California Senate Passes Sectors Legislation.

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The California Senate recently passed a sector strategies bill (Senate Bill 118) introduced by Sen. Ted Lieu. The bill calls on the California Workforce Investment Board to develop a statewide sector strategies plan that can provide a roadmap for coordinating education, training and employment programs to better meet current and projected industry demand for skilled workers. Similar legislation was offered up by Sen. Lieu last year, but it failed to pass both chambers before the end of the legislative session.

Specifically, the legislation would require the state workforce board to:

• Establish workforce education and training principles to re-focus for state board activities on developing sector strategies.
• Conduct an annual skills gap analysis to identify those industries facing shortages of skilled workers or sectors with job-growth potential.
• Implement sector strategies based on the findings of the skills gap analysis.

The California EDGE Campaign is mobilizing stakeholder support for the bill. Last year’s version was backed by the California Labor Federation, the California Manufacturers & Technology Association, the California Workforce Association, Insight Center for Community Economic Development, the Jewish Vocational Service of Los Angeles, the Jewish Vocational Services of San Francisco, John Muir Health, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the State Building and Construction Trades Council, and the San Francisco Foundation.

The California Assembly will consider the bill soon.

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