Vision for New Orleans Workforce Development SystemThe New Orleans Workforce Development Board WDB is committed to building a strong and collaborativeworkforce development system that me
System Governance, Leadership and Funding
Goal Position the Workforce Development Board as the convener, connector, partnership broker, and performance evaluator for the NOLA workforce development system.
1 Establish the scope, governance model, and leadership roles of the workforce development board in relation to other key workforce system partners.
The New Orleans Workforce Development Board is redefining its role as a strategic convener and connector to effectively address the evolving and complex economic and workforce development needs of the community By embracing a collaborative approach, the board aims to align partners across industry, education, and government to accelerate opportunity, skills training, and local job growth This transformation positions the board to respond to a wide spectrum of challenges—from upskilling displaced workers to attracting employers with talent-ready pipelines—through proactive coordination, data-driven strategy, and community engagement In doing so, the New Orleans Workforce Development Board seeks to drive sustainable economic development and workforce resilience for New Orleans.
This strategic role blends visionary leadership and creative problem solving to define a market-responsive system, establish a governance framework with clear leadership roles that enable strategic partnerships, and collaborate with the public and private sectors to set policy and funding priorities that drive industry and business growth, expand career pathways, and create broad economic opportunities for all job seekers.
It is critical that this vison and role is understood by all board members, elected officials, and other system stakeholders.
Roles and work related to this vision and scope include:
Developing and coordinating workforce strategies and policies;
Convening employers, partners, and funders (public, private, and philanthropy) and facilitating public-private partnerships that support workforce system priorities and activities;
Clarifying the role of the respective partners, (e.g., GNO, NOLABA, The Network, etc.);
Building and strengthening strategic partnerships;
Identifying, aligning and providing strategic funding and resources for targeted training and relate workforce development services;
Supporting sector strategies and career pathways that advance opportunities for all workers and job seekers, including low-skilled adults, opportunity youth, returning citizens; individuals with disabilities and others;
Monitoring and evaluating the performance of the system, using board-established measures;
Disseminating labor market data and information about partnerships, programs, and services;
Providing support for organizational and professional capacity building; and
Advocating for federal, state, and local public and other funding.
2 Develop a board structure, staffing, and funding model that supports the role and work of the board that includes a core team of staff the Network, OWD, and key partners.
The Board will act as an anchor for the workforce system, collaborating with strategic partners to implement clearly defined priorities and actions across sector strategies, career pathways, and business services; data sharing and data governance; performance accountability; career and job seeker services; and supportive services This proposed strategic alliance structure would leverage the strengths and resources of existing partners to fulfill workforce system mandates and achieve its goals.
The Board will identify partners who align with strategic plan priorities and existing relationships, prioritizing those able to immediately leverage activities and resources A gap analysis will identify opportunities to expand reach and impact for the benefit of both the business community and job-seeking populations Strategic partnerships should extend beyond mandated WIOA partners to maximize outcomes.
Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) would be developed between the Board and strategic alliance partners to formalize their collaborations Each MOU would specify the scope of the partnership, outline key roles and responsibilities, and set clear objectives, resource commitments, and measurable outcomes The document would also establish governance provisions, timelines, performance indicators, and mechanisms for monitoring progress and resolving disputes, ensuring aligned efforts and shared accountability for value creation.
3 Establish implementation work groups, action plans and timelines for executing on the strategic plan.
To advance the implementation of the strategic plan, the Board will establish an Implementation Committee as a sub-committee dedicated to ensuring that ongoing execution aligns with the newly developed system vision The committee will provide oversight of work and action plans, timelines, progress toward deliverables, and the momentum of the initiative If feasible and there is buy-in among members, the Steering Committee currently leading the workforce system transformation can be transitioned to the Implementation Committee, creating a unified governance body focused on implementation.
Targeted workgroups will also be established to ensure implementation of the respective strategies detailed in the strategic plan Workgroups would be formed to align with priorities related to the provision of Sector Strategies/Career Pathways/ Business Services; Data Sharing and Management; Career and Job Seeker Service; and Supportive Services.
Additionally, workgroups would be responsible for elevating relevant issues, recommendations, and course corrections to help ensure successful implementation of the strategic plan for consideration by the Implementation Committee and the full Board.
4 Align funding from WIOA mandated partners, other public funding, as well as philanthropic and private sector investments to support the vision and strategic goals of the workforce development system.
