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

Home Browse Search

Orange County WDBs PY 2025-28 Unified Local Plan 6 | Page opportunities, and participate in community events, job fairs, and workforce development initiatives. Additionally, AJCC partners support the Orange County WDB’s One-Stop mobile unit, which brings employment services to hard-to-reach communities, ensuring that job seekers who face transportation and accessibility barriers can connect with workforce resources. Business engagement remains a key priority in service coordination, with the WDBs and AJCC partners collaborating to design customized business solutions, engage employers in sector strategies, and provide recruitment support. Partners work together on rapid response initiatives and layoff aversion strategies to help businesses retain their workforce while supporting employees affected by industry shifts and economic disruptions. Employer engagement efforts also focus on expanding work-based learning opportunities, such as on-the-job training (OJT), apprenticeships, and incumbent worker training programs, ensuring that businesses can build skilled, competitive workforces while offering career advancement opportunities to job seekers. To further strengthen employer engagement, the WDBs will convene quarterly regional meetings for business services representatives and employer engagement teams across workforce system partners. These meetings will facilitate a coordinated regional approach to engaging businesses in workforce activities, aligning services with industry needs, and ensuring that employers are fully aware of the workforce services and resources available across the broader workforce development ecosystem. Strategic Partnerships to Strengthen Workforce Development Beyond the core and mandated partners, the workforce system in Orange County collaborates with business-serving agencies, organized labor, and community-based organizations (CBOs) to enhance workforce services and expand career opportunities. The WDBs work closely with organized labor to support apprenticeships, pre- apprenticeship programs, and sector-driven training initiatives. Labor unions are critical in connecting workforce system participants to quality jobs, ensuring job seekers have access to stable careers with competitive wages, benefits, and advancement opportunities. Organized labor representation on the WDBs ensures that worker perspectives shape workforce policy and strategy. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), California School Employees Association (CSCA), United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers, and Laborers Union (LiUNA) actively engage in workforce training initiatives, apprenticeship programs, and industry awareness events. During National Apprenticeship Week, labor organizations, local WDBs, and the Orange County Labor Federation collaborate to host events showcasing registered apprenticeship programs, highlighting career pathways in industries such as construction, cybersecurity, and public health. Employer engagement extends beyond traditional hiring and recruitment efforts. The WDBs actively collaborate with business-serving organizations such as local chambers EXHIBIT 2