To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Angela Struckmann 707-565-5800, Michelle Revecho 707-565-5557
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Local Workforce Development Plan 2025-2028
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Approve the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Local Workforce Development Plan for 2025-2028
end
Executive Summary:
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act requires the County of Sonoma Workforce Investment Board to develop a local workforce plan every four years.
The 2025-2028 workforce plan focuses on how to improve services for job seekers and businesses in Sonoma County, specifically addressing how the Workforce Investment Board, Sonoma County Job Link, and local partners can collaboratively work to strengthen workforce supports for our community.
Discussion:
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act’s (WIOA) overall purpose is to improve the local workforce system, and the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) is the mechanism by which this effort is accomplished. The WIB works throughout the community to align employment and training program services with education and businesses. Through Job Link, the local America’s Job Center of California (AJCC), the WIB assists local job seekers with access to employment opportunities, education, training, and supportive services using WIOA funding so that they can access high quality jobs and advance along career pathways. Job Link also provides services to businesses in the form of labor market information, subsidies for on-the-job training, and referrals to qualified job seekers.
WIOA requires each state to develop a single, unified plan for creating a comprehensive, strategic, and streamlined workforce system.
In 2024, the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) developed California’s Unified Strategic Workforce Development Plan for program years 2024-2027. This plan unifies the WIOA policy and its fiscal investments in the state workforce development and education systems. The state plan identified regions and local areas and required each region and local area to develop a plan using the guidance established in the plan. The North Bay Region includes Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Marin, Napa and Solano Counties.
In the 2025-2028 Local Workforce Plan, the WIB developed strategic activities to support the principles defined by WIOA and CWDB. These principles include:
• Supporting an industry-driven workforce system using the High Road Training Partnerships framework that was established by the CWDB and the Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA). It includes job quality, worker voice, equity, and environmental sustainability.
• Fostering demand-driven skills attainment by aligning training curricula and programming to meet the needs of local industry.
• Enabling upward mobility for all Sonoma County residents, including members of the community with barriers to employment, historically excluded from economic opportunities. Making workforce and education programs accessible ensures that residents have marketable skills and a level of education that will lead to economic security.
• Aligning, coordinating, and integrating programs and services to provide support to job seekers based on their needs.
The 2025-2028 Local Workforce Plan was developed collaboratively with partners and stakeholders including industry leaders and business organizations, economic development agencies, local schools and colleges including Career Technical Education Foundation, adult education providers, Department of Rehabilitation, the Human Services Department, local CBOs, groups with experience representing and serving individuals with barriers to employment, and the community as a whole.
Ten stakeholder input sessions were held in February and March 2025. The WIB used multiple processes to elicit participation in planning efforts and the public comment process. Input was solicited at the local stakeholder engagement feedback sessions for WIOA, SonomaWORKS, CalFresh, TANF, the Department of Child Support Services, the bi-monthly WIB meeting, Justice Involved/Second Chance providers, the Job Link Steering Committee, WIOA youth provider agencies and the local stakeholder engagement with the Department of Rehabilitation and veterans’ services group.
In an effort to seek additional community input, the draft local plan was posted to the WIB website (www.SonomaWIB.org) and notifications were sent to regional Workforce Development Boards, workforce partners, education, labor, business, community-based organizations and other stakeholders. The local plan was open for a 30-day comment period from February 26 - March 27, 2025. The plan incorporated the input received at meetings and during the comment period and is reflected in the updated strategies. There were no objections to the plan.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Healthy and Safe Communities
Goal: Goal 1: Expand integrated system of care to address gaps in services to the County’s most vulnerable.
Objective: Objective 2: Identify gaps in the Safety Net system of services and identify areas where departments can address those gaps directly, and seek guidance from the Board when additional resources and/or policy direction is needed.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
March 21, 2023: Approved the 2021-2024 WIOA Local Strategic Workforce Plan Two Year Update.
May 25, 2021: Approved the WIOA 2021-2024 Regional and Local Workforce Plan
May 14, 2019: Approved the WIOA 2017-2020 Regional and Local Workforce Plan Two Year Update.
March 17, 2017: Approved the Sonoma County Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Local Strategic Workforce Plan for Program Years 2017-2020.
July 30, 2013: Approved the WIA Local Strategic Workforce Plan for Program Years 2013-2017.
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
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Attachments:
Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board Local Workforce Development Plan 2025-2028
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None