While system resource mapping work has begun, it needs to be completed to fully assess, and leverage where appropriate, sources of funding – public, private, and philanthropic This work includes:
Identifying of all major sources of funding in the above categories;
Understanding constraints and level of flexibility tied to funding; and
Making decisions regarding the efficient uses of funding.
This exercise aligns workforce funding with the goal of increasing system services and performance, while laying the groundwork for new activities or realigning existing efforts By identifying gaps, redundancies, and inefficiencies, it enables reallocation of resources to key challenge areas and helps prevent unnecessary expenditures in areas where high‑quality service delivery is already occurring.
Drawing on insights from the resource mapping process, strategic alliance partners will identify program overlap and opportunities for cost sharing to achieve cost savings, while coordinating initiatives to improve access to career and job seeker services and enhance training and employment outcomes.
5 Develop quality standards, shared outcomes, and an approach to evaluating programs and services, including job seeker and employer experiences with the system.
As part of the strategic alliance, partners will develop and articulate MOUs that specify KPIs—key performance indicators and quantifiable measures—that reflect progress toward defined goals across Sector Strategies, Career Pathways, Business Services, Career and Job Seeker Services, and Supportive Services The evaluation will identify critical success factors and determine the actions required to achieve the targeted outcomes.
Form a Performance Accountability work group that includes all relevant partners and draws guidance from academics, researchers, and other experts to ensure high-quality data collection and the effective utilization of a wide range of data This cross-functional body will strengthen data governance, promote rigorous measurement, and translate insights into actionable accountability across programs.
Sector Strategies and Business Engagement
Goal Establish clear sectors of focus for workforce system investment and align career pathways and credentials with employment opportunities in these sectors (Health Care, Hospitality, IT, Skilled Crafts).
Expand and formalize a hub-and-spoke model of business engagement by strengthening the Anchor Collaborative and Industry Advisory Boards to provide aligned leadership with the workforce system vision Elevate the Board’s central role in convening business leaders, gathering and sharing workforce data, and coordinating strategies and solutions across the Anchor Collaborative and Industry Advisory Boards This integrated approach will improve collaboration, accelerate data-driven decisions, and drive coordinated actions to meet labor market needs.
The Anchor Collaborative, and work performed under its Industry Advisory Boards, will serve as the
By establishing a sector-specific hub led by industry advisory boards and connected to 90+ employers, business services representatives, and job developers across diverse workforce system partners, all sector-related activities are coordinated to streamline engagement This centralized model reduces duplication of effort, improves cross-partner collaboration, and creates a single, efficient point of contact for business engagement across the workforce ecosystem.
2 Regularly convene 2- and 4-year institutions about alignment with industry sectors and career pathways.
By leveraging the ongoing efforts of GNO, Inc., NOLABA, and other partners to convene key institutions, we ensure that workforce intelligence—covering industry sectors, jobs, skills, and career pathways—is aligned and disseminated in ways that support the board’s performance accountability The initiative also maps education programs to formal, industry-approved pathways and equips educational institutions and workforce development programs with the data and insights needed to better align their curricula and outcomes with industry demand.
Convene business and industry partners to co-create, map, and clearly communicate career pathways and work-based learning opportunities within identified industry sectors, and develop new models for on-the-job training, internships, and apprenticeships as core activities that support robust career pathways.
Convene businesses currently engaged with the Anchor Collaborative and other strategic alliance partners to design programs, develop curricula, and expand work-based learning for both adults and youth The process gathers employer input on basic and technical/occupational skill requirements, as well as soft skills and employability competencies, and identifies the credentials valued for occupations within the chosen career pathways Business service representatives and job developers across partner agencies will collaborate with the business community to review existing curricula or develop new ones that meet industry-recognized standards and reflect local job market needs This alignment ensures that education and training programs stay responsive to employer needs and help learners gain relevant, credentialed skills The result is a coordinated effort to bridge education and the workforce by integrating employer insights into curriculum design and work-based learning opportunities.
4 Focus funding on education and training programs and credentials that align with sector and career pathways.
Target training investments in curriculum and program development that align with an Industry-Valued Credential List co-created with industry partners Use insights from employer partners through the Anchor Collaborative and Industry Advisory Boards to inform training investments and policy making As part of broader Career Pathway development, the Workforce Development Board (WDB) convenes Industry Advisory Boards and other employer partners to identify credentials and related education and training programs that align with New Orleans career pathways.
