Workforce Investment Act of 1998: one state's approach to a workforce development partnership

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was twofold. The first purpose was to describe what influence the implementation of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) had on three workforce development partners—employment services, economic development, and community college system. The second was to describe the process utilized that created the workforce development partnership. The state studied was implementing both federal and state workforce legislation with a priority on training and education to meet the needs of business, which was defined by the participants as workforce development. The state was experiencing a lack of workforce with knowledge in technical skills needed for a booming economy mineral extraction industry. Further, there was a natural shortage of workers due to declining K- 12 school enrollments and a higher than national average early baby boomer population.