The Oregon Workforce Talent and Development Board (WTDB) is the overall advisory board to the Governor on workforce matters, including developing a strategic plan for Oregon's Workforce Development System.
Appointed by the Governor under the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the WTDB is made up of leaders representing business, labor, local workforce development boards, community-based organizations, the Oregon legislature, local government, and state agencies. The majority of the board represents business.
Vision and Mission
The Oregon Workforce and Talent Development Board’s (WTDB’s)
vision is equitable prosperity for all Oregonians. To realize this vision, the WTDB advances Oregon through meaningful work, training, and education by empowering people and employers. The WTDB:
- Leads and communicates a long-term vision for Oregon that anticipates and acts on future workforce needs;
- Advises the Governor and the legislature on workforce policy and plans;
- Aligns public workforce policy, resources, and services with employers, education, training and economic development;
- Identifies barriers, providing solutions, and avoiding duplication of services;
- Promotes accountability among public workforce partners; and
- Shares best practices and innovative solutions that are scalable statewide and across multiple regions.
Strategic Plan
Essential to both vision and mission, the WTDB developed five strategic plan Imperatives for their work and to be communicated to state and local partners and stakeholders. These are:
- Create a culture of equitable prosperity;
- Increase understanding and utilization of the workforce system;
- Identify and align strategic investments;
- Position Oregon as a national leader; and
- Create a Board culture that is resilient and adaptable and flexible to a changing economy.
Read the 2023-2024 WTDB Strategic Plan
Recent Legislative Successes
HB 3437 (2017)
Sponsored by Representative Reardon, Representative Sollman, and Senator Devlin improved the statewide approach to effective and integrated workforce development. The Bill expands the WTDB’s role and responsibilities for business and industry engagement and establishes responsibility for the creation and ongoing development of a biennial Workforce and Talent Development Plan. The Bill also renamed the Oregon Workforce Investment Board (OWIB) to the Workforce and Talent Development Board.
House Bill 3437 SB 623 (2021)
Sponsored by Senator Frederick and Representative Reardon at the request of Oregon Workforce Partnership requires that the WTDB, in consultation with state workforce agencies and local workforce development boards, establish the Continuous Improvement Committee (CIC) to assess the effectiveness of Oregon’s public workforce development system immediately and every even year into the future. The CIC’s work must include the perspectives of underrepresented populations. Especially in the initial assessment of the workforce system. The CIC has been formed and is working on the initial assessment report.
Senate Bill 623 HB 2092 (2021)
Filed at the request of Governor Brown modifies the Oregon Youth Employment Program to better serve Oregon youth by ensuring the program grantees serve underrepresented communities across the state, pay youth participants the equivalent of minimum wage, expose students to in-demand occupations, and develop community engagement plans. The Legislature appropriated $9 million to HECC for the 2021-2023 biennium for the Oregon Youth Corps and local workforce development boards.
House Bill 2092 Sections 21-23 of SB 762 (2021)
Establishes the Oregon Conservation Corps (OCC), a separate entity from the Oregon Youth Corps. OCC’s will provide employment for youth participants to reduce wildfire risk and engage them in workforce training. The OCC’s committee is responsible for fundraising and operating a grants process for the issuance of grants to organizations to meet the purpose of the program. A fund is established in the State Treasury for the deposit of state and private funds. The bill appropriates $11,643,688 for the program, $10 million of which is for grants, $1 million for private donation match, and the remainder for program staff.
Senate Bill 762 Public Meetings
Meetings are
open to the public and confirmed through public meeting notices. Recent and upcoming public meeting dates and materials are available for:
- Workforce Talent Development Board (WTDB)
- WTDB Executive Committee
- WTDB Continuous Improvement Committee
- WTDB Taskforces
View meeting calendar
Materials from
past meetings can found on the
Public Meetings Archive page listed by year.
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Public Comment
2024-2027 Oregon WIOA Combined State Plan
The document linked above is a draft of Oregon's 2024-2027 WIOA Combined State Plan. This document is developed in accordance with the Information Collection Request (ICR) Required Elements for Submission of the Unified or Combined State Plan and Plan Modifications under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act approved through March 31, 2026 (OMB Control Number 1205-0522).
The public is invited to provide comments during the 30-day public comment period: January 30 through February 28, 2024. Comments must be submitted by email to: Clay Martin, clay.martin@hecc.oregon.gov
Comments will be reviewed and addressed as appropriate within the final Combined State Plan. The recommended Combined State Plan will be considered for approval by the Oregon Workforce and Talent Development Board (WTDB) at a special meeting on February 29, 2024. The approved Combined State Plan will be submitted on March 4, 2024, to the U.S. Department of Labor and others.
Board Member Handbook
The Board Member Handbook includes resources for member orientation, board policies and procedures, details about the workforce system, and more. Select a topic to view downloadable resources.
Members and Membership
The Workforce and Talent Development Board consists of members appointed by the Oregon Governor, as prescribed in the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), with voting members confirmed by the Oregon Senate.
View current members
Apply for an appointment
The WTDB is currently recruiting individuals who:
- Are passionate about assuring that Oregon has an effective workforce system that meets the needs of individuals to find and keep good jobs and for businesses to find workers who support their current and future competitiveness.
- Are knowledgeable about the workforce system, or willing to take the time to learn about it.
- Commit to participating regularly on both the board and a standing committee(s), and taskforces.
- Have a high level of professionalism.
- Help the Governor meet the goals for boards to be reflective of the full geographic and diversity of our state.
Apply now