The Workforce Development Board (WDB) will prioritize training investments in education and training programs that yield credentials on the approved list, while still supporting bridge programs into occupational training and targeted training for job seekers who need pathways to opportunities beyond existing sectors The WDB will encourage all funders and providers to focus their investments and efforts on these credentials and related programs, adopting a business-driven and business-responsive approach to workforce training.
Scale the use of metrics and evaluation methods to continuously review training quality and ensure investments align with high standards Focus funding on proven-quality programs vetted by employers, including Industry Advisory Boards, and that demonstrably lead to good jobs for trainees Develop a recognized seal of approval that certifies quality training, signaling credibility to learners and employers alike.
As the second phase of focusing education and training efforts, the Workforce Development Board (WDB) will collaborate with Industry Advisory Boards, all workforce development partners, and the education and training institutions in an active, ongoing process to evaluate the quality of the training courses and programs offered This ongoing evaluation and collaboration aims to ensure training remains relevant, effective, and aligned with industry needs.
Expanding the Industry Advisory Boards and utilizing them to a greater scale in vetting curricula and training provision.
Organizations should convene periodic focus groups or discussions with employer partners—such as Industry Advisory Board members and other employers that recruit a significant share of workforce-program graduates—to assess the merits of individual programs, gauge their effectiveness in preparing well-qualified candidates for jobs, and evaluate the overall quality of training.
Developing an ongoing feedback loop in which employer customers report on candidates' ability to perform work duties in line with expectations and the competencies and credentials they have acquired.
Other methods to be developed.
All feedback will be shared with the education and training community to drive ongoing improvements in training quality, while the WDB commits to continuously convening employers and education and training providers to sustain dialogue on training standards, credential expectations, and overall quality.
Where appropriate, the Workforce Development Board (WDB) proposes a WIOA‑funding process that limits support to high‑quality education and training programs that are industry‑approved, and it recommends that other funders and program operators adopt the same standard By ensuring funding goes only to programs that meet rigorous quality criteria, this approach from a business perspective could over time produce a recognized "seal of approval" from employers.
Convene business service professionals and job developers across partners to prevent duplication, boost coordination, and strengthen alignment with career pathways and employment opportunities across sectors Under sector leadership for each Industry Advisory Board, develop a coordinated framework and actionable initiatives that align workforce programs with sector-specific career pathways and expand employment opportunities across industries.
Business Services Network to deliver coordinated business outreach and placement activity across the system.
This network serves as a centralized home for line-level activity across industry sectors and a hub for sharing critical workforce intelligence with providers and job seekers Members will regularly communicate through meetings, conference calls, direct communications, and forthcoming digital channels about job leads, industry trends, major hiring events, and outreach with business customers This collaboration reduces duplication of outreach and ensures employers have access to candidates from the entire workforce system to fill job openings The network will share insights and relationships with business customers while preserving each partner's existing employer connections and helping meet placement and retention goals.
7 Strengthen connections between adult literacy, adult education and workforce trainingto more closely align adult education, foundational skill development, and occupational training with career pathway development in identified industry sectors.
Convene providers of adult education and literacy programs, workforce training entities, and the business community to define and align educational pathways that create accessible on-ramps and off-ramps for workers This collaboration enables opportunity youth and adult learners to enter and exit a program of study with a credential that demonstrates mastery of competencies tied directly to career pathways in identified industry sectors.
Job-Seeker Services
Goal Increase consistency, quality and accessibility of jobseeker services through multiple service centers around the city, toward a goal of ensuring gainful employment for those served by the workforce system.
Establish and implement an RFP/RFQ process for workforce system providers that leverages WIOA funding with public, philanthropic, and in-kind resources to promote and connect co-located and community-based services The vision is to create a more distributed system than is currently in place, encourage more creative use of partner sites and existing programs and funding, and deliver customized services for returning citizens and other targeted groups, while strengthening the role of adult education and occupational training within the workforce development ecosystem.
Led by the NOWDB and the City’s Office of Workforce Development, the RFP/RFQ process is being designed to drive innovation, forge high-quality partnerships, and explore creative methods for serving New Orleans residents.
Orleans' large numbers of job seekers and at-risk individuals and to effectively serve New Orleans' business community Key elements will include:
Better utilization of and commitments from "Outreach Partners" to position services where people need them.
