The Workforce Innovations Conference provides an opportunity for state and local government representatives, private sector workforce and economic development officials, and educators to collaborate on workforce issues.
"Our honorees have shown that they are innovative leaders in providing workers with the opportunities and tools to help them compete in today's global economy," said DeRocco. "Their outstanding work serves as a model for others to learn from and apply to their own regional economic and talent development strategies."
The Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration presents Recognition of Excellence honors in five categories:
The "Educating America's 21st Century Workforce" group recognizes innovative and effective strategies that prepare workers for challenges requiring higher skills and more education.
Honorees in "Building an Industry/Business-Driven Workforce Investment System" respond to business needs while preparing a skilled workforce for continued job growth.
The third category, "Leveraging the Power of e3 Partnerships," recognizes the value of projects demonstrating sustained collaborations among employers, educators and economic development leaders.
The "Recognizing the Demographics of the Workforce" award highlights organizations that effectively integrate every available worker into the labor force. Honorees in this category provide effective services to individuals with disabilities, persons with limited skills in English, homeless individuals, migrant farm workers and others.
Finally, "Serving Out-of-School Youth" recognizes innovative techniques and collaborations with educators, businesses, industry and essential partners in workforce and economic development to solve challenges in the education, training, and hiring of out-of-school youth and young adults.
NOTE: A complete list of honorees and honorable mentions is below.
ETA Recognition of Excellence Honorees and Honorable Mentions
CATEGORY 1: Educating America's 21st Century Workforce - This category recognizes innovative and effective strategies to prepare workers for the challenges that require higher skills and more education.
- Winner: Alpena Community College — Alpena, Mich.
- Honorable Mention: The Junior College District of Kansas City, Mo. — Kansas City, Mo.
- Honorable Mention: Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership — Beaverton, Ore.
CATEGORY 2: Building an Industry/Business-Driven Workforce Investment System - The honorees in this category respond to the needs of business, while preparing a skilled workforce for continued job growth.
- Winner: Capital Workforce Partners — Hartford, Conn.
- Honorable Mention: Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth/Bureau of Workforce Programs — Statewide
- Honorable Mention: Gulf Coast Workforce Board - The WorkSource — Gulf Coast Region, Texas
CATEGORY 3: e3 Partnerships - This category confers value in projects that demonstrate sustained partnerships among employers, educators and economic development leaders — ETA's "Power of e3."
- Winner: Eastern Kentucky C.E.P. Inc. — Hazard, Ky.
- Honorable Mention: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College — Gulfport, Miss.
CATEGORY 4: Recognizing Special Populations in the Workforce - This category highlights organizations that effectively address the critical need to find ways to integrate every available worker into the labor force.
- Winner: Experience Works Inc. — headquartered in Arlington, Va.
- Honorable Mention: Shoreline Community College — Shoreline, Wash.
- Honorable Mention: Center for Employment Opportunities — New York, N.Y.
CATEGORY 5: Serving Out-of-School Youth - This category recognizes innovative techniques and collaborations with business, industry and essential partners in workforce and economic development to solve the education, training and hiring challenges of serving out-of-school youth and young adults.
- Winner: Workforce Connections Inc. — La Crosse, Wis.
- Honorable Mention: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development — St. Paul, Minn.
- Honorable Mention: River Parish's WIA Programs — Convent, La.
