Governor Terry McAuliffe and Results for America hosted a summit on workforce development this week to continue our efforts to better prepare Virginia’s job seekers with credentials that count in the workplace. Results for America also named Governor McAuliffe a Moneyball for Government All-Star – the first at the state level.
Speaking about the event at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Governor McAuliffe said, “Improving our workforce development system is the most important thing we can do to build a new Virginia economy. Building a business-driven system that better prepares Virginians to do the jobs that are available today and create the jobs of tomorrow is one of my top priorities. We have made good progress over the past 17 months, but there is more work to do to make Virginia a national leader in how we train the workforce of the future.”
“Talent is the single most important ingredient for successful economic growth in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones. “We are pleased to work with Results for America to engage more than 130 federal, state and local leaders in creating a more business- and data-driven workforce system.”
“I thank Governor McAuliffe for hosting this important event,” said Michele Jolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Results for America. “By using evidence and data to improve programs to better serve those seeking employment and by better coordinating with businesses to allow for stronger understanding of actual workforce needs, Virginia is helping job seekers, business and the entire state more effectively compete and thrive in today’s economy.”
“Increasingly, job seekers are receiving training based on data that better reflects private sector hiring needs,” said Melody Barnes, Results for America Senior Fellow and former White House Domestic Policy Council director under President Obama. “This approach is critical to giving workers the best chance to succeed, to giving businesses the talent they need, and communities an opportunities to thrive.”
The Summit, Skills for Jobs and Business Growth: Smarter Data, Winning Outcomes, identified actions to:
- Make data more relevant to policy and practice;
- Use evidence-based approaches to eliminate barriers to partnerships between the workforce system and employers;
- Create a system responsive to the competency and credential needs of business and industry; and
- Most effectively create robust career pathways connecting adults to jobs at middle income wages.
During the Summit, Governor McAuliffe also signed legislation to make the workforce system more business-driven, efficient and cost effective. HB 1986 and SB 1372 redirect $4.5 million in funding to support workforce training and establish a pay for performance program to incentivize workforce credential attainment among other reforms. The bills’ patrons, Senator Frank Ruff, Delegate Kathy Byron and Delegate Danny Marshall, were present for the bill signing.
The Governor was also recognized by Results for America for his leadership in supporting efforts in Virginia to invest in what works. As the first State Moneyball for Government All-Star, Governor McAuliffe signaled his belief that government at all levels, including state governments, should:
- Build evidence about the practices, policies and programs that will achieve the most effective and efficient results so that policymakers can make better decisions;
- Invest limited taxpayer dollars in practices, policies and programs that use data, evidence and evaluation to demonstrate they work; and
- Direct funds away from practices, policies, and programs that consistently fail to achieve measurable outcomes.
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Chris Graham