Creative strategies to expand service access include mobile workforce centers, co-location with colleges, human-service sites, libraries and other community anchors, as well as satellite and mini-centers Alternating days across multiple sites and expanding technology-enabled service delivery can broaden reach and accessibility Solicit and implement the best ideas for embedding services at existing human-service or other sites to leverage the pre-workforce and workforce development efforts of current providers and reach people through partner programs already serving them.
Funding will be targeted to deliver customized services to at-risk populations, including returning citizens, individuals with mental health and substance use challenges, TANF recipients, veterans, and other groups as capacity allows This targeted approach aims to tailor support to each group's specific needs and to maximize the impact of available resources.
Partnerships with adult education through "Bridge Programs" and similar models will be prioritized as part of an integrated service delivery and career pathway development approach.
Significant leveraging of resources is essential for any WIOA Adult/Dislocated Worker grant, which cannot stand alone against New Orleans' extreme workforce challenges A diverse mix of public and philanthropic funders supports the broader workforce development system, and applications that demonstrate at least 50% of the proposed project cost being generated through leveraging of other public or philanthropic funds—and that fully blend those funds with WIOA grant funds—will be prioritized.
Although some strategies may be developed top-down by the WDB, Network, and OWD, the RFP/RFQ process actively seeks innovative solutions and partnerships from applicants, with a clear emphasis on cost-efficient and effective approaches that deliver measurable results Proposals should balance internal guidance with external creativity, ensuring that new ideas translate into practical, scalable outcomes.
Deliverables for this Action include releasing an RFP/RFQ by early 2017 and securing a newly energized network of providers by mid-2017 Success will be evidenced by improved quality of service to job-seeker customers, higher numbers of job placements, and cost savings through efficiencies The initiative also envisions renewing and refreshing the public workforce system’s brand—potentially incorporating many successful organizations into a broader brand—to enhance its image with businesses, job seekers, and the community and boost overall effectiveness As a Steering Committee member noted, when people enter any of the workforce doors across New Orleans, they receive the services they need at the level and quality they expect.
Develop and manage an information inventory of available services across partners, capturing calendar, location, eligibility criteria, and other relevant details to facilitate participation and meet the needs of both customers and partners See the Data Management section below for more information.
To address the challenge that job-seekers often struggle to locate time- and place-specific services and that partner staff may lack up-to-date information, it is essential to develop and sustain as close to a complete inventory of workforce programming and supports as possible The Opportunity Youth sector is creating an initial inventory that can serve as a launchpad for a broader catalog of workforce programs, using existing Adult Literacy/Adult Education inventories as models A work group is planned for Winter 2016-17 and Spring 2017 to gather data on programs offered by New Orleans’ many workforce development providers, including JOB1, TANF and other public programs, the Opportunity Centers, YouthForce NOLA, EMPLOY, community colleges, human service providers with a workforce component, and more The inventory would be designed to be readily accessible to leadership, case managers, and direct service staff across all workforce system partners, and ideally to the public, with monthly updates that reflect current calendars and service availability for each partner The result would be easier access for job-seekers and more efficient navigation for staff, with online and public access envisioned.
We will build, expand, and formalize underdeveloped areas of partnership to broaden outreach and more effectively meet the needs of special populations, including individuals in the criminal justice system, people experiencing mental health and substance use challenges (inpatient and outpatient), faith-based groups, and other community organizations By strengthening these collaborations, we can improve access to services, enhance care coordination, and tailor interventions to local contexts, delivering inclusive, sustainable, and measurable outcomes.
The Workforce Development Board (WDB) envisions engaging distinct service providers to deliver customized workforce services for special populations, while the Action proposes multiple strategies to expand and enhance these services for targeted groups and improve overall performance The WDB will facilitate leadership and frontline planning sessions to build new partnerships and broaden existing ones, emphasizing co-location, collaborative and team-based case management, and blended service delivery The WDB expects to deliver on-site workforce services at sites such as re-entry facilities to reach participants where they are and strengthen outcomes.
New Orleans will expand partnerships with halfway houses, substance abuse treatment centers, and on-site mental health and treatment services at workforce development centers These collaborations will be integrated into the RFP/RFQ process, with the Workforce Development Board (WDB) providing ongoing guidance and partnership-building support through 2017 and beyond By aligning workforce development with criminal justice system reform, the city will build on proven models such as the Angola Prison Program and the Re-Entry Court Program to improve outcomes for justice-involved individuals.
Develop a detailed, end-to-end customer flow for both job seekers and businesses to streamline interactions and service delivery Establish written Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to reduce duplication, increase co-enrollment, and align and standardize core steps and tools—including intake, assessment, case management, work readiness, career advising, and data management—for consistent, scalable outcomes.
