Minnesota has nearly 50 CareerForce locations across the state; each is made up of a partnership of several employment and training programs, co-located in one building in an effort to reduce fragmentation and duplication of services. The creation of CareerForce locations began in 1993, when federal, state, and local service providers were asked to create and define a “one-stop” concept focused on providing information and resources that enable individuals to achieve economic security and employers with the prepared workers they need to successfully compete in today’s economy.
The Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) outlines the service delivery system and six core programs. The core programs are:
Local partner organizations (not state or federal employees/programs) receive State and Federal funds to administer Dislocated Worker, Adult, Youth and in most cases TANF/MFIP Employment and Training programs.
Other, non-mandatory organizations may be partners at a CareerForce location. Examples include Community Action Programs, Department of Human Services, Experience Works, local community or economic development groups, schools and colleges, local government services, and more.
Local Workforce Development Areas – Map and Contact Information
Minnesota’s delivery system is organized into sixteen Workforce Development Areas (WDAs). As mandated under federal law, the governance, delivery infrastructure, and financial responsibilities of the WDA are organized at the direction of local elected officials, with workforce boards serving as the focal point for leadership and accountability.
Regional Workforce Development Areas
Also required by federal law, WDAs also work across geographic boundaries to address the needs of regional economies in an efficient, effective and timely manner. Although this has always happened on an informal/voluntary basis, WIOA (passed in 2014), made regional planning a requirement.
Role of the Local Elected Officials
Role of the Workforce Development Boards
Workforce Development Boards provide local input and direction for meeting workforce development goals as outlined in state and federal statute. Local board members act as leaders in their communities to both make connections among multiple stakeholders and leverage resources to bolster the overall effectiveness of the system.
Membership
Workforce Development Board members are appointed by local elected officials. These local boards include individuals representing community business leaders, labor unions, educational institutions, economic development agencies, and other community based organizations. The chair of the board and a majority of the members are representatives of the private sector, involved in local area businesses.
Governance
Workforce Development Boards establish policies, interpretations, guideline and definitions relating to program
operations consistent with federal law and state policies.
Strategic Planning
Far beyond program oversight, Workforce Development Boards act as convening agents to bring workforce
system partners together to resolve workforce issues in their areas and as change agents to promote
innovative and creative system solutions.
Employer Services
Workforce Development Boards are charged with creating an employer services plan for their area. This plan
includes analysis of industries and businesses to be targeted in their area. Likewise, the WDB provides
guidance to all program partners on the careers and/or industries in demand in their region, in consultation with
the regional labor market analyst and other entities offering relevant information.
Site Selection
Workforce Development Boards select the CareerForce locations and other service delivery options, as well as
the number of locations within their local area, in consultation with partner programs.
Oversight and Monitoring
Workforce Development Boards monitor workforce development activities, budgets and performance outcomes
within the WDA.
Coordinate Service Delivery with Other WDAs
Workforce Development Boards lead the charge in cooperating with other WDAs and appropriate state
agencies to design and deliver activities and services that exceed local jurisdictional boundaries and/or
individual capacities of WDAs.
Coordinate with Economic Development
Workforce Development Boards ensure that services are coordinated with economic development efforts in
their regions.
Role of the Workforce Development Area Director
Each WDA has a Director, who in most cases provides staff support to the local workforce board. The director
is in charge of administering employment and training services. In some areas, the director is a county or city
employee; in others, elected officials contract with a nonprofit agency that hires the director or the board itself
hires a director.