What we do

The North Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board, Inc. established in 1979 is a private non-profit 501 C3 organization responsible for the policy development and oversight of all state and federally funded workforce development initiatives in the region. The functions of this 51% private sector Board under the Workforce Investment Act include:

1. Develop and submit an annual local strategic workforce investment plan to the Governor, in partnership with the Chief Elected Official.
2. With the agreement of the Chief Elected Official, designate or certify one-stop career center operators and terminate the eligibility of such operators for cause; identify eligible providers of youth activities in the local area by awarding grants or contracts on a competitive basis, based on recommendations of the Youth Council; identify eligible providers of training services for adults and dislocated workers; and identify eligible providers of intensive services by awarding contracts if the one-stop career center does not provide such intensive services in the local area.
3. Develop a budget for the purposes of carrying out the duties of the Local Board subject to the approval of the Chief Elected Official. The Local Board may employ staff and may solicit and accept grants and donations from sources other than federal funds.
4. In partnership with the Chief Elected Official, conduct oversight with respect to local programs of youth activities and local employment and training activities for adults and the one-stop delivery system in the local workforce area.
5. Negotiate and reach agreement on local performance measures with the Chief Elected Official and the Governor.
6. Assist the Governor in the development of a statewide employment statistics system (e.g., labor market information system pursuant to the Wagner Pyser Act).
7. Coordinate the workforce investment activities carried out in the local area with economic development strategies and develop other employer linkages.
8. Promote the participation of private sector employers in the statewide workforce system and ensure connecting and brokering activities occur through intermediaries such as the one-stop career center operator or other organizations.

The Board also provides staff support to local schools for School-to-Career initiatives in the region and is involved in economic development, workforce training and adult education and training. The Board is also a partner in a training grant to provide Certified Nurses Aid training in local long term care facilities.