Consistent with the “sunshine” provisions of the WIOA sec.107(e),5, the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board, Inc. serving Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, and Wayne counties, is accepting public comment on their Local Plan required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires each Workforce Development Board (WDB) to develop and submit, in partnership with the local chief elected official, a comprehensive four-year plan. Four-Year Plans were submitted in May 2020. In North Carolina, annually, each WDB is to provide updates to the Comprehensive Four-Year Plan. The WIOA Program Year (PY) 2024-2028 Comprehensive Plan is to provide current information to be effective July 1, 2024 and will include all current local policies. The local plan will support the alignment strategy described in the NC Unified State Plan in accordance with WIOA Section 102(b)(1)(E), and otherwise be consistent with the NC Unified State Plan. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s mission is to ensure North Carolinians are better educated, healthier, and have more money in their pockets so that they can live more abundant, purposeful lives. The cornerstone to achieving this goal is to help people get good-paying jobs to support themselves and their families. Through NC Job Ready, Governor Cooper’s workforce development initiative, North Carolina is working to build a stronger and better workforce. NC Job Ready is built on three core principles: education and skills attainment are the foundation to a strong and resilient workforce; an employer-led workforce development system is key to the growth of a highly skilled and job ready workforce; and local innovation is critical to a dynamic and effective workforce system. In addition, WDBs shall comply with WIOA Section 108 in the preparation and submission of the plan. “The WDB shall make copies of the proposed Local Area Plan available to the public through electronic and other means, such as public hearings and local news media; allow for public comment not later than the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date the proposed plan is made available; and, include with submission of the Local Area Plan any comments that represent disagreement with the Plan. [WIOA Section 108(d)]”. Any comments concerning the plan update or to petition for a change, can be submitted with the 30-day period beginning April 9, 2024 through May 9, 2024 to Bill Green at green@ecwdb.org.
View the DRAFT of ECWDB’s Local Area Plan.