How the EWD Program Aims to Meet Workforce Needs. Policy Brief

The Economic and Workforce Development Program (EWD) aims to support California's economy by aligning community college educational programs with workforce development needs. The program connects employers and community college educators through a network of workforce training resources and partnerships called "Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy" (Doing What Matters). Doing What Matters is overseen by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCC), in conjuction with other career technical education (CTE) programs. After the California State Legislature reauthorized EWD in 2012, the CCCCO created a new structure for the program based on seven geographic regions. Each region selected five rapid-growth, high-demand industry/business sectors, and EWD services in each region were targeted to those sectors. This brief outlines perceived strengths and weaknesses of this restructured program and offers recommendations for improvement. The information is drawn from an evaluation of the EWD program, "Aiming to Meet Workforce Needs: An Evaluation of the Economic and Workforce Development Program" (ED574474).