Narrative: III. a. 1.

The New Hampshire Office of Workforce Opportunity (OWO) serves as the state-level administrative entity for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth funds flowing to New Hampshire from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). The Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) is the state entity fiscal agent and is the official grant recipient of WIOA funds. USDOL, Region I Philadelphia/Boston provides federal oversight and technical assistance to OWO.

The Governor, in accordance with section 106(d) of WIOA, has designated New Hampshire as a “Single State Local Area.” As a single service area, New Hampshire has developed a highly aligned governance and administrative structure that sets policy direction, performance goals, and provides oversight to hold the workforce development system fully accountable. The State Workforce Innovation Board (SWIB) serves as the advisory body for the development, updating and evaluation of the planning process to ensure that workforce development programs remain fully responsive to New Hampshire’s economic development and labor market needs. State agencies work in a coordinated manner to oversee the implementation of a host of specific workforce development programs. Local agencies or community-based administrative arms of state agencies are responsible for managing workforce programs and providing direct services to customers. The New Hampshire workforce development system, diagramed in the following pages, allows the SWIB, in conjunction with the New Hampshire Works Consortium, the Interagency Directors Groups, and the NH Works American Job Centers to execute the functions of a state workforce board pursuant to section 101(d) of WIOA. The functions of a state board according to WIOA are listed below, including notes of how the SWIB will carry out some of these functions due to New Hampshire’s status as a Single State Local Area.

The development, implementation, and modification of the State plan;

The review of statewide policies, of statewide programs, and of recommendations on actions that should be taken by the State to align workforce development programs in the State in a manner that supports a comprehensive and streamlined workforce development system in the State, including the review and provision of comments on the State plans, if any, for programs and activities of one-stop partners that are not core programs;

The development and continuous improvement of the workforce development system in the State, including:

• The identification of barriers and means for removing barriers to better coordinate, align, and avoid duplication among the programs and activities carried out through the system;
• The development of strategies to support the use of career pathways for the purpose of providing individuals, including low-skilled adults, youth, and individuals with barriers to employment (including individuals with disabilities), with workforce investment activities, education, and supportive services to enter or retain employment;
• The development of strategies for providing effective outreach to and improved access for individuals and employers who could benefit from services provided through the workforce development system;
• The development and expansion of strategies for meeting the needs of employers, workers, and jobseekers, particularly through industry or sector partnerships related to in-demand industry sectors and occupations;

• The identification of regions, including planning regions, for the purposes of section 106(a), and the designation of local areas under section 106, after consultation with local boards and chief elected officials; (*Note: New Hampshire is a Single State Local Area)    

• The development and continuous improvement of the one-stop delivery system in local areas, including providing assistance to local boards, one-stop operators, one-stop partners, and providers with planning and delivering services, including training services and supportive services, to support effective delivery of services to workers, jobseekers, and employers; (As New Hampshire does not have local boards, the SWIB will focus on technical assistance to the statewide one-stop delivery system) and
• The development of strategies to support staff training and awareness across programs supported under the workforce development system;

• The development and updating of comprehensive State performance accountability measures, including State adjusted levels of performance, to assess the effectiveness of the core programs in the State as required under section 116(b); (*Note: New Hampshire is a Single State Local Area)

  The identification and dissemination of information on best practices, including best practices for:

  The effective operation of one-stop centers, relating to the use of business outreach, partnerships, and service delivery strategies, including strategies for serving individuals with barriers to employment;

• The development of effective local boards, which may include information on factors that contribute to enabling local boards to exceed negotiated local levels of performance, sustain fiscal integrity, and achieve other measures of effectiveness (The SWIB will focus on the development of an effective state board and its subcommittees and contractors, enabling the state to exceed negotiated levels of performance); and
• Effective training programs that respond to real-time labor market analysis, that effectively use direct assessment and prior learning assessment to measure an individual’s prior knowledge, skills, competencies, and experiences, and that evaluate such skills, and competencies for adaptability, to support efficient placement into employment or career pathways;
• The development and review of statewide policies affecting the coordinated provision of services through the State’s one-stop delivery system described in section 121(e), including the development of:
• Objective criteria and procedures for use by local boards in assessing the effectiveness and continuous improvement of one-stop centers described in such section (The State will utilize criteria and procedures to assess effectiveness and continuous improvement of all one-stop centers);
• Guidance for the allocation of one-stop center infrastructure funds under section 121(h); and
• Policies relating to the appropriate roles and contributions of entities carrying out one-stop partner programs within the one-stop delivery system, including approaches to facilitating equitable and efficient cost allocation in such system;

The development of strategies for technological improvements to facilitate access to, and improve the quality of, services and activities provided through the one-stop delivery system, including such improvements to:

• Enhance digital literacy skills (as defined in section 202 of the Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9101); referred to in this Act as ‘‘digital literacy skills’’);
• Accelerate the acquisition of skills and recognized postsecondary credentials by participants;
• Strengthen the professional development of providers and workforce professionals; and
• Ensure such technology is accessible to individuals with disabilities and individuals residing in remote areas;

The development of strategies for aligning technology and data systems across one-stop partner programs to enhance service delivery and improve efficiencies in reporting on performance accountability measures, including the design and implementation of common intake, data collection, case management information, and performance accountability measurement and reporting processes and the incorporation of local input into such design and implementation, to improve coordination of services across one-stop partner programs;

The development of allocation formulas for the distribution of funds for employment and training activities for adults, and youth workforce investment activities, to local areas as permitted under sections 128(b)(3) and 133(b)(3);

The preparation of the annual reports described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 116(d);

The development of the statewide workforce and labor market information system described in section 15(e) of the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49l–2(e)); and

The development of such other policies as may promote statewide objectives for, and enhance the performance of, the workforce development system in the State.

The following describes the relationship between the board’s operational structure, including sub-groups within the workforce development system, and the implementation of the state board functions described in points 1 through 12 above. The table below provides an outline of each group’s function(s), but is not meant to be all inclusive as many groups overlap within the collaborative system. Several of the functions of a state board also take a different form in New Hampshire due to the state’s status as a single state workforce area.

 State Workforce Innovation Board

The State Workforce Innovation Board (SWIB) is chaired by a businessperson and 51% of all members are business representatives. The Board is charged with implementing WIOA in New Hampshire in a way that meets the demands for a 21st century workforce including the following priorities:

• Career Awareness and Exploration
• Providing Advocacy and Policy Guidance
• Talent Attraction and Retention
• System Communication and Collaboration
• Work-based Learning
• Soft Skill Development

The SWIB mission is to promote and advocate for talent development by partnering with businesses, agencies, educational institutions, and organizations to support a unified workforce development system that meets the needs of industry. The Board’s vision is that healthy and vibrant communities provide a workforce to meet industry needs and create a competitive economic advantage for New Hampshire.

The SWIB and the workforce ecosystem stakeholders in New Hampshire have collaboratively identified the following goals to continue efforts that will give the state competitive advantage in workforce development:

• Promote services available through the talent development system to support businesses and individuals.
• Enhance the talent development system by focusing on system advocacy and partner collaboration and communication.
• Support a demand-driven talent development system that bases strategies, services, and investments on a data-informed approach that anticipates the needs of businesses.
• Create a talent development system that leverages talent attraction, retention and development strategies.
• Provide and improve access to work-and-learn opportunities that are aligned with business and industry needs including the development of career pathways.  

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is chaired by the Chairperson of the Board and is comprised of current SWIB members. The Executive Committee has the authority to exercise all powers of the Board. Each member of the Executive Committee serves a 1-year term, or until his or her successor is duly elected and takes office. Membership consists of not fewer than five (5) and not more than ten (10) members, appointed by the SWIB. The Chairperson has general charge and supervision over the OWO affairs, in conjunction with the State Board and Executive Committee, and works as a microcosm of the board. The Executive Committee allows the board to be flexible and proactive in the needs of workforce development system.

Performance and Evaluation Committee

The Performance and Evaluation sub-committee consists of representatives from business and core and non-core program agencies. The group provides leadership and direction for the development, implementation, and oversight of WIOA performance measures. The team is also tasked with establishing standards for the NH Works System to improve statewide uniformity for customer services and delivery. The group oversees the Eligible Training provider list system. By including business representation, the team ensures that these activities align with industry demands and assist in the overall customer-centric focus of the workforce development system.

Sector Partnership Initiative Committee

The Sector Partnership Initiative Committee advises Sector Partnerships, Key Industry Networks, and Business Services. The committee oversees development and improvement of industry sector strategies across the state of New Hampshire to ensure that the education and training system is delivering the skills needed by employers to address workforce needs and challenges.

Sector partnerships are employer-driven, sustained partnerships of business, workforce development, education, and other community stakeholders. They are facilitated by a convener or intermediary organization that is trusted by the industry. Sector partnerships work to identify the highest priority workforce challenges and opportunities within a specific industry and develop solutions for multiple employers within a geographic region, driven by industry need. This committee is working to advance the New Hampshire Sector Partnership Initiative.

Strategic Planning Committee (ad hoc)

The Strategic Planning sub-committee consists of representatives from the Board leading the development, maintenance, and implementation of the SWIB strategic plan. The group provided input into the development of the Board’s vision, mission, goals, and strategies, and is tasked with providing guidance and direction throughout the life of the strategic plan.

