Item 08 Regional and Unified Local Workforce Plans for Program Years (PY) 2025-2028 as R_20250514214801296

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Orange RPU PY 2025-2028 Regional Plan 48 | Page • Integrating climate resilience and sustainability into workforce development initiatives. • Ensuring job training aligns with regional climate policies and emissions reduction goals. By integrating workforce development with climate and sustainability planning, the RPU can ensure that the transition to a green economy is equitable and inclusive, particularly for workers from disinvested communities most impacted by climate change. VII. EQUITY AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE A. The region’s strategy to achieve equity Equity and economic justice lie at the core of California’s vision for an inclusive workforce system. Equity goes beyond merely leveling the playing field; it requires deliberate actions to dismantle barriers and create pathways that ensure historically underserved communities have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. The Orange RPU is committed to embedding equity as a guiding principle in workforce development, recognizing that achieving this vision requires systemic reforms, targeted interventions, and sustained partnerships. California’s approach emphasizes that addressing workforce inequities is both an economic and moral necessity. According to the Workforce Development Equity Framework, equity is about fairness and actively fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of background, can access high-quality, living-wage employment 91. For the Orange RPU, this means centering its strategies on addressing structural inequities and ensuring equitable access to career pathways, earn-and-learn opportunities, supportive services, and job placement programs. Key Strategies for Equity and Inclusion • Expanding Career Pathways—We will partner with employers and organizations to create accessible career pathways in advanced manufacturing, construction, and healthcare industries, addressing systemic barriers and hiring biases. • Promoting Skills-Based Hiring - We will advocate for skills-based hiring and job quality standards, including fair wages, benefits, and worker protections. • Addressing Barriers - We will collaborate with community partners to expand support for digital literacy, broadband, transportation, and childcare, using innovative solutions like mobile workforce units. • Embedding Equity - We will expand pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, and co-enrollment strategies to support underrepresented groups with holistic workforce services. • Leveraging Data—We will use data on workforce participants to identify disparities, set equity goals, and ensure accountability through regular evaluations. 91 American Institutes for Research. Workforce Development Equity Framework. Washington, D.C.: American Institutes for Research, 2024. https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/Workforce-Development-Equity-Framework-June-2024-508.pdf. EXHIBIT 1