The role of this section is to support workforce development systems and services that enhance the development of four distinct Alabama target groups: economically disadvantaged youth, low-income adults, dislocated workers and incumbent workers as they prepare and develop into productive workers.  Through numerous Federal, Intrastate, Interstate, and local community investment interactions and initiatives, this section serves as an intermediary organization to improve workforce development systems to include workforce development education and training programs that support and provide vital services to identified target groups in order to accomplish the state’s ultimate goal of meeting its industries/businesses critical need for employees.

This Section works to promote community and economic growth by both funding the delivery of workforce services and serving as a focal point for coordinating workforce services.  It is the hub from which workforce investment policy is established, partnerships with other stakeholders are fostered, and system delivery is continually evaluated and revised to meet system needs.

The section engages in the following:

  1. Networks, engages, convenes, and supports Alabama’s workforce development partners and stakeholders (e.g., jobseekers and employers). This function results in increased public involvement, designing and promoting new initiatives, strengthens state and local institutions, ensures accountability and achieves tangible results.
  2. Promotes quality standards and accountability by identifying standards for assessing service quality and use feedback to promote continuous improvement and demonstrate positive outcomes. Two excellent examples of this are the Governor’s Success Plus Initiative and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Common Performance Measures.
  3. Identifying and leveraging public and private resources in order to increase the effectiveness of workforce delivery service providers and attracting external funding resources that individual service providers often cannot secure on their own.
  4. Promoting and ensuring effective workforce development policies and investments that strengthens the division’s workforce development partners’ and stakeholders’ ability to deliver more effective services to their customers – jobseekers and employers.