Highlights: June Committee Meetings

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The NASWA Board of Directors held a one-day meeting led by Board Chair, Michael Harrington (VT). The Board received updates on policy committees and heard from President and CEO, Scott B. Sanders. Host state Vermont shared labor market information and NASWA teams presented on the Open UI Initiative, National Labor Exchange, Tiger Team/ARPA Support and Paid Family Medical Leave. The Board discussed national policy issues pertinent to the states and ended with a roundtable discussion.

NASWA Administration and Finance Committee June 5-6, 2024

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

NASWA’s Administration & Finance Committee held a two-day meeting in Burlington, VT (June 5-6). More than 30 members attended the meeting representing over 20 states. The Committee discussed the federal budget and future committee activities, received updates from the USDOL, visited a local one-stop career center, joined the Technology Committee for a joint session and held a roundtable discussion. The next committee meeting will be on September 24, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, ahead of the NASWA SUMMIT.

COMMUNICATIONS

A total of 17 individuals from 15 states attended the Communications Committee meeting held June 5-6 in Burlington, VT. Attendees visited a local one-stop career center, heard from host state Vermont about successful outreach campaigns and shared state practices on social media, media relations, outreach, new technology, and employee engagement/internal communications. Vice Chair, Diane Watkins (DC) presented strategies for developing strong multi-agency partnerships and Vice-Chair Nominee, Becky Shaffer (KS) facilitated a discussion on crisis communications templates. Members also heard updates on NASWA’s internal AI workgroup.

NASWA Employment and Training Committee June 5-6, 2024

EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING

NASWA’s Employment & Training Committee held its most recent in-person meeting on June 5-6 in Burlington, VT. More than 40 individuals attended the meeting representing over 25 states. Meeting attendees covered a range of topics, including states’ use of AI, workforce-vocational rehabilitation partnerships and infrastructure workforce development. The meeting also featured a showcase from host state Vermont, updates from USDOL, a visit with a local one-stop career center, presentations about the National Labor Exchange (NLx), and a roundtable discussion. The next committee meeting will be on September 24, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, ahead of the NASWA SUMMIT.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

State and Federal officials joined members of NASWA’s Equal Opportunity Committee at their June 4 meeting in Burlington, VT. Shalini Suryanarayana (Education and Outreach Lead, Vermont Office of Racial Equity) gave a thought-provoking presentation on equity issues, Melissa Harvey (ME) shared that state’s New Mainer workforce efforts and Kristen Rengo (VT) shared information on their equal opportunity initiatives. Also briefing the members were NASWA President and CEO Scott B. Sanders and USDOL officials from the Civil Rights Center and the Employment and Training Administration.

TECHNOLOGY

NASWA Technology Committee Vice Chair Neil Shah (IA) welcomed more than 20 committee members to the meeting on June 5-6 in Burlington, VT. Topics covered included a roundtable discussion, joint sessions with the Unemployment Insurance and Administrative & Finance Committees, updates from the U.S. Chamber Foundation and NASWA’s ICON and SIDES teams, as well as a spotlight on Indiana’s Pivot Workforce Engine. The next committee meeting will be on September 24, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, ahead of the NASWA SUMMIT.

UI

NASWA UI Committee Chair Buddy Hoskinson (KY) and Vice Chair Wendy Castle (FL) welcomed more than 30 committee members representing over 20 states to the committee meeting on June 5 in Burlington, VT. The Committee heard updates from USDOL and held a joint meeting with NASWA’s Technology Committee. Topics at the joint session included updates from NASWA’s UI ITSC team about the Open UI Initiative, promising practices and labor market information. NASWA’s UI SIDES team also shared a presentation. The next committee meeting will be on September 24, 2024, in New Orleans, LA, ahead of the NASWA SUMMIT.

VETERANS

The NASWA Veterans Affairs Committee met in person for the first time this year in Burlington, VT (June 5-6). More than 30 committee members representing over 20 states attended. The committee met with USDOL VETS leadership to discuss a new Veterans policy allowing additional populations to receive DVOP services. Larry Forsyth shed the spotlight on Vermont and members heard about a new partnership between agencies in Massachusetts. There were also updates on the upcoming Veterans Conference August 7-9, 2024, in Washington DC, a briefing on the NLx Research Hub by Paul Daniels and the group discussed a number of issues relevant to the management of the JVSG programs in their states.