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 Leading on Skills-Based Hiring to Open Opportunity Pathways

Governors Leading on Skills-Based Hiring to Open Opportunity Pathways

Skills-based hiring is a method of recruiting employees that prioritizes a candidate's competencies over more "traditional" qualifications like degrees. This hiring strategy can remove barriers that currently screen out qualified ...
Read More
How Governors Are Addressing Housing Access and Affordability and the Connection to Workforce Success

How Governors Are Addressing Housing Access and Affordability and the Connection to Workforce Success

Governors are increasingly confronting both workforce and housing shortages in a whole of government, complementary manner to not only ensure economic mobility but also to make sure businesses reach their ...
Read More
Governors Lead the Way on Behavioral Health Workforce Needs

Governors Lead the Way on Behavioral Health Workforce Needs

New research from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing shows that 83% of the behavioral health workforce believes providers will not be able to meet the demand for mental health ...
Read More
Governors Lead on Solutions to Improve Mental Health in the Workplace

Governors Lead on Solutions to Improve Mental Health in the Workplace

More than half of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental health condition in their lifetime and may experience associated barriers to entering and maintaining employment. At a time when ...
Read More

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.


Meet The Team

Projects


Workforce Development Library

Workforce Development Technical Assistance Program

Workforce Development Technical Assistance Program

Through this program NGA provides state workforce system leaders with best practice research, strategic planning and meeting facilitation, access to federal partners and subject matter experts, and other support on ...
Read More
Using Data to Advance Digital Skills: A State Playbook

Using Data to Advance Digital Skills: A State Playbook

To assist states in closing digital skill gaps and preparing for digital equity planning, this brief offers key questions and resources for state leaders to consider. This brief is a ...
Read More
Help Wanted: Building a Pipeline to Address the Children’s Mental Health Provider Workforce Shortage

Help Wanted: Building a Pipeline to Address the Children’s Mental Health Provider Workforce Shortage

There is no silver bullet for the mental health crisis but reducing workforce shortages of these critical providers can go a long way to solving the problem. by Jessica Kirchner ...
Read More
The Key Role of Community Colleges in Scaling Apprenticeship Programs Statewide

The Key Role of Community Colleges in Scaling Apprenticeship Programs Statewide

This webinar highlights outcomes of the ECCA initiative and the key role that community colleges play, in partnership with Governors, to scale apprenticeship programs statewide. Community colleges are essential partners ...
Read More
Leveraging Registered Apprenticeship to Build a Thriving and Inclusive Economy

Leveraging Registered Apprenticeship to Build a Thriving and Inclusive Economy

Ensuring that every resident can get into well-paying, stable careers through accessible, affordable education and training is a top priority for the nation’s Governors, as is creating an economic climate ...
Read More
Governors Discuss Computer Science Education with Secretary Gina Raimondo and Fortune 500 CEOs

Governors Discuss Computer Science Education with Secretary Gina Raimondo and Fortune 500 CEOs

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo moderated a conversation on increasing broadband access, expanding student digital literacy, and preparing the future workforce with CEOs Corie Barry of Best Buy, Beth Ford ...
Read More
A Look at America’s Return to Work

A Look at America’s Return to Work

A look at the Community Renewal Task Force discussion on getting people back to work, reducing disparities in the workforce, and leveraging federal investments to maximize opportunities to upskill workers ...
Read More
Governors’ Leadership Remains Key to Advancing Apprenticeship in America

Governors’ Leadership Remains Key to Advancing Apprenticeship in America

Targeted investment and state leadership have driven the expansion of registered apprenticeship into new sectors in addition to scaling the model in sectors where it was more traditionally used. By ...
Read More
Governors Convene in Person for 114th National Governors Association Winter Meeting

Governors Convene in Person for 114th National Governors Association Winter Meeting

NGA Chairman Gov. Hutchinson Unveils Compact to Expand K-12 Computer Science Education During the four-day meeting, Governors held policy discussions on topics including infrastructure investments, strategies to continue to facilitate ...
Read More

Economic Policy Library

A Strong National Economy Depends on Strong States and Territories

A Strong National Economy Depends on Strong States and Territories

Topline Through prudent fiscal management and due to fundamental strengths in the broader economy, states and territories have so far averted the worst-case scenarios in cuts to their workforces and ...
Read More
Unemployment Insurance During COVID-19

Unemployment Insurance During COVID-19

This memo describes: What current unemployment assistance flexibilities exist under the CARES Act and Continued Assistance Act; What presidential actions have been taken to provide additional unemployment compensation as CARES ...
Read More
2021 State of the States Addresses

2021 State of the States Addresses

Playlist with clips from Governor State of the State addresses. Click here for links to full address text and video. View Full Playlist ...
Read More
New Relief Coming From Washington – What Does This Mean For Rental and Utility Assistance?

New Relief Coming From Washington – What Does This Mean For Rental and Utility Assistance?

Through the new Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Governors and local officials are providing emergency rental and utility assistance for effected individuals and families. by Jordan Hynes and Michael Bonino-Britsch Throughout ...
Read More
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 ...
Read More
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 ...
Read More
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 ...
Read More
Outdoor Recreation Learning Network - Annual Meeting 2021

Outdoor Recreation Learning Network – Annual Meeting 2021

The annual meeting will discuss how states can advance outdoor recreation issues including economic recovery from COVID-19, developing partnerships to leverage limited public dollars, accessing federal economic development grants, promoting ...
Read More
State Initiatives for Small Business Recovery During the COVID-19 Pandemic Economic Crisis

State Initiatives for Small Business Recovery During the COVID-19 Pandemic Economic Crisis

This memo summarizes a variety of types of state small business initiatives launched or expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis. (View/Download) Key Takeaways The state small business initiatives ...
Read More