REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Local Plan for NOVA and Regional Plan for Bay Peninsula Regional Planning Unit
Report
BACKGROUND
The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires local workforce boards in a state-designated planning region (Regional Planning Unit or RPU) to engage in a regional planning process. This regional plan describes workforce development activities and service strategies. It also incorporates local plans developed by each of the local boards within the planning region. The Bay Peninsula RPU encompasses three workforce boards, including NOVA, San Jose-based work2future and San Francisco.
The State Plan is the overarching policy document for local and regional plans. It establishes the state’s vision and direction and serves as a conceptual outline for local boards and their partners as they jointly develop these plans. The State Plan also designates required regional partners that include representatives from industry sectors, economic development, education, workforce development, rehabilitation, and other community-based organizations serving the diverse needs of residents. Because individuals experience the workforce system through local programs, the Local Plan operationalizes local program access, service-delivery strategies and collaboration with partner agencies within a regional framework. The Regional Plan provides the roadmap for cross-jurisdiction service outcomes and aligns local programs with regional labor markets and industry sectors that drive regional employment.
WIOA requires that local and regional plans be developed every four years, with modifications to these plans completed in the middle of this four-year period. In 2017, the Council approved the Local Plan for program years (PY) 2017 to 2020 at its Feb. 28, 2017 meeting (RTC#17-0042) and the Regional Plan for the same period at its Sept. 12, 2017 meeting (RTC#17-0860). The modifications to the plans were approved at the May 21, 2019 Council meeting (RTC#19-0489). In 2021, State Directive WSD20-05 requires that local boards develop new local and regional plans for PY 2021 to 2024.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 5.1.1: Socio-Economic - Goals and Policies: Education and Training Goal 5.1F: Provide job training and employment services, within constraints of operative Federal regulations and available Federal funding, to address the locally-determined employment and training needs of economically disadvantaged residents and others with special needs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental, organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
DISCUSSION
State Directive WSD20-05 stipulates the mandatory components for local and regional plans to achieve alignment with the State Plan. The Local Plan is required to:
• Identify how the local board and partners will coordinate services and resources; work towards co-enrollment and/or common case management as a service-delivery strategy; facilitate access to services through the one-stop service system; and coordinate workforce and education activities with supportive services; and
• Describe local board coordination with state strategic partners, including county health and human services agencies CalFresh Employment and Training services, local child support agencies non-custodial parent program, local partners who serve individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, and community-based organizations who serve English language learners, immigrant clients, and/or refugees.
The Regional Plan is required to:
• Provide an analytical overview of the region including economic and workforce trends, education and skill levels of workers, and industries and occupations with emerging demand;
• Foster demand-driven skills attainment that includes identifying in-demand industry sectors and ways the RPU will expand or further develop workforce initiatives for these sectors;
• Enable upward mobility for all Californians that includes supporting equity, improving job quality and advancing prosperity for target populations with barriers to employment; and
• Align, coordinate and integrate programs and services through leveraged resources to provide services, training, and education to meet customer needs.
The three local workforce boards of the Bay Peninsula RPU worked together with partner agencies to develop the local and regional plans. A stakeholder community engagement meeting was convened virtually to discuss the workforce needs of the community, with nearly 100 participants in attendance representing a broad range of diverse organizations. In addition, NOVA distributed the local and regional plans to over 100 community partners during a 30-day public review and comment period. Two public comments were received providing input on the proposed plans, which have been added to the public comments section of the plans. The first comment asked that strategies to serve at-risk youth be included in the plan, was not part of the State Directive WSD20-05. The second comment expressed concerns with the impact of automation on low-wage workers, the importance of internet literacy for the future workforce, and the value of partnering with local government and COVID recovery efforts on future initiatives. NOVA has fully supported these concepts in its work in the community.
Both the local and regional plans have effectively addressed the requirements stipulated by the State. The plans provide a seamless blueprint for a comprehensive workforce system that impacts poverty through sustainable employment, promotes income mobility by equipping workers with the skills that employers demand, and embeds equity as a cornerstone of service delivery by ensuring access for all residents. The plans can be viewed on Attachment 1.
The NOVA Workforce Board approved the Local Plan for NOVA and the Regional Plan for the Bay Peninsula RPU at its March 24, 2021 meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety. In addition, the agenda and report available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve the Local Plan for NOVA and the Regional Plan for the Bay Peninsula Regional Planning Unit.
Staff
Prepared by: Eileen Stanly, Analyst
Reviewed by: Kris Stadelman, Director, NOVA Workforce Services
Reviewed by: Jaqui Guzmán, Deputy City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
1. Local Plan and Regional Plan