Today, individuals seeking workforce development support from multiple providers often must repeat the same basic intake information and undergo multiple assessments, while referrals are not managed effectively There is substantial evidence that job-seeker participants receive widely divergent quality of preparation across providers, which undermines outcomes A top priority is identifying and scaling the best models within the system and building a cohesive, system-wide high-quality product to ensure consistent, effective support for job-seekers.
The WDB will convene a working group of service-provider leadership and staff to refine the existing customer flow charts and processes used across the system This effort will unfold in several steps and be validated by observing actual client flow through the system, whether through direct observation, “secret shopper” testing, or line staff re-checks of maps against the real paths job-seekers take The goals are to identify and remove duplicate or unnecessary steps, uncover opportunities for collaboration, and implement new efficiencies—such as delegating certain steps to a specialist entity so those services can be delivered system-wide.
The process will identify what partners bring to the table and build on the contributions of those organizations that can best accomplish certain partner roles system-wide.
Data Sharing and Management
Goal Enhance use of, and shared access to, data to improve workforce service delivery quality, case management, and outcomes across system partners.
Data—and the gaps in it—shape the discourse around New Orleans’ workforce development system While many strong organizations exist within the workforce system, they are not sufficiently interconnected to deliver efficient, high-quality services, and data is not being used effectively to drive improvement The actions outlined here are largely interconnected and designed as a sequential set of steps that collectively strengthen and integrate the workforce system for New Orleans.
Clarify workforce system data needs and purposes linked to the labor market, employers, case management, and performance, with clear goals that strengthen data use Establish a cross-functional work group of program staff and data/IT team members from system partners to build a coherent list of required data types and their specific purposes Potential data uses include measuring system efficiency and coordination; understanding user experiences; enhancing case management and referrals; supporting reporting and grant writing; communicating with funders and other stakeholders; and tracking employment and training outcomes.
Data sources as noted may be:
Labor market data, both high-level from public sources like Federal/State LMI and local data from GNO, Inc.
Employer data on their specific workforce needs, including existing and anticipate labor and skill shortages, competencies, job training, and credential expectations and outcomes data on customers placed for employment.
Case management data including the information about job-seeker and worker program participants from the entire range of system partners (WIOA, JOB1, Opportunity Centers, community colleges, and others).
Performance data for each partner program is gathered and reported to satisfy the requirements of funders and program oversight entities, while also delivering the data-driven insights stakeholders need from enhanced program planning and management to drive more effective outcomes.
2 Identify where data currently existsand streamline data gathering processes where possible. Leverage points include:
GNO, Inc & LWC – Employer Data and Labor Market Information
EMPLOY – Opportunity Youth Case Management Data
HIRE – Public Workforce System Data
While a clear list of the data that is needed is being generated, the work group will pay attention to the sources, to streamline the data gathering processes.
3 Understand data sharing and management mandatesand limitations across system partners.
4 Make the case for data sharing across system partners at the State level, including the use of data sharing agreements.
5 Convene public and private sector funders to discuss data sharingto improve outcomes and ensure system alignment.
Link to national workforce data initiatives, such as the Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI), to expand access to and use of workforce data at state and local levels Doing so supports policy directives, improves outcomes, and enhances data quality across jurisdictions.
Actions 3 to 6 form a connected sequence that builds on previous steps, illustrating how funder and program mandates create multiple data-entry requirements for customer data and strain providers' ability to maintain consistent records Because programs and individuals cannot rely on labor-market data or other readily available datasets, they face gaps that hinder planning and service delivery Efforts to use data across programs and systems often fall short, hindering interoperability and cross-program insights Privacy remains at the forefront, yet there is a growing imperative to enable secure data sharing of various types to improve service outcomes.
Some key resulting activities of this process will include:
Development of a City-wide dashboard or scorecard that can be shared across programs Once the work groups have identified the commonalities, they will develop a set of the "lay person" performance measures that are clear, simple and easy to communicate to a range of audiences. The EMPLOY collaborative has begun to form a set of core outcomes measures for Opportunity Youth and an initial list building upon these may include:
Build measures around program quality The work group will engage in a dialogue among providers to develop a shared understanding of quality outcomes on the various measures.What is a good job? What is a quality credential? How can data be used for continuous improvement? These efforts will interface with the customer flow and other working groups building a more streamlined, less duplicative and more coherent system overall.
