Under the authority of art. III, secs. 1 and 24, of the Alaska Constitution and AS 44.17.060, I, Frank H. Murkowski, Governor of the State of Alaska, order that the State of Alaska is designated as a single state workforce investment area for purposes of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), 29 U.S.C. 2801 – 2945. I further order that the Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB) is designated as the state’s sole workforce investment board under the WIA in furtherance of AS 23.15.575(1). The changes made by this Order are consistent with the statutory changes made by CSSB 192(L&C), which recently passed the First Session of the Twenty-Third Alaska Legislature and will take effect July 1, 2003.
Background
The purpose of the WIA is to provide workforce investment activities, through statewide and local workforce investment systems, that improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the United States. The AWIB has the responsibility for planning and coordinating federal, state, and local efforts in human resource programs in this state related to employment training. AS 23.15.575(1), AS 23.15.580, and AS 44.31.020(5) provide the authority for the State of Alaska to design and modify its workforce systems to meet the requirements of WIA and the ever-changing and unique needs of this state. Since enactment of the WIA in 1998, the State of Alaska has transitioned from multiple programs operated independently with minimal coordination, to a system of programs co-located in job centers with coordinated services. In order to realize maximum system efficiency for these programs, the State of Alaska should be designated as a single state workforce investment area with the AWIB assuming local workforce area responsibilities under the WIA. This change will enable more efficient operation of the AWIB and enable the State of Alaska to better meet the goals of the WIA.
Findings
I, Frank H. Murkowski, Governor of the State of Alaska, find that:
1. A demand exists for a market-driven workforce system that is responsive to the needs of business and industry, and that is a catalyst for Alaska’s economic success. The ability of Alaska to attract and retain business is dependent upon its capacity to offer a qualified workforce. Alaska’s economy is diverse and requires a workforce system that is coordinated to ensure responsiveness to market forces.
2. The workforce system of the State of Alaska must be more cost effective and performance- and demand-driven in an environment of declining resources and increasing need. Alaska will gain economic efficiencies by placing policy and planning efforts under a single Alaska Workforce Investment Board. As the state’s sole workforce investment board under the WIA, the AWIB would be called upon to improve the coordination and alignment of workforce investment activities throughout the state. Through the coordination by a single board, resources would be deployed to increase positive performance and accountability for the workforce investment system in this state.
Order
In order to improve the accountability and performance of the workforce investment system, I, Frank H. Murkowski, order that:
The State of Alaska is designated as a single state workforce investment area and the AWIB is designated as the state’s sole workforce investment board, assuming state and local area responsibilities under the WIA.
The AWIB shall develop a plan to provide adequate regional representation throughout the state, establish criteria for regional representation, and define regional responsibilities.
- All partner agencies in the state’s one-stop system (Alaska Job Center Network) shall review and update agreements and understandings to meet the requirements of the WIA.
- In accordance with direction from the United States Department of Labor, the AWIB shall review and modify the State of Alaska’s Unified Five Year Strategic Plan to ensure compliance with the WIA by July 1, 2003.
- The Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (department) shall review the administrative staff positions of the prior local workforce investment areas in the state. The Commissioner is authorized to make an appropriate staffing plan, based on available appropriations, that ensures there is no disruption in customer services, and that appropriate personnel resources are deployed in support of the new local area and regional representation.
- Administrative Order No. 205 is changed consistent with this Order to modify the reorganization within the department, as follows:
“The Division of Business Partnerships is established in the department, and includes the Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AS 23.15.550), the Alaska Workforce Investment office, and other department functions related to supporting the workforce investment board and system.”
This Order takes effect July 1, 2003.
Dated at Juneau, Alaska this 20th day of May, 2003.
/s/Frank H. Murkowski
Governor
