What are we doing?

The three Workforce Investment Boards in Silicon Valley – NOVA, the San Mateo County Workforce Investment Board and work2future – are collaborating with Joint Venture and regional workforce stakeholders in education, industry, organized labor, academia and key social service agencies. This partnership is focused on developing an action plan to find regional solutions for two of the fundamental challenges facing workforce development in the Valley and beyond;

• The growing volatility and churn in the demand for skills, occupations and overall employment in industries that are driven by the Valley’s innovation economy
• The demographic reality driving the need for skilled and qualified replacement workers in the occupations and industries that are being impacted by the large percentage of retiring baby boomers.

Joint Venture recently developed a regional workforce action plan focused on meeting our challenges in three key outcomes:

• Expanding and improving skill building in the Valley’s workforce
• Increasing workforce readiness among the Valley’s lowest skilled and lowest wage residents
• Developing skilled, qualified applicants for replacement jobs

Five groups worked on different aspects of the regional workforce action plan.

1. Regional Planning and Coordination: This strategy development group focused on the importance of common regional planning tools such as an early warning system, regional skills forecast and incorporating feedback mechanisms from industry advisory councils. These planning tools will help produce regional agreements to coordinate the development of new training programs as well as regional retraining and re-employment efforts.
2. Entrepreneurs and Self-Employment Training and Support: This group was focused on expanding skill development programs for adult entrepreneurs and those considering self-employment. This group also evaluated how to incorporate entrepreneurial skill development into currently established training and educational programs as a workforce “core competency” to promote “innovative” thinking on the job.
3. Incumbent Worker Training: This group looked at different programs that could provide, improve or expand skill development opportunities for incumbent workers in the Valley such as professional workforce certificates or industry specific shared employer training programs.
4. Job Training with Entry-Level Employment: This group worked on expanding the number of opportunities for entry-level employment that provide comprehensive job training, as these employment opportunities combined with job training programs would lead to career pathways with higher wages and opportunities for additional skill development.
5. Adult Workforce Training and Education: This group examined regional workforce readiness certifications, common assessment mechanisms, integrated vocational training and education as well as new strategies to develop more flexible, responsive education and training opportunities for the adult workforce in Silicon Valley.

Who's involved?

Fred Slone, San Mateo Workforce Investment Board, Executive Director
Jeff Ruster, work2future, Executive Director
Kris Stadelman, NOVA, Executive Director
Russell Hancock, Joint Venture, President and CEO

What are the latest developments?

The initiative released a report to advance its recommendations in June. 

What are the next steps?

The first Regional Workforce Summit is being planned for late summer 2010.

Where do I find out more?

To learn more about the initiative, contact Kara Gross at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 408.298.9334.