Aligning outcomes is the key to driving program alignment and collaboration across teams When programs use different measures, they often deliver activities that reflect those metrics rather than the most effective actions; the issue isn’t the activities’ quality but how outcomes are defined and evaluated Establishing a cross-functional working group to standardize and align outcomes will simultaneously steer the selection and coordination of activities across programs, creating a cohesive, outcomes-based approach that improves overall impact.
As measures are developed, establish standardized reporting that enables all partners to generate regular, consistent data on the measure pool, aligned to the same timelines, and to share that information collaboratively If partners concur, this information can reside with the WDB or The Data Center, creating a central reporting hub where programs and initiatives are presented to stakeholders and the community through a common, easily understood set of measures.
Strategic Planning Process Overview
New Orleans enlisted the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW), a national workforce consultant, to support the Workforce Development System Design process, with the goal of gaining objective insights into the city’s current system and bringing national expertise to the system assessment and planning work CSW joined forces with New Orleans staff and the local consulting firm Converge for Change to lead the multi‑part process during late summer and fall 2016.
During the System Design process, the 19-member Steering Committee—composed of New Orleans Workforce Development Board (NOWDB) members, representatives from the business community, leaders from system partners, and other experts—met monthly to provide critical feedback and guidance on shaping the vision, establishing goals, refining strategies, and detailing planned actions.
Project consulting staff conducted a comprehensive review of more than 50 documents related to the New Orleans workforce system to establish a clear understanding of the current state of the publicly funded workforce system The materials encompassed prior local and regional workforce plans, a broad set of research reports and policy papers on New Orleans’ economy and workforce needs, and all relevant WIOA documents—such as Memoranda of Understanding among system partners, performance reports, policies and procedures—along with other related materials.
More than 20 one-on-one and small-group interviews with key stakeholders provided perspectives on the workforce development system and community needs Interviewees included City elected officials, City and program partner staff, education system leaders, workforce development board members, funders, and other policymakers The insights from these conversations established a baseline of information that informed the subsequent processes.
During the New Orleans Workforce System Design process, Listening Sessions were conducted with key system stakeholders to gather input on how the workforce system currently operates and to capture individual experiences and perspectives The sessions also sought feedback on priority areas the system should focus on and what it should become, ensuring that insights reflect both personal and organizational viewpoints The information gathered from these sessions was used to shape upcoming Design Sessions and to frame the strategic plan and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services RFP, guiding near-term actions and long-term goals for the New Orleans workforce system.
Sessions were co-facilitated by staff of Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and Converge for Change The following sessions were held:
Workforce System Design Kickoff Event Activity - 80 participants
New Orleans Workforce Board members - 6 participants
Cafe Reconcile (Job Seekers) - 14 participants
YouthWorks (Youth Job Seekers) - 6 participants
Youth Empowerment Project (Youth Job Seekers) - 6 participants
Research on National Promising Practices
Consultants analyzed workforce systems in more than a dozen municipalities to identify replicable best practices that could inform the development of New Orleans' workforce framework The resulting insights were compiled into a report presented to the Steering Committee, with detailed findings available in Appendix 2.
Assessment-Planning and Design Sessions
On October 20, 2016, more than 50 stakeholders gathered for a full-day session to process the learnings to date, identify key insights to guide the next steps, and launch a Design phase that defines the essential elements of the New Orleans workforce system Participants rotated through a series of topic stations, collaborating to shape a comprehensive vision for the region’s workforce development.
1 Job Seekers Services (includes different populations)
3 Sector Strategies AND Business Services
5 Data sharing, data management AND Technology Solutions for Services
Each Station's discussion helped begin to develop the recommendations outlined in the Plan below.
On November 17, 2016, Design Sessions were held to address four key topic areas, including a merger of several topics from the Assessment-Planning phase The sessions centered on these four topics and integrated related topics from prior work to streamline the design process.
Funding, System Governance, and Leadership
Job Seeker Services (Including Youth, Adult, and Special Populations) AND Partnership and Collaboration
Sectors, Business Services, Career Pathways and Training
Attendees included stakeholders and system leaders with particular expertise and roles tied to the specific topics (See list of participating organizations below.)
The results of these discussions led to the key Goals and Actions making up the Strategic Plan being presented here.
