GWC Committee Members 

"The engine of a thriving Connecticut economy is a skilled workforce. That’s why workforce development is my top priority and why I launched the Governor’s Workforce Council in 2019. I am thankful to the Council members from industry, labor, education, government, and community organizations who ensure Connecticut continues to have the best workforce in the nation.”

“Workforce development is where the public and private sectors meet to play a critical role in the state’s economy, and increasing that cross-sector collaboration will be a priority of mine. I look forward to working alongside leaders on the council to ensure we train, develop, and connect Connecticut’s workforce to the needs and opportunities within the state’s economy.”

“Every one of our workforce development efforts is a purposeful collaboration among key stakeholders — including government, business, K-12 and higher education, labor, and community organizations — working together to shape policies and programs that meet employer needs and expand opportunities across all segments of our society.”

The Executive Committee is comprised of GWC members appointed by the Chairperson of the GWC. The Committee convenes to discuss progress within the subcommittees and meets as needed. Responsibilities of the Executive Committee include, but are not limited to, advising the Chairperson of the GWC, setting the GWC board meeting agendas, and overseeing the governance structure and processes of the GWC.

The GWC System Alignment Committee drives efforts to ensure comprehensive and seamless collaboration among all key stakeholders and across all workforce development initiatives. The Committee is responsible for:

• Identifying opportunities – including processes, programs, and technologies, to enable better and more seamless communication and collaboration among state agencies, Workforce Development Boards, K12, higher education, training providers, community-based organizations and industry;
• Upgrading shared reporting and customer service delivery platforms and tools that enable greater efficiency and effectiveness in meeting the needs of jobs seekers;
• Upgrading shared reporting platforms that enable greater transparency in outcomes and data-based decision making;
• Assessing how the current workforce system serves the needs of job seekers of all backgrounds; and
• Addressing ‘systems gaps’ within the current education and workforce development network.

The Expand Access to Employment Subcommittee works to ensure that policies and programs that remove barriers and expand access to employment are at the core of the state’s workforce development strategy by:

• Addressing the skill needs of historically marginalized populations with low labor force participation rates, including Re-entry, Opportunity Youth, women, BIPoC, People with Disabilities, immigrants;
• Providing supportive services that meet the needs of specific populations with low labor force participation rates, including Re-entry, Opportunity Youth, women, BIPoC, People with Disabilities, immigrants;
• Defining specific metrics to evaluate progress in expanding workforce opportunities for marginalized populations; and
• Developing employer outreach strategies to expand employment opportunities in collaboration with the Industry Leadership Committee.

The Data and Accountability Subcommittee is responsible for ensuring that the state’s strategy is driven by data. The Subcommittee informs and guides state strategy by:

• Establishing common metrics that enable standard assessments across state workforce initiatives;
• Measuring progress toward the State’s workforce goals, informing state investments;
• Identifying opportunities to expand longitudinal data capacities; and
• Publishing data and research that informs state policymakers.

The Industry Leadership Subcommittee ensures that the state is building an industry-led workforce development system. The Subcommittee informs and guides state strategy on meeting the current and future talent needs of industry by:

• Providing insight on the knowledge, skills and abilities that workers need both across all industries and by industry;
• Developing programs and policies that span K12, higher education, training and business that prepare a more diverse workforce;
• Identifying and encouraging business practices that create equitable opportunities to quality jobs;
• Engaging additional businesses to participate in Regional Sector Partnerships;
• Identifying programs and practices to upskill incumbent workers;
• Developing multiple pathways to living wages and a broader set of quality jobs; and
• Building an aligned systems approach across state agencies, training providers, community-based organizations and industry.

The Education and Career Pathways Subcommittee is responsible for ensuring that all students have flexible pathways from K-12 to postsecondary to career. The Subcommittee informs and guides state strategy on creating seamless pathways from education to work by:

• Ensuring that all students have access to career pathways, regardless if they choose to enter the workforce and/or a postsecondary education institution after graduating from high school;
• Integrating and aligning education from K-12 through postsecondary with occupational demand and career opportunities;
• Developing programs and policies that increase dual enrollment, aligned to career pathways, with a focus on students in underserved communities;
• Identifying opportunities to better engage industry to inform and enrich education from K-12 through postsecondary through activities ranging from skills mapping to work-based learning and apprenticeships; and
• Building an aligned systems approach across state agencies, K12, higher education, community-based organizations, and industry.

The Sector-Based Training Subcommittee is responsible for ensuring that all individuals have access to high-quality, short-term training aligned to in-demand jobs. The Subcommittee informs and guides state strategy on creating seamless pathways from training to work including:

• Increasing the numbers of individuals served, with greater precision in addressing the skill needs and barriers to employment of specific populations with low labor force participation rates, including Re-entry, Opportunity Youth, women, People with Disabilities, immigrants;
• Measuring the effectiveness of training programs in enabling job seekers to attain jobs, increased wages, and increased educational/credential attainment;
• Developing methodologies to improve existing training programs;
• Creating stronger connections between training programs and employers;
• Developing strategies for sustainable funding for sector-based training; and
• Building an aligned systems approach across state agencies, training providers, community-based organizations and industry.