Supporting Apprenticeship, Youth Apprenticeship and Other Forms of Work-Based Learning

Lessons From NGA Center’s Workforce Symposiums By Jordan Morang The bi-annual NGA Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) Workforce Symposiums provide an opportunity for state workforce leaders to address the ...
Infrastructure Workforce Resources

Infrastructure Workforce Resources

Governors and other state and territory leaders across the country agree on the urgent need to develop a qualified workforce to design, build and maintain infrastructure investments. Several states and ...
Digital Equity and the Future of Work: How Six Governors are Advancing Digital Skills for Equitable Economic Participation

Digital Equity and the Future of Work: How Six Governors are Advancing Digital Skills for Equitable Economic Participation

Hawai’i, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island brought together interagency teams to develop state plans to close digital skills gaps in priority industries, geographies and demographics in ...
6 States Awarded Grant Funding to Boost Workforce Participation, Economic Mobility

6 States Awarded Grant Funding to Boost Workforce Participation, Economic Mobility

Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, North Dakota, Virginia and Washington to develop programs to promote skills-based training and hiring WASHINGTON D.C. – Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, North Dakota, Virginia and Washington will receive ...
Action Lab on Youth Apprenticeship

Action Lab on Youth Apprenticeship

In its role as a national partner in the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) hosted a virtual action lab on ...
Supporting Workers with Disabilities by Addressing the Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage

Supporting Workers with Disabilities by Addressing the Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage

A lack of psychiatrists, clinical social workers, therapists and other healthcare workers severely limits a state’s ability to serve workers experiencing stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions that ...
Lessons Learned In Workforce Innovation: How Six States Are Planning to Advance Digital Skills for Equitable Economic Participation

Lessons Learned In Workforce Innovation: How Six States Are Planning to Advance Digital Skills for Equitable Economic Participation

Governors are prioritizing digital skill development across the education and training continuum, from K-12 curriculum to upskilling and reskilling for workers and adult learners. (Download) Executive Summary The COVID-19 pandemic ...
State Strategies to Foster Inclusive Apprenticeships for People with Disabilities

State Strategies to Foster Inclusive Apprenticeships for People with Disabilities

Building inclusive apprenticeship programs for people with disabilities is a proven strategy that can lead to strong wages, a pathway to future career opportunities and sustainable permanent employment in high-quality ...
Summer 2022 Workforce Symposium: Engaging Stakeholders to Advance Digital Skills

Summer 2022 Workforce Symposium: Engaging Stakeholders to Advance Digital Skills

NGA Workforce Innovation Network state grantees partner with employers to bridge the digital divide and adapt to the digital transformation of work By Sophia Yager The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a ...

Economic Policy Library

Safeguarding Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds

Safeguarding Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds

We urge lawmakers to negotiate in good faith to advance FY 2022 spending legislation, while preserving the critical support provided through the CSLFRF. The Honorable Nancy PelosiSpeakerUnited States House of ...
FAFSA Completion Action Lab

FAFSA Completion Action Lab

This Action Lab focuses on strategies for increasing completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to expand access to postsecondary education. It includes an overview of several ...
Governors Start 2022 With A Focus On Electric And Alternative Fuel Vehicles And Networks

Governors Start 2022 With A Focus On Electric And Alternative Fuel Vehicles And Networks

In Governors’ 2022 State of the State addresses, a common theme has been the adoption and manufacture of electric and alternative fuel vehicles and fueling/charging infrastructure as a priority area ...
Letter on the FY 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Package

Letter on the FY 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Package

RE: Support for Inclusion of the State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act in the FY 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Package The Honorable Nancy PelosiSpeakerUnited ...
NGA 2022 Winter Meeting

NGA 2022 Winter Meeting

The National Governors Association's 114th annual Winter Meeting was January 28-31, 2022 in Washington, D.C. Governors met to discuss best practices and bipartisan collaboration on leading policy issues including infrastructure, ...
State of the States 2022

State of the States 2022

Governors of states, territories and commonwealths are outlining their priorities for 2022 in state of the state or commonwealth addresses, as well as inaugural addresses for new and re-elected Governors ...
Entrepreneurship Initiatives For Recovery and Growth

Entrepreneurship Initiatives For Recovery and Growth

This webinar series highlights state initiatives that promote entrepreneurship as a strategy for expanding access to economic opportunity and supporting stronger economic recovery and growth. Specifically, this four-part series will ...
Jobs and the Economy in the U.S. in the Wake of COVID-19: Key Issues Facing Governors

Jobs and the Economy in the U.S. in the Wake of COVID-19: Key Issues Facing Governors

COVID-19 will have long-tail effects that continue to change the U.S. economy and present challenges to states. Governors are learning and working together to address these issues, as well as ...
National Governors Association Announces Second Phase of Workforce Innovation Network

National Governors Association Announces Second Phase of Workforce Innovation Network

New Grant Funding Available to Help States Advance Digital Skill Development The National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices announced today the second phase of grant funding and technical ...