Narrative: III. b. 3. B. ii.

The Governor appoints members of the West Virginia Workforce Development Board and designates the Chairperson. The State Board through its bylaws may establish working committees to assist the Governor and the full Board in carrying out the functions and responsibilities in Section 101(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). These working committees include, but will not be necessarily limited to, an Executive Committee, advisory committees, and various standing committees for focused topic areas that advance the work of the Board and ensure adequate attention is given to priority issues.

The Board shall assist in implementing and overseeing a comprehensive state workforce system that prepares West Virginia citizens for employment opportunities offered by West Virginia businesses. The Board shall make recommendation regarding program implementation, operation, and modifications to all state agencies administering workforce investment programs. The Board shall also assist and encourage West Virginia’s educational institutions and public assistance systems to improve their ability to prepare people for gainful employment.

The Board shall meet at least quarterly and as such other times as the Chairperson deems necessary. All meetings of the Board will be publicly announced in advance and open and accessible to the general public. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairperson upon notice to the Board two working days prior to the meeting. Notice of each special meeting shall state the date, time, and location (within the State of West Virginia) of the meeting, and an agenda will be included stating the purpose of the meeting. Such special meetings will comply with the West Virginia Open Meetings law. At any special meeting of the Board, no business other than the stated agenda shall be transacted.

The state still needs to describe the activities that the state board will implement to carry out its functions under WIOA. Additional board activities shall include: 1. Will work in the development of and continuous improvement of the workforce system in West Virginia to include the removing barriers to employment, enhance existing strategies to support career pathways, provide outreach to employers to educate them on workforce services, enhance current sector partnerships to serve the needs of employer and job seekers. 2. Recommend improvements to the one-stop delivery system through the local workforce areas to support enhanced delivery of services to job seekers and employers. 3. Disseminate best practices related to effective operation of the one stop system and training programs that respond to real time labor market analysis to assist in placement into employment. 4. The review of statewide policies that affect the provision of services in the one-stop delivery system, roles of mandated partners and guidance for allocation of funds to support the system. 5. Recommend enhancements and technological improvements for better access to services and activities delivered in the one-stop system. 6. Recommend strategies for aligning technology and data systems among the mandated partner programs to improve the capacity to produce the desired results in reporting performance accountability measures. 7. Recommend enhancements to the statewide labor market information system under the Wagner Peyser Act. 8. Recommendations for other policies that promote unified initiatives to improve the workforce development system.