Behrhorst, Perrin & Du Plantier Group, LLC
City of New Orleans- Mayor's Office
City of New Orleans- Office of Workforce
City of New Orleans- the Network for Economic
Job1 Business and Career Solutions JobCorps
LCMC Health Louisiana Green Corps Louisiana Workforce Commission New Horizons - New Orleans New Orleans Business Alliance New Orleans Job Corps NOLA for Life- Midnight Basketball Ochsner Health System
Orleans Parish School Board Project Homecoming QCS Logistics
Recovery School District STAND with Dignity Strive NOLA Total Community Action Tulane University United Way of Southeast Louisiana Urban League
WalgreensYMCA of Greater New OrleansYouth Empowerment ProjectYouthForce NOLA
New Orleans Workforce Development Board
2016-17 Strategic Planning Steering Committee Roster
Name-Committee-Sector Company and Title
Business Greater New Orleans, Inc.
Governmental Economic and Community City of New Orleans
The Network for Economic Opportunity
Business New Orleans Business Alliance
Education and Training Delgado Community College
Education and Training Delgado Community College Margaret Olmos
National Best and Promising Practices
Drawing on a nationwide review of best-practice workforce development models, New Orleans has pinpointed the critical success factors that define effective programs The Strategic Plan then blends these proven concepts with innovative initiatives from other exemplary city and regional efforts to create a scalable, results-driven approach to workforce development.
Business service representatives collaborate with partners across industries to strengthen workforce service delivery, playing an influential role in aligning training with real-world labor needs They help identify industry-recognized competencies, develop relevant curricula, and select credentials that fit regional economies, ensuring education and training programs prepare workers for in‑demand jobs By coordinating with employers, educators, and workforce stakeholders, they translate local labor-market signals into practical programs that boost employability and economic vitality in the region.
Multiple employers, business associations, and/or labor partners often jointly develop and participate in the career pathway programs and make demonstrated investments.
Engagement of employers in workforce development programs is critical, including small employers and employers in in-demand industry sectors and occupations.
Coordination of workforce investment activities with economic development activities is needed, including the promotion of entrepreneurial skills training and microenterprise services.
Workforce development, educational institutions, foundations, and community organizations are partnering with employers in industry sectors to develop career pathway and work-based learning programs.
In some places, community colleges offer stackable credentials, providing a pathway approach for adult learners, who can complete one credential and advance to the next credential.
Bridge programs are also offered to adults who need to bolster skills before advancing to college-level work and these programs address both foundational work and literacy skill development.
System partners use labor market intelligence on current and future industry sector demand to inform the development and ongoing relevance of career pathways.
Customers experience a “common front door” for all partner programs supported by common registration and a triage/assessment process to measure academic and occupational skills.
Processes and procedures are developed to encourage co-enrollment of job seekers in one or more core programs delivering services through career centers.
Intake, case management, and career advising data systems are integrated between partners to allow for more efficient access to services.
Partners offer robust training services (ITAs, customized training, work-based learning, etc.) leading to industry-recognized credentials in in-demand career paths based on labor market data.
Strong relationships and agreements with partners are established to provide educational and supportive services for job seekers with significant barriers to employment.
Some of these programs focus on populations specifically of interest to New Orleans, programs serving returning citizens and two-generation programs, serving parents and their children.
Key partners and stakeholders establish a sustained, collaborative framework to recruit, refer, and deliver holistic youth services The program integrates financial literacy, leadership and entrepreneurship training, and comprehensive career planning and advising, while offering education delivered concurrently with workforce preparation activities and preparing youth for post-secondary education and training.
This resource-mapping assessment catalogs regional organizations and programs currently serving eligible populations, with the goal of identifying strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities By mapping coverage, capacities, and coordination gaps, the analysis enables maximum leveraging of existing assets and better alignment among providers to improve service delivery.
An integrated vision for serving youth that leverages other federal, state, local, and philanthropic resources.
Outcomes focused on the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, entry into post-secondary education, and career readiness for participants.
Develop and sustain partnerships with employers of all sizes, including small businesses, across in-demand industry sectors and occupations to provide youth work experience opportunities such as academic and occupational education, summer employment, internships, service-learning, and on-the-job training.
Coordination with local partners to provide access to highest quality and most comprehensive service provision possible, including:
Needs related payments for those engaged in training services to help individuals meet their non- training expense and help them complete training successfully.
