Workforce Development Board

The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) was established in 1998, as outlined in the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). In 2014, the WIA was replaced by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which outlines the vision and structure through which state workforce training and education programs are funded and administered regionally and locally.

The CWDB is responsible for the oversight and continuous improvement of the workforce system in California, which encompasses a wide array of work, including: policy development; workforce support and innovation; and performance assessment, measurement and reporting.

WIOA mandates the creation of a statewide strategic workforce plan. In 2016, the CWDB, in conjunction with its statewide partners, released the Unified Strategic State Plan, which was then updated in 2018. This plan is built around three policy objectives, which are intended to guide state policy and practice across partner programs, as well as inform local policy and service delivery. These objectives are:

Fostering demand-driven skills attainment

Enabling upward mobility for all Californians

Aligning, coordinating and integrating programs and services

The statewide workforce development system is comprised of 45 Local Areas, each with its own Local Workforce Development Board.