One-Stop Operator Consortium (NH Works Consortium)

The NH Works Consortium is a standing committee of the SWIB and serves as the One-Stop Operator in New Hampshire. Membership is assigned by the OWO on behalf of the Board, and is comprised of Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, State Director and/or other executive level staff from the state agencies responsible for the 6 WIOA core programs and other workforce system partners (i.e., NH Employment Security (NHES), NH Department of Education (DOE), NH Community College System (CCSNH), NH Department of Business & Economic Affairs (BEA), NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker Service provider (currently the Community Action Association). The Commissioner of NHES serves as the Chair of the Consortium. Decisions at the Consortium level are reached by a consensus, or in consultation with the SWIB and/or the Governor, as appropriate. The Consortium guides the work of the Interagency Directors Group (IDG), which in turn works with management staff within each partner agency, creating a flexible system that can respond to the needs of the State. The Consortium also oversees the implementation of system-wide workforce development strategies and goals at the service delivery level, consistent with the vision and goals set forth by the SWIB. The Consortium is the primary committee charged with designing and implementing continuous improvement tools and processes for the day-to-day operations at the NH Works Centers.

Interagency Directors Group (IDG)

IDG is a management team established to work in collaboration with the NH Works Consortium. IDG is comprised of director-level staff from each of the state agencies responsible for WIOA core programs with additional members representing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Community College System, and Federal apprenticeship staff. This team represents a direct connection between workforce system participants and policy makers. The IDG functions as a strategic mechanism to facilitate communication among partner agencies. This produces a more customer-centric system quickly identifying issues relevant to system-wide operations. The team identifies new or emerging issues that affect the work of the NH Works Center operations on a system level, and report them back to the NH Works Consortium with recommendations for change and/or continuous improvements as appropriate.

Using existing NH Works Center operating agreements and the state Memorandum of Understanding as its guide, the IDG is accountable to the timely provision of solutions, improvements, and/or policy issuances, with the direction set forth by the NH Works Consortium. Decisions at the IDG level are reached by consensus of the team members, or in consultation with the NH Works Consortium. All decisions at the IDG level are submitted as recommendations to the NH Works Consortium for further discussion and final approval prior to implementation.

Youth Interagency Directors Group (IYDG)

Youth IDG is a subcommittee of the IDG comprised of individuals from each of the WIOA core programs as well as other partners who work with youth programs. Similar to the IDG, this group exists to coordinate and align services, provide a network to those agencies and staff serving youth, and provide a unified connection between the system of youth services and policy makers. The group provides an opportunity to share knowledge and get the word out about resources available to help youth participants be successful.

Interagency Business Team

The Interagency Business Team (IBT) is a system improvement team established by the SWIB in collaboration with the NH Works Consortium. Members are assigned by the OWO in consultation with the NH Works Consortium. Like the other groups, the IBT includes core and non-core partners of this plan, as well as additional agencies outside of the plan. IBT members must currently have a position within their agency that allows for them to have day-to-day contact with the business community and therefore have a working knowledge of their local NH Works service delivery system and the direct needs of the businesses in their respective areas.

The IBT functions as a collaborative mechanism to facilitate communication between partner agencies involved with current and ongoing employer services offered through the NH Works Centers. The IBT is a strategic alliance of the system partners, providing a streamlined employer service structure. This helps to eliminate duplicated services and promotes information sharing among agencies. The goal of the team is to identify strategies for better coordination of business services and provide a frontline voice to policy makers. Recommendations identified by the IBT for continuous improvement, and/or replication of best practices for working with employers at the local level, are submitted to the IDG for comment prior to being submitted to the NH Works Consortium for further discussion and/or final approval.

Professional Development Team

The Professional Development Team (PDT) is an interagency team established by the IDG in collaboration with the NH Works Consortium. The team serves as a state-level capacity building and planning team whose mission is to “Build the Capacity of NH Works Staff to Enhance Customer Service" within the workforce development system. The PDT’s primary customers are NH Works Center staff and WIOA Youth providers. Team members coordinate partner agency training opportunities to reduce duplication, leverage existing training resources (e.g., trainers, training funds, training rooms, etc.) from within the system and/or the region to affect system efficiencies, as well as plan, develop and implement staff training opportunities. The PDT approach fosters continuous improvement throughout the system by the sharing information and skill development among the partners. All decisions at the PDT level are submitted as recommendations to the IDG for further discussion. Training plans and/or other staff training recommendations are reviewed and approved by the IDG and submitted to the NH Works Consortium for final approval.

Sector Strategy Team

The Sector Strategy Team is a team developed to assist in creating a more demand-driven workforce system that is flexible to the needs of business and jobseekers. The team is focused on sector strategies that include regional, industry-focused approaches to workforce and economic development that improve access to good jobs and increase job quality in ways that strengthen a specified industry’s workforce. The Sector Strategy Team utilizes a multi-entity team-based approach to align the needs of business with the services delivered in the workforce system. In addition the Sector Strategy Team is tasked with spearheading the system’s career pathway agenda. The team works under the guidance of the Office of Workforce Opportunity and reports to the Sector Partnership subcommittee of the Board.