Local system for the identification and dissemination of best practices for meeting the needs of employers, workers, and job seekers
Objective criteria and process for assessing effectiveness and continuous improvement of programs and service providers
Integrated data and performance management systems to increase use of common intake and data collection
Providing access to online services
Delivering technology-based services accessible to all individuals
Sector Partnerships and Business Services
The Chicago Workforce Development Board's Business Relations and Economic Development (BRED) unit collaborates with City and County economic development departments, regional chambers of commerce, and other regional workforce and economic development partners to identify opportunities to deliver high-quality, innovative, and integrated services to regional employers It also leads WIOA Business Services Teams to create a system-wide approach that ensures continuity in delivering public workforce system services to regional business customers Chicago also uses WIOA and other funds to operate sector centers in Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Hospitality/Service.
Based in Boston, MA, the Boston Private Industry Council is prioritizing pipeline strategies across healthcare, life sciences, information technology, and hospitality, while advancing policy initiatives—such as the Boston Compact, Youth, and Postsecondary Transitions—that connect industry partnerships with robust business services.
New York, NY – The Mayor's Office unveiled a strategic vision for the city's workforce system, introducing industry sector initiatives and Sector-Based One-Stops to streamline access to employment services The plan also establishes Industry Partnerships, composed of teams of industry experts tasked with closing labor market gaps by aligning supply and demand across six key economic sectors.
To define and fulfill labor demand in their respective sectors, Industry Partnerships will establish ongoing
Feedback loops between industry and employers create a platform for regular, productive interaction that keeps workforce needs aligned with real-time market demand Industry Partnerships identify the exact skills and qualifications employers require and continuously upgrade curricula, training, and credential attainment programs to reflect local market conditions They collaborate with organized labor, educational institutions, service providers, philanthropy, and City agencies to design robust workforce development strategies and mobilize resources across sectors.
Kansas City, MO –The WDB has a strong partnership with the local economic development agency (CEO is former chair of EDC) There is a unified, regional employer workforce services network.
Chicago, IL – The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (WDB) uses WIOA funds to run Career Pathway training programs—typically cohort-based, demand-driven skills training aligned with the Partnership’s focus industry sectors—and these programs may also include bridge components designed to serve individuals with basic skills deficiencies and/or limited English skills The Chicago Workforce Funder's Alliance supports these efforts, with backing from Walmart.
The Foundation has created the Customer Service Career Pathways Initiative, recognizing that many career pathways begin with transferable skills gained through retail employment, especially strong customer service skills The Initiative's investments are designed to identify and expand how retail employers can actively support their entry-level employees in accessing career pathways, both within retail and into other sectors.
New York, NY – Career Pathways is a system-wide framework that aligns education and training with clear advancement opportunities for a broad range of jobseekers, strengthening the connection between learning and career growth All agencies overseeing workforce development programs are reorienting their services toward career progression rather than stopping at job placement, with sector-focused bridge programs, targeted skills training, job-relevant curricula, and robust work-based learning opportunities driving the shift.
Boston, MA – The One-Stops deploy career pathways models that connect education and training programs to jobs through defined career ladders, allowing participants to move from one level to the next and improve their career prospects They foster partnerships and collaborations to close gaps in the continuum of quality education, training, workforce development, and supportive services, addressing barriers for diverse populations The overarching goal is to help individuals obtain and retain jobs and achieve economic security.
Seattle, WA — The Seattle Jobs Initiative provides training for low-income adults that leads to college credentials in growing local industry sectors The program coordinates wraparound support services—intensive college navigation, housing assistance, childcare, and transportation—to give participants the best chance to complete career pathways and secure and retain well-paying jobs The I-BEST program offers integrated ABE/ESL instruction with occupational skills linked to college credit and certificates, driving credential attainment and wage gains This I-BEST model is being replicated across the country.
Career Services (Employment, Education and Training, and Supportive Services)
Boston, MA –There are three entry points for services- Comprehensive One-Stops, Affiliates and Access Points.
Chicago, IL –The Chicago system is comprised of One-Stops, Delegate Agencies (smaller centers serving job seekers from a distinct geographic community and/or special populations.
Delegate agencies are in and/or demonstrate a capacity to serve a preponderance of residents from: high poverty areas and/or target population; targeted sectors; youth; and/or career pathway training
Coordinated system-wide recruitment through Career Connect, an online database of jobs
Additionally, an Integrated Workforce System is now in development, which will be the first in the nation.
Boston, MA — The PIC prioritizes vulnerable populations and requires One-Stops to deliver highly coordinated, accessible wrap-around support services that address a broad range of individual and family needs.