Sec. 4-124w. Office of Workforce Competitiveness. Responsibilities.
Sec. 4-124w. Office of Workforce Competitiveness. Responsibilities. (a) There
is established an Office of Workforce Competitiveness that shall be within the Office
of Policy and Management for administrative purposes only.
(b) The office shall:
(1) Be the Governor's principal workforce development policy advisor;
(2) Be the liaison between the Governor and any local, state or federal organizations
and entities with respect to workforce development matters, including implementation
of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, P.L. 105-220, as from time to time amended;
(3) Coordinate the workforce development activities of all state agencies;
(4) Coordinate the state's implementation of the federal Workforce Investment Act
of 1998, P.L. 105-220, as from time to time amended, and advise and assist the Governor
with matters related to said act;
(5) Coordinate the development and implementation of strategies regarding technology-based talent and innovation among state and quasi-public agencies, including
the creation of a centralized clearinghouse and technical assistance function at the state
level to assist applicants in developing small business innovation research programs in
conformity with the federal program established pursuant to the Small Business Research and Development Enhancement Act of 1992, P.L. 102-564, as amended, and
other proposals;
(6) Establish methods and procedures to ensure the maximum involvement of members of the public, the legislature and local officials in workforce development matters,
including implementation of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, P.L. 105-220, as
from time to time amended;
(7) Subject to the provisions of chapter 67, appoint such officials and other employees as may be necessary for the discharge of the duties of the office;
(8) Enter into such contractual agreements, in accordance with established procedures, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section and section 20 of
public act 00-192*;
(9) Take any other action necessary to carry out the provisions of this section and
section 20 of public act 00-192*;
(10) Be the lead state agency for the development of employment and training strategies and initiatives required to support Connecticut's position in the knowledge economy; and
(11) Not later than October 1, 2002, and annually thereafter, submit a report, with the
assistance of the Labor Department, to the Governor and the joint standing committees of
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, economic
development, labor and higher education and employment advancement specifying a
forecasted assessment by the Labor Department of workforce shortages in occupations
in this state for the succeeding two and five-year periods. The report shall also include
recommendations concerning (A) methods to generate a sufficient number of workers
to meet identified workforce needs, including, but not limited to, scholarship, school-to-career and internship programs, and (B) methods secondary and higher education
and private industry can use to address identified workforce needs.
(c) The Office of Workforce Competitiveness may call upon any office, department,
board, commission or other agency of the state to supply such reports, information
and assistance as may be necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the duties and
requirements of the Office for Workforce Competitiveness. Each officer or employee
of such office, department, board, commission or other agency of the state is authorized
and directed to cooperate with the Office of Workforce Competitiveness and to furnish
such reports, information and assistance.
(P.A. 00-192, S. 19, 102; P.A. 01-170, S. 1; P.A. 03-19, S. 5; 03-278, S. 8; P.A. 04-212, S. 2.)
*Note: Section 20 of public act 00-192 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force
and effect according to its terms.
History: P.A. 00-192 effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-170 added Subsec. (b)(9) re annual reporting requirements; P.A.
03-19 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 03-278 made technical changes in Subsec.
(b)(9), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 04-212 made technical changes in Subsec. (a) and, in Subsec. (b), inserted new Subdiv.
(5) charging Office of Workforce Competitiveness with coordinating strategies re technology-based talent and innovation
among state and quasi-public agencies, renumbering existing Subdivs. accordingly, revised internal references in renumbered Subdivs. (8) and (9), and added Subdiv. (10) making Office of Workforce Competitiveness the lead state agency
for developing strategies and initiatives to support Connecticut's position in the knowledge economy, effective July 1, 2004.
See Sec. 4-38f for definition of "administrative purposes only".
See Sec. 10-21f re career ladder programs for high school students seeking to pursue careers in occupations with
projected workforce shortages.