ROCK SPRINGS – The Wyoming Workforce Development Council voted on several funding measures during its quarterly meeting in Rock Springs on May 10-11.
The Council voted to move funds from the Council’s discretionary reserves to operations for the 18 workforce centers and participants in the Title I core programs of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The action reduces the Council’s discretionary reserves for program years 2021, 2022, and 2023. The recommendation from the Department of Workforce Services was prompted by an increase in participants and rising costs of operations. Additionally, a $14,000 request for non-cloth chairs in several workforce centers was approved.
A request from DWS for $500,000 for the transition of Wyoming at Work to a new platform was also approved by the Council. Wyoming at Work functions as the Management Information System that provides many functions required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, including labor exchange, case management, financial tracking of grant funds, and mandatory federal reporting. The system has not been significantly upgraded in 15 years.
The Council also approved a Next Generation Sector Partnership grant application from the Southwest Wyoming Manufacturing Partnership for $15,000 to connect Southwest Wyoming high school students to career pathways. The grant funds will be used to conduct career exploration and awareness activities during the 2023-24 school year.
The next meeting of the Wyoming Workforce Development Council will be held in Buffalo on September 22-23, 2023. Meeting information is available at wyowdc.wyo.gov.