FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2017
Contact: Bruce Wilson
Director, Workforce Alliance of the North Bay
Bruce.Wilson@countyofnapa.org
REGIONAL ALLIANCE LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE TO INFORM NORTH BAY BUSINESSES & JOB SEEKERS OF WORKFORCE SERVICES & INITIATIVES
NAPA, Calif. — The Workforce Alliance of the North Bay (Alliance) has launched its regional brand and a new website to inform job seekers and businesses about how they can tap into workforce services and benefit from various workforce-related initiatives. Napa, Marin and Lake counties formed the Alliance in May through a joint powers agency agreement among the counties’ boards of supervisors. Mendocino County became part of the Alliance in September. The partnerships formed by the Alliance improve the region’s ability to respond to requirements set forth by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
WIOA funds a national system of private-sector-led workforce development boards that identify workforce strategies and deliver employment and training services through a network of American Job Centers. The counties decided to merge for various reasons, including common industries and a shared labor pool, and a desire to consolidate the counties’ administrative and planning functions into a single governance structure.
“It’s important that we achieve economies of scale in our region, as well as align strategies to improve the economic well-being of both employers and the job seekers that we serve,” said Bruce Wilson, executive director of the Alliance. “Our newly launched brand and website is the first step to communicate the collaborative activities of our regional board, such as industry-sector engagement, labor-market analysis and career pathway development.”
The Alliance website at www.WorkforceAllianceNorthBay.org is an interactive hub that highlights regional workforce strategies and labor-market data that can help businesses make informed decisions about their workforce. It also provides active links to the Alliance’s premier service network offered through the region’s four American Job Centers, recently rebranded as CareerPoint.
The Alliance region covers Lake, Marin, Mendocino and Napa counties and serves more than 459,000 people of working age, as well as 25,000 businesses throughout the region. An economic analysis indicates projected growth in the health care, biotechnology/life sciences, hospitality/tourism and manufacturing sectors, creating a need for trained workers who are ready to take on new jobs in these industries.
Wilson said, “While the Alliance is focused on bringing education leaders, economic development agencies and industry associations together to solve complex regional workforce challenges, the CareerPoint centers offer direct services to train, prepare and connect qualified workforce talent with the needs of our regional businesses.”
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The Workforce Alliance of the North Bay leverages regional funding and aligns partners in the North Bay to ensure a skilled workforce today and in the future. Our network of career centers, employment and training initiatives, and programs result in a regional talent pool that drives economic growth for businesses and social mobility for workers and career seekers in the North Bay. If your organization focuses on workforce, education or economic development, join our collaborative efforts to elevate the North Bay’s economic status and make our region the place of choice for businesses and workers.