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Arizona Workforce Connection AZ.gov Arizona's Official Web Site
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Home > Council (GCWP)

Governor’s Council on Workforce Policy (GCWP)

Vision

To be the leader of an integrated, high quality workforce development system.

Mission

Provide leadership, direction and establish policy for delivery of a quality workforce system.

Background

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 is a federal law designed to improve the quality of the workforce, enhance the competitiveness of the nation, and reduce welfare dependency.

Enacted as a replacement to the Job Training Partnership Act of 1982, the WIA mandated the creation of a centralized, “one-stop” workforce system in each state, along with a workforce investment board to oversee each workforce system.

In response, the Governor’s Council on Workforce Policy (Council or GCWP) was created to provide guidance to the Governor and the Arizona State Legislature regarding workforce development issues. View the Council's governance documents: A.R.S. §41-1542 and Executive Order 2008-17.

Appointed by the Governor, this diverse group includes people from a variety of backgrounds, including public and private sector, city and state government, large and small business, industry, youth groups and higher education. Click here for a list of GCWP members.

The Council meets several times each year to perform their duties, which include:

  • Overseeing Arizona’s workforce system that includes over 50 One-Stop Service Centers. These centers are administered by the Local Workforce Investment Areas and the Tribal Nations Investment Areas to serve the employment and training needs of both job seekers and businesses/employers throughout the state. In addition to walk-in service centers, this website (Arizona Workforce Connection) has been created by the Council to provide a portal to Arizona's workforce system.
  • Reviewing the funding, resources and services of Arizona’s workforce development programs to ensure adherence to federal laws and regulations.
  • Establishing goals for the development and implementation of workforce-related education and training programs, including: the Arizona Job Training Program, the Arizona Apprenticeship System, and Innovation Frontier Arizona.
  • Issuing studies, reports or documents, as deemed necessary, including a mandatory annual report about Arizona’s workforce development for the United States Secretary of Labor.
  • Increasing public awareness of and participation in state workforce programs and resources.
  • Improving communications between the state agencies that must work together to foster workforce development, including the Arizona Department of Commerce, Arizona Department of Economic Security and Arizona Department of Education.