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Workforce
Development
The High Country Workforce Development Board
provides policy guidance and independent oversight for a wide
array of workforce development services both for the business
community and for the emerging, transitional, and incumbent
workforces in the seven-county region.
The Workforce Development Board serves as a
forum where private and public sector leaders jointly consider
the workforce skill needs of our communities. As the designated
Local Area for the Workforce Investment Act and the One-Stop
JobLink Career Center System in the region, the Council provides
support staff and technical assistance to the High Country
Workforce Development Board (WDB)
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Mission Statement
Building an adaptive workforce system to meet
the demands of a globally competitive economy.
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High Country Workforce Development Board
Strategic Plan Update
To accomplish its mission, the Board has developed a broad
strategic plan, which incorporates specific goals and strategies
through July 31, 2012.
High Country Workforce
Development Board/Strategic Goals
- Designing and directing resources to enhance and
sustain development of the region's workforce;
- Research and Analysis to guide and support workforce
development decision-making;
- Evaluation to identify existing strengths and bridge
gaps in the workforce delivery system;
- Managing funds, programs, and initiatives to ensure
the most effective use of workforce development goods and
services;
- Supporting system solutions to workforce needs.
The High Country Workforce Development Board, with the support
of the Workforce Development staff, also develops an annual
Workforce Investment Act workforce development plan, coordinates
services of various workforce development organizations, charters
and monitors progress of the regions's JobLink
Career Centers, and contracts with local agencies to provide
relevant career assessment and planning, skills training,
and career placement services to the area's residents. Services
include employer surveys, career planning, ocupational skills
training, job preparation workshops, resume preparation, on-the-job
training, job placement services, and career counseling.
Incumbent Worker Grants
To assist businesses in providing education and skills training
for current employees, staff of the High Country Workforce
Development Board provides consultation to businesses interested
in applying for Incumbent Worker Training Grants from the
NC Commission on Workforce Development. Incumbent Worker grants
are designed to benefit businesses by enhancing the skills
of current employees, thereby increasing employee procudtivity
and the potential for company growth. Lean Manufacturing,
Six Sigma and ISO 9000 are just a few of the training programs
eligible through these grant programs.
–View the guidelines
and the application
–If you are interested in applying for the Incumbent
Worker Grant and have questions, you may email them to to
business@highcountrywdb.com
or you may contact Ruby
Greene at our office at (828) 265-5434
High Country WDB Youth
Council
| To empower youth to maximize their potential to
succeed as students, employees, and citizens by establishing
connections as we build a comprehensive service delivery
system |
As part of the Workforce Investment Act of
1998, Congress established Youth Councils as youth policy
arms of local Workforce Development Boards. The Youth
Council is composed of a cross section of community
leaders who have knowledge, experience, and expertise with
the youth population and youth services in our region. Through
the Youth Council, the High Country Workforce Development
Board serves as the vehicle to develop comprehensive and
integrated strategies to help in-school and out-of-school
youth prepare for successful entry into the workforce. Since
its establishment in July of 1999, the Youth Council has
addressed a number of workforce preparedness issues that
specifically apply to today's young adults. The Youth Council
has produced directories of youth services in the region,
developed a set of employability competencies, sponsored
a regional Youth Summit, and convened regional youth issues
forums for educators, youth organizations, ans other interested
parties.
Economic Impact Research
To enhance our servic to the business, economic
development and educational communities, the High Country
Workforce Development Board/staff provide labor market analysis,
comprehensive economic forecasting and ecomonic impact data
acquired through Economic Modeling Specialist, Inc, a web-based
subscription program. Data comes from 70 state and federal
government soucres and is updated twice annually.
These services include:
–Economic Forecasting reports - provides current
statistics and 10-year projections for the gorwth and
decline of jobs by industry, jobs by occupation, and demographics
for a selected county or region, in addition to current
unemployment data.
–Economic Impact reports - input-output modeling,
easy-tu-use analysis of industries, industry clusters,
and regional economic base. This is a critical tool used
for understanding a region's current economy and planning
for the future economic challenges and opportunities.
–Career Pathway reports - provides data and analysis
related to occupational competency (knowledge, skills
asn ability) requirements, regional human captial, and
ways of identifying employment and retraining opportunities
for dislocated or unemployed workers.
To learn how to obtain a specific forecast report, email
your request to economicinfo@highcountrywdb.com or Rebecca
Bloomquist at (828) 265-5434
Click here for a sample
regional economic forecast (PDF, 935kb).
High Country Workforce Development Products
The High Country Workforce Development Board develops and
distributes products to respond to the workforce development
needs of the region's businesses, including career information
publications and flyers (see examples:Construction
Profile; Health
Care Profile), assessments of businesses to determine
entry-level skill needs, a regional State
of the Workforce Report , and Industry
Gap Analysis, Youth Resource Directories, employer informational
mini-brochures, and economic modeling forecasts. The High
Country Workforce Development Board continually uses results
of such products to develop its own appropriate responses
to the needs of area employers. The Board also convenes
information and strategy meetings of inter-agency groups
to further the dialogue and prompt action on key workforce
issues.
More Information
For more information about the High
Country Workforce Development Board
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Alleghany
County 
