The State of Colorado is committed to building a skilled, internationally competitive workforce for the twenty-first century.

1. Background and Need.

The availability of a skilled workforce is necessary for the State's employers to be competitive in the national and global economies. The rapidly growing economy has created a severe and growing shortage of workers in several industries within the State.

The State of Colorado recognizes that the current systems for educating and training workers is not meeting employers' needs for skilled workers. Education and the development of a highly skilled workforce has become the number one economic development issue facing the State and requires reforms to the current systems and new workforce development initiatives.

The State of Colorado has in place a workforce investment system with employment, training and supportive services provided through a network of local Workforce Centers. Employers represent an underutilized resource of knowledge and experience that can guide reform and improvements to the State's existing workforce investment system. The services and performance of the State's workforce investment system can be improved if the programs are consolidated at the Workforce Centers and led by employer-driven local workforce investment boards.

Section 111 of the Workforce Investment Act (P.L. 105-220) authorizes the Governor to establish a workforce investment board to assist the Governor in the development of the State workforce investment plan and to carry out additional specified functions.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Bill Owens, Governor of the State of Colorado, by virtue of the authority vested in me under the statutes and constitution of the State of Colorado and under P.L. 105-220, DO HEREBY ORDER THAT:

2. Council Created.

In accordance with Section 111 of P.L. 105-220, a workforce investment board is hereby established in Colorado, to be known as the Workforce Development Council ("Council"), and the Office of Workforce Development, with an executive director and staff supporting the Council, located under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Governor.

3. Mission.

The Council shall have the following duties, responsibilities and powers:

A.     In consultation with the Colorado business community and State agencies, advise the Governor and the legislature on matters regarding the employment and training needs of the state and on workforce development plans and strategy.

B.     Develop a comprehensive 5-year State Workforce Investment Plan and other specific functions, as provided for in subsection 111 (d) of P.L. 105-220.

 

C.     Recommend the roles, responsibilities and organizational structure for a statewide workforce investment system of locally provided education, employment and training services through the local Workforce Centers; recommend appropriate changes to the current local delivery system and state administrative system that will strengthen and improve local service delivery.

 

D.     Recommend and implement initiatives for improving the skills of the state's workforce, including workers located in rural areas.

 

E.     Recommend and implement workforce development strategies that will support local economic and community development.

 

F.     Undertake such additional functions, responsibilities and mission promoting the development of the state's workforce as requested by the Office of the Governor.

 

4. Membership and Organization.

The Council shall be comprised of voting members and ex-officio members. The voting members shall consist of the following:

A.     The Governor;

 

B.     Two members of each chamber of the State Legislature, appointed by the appropriate presiding officers of each chamber; and

 

C.     Representatives appointed by the Governor, who are:

 

(i) representatives of business in the State, who are owners of businesses, chief executives or operating officers of businesses, and other business executives or employers with optimum policy making or hiring authority, including members of local boards described in section 117 (b)(A)(i) of the Workforce Investment Act; representatives of businesses with employment opportunities that reflect the employment opportunities of the State; and who are appointed from among individuals nominated by State business organizations and business trade associations;

 

(ii) two chief elected officials;

(iii) two representatives of labor organizations, who have been nominated by State labor federations;

(iv) two representatives of individuals and organizations that have experience with respect to youth activities;

(v) two representatives of individuals and organizations that have experience and expertise in the delivery of workforce investment activities, which may include a chief executive officer of community colleges and a community-based organization within the State;

(vi) the lead State agency officials with responsibility for the programs and activities that are described in section 121 (b) of the Workforce Investment Act and carried out by the partners at the Workforce Centers; and in any case in which no lead State agency official has responsibility for such program, service or activity, a representative in the State with expertise relating to such program, service, or activity; and

(vii) such other representatives and State agency officials as the Governor may designate.

 

D.     Members of the Council that represent organizations, agencies or other entities shall be individuals with optimum policymaking authority within the organizations, agencies, or entities. The members of the Council shall represent diverse regions of the State, including urban, rural and suburban areas.

 

E.     A majority of the voting members of the Council shall be representatives of business as described in subsection 4c(i) herein. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson for the Council from one of the representatives of business described in subsection 4c(i) herein.

 

F.     This Executive Order is intended to create a small, voting member Council consistent with P.L. 105-220, and in this regard, Council members may be appointed to satisfy more than one of the specified membership categories.

 

G.     The non-voting, ex-officio members of the Council shall consist of the following:

 

• The President of the Colorado Community College & Occupational Education System;
• The Executive Director, Office of Economic Development;
• The Executive Director, Office of Innovation and Technology;
• The Director, Colorado School-to-Career Partnership;
• The Director, Division of Youth Corrections;
• One individual from each of the following offices and positions, appointed by the Governor:

(i) a chief elected official;

(ii) the chair of a local workforce investment board;

(iii) one member of each chamber of the State legislature.

H.     The voting Council members that are members of the Colorado General Assembly shall serve at the pleasure of their respective leaders. Department directors and non-voting members shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. All other members shall initially serve for staggered terms of one, two and three years, as designated by the Governor upon their appointment. Upon expiration of the initial terms, appointments shall be for three-year terms.

 

I.     The Council shall establish working committees to carry out the functions and responsibilities provided for in the Executive Order. The chairperson of the Council, in consultation with the Office of the Governor, shall appoint a chairperson for each working committee. The committee chairperson shall appoint committee members consisting of voting members and ex officio members of the Council, and may appoint individuals from throughout the state with special knowledge or expertise in the matters before the committee.

 

J.     There shall be an executive committee of the Council comprised of the chairperson of the Council and the chairperson of each working committee, who shall meet quarterly. The full Council shall meet at least twice per year.

 

K.     The Office of Workforce Development, in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Council and the Governor, shall establish an annual budget for basic Council functions, activities, meetings, travel, per diem, reports and staff. Funding for the Council's budget and staff shall come from a portion of the administrative funds available to each of the mandatory and additional federal partner programs specified in sections 121 (b) (1) and (2), P.L. 105-220. The amount of the administrative funds from each mandatory and additional federal partner program to be transferred to the Council shall be established by the Office of State Planning and Budget, proportionate to the annual federal program or activity grant amounts to the state. In addition to the federal programs grant funding, the Council shall seek other federal, state and private grants, gifts and contributions to fund Council special studies, demonstration projects and initiatives.

 

5. Duration

The Council shall continue in existence until such time as terminated by executive order.

GIVEN under my hand and the
Executive Seal of the State of
Colorado this ______ day of September, 1999.

Bill Owens
Governor