Maricopa County Workforce Development Board Information

Mission

The Maricopa County Workforce Development Board (MCWDB) is established by the Board of Supervisors (BOS), serving as the Chief Local Elected Officials, to support strategic planning, oversight, and evaluation of the local workforce development area. The MCWDB is committed to driving effective workforce outcomes aligned with statewide goals, objectives, and locally negotiated performance measures.

Representing a diverse range of individuals, businesses, and organizations across the region, the MCWDB acts as a strategic convener—fostering collaboration among county leadership, economic development entities, educational institutions, and workforce partners. The Board is dedicated to cultivating strong relationships with business associations, chambers of commerce, labor and trade groups, education providers, and other key stakeholders to advance workforce innovation and opportunity.

Vision

To be a premier workforce development system that empowers jobseekers with meaningful career opportunities and connects employers with skilled talent— driving economic growth and improving the quality of life across our communities.

Targeted In-Demand Industries

Maricopa County’s Workforce Development Board has determined that WIOA funds for the Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth program participants will be limited to training programs in these industry sectors and occupations targeted by the LWDB:

• Targeted In-Demand Industries
• Targeted In-Demand Occupations

What is a Workforce Development Board?

Our Values

The values which govern the work of the Maricopa County Workforce Development Board are summarized in three statements:

• We will continuously assess and address critical workforce needs.
• We will mobilize collective expertise.
• We will visualize emerging career pathways.

Our Goals

1. Determine long- vs. short-term in-demand industry and occupation workforce planning needs.
2. Establish sustainable funding opportunities based on workforce needs and shared funding partnerships.
3. Scan the environment (regional and state) to identify, leverage, and improve alignment of existing Arizona workforce expertise, economic development opportunities, and title partners.
4. Leverage network to establish consistent industry terminology requirements used by employers, educators, and organizations to align with job seekers' qualifications, certifications, lifestyle expectations, etc.
5. Recognize each in-demand industry's potential career pathway entry points for current and future job seekers of all levels.

WIOA Operating Guidance

The MCWDB receives its authority in accordance with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed into law on July 22, 2014, and comprises leaders representing the area’s geographic and business demographics in both private business